Windows 8.1 - Anyone suffer thru this ? LOL

Just purchased a new computer with 8.1 on it...... Never thought we'd go that route this soon. My husband was surprised how well things were able to be setup (knock on wood). We have a lot of stuff linked, synced, and connected. But at least for now, my email & internet works.

I understand the idea of the Start Menu (considering I have an iphone) but its easy to forget - this is not an iphone and it doesn't work the same way.
The whole...'needing an app' is kinda weird.

Anyone use Firefox - have you been able to pin websites to your start menu? I've searched and tried a couple different ways but have been unsuccessful. Not that I need it on the Start Menu... it's the convenience.

I've already got my Outlook (we're using 365) on the Start Menu, but does anyone know how to just pin the Calender and Contacts separately to the Start Menu?

Anything else you guys wanna share....videos, tips, hints.... I didn't see a thread for Windows 8 (pardon if I missed it).

And what's with this LEAP motion? What do you use that for?

 

Most people are doing everything they can to skip windows 8. As you are finding out the picture of Windows 8 is in the dictionary under the definition of suck.

 

Sorry Janster.................Im also on the avoidance list for windows 8

I just built my rig around and 8 core windows 7pro and am currently building my fathers quad core around 7pro

 

http://www.apple.com

 

I'm surprised so many are having problems with it. I have windows 8.1 on my desktop, and in the office on my laptop. Never had any issues, programs run fine. It takes some getting used to, just like any major system change, but once you get the hang of it, setting up networks and running apps are easy! And it boots a HELL of a lot faster than 7 EVER did.

 

^ +1 (but going from Windows 7 to OSx is just about as much work as going to Windows 8. Apple gets the user interface and probably won't mess it up the way Microsoft has. But, with Jobs gone who knows for sure.)

Windows 8 was designed for a touch screen which is just so much fail for an end user's computer. They are trying to create one interface to rule the computer, tablet and phone. The problem is touch screens were tried in the 90's and failed, google gorilla arm. I had a little HP Ultra Book with a touch screen. Not a bad computer except for all the smudges on the screen from my fingers trying to get Windows 8 to work. I know I'm not the only one that hates finger prints on my screen.

When the Microsoft reps were last in the office they admitted they blew it with the Windows 8 interface. And I quote, "our customers have ripped our heads off and yelled down our throats. We get it, Windows 9 will be different." Besides under the covers 8 is just 7 with some bug fixes and enhancements.

Every tech I know has nightmares about trying to train a company full of users how to make that misbegotten interface work. They get PO'ed really, really fast when IT drops something to their computer that slows them down, if even for a day. And 8 is going to take far more than a day to get used to. Personally I cannot think of any business case for Windows 8.

If someone wants to climb the windows 8 learning curve, more power to them. Me, I'm waiting for Windows 9.

 

I guess I have just been lucky then. I have no problem at all interfacing with Windows 8/8.1 on both of my computers. One is a touch screen laptop, the other is not. I do periodically have to clean the laptop screen when I am in the shop, but it is a minor inconvenience to me since I am always cleaning my screens at the shop and at home anyway. As for using the computer itself, it works a LOT faster than my 7 version, and I have had less issues/problems with it. When running the laptop my battery lasts longer with 8 than it did with 7. Not some huge amount, but enough that I have noticed it.

 

I bought a laptop with Win 8 and a desktop with Win 8, downgraded both to 7. Little quirks from Win 8 make me want to shoot the laptop. It has too steep of a learning curve, you would think they would make it simpler from all the 'simpler' commercials they put out which is a bunch of bs.

 

To be fair the leap from Windows XP to 7 was a big learning curve, and everyone complained about that learning curve back then. When you make big changes, there will BE a big learning curve. Please tell, what "quirks" drove you that crazy? Rather than just generalize it I would be curious to know what was so bad about it. For instance I didn't like Vista because it was CONSTANTLY crashing for every little glitch, right out of the box. I didn't like 7 because I would have problems with setting up networks and such, but setting up a network in 8 was a BREEZE.

