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Author Topic: Windows 8.1  (Read 36134 times)

broadstairs

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Windows 8.1
« on: June 28, 2014, 10:34:40 PM »

My wife decided she wanted her own laptop so we bought an HP one today and it came with W8.1. I am just sitting here in total disbelief as whet an awful system this is, and as for all the c**p it has installed beggars belief. The setup phase is so condescending in its wording and expects you to use MS cloud stuff eventually allowing a local account when you can get past the MS stuff. You wold not believe the absolutely awful desktop backdrop it has chosen, looks like broken glass. It also expects you to use IE by default - and there's me thinking the EU put a stop to that.

As for the laptop itself I have no dea how good or bad it is as I've sat here for some 10 minutes while it set itself up.

Also strange to say there is no MS COA on it either so how do I knkow I have a valid copy of W8.1?

Oh well now to strip it of W8.1 and go back to W7 at least there is some sanity in that.

Stuart
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #1 on: June 28, 2014, 10:53:47 PM »

Did all the criticism of W8 over the last year or so pass you by?  :-X

Try installing Classic Shell before you scrap it.  ;)
There are actually quite a lot of improvements under the skin (much as I loathe the new UI) and it can be quite useable.  :graduate:

My wife's PC has W8.1+CS and she barely noticed the switch from XP.  :lol:
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broadstairs

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #2 on: June 28, 2014, 11:08:34 PM »

No I knew all about it but did not realise just how bad it is. If it were mine it would have Fedora Linux installed in a heartbeat. I just dont see the need for all the apps rubbish it has, or why IE is the default browser - I should not be forced to even have it installed in my view. All my wife does is a bit of email, web browsing and the odd document (Xmas card lists etc).

Does the classic shell allow you to turn off those goddamn tiles?

Stuart

I've just discovered my product key is embedded in the BIOS and so I presume I cannot use it to install 8.1 on another PC so if this PC dies I have a useless W8.1 license!

Also all the HP Recovery Manager has managed so far is to create a coaster and not any recovery DVDs.
« Last Edit: June 28, 2014, 11:20:41 PM by broadstairs »
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #3 on: June 28, 2014, 11:19:49 PM »

You didn't look far did you.  ;) Try the sticky in this very section: http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=11931.0
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broadstairs

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #4 on: June 29, 2014, 10:17:24 AM »

You didn't look far did you.  ;) Try the sticky in this very section: http://forum.kitz.co.uk/index.php?topic=11931.0

I had read that before but not today. I'd still prefer the tiles to be gone completely but for now I've decided to install Classic Shell and yes it is an absolutely essential improvement.

One major gripe is that the HP Recovery Manager so far has not managed to create any recovery disks, only 3 beer mats. On looking into this there is a huge issue with doing this reported on the HP Support forums, even using a 32GB USB stick is not guaranteed to work but at least that does not mean it cannot be re-used like DVD+Rs. HP have known about this for ages and it seems done nothing but blame users blank DVDs or the DVD drive itself. This is also why for now I have stuck with 8.1 despite how much I despise it - Linux is soooooo much better  ;) ;) I need those disks in case we ever want to pass on or sell the PC.

One minor gripe is that using the trackpad the 2-finger scroll to my mind is counter-intuitive since it works in the opposite direction to scroll when compared with a 1-finger scroll on the RH side of the trackpad.

Stuart
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #5 on: June 29, 2014, 09:04:01 PM »

I always use DVD-R's when creating recovery media.

Don't forget to also do the Windows recovery set as well, I think that would be a repair disc (or whatever it's called) and a full system image copy which can be on an external drive.
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Ronski

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2014, 06:34:53 AM »

I've just discovered my product key is embedded in the BIOS and so I presume I cannot use it to install 8.1 on another PC so if this PC dies I have a useless W8.1 license!

You're Windows 8 license will be an OEM version , that means it can only legally be used on the hardware it was shipped with.

Why shouldn't Windows ship with its own browser, if you don't like it install something else, I'm sure Macs ship with Safari preinstalled, yet the EU didn't put a stop to that!

