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Windows 8 / RT |OT|

M

Mike Works

Member
Hey guys, totally random question that probably has a pretty quick fix. I bought a desktop PC a week ago with Windows 8 and set up my profile and everything else. A few days ago, my dad surprised me with a new laptop (old one died, hence the desktop). I was able to sync my recently created profile really easily.

The only problem is, the store that sold him the laptop set it up for him assuming he was going to use it, and so even though I've switched from the local user to my online profile, the username in the directory is still my dad's name (ie whenever something gets saved, it's saved to: C:[mike'sdad'sname]/downloads/whatever).

Is there any way to change that branch name or delete/rename the local user altogether? I tried doing a rename through Explorer and no dice. Again, it's not a big deal at all. Just odd.
 
B

Bornstellar

Member
Mike Works said:
Hey guys, totally random question that probably has a pretty quick fix. I bought a desktop PC a week ago with Windows 8 and set up my profile and everything else. A few days ago, my dad surprised me with a new laptop (old one died, hence the desktop). I was able to sync my recently created profile really easily.

The only problem is, the store that sold him the laptop set it up for him assuming he was going to use it, and so even though I've switched from the local user to my online profile, the username in the directory is still my dad's name (ie whenever something gets saved, it's saved to: C:[mike'sdad'sname]/downloads/whatever).

Is there any way to change that branch name or delete/rename the local user altogether? I tried doing a rename through Explorer and no dice. Again, it's not a big deal at all. Just odd.
Click to expand...

Go to the desktop, right click in the bottom left corner, click computer management, expand local users and groups, click on users, right click on the account you want to rename, click rename / delete.

Caveat - I've never done it myself, but it should work.
 
M

MarkusRJR

Member
So what's happening in regards to the future of Windows RT? With all of these Windows Blue rumors I keep hearing conflicting things.
 
M

Mike Works

Member
Bornstellar said:
Go to the desktop, right click in the bottom left corner, click computer management, expand local users and groups, click on users, right click on the account you want to rename, click rename / delete.

Caveat - I've never done it myself, but it should work.
Click to expand...
Not seeing "Local Users and Groups" anywhere on the list.
 
B

Bornstellar

Member
Mike Works said:
Not seeing "Local Users and Groups" anywhere on the list.
Click to expand...

Sorry, left hand side under system tools.

Should look like this:
Untitled.png
Click to expand...
 
Z

Zeknurn

Member
MarkusRJR said:
So what's happening in regards to the future of Windows RT? With all of these Windows Blue rumors I keep hearing conflicting things.
Click to expand...

It will be updated to Windows RT 8.1 with all the features of Windows 8.1 and support for the new ARM chipsets. There will be a public preview released at BUILD which is hopefully not limited to just Surface RT.


I wouldn't read much into the WSJ rumours of them killing/renaming/merging it.
 
D

Damon Bennet

Member
Someonw was creating a browser that automatically uses the mobile web-pages. That would be sweet for neogaf in the snapped view, is that out already?
 
B

brotkasten

Member
Damon Bennet said:
Someonw was creating a browser that automatically uses the mobile web-pages. That would be sweet for neogaf in the snapped view, is that out already?
Click to expand...

The app couldn't be published, because of an illegal amount of APIs.

Seriously though, WinRT needs to make some big steps and I can't wait for Build. So soon!
 
D

D4Danger

Unconfirmed Member
Damon Bennet said:
Meh that sucks. Any other way to force neogaf to use the m.neogaf.com page?
Click to expand...

This works for me, I use it for testing mobile sites now and again. No guarantees though.

first open this XML file in a text editor

"%localappdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IECompatData\iecompatdata.xml"

then add this line inside the opening <iecompatlistdescription> tag (it should look like this)

Code: 
<ua id="WindowsPhone8">"Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 10.0; Windows Phone 8.0; Trident/6.0; IEMobile/10.0; ARM; Touch; NOKIA; Lumia 920)"</ua>

then you can add domains and set them to use this user-agent. So add

Code: 
<domain uaString="WindowsPhone8">m.neogaf.com</domain>

and from now on m.neogaf.com will see your user-agent as the one you set and redirect you to the mobile site
 
