Downgrading a laptop from Windows 8 to 7

[carnageX]

I stated before, I've used EX7forW8 and that actually puts the Windows 7 gui into Windows 8. It requires a Windows 7 disk to get the gui from. Worked well for me and it's one of those free aps too. Works in 8.1 too
You can still get an Office 2010 H&S key card too

I used that for a while, but it messes with the touchpad on laptops. Win8 has touchpad gestures (like swiping up is Win+X), and not all driver packages let you disable those gestures. So when I was coding and scrolling up, I would randomly get X's in a line, and the start menu would pop up.

It would work fine on a desktop, or a laptop with proper touchpad driver functionality. Eventually I switched to Start8.

 

[PP Mguire]

Lock screen - Got me on this one. I'm used to having to Ctrl+Alt+Del at work though, so pressing spacebar and then my password isn't a pain to me. Although I like my Skyrim lockscreen lol. I like my Lightning Lockscreen too and the Facebook notification gadget as well as the time and temp. Most others I've come across find it unnecessary though.

M$ Account integration - optional, you can use a local account (just not as straight forward on setup, I'll give you that) From what I gathered people think it's some form of stealing info, spying, or they get confused because they don't know anything about the Microsoft login. The extra steps to go local are not straight forward for nobodies.

Networking - I didn't really see much difference here; I don't use homegroups or any of that BS though, since I setup my shares manually to how I like them, so can't say either way on this one. When you click on the network icon the charm slides over. That's annoying to me. Submenus on desktop are slightly different. Sharing is also slightly different, I've noticed that myself.

Shell UI - Talked about this already - yeah some people don't like Metro/Modern UI, some don't mind it. Not talking about those. I'm talking about what Joe was mentioning. The two OS's are different when just browsing around the desktop and windows. That is yet another 3rd party program to make "similar" OS's look the same.

Task Manager - Sorry, but Task manager in Win8 is WAY better than Win7. Not sure how you can deny this one. I'm not saying that at all. You wanted some things general users complained about, the new task manager is one of them. And actually, I find the new one slightly annoying.

Personalization settings - Seemed like they were exactly the same in Win8 as Win7 to me - Right click Desktop -> Personalization. Just didn't have classic theme like Win7 did... but not an issue for most people. Again not what I meant. Charms bar, settings, PC settings, that stuff in there.

Account/File security - Not sure what the issue here is... mind giving more detail? This one I have personally had issues with as well as others. Without going through the full rundown of my troubles, when you link your M$ account and start copying files/folders to drives you "link?" those to your specific profile. For instance, if I take my external and move over to my laptop if I try to access my folders it'll throw up a message saying I need admin rights to access the folder. This causes havoc with sharing things across the network because sometimes due to this you can't copy to a remote computer. I have had this issue with both 8/8 and 8/7. I've had my external since I was running XP and never had this issue until I installed 8 the first time.

Defaulted full screen apps - I don't use Metro apps, and they can pretty much all be avoided if you don't want to use them. 8.1 Fixed this somewhat though by allowing snapping/resizing of metro apps. When you have a fresh install of 8 or 8.1 everything from MP3s to pictures and movies all default to the full screen apps even when Metro is disabled. To a power user that's nothing, open with, blah blah, set as default. To general users this is very annoying. Main complaint there is viewing pictures. They want the picture viewer rather than the full screen app.

Lock Screen - lol, listed twice.. apparently the lockscreen is that much of a pain? Was tired when I typed this. My bad. Was just trying to think of the usual complaints I heard.

Internet Explorer (yea people use it, it's different) - The app or desktop app? Desktop app is the same as in Win7... IE11. Most people nowadays know about other browsers though too. Literally everybody who has complained about this has Chrome installed from installing something else but they did not know what it was. Yea, Chrome is coming as bloatware for some installers. The issue here is when clicking things that bring up the browser the full screen app is brought up which they don't like.

Program compatibility (I've only had very small issues, but I don't use all the software out there) - Haven't encountered anything really here either with any software I use (lots of dev tools and such) Yea but there have even been complaints here on the forums about older software compatibility.

Driver compatibility (same as software but it is an issue) - like I said earlier, not really up to the OS - that's a driver manufacturer issue. Yea and some people use old things which work fine on 7 but not on 8. Another inconvenience.

See your replies fit perfectly with what I was saying before. You need to stop looking at it from a power user perspective as "there's a work around for everything" because to general users it's not that simple. Most don't even know workarounds exist, or know there is software that fixes things. The average person who doesn't like Windows 8 have very common issues within the OS that simply using 7 fixes. People like your girlfriend, or some of my friends don't count as the simplified "general user" because they have guys like us to tell them what to do, or fix their system up so their common tasks just work. It's the exact same with phones which should be a bit easier to understand where I'm coming from. 90% of the people I see with an Android phone doesnt know what "rooting" is.

 

[carnageX]

See your replies fit perfectly with what I was saying before.

Yes, now that you detailed out what you were talking about, they fit more. I was going off assumptions as to what you meant, again, my bad on that.

