Windows 8 who's buying/upgrading

CaptainCrash · 12 Jan 2013 at 08:56

Joel89 said:
Just purchased a new laptop which came with Windows 8, rather than Windows 8 pro and therefore can't install Media Center annoyingly. Is the upgrade to Pro worth it for this feature? Wouldn't use it too much, but looks good for when I will want to watch a film etc.

Other option I guess is XBMC?

For all intents and purposes Media Center is an abandoned project; I'm sure MS would rather it just went away altogether, but then they'd get their ears bent by the tiny but vocal minority of people who rely on it for PVR purposes (for instance, there was uproar when the EPG guide data went AWOL recently).

If you don't use WMC for recording OTA TV, I'd say its absence won't be missed in the slightest, and even if you do there are better alternatives. Certainly don't waste your cash upgrading to Win 8 Pro unless you want/need it for other reasons.

flamezmack · 12 Jan 2013 at 09:56

Installed this on my mums pc...just seems to be a abit of joke O/S..will not upgrade as windows 7 is the only way to go for now

vail3r · 13 Jan 2013 at 16:41

Just upgraded one of my PC's but I'm having issues with video playback. When playing the blank sections at the top and bottom are white instead of black. Anyone know how to fix this?

hola_adios · 14 Jan 2013 at 11:40

This OS is an abomination, it such a step back from the rest of the family, did the mistake of upgrading my work PC with it ... going back to Windows 7 at the speed of light. For those of you who enjoy fiddling, getting things done and getting where you want to get quickly, stay away from this monster.

theheyes · 14 Jan 2013 at 11:48

hola_adios said:
This OS is an abomination, it such a step back from the rest of the family, did the mistake of upgrading my work PC with it ... going back to Windows 7 at the speed of light. For those of you who enjoy fiddling, getting things done and getting where you want to get quickly, stay away from this monster.

So is Windows 7 efficient or fiddly? Or both?

prescott28 · 14 Jan 2013 at 12:15

theheyes said:
So is Windows 7 efficient or fiddly? Or both?

I've been using Windows 8 since it came out and, frankly, when I have to fix something on my wife's machine that is running Windows 7 its got an old-fashioned look and the Start Menu is very fiddly. With my Windows 8 machine properly set up - i.e. the 'Metro' desktop set up with my active applications - I find it heaps better than Windows 7.

Scougar · 14 Jan 2013 at 12:48

Bought the upgrade (Windows 8 Pro) for £24.99. Really only bought it whilst it was cheap, just in case I wanted to upgrade later. (I might be selling my main PC... so I don't want to use it yet).

What else do I need to get? A media pack? (Where from?) - EDIT: Tried to add it for free, but just getting an error :-(

TBirdUK · 14 Jan 2013 at 13:22

ring them up about the media pack - be aware though that the download of Windows 8 could be tied into the machine you requested it for.

I have purchased 3 seperate upgrades and they are not interchangable (ie I tried one on a different machine than I downloaded it for and it wouldnt work)

Glaucus · 14 Jan 2013 at 13:55

They are interchangeable, just phone them up, it even says in the eula they are interchangeable, but it can only be installed on one machine at a time.

Infidelus · 14 Jan 2013 at 18:30

hola_adios said:
This OS is an abomination, it such a step back from the rest of the family, did the mistake of upgrading my work PC with it ... going back to Windows 7 at the speed of light. For those of you who enjoy fiddling, getting things done and getting where you want to get quickly, stay away from this monster.

Not quite sure why you'd call it an abomination. Take away the Modern UI and it's just a better version of Windows 7.

I certainly wouldn't say it was particularly more fiddly than any other version of Windows I've ever used (except NT4 .. THAT was fiddly

)

Sin_Chase · 14 Jan 2013 at 19:12

hola_adios said:
This OS is an abomination, it such a step back from the rest of the family, did the mistake of upgrading my work PC with it ... going back to Windows 7 at the speed of light. For those of you who enjoy fiddling, getting things done and getting where you want to get quickly, stay away from this monster.

Sounds like you are just incapable of adapting to (minor) changes.

In desktop mode it is 99% Windows 7 in terms of usage.

