Windows 8 - how do I get the Win 7 experience?

[Mitsu3000gt]

As a new user of Win 8 myself, I am fine with it after the following:

- Classic Shell
- Uninstall every metro app

I think Win 8 boots faster too, but I am not 100% sure.

I do really hate stock Win 8 though, but classic shell fixes most of my complaints.

That said, I would have never bought it on it's own if it hadn't come with my laptop. I would rather put XP back on my desktop than Win8.

[TorqueDog]

Originally posted by firebane
Windows 7 has the EXACT security, same stability and the performance between the OS is not even worth arguing about as they are essentially neck and neck.

If you've been doing this for 15 years as you claim, this paragraph says to me that you have a long legacy of having not a sweet friggin' clue what you're talking about.

Windows 8.1 isn't at GA yet, but having dogfooded the 8.1 Preview and now on the 8.1 RTM on my work asset, I'm liking the changes. I have a touch-screen notebook so it wasn't a big deal to begin with and I've been using it on my dual-monitor desktop without any complaints, but the changes I have noticed in 8.1 are of the sort that make you go "Huh... yeah, that's a better way of doing that". I'm not finding much where I'm finding that the first (W8) implementation was better.

Being able to right-click the Start button and open an elevated Powershell is nice too.

[AndrewMZ3]

Figure I'll piggy back on this thread. Any one know how I can get IE 9 to work on windows 8?

[01RedDX]

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[woodywoodford]

Originally posted by AndrewMZ3
Figure I'll piggy back on this thread. Any one know how I can get IE 9 to work on windows 8?

I think Classic shell has options for IE9 toolbars or something. I didn't pay much attention to it since nobody uses IE anymore

Firefox!!

[sabad66]

Originally posted by AndrewMZ3
Figure I'll piggy back on this thread. Any one know how I can get IE 9 to work on windows 8?

What's wrong with ie10? I don't think it's possible to downgrade to 9 on win8

[AndrewMZ3]

Yeah I use chrome for everything else, but one of the websites I use for work is not compatible with anything higher than IE9. It works fine with previous versions of IE too. It's kind of annoying because right now I have to remote into my work computer to access this site when I use my laptop. Would rather be able to just run IE9 on my laptop.

[01RedDX]

.

[AndrewMZ3]

I've played around with the compatibility settings, and a bunch of other settings that my google results suggested.

Basically, there's a website that requires a client side cert to access. Upon trying to access the site I receive the following:

This page can't be displayed

•Make sure the web address https://************ is correct.
•Look for the page with your search engine.
•Refresh the page in a few minutes.
•Make sure TLS and SSL protocols are enabled. Go to Tools > Internet Options > Advanced > Settings > Security




The cert is definitely installed, and there's never any issues loading it on my other desktops running windows 7 and IE9. Actually, now that I think about it, my last windows update on my desktops included IE10. The site would actually load with IE10 (and not have the page can't be displayed issue), but the full functionality of the site wasn't working much like how it works if I load it in Chrome. I believe it may have been javascript issues since certain drop down menus would not populate, and buttons which usually open popup windows would not work.

Any ideas?

[Seth1968]

Reset IE.

Control Panel>Internet Option>Advanced.

Click on Restore Advanced Settings, then click on Reset.

[AndrewMZ3]

Originally posted by Seth1968
Reset IE.

Control Panel>Internet Option>Advanced.

Click on Restore Advanced Settings, then click on Reset.

WTF! That worked!!

Seth1968 > Google

You have no idea how much this helps me, I just wish I posted here about this earlier this year. Using remote desktop on spotty internet in the middle of the pacific ocean is frustrating to say the least lol.

Thank you so much!!!

[Seth1968]

You're welcome.

I've been repairing computers for so long, that it's all just second nature now.

[kaput]

.

[sabad66]

It makes things better.

Windows 8/8.1 aren't bad. I don't do any of this start8/classic shell stuff and I'm happy with the 8.1 preview.

[dirtsniffer]

So, I need to buy Windows, should I get 7 or 8?
Also anyone know where I can get a deal?

[sabad66]

Just get 8. Not sure where to get it cheapest though... last time i bought an OS i got the OEM version from Mem Express

[sabad66]

Might be better to wait 2 weeks and get 8.1 if you're not in a huge rush. It's a free upgrade from 8 ->8.1 anyways, but if it were me i'd rather start fresh from 8.1

[Dalking]

Originally posted by Seth1968
Hey Woody.

As a computer tech for over 15 years, I can tell you that replacing W8 with W7 is bad advice.

You would be blowing $150.00 on W7 when you already have it. That's right, W8 is fundamentally W7 with 2 different skins (dashboards) that you can choose from.

Furthermore, the enhancements in W8 over W7, are better security, better stability, and better performance.

Install Classic Shell and VLC media player, and you'll be good to go other than these 2 concerns:

1) What do you use for email?

2) By default W8 will open your pictures in the Metro Pictures program. If you don't like that, then right click on one of your pictures, select Open With, and choose whatever program you want your pictures opened with. Eg, Photo Editor, Paint, etc.

If you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

OOOOOOOOOHHHH 15 years.....wooooooooooo ahhhhhhhhh ooooooooohhhhh

[firebane]

Originally posted by dirtsniffer
So, I need to buy Windows, should I get 7 or 8?
Also anyone know where I can get a deal?

Stick with 7 and avoid a whole slew of headaches no computer user wants.

[eblend]

Sticking with 7 is like sticking with XP, really at some point you got to learn the new OS. I use 8.1 at work and at home (am the admin, can do what I want haha) and 8.1 fixes many of my gripes with 8. I got used to it, doesn't even bother me anymore, its the exact same OS with a second skin...if you don't like the second skin, don't use it, no reason to completely ditch an OS because it has some functionality in the backend that you may never use.

If you know how to use windows 7, u know how to use win 8, the longer you delay learning win8, the further you will get left behind.

8.1 allows boot to desktop mode and to disable corner charms and such, so really once you disable those things, you have windows 7 with a fancier looking start bar...plus all the other benefits of win8 that are in the desktop mode anyways.