Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80...

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives running
XP,"
even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a year. Is
this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get myself to
play with it,
I hate it so much.

Apparently there will be no SP2 for Windows 8 with extended support.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls...-1-7000021763/

"Fishface" wrote:

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until
midnight. I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent
relatives running XP," even though Windows 7 will only be in
"extended support" after a year. Is this wise, or should I try
to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

You can probably get legitimate copies cheaper on eBay, with some
searching and good judgment.

The Windows 8 interface is not a big deal IMO. Just cope with it
and go on to using your programs. I'm using 32-bit Windows 7
instead, for compatibility issues.

Be sure to make incremental backups of your installation with
Macrium Reflect

Microsoft has destroyed the search function in Windows 7's file
manager. So I'll probably be using third-party file managers when
I need to search for something. Uhg. The file manager search is
odd in Windows 8, but at least it's functional.

--








I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even
get myself to play with it, I hate it so much.

Apparently there will be no SP2 for Windows 8 with extended
support.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls...ix-for-windows
-7-service-pack-1-7000021763/

On 01/22/2014 09:01 PM, Fishface wrote:
Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives running
XP,"
even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a year.
Is this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get myself
to play with it,
I hate it so much.

Apparently there will be no SP2 for Windows 8 with extended support.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls...-1-7000021763/






As far as Win8 goes, an easy fix is simply to install the free app.
"Classic Shell". It will turn the GUI essentially into that of Win7.


With that in mind, I'd simply get whichever OS is cheaper.


As to upgrading XP. There is no way to upgrade XP directly to Win7/8
unless you perform a clean install.


That said, over the past three months I have been converting a lot of XP
machines to Win7.

Here is what I found:

1) It only makes sense if the CPU is (or can be upgraded to) 1.8 ghz or
more. Single core CPU is sufficient but dual core works better.

2) One gig of RAM will just get you by, at least two gigs is recommended.

3) Must have a moderately good video card. Many on-board video
chips...especially Intel...have no Win7 drivers. Win7 will install
simply a standard VGA driver. Sometimes it actually works fairly well
but quite often a video card needs to be added.


The machines I'm setting up are only needed to do "office work"
so good multi-media support is not needed.

Fishface wrote:

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives running
XP,"
even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a year. Is
this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get myself
to play with it,
I hate it so much.

Apparently there will be no SP2 for Windows 8 with extended support.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls...-1-7000021763/

The only real difference between windows 8.1 and win7 is the start menu.
And that is it. And this has been said time and time again classic shell
or other similar apps will make win 8.1 look and feel like win 7.

Your problem with win8.1 is you don't like change. I have seen this in
linux when kde3.5.10 was replaced with with kde4. I was one of those people
who thought kde4 was crap. But after playing with it found it was a vaste
improvement. So all i have to say is this Play with win8.1. As if it is a
toy.

And as with kde4 i done the same thing with win8 and 8.1 and i find it a
improvement over win7. But there are others who will disagree with that.

There are plenty of youtube clips which will show you what you need to know.

Darklight wrote:

Fishface wrote:

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives running
XP,"
even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a year.
Is this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get myself
to play with it,
I hate it so much.

Apparently there will be no SP2 for Windows 8 with extended support.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls...-1-7000021763/

The only real difference between windows 8.1 and win7 is the start menu.
And that is it. And this has been said time and time again classic shell
or other similar apps will make win 8.1 look and feel like win 7.

Your problem with win8.1 is you don't like change. I have seen this in
linux when kde3.5.10 was replaced with with kde4. I was one of those
people who thought kde4 was crap. But after playing with it found it was a
vaste improvement. So all i have to say is this Play with win8.1. As if it
is a toy.

And as with kde4 i done the same thing with win8 and 8.1 and i find it a
improvement over win7. But there are others who will disagree with that.

There are plenty of youtube clips which will show you what you need to
know.

look at this and then decide for your self if there is any difference
between win7 and win8 or 8.1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=49PxrcmY6dU

Darklight wrote:
The only real difference between windows 8.1 and win7 is the start menu.
And that is it.

I understand that Windows 8 security is much better than Windows 7. That
would be an important difference to some people.

--
Mike Barnes

On Wed, 22 Jan 2014 22:01:49 -0500, Fishface
wrote:

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives running
XP,"
even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a year.
Is this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get myself
to play with it,
I hate it so much.

Apparently there will be no SP2 for Windows 8 with extended support.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls...-1-7000021763/

As mentioned several times in the group already, Windows 8 and 8.1 can
easily be modified to run like Windows 7 with or without third-party
software. Get out of the Metro interface, go into the Desktop and modify
the settings so that it always starts on the Desktop. It's not difficult
and there truly is no reason to hate the OS after that's done.

In fact, the process takes about two minutes including boot time.

