Upgrading from Win 7 to Win 8.1

I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface instead?

W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface instead?

Once you set it to boot to the desktop, it's pretty similar. The Metro
interface may not suit your tastes. I don't hardly ever go there.

--
Blue

On 3/11/2014 4:55 PM, W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface instead?

Why would you want too?? Is there something about win 8 you want or
need? Just curious.

Hi, W.

As Blue said, set it to boot to the desktop. It's almost easier to do than
to explain. I only did it once; it took only a minute or two and I quickly
forgot how and had to remind myself just now.

Right-click on the Taskbar, then Properties on the pop-up menu to get the
Taskbar and Navigation properties screen. Click the Navigation tab and
check the box that says, "Show my desktop background on Start." Then
reboot.

Since this is my only computer and I'm the only user (except for 10-year-old
grandson), I also have it set to remember my password, so my boot time,
power-on to desktop, is about 30 seconds.

With these and other tweaks and shortcuts, I like Win8.1 Pro with Media
Center even better than Win7. ;)

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX

Microsoft Windows MVP (2002-2010)
Windows Live Mail 2012 (Build 16.4.3522.0110) in Win8.1 Pro with Media
Center


"W. eWatson" wrote in message ...

I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface instead?

On Tue, 11 Mar 2014 16:55:07 -0700, W. eWatson wrote:

I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1.

In the name of all that's holy why? How is that an upgrade?

It's like "upgrading" from XP to Vista.

--
Stan Brown, Oak Road Systems, Tompkins County, New York, USA
http://OakRoadSystems.com
Shikata ga nai...

On 12/03/2014 00:55, W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface instead?

Yes, you will. But you can install Classic Start Menu to get the desktop
and Win 7 interface back.
But why would you upgrade from Win 7 to Win 8.1? I can't see a point in
there.

Fokke

W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface instead?

If you've bought and paid for Win 8.1, save it for a rainy day.

All the cool kids are using Windows 7.

http://gs.statcounter.com/#os-ww-monthly-201203-201403

Paul

W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface instead?

Fyi....

Win8.1 is full version software, not upgrade software (8.0 was upgrade
software)
- the 'update' path from Win7 to Win8.1 is a clean install with the
ability to
a. retain user specific personal files (documents, photos, music,
movies, and other files) but not programs
or
b. keep nothing
Either (a) or (b) requires re-installation of your programs thus ensure
you have the media (disk or installation file and if necessary the
respective programs' product keys)

Prior to updating from Win7 to Win8.1 it would be prudent to:
1. Review the 8.1 System Requirements
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...m-requirements
2. Download and run the Win8.1 Upgrade Assistant
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=261871

Upgrading from Win7 to Win8.0 (the latter being upgrade [not update]
software)provided the option to keep compatible applications programs

For additional info see these articles
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...e-to-windows-8
and

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...ows-7-tutorial



--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps

On 3/12/2014 2:12 AM, "...winston‫" wrote:
W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface
instead?

Fyi....

Win8.1 is full version software, not upgrade software (8.0 was upgrade
software)
- the 'update' path from Win7 to Win8.1 is a clean install with the
ability to
a. retain user specific personal files (documents, photos, music,
movies, and other files) but not programs


or
b. keep nothing
Either (a) or (b) requires re-installation of your programs thus ensure
you have the media (disk or installation file and if necessary the
respective programs' product keys)

Prior to updating from Win7 to Win8.1 it would be prudent to:
1. Review the 8.1 System Requirements
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...m-requirements
2. Download and run the Win8.1 Upgrade Assistant
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/p/?LinkId=261871

Upgrading from Win7 to Win8.0 (the latter being upgrade [not update]
software)provided the option to keep compatible applications programs

For additional info see these articles
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...e-to-windows-8
and

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/w...ows-7-tutorial




So what this boils down to is, if I don't want to back up my programs,
Word, Office, pictures, files, etc, then 8.1 is useless to me. According
to Best Buy, where I bought 8.1, there is no 8.0 any longer. Basically,
this amounts to have two different OSes, 8.0 and 8.1. Clever. Ugh! Off
to Best Buy. I was certainly misled by them.

On Tue, 11 Mar 2014 20:16:36 -0700, The Other Guy wrote:

It's like "upgrading" from XP to Vista.

Well, that's ONE damned fool's opinion. Or TWO opinions, really.