Zuban · 14 Jan 2013 at 19:49

some peoples reactions to win 8 are amazing, completely irrational, for what is after all not that huge a change in some ways, the start screen is even in the same corner of the screen as the start menu. For sure it takes some relearning and not everyone is going to like it but the way some people react its like microsoft stabbed their dog or something.

POB · 14 Jan 2013 at 19:56

Just had a new Dell Vostro delivered.

Boot time is quick ! 4.26 seconds to lock screen, from the actual press of the button.

Fingerprint reader makes it very fast to desktop also.

iviv · 14 Jan 2013 at 20:03

I'm looking at doing a format and reinstall, which is making me consider grabbing Win 8 because why not. Cheap, might as well get the latest OS.

How does it work/deal with multiple monitors? In Win7 I'm currently using display fusion to add a second task bar and start menu, but obviously the second start menu won't be much use. Does the second desktop just extend the (not)metro interface? Is it a blank desktop? And does it work even if the monitors run at different resolutions?

prescott28 · 14 Jan 2013 at 21:40

I am using two monitors and it sort of works fine subject to a couple of annoyances. I have a task bar on both monitors but an icon tray only on the right-hand monitor. The annoyances are -

1. one cannot get windows to snap to half size on the left edge of the right-hand monitor or the opposite on the left-hand monitor

2. Its a little fiddly using the bottom left corner menu to get back to 'Metro' or a right click for control panel etc as the mouse tends to end up on the left monitor.

That aside, it is working fine and I am just using the OS itself to sort things out.

nightmare99 · 15 Jan 2013 at 19:41

some peoples reactions to win 8 are amazing, completely irrational,

It is generally the same people that were moaning about Windows XP when that was released.

lcg · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:22

prescott28 said:
I am using two monitors and it sort of works fine subject to a couple of annoyances. I have a task bar on both monitors but an icon tray only on the right-hand monitor. The annoyances are -

1. one cannot get windows to snap to half size on the left edge of the right-hand monitor or the opposite on the left-hand monitor

2. Its a little fiddly using the bottom left corner menu to get back to 'Metro' or a right click for control panel etc as the mouse tends to end up on the left monitor.

That aside, it is working fine and I am just using the OS itself to sort things out.

To overcome problem 1 you can snap the active window by holding the Windows key and pressing the left or right arrow key, depending on the side of the monitor you want to snap the window to.

scottmuir424 · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:27

i like the looks and feel for windows 8 but im having issues with setting up ssd raid on it so i think i will be reverting back to win 7, both ssd drives have been checked and have no errors also i know they work perfectly fine on win 7, maybe a teething problem with wins 8 other than that cant fault it takes alittle to get used to

inogen · 15 Jan 2013 at 21:44

iviv said:
I'm looking at doing a format and reinstall, which is making me consider grabbing Win 8 because why not. Cheap, might as well get the latest OS.

How does it work/deal with multiple monitors? In Win7 I'm currently using display fusion to add a second task bar and start menu, but obviously the second start menu won't be much use. Does the second desktop just extend the (not)metro interface? Is it a blank desktop? And does it work even if the monitors run at different resolutions?

I can't answer all of this but...

I used Win 8 with dual monitors for a couple of months before Xmas, albeit with Start8 and it booting to desktop mode. I also use Display Fusion. With monitors at the same resolution (1920*1080). All fine, all dandy. Just like Windows 7.

Since Xmas I've been using 3 at the same res. Again, all fine all dandy - but much better. I have start buttons and system trays on all three. Keyboard shortcuts to zap in and out of eyefinity. Works a charm (without the charm bar...) I never used 3 with win 7.

I've found it a better OS than Windows 7 in a lot of ways. But it's not as snappy sometimes. Searching multiple drives isn't as quick. Indexed or not. It boots slightly slower and programs at startup seem slower. Once its loaded though its fine. I'm running it on an Intel 520.

Things like the broadcom bluetooth stack work much better than win 7 though - and the WIA support for my copier / printer is easier to set up.

I'm glad I've taken the plunge, but I'm even happier to still have my start buttons... I don't need metro, I have a 1920px taskbar to pin things to. And a start button.

Happyhammer7 · 15 Jan 2013 at 23:03

Would be better to see apps work better with the desktop. In some ways, its like having 2 OSes side by side