--
Silver Slimer
GNU/Linux is Communism

The intellect and maturity of GNU/Linux advocates:
"Does Snot's penis taste salty, Silver Slipper?" - Onion Knight v3.0
"Isn't it time you went home to alt.suicide.holiday?" - Nobody

On Thu, 23 Jan 2014 04:25:15 -0500, Darklight
wrote:

The only real difference between windows 8.1 and win7 is the start menu.
And that is it. And this has been said time and time again classic shell
or other similar apps will make win 8.1 look and feel like win 7.

Your problem with win8.1 is you don't like change. I have seen this in
linux when kde3.5.10 was replaced with with kde4. I was one of those
people
who thought kde4 was crap. But after playing with it found it was a vaste
improvement. So all i have to say is this Play with win8.1. As if it is a
toy.

And as with kde4 i done the same thing with win8 and 8.1 and i find it a
improvement over win7. But there are others who will disagree with that.

There are plenty of youtube clips which will show you what you need to
know.

The hate on Windows 8 is absolutely ridiculous. At first glance, it's
different. However, anyone with an intellectual quotient higher than 60
will explore further and discover that beyond the surface, it's not
entirely different from 7. It's amazing how lazy Windows users are and how
even the slightest change will be considered a horrible thing. This
happened when Windows 95 added a Start Menu, when Windows 98 integrated IE
into the file manager, when XP changed the look of the interface and so
on. If you don't like it at first, change it to how it was because you
CAN. Little by little you'll learn about the new features and you'll
eventually enjoy what Microsoft created.

--
Silver Slimer
GNU/Linux is Communism

The intellect and maturity of GNU/Linux advocates:
"Does Snot's penis taste salty, Silver Slipper?" - Onion Knight v3.0
"Isn't it time you went home to alt.suicide.holiday?" - Nobody

Silver Slimer wrote:
On Wed, 22 Jan 2014 22:01:49 -0500, Fishface
wrote:

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives
running XP,"
even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a
year. Is this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get
myself to play with it,
I hate it so much.

Apparently there will be no SP2 for Windows 8 with extended support.
http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-rolls...-1-7000021763/


As mentioned several times in the group already, Windows 8 and 8.1 can
easily be modified to run like Windows 7 with or without third-party
software. Get out of the Metro interface, go into the Desktop and modify
the settings so that it always starts on the Desktop. It's not difficult
and there truly is no reason to hate the OS after that's done.

In fact, the process takes about two minutes including boot time.


Care to share how or do you just prefer to diss everyone and claim your
superiority?

--
Alias

On Thu, 23 Jan 2014 10:52:56 -0500, Alias
wrote:

As mentioned several times in the group already, Windows 8 and 8.1 can
easily be modified to run like Windows 7 with or without third-party
software. Get out of the Metro interface, go into the Desktop and modify
the settings so that it always starts on the Desktop. It's not difficult
and there truly is no reason to hate the OS after that's done.

In fact, the process takes about two minutes including boot time.


Care to share how or do you just prefer to diss everyone and claim your
superiority?

I already have in previous articles but for your benefit (and despite your
insult), I will point you in the right direction. After booting, click on
Desktop to use the computer in the traditional way. From there,
right-click on the Taskbar and select Navigation. Checkmark any features
you consider to be primordial, such as booting directly to desktop, and
you're done.

I would suggest that you use a stopwatch and calculate the time it took
for you to do all of this. Let me know if it actually takes you more than
two minutes.
--
Silver Slimer
GNU/Linux is Communism

The intellect and maturity of GNU/Linux advocates:
"Does Snot's penis taste salty, Silver Slipper?" - Onion Knight v3.0
"Isn't it time you went home to alt.suicide.holiday?" - Nobody

Silver Slimer wrote:
On Thu, 23 Jan 2014 10:52:56 -0500, Alias
wrote:

As mentioned several times in the group already, Windows 8 and 8.1 can
easily be modified to run like Windows 7 with or without third-party
software. Get out of the Metro interface, go into the Desktop and modify
the settings so that it always starts on the Desktop. It's not difficult
and there truly is no reason to hate the OS after that's done.

In fact, the process takes about two minutes including boot time.


Care to share how or do you just prefer to diss everyone and claim
your superiority?

I already have in previous articles but for your benefit (and despite
your insult), I will point you in the right direction. After booting,
click on Desktop to use the computer in the traditional way. From there,
right-click on the Taskbar and select Navigation. Checkmark any features
you consider to be primordial, such as booting directly to desktop, and
you're done.

I would suggest that you use a stopwatch and calculate the time it took
for you to do all of this. Let me know if it actually takes you more
than two minutes.

I'm sure it won't take more time. Thanks and sorry about the insult.

