Upgrading Win 7 to Win 8

[Mental Trousers]

I remember using electric pencil on a TRS-80 Model I. When you typed, text would go off to the right. The paragraph didn't re-format until you pressed some key combination.

As computers got faster, paragraphs were able to reformat automatically, as you typed.

Then they got faster, and WYSIWYG was possible. Not just character-based screens, but text darn in graphics. Any font, any style. (Kids today won't even know what a character mapped display is.)

A little faster again, and now the Word processor can check your spelling and grammer as you type, and give you squiggles without interrupting your typing.

I suppose one day, the word processor will watch what you type, and automatically look up cross-references from Wikipedia for you to insert.

But eventually, you hit a wall. Why does the PC need to be faster? So you can keep typing while it's also updating the Facebook statuses of all your best buddies?

There was a time when I thought ascii pr0n was the business. Now you get an inbox full of messages from chicks like Olga and Veronica that want to show you what they had for breakfast in streaming 1080p.

Software drives hardware demand. The more bells and whistles the bigger the system need to run it. Go without the unnecessary bells and whistles and it's surprising what sort of spec hardware you can get away with.

Hell, my DHCP/DNS/web server/torrent box here at home is an ancient AMD Duron. Why replace it when it does everything it's required to do.

But the media centre machine is an i5 running leading edge ubuntu with XBMC and a 5TB zfs on linux array.

Run what is needed, not what is fashionable.

[pzkpfw]

... But the media centre ...

Speaking of which, Windows 8 Pro doesn't come with Media player, for DVD watching. (So when I "upgraded" I lost a function).

You have to pay for it (though for a "limited time" you can register for the upgrade for free).

(I suppose that means plenty of people will just get alternatives; dunno why MS did this.)

[Scuba_Steve]

1 thing MS finally did right with Win8 is realistic pricing... Now if they could expand that to their other software (we're looking at you Office) people could be alot happier

[Mental Trousers]

It's another way to claw money out of people. The majority will just pay it while an acceptably small proportion will go and find something better.

The main problem is each time Microsoft do something like that they're pushing another bunch of customers away. After a while those small proportions add up to a hefty number of people flicking them the finger.

[SMOKEU]

Next you'll tell me I need anti-virus. I only installed some when a gf managed to wander onto a malware site. PC had been fine without it for 6 odd months.

That's a big risk. Even with AV software I still manage to get about 1 malware infection per month. I do all my dodgy web browsing in a Linux VM so I don't infect the host OS, too. Now I've resorted to doing all my web browsing inside Sandboxie (is running a web browser inside Sandboxie a fool proof way to keep safe?).

[pzkpfw]

Spoke too soon. Excel died again, on some kind of looking for printers function.

Windows shows the printer as installed, Excel can't see it. It flipping worked yesterday - I printed a page out of an Excel workbook - now it's gone!

[Akzle]

Microsoft is their own worst enemy.

Oh, but if the bloated versions of OS's keep going, you'll need it. I haven't switched to my new laptop yet. Current one is WinXP generation but 7 installed. Win7 idles consuming about 1GB of memory...

bwahahah. innit.
i only just upgraded my T43 to 1GB of ram...

Speaking of which, Windows 8 Pro doesn't come with Media player, for DVD watching. (So when I "upgraded" I lost a function).

VLC ftw.

[pzkpfw]

VLC ftw.

Yeah, that's what I had in mind when I made the part of my comment you didn't quote. Put VLC on my Daughters laptop when she started having region issues with her DVD's. (Some region 1, some 4, laptop DVD player locked). All good now; all DVD's now play for her.

[Scuba_Steve]

VLC ftw.[/QUOTE]

I actually prefer Media Player Classic in the K-lite codec pack for straight video playback (lighter & faster)

[steve_t]

[COLOR="#139922"]
VLC ftw.

I actually prefer Media Player Classic in the K-lite codec pack for straight video playback (lighter & faster)

Does MPC play MKVs of Blu-rays? VLC struggles with the file size, I think

[Scuba_Steve]

Does MPC play MKVs of Blu-rays? VLC struggles with the file size, I think

never tried, but it does everything else I've ever tried with it fine so don't see why not. Give it a go, can always get rid of it again if you don't like it K-lite

I originally got it as it's a complete codec pack for windows, haven't found any better yet (tho haven't had a need to look either)

[Usarka]

So are you saying that XP is a better OS than 7?

An operating system is there for one real purpose, and one real purpose only. To run applications.

[SMOKEU]

An operating system is there for one real purpose, and one real purpose only. To run applications.

I'd have to say it's mainly there to run services.

[imdying]

Services are just headless applications.

[scracha]

Services are just headless applications.

Hear hear.


