Windows 8 Tips and Support

[Foxfyre]

What browser do you use Alan? I'm using the latest Internet Explorer.

I for one refuse to use IE, every computer virus I or my wife have ever had came via IE and I know how to make my system secure. I played with many different ones but always keep coming back to Firefox.

I've been on line since the late 80's and have never gotten a virus. Knock on wood. I have picked up some ugly malware a time or two I had to install the PC Tools scxubber to get rid of, but that was cheaper than hauling the machine into the shop for maintenance. That hasn't happened since I installed Avast as my anti virus program.

But so far Firefox seems to be much more compatible with Windows 8 than Exploirer. Maybe we've stumbled onto the easy fix.

 

[alan1]

What browser do you use Alan? I'm using the latest Internet Explorer.

I prefer Firefox, Ms Foxfyre. I'm currently using their latest beta version.
One of the things I like about Firefox is that when a vulnerability is discovered, they usually get it fixed within a few days, whereas IE can take weeks to fix a known problem.
I've heard good things (from techies) about google's chrome also. I avoid IE.

 

[Bleipriester]

Tip:
Installing Net Framework 3.5 offline.

Open Command Prompt (Amdinstrator) via the right-click menu in the lower left corner. Type the following, while your Win8 Disk is laid-in:

dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 /all /source:<w8_setup_drive>\sources\sxs


So if your Win8 Disk is in drive D, type this:

dism /online /enable-feature /featurename:NetFx3 /all /source:d:\sources\sxs

 

[iamwhatiseem]

C&C Generals still runs fine
I use Metro mainly as Gamesexplorer starting it via vbs file

How can C&C General work fine?
Red Alert 2 does not work without setting up a second "monitor" through the graphics software, faking a 2nd VGA monitor since RA2 cannot handle a modern video card whatsoever.
Also, doesn't C&C G use IPX/SPX? (There is a game hack that adds Winsock to this game as well)

 

[Bleipriester]

How can C&C General work fine?
Red Alert 2 does not work without setting up a second "monitor" through the graphics software, faking a 2nd VGA monitor since RA2 cannot handle a modern video card whatsoever.
Also, doesn't C&C G use IPX/SPX? (There is a game hack that adds Winsock to this game as well)

I don´t play LAN/Mulitplayer anymore since it simply does not work. When I try to play it online it works max one time. After that I get the message that I can not connect to other players at the begin of a match. But I don´t miss it. Full of "scudbuggers" etc. I just play it for fun in skirmish mostly.

 

[Bleipriester]

Know what I mean?

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/6451/aeroma.jpg

Instructions (for Beta 1 without Installer):
- Download the Aero Glass for Win8 v0.7 aka BETA 1 here:
Aero Glass for Win8 v0.7 aka BETA 1 - MSFN Forum

- Extract the files to a place (C:\DWM for example)
- Edit the LoadGlass__AppInit_DLLs registry file by right click and edit. It should look like this:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\Windows]
"LoadAppInit_DLLs"=dword:00000001
"AppInit_DLLs"="E:\\DWM\\MyDWM\\DWMGlass.dll"
"RequireSignedAppInit_DLLs"=dword:00000000

- Edit entry "E:\\DWM\\MyDWM\\DWMGlass.dll" to where you have stored the files and save. Be sure to use double backslashes. Example:
"C:\\DWM\\DWMGlass.dll"

- Double click LoadGlass__AppInit_DLLs and confirm its registration to the Windows registry

- Restart machine

- Customize Windows colors and their intensity in Windows to boost the glass effect. This may be necessary because the Windows design is not made for Glass.

- Not that no system files will be changed.

Edit: I am happy with this:

 

[WillowTree]

This thread is for people to offer Windows 8 advice, tips or tricks and for people to ask questions about Windows 8 (and hopefully get some answers).

don't even do windows 8,, go apple.

 

[Ringel05]

This thread is for people to offer Windows 8 advice, tips or tricks and for people to ask questions about Windows 8 (and hopefully get some answers).

don't even do windows 8,, go apple.

