Windows 7 Vs Windows 8?

linktoinsanity · 19 Apr 2014 at 23:41

Elevon said:
I've one of my PC s which has an old Athlon XP 3800+x2 CPU and nforce 4 Ultra board that has vanilla Win8 Pro x64 which can't be upgraded due to instruction set not supported with Win8.1 x64 unless I reformat and go Win8.1 x86.

Info here http://www.eteknix.com/windows-8-1-64-bit-working-old-amd-processors/

I'll make it a full Linux PC at some point down the road.

I'm still at a loss as to why MS would have done this...

And @ OP: You may as well go with Windows 8.1, installing Startisback or other similar solutions if you don't like the new interface.

Elevon · 19 Apr 2014 at 23:46

linktoinsanity said:
I'm still at a loss as to why MS would have done this...

And @ OP: You may as well go with Windows 8.1, installing Startisback or other similar solutions if you don't like the new interface.

In that link they say to improve security.

“This was a change done to improve the security effectiveness of Windows by removing code that cannot use instructions such as CMPXCHG16b. Based on our data, the number of affected processors are extremely small, since this instruction has been supported for greater than 10 years.”

nutcase · 20 Apr 2014 at 07:39

V F said:
Curious, is anyone still on Windows 8 vanilla? and at what point will you be forced...

My main machine is. I have a laptop and a Netbook on 8.1 however (as it happens there is an issue with the netbook - the screen res is too low to run metro apps

but apart from that, considering it originally came with XP it runs very well).

I'll be updating my main PC to 8.1 in a week or two.

eddywatson · 20 Apr 2014 at 08:18

is startisbackalready built into windows 8?

or is it a 3rd party program?

Thank you

badcompany · 20 Apr 2014 at 08:35

windows 8 + classic shell = excellent.

Bry · 20 Apr 2014 at 10:25

startisback will technically be built into the next update of windows 8 but a timeframe for this has not been stated yet.
Startisback is a separate program that costs about £2

KIA · 20 Apr 2014 at 10:42

eddywatson said:
is startisbackalready built into windows 8?

or is it a 3rd party program?

Thank you

3rd-party. You can grab it from http://startisback.com/

OspreyO · 20 Apr 2014 at 13:06

badcompany said:
windows 8 + classic shell = excellent.

+1

Dunno what the fuss is. 99% of people won't be able to tell the difference between it and Windows 7. Underneath they are the same, more or less. Just better. You don't have to use metro or the apps.

OspreyO · 20 Apr 2014 at 13:08

Blackjack Davy said:
..Unless its a touchscreen stick with Win 7 you'll save yourself endless hassle installing StartIsBack, Start8, etc.

no more hassle than installing, chrome. If you can't do that....

eddywatson · 20 Apr 2014 at 17:10

so if I get windows 8.1 and I pay to download startisback do I just install it and it auto adds the start button to the bottom task bar?

Thank you

Elevon · 20 Apr 2014 at 17:37

eddywatson said:
so if I get windows 8.1 and I pay to download startisback do I just install it and it auto adds the start button to the bottom task bar?

Thank you

Yes like this,

Sighn · 20 Apr 2014 at 17:49

eddywatson said:
so if I get windows 8.1 and I pay to download startisback do I just install it and it auto adds the start button to the bottom task bar?

Thank you

Yeah it does. It gives more customisation options for the start menu than you would typically get in Microsoft's older OS'. You buy via registration within a month of installing it - Automatic trial.

Also note that W8's superior WDDM driver model is favourable for accelerated video rendering and other video/power related functions.

KIA · 20 Apr 2014 at 18:13

eddywatson said:
so if I get windows 8.1 and I pay to download startisback do I just install it and it auto adds the start button to the bottom task bar?

Thank you

Take advantage of the free trial period, just in case you change your mind.