Win 8 "issues"........

Can anyone possibly point me to a decent (GOOD) introduction-tutorial on using Windows 8, please. I feel as if I am actually about to become "incensed" (to pick a word) over all the NONSENSE which I am DEALING (PUTTING-UP!!!) WITH here, in only my first day of dealing with it...

 

Hey buddy, see if this helps any, and let me know if it does.

https://www.learningtree.com/courses/2404/windows-8-comprehensive-introduction/

 

Windows 8 Tutorials: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/6795-windows-8-tutorial-index.html

 

Sorry, forgot to add in this link: http://www.ghacks.net/2013/01/17/windows-8-start-menu-programs-are-downloaded-in-record-numbers/

Read the article and decide if you would like to have the familiar start menu back in Win 8. There are several to choose from. I believe that there is one that costs $5.00 to download. Check all of them out first and see which you prefer (or none).

 

Not really different than Windows 7, other than you have the goofy metro at startup, unless you use something like Start8 to drop you into the desktop upon logging into the machine.

Lower left gives you the Metro Start screen, or desktop, depending on which one you are in. Upper Left lets you choose a metro app that may be running in a background process. Upper Right or Lower Right, gives you the charms bar, that lets you choose "Search, Share, Start, Devices, Settings", but also changes, depending on if you are in metro, and have a tile app running, then the charms bar will change for what app, in what it does.

The Windows Club Ultimate Windows Tweak will still run in Windows 8, with the exception of the Internet Explorer choice. That is inoperable in Win8, but everything else in UWT works.

 

Hey thanks Nick T., but this appears to be nearly $3000 (for a mere four-days!). I'm not sure I could afford it if it were 1/10th of that.

Now THIS is more my "speed" (budget!) - and it looks GREAT TOO! Thanks again oma!

 

Sorry about that buddy but you actually got the wrong link, I'm not really sure how that got there. Must be lack of sleep, sorry about that.

 

You're welcome Glenn. Brink (the administrator of that tutorial) is excellent and precise in his tutorials/explanations. You can trust him 100%. I sometimes went to the Windows 7 tutorials/forums as well which were also managed by him.

 

If true, that wasn't very nice of Brink. IMHO he still has an outstanding knowledge of Windows and that's what counts.

 

Glenn, I've got a link that shows you how to bring back the Start Menu with Classic Shell. It's free. Have a look at it. http://ask-leo.com/classic_shell_regain_your_start_menu_in_windows_8_and_much_more.html

 

Wow...I'm sort of "holding my breath" here on this, but if this is TRUE I will be one HAPPY camper!!!!!!!!!!!

I have JUST come from a chat session with a Samsung customer service rep., whose only suggestion (after I mentioned I either needed to return to WIN7 or return this computer for a refund) was to "return to the store and look for a WIN7 disk" (sp? "disc"?).

Well, I am a full hour (one-way...and several mountains) from the store where I purchased this last week.

I DO LIKE this Samsung machine (especially considering what I paid), but WIN8 (or "8", as I'm guessing MS is wanting it to be known) doesn't seem to be for me...despite that I am DESPERATELY attempting to "embrace change": in my life these days.

Thank you again and in advance, oma . . I am literally PRAYING that this will work :heart

 

Glenn, just read the article very carefully prior to installing Classic Shell so that you'll know what to do once you install it. There are some options to choose from. After installation you need to reboot! Write down the important parts and bookmark the link. Praying with you that it will work fine for you.

Actually if I would need to purchase Win 8 the first thing I would do is to install Classic Shell.

 

Thanks again, and oh yes...I am reading carefully/thoroughly prior to installing, writing-down the important parts, bookmarking the link...copying/pasting and capturing screenshots etc., etc., etc.!!! Taking NO chances (not taking it for granted) with THIS!

Will update this thread accordingly a.s.a.p. (though it may be tomorrow at this point)....

 

Take you time Glenn. It will be worth it to take it slow and easy. Putting too many eggs in one's basket at the same time can spell trouble.

 

Oh yeah..I am WORLD FAMOUS for putting TOO many proverbial "eggs" in my basket ha-ha...well, in my little "world", anyway . . . :-D

Taking LOTS of time with this...(heck it may be MARCH before I finish!?!).

I do have one "hang-up", so to speak...as far as I am aware, I haven't had any issues or problems with IE10, so I'm thinking perhaps I should not reverse that...any thoughts?

 

Here's a link to the Classic Shell FAQ, http://www.classicshell.net/faq/ and see that there is also a forum. Some more to read! I dunno if the Classic Shell may have been updated to accommodate IE 10? Perhaps someone else would know?