--
Alias

Fishface wrote:

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives running
XP,"

I recommend caution with such upgrades. Windows has always been a
resource hog, and regardless of the hardware minimums recommended by
Microsoft (they are just enough to run the OS and not much anything
else), I wouldn't consider upgrading any system to W7 that doesn't at
least have a 2.0 GHz, dual core CPU and 2 to 3 GB of RAM -- 4 for 64-bit
W7 -- and a contemporary graphics card.

Also, check application compatibility. Not all XP software will run
natively on 7, but will under XP Mode emulation. I know that 7 Pro
includes this option, but I don't know if Home Premium does.

even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a year. Is
this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

8.1 on old XP hardware? Forget about it.

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get myself to
play with it,
I hate it so much.

Install Classic Shell. Set it for the Windows desktop version you like.

Stef

On Wed, 22 Jan 2014 19:01:49 -0800, "Fishface"
wrote:

Newegg sale on Windows 7 Home Premium OEM Today for $80. until midnight.
I'm thinking of buying a couple, to upgrade "dependent relatives running
XP,"
even though Windows 7 will only be in "extended support" after a year. Is
this wise,
or should I try to bend Windows 8.1 to my will?

I have the evaluation version of 8.1 installed and can't even get myself to
play with it,
I hate it so much.


Several points:

1. XP is three generations old, Windows 7 is only one. If you are
going to move to a more modern version of Windows, you should move to
the current generation, not an older one.

2. Your hate for Windows 8 is probably because you don't know enough
about it. Let me point out something that you perhaps don't realize:
Windows 8 has two interfaces; the Modern/Metro Interface (which may
be all you've looked at) and the traditional Desktop Interface.

That traditional Desktop Interface is almost identical to Windows 7's
interface; the biggest difference is that there is no Start Orb to
click to bring up the Start menu. But note that you can get the Start
Orb back by using one of several third-party programs, either free or
very inexpensive (Classic Shell at
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ and Start8 at
http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/; my personal preference is
Start8, but they are both very good).

Simply installing one of those two and using the traditional desktop
interface may be a better choice for you than going to Windows 7. I
use Windows 8, almost exclusively with the traditional desktop
interface, and with Start 8 installed. If you were to look at and use
my computer, you would have a hard time realizing that it's not
Windows 7.

I also recommend that you read "How to Make Windows 8 or 8.1 Look and
Feel Like Windows 7" at http://www.howtogeek.com/elk/298/45121/4206

3. It is not possible to upgrade from XP to Windows 7 or Windows 8. A
clean installation is required (unless you do a two-step
upgrade--which I strongly recommend against--first going to Vista).

4. It is highly unlikely that any Windows XP-era computer will be
anywhere near powerful enough for either Windows 7 or 8. Probably
several hardware upgrades will be required, and it may be less
expensive to simply buy a new Windows 8 computer.

5. It's possible that some existing hardware may require Windows 7 or
Windows 8 drivers that don't exist.

On Thu, 23 Jan 2014 12:27:03 -0500, Alias
wrote:

I already have in previous articles but for your benefit (and despite
your insult), I will point you in the right direction. After booting,
click on Desktop to use the computer in the traditional way. From there,
right-click on the Taskbar and select Navigation. Checkmark any features
you consider to be primordial, such as booting directly to desktop, and
you're done.

I would suggest that you use a stopwatch and calculate the time it took
for you to do all of this. Let me know if it actually takes you more
than two minutes.

I'm sure it won't take more time. Thanks and sorry about the insult.

I'm a high school teacher. Insults have no effect on me. I spend my
year going from most-hated to most-loved educator but spend a lot of time
dodging insults during that time.
--
Silver Slimer
GNU/Linux is Communism

The intellect and maturity of GNU/Linux advocates:
"Does Snot's penis taste salty, Silver Slipper?" - Onion Knight v3.0
"Isn't it time you went home to alt.suicide.holiday?" - Nobody

Ken Blake wrote:
On Wed, 22 Jan 2014 19:01:49 -0800, "Fishface"
wrote:
4. It is highly unlikely that any Windows XP-era computer will be
anywhere near powerful enough for either Windows 7 or 8. Probably
several hardware upgrades will be required, and it may be less
expensive to simply buy a new Windows 8 computer.

5. It's possible that some existing hardware may require Windows 7 or
Windows 8 drivers that don't exist.

Whoa! I have dozens of machines that originally had XP SP2 on them. And
any of them with a Core2 Duo with Intel Integrated Graphics 945GM
shouldn't have any problems running Windows 7 or 8. I know, I upgraded
many of mine. No problems with drivers either. While I can get single
cores to work too, the performance is so slow and annoying to use.

--
Bill
Asus EEE PC 702G4 ~ 2GB RAM ~ 16GB-SDHC
Ubuntu 9.10 Netbook Remix Linux