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Thread: Making Windows 8 less crappy

  1. #1

    Making Windows 8 less crappy

    We bought a new 23" Dell all-in-one computer at Costco this weekend and have immediately found that we hate Windows 8. Hanna is getting ready to put the computer back in the box and go back to her old Windows XP machine, it's that bad. I know there are third party apps to get the classic Start Menu back, have any of your done this?

  2. #2
    I would probably upgrade to 8.1. The start button is back, as well as a few other upgrades from 8. Might be worth a shot. It's supposed to be a free upgrade for 8 users.

    This link might help:
    http://www.gizmag.com/upgrade-window...dows-81/29394/

    I'm running Windows 7 on my laptop, and I have yet to use 8 or 8.1. 7 has been pretty good though.

    EDIT: On 8.1, you can set it up to skip the whole start page and boot up directly to the desktop.
    http://www.makeuseof.com/tag/how-to-...n-windows-8-1/

    Another option may be to download Classic Shell:
    http://classicshell.net

    I'm not familiar with the above, but it seems to get fairly good reviews.
    Last edited by DHC6twinotter; 12-09-2013 at 08:53 AM.
    -Daniel2000 4Runner Sport | V6 | 5spd | 4x4 | Leather | 265/75-16 BFG AT/KO | OBA | BudBuilt front skid

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  3. #3
    I would upgrade to 8.1 before returning it. This should fix most of the annoyances that you can fix, after that, you may have to wait around until Windows 9 for a proper release. (Everyone knows that only odd Windows releases are any good)
    2005 Lexus LX470 - Stock for now...

    1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 + a bunch of goodies. Lifted, Locked, Illuminated and Armored. Winner,"Best Offroad Truck" - 2010 Pismo Jamboree. It's been upside down and still drives me to work.

  4. #4
    Thanks Dan, upgrading to Windows 8.1 and adding Classic Shell seems to be the answer.

    Microsoft frustrates me to no end. I lived with Windows Vista for years before I finally downgraded both of our computers back to XP. I still have to troubleshoot my parent's Vista PCs on a regular basis. It seems everyone misses the classic Windows desktop and Start Menu button and Microsoft refuses to cater to people's wants and just make it available as an option. I hate that. On the other hand, my Android phones and tablets are rock solid reliable and I have spent zero time maintaining them.

    It's really my wife's computer, so I'll offer to do these updates, but I suspect she will return it and go back to her old PC or perhaps go Mac.

  5. #5
    Windows 7 has been so awesome for me. I haven't used 8 beyond some store demos, but I really hate the touch screen interface for a desktop. Most of my stuff is drawing in solidworks or word processing, so a mouse is king.

    I really think that update will solve your start button and desktop issues, not to mention some other annoyances.

    As for Android, I am sold. I just got a nexus 7 and it is amazing! The Nokia 15whatever that has windows phone or whatever it is called now, it's horrible. I would rather go back to apple than move to a windows mobile device.
    2005 Lexus LX470 - Stock for now...

    1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 + a bunch of goodies. Lifted, Locked, Illuminated and Armored. Winner,"Best Offroad Truck" - 2010 Pismo Jamboree. It's been upside down and still drives me to work.

  6. #6
    I have Windows 7 at work and it's fine, hasn't crashed on me yet. And I agree about the touchscreen functionality on a desktop, it's not for me. It is easier to use the mouse and as far as I know, the mouse won't leave ugly greasy streaks on the monitor.

    Android works so well, I love it. The problem with my PC is I do not use it everyday, so when I turn it on, it runs really slow for the first 10-15 minutes while it updates virus software, downloads Microsoft updates, etc. Really frustrating when all you want to do is look something up.

    I will propose the fixes we discussed above, but understandably Hanna feels like putting time and effort into an expensive purchase before it becomes useable is ridiculous. We'll see how it goes...

    Thanks guys!

  7. #7
    Quote Originally Posted by paddlenbike View Post
    ... but understandably Hanna feels like putting time and effort into an expensive purchase before it becomes useable is ridiculous. We'll see how it goes...

    Thanks guys!
    This is really part of a much larger discussion. I have a couple of good examples of why this is a fact of life now.