 

Sure. If you plug in any aux storage and simply right click it takes up to 30 seconds for the menu to appear. You can't use the arrow keys to scroll through pictures, if you want to look at multiple pictures on an aux storage drive or an SD card it's a hit or miss if the comp decides it wants to let you look through more than 1, Windows updates is the biggest pos it has. It NEVER gets done with them, it will sit and download all night and install, and you run update again the next day and it's all the same updates. I turned them off after 4 or 5 attempts. Using a vpn is stupid as fuck, period. 2 Menus? Why the fuck would we need 2 menus? What was wrong with the 1 menu? The start button on the classic start screen is useless unless you right click. Just SHUTTING THE COMP DOWN is stupid as fuck. End rant.

Before you go and say the comp is a pos, it's an i7 with 16 gigs of ram and 2x256 SSDs with a 2 gig nvidia card.

 

Windows8/8.1 blows...that said, you can add a classic shell for a desktop page start just like windows7, even configure it to look and work just like win7...

I have my new laptop running with windows 8.1 but will be downgrading to Win 7 ultimate soon, just too many little quirks...video glitches, browser glitches, occasional startup issues. just to mention a few...there are more...the overall feel of the OS is like big brother is watching way too close...

 

My laptop had Win 7 and I added Win 8. After the learning curve I prefer Win. 8 for its speed, convenience (tiles) and built- in security. When my wife borrows it, she prefers Win 7. It's nice having both on the same computer.

 

Wait until Windows 8 performs updates and removes your product key. I just had that happen 2 weeks ago on my work computer. It took Microsoft 4 hours to fix it.

 

i'VE SPENT AT LEAST 2HRS ON THE PHONE WITH A WIN 8 PROBLEM
It will preform updates then go into a loop of configuring updates, then failure to configure updates. Tech helping got my computer rebooted and is talking it over w/ other techs and will call me back this morning. When it happens (happen twice now) it has lasted 2hrs 1st time I lost all programs and pictures I had installed into this new lap top.

 

Been happening to both my 8 machines, hence the downgrade. I don't "upgrade" for a damn headache.

 

My new laptop came with 8.1. I never even let it boot up. Upgraded to Linux.

 

That is strange, to be honest. I don't have ANY of those issues with my laptop, or my desktop. Aux storage (be it my thumb drive, my backup drive, or my external blueray) all connect in and access as soon as I plug it in. I always use windows photo viewer for pictures, and they load fine, and I can scroll through with the arrow keys there. I have my computers both set for auto-updates after 1am, and they have never caused an issue. I don't do VPNs, so I cant comment on that part. Shutting down is as easy as hitting the windows key, selecting "power" button, then selecting "shut down". Maybe I am just really lucky with both of my computers. Most every complaint I have read in this section are the same exact complaints people were making about Vista, and Windows 7. I guess I am just a lucky one with my two computers because both machines work perfect. I use one for personal stuff as well as gaming (WoW, Battlefield 4, etc) and the laptop I use in the shop for diagnostic software, business operations, word processing, and accounting.

When Windows 8 starts up I click "desktop" app and it brings up the classic Windows 7 style of desktop.

 

My husband was impressed with it..... the whole setup went pretty easy (knock on wood). It recognized just about everything in the house - and we have a lot of things connected, synced, shared, home-grouped, etc.

He's having thoughts of buying this exact computer to replace his old one.

It's only been 24 hours.... But yea, the classic desktop can be accessed easily.

The start menu isn't much different than your typical App platform..... well, kinda. When you're used to using an iphone, it makes you 'think' the Start Menu can do the similar things and I'm discovering its not that easy (and still in development).

 

Hey Jan!

I am glad to see that there are others who haven't had any issues. I do like how it will freaking sync with EVERYTHING so easily.

 

"When Windows 8 starts up I click "desktop" app and it brings up the classic Windows 7 style of desktop."


unnecessary extra step, I don't want to boot to the touch screen, my unit is not a touch screen capable laptop...thus the shell install, very simple and FREE...

here is another annoyance, the browser window screen resolution changes on its own, last night it just started randomly changing from 100% to 20%, then 10% and then back and forth while I just looked at it, hand not even on the mouse, it was out of control...the only way to get it to stop this stupid behavior was to log out of the session, then relaunch the browser....it has done this pretty regularly, last night was the worst, though...never, ever, had that problem with win7....Microsoft support on some of these problems is pathetic when visiting their own solutions website....