I use Start 8 on my laptop where I chose to install W8.

It sounds to me that you'd already decided W8 was rubbish and just wanted a good moan about it, although I do agree it was a huge mistake by MS not to leave the original start button in, and have an option to boot to desktop.

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broadstairs

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2014, 08:14:36 AM »

I admit I am not fan of MS and the reports of W8 initially did nothing to improve my view of MS or W8 and so far my experience of using it does nothing to help.

Any OEM license can be used with any hardware as long as it is only used on one PC at any time you can after all buy an OEM license. If I own a legal copy of the software which I do with this new PC I should be able to use that software on a different PC if this one dies.

As to the browser I was under the impression that the EU made a ruling that it was anti-competitive and earlier copies of Windows gave you a choice at install time.

Stuart

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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #8 on: June 30, 2014, 08:55:47 AM »

Any OEM license can be used with any hardware as long as it is only used on one PC at any time you can after all buy an OEM license.
No!

Read the relevant license terms, there are many different versions.

Most OEM licenses are actually tied to the hardware it is first installed on, your interpretation is generally incorrect.
And Microsoft do different licences for large manufacturers as opposed to the small-scale "installer" or "system builder" OEM licences you (or I) can buy (and I have and do conform to the terms).

PS I made my living for some time as an expert in software licensing so I do know what I'm talking about.  ;)
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #9 on: June 30, 2014, 09:20:19 AM »

I was under the impression that the EU made a ruling that it was anti-competitive and earlier copies of Windows gave you a choice at install time.
So should Windows 8 at some point, but maybe not at install? Or you have a non-EU regional setting?
Quote
If you're using Windows XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 8.1, and you have your regional settings set to one of the following countries or regions, you’ll get the Browser Choice update through the Windows Update service:

Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland
From: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-gb/windows/what-is-the-browser-choice-update
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loonylion

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #10 on: June 30, 2014, 12:00:05 PM »

as mentioned, a windows update will give you a browser choice menu. However, Microsoft have pulled the wool over the EU's eyes with it because 2/3rds of the 'alternative' browsers listed are IE with a different name and skin
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broadstairs

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #11 on: June 30, 2014, 08:28:38 PM »

By the way I've jusr run a Windows Update and no browser choice has appeared so MS have done it again and given folks IE by default.

Stuart
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broadstairs

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #12 on: July 01, 2014, 10:18:50 AM »

The HP Recovery Manager I mentioned having problems writing DVDs for Recovery disks has not been solved, I tried DVD-R and DVD+R both good quality and all failed. I obtained a 32GB memory stick and while it took hours it did work so I now have a bootable USB stick Recovery system. Not satisfactory in my view as HP have known about this for absolutely ages and done nothing about it.

I have managed to turn off all the Metro screen stuff so it does not appear when you put the mouse in any corner or swipe accidentally so for now it looks like W7/KDE desktop my wife is used to.

Now to hand it over to her and let her break it  ;) ;)

Stuart
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HPsauce

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #13 on: July 01, 2014, 10:52:37 AM »

I'd be kicking and screaming at HP and insisting they send me a full set of recovery media.  >:D
(and charging them for my wasted unusable DVD's)

As for totally hiding tiles and apps just be aware that some file associations may launch a "Metro" app unexpectedly, e.g. when clicking on an email attachment. So be prepared to go in and fix such issues by assigning the file type to the relevant desktop-style program.

Until MS update W8 to allow Metro apps to run on the desktop this will be rather a PITA for "traditional" users.  :-X
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Berrick

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #14 on: July 02, 2014, 07:16:07 AM »

Until windows 8.2 is released, Microsoft's "U" turn operating system, giving back the start button similar to windows 7 you could install "classic shell". Classic shell if you aren't aware is free.

Talking of "free", Windows 9 is being whispered to be "free" and similar to Google's Chrome OS. Apparently it will be cloud based with the core OS being in the BIOS. You will then pay for any additional functionality you require.



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