D

Damon Bennet

Member
D4Danger said:
This works for me, I use it for testing mobile sites now and again. No guarantees though.

first open this XML file in a text editor

"%localappdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IECompatData\iecompatdata.xml"

then add this line inside the opening <iecompatlistdescription> tag (it should look like this)

Code: 
<ua id="WindowsPhone8">"Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 10.0; Windows Phone 8.0; Trident/6.0; IEMobile/10.0; ARM; Touch; NOKIA; Lumia 920)"</ua>

then you can add domains and set them to use this user-agent. So add

Code: 
<domain uaString="WindowsPhone8">m.neogaf.com</domain>

and from now on m.neogaf.com will see your user-agent as the one you set and redirect you to the mobile site
Click to expand...

Cheers Mate! Cant test it at this moment, but I will once I'm home!
 
R

Razdek

Banned
I think when Microsoft looks back at Windows 8 they'll realize that RT and ARM versions weren't necessary and that taking out the start button/menu was a bad idea. The layout of the store is a mess and is only going to get worse as more apps get added.
 
P

Pctx

Banned
maeh2k said:
If they do that (right) that should fix all the problems people have with the current search.

They should put a search button in the task bar instead of a start button that just leads to the start screen. Going to start is already easy and people should just learn the (very easy) corner action. A start button is redundant and less consistent (as Metro apps won't have the start button). Search would make sense, though. Because hitting Win to search is still going to bring up the full-screen start-screen (which some people don't like). So you'd have to know the short-cut or use the charms to bring up the search menu on the desktop. A button in place of the start button to bring up the search would allow single-action access to the search.


Edit: actually, I'd like it if they made another corner action: bring up the search by clicking the top-right corner (the same way the bottom-left corner works for start-screen access). Invisible controls are awesome and the power users (i.e. the people constantly bitching now) would adapt to them.

Unless, of course, there's something better they could put in the top-right corner. Such as OS X's Expose working with both Metro and Desktop applications.
Click to expand...
Why can't MS make search the same as spotlight? It boggles my mind.
 
mhayze

mhayze

Member
JaskoX1 said:
Looking to uninstall Windows 8 and swap it with W7. Would my laptop having a touch screen have any effect on it?
Click to expand...

Make sure you can find all the W7 drivers you need before you start. Most touchscreens will register as a mouse, so you shouldn't need much beyond a driver in W7. Tablet support in Desktop mode is not much worse in W7 compared to W8, with a couple of minor exceptions. BTW have you tried Start8? There's not much I find worse about W8 + Start8 compared to W7, and a few things about it that are better than W7.
 
T

teh_pwn

"Saturated fat causes heart disease as much as Brawndo is what plants crave."
Good job on the weather app update. I might be able to use it as my main source.

Edit: Increase the radar precipitation resolution.
 
M

maeh2k

Member
JaskoX1 said:
Looking to uninstall Windows 8 and swap it with W7. Would my laptop having a touch screen have any effect on it?
Click to expand...

Just try sticking with 8 and maybe configure it to be more like 7. 8 is just better for touch screens and trackpad gestures. At some point there may even be apps you might want to use.
 
Y

yogloo

Member
D4Danger said:
This works for me, I use it for testing mobile sites now and again. No guarantees though.

first open this XML file in a text editor

"%localappdata%\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IECompatData\iecompatdata.xml"

then add this line inside the opening <iecompatlistdescription> tag (it should look like this)

Code: 
<ua id="WindowsPhone8">"Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 10.0; Windows Phone 8.0; Trident/6.0; IEMobile/10.0; ARM; Touch; NOKIA; Lumia 920)"</ua>

then you can add domains and set them to use this user-agent. So add

Code: 
<domain uaString="WindowsPhone8">m.neogaf.com</domain>

and from now on m.neogaf.com will see your user-agent as the one you set and redirect you to the mobile site
Click to expand...

Exactly what I have been looking for! Going to try it later.
 
M

Mr Swine

Banned
Izick said:
So, random question, but could the Acer Aspire S7-391-6822 Touchscreen Ultrabook run some less taxing games? The only problem is that my examples are of upcoming games, because those are the only PC games I'm interested. Those being: Torment, Broken Age, and Shadowrun.