THREE. I agree with them. Why would you want to "upgrade" 7 to 8.1 and
then make it look like 7? :-?

--
s|b

W. eWatson wrote:


So what this boils down to is, if I don't want to back up my programs,
Word, Office, pictures, files, etc, then 8.1 is useless to me. According
to Best Buy, where I bought 8.1, there is no 8.0 any longer. Basically,
this amounts to have two different OSes, 8.0 and 8.1. Clever. Ugh! Off
to Best Buy. I was certainly misled by them.

Sorry to hear you've been mislead...possibly they don't understand that
8.1 is upgrade to 8.0 (upgrades the 8.0 o/s and retains the data and
applications) vs. an update for earlier o/s with specific
constraints(replace entire o/s and retains user configuration settings
and personal files in the users profile or retains nothing*)
-....but don't misunderstand MSFT definition of 'personal files'
**If you only want to keep your files (documents, photos, music, movies,
and other files), choose Just personal files.***
- Personal files must be stored in the user's profile in the
respective Win7 design intent folders.
- Progams are not personal files (Win7 to Win8.1 requires
reinstallation of programs and only those that are compatible - i.e. the
purpose of running the upgrade

* - If one chooses the other of the two options (Nothing instead of
Personal Files, Personal files [those stored in the user profile] will
be found, post 8.1 installation in the Windows.old folder...the user
would then have to copy them back to the design intent userprofile
location in Win8.1...or archive to another location.

In hindsight its always a good idea to have a backup (to another device
- external or separate internal disk) for the o/s and all data/files and
the software media or download to reinstall anything currently installed
or needed)

Here's the basics again.

If you're running....You can keep

Windows 8....Windows settings, personal files, and most apps

Windows 7....Personal files

Windows Vista or XP.....Nothing

....if the above still isn't clear...reread the content in the links
(including all subtopics) for clarification.

--
....winston
msft mvp consumer apps

Drew écrivait news:lfo8ev$j04$1
@speranza.aioe.org:

On 3/11/2014 4:55 PM, W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface
instead?

Why would you want too?? Is there something about win 8 you want or
need? Just curious.


Stability?

On Thu, 13 Mar 2014 15:46:02 +0000 (UTC), Dominique wrote:

Drew écrivait news:lfo8ev$j04$1
:

On 3/11/2014 4:55 PM, W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface
instead?

Why would you want too?? Is there something about win 8 you want or
need? Just curious.


Stability?

The OP already has Win 7, so stability isn't an issue.

--

Char Jackson

Char Jackson écrivait
:

On Thu, 13 Mar 2014 15:46:02 +0000 (UTC), Dominique
wrote:

Drew écrivait news:lfo8ev$j04$1
:

On 3/11/2014 4:55 PM, W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I understand I
can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having the 7 interface
instead?

Why would you want too?? Is there something about win 8 you want or
need? Just curious.


Stability?

The OP already has Win 7, so stability isn't an issue.


My own experience, i3 system, random freeze, after upgrading to 8, no more
freeze.

On 3/14/2014, Dominique posted:
Char Jackson écrivait
:

On Thu, 13 Mar 2014 15:46:02 +0000 (UTC), Dominique
wrote:

Drew écrivait news:lfo8ev$j04$1
@speranza.aioe.org:

On 3/11/2014 4:55 PM, W. eWatson wrote:
I have a PC Win 7 desktop. I'm about to upgrade to 8.1. I
understand I can make it look like 7. Will I really miss having
the 7 interface instead?

Why would you want too?? Is there something about win 8 you want
or need? Just curious.


Stability?

The OP already has Win 7, so stability isn't an issue.


My own experience, i3 system, random freeze, after upgrading to 8, no
more freeze.

Although that is consistent with the idea that the cause is W7 it
doesn't prove it; other changes may well have happened during the
update process.

Certainly, within my house I agree with Char that stability isn't an
issue with W7.

However, it is definitely a good thing that your system is now stable
:-)

OT: there was a recent thread here about calls form the "Systems
Center" or others who want to get into your computer; I hadn't had one
for several months, but I was just interrupted by one as I was typing
this reply :-(

And before I finished, I got yet another call; it started "Thank you
for calling. Please listen carefully, as our menu times have changed.
You have been selected for a free (plonk)".

Will switching to W8 prevent that? I'd switch in a minute :-)

--
Gene E. Bloch (Stumbling Bloch)