Anyone Running Windows 8.1 (64 Bit) ?

[billt]

I'm going to Best Buy this morning and buying a new desktop. Mine is 5 years old and full of bugs, pop up spyware, name it. These damn thngs are basically disposable items after a length of time. I checked and I can get drivers for both of my printers for Windows 8.1.

All I do is surf the Internet and store pictures, so I don't need anything fancy. This is what I'm getting:

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/hp-pavilion-slimline-desktop-4gb-memory-500gb-hard-drive/5815013.p?id=1219194065871&skuId=5815013&st=categoryid$pcmcat212600050008&cp=1&lp=1

I paid the same price to have my trees trimmed last week, so it's not too bad. I don't see a slot that my camera memory card fits, but I can download through a USB cord right from the camera if I have to. Hopefully the hook up will be somewhat painless. If you don't see me here for a few days....It wasn't.

[brushmore]

I make a living developing an operating system that competes with Windows in some ways so take whatever I say with a grain of salt. 

I have used Windows 8.1 and don't like the user interface at all.  It's is very different from previous versions of Windows so plan on a learning curve as you get used to it.  There are trying to make look and feel more like cell phone rather than the traditional Windows desktop.  But there's still a way to get to "old fashion" desktop look when you need it.  It does seem reliable enough which has not always been the case with Windows.

[billt]

Well, I'm up and running on it. At least so far. I still have a lot to do. The resolution is too small, and it's only taking up half of the page. But at least the hookup went OK.

[PegLeg45]

Well, I'm up and running on it. At least so far. I still have a lot to do. The resolution is too small, and it's only taking up half of the page. But at least the hookup went OK.

Resolution is a pretty easy fix on Windows.

[billt]

I'm getting it, but what a pain. I still have to get my Windows Live Mail working. I only was able to get one of my printers working. The driver for the other won't work with Windows 8.1. Even though it says it will. And it's the newer of the 2 printers. Go figure. I'm still trying to recover a lot of my favorites.

I just wish they would get all the bugs out of these new systems before they go prime time with them. I'm hoping after several updates it will be easier. I couldn't find a new PC at Best Buy that ran Windows 7. You have to order them, and they were more money than the Windows 8.1 models. None were in stock.

[Sponsor]

[Solus]

I honestly think MS makes unnecessary changes to how functions are invoked and what they are called just to sell class time for folks who have to support them.

[PegLeg45]

I'm getting it, but what a pain. I still have to get my Windows Live Mail working. I only was able to get one of my printers working. The driver for the other won't work with Windows 8.1. Even though it says it will. And it's the newer of the 2 printers. Go figure. I'm still trying to recover a lot of my favorites.

I just wish they would get all the bugs out of these new systems before they go prime time with them. I'm hoping after several updates it will be easier. I couldn't find a new PC at Best Buy that ran Windows 7. You have to order them, and they were more money than the Windows 8.1 models. None were in stock.

One thing you can do for future ease is to go get a portable hard drive and as soon as everything is up to where you want it, back-up everything to the portable drive. Then in case of a crash or new machine, just download everything to the computer.
I back mine up about every three months and store it in a fireproof safe.

[billt]

I'm just afraid I'll be storing all of the spyware and other crap that slowed it down in the first place.

[PegLeg45]

Probably no more than you'll get on the new machine if you are not running anti-virus or spyware protection...along with adblocker.


I dump all my cache and history files and cookies and then run a full scan before the back-ups.
Not had a problem so far.

[billt]

Well, it's taken several days, but I finally have everything up and running. I finally found a driver for my other HP printer that works. So now both work like they did before. I got my mail running without having to go to my Internet provider to get it. All I have to do now is get the links in my E-Mails to become "hot", so I don't have to cut and paste them. I have no idea why that is happening? I've heard of others complaining about that with Windows 8 versions. My Internet provider said it's a Windows problem, not the Internet provider. I agree because it didn't happen with my other computer.

The whole thing is running faster now. I went into the control system and changed a bunch of settings. It's like anything else, it's different, and you have to get used to it. So much for "plug & play"    That term has all but become a total joke in the computer industry.