 

See, you don't need to install the above if not wanted.

 

Well..after a "trial" of about one week (week and a couple days), I find myself back here at this thread........ :-o

Granted, "Classic Shell" http://www.classicshell.net/ is a good, solid program (imho), and I am sure it would suffice for many/most/if not the vast majority of folks. :yum

However....well, apparently, I suppose, I am a bit on the "schnauzy" (finicky/PICKY!) side . . . :-D

For me, it more-often-than-not seems mostly to be another layer of "stuff" between my machine and me (my machine & I?). rolleyes

Can anyone tell me if it's possible to somehow find a WIN7 disk, and revert this machine to something more appropriate for my skill-set (or LACK of skill-set..oh and more appropriate for my "old" Mouse and Keyboard machine!), please? :confused

Thanks in advance, :wave
g... :major

 

There really is no problem with 8, once you get used to using it in desktop mode. I use Start8, which makes the desktop behave like Vista & 7, with the Start button. Classicshell is just as good, but both have their pluses & minuses.

I still like 7, have to deal with XP at work (now going on 14 years using that beast), and using 8 on my netbook, it has grown on me.

I ran into a issue that the Realtek wired NIC driver updated from June 2012, was causing a BSOD issue, but once I rolled it back, I have not had any problems for the past couple of days.

The only time I go into Metro, is when I need to do a Command window as administrator. Other than that, 99.99% of the time I spend in the desktop.

 

You'll have to buy it, of course. If you're U.S. resident, I suggest getting it at http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416550

 

Thanks for the reply, but I wish to go back to 7, from 8..I think this is a link to go to 8..(?)

I don't know why I have a hard time explaining the tech problems I have, but I do have them, and I do have have a hard time explaining them. I'm not a tech-person (I apparently don't have a "techie brain"). I'm just a "grunt"...always done manual, physical labor type work.

There is a problem for me with Windows 8, and for many, many people in the world, because when I do searches on 8, I find far, far, faaaaar more complaints and problems than people lauding this new OS.

In fact, and though I haven't specifically searched for "people who LIKE WIN8", I haven't come across any (besides yourself) either.

From everything I've read, it was designed more for touchscreen machines than it was for traditional mouse & keyboard machines. I have a traditional machine, and my eyeballs go cross-eyed, while I LITERALLY sit for 10 & 15 minutes, simply trying to find just about ANYTHING in Windows 8.

Windows 8 is *not* something I am going to be able to transition to quickly enough for what I need...I simply just don't have weeks and months to spend "learning" a new OS...I just do not have that luxury...I'm 53 (next month), and I suppose an "old dog" who won't be learning many "new tricks".

 

Keep in mind those complaints are dated, and come from the likes of people like me that hate change. I was vocal due to the whole metro thing, which was really my only complaint. When the Ribbon came about, there was a lot that were very vocal about that change, because we all grew into using the standard toolbar, and the change was very dramatic when it came to getting used to how the Ribbon worked.

Now that I have been using the Ribbon interface in Office for something like 7 years now, it is by far easier to use than the old standard toolbar interface. Now of course, I keep it minimized, and keep the common commands I use all of the time up in the Quick toolbar.

As for 8, once you do start using it, it really is no different than using 7, just a few more tweaks to the interface, like the hot zones, and the metro, which still should have been given the choice when setting up the system, if you wanted the metro or standard desktop interface, through either User properties, or System properties.

Now of course, when the next gen Windows OS comes around, and we are already seeing the problems associated with Office 2k13 & Office 365, then you may see more stick with 7, and those moving from 7 to 8, stick with 8, or just drop Windows and go with either Mac OS, Chrome OS, or possibly if Android OS gets more hardware options, then you may see that as an alternative for on the go devices.

But really when it comes down as I have already stated, Microsoft screwed the proverbially pooch when they gave you no choice but to stick with Metro for both Windows & Server Operating systems. It has turned Windows to be closer to Android, than most stating that it is close to iOS.

 

Sorry, I should have posted this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832116986

By the way, I bought a laptop with Windows 8 six days ago and I am getting to like it. But, the difference between it and Windows 7, as far as the user interface is concerned, is a much larger difference than between any two earlier versions of Windows. Although it is designed to work with touch-screen devices, it is fully functional by using a mouse and keyboard. Have you watched some videos on it or looked some tutorials? Some good ones are posted on youtube.com and other places. I believe some previous posts I this discussion posted some videos/tutorials.