Any idea if those would run fairly well on that machine?
Click to expand...

It has a slow dual core CPU and the GPU is HD4000 which can run games most games from 2010-2011 at the lowest res and details. So if you want to play hit an, then good luck and find a better one
 
I

Izick

Member
Mr Swine said:
It has a slow dual core CPU and the GPU is HD4000 which can run games most games from 2010-2011 at the lowest res and details. So if you want to play hit an, then good luck and find a better one
Click to expand...

Any suggestions for a good laptop for around a grand?
 
I

Izick

Member
Also I have another question for anybody who knows:

So, is there any way to legally put Windows 8 on my laptop if my buddy has a copy of Windows 8 on his? Like an installation USB instead of a disc? I have a Windows 7 PC, but after my laptop's HDD died I've had to use Linux since there's no activation code for the Windows 7 installation on my laptop's W7 sticker, or is each copy of Windows 8 tied to the hardware completely?
 
I

illmatic19

Member
Hey guys is it bad for my laptops battery if I leave it plugged in when I use it? I don't really take it off the power and use the battery regularly. It's a lithium-ion battery. I tried seeking answers online but I can't really find a definitive one.
 
Jzero

Jzero

Member
illmatic19 said:
Hey guys is it bad for my laptops battery if I leave it plugged in when I use it? I don't really take it off the power and use the battery regularly. It's a lithium-ion battery. I tried seeking answers online but I can't really find a definitive one.
Click to expand...

I would just charge the battery, let it drain, charge it again, etc.
 
N

Nero3000

Member
illmatic19 said:
Hey guys is it bad for my laptops battery if I leave it plugged in when I use it? I don't really take it off the power and use the battery regularly. It's a lithium-ion battery. I tried seeking answers online but I can't really find a definitive one.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't.

After a few years of that constantly my laptop batteries refuse to hold a charge. It is really annoying on my old laptop where the power cable is not secure, so every once in a while it just loses power.

Especially annoying when watching porn!
 
N

Nero3000

Member
Separate comment:

Does anyone know of a USB NFC pad for Windows 8?

I can see this being useful for pairing bluetooth headsets with desktops and sharing links between a phone and a desktop.
 
K

kharma45

Member
illmatic19 said:
Hey guys is it bad for my laptops battery if I leave it plugged in when I use it? I don't really take it off the power and use the battery regularly. It's a lithium-ion battery. I tried seeking answers online but I can't really find a definitive one.
Click to expand...

Depends on your laptop. I leave mine plugged in because once my laptop is fully charged it stops charging the battery and just directly powers the laptop itself, common sense feature but a good one.
 
I

Izick

Member
Izick said:
Also I have another question for anybody who knows:

So, is there any way to legally put Windows 8 on my laptop if my buddy has a copy of Windows 8 on his? Like an installation USB instead of a disc? I have a Windows 7 PC, but after my laptop's HDD died I've had to use Linux since there's no activation code for the Windows 7 installation on my laptop's W7 sticker, or is each copy of Windows 8 tied to the hardware completely?
Click to expand...

Nobody can help me out?
 
K

kharma45

Member
Latest Windows 8.1 build includes lock screen app alarms and IE11 developer improvements

Microsoft has been testing a variety of Windows 8.1 builds internally, and some of those software milestones have made their way onto the internet. The latest, build 9385, hasn't been leaked to file sharing sites, but screenshots are starting to emerge that reveal some additions to Windows 8.1. A new lock screen app setting appears to let Windows 8.1 users choose an app to show alarms. Existing apps do not currently support the feature, but it's believed that third-party app developers will be able to create alarms, as well as notifications, for their applications.

Windows 8.1 build 9385 also includes improved developer tools for IE11, with a new interface for accessing debugging and other options. A previously discovered "Kiosk Mode" appears to have been renamed too, referenced as "Assigned access" in the latest builds &#8212; a quick way to lock down a user profile to a specific Windows 8-style app. A boot to desktop option and start button are still not present, but Microsoft is understood to be adding both to the final versions of Windows 8.1. A public preview build is still expected to be made available at Microsoft's Build developer conference in late June.
Click to expand...
 
