Is anyone else up late downloading windows 8?

reible · Post by **reible** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 9:13 pm

OK the install was so bad that I could not get things fixed despite a lot of efforts. Figured it was the customized windows 7 I had running so I bit the bullet and did a clean install with out saving anything of my settings or programs.

It came back in much better condition, internet explorer was working and both the boot time and shutdown time were better. Of course all my programs were gone so I've spent a few hours getting some of them back. The good news on firefox was that it too would work. Chrome had been the only working browser. So that installed and works fine as it had.

Still have hours of work getting other things reinstalled and working but I feel better about how things are working now.

I made a shortcut for both restart and reboot, I'm thinking most PC users will want to do that too. That was one of the dumber things so far.

Have my free windows 8 media center key so that wasn't much of a wait. BTW that offer will expire 1/31/13 and you will have to pay for it after that.

I've been working on this for about 6 hours now so thought I'd come here and check on things for a break.

Ed

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Sun Oct 28, 2012 11:42 pm

curiousgeorge wrote:The only time I upgrade my OS is when I replace the computer and it comes with the new OS....I see no reason to spend all that money just for a few minor changes that most of the time don't even work with my existing hardware anyway. If it ain't broke...

Likewise. Will be upgrading to a new touch screen tablet for which Windows 8 is supposed to be accomodating so you don't use a mouse button often and there is not Start button. Remember, in 1998, someone commented to turn off the OS, you had to hit the start button. It was just an easy way to get out, but the Start button seemed like the wrong thing to say. My Vista machine works well and it is about time that I park a computer and go straight with a tablet. Smaller and easier. I have one small project to do before this computer dies and then I can't think of any reason to have one anymore.

Please keep us posted on all the upgrades so we know what to watch for.

heathicus · Post by **heathicus** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 12:03 pm

My wife and I both love our Android tablets. I couldn't use that as my primary computer at work, but I do at home. I have a PC as a file server, but 99% of what I do on a "computer" at home is on the Android tablet or my Android phone. I have an iPhone from work, but I find it frustratingly limited in what it can do compared to Android.

bffulgham · Post by **bffulgham** » Mon Oct 29, 2012 9:15 pm

reible wrote:OK the install was so bad that I could not get things fixed despite a lot of efforts. Figured it was the customized windows 7 I had running so I bit the bullet and did a clean install with out saving anything of my settings or programs.

It came back in much better condition, internet explorer was working and both the boot time and shutdown time were better. Of course all my programs were gone so I've spent a few hours getting some of them back. The good news on firefox was that it too would work. Chrome had been the only working browser. So that installed and works fine as it had.

Still have hours of work getting other things reinstalled and working but I feel better about how things are working now.

I made a shortcut for both restart and reboot, I'm thinking most PC users will want to do that too. That was one of the dumber things so far.

Have my free windows 8 media center key so that wasn't much of a wait. BTW that offer will expire 1/31/13 and you will have to pay for it after that.

I've been working on this for about 6 hours now so thought I'd come here and check on things for a break.

Ed

I had a previous hard drive for my laptop that had Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit. So, I downloaded Win-8 Pro 64-bit and did an upgrade. I had pretty much the same symptoms after the upgrade finished.....horribly slow. But, not much different than any other time I've upgraded OS versions. I've always found a clean install is better for the long run.

I did a clean install, and things are running reasonably well. I actually used Win-8 all day today for my job and made it thru the day with no major complaints. I'll still have to do some tweaking as my laptop is about 5 years old, so it doesn't have the latest hardware. Win 8 seems to forget about my bluetooth mouse every now and then, but remembers after 30 seconds or so.

Why did I upgrade? Definitely not because I really wanted to. I'll have to support customers with Win-8 so I gotta learn something about it. The other good news is that I've got to do the same with Windows Server 2012 as it is built off of the same core code (I've had a basic 2012 server running as a virtual machine for awhile. It seems to be running in spite of me.). Oh, yippie.

