Switching from Windows 8 to 7

[vitinho444]

Hello guys, I'm thinking buying a new computer, a laptop to be more specific, it's for my grandpa and he doesn't need anything too strong obviously, just a basic 400$ laptop that can browse the internet and read emails, some facebook too, and look up some pictures.

But here in Portugal, i think every new pc comes with windows 8.. He is used to XP and very little to Windows 7... but Win 8 is a huge step for him.. no start menu, nothing it's equal, and he is learning on a school with windows xp so you see the drill right?

What i wanna know is if it's possible to downgrade to Windows 7, i have a CD of it but i don't know if there's some incompatibility or something like there was in XP computers that couldn't run VISTA.

What i do when i install a fresh copy of Win 7 is put the cd, reboot from the cd, and it automatically cleans up the old windows and installs the new one.
Is it the same on a windows 8 laptop?

Also, which specs would you recommend for Internet surfing, facebook, pictures, youtube, etc those basic 14 year old girls pc usages but without me buying a macbook (LOL fuck you apple).

For the normal price I'm willing to spend, there are these two:

15.6'' HP 15-B104 - AMD A6 for €449,00
15.6'' HP 15-B040 - Intel I3 for €447,00

I've never had a AMD pc or ATI graphics cards so i don't know the comparison with Nvidia and Intel

Thank you.

[Lord Rahl]

To be honest windows 8 wasn't a massive learning curve at all. That being said I don't want a touch OS on my desktop, and windows have started to answer that with windows 8.1 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23062272).

For basic browsing you could get away with netbook specks (a gig of ram and 1.66 mhz). I would suggest trying to get something a little better, but you wan't have all that many problems for just browsing.

[vitinho444]

To be honest windows 8 wasn't a massive learning curve at all. That being said I don't want a touch OS on my desktop, and windows have started to answer that with windows 8.1 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-23062272).

For basic browsing you could get away with netbook specks (a gig of ram and 1.66 mhz). I would suggest trying to get something a little better, but you wan't have all that many problems for just browsing.

Yeah windows 8 is cool for tablets but for desktop it stinks.

About the specs, I'm thinking 2-4gb ram, and 2ghz.

[Jackolantern]

Actually, Windows 8 is great for desktops if you just get a Start Button replacement. I suggest using Pokki. It will make the computer boot to the desktop, and you also get the option to disable all of the corner-screen shortcuts bars, which essentially makes it desktop only once you re-associate a couple of file types to desktop programs (mainly images and movie files). The search is also better than Windows 7's, since it is powered by the Windows 8 search, which separately searches applications, files and the web from one search. Windows 8 is also much more secure than Windows 7. It can essentially be run without 3rd party anti-virus (the core is locked down like on Mac OSX and Linux, and for everything else it comes with a very competent anti-virus with it). The compatibility system also got an overhaul. I can now actually run old Windows software like Diablo 2 and Starcraft using the compatibility profiles, just like Windows Vista - 7 promised but never seemed to work right. It also boots much faster than Windows 7 (my desktop boots about 30 seconds, compared to over 2 minutes with Windows 7, and my SSD laptop boots in under 3 seconds which is faster than my Android and iOS devices).

Going back to Windows 7 from a machine that came with Windows 8 is quite difficult and error-prone. I just looked it up, and it is worse than things used to be where you could just format the HDD and install the new OS. This is mostly due to some of the newer BIOS settings and other things that are part of the attempt by Microsoft to make Windows 8 a castle that is difficult to break in to. It can be quite a difficult journey to get it back to Windows 7. You are likely better off staying with Windows 8 and rigging it to be more like 7. In fact, once you do, it pretty much is a better OS than Windows 7 all the way around.

[vitinho444]

Actually, Windows 8 is great for desktops if you just get a Start Button replacement. I suggest using Pokki. It will make the computer boot to the desktop, and you also get the option to disable all of the corner-screen shortcuts bars, which essentially makes it desktop only once you re-associate a couple of file types to desktop programs (mainly images and movie files). The search is also better than Windows 7's, since it is powered by the Windows 8 search, which separately searches applications, files and the web from one search. Windows 8 is also much more secure than Windows 7. It can essentially be run without 3rd party anti-virus (the core is locked down like on Mac OSX and Linux, and for everything else it comes with a very competent anti-virus with it). The compatibility system also got an overhaul. I can now actually run old Windows software like Diablo 2 and Starcraft using the compatibility profiles, just like Windows Vista - 7 promised but never seemed to work right. It also boots much faster than Windows 7 (my desktop boots about 30 seconds, compared to over 2 minutes with Windows 7, and my SSD laptop boots in under 3 seconds which is faster than my Android and iOS devices).

