Author Topic: Windows 8.1  (Read 16377 times)

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Offline chris635

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Windows 8.1
« on: October 18, 2013, 02:30:08 pm »
Whats up forum  :cheesy:

    Is anyone using windows 8.1? Is it any better?


Chris
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Offline Shane

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #1 on: October 20, 2013, 01:51:15 pm »
I tried it and still want my Windows 7 lol.

They put back a start button but not a start menu. You click the start button and it takes you back tot he metro screen. You have to right click it to bring up a simple menu to give you a few more options you didnt have before. So diffidently MS just adding enough back to shut people up without giving up their new change.

I really dont think we will ever see our good ol start menu again from MS. They want the App store market, so I would truly be surprised if Windows 9 will have a start menu. But for 8, it never will have one like we are use to.

MS will simply buy some time and let people get use to it, at the same time some people who have gotten use to it dont mind it.

I am simply one of those people who has so much work to do that I really have no desire to learn it yet lol. And to be honest I hate the flat look. Also Avast just updated since I use them, their new version of the Avast freaking copys the Windows 8 look and everything is flat and square. Who in their right mind would follow MS on that look lol.

Shane

Offline chris635

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #2 on: October 20, 2013, 02:00:14 pm »
Yeah i noticed that about avast. If I do make the move. Do your tweaks, such as networking etc.. still work? Or are they even need in windows 8.1?


Chris
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Offline Shane

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #3 on: October 20, 2013, 02:03:07 pm »
Windows always needs tweaked. MS always has a default setup and allows people to tweak it as needed, admins, users and such. The default from MS works but is not always the best.

Also I was using classicshell for a start menu, but I found this one and havent tried it yet
http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

But with a startmenu back it makes Windows 8 MUCH more usable. Just sucks you have to use a 3rd party, but hey at least we have the option :-)

Shane

Offline neroilo

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #4 on: October 21, 2013, 05:21:33 am »
They put back a start button but not a start menu. You click the start button and it takes you back tot he metro screen.

With "Show the Apps view automatically when I go to Start" option you'll see a list of all your programs without redirecting to Metro interface (the main one with squares).
The more I try Windows 8.1, the more I don't miss start menu at all, especially with the new Apps view.

I think they have other problems than a start menu debate, for example they need to unify desktop environment with metro and in the same time re-thinking control panel (having two different control panels for Desktop and Metro is not the best solution indeed).
Win-X menu seems too limited by default, the old context menu is far superior and more customizable.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2013, 06:45:29 am by neroilo »

Offline Shane

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #5 on: October 21, 2013, 10:02:07 am »
Quote
With "Show the Apps view automatically when I go to Start" option you'll see a list of all your programs without redirecting to Metro interface (the main one with squares).
The more I try Windows 8.1, the more I don't miss start menu at all, especially with the new Apps view.

Yeah, which is just like I said where they changed it enough to have people stop complaining but while still keeping the changes they wanted in the first place. You notice even with the new start button you have to go still tweak it to get it where it should be. But at the time same time the more you use 8 the more you get use to it and all of a sudden the start menu isnt that big of a deal. Which I am sure will be the same for me if I ever stop being stubborn about it lol

But for the retired senior, or the people who barley got use to using a computer in the first place, they are going to have a hell of a time for a while. Mainly because the new interface make it take nearly twice as many clicks to do anything you could do before. In my play book if your going to change something like that you make it more efficient, not worse.

Shane

Offline neroilo

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #6 on: October 21, 2013, 11:41:40 am »
In my play book if your going to change something like that you make it more efficient, not worse.

But you know that all big changes require time. And in the current state of economy you have to do big things in an unreasonable short time.

Offline Shane

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #7 on: October 21, 2013, 11:50:50 am »
No the smartest thing to do would have been to introduce the new changes while still having a way to go back to the old in case you don't like it or it interferes with work. In older versions of Windows you could do that with your themes, going back to classic and even the start menu going back to the classic start menu and you even had the ability to edit and customize the start menu to fit what you needed.

