Win 8 - please assist ....

[ChrisF]

I bought a new laptop - it comes with Windows 8 pre-loaded.

This is NOT a touch screen, thus Win 8 makes no sense in this application ....


BUT, all attempts to uninstall and install Windows 7 has been unsuccesful ... to put it mildly ...


I do believe there is already a patch to get back the "Start button" on Win 8 ....



Does anybody have some practical solution to this ?? (and NO, I am keeping the laptop! :) )


This is a DELL Inspiron machine.

[bduk]

Linux Ubuntu Best os and it's free.

We use it to fix windowz all the time

[WayneSchalk]

https://www.pokki.com/windows-8-start-menu

[ChrisF]

Wayne THANKS.

Wayne are you using this ? Does this solve the issue of seeing minimized/closed applications as well ??

Thanks again

[ChrisF]

Linux Ubuntu Best os and it's free.

We use it to fix windowz all the time

hoping to avoid Ubuntu ..... dont have nice memories of Ubuntu .... (probably user issues, still not nice memories)

[WayneSchalk]

Wayne THANKS.

Wayne are you using this ? Does this solve the issue of seeing minimized/closed applications as well ??

Thanks again

I only started using it last week, but at least you have a familiar stile start menu

[Pora]

https://www.pokki.com/windows-8-start-menu

I have this on my PC only think is i don't use a start button
I tend to use windows + r / windows + e

Thing about pokki is that it updates alot

But it works when u use-to a start button

[HennieO]

[quote](and NO, I am keeping the laptop! )[/quote]

Spoilsport!

[ChrisF]

[quote](and NO, I am keeping the laptop! )[/quote]

Spoilsport!

hie hie hie .....



kyk dan nou die specs -

DELL INSPIRON N7720 (17R SE)

17.3" Full HD 3D + LED (1080p) with Truelife

Intel® Core i7-3610 (up to 3.3GHz)

8GB (2x4GB) 1600MHz DDR3

2 x 750GB (7200RPM) + 32GB mSATA

Blu Ray BD-Combo (Reads BD & DVD+CD RW)

MS WIN 8 PRO

802.11 (b/g/n) & BLUETOOTH

No Fingerprint Reader

Numeric Keyboard

1.0MP Webcam

NVIDIA GeForce GT650M 2GB (3D) - 3D Glasses included

6-cell 48WHr Li-Ion Battery

[bduk]

Met daai specs sal Ubuntu soos 'n roomys loop

[ChrisF]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90LzdAfz5KU" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

nice video vir die wat wel met Win 8 wil speel ..... dink dit sal maklik wees vir die wat reeds met touch screen tablets werk ....

[Family_Dog]

Linux Mint? Ubuntu-based, but better! ;)


-F_D

[WiJoSt]

Not using it but here's another
http://www.retroui.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[ChrisF]

Thank you for all the feedback.

My IT friend is now trying to set up the laptop for dual bootup - either Win7 or Win8


so I can get my work done on 7, and start getting used to the inevitable ....

[Froll]

Nice Chris, I have had a Dell Inspiron 1720 for about 4 years now and find it to be a good machine. About a month my battery packed up and can only work when it is plugged into the mains. They want about R1500 for a new one, so I will use it plugged in at the moment till I have got money for a new machine. This one runs on Vista and I think I can treat myself one of these days.

[ChrisF]

Roger and here I am sitting typing on my Vostro 1720 :)

same age. GOOD machine.

I have primarily used it of mains, so the battery is still in good nick. But the one USB port is "eratic".

Back then we made the call to go for XP, not Vista - at that time there were still questions about Vista's stability ...


Now I am painted into a corner - Lightroom 4 wont work on XP .... Even if we go through the shlep of going to Vista or Win 7 I will still be stuck with a "less than optimal" screen for photo editing. The "LifeView" FULL HD 3D screen is VERY constant, even at extreme viewing angles - my PRIMARY reason for choosing the new Inspiron.


and so I am upgrading and my niece is getting a pretty decent hand me down for her first year as a student. :)



MAN, I am now starting to ITCH for the INSPIRON !! My IT friend will hang onto it untill it is properly set up, all the way down to the multiple Outlook profiles ....

[Family_Dog]

Nice Chris, I have had a Dell Inspiron 1720 for about 4 years now and find it to be a good machine. About a month my battery packed up and can only work when it is plugged into the mains. They want about R1500 for a new one, so I will use it plugged in at the moment till I have got money for a new machine. This one runs on Vista and I think I can treat myself one of these days.

Roger, we imported some Dell batteries for our own laptops from Ebay. Something like under R300 delivered to us from HK or wherever. One year later they are still working admirably.

You can also try Universe Direct in CT, they advertise dell batteries at a very competitive price nowadays - or did, a few months ago.

Contact the Team @ Universe Direct

0861 102 149 - sales@universe-direct.co.za

-F_D

[4x4Maniac]

Chris, once you get use to the Win8 interface and the knowledge of some shortcut keys you wouldn't want to go back, much quicker to do it than the old traditional way.

[ChrisF]

Werner that is not necceseraly a good thing ....


I have FOUR computers I use

Desktop at home - for photo editing (i5 system, so lots of life left in it) - Win 7

Laptop at home - this is what is now being replaced - this is used DAILY for a couple of hours. Currently Win XP.

Notebook - gets dragged along on 4x4 trips ... Win 7

Work desktop - i5, Win XP


I DO enjoy Win 7. But more importantly, as I "have to" use Win XP at work I am in now hurry to move away from the XP/7 look and feel ....


that having been said, the new laptop has now been set up with a dual boot option - either Win 7 or Win 8. Got that sorted last night, the rest of the programs is now being setup. (must remember to thank W for all his hard work in getting this sorted ..) Will be working in the win 7 environment, but will be slowly exploring Win 8 ... as I have seen enough systems come and go to realise that Win 8 is the future .....

[Froll]

Nice Chris, I have had a Dell Inspiron 1720 for about 4 years now and find it to be a good machine. About a month my battery packed up and can only work when it is plugged into the mains. They want about R1500 for a new one, so I will use it plugged in at the moment till I have got money for a new machine. This one runs on Vista and I think I can treat myself one of these days.

Roger, we imported some Dell batteries for our own laptops from Ebay. Something like under R300 delivered to us from HK or wherever. One year later they are still working admirably.

You can also try Universe Direct in CT, they advertise dell batteries at a very competitive price nowadays - or did, a few months ago.

Contact the Team @ Universe Direct

0861 102 149 - sales@universe-direct.co.za

-F_D

Thanks Eric, will contact them in the week. I will probably still upgrade later as this laptop has crashed twice now and vista has now been loaded for the third time. It is very sluggish and sometimes hangs which is very frustrating to say the least.

[ChrisF]

Roger I will show you the Inspiron on steroids when we have coffee on 1 May ....

do you want to wait that long though ....

[4x4Maniac]

Froll, I will upgrade to Win7 ASAP if I were you. Vista is the bastard child of Microsoft and is unreliable and full of bugs, slow and utterly useless. M2cw

[Froll]

I agree Werner, I have got a new HP ( about a year old ) that I use at work that runs on win 7. I am not stranded at the moment, so I will use the Dell until it packs up and then treat myself to a new one.

Chris, I can probably wait that long. Will have to, have seen pics of yours on the internet, so it helps a bit.