Modernmix, baby!
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Windows 8 / RT |OT|
- Thread starter Jzero
- Start date
Modernmix, baby!
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Well, I think I'm pretty sick of the Windows 8 start/metro screen already.
Is so complicated to start up utility programs like paint, it seems like I have to search for that stuff whenever I want access to it.
What's the best program that replaces the metro screen with a windows 7 esque start button which expands into a drawer with the most commonly used programs, all the installed programs, and stuff like the computer/control panel?
Is so complicated to start up utility programs like paint, it seems like I have to search for that stuff whenever I want access to it.
What's the best program that replaces the metro screen with a windows 7 esque start button which expands into a drawer with the most commonly used programs, all the installed programs, and stuff like the computer/control panel?
in the past this has always worked for me, but now I can't get GOM Player to show under the 'open with' menu which is really annoying. i've tried reinstalling it, changing different programs to being the default, changing file preferences inside gom, i don't know how to fix it.
campfireweekend
Member
I don't get it. Don't you just hit the windows key, type paint and press enter? Its exactly the same as the old start menu in terms of function
SquiddyCracker
Banned
That doesn't work, when I press the windows key my taskbar just pops up.
I don't want to be typing in shortcuts anyway, I like to open up programs using the mouse alone - especially in a couch in front of a TV where I might not have the keyboard on me at all times.
I don't want to be typing in shortcuts anyway, I like to open up programs using the mouse alone - especially in a couch in front of a TV where I might not have the keyboard on me at all times.
If you use it a lot, why not just pin it to the start screen?
The only other way to do it, outside of a start screen/taskbar/desktop shortcut or type to search on the start screen, is to right-click on a blank area of the start screen, choose "All apps" (bottom-right) and launch it from there. The all apps menu is basically an always-expanded start menu.
Failing that, just install a start menu replacement.
Personally, I have all the stuff I use a lot pinned to the start screen/taskbar, then I either type to search or use the all apps menu for the things I need, but use rarely. It works out just fine, so I haven't bothered with a start menu replacement.
@Zulithe - There is a free program called OpenWithAdd that allows you to add programs to the Open With menu, but I'm not sure if it works with Windows 8. It does work with versions of Windows up to and including 7, so it's a possibility.
eso76
Member
Finally grabbed a SSD and installed win 8 i bought months ago but never worked if i tried to update from win7.
Fresh install went fine except:
Win 8 hooks all the time.
Programs not responding for minutes, sometimes completely freezing, Reset being the only option.
I still have windows 7 installed on a diff hard drive, but there's no way to choose which to boot.
Even if i remove the SSD from the available drives from the BIOS, and set the old HDD (where win7 is) as first in boot priority, the PC will always boot win8.
Is there no other way ?
what gives ?
More technical stuff.
I had to set SATA as IDE for my motherboard to recognize the SSD (intel 520 180gb).
Wouldn't work in AHCI mode. What are the downsides of setting SATA as IDE ?
Mobo is a ASUS P6T WS PRO - BIOS should be up to date
EDIT: it appears it might be my TP link wireless card causing the OS hooking
Fresh install went fine except:
Win 8 hooks all the time.
Programs not responding for minutes, sometimes completely freezing, Reset being the only option.
I still have windows 7 installed on a diff hard drive, but there's no way to choose which to boot.
Even if i remove the SSD from the available drives from the BIOS, and set the old HDD (where win7 is) as first in boot priority, the PC will always boot win8.
Is there no other way ?
what gives ?
More technical stuff.
I had to set SATA as IDE for my motherboard to recognize the SSD (intel 520 180gb).
Wouldn't work in AHCI mode. What are the downsides of setting SATA as IDE ?
Mobo is a ASUS P6T WS PRO - BIOS should be up to date
EDIT: it appears it might be my TP link wireless card causing the OS hooking
Just got a laptop with Windows 8 (+touchscreen).
I've searched around a ton and can't seem to find a solution.
Is there no way to use the Metro / Touch Internet Explorer without setting Desktop IE as default? As soon as I set Firefox as default, the touch IE disappears completely. If I switch my default back to IE, it shows up again. What's the deal with that?
I've searched around a ton and can't seem to find a solution.
Is there no way to use the Metro / Touch Internet Explorer without setting Desktop IE as default? As soon as I set Firefox as default, the touch IE disappears completely. If I switch my default back to IE, it shows up again. What's the deal with that?
You're using paint on a tv?
TheLaughingStock
Member
How did the default action for the windows key change?
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Screenshots
Some games have shit native screenshot capturing ability, so I gotta prt sc and paste it into paint to save it.
Dang I hadn't checked my windows update cache from there in a while. I just freed up about 900mb! On a SSD this really makes a difference
Cleared out 1GB for me as well.
Be sure to do your disk cleanup people using the built-in program.
brotkasten
Member
Then just pin paint to the start screen or task bar.Screenshots
Some games have shit native screenshot capturing ability, so I gotta prt sc and paste it into paint to save it.
DayShallCome
Member
There is a refresh button on the app bar in snapped view, fyi.
Jzero
Member
Or you could just press Windows key + PrtScnScreenshots
Some games have shit native screenshot capturing ability, so I gotta prt sc and paste it into paint to save it.
That saves them automatically right?
Jzero
Member
Yup. In the screenshots folder in the pictures library.
I don't understand the point/appeal of Start8. Perhaps it's because I'm coming over to Win 8 from Mac OSX where I used utilities like Alfred as an app launcher and shortcut to System Preferences? I kinda like pressing the search key and getting that front and center on Windows 8 too. (Besides Start8 was buggy and occasionally broke search/home screen so I had to uninstall it)
Dang I hadn't checked my windows update cache from there in a while. I just freed up about 900mb! On a SSD this really makes a difference
I freed 500MB. Haha!