So instead of introducing change they threw people into the deep in, people HATE change and when it is a kind of change that slows you down they hate it more.

economy has nothing to do with why MS got rid of their start menu. They want a piece of the Apple and Google store pie. So if your going to have your own app store they wanted a way to force people to use it. Thus you have metro. They didn't do the change to try and make things better they made the change to try and make more money. Windows 8 has less installs than vista so far, which is horrible. So I am not the only one who didn't take the change with open arms.

One thing MS has always done is give people a way to edit and tweak their Windows installs. They didn't do this for the home user but they did it for there network admins. Large companies who roll out thousands of systems to their network is where MS makes their money, and with office. So a change this big and they took away any option of changing it was really out of a odd play book. But since it worked with office and the ribbon and people complained about it but are now use to it they took a bet they could do it with Windows as well.

They made a touch screen interface for the desktop, there is a reason Apple didn't go that route with OSX and iOS. I even watched in interview with tim cook where he even says that lol.

So the new interface is no where near as efficient, because it was made for using your finger and not a mouse.

I would have given it more of a chance if I had the option to turn the damn thing off :-)

Shane

Offline neroilo

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #8 on: October 21, 2013, 01:17:05 pm »
So if your going to have your own app store they wanted a way to force people to use it. Thus you have metro. They didn't do the change to try and make things better they made the change to try and make more money.

I respect your point of view about the methods adopted to introduce Metro, but I think they did well to force Metro.
Instead the crucial point is how Metro looks today and for me it's still an incomplete interface, despite their marketing campaigns claim the opposite.
« Last Edit: October 21, 2013, 01:50:05 pm by neroilo »

Offline Shane

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #9 on: October 21, 2013, 01:26:01 pm »
Incomplete for sure. Granted I will get use to it once I start using it, but like you said with it being incomplete it drives me nuts lol

If your going to make a huge change like that make sure your got it done right lol

Shane

Offline neroilo

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #10 on: October 24, 2013, 02:24:25 am »
During my experiments I found this useful topic about how to skip an apparent mandatory account registration in Windows 8.1 setup :
http://superuser.com/questions/661659/skip-sign-in-to-your-microsoft-account-windows-8-1-setup

Offline parkd1

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #11 on: October 26, 2013, 03:01:17 pm »
I have not gotten it to install. I wanted to see it to see if is any better then 8. Using my mom and dad's laptop. It came with 8 on it but 8.1 will not install. get error 0xc1900101-0x20017. Not sure what that error is. Would have put it on my desktop but it is way to old and would barely run it plus it is still 32bit. got the desktop few months after Vista cam out. Any ideas on how to get the update would be good and will others too with the same problem. The laptop is a HP Pavilion g6. If you need any other info that might help I can get that too. Thanks.

Offline neroilo

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Re: Windows 8.1
« Reply #12 on: October 27, 2013, 12:59:40 am »
I have not gotten it to install. I wanted to see it to see if is any better then 8. Using my mom and dad's laptop. It came with 8 on it but 8.1 will not install. get error 0xc1900101-0x20017. Not sure what that error is. Would have put it on my desktop but it is way to old and would barely run it plus it is still 32bit. got the desktop few months after Vista cam out. Any ideas on how to get the update would be good and will others too with the same problem. The laptop is a HP Pavilion g6. If you need any other info that might help I can get that too. Thanks.

An user solved uninstalling steelseries engine software, according to this thread:
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows8_1-windows_install/fixed-cannot-update-to-81-0xc1900101-0x40017-bsod/9d3f35b3-1764-4cfa-a7dc-07282dbe40df

Another user in another community stated that a similar issue was solved updating his network drivers Qualcomm Atheros.

Another one uninstalling Avast antivirus.

So I think it's a driver / software issue.

You can check this, following one or all these steps:

1) Uninstall your AV & all security software first.
2) Please run Windows 8.1 Upgrade Assistant.
3) Please verify if among your optional Windows updates or among your optional HP updates is available a new driver / software update
(Optional) Submit your suspicious driver / software in Windows Compatibility Center.
« Last Edit: October 27, 2013, 01:25:05 am by neroilo »