Anyway...OP. Have upgraded 3 machines to Win 8.
One was an old HP 530 notebook that local kindy were gonna throw out. Customer on open charity licence so cost next to sod all. It ran Vista before....it's now running about ten times as fast (obviously SSD and properly implemented UAC from Win7 is main factor). Intel Core 2 Duo with 2GB. Put it up to 3GB (had 2 x 1GB sigh) and chucked in Intel 120GB SSD. Runs VERY nicely. Put Office 2013 on it too. Teacher loving the app store thingie. Live tiles photo facebook thingie is attractive too. External multi screen very well integrated too.

Second one was Win 7 toshiba, 640GB, 4GB i5 (cheapo dual core i5 tho). Install piece of piss. Boots a fraction quicker but can't see the bloody point TBH.

3rd one was brand new HP Elite 8300 All-In-One i7 1TB drive 8GB RAM. Customer wanted to "try" it so I obliged (had no choice...otherwise they wouldn't buy it). Did the $20 upgrade thing. Took about 10 minutes for that process. Downloaded it. Created USB flash drive and also DVD to be on safe side. Cloned hard drive to be REALLY safe lol. Only driver that didn't auto install...you've guessed it...the TOUCH SCREEN. D/L'd driver from manufacturer (NextWindow) as HP site doesn't list it. Driver wouldn't install. Had to disable graphics driver, install touchscreen driver then restart the machine and re-enable the graphics driver. Then had to run some win 7 x64 touchscreen utility that was in the swsetup folder from previous out of box win 7 install. Vioala....it then worked.

BIG learning curve as I'd only worked Win 8 with a mouse before. Sidenote...2 and a half effing grand and the HP mouse is DOA. Sidenote 2. 2 and a half effing grand and HP supply a shitty RF keyboard and mouse as opposed to bluetooth. Tempted to see if they're stupid enough to apply the NBD onsite for a dead mouse. Bigger learning curve trying to make it talk to his iMac running Lion or mountain lion or summit (can't remember). Win 8 "libraries" on other machines rely on indexing Offline Files and the bummer is that APPLE HAVE COMPLETELY @#CK!NG BROKEN their SMB sharing implementation in Lion (works ok in previous versions). Oplocks or something are all to cock. Simple SMB file sharing and mapping drives is ok but then they don't really show up in the tiles and galleries and media libraries and stuff. Resorted to scheduling a file sync between the user docs/photos/music/videos on the two machines.....at least it'll do backup. ick.

My initial conclusion. Win 8 makes sense if you have a touchscreen and/or multiple screens. Win 8 also makes sense if you have Win Vista or XP and the processor is at least a dual core and don't want to pay for Win 7 (or note down a Win 7 license key from the bottom of your mate's laptop). Otherwise, stick with Win 7 or wait until Win 9. There's a HUGE learning curve on Win 8 and existing Win users will no doubt get their knickers in a twist. It's akin to running Windows 3.0 on your 80286 when you're quite used to DR DOS, Taskmax and TSR's (google that for a history lesson SMOKEU).

Note that the OEM's don't put the Win 8 license keys on the PC's anymore. Non IMAP or exchange email doesn't really integrate that well with the default mail app with its tiles and purty interface. I think IE10 is a slow buggy POS at the moment that likes randomly freezing before working away again. It needs a service pack lol. Installed Chrome browser on all 3 immediately.

I found I have no muscles in my arms and that I was aching after a couple of hours working a 23" touchscreen. Guess you'd get used to it.

Win 8 feels a wee bit disjointed with switching back and forward to the (win 7) Desktop screen.. As if MS are trying to head in one direction but being held back by NT/XP/Vista/7 compatibility. The tiled start screen is like the start menu. Downside is that when you install legacy apps...they create f00k1oads of "shortcuts" on the new start screen that you have to hide. You also HAVE to learn the shortcuts (as the GUI breaks a lot of basic HCI rules) but once you get your head round them I'd say it's faster. Time will tell I guess. Really really wish they'd kept the big red X to close a window. Overall I think MS are going in a very good direction and for once, showing some real innovation (they have to...otherwise they're screwed). For plebs like me trying to admin computers, majority of which are not on a domain, I reckon the way it stores apps, some data and settings in the cloud is good. The Win 8 recovery thingie really does work well when customer bolloxes things up. Doesn't seem to lose ANY settings whatsoever. Maybe it syncs with the "cloudy" login thingie? No doubt some eastern european bastards will find a way of infecting it. Once more apps come out designed with touch and tiles in mind I think it'll really come into its own.

Very keen to see it working with the Win 8 phones. More keen to see Win 9 as no doubt they'll work on integrating it with corporate servers and fix some of the GUI so that it makes more sense without a touchscreen.

Anyone tried a Win RT device yet?