Dropbox does promotions to get free space pretty much every few months, so you should be able to steadily build up your space over time. I´m currently sitting on 15 (temporary) free gb from the drop box Space Race.
Also, if you find space to be an issue, I´d suggest running both services side by side and using one for media/photos, the other one for work related files.
Got a laptop with Windows 8 last week. Good God, this has to be the worst user experience I've ever had with a new OS. Buggy as shit, stupid gestures on the trackpad that interrupt me constantly, it frequently loses wireless connection and every Start screen app I've used has either not worked correctly or just crashed. It's not like I've been using weird, third-party apps. It's just the ones that come pre-installed. Absolutely fucking dire. So tempted to return it, clean out my bank account and buy a Mac.
This is also the forth time I have tried to post this, as it continues to lose wireless connection, which my last laptop rarely did.
This is also the forth time I have tried to post this, as it continues to lose wireless connection, which my last laptop rarely did.
Jzero
Member
Just buy Windows 7 if you hate it so much.
campfireweekend
Member
Doesn't like slightly new use interface so decides to move to whole new OS. Makes sense
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Thank you, I had no idea this was a thing.
Doesn't like slightly new use interface so decides to move to whole new OS. Makes sense
I use a Mac most of the time at work. Completely switching over to that wouldn't be as big of a change as Windows 7 to 8.
Bornstellar
Member
My roommate was having similar issues with wireless connectivity dropping after the computer went to sleep. Turned out it was a driver issue with the card - the fix was to turn off the "Turn adapter off when computer goes to sleep" option in the hardware manager options. You can also turn off gestures in your touchpad settings if you don't like them (I personally think they're wonderful once you get used to them).
In fact, I'd go ahead and recommend that you uninstall everything from your laptop that isn't a driver, go through the full update cycle, then give it another go. Manufacturers are the ones to blame here, not the OS.
PetriP-TNT
Member
I was really really really anti W8 when it came out, but it came with my new laptop and after the completely awful first couple of hours, I really really like it. It's like W7 but better.
killer rin
Member
That seems to be the common re-occurrence. Everyone either hates it or is iffy about it until they give it a couple of hours.
Dreams-Visions
Member
fixed. let's not attempt to minimize the frustrations or reasons why. It makes you look petty.
Jzero
Member
Yea, just buy a mac then.
saltywalrus
Member
MS designed it to work that way. You're supposed to use the same browser in Metro and Desktop.
Get firefox nightly and then you can use firefox in desktop and metro. Or stick with IE in desktop and metro.
SquiddyCracker
Banned
Firefox nightly?
Is that a Metro variant of FF?
Is that a Metro variant of FF?
It's Firefox's testing (think of it as their Beta - more like Alpha channel) product. It's not 100% stable, but it has new features that aren't finalized yet.
http://nightly.mozilla.org/
brotkasten
Member
Seeing how Skulls of the Shogun and Pinball FX2 are coming to Steam, it looks like Microsoft is getting a bit more serious about PC gaming again and they're ditching the Windows 8 exclusivity.
What was their last big Xbox Windows release?
What was their last big Xbox Windows release?
brotkasten
Member
brotkasten
Member
Damon Bennet
Member
do it. videocomparison pls.
brotkasten
Member
I was talking about a comparison of the TuneIn Radio app.
Nice. Another useful feature I wasn't aware about. Does it work in games too? I'm not on my gaming rig right now.
Steelyuhas
Member
Should work for anything.
Damon Bennet
Member
i know. would be really interesting to see
Click on the scroll bar and pull up. Quick way to refresh in the snapped view.
I wouldn't call it "crappy" - for what it is it's pretty good. And it looks nice. But the desktop version is still superior (and uglier). My main issue is that many times when I received a notification about a call, by the time the actual app managed to launch (or even wake up from the suspended mode) the caller already hang up. It takes too long for the app to launch.
Monkeylord
Member
My PC and Laptop have both been runinng pretty crappy recently, and I'm thinking of doing a clean slate reinstall of Win8 on both when I get home from work.
I'm going to be backing up all my music, as I don't really wanna go through having to re-download everything from Google Music, but I have all my pictures in Skydrive.
Is there any limitation on what can be stored in Skydrive? I've got 25GB of storage to use, and I was toying with the idea of using it for my downloads folder too, as I install the same stuff between my desktop and laptop anyway.
I know of the limitation on "questionable" content of images, but is it feasible to store software in there too? I even use a few bits of software that don't need to be installed (MeGUI and BeSweet, for example), so could that go in there?
Just trying to figure out a simple way of maintaining the consistency between my 2 machines with what I have. Like I say, I have 25GB to use in Skydrive, and unless I store all my music in there (which is pointless as I have way more than 25GB worth so I'd have to pay for more storage space, and I already have it all in Google Music anyway) I'm never gonna use that much space.
I'm going to be backing up all my music, as I don't really wanna go through having to re-download everything from Google Music, but I have all my pictures in Skydrive.
Is there any limitation on what can be stored in Skydrive? I've got 25GB of storage to use, and I was toying with the idea of using it for my downloads folder too, as I install the same stuff between my desktop and laptop anyway.
I know of the limitation on "questionable" content of images, but is it feasible to store software in there too? I even use a few bits of software that don't need to be installed (MeGUI and BeSweet, for example), so could that go in there?
Just trying to figure out a simple way of maintaining the consistency between my 2 machines with what I have. Like I say, I have 25GB to use in Skydrive, and unless I store all my music in there (which is pointless as I have way more than 25GB worth so I'd have to pay for more storage space, and I already have it all in Google Music anyway) I'm never gonna use that much space.