A lot of people I know after actually using Win8 for longer than a week or 2, started to not mind some of the stuff you mentioned though, too. So it's all up to the person in the end.

Although I do agree with a lot of what you're saying:
Full-screen apps for pics/music/videos - yes, this is very annoying and I changed it right away. Music to WMP, video to VLC, and pics to picture viewer - not everybody knows about the "Default Programs" setting.

Haven't ran into the file security issue before I guess, and I've hooked up several external HDD's, flash drives, etc. to my Win8 machine. None of 'em have complained about that - and yeah I have an M$ account linked to my Win8 machine.

As to the Program and driver compatibility... A lot of older stuff doesn't work on Win7 either, but works on XP . People threw a fit, but not like they are with Win8 which IMO isn't exactly fair to do.

You need to stop looking at it from a power user perspective as "there's a work around for everything" because to general users it's not that simple. Most don't even know workarounds exist, or know there is software that fixes things. The average person who doesn't like Windows 8 have very common issues within the OS that simply using 7 fixes.

Which aren't really issues with the OS - just personal issues and people being too lazy to not learn a few basic things, or hell even Google their question. Everybody knows what Google is nowadays, yet nobody still knows how to use it lol.

Either way.. my main point with the OP was that they could downgrade to Win7, but it would cost them a license to do so, where-as since they already have Win8, they might as well use the available workarounds and make it more like Win7.

 

[Joe C]

yup... EX7forW8 is not for touch pads/touch screens. I think it's main use is really for desktops that use a standard type of mouse and kb. It's the people that do use standard types of mouse and kb's that get frustrated the most from learning to adjust to Windows 8

 

[XGC Forsakend]

I kind of wanted to post a reply regarding 'avg/common users" since my GF is a perfect example regarding 8... but I would rather read the other pages (2, 3 & 4) before doing so. Currently in class, will read later.

 

[PP Mguire]

Yes, now that you detailed out what you were talking about, they fit more. I was going off assumptions as to what you meant, again, my bad on that.

A lot of people I know after actually using Win8 for longer than a week or 2, started to not mind some of the stuff you mentioned though, too. So it's all up to the person in the end.

Although I do agree with a lot of what you're saying:
Full-screen apps for pics/music/videos - yes, this is very annoying and I changed it right away. Music to WMP, video to VLC, and pics to picture viewer - not everybody knows about the "Default Programs" setting.

Haven't ran into the file security issue before I guess, and I've hooked up several external HDD's, flash drives, etc. to my Win8 machine. None of 'em have complained about that - and yeah I have an M$ account linked to my Win8 machine.

As to the Program and driver compatibility... A lot of older stuff doesn't work on Win7 either, but works on XP . People threw a fit, but not like they are with Win8 which IMO isn't exactly fair to do.



Which aren't really issues with the OS - just personal issues and people being too lazy to not learn a few basic things, or hell even Google their question. Everybody knows what Google is nowadays, yet nobody still knows how to use it lol.

Either way.. my main point with the OP was that they could downgrade to Win7, but it would cost them a license to do so, where-as since they already have Win8, they might as well use the available workarounds and make it more like Win7.

We must be really bored lol.

I never had ANY issue with any software going from XP to Vista/7. Only major drive issues.....mainly with lame ass Creative.

The security thing I seem to be the only one having that problem so far but my HDDs have had these files on them (except the 3TB) since about 2009/2010. Probably has something to do with it. Not blaming 8 entirely for that, but it's still an issue. I think it has something to do with the sharing in 8 personally but idk.

You could also ask this guy who works with 8 why he doesn't like it.
http://www.techist.com/forums/f76/more-upgrade-advice-269857/

 

[carnageX]

We must be really bored lol.

I'm stuck on a project at work and been fixing minor things waiting for my code mentor/the other project team members to get back to me on stuff, so a little yeah lol.

I never had ANY issue with any software going from XP to Vista/7. Only major drive issues.....mainly with lame ass Creative.

Well Creative was a PITA no matter what it seemed lol. Although it didn't help they changed the way sound works in Vista/7 from XP which broke Creative stuff at the time.

The security thing I seem to be the only one having that problem so far but my HDDs have had these files on them (except the 3TB) since about 2009/2010. Probably has something to do with it. Not blaming 8 entirely for that, but it's still an issue. I think it has something to do with the sharing in 8 personally but idk.

Weird, cuz like I said, I've used my externals that have had files on them since around that same time, and never had file security issues like you're having.

 

[PP Mguire]

Yea it's just an annoying little message that pops up asking for admin whenever I first plug my drive in and try to access certain folders. Then cross OS I can't write to some folders. Slight annoyance but I've only seen it with my stuff. Idk man.

Creative has been broke since the 90s =/

 

[carnageX]

Yea it's just an annoying little message that pops up asking for admin whenever I first plug my drive in and try to access certain folders. Then cross OS I can't write to some folders. Slight annoyance but I've only seen it with my stuff. Idk man.

Creative has been broke since the 90s =/

Weird, idk either.

Lol, yeah.. Although, when Creative drivers work... they work wonderfully and there's minimal issues... until something breaks then then it's all hell breaking loose.