    When I purchased my tablet, it had Jelly Bean on it. I immediately upgraded to Kit-Kat. Then had to load all of my apps, find some new ones, etc. It took about 3 hours before I could "use" my device after I had logged into all my services and accounts.

    If you buy a game today for PS3/4 or Xbox 360/one, you won't be able to play a game right away. You will have to update the system software, then install the game, then install any patches for that game. Same goes for Netflix on the PS3. Every time we want to watch a movie, I have to upgrade netflix, and sometimes to do that I have to upgrade the system software as well. Instead of making sure it worked before it was released, it is released with moderate functionality and patched later.

    Long story short, I don't think I have ever spent less than 2 hours setting up a new computer. Having to do a major update just to get the most basic of functionality is ridiculous! But I'm not sure that is the fault of Dell (other than not preinstalling it with 8.1), it seems to be part of the much larger trend in the consumer electronics industry.
    2005 Lexus LX470 - Stock for now...

    1998 Toyota 4Runner SR5 V6 4x4 + a bunch of goodies. Lifted, Locked, Illuminated and Armored. Winner,"Best Offroad Truck" - 2010 Pismo Jamboree. It's been upside down and still drives me to work.

  8. #8
    I sure have the same frustrations, but I recognize much of it is because our devices are capable of doing so many things.

    One thing I love about Android (and presumably Apple) is the seemingly endless supply of apps to do virtually anything. Want an app to change your ringtone, volume level and notifications when it detects you are at work? Got it. Want to automatically turn off wifi/4G when you go to bed? Easy. I love all of the free customization options that will make a device work EXACTLY how you want it to. Windows is at the opposite end of the spectrum, I spend hours simply trying to make it useable, which is way different than having it exactly the way I want. Oh well, rant off.

    On the up-side, there are so many cool electronics out there today.

  9. #9
    Unless you have a touch screen, windows 8 and 8.1 are useless.
    Chris got a new laptop just when 8 just rolled out (the last of the windows 7 versions had already sold -_-)
    We quickly found that it was horrible.
    We tried to do the classic shell download, but it would either crash the PC, stop the network adapters or not allow any windows updates. Which was very frustrating when I was already doing a restore 3 hours after booting up the machine.....
    Even with Windows 8.1 and having the start button return you still are brought to that start screen instead of having a pop up menu.
    Again, unless you have a touch screen it is useless.
    I have contemplated trying to downgrade it, but reading up on the laptop we purchased (a Lenovo), it didn't seem possible without long hours of doing installs and what not.

    Eventually he got a Windows Surface, and 8 is awesome on it, does what he needs and is easier to navigate, and functions great, it really need to be used on a touch screen or tablet version.
    Keep in mind you obviously can still hook up a mouse to use on the programs you need, and a full keyboard when it comes to word documents and such, and honestly that will probably be the norm, but eventually I see the mouse getting fazed out...

    I have an older Lenovo running Windows 7, and the thing is just unstoppable, not super fast, but its the first pc that hasn't given me trouble what so ever.
    I am going to try to hold on to it as long as I can till either A) Microsoft gets there act together B) Apple makes a toughbook style laptop that supports a good auto diagnostics program C) I can afford the toughbook I want that automatically comes with Windows 7 anyway (hmm interesting huh?)

    I can say much about Android, Its just not my cup of tea, and to each there own on this one, I have had friends go from Apple to Android and then back to Apple cause they couldn't stand Android, and the other way around.

    Doing a quick search of what Windows 9 may look like, from what I found might be a little android based, but keeping with the look of windows 8, but still have a pop up menu start menu option.

    The world of electronics is interesting, I'm curious to see what apple will do with its product line if this touchscreen tablet/laptop thing takes off (the iPad/iPad mini are still limited on what you can do as far as word documents and such)

  10. #10
    Quote Originally Posted by YotaFun View Post

    Eventually he got a Windows Surface, and 8 is awesome on it,
    Windows Surface?

    Our new computer is touch screen, but it seems ridiculous to have to take your hands off the mouse and keyboard, sit up in your chair and reach four feet to interact with the screen. I dunno, I guess I'm just lame that way. I hate fingerprints on the screen too.

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