M

maeh2k

Member
Izick said:
Any suggestions for a good laptop for around a grand?
Click to expand...

If you don't want to buy the laptop right away you might be able to hold out for machines with Intel's new Haswell CPUs. Their GPUs are said to be quite a bit faster than the HD4000, but I'm not sure it's sufficient for graphically intensive games.

As for the HD 4000: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-HD-Graphics-4000.69168.0.html

Scroll down to the game benchmarks. Gives you a good idea how games run at different settings. Clicking on a concrete number will show you which PC achieved that number. Especially important are benchmarks of PCs with a ULV CPU like the 3317U. Faster CPU use higher clock rates for the HD4000.
As you can see there are definitely some games that are playable with that GPU, but only the less-demanding ones.



Right now, I don't really have any good laptop recommendations. I always liked the Sony Vaio S 13 A, which is a bit faster than an Ultrabook and has a GeForce 640 LE, which is a lot faster than the HD 4000.
However, it's only 1600x900 and no touchscreen, so I'm not sure I'd still recommend it.

If you don't need touch and aren't set on 13", there are plenty of 15" alternatives with Full HD screens and mid-range GPUs.




Izick said:
Also I have another question for anybody who knows:

So, is there any way to legally put Windows 8 on my laptop if my buddy has a copy of Windows 8 on his? Like an installation USB instead of a disc? I have a Windows 7 PC, but after my laptop's HDD died I've had to use Linux since there's no activation code for the Windows 7 installation on my laptop's W7 sticker, or is each copy of Windows 8 tied to the hardware completely?
Click to expand...

There must be some way to get W7 back since your laptop came with a W7 license. Didn't it come with any recovery CDs? Sure that there's no serial number on the sticker?

Rumor has it that at the beginning of June Microsoft will release a beta version of Windows 8.1. If that works like the beta versions for Windows 8, it should work for at least half a year.
 
I

Izick

Member
maeh2k said:
If you don't want to buy the laptop right away you might be able to hold out for machines with Intel's new Haswell CPUs. Their GPUs are said to be quite a bit faster than the HD4000, but I'm not sure it's sufficient for graphically intensive games.

As for the HD 4000: http://www.notebookcheck.net/Intel-HD-Graphics-4000.69168.0.html

Scroll down to the game benchmarks. Gives you a good idea how games run at different settings. Clicking on a concrete number will show you which PC achieved that number. Especially important are benchmarks of PCs with a ULV CPU like the 3317U. Faster CPU use higher clock rates for the HD4000.
As you can see there are definitely some games that are playable with that GPU, but only the less-demanding ones.



Right now, I don't really have any good laptop recommendations. I always liked the Sony Vaio S 13 A, which is a bit faster than an Ultrabook and has a GeForce 640 LE, which is a lot faster than the HD 4000.
However, it's only 1600x900 and no touchscreen, so I'm not sure I'd still recommend it.

If you don't need touch and aren't set on 13", there are plenty of 15" alternatives with Full HD screens and mid-range GPUs.






There must be some way to get W7 back since your laptop came with a W7 license. Didn't it come with any recovery CDs? Sure that there's no serial number on the sticker?

Rumor has it that at the beginning of June Microsoft will release a beta version of Windows 8.1. If that works like the beta versions for Windows 8, it should work for at least half a year.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the help and advice! I'm not sure what's the deal with my Windows license. I don't know if all signs of it rubbed off the sticker on the bottom of my laptop or what. I've searched dozens of times for one when I get mad at my Linux (nice OS, but no hardware acceleration supported for my laptop's hardware for some reason) distro.

I really hope that rumor is true, because 6 months would likely be more than enough time! I got through a whole year on the W8 beta alone as my main OS. Any idea when we'd know that for sure?
 
R

Robobandit

Member
well, my favorite (most functional) windows 8 podcast app PushPod has been pulled from the store and it stopped working.

I guess I'm just out the money that I paid for it...

Annoying that this kind of thing can happen in the windows store. Makes me less inclined to purchase things in the future.
 
M

MCD

Junior Member
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