Windows 8 pro review (upgrade XP to Windows 8 with Classic Shell)

PeaceByJesus.net ^ | 1/30/2012 | Daniel1212

[daniel1212]

Actually i recent installed it: http://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?f=90&t=122989

[daniel1212]

Yes, it has a video card, and the custom made Asus made Sony board and PSU is very picky on what card will run on it. It says it is a ATI/AMD Radeon X300/X550/X1050 (RV370) [Sony] video chipset with just 128 MBytes of SDRAM Video Memory, and I tried replacing it a ATI Radeon X300 SE 128MB DVI VGA TV-Out PCI-E PCI-E Video but it would not work, and likewise with a couple others, but i do not want to risk spending more money.

[daniel1212]

.IN my opinion if you have 7 stay with it..

I fully concur. See http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2983661/posts?page=35#35

[daniel1212]

Thank God if it helps. The more you get to know where things are the better. See post above: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/bloggers/2983661/posts?page=54#54

[daniel1212]

More: http://www.howtogeek.com/127699/6-start-menu-replacements-for-windows-8/

From http://hardforum.com/showthread.php?p=1039314965

Classic Shell:
Drag and drop to let you organize your applications
Options to show Favorites, expand Control Panel, etc
Shows recently used documents. The number of documents to display is customizable
Translated in 35 languages, including Right-to-left support for Arabic and Hebrew
Does not disable the original start menu in Windows. You can access it by Shift+Click on the start button
Right-click on an item in the menu to delete, rename, sort, or perform other tasks
The search box helps you find your programs without getting in the way of your keyboard shortcuts
Supports jumplists for easy access to recent documents and common tasks
Available for 32 and 64-bit operating systems
Has support for skins, including additional 3rd party skins
Fully customizable in both looks and functionality
Support for Microsoft’s Active Accessibility
Converts the “All Programs” button in the Windows menu into a cascading menu (Vista and Windows 7)
Implements a customizable Start button (Windows 7 and 8)
Can show, search and launch Windows Store apps (Windows 8)
And last but not least – it’s FREE!

Start8 Features:

$5
Search for Windows 8-style (Modern UI) apps
Pin desktop and Metro apps to the start menu
Jump List support
Unified Search for apps, settings and files
Boot directly to the Windows 8 desktop
One click access to shut down, devices, music, documents, and videos
http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/features.asp

Then there is the $1 http://www.startisback.com/

And also, How to Get the Classic Start Menu Back in Windows 8.</a>

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Cool.

[daniel1212]

Windows 8 interface called ‘disappointing’ by usability expert: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2015073/windows-8-interface-called-disappointing-by-usability-expert.html

[daniel1212]

See here: http://www.pcworld.com/article/2015107/downgrading-from-windows-8-to-7-what-you-need-to-know.html

http://www.zdnet.com/hp-clarifies-windows-8-consumer-pc-downgrade-and-warranties-7000007280/

[daniel1212]

http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/what-exactly-do-you-get-with-windows-8-pro/4817

[Lera]

Lol I must have hit alt F4 over twenty times and it would not work for me. I thought they changed it . It’s a combination of having small hands and the laptop .I have to hit the keys with two hands to get it to work on this thing.
Thanks a bunch :)

Clicking and dragging does work to shut the app down but on the laptop it is easier to us the corner

[AbolishCSEU]

Don’t forget! The native email client Windows Mail, doesn’t support POP3 anymore. You have to find an alternate mail client or just use web mail.

[daniel1212]

Don’t forget! The native email client Windows Mail, doesn’t support POP3 anymore. You have to find an alternate mail client or just use web mail

Being one who usually uses 3rd party alternatives, in this case Thunderbird, not having Windows Mail was of no consequence. Yet I should have mentioned that, although I did say that I also found livecomm.exe using a significant amount of resources sometimes, so I uninstalled mail.

[daniel1212]

Glad it worked. It will not work however, in the voting booth, and in which many would rather you use only your left hand:)

[roamer_1]

It says it is a ATI/AMD Radeon X300/X550/X1050 (RV370) [Sony] video chipset with just 128 MBytes of SDRAM Video Memory, and I tried replacing it a ATI Radeon X300 SE 128MB DVI VGA TV-Out PCI-E PCI-E Video but it would not work, and likewise with a couple others, but i do not want to risk spending more money.