Going back to Windows 7 from a machine that came with Windows 8 is quite difficult and error-prone. I just looked it up, and it is worse than things used to be where you could just format the HDD and install the new OS. This is mostly due to some of the newer BIOS settings and other things that are part of the attempt by Microsoft to make Windows 8 a castle that is difficult to break in to. It can be quite a difficult journey to get it back to Windows 7. You are likely better off staying with Windows 8 and rigging it to be more like 7. In fact, once you do, it pretty much is a better OS than Windows 7 all the way around.

Ah i see, well you got me with the first part I think once i get him the win 7 start button all will be ok. Do i really need to use a 3rd party program? I heard that windows 8.1 was going to add one.

Yeah i figured microsoft would go "wise guy" and do some changes so i asked it, better know first hand before messing a brand new pc

[Jackolantern]

Ehhhh...don't get too excited about Microsoft "bringing back the Start Button" in Windows 8.1. It isn't really going to be a true Start Button like Windows 7. The big headlines read "Microsoft bringing back Start Button in Windows 8.1", but if you read a bit deeper into the story, it is actually going to just be shortcuts to the Start Screen, which still forces you to use the Metro interface. So a 3rd party solution will likely still be called for. Public testing of 8.1 is going on now, so it is basically set in stone and won't likely receive an Xbox One-like change of direction before final release. Pokki is great, though. It offers nice features to completely block out the Modern UI if you want to. I don't have mine set that way, as I still left the Charm Bar on the right and the Metro Multitasker on the left and occasionally slip into the Modern UI for something every now and then. But if you never want to look at it again, it is good to have that option. Again, to do so, just install Pokki, on installation, disable all Windows 8 screen corners, choose to boot to desktop, and re-associate images and movie files to a desktop application, such as Paint or Windows Photo Viewer for images and Windows Media Player or VLC for movies.

EDIT: As kind of an interesting aside, I bet a lot of people here aren't old enough to really remember the release of Windows 95 that well. That was a larger overhaul of Windows moving from 3.11 to 95 than now from 7 to 8. And people were furious with the changes! "What is this Start Button? I just want to go to my programs directly like I always did!" (in earlier versions of Windows, you just threw whatever folders you used most on the desktop, and directly opened them to get at applications) "Why can't I just drag my files to the printer like I used to? You mean I have to open it and actually select print now?!" One of the main points of Windows 95 was trying to add structure to the system, as earlier versions tended to become messier and messier as time went on. MS also wanted to make the computer more accessible in general to new users who weren't enthusiasts or work users (which paid off in spades). That is why for years the Start Button said "Start" in big letters. It told new users...well...where to start lol.

But now fast-forward almost 20 years, and everyone (including me) is complaining again about the changes, and now we are all desperately trying to get our prettier version of Windows 95 back. When you think about the core functionality of Windows 95 - Windows 7, it hasn't changed much. Little features were added, but the main experience was the same.

I guess the point is is that I am sure there is probably a solid direction in where Windows is going. It took about 3 or 4 versions (until about XP) to see that there was plenty of wisdom in the Windows 95 changes, and there probably will be for Windows 8 as well. Desktops and traditional laptops are still firmly entrenched with us now, but in ten years? I highly doubt it. Microsoft is doing the smart thing and tinkering with putting a full, real, x86, touch-screen optimized OS out there now, possibly years before it is actually required. But it will be required soon. There is no stopping that.

[vitinho444]

Hum, ok, if i use that 3rd party program, can it be reverted to the normal UI of Windows 8?

About win 95, i haven't been here for the launch no, but it's interesting to see that people complaint about the changes, humans don't like changes no sir xD
I bet in sometime people will love windows 8, or maybe not like happened to VISTA

[hallsofvallhalla]

I miss windows 3.1. I remember that huge change. It was bigger than any windows change to date. Diablo is to thank for the mass move over from 3.1 to win 95 and win 98. That was a huge release that would only work on > 3.1 and everybody wanted to play it. It kind of showed off what the new windows could do.

I miss those days of computing. Things were so much more exciting. Changes were big. Windows cared about their user based. Everyone knew that apple was the scary demon in the corner that no one wanted to touch.

[vitinho444]

I miss windows 3.1. I remember that huge change. It was bigger than any windows change to date. Diablo is to thank for the mass move over from 3.1 to win 95 and win 98. That was a huge release that would only work on > 3.1 and everybody wanted to play it. It kind of showed off what the new windows could do.

I miss those days of computing. Things were so much more exciting. Changes were big. Windows cared about their user based. Everyone knew that apple was the scary demon in the corner that no one wanted to touch.

Yeah, nowadays changes are not really changes.. just adding little stuff?

[Jackolantern]

Hum, ok, if i use that 3rd party program, can it be reverted to the normal UI of Windows 8?

Yep, just uninstall Pokki if you want, and all the changes it made will be reversed