can I get rid of windows 8

[macwales]

Hi

I got fed up with Windows 7 because it started to run slow with endless updates. I have changed to freeware - Linux Mint 17 Qiana. It comes with everything I need - and for free. Office suite, email, browser, pictures editor, video player etc. It can even run some Windows programmes through an app called 'wine'.
I would never touch windows 8 so if you don't want a touch screen facility try Qiana.  Just put Linux Mint 17 into your search box and take a look. There are full instructions on how to download it online at :

http://www.linuxmint.com

Cheers

Mac 

[MikeDunn]

Put the Bash fix in yet ? 

[Buzzard]

You will need your original Windows 7 disc to re install the operating system.

I've read elsewhere that by reformatting the hard disk to remove Windows 8 and then installing Windows 7 it may invalidate the computers warranty.  This would be OK if you've got a mate who can help you out if things go wrong but disastrous, and expensive, if you don't.

For the record I've been thinking about getting a laptop and backdating it to Windows XP and Office 2003 to maintain compatibility with my desktop computers.

Nigel

[Tdm]

My current PC is an Intel i7 chip Toshiba Satellite which is running Windows 8.1, but I still have my old Acer Laptop which has Windows 7 Professional installed on it and I am glad that I kept it.

Some of the software that ran on the Acer simply will not run under Windows 8, and when I put a video clip on this Forum of my Layout, I have to put the mini-disk from my old Sony Camcorder into the Acer first to read it as the new PC with Windows 8 won't recognize it at all.

I have to import the video files from the mini-disk  onto to the Acer hard drive, then copy them onto a flash drive which then goes in the new PC where I use AVS Video Editing software to create the final video which is then uploaded to YouTube.

I only acquired a new Laptop because I was running out of disk space and needed more memory as well as a faster chip as the Acer was beginning to run slow despite me having done all I could to speed it up.

My Toshiba P855-34P has 16gb of RAM, an i7-3630QM CPU, and a 1TB hard drive,
so on paper it should be fairly quick although it doesn't seem all that much faster than my previous less powerful Acer, but part of that could be down to the Operating System.

[DCCDave]

I got fed up with Windows 7 because it started to run slow with endless updates.

No reason that updates should slow it down, are sure it's not something else?

Linux, for the record, has just as many updates as Windows.

And before I'm accused of being a Windows fan-boy I run Linux too.

Cheers
Dave

[macwales]

Hi

After three years of Windows 7 Starter - my last Windows updates were taking up to 15 mins, coming in thick and fast. Qiada updates take less than 5 mins. Then there were browser (Firefox) , email client, pdf reader etc all separate updates. The mintupdate single update system includes all updates so applications such as Firefox do not update separately. It also updates stuff that windows applications never get unless you buy the latest version. Windows adds updates to files and seems not to remove any. It just gets bigger  and bigger. One windows update corrupted my OS! All my files had to be recovered - took 1.5 days.

So fed up I bought a SSD and loaded Linux.
However I could have continued with my old HD and ran my netbook as a dual boot Windows and Linux.

Running Linux Mint 17 Qiada is free so no expense of buying a new windows O/S if anyone wants to ditch a Windows operating system its an option worth considering.

And a big plus for me is the free software. An office suite and a photo editor would be a £100 on their own. All the Linux programmes can read my windows files.

Not pushing Linux but a friend pointed me to its recent improvements and it puts the user in control so I went for it. Glad I did.

All this is discussed on the Linux Mint site in the operating instructions available for download. I would suggest anyone thinking of swapping should consult this first.

Cheers

Mac

[PaulCheffus]

You will need your original Windows 7 disc to re install the operating system.

I've read elsewhere that by reformatting the hard disk to remove Windows 8 and then installing Windows 7 it may invalidate the computers warranty.  This would be OK if you've got a mate who can help you out if things go wrong but disastrous, and expensive, if you don't.

Hi

Not sure that is correct as I might want to install Linux and what you are saying is I can't do that without invalidating my warranty.

I looked for a Laptop without an OS but there doesn't seem to be any available so I bought one with Windows 8.1 with the plan that if I didn't get on with it I would install Windows 7. So far I have been happy with 8.1 after installing the classic menu.

Cheers

Paul

[guest311]

Update :

had a 'chat' with HP this morning, with the upshot that they say "don't recommend installing a different OS, and cannot confirm all corresponding drivers would be available"

did tell me how to change Win8 to look like Win7, and I'll add the instructions here -


you can make your windows 8 computer look more easy and user friendly.

Enable Start menu on Windows 8:

1.Right-click on the Taskbar and click Toolbars and then New toolbar.

2. Browse to C:\Program Data\Microsoft\Windows and select Start Menu and choose Select Folder.

3. You should now have the Start menu available on Main desktop screen.

Top 10 Windows 8 Tips that will help you:-

http://www.computerhope.com/tips/tip200.htmDownload the start menu:-

http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

don't know if any help to anyone.

I'll look at Linux later, especially if it has the free 'office' software, and can read my existing excel and word files.

looks like that's this evening planned 

cheers

alan