If it is only a 128 mg card, I will flat guarantee that it is worth the risk... Try to plug in to local gamers, or a local back-alley tech shop, where used or known-good cards are easy to come by... Or go to your local Best Buy (*spit*) as you can return it if it doesn't work... And if you are having trouble with ATI, then try to find an off-brand that uses an NVidia chip instead - That gets you out of ATI altogether.

The one I have in my test bench right now is an off-brand NVidia from Best Buy (*ptooey*)... It is a 2g and cost about 35 bucks...It was the third one I tried for a client (who wound up buying a new machine anyway)... So I know about the hit-and-miss nature of such things sometimes...

But in your case, jumping from 128mg to 2g vid will be very substantial, and will probably eclipse anything you have done so far... even if you have to pay someone to handle it for you. I doubt that will be the case, since new cards will probably work better (driver-wise) with Win6 than with Win5 - I bet the OS upgrade will help with the vid issues.

[daniel1212]

Thanks for taking an interest but it is not such a need that it warrants more money to experiment. If i should and could perhaps the better cheapo option might be to get away from this Sony proprietary board (not bios updates even) and get a 955 to 975 board with 4 ram slots (which i did look into ) , IF i could use the 2 sticks of DDR2 667 ram i already have in it, and maybe add two 1gb sticks DDR2 (dual channel), as the 945 only maps 4gb, but from what i read the ram may not work or the Intel Pent. d 820.

So I looked a lot but finally gave up. I do not have much of any real problem as long as i restart FF to get some ram back sometimes due to 80+- plus leaking tabs, or the cpu load is too high with pages like http://www.zdnet.com/how-the-new-windows-8-license-terms-affect-you_p2-7000003028/.

And regarding that link, i would have to get clearer confirmation that i can transfer W/8 to a new mobo, without upgrading. But for now it is manageable. Hey, i used W/98se and dial up until about 2005! Let me manage the nation debt and i think gov. would shrink about 50%.

[daniel1212]

By the way, if you watch/listen to good things on a laptop then you know how tinny tinny the native sound is, at least it is on mine, but as the Lord is good, i found a neat and cheap way to get far better sound. For $2.09 you can get a FM Transmitter on ebay, http://www.ebay.com/itm/FM-Transmitter-Car-Charger-4-iPhone-3G-iPod-MP3-MP4-/260754728420?pt=Other_MP3_Player_Accessories&hash=item3cb63165e4,
which will broadcast to your whole house and then some (2 AAA batteries) on one of 4 frequencies (107.1 is best here). The sound is far far better, and you can travel.

And for some sermons from what i think is the best Pentecostal (not hype, word of faith type, but a genuine, holy, anointed and Vietnam tested preacher) search Bert H. Clendennen (one here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPjYQiaSE7M&list=UU8pE4Qspmb6PydDZ9RzTfEw&index=1, move ahead about 5 min.)

Bless God.

[Lera]

Thanks much for the links :)
I listened to it this weekend and enjoyed it very much.

I have cordless headphones that make movement very easy while I listen and with them you don’t get the tinny sound like you do with the laptop speakers but that things looks pretty handy when working outside in the garden as I would not have to worry about the headphones slipping off . Cheap enough to that if it doesn’t work good out here that it’s no big loss . Thanks much :)

[daniel1212]

That is good. Glad to were edified. Listen to "soldiers " another strong message, though i do not listen that often to them.

And with the FM transmitter maybe your neighbors can tune in as well close enough. By placing them in series even further range could be reached. They should make then to be powered through the USB hub through.

[Lera]

Thanks much for the link.
Listened to it last night and enjoyed it much :)

[daniel1212]

Thought i would add a couple of helpful links for Windows 8 shortcuts:

http://www.redmondpie.com/this-extensive-list-of-windows-8-keyboard-shortcuts-will-help-you-adapt-to-the-new-interface/

http://lifehacker.com/5955162/how-to-not-get-lost-in-windows-8-the-best-shortcuts-and-tricks

With my set up i have no real use for the “Charms” bar (i can access what i need faster without it), and which, along with “Wizards,” is another example of resorting to witchcraft for describing MS features:

Definition of CHARM
1
a : the chanting or reciting of a magic spell : incantation
b : a practice or expression believed to have magic power
2
: something worn about the person to ward off evil or ensure good fortune : amulet

(http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/charm)

Anyway, if you are confused by Window 8, ro do not like things like a lot of large icons staring at you, or the limited number of things in the W/9 Start menu (versus the Classic) and lose of quick navigation, see above posts and also know that you get the info you need just by searching the Internet, as well as to basically make it like XP (which itself is benefited by tweaking) without losing any added functionality. Or ask here.