I prefer pineapple..... Easier to carve into an abacus.......

 

[Foxfyre]

Well I've been struggling with Windows 8 for four months now, and while I still hate it, I am no longer at total war with it. But for routine PC use, it really does suck. Not that I expect them to care.

 

[sfcalifornia]

Well I've been struggling with Windows 8 for four months now, and while I still hate it, I am no longer at total war with it. But for routine PC use, it really does suck. Not that I expect them to care.

Funny I just noticed this thread (I really need to get away from the Politics more often ).

I too have been struggling with Windows 8 for the last 6 months or so and have eventually come to grips with it. For the first few days I sat at the computer and Googled: "how the hell do I (blank) on Windows 8" on my smartphone and slowly figured things out.

The very first thing I did however was to completely disable Internet Explorer and uploaded Chrome. I won't touch IE.

I do not have a touch screen monitor so learning how to do things with the mouse has added additional fun to the equation.

Just learning how to do the mundane things has been a chore. I don't know why they had to go an revamp the entire program.

Ultimately, Windows 8 does everything and more which previous Windows does but it's just in different spots and it takes some time to figure out where everything is.

 

[Glendower]

Well I am now in Day 2 of dealing with Windows 8 and the frustration level has not subsided in the least. Some of the simplest things, like safely removing hardware (my external hard drive) simply cannot be dome imtuitively as it could be on all other Windows systems. I am finally getting the desk top set up sufficiently that I can function but sheesh. What maniac decided this was a good idea?

Get a free software package called Classic Shell. It allows you run Win 8 like you did Win 7 or XP. It gives you a working start button and almost all the functionality with it that you had in Win 7. I install it as part of the standard configuration when I roll out a Win 8 box to my users.

 

[Foxfyre]

Well I am now in Day 2 of dealing with Windows 8 and the frustration level has not subsided in the least. Some of the simplest things, like safely removing hardware (my external hard drive) simply cannot be dome imtuitively as it could be on all other Windows systems. I am finally getting the desk top set up sufficiently that I can function but sheesh. What maniac decided this was a good idea?

Get a free software package called Classic Shell. It allows you run Win 8 like you did Win 7 or XP. It gives you a working start button and almost all the functionality with it that you had in Win 7. I install it as part of the standard configuration when I roll out a Win 8 box to my users.

Does it restore capability to run the games I was running on XP? Windows 8 isn't very friendly to most of them. I have finally adjusted to lack of a start button and am not having all that many issues with Windows 8 now....there are even a few--VERY few--features I have come to appreciate. But I really would like to have some of those games back. For instance running Pogo games on Windows 8 has not been that satisfactory. They work but a lot of the functionality like whole scree
n play etc. just doesn't work.

 

[Ropey]

Well I am now in Day 2 of dealing with Windows 8 and the frustration level has not subsided in the least. Some of the simplest things, like safely removing hardware (my external hard drive) simply cannot be dome imtuitively as it could be on all other Windows systems. I am finally getting the desk top set up sufficiently that I can function but sheesh. What maniac decided this was a good idea?

Get a free software package called Classic Shell. It allows you run Win 8 like you did Win 7 or XP. It gives you a working start button and almost all the functionality with it that you had in Win 7. I install it as part of the standard configuration when I roll out a Win 8 box to my users.

Does it restore capability to run the games I was running on XP? Windows 8 isn't very friendly to most of them. I have finally adjusted to lack of a start button and am not having all that many issues with Windows 8 now....there are even a few--VERY few--features I have come to appreciate. But I really would like to have some of those games back. For instance running Pogo games on Windows 8 has not been that satisfactory. They work but a lot of the functionality like whole scree
n play etc. just doesn't work.

Windows 8.1 is coming and it's a Service Pack release which means the kernel is markedly changed.

Windows 8.1 release date, news and features | News | TechRadar

Now there's a preview out already, but it's more for debugging and developer input. September/October is slated for Windows Blue (8.1) release.