Would rather be woodworking

Bud

skou · Post by **skou** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:25 am

It took me AGES to switch from 2K to XP. (Yes, I tried ME {Many Errors} for a week or 2.)

2 years ago, I tried an RC (Release Candidate) of W7, and was impressed.

6 months ago, I got another RC. W8. I was UNDERWHELMED, to say the least.

I think MS has a good, bad reputation for their OSes.

98SE, good!
2000, Good, but out of sequence!
ME, BAD!
XP, good, after they updated it.
Vista, well, they used the parts (can't say best)
from ME, CE and NT. Got CeMeNt!
W7, best so far.
W8, follow the trail.

Good, followed by bad.Except for 2K.

steve

skou · Post by **skou** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:31 am

Guys, not only am I a novice woodworker, but a
relatively decent computer builder.

(If you knew how EASY it is to build a rig, you'd never smell
sawdust again!)

W7 is OK, unless you have a touch-screen. W8 is OPTIMIZED
for only touch-screens.

OK, who here has a touch-screen, by a show of hands?

Just what I thought. Stick with W7, or XP! (Until updates are
discontinued.)

steve

reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 12:56 am

As of last night things are looking pretty good and I've pretty much mastered the changes. I don't like them all but some of the new things are pretty cool.

The really bad news is that there are no printer drivers for either of my printers. This means that with this upgrade I can no longer print anything from this machine. This is not a good thing. Can't blame anyone but HP and Canon for this as it is their responsibility to provide the drivers.... I guess they hope I will buy new printers???? I've already had this happen when Windows 7 came out, no drivers for my scanner. That is why I have to keep an XP machine around. That machine has drivers for everything I own, not so with the newer releases.

This also means I'm not going to update any more of my computers to Windows 8 unless I get new drivers for the printers or if the old printers wear out and I replace them. Or find a not so difficult work around.

Now I have to find some third party software that has a decent search, or find some fix for the windows 8 version. With a SSD you're limited with how much space you have on the disk and not being able to search by file size with be a real pain.

I know a lot of people have had "issues" with the new interface but it is really not that bad, touch screen or not. Anyway learning new things keeps the little gray cells healthy.

Ed

paulmcohen · Post by **paulmcohen** » Tue Oct 30, 2012 1:27 am

reible wrote:As of last night things are looking pretty good and I've pretty much mastered the changes. I don't like them all but some of the new things are pretty cool.

The really bad news is that there are no printer drivers for either of my printers. This means that with this upgrade I can no longer print anything from this machine. This is not a good thing. Can't blame anyone but HP and Canon for this as it is their responsibility to provide the drivers.... I guess they hope I will buy new printers???? I've already had this happen when Windows 7 came out, no drivers for my scanner. That is why I have to keep an XP machine around. That machine has drivers for everything I own, not so with the newer releases.

This also means I'm not going to update any more of my computers to Windows 8 unless I get new drivers for the printers or if the old printers wear out and I replace them. Or find a not so difficult work around.

Now I have to find some third party software that has a decent search, or find some fix for the windows 8 version. With a SSD you're limited with how much space you have on the disk and not being able to search by file size with be a real pain.

I know a lot of people have had "issues" with the new interface but it is really not that bad, touch screen or not. Anyway learning new things keeps the little gray cells healthy.

Ed

Windows 8 should be able to install Windows XP printer drivers, have you tried?

stephenrc · Post by **stephenrc** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 10:57 am

Everyone seems to think that there isn't a Start button in Win8. There are two hidden start buttons on the desktop, put the mouse in the lower left corner or the two right side corners on the slide out menu. All they do is switch between the tile screen and desktop.

For printers, in add printer, use the 'The printer I want isn't listed' and click the windows update button to fill in the list.

Win8 sure is persistent in wanting windows to be activated with its take over the screen. I always wait until after everything is installed and adjusted.

swampgator · Post by **swampgator** » Wed Oct 31, 2012 12:18 pm

Or, you could just purchase the Microsoft Surface (similar to the iPad) for $499 with Win 8 installed and Office 2013. It's a win-win!:)