If anyone is using fixes for start buttons, etc. then they should remove all these extras before installing either the preview or the full release service pack.

Regarding running older games in Windows 8.

I use the compatibility mode and most games seem to work from there. There are secondary source key mapping programs that allow you to map keys and remove functions such as the windows key (when gaming) and they can help deal with some of the controller issues.

Compatibility Mode - Use in Windows 8

hth

 

[Glendower]

Well I am now in Day 2 of dealing with Windows 8 and the frustration level has not subsided in the least. Some of the simplest things, like safely removing hardware (my external hard drive) simply cannot be dome imtuitively as it could be on all other Windows systems. I am finally getting the desk top set up sufficiently that I can function but sheesh. What maniac decided this was a good idea?

Get a free software package called Classic Shell. It allows you run Win 8 like you did Win 7 or XP. It gives you a working start button and almost all the functionality with it that you had in Win 7. I install it as part of the standard configuration when I roll out a Win 8 box to my users.

Does it restore capability to run the games I was running on XP? Windows 8 isn't very friendly to most of them. I have finally adjusted to lack of a start button and am not having all that many issues with Windows 8 now....there are even a few--VERY few--features I have come to appreciate. But I really would like to have some of those games back. For instance running Pogo games on Windows 8 has not been that satisfactory. They work but a lot of the functionality like whole scree
n play etc. just doesn't work.

No, unfortunately. But it does allow you to get rid of that hideous Metro interface.

 

[Foxfyre]

Get a free software package called Classic Shell. It allows you run Win 8 like you did Win 7 or XP. It gives you a working start button and almost all the functionality with it that you had in Win 7. I install it as part of the standard configuration when I roll out a Win 8 box to my users.

Does it restore capability to run the games I was running on XP? Windows 8 isn't very friendly to most of them. I have finally adjusted to lack of a start button and am not having all that many issues with Windows 8 now....there are even a few--VERY few--features I have come to appreciate. But I really would like to have some of those games back. For instance running Pogo games on Windows 8 has not been that satisfactory. They work but a lot of the functionality like whole scree
n play etc. just doesn't work.

No, unfortunately. But it does allow you to get rid of that hideous Metro interface.

I hardly think about it anymore and rarely ever visit it--I like the fact that the major market performance is an automatic feature and do glance at that now and then--but one quick click and I'm on my familiar desktop. But oh well. Maybe the game manufacturers will come up with some updated stuff that will run on Windows 8.

 

[Ropey]

Does it restore capability to run the games I was running on XP? Windows 8 isn't very friendly to most of them. I have finally adjusted to lack of a start button and am not having all that many issues with Windows 8 now....there are even a few--VERY few--features I have come to appreciate. But I really would like to have some of those games back. For instance running Pogo games on Windows 8 has not been that satisfactory. They work but a lot of the functionality like whole scree
n play etc. just doesn't work.

No, unfortunately. But it does allow you to get rid of that hideous Metro interface.

I hardly think about it anymore and rarely ever visit it--I like the fact that the major market performance is an automatic feature and do glance at that now and then--but one quick click and I'm on my familiar desktop. But oh well. Maybe the game manufacturers will come up with some updated stuff that will run on Windows 8.

After you've been to your desktop from the tile interface, you can then switch back and forth with the Window Key as well.

 

[Foxfyre]

Yes I know. That isn't all that big a deal to me anymore. I just enjoy my games late night and hate that I can no longer play some of them.

 

[Foxfyre]

Speaking of hating all the new fangled stuff, I also hate Office 2013. But my existing Office software is ten years old and doesn't cope well with documents from the newer versions. Sigh.

 

[TemplarKormac]

If I could only get older programs to work on Windows 8, I'd be happy. Running programs in compatibility mode never works.

 

[TemplarKormac]

I also can't dual boot to my other hard drive without having to go into bios or restarting the machine..it's pissing me off. I am not a big fan of the UEFI style BIOS system....