Windows 8 how to?

[Shurup]

No matter how I try, I couldn't find anything to like the new windows 8 for. Unfortunately all the newer PCs are being sold with windows 8 pre installed. I've been playing with new computers at the store again, as my laptop has been acting up a little.

I hate that tablet interface on computers, want to have my desktop for work and play, not that silly arrangement of squares and rectangles.

From my previous experience with this OS (played with it when it just came out), I was able to get that tablet interface out of the way and the desktop and everything else is exactly the same thing as in windows 7 (except for the start button and menu).

On my last store visit I couldn't get rid of the tablet interface??? I can confess that the way I did it before was just a random clicking more or less, but no luck last time no matter what I tried.

Has the desktop been disabled recently or is it only available with some certain PC models? How do I get to the desktop (the proper steps I mean)?

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[canuckamuck]

Try clicking the windows button. it works for me.

[kevkev1888]

Dont worry, buy the computer you want, take it home and download and install Classic Shell (free).

You can have everything set up exactly as you like it, and you would never even know windows 8 was there.

[KittenKong]

Dont worry, buy the computer you want, take it home and download and install Classic Shell (free).

Yes. Classic Shell is definitely the only way to use Win 8 on a machine that doesn't have a touch-screen.

[Shurup]

Try clicking the windows button. it works for me.

Didn't work for me the last time I've been in the store. On neither touch and non touch screens.

[Shurup]

Classic shell? Will keep that in mind, thanks. Hope my current laptop will last till the next windows and I hope the next one is better.

[dddave]

Using "CLASSIC SHELL" on a new, non-touch screen, Win-8, HP notebook as I type this. Works great with FIREFOX set as the default browser, giving me a Win-7 environment.

Computer shut down is still a senseless three step process and not apparent when you first use it. Click the "Windows" logo in the lower toolbar, then the "Power" icon, then select "Shut Down" from a long menu of options.

One other minor annoyance is I still get the right side "Charms" menu sometimes when I hover my cursor on the right side but it goes away easily.

[Chicog]

Keep the Charms menu, it does have its uses, e.g. searching is quite nice.

[Briandajew]

Keep the Charms menu, it does have its uses, e.g. searching is quite nice.

It did have some uses in Windows 8 - try it again after upgrading to Windows 8.1 - the search function has been completely destroyed! It is worthless! - (It is even worse if you allow it to search using Bing - it can barely find anything on your main system - it usually defaults to searching Bing on the web, it really is shit! Win 8 worked OK - this is terrible. (Just as an example - in Win 8 type in "Start"....you get virtually anything with the word START brought up - and you can select things like start up etc, try doing the same search in Win 8.1....it brings up 1 entry on my machine "MANGA" (I disabled Bing or else I would probably have a million useless results from the web) - it has no reference to STARTUP / Shutdown Start Program or anything else, it is <deleted>!

[hml367]

The search function in Charms works fine on my 8.1. Works the same as it did before upgrading. Mine does not use Bing at all, probably because I never loaded the Bing update in Windows Update.

I put "start" in the search box from the Charms and got over 130 results on my computer. I stopped adding after 130.

[Briandajew]

The search function in Charms works fine on my 8.1. Works the same as it did before upgrading. Mine does not use Bing at all, probably because I never loaded the Bing update in Windows Update.

I put "start" in the search box from the Charms and got over 130 results on my computer. I stopped adding after 130.

Yours must be on overdrive (I too disabled the worthless Bing!) I get - Manga -, SONG - Can We Start Again????? <deleted>! then Start Play Song, and START BIG BAR, and START BIG BAR....certainly nothing near your epic 130 results! - my search worked fine for me in Win 8, like I say, on this machine it is useless! This post is quite informative if you want to customize Win 8 without loading even more apps to do the work, you can change quite a bit from within Win 8

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2027945/how-to-banish-metro-from-your-windows-8-pc-forever.html

The other thing worth looking at is GOD MODE - it is quite powerful, as is Windows Powershell, GOD MODE should be able to do most of what you need and more without having to load third party apps -

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/windows-and-office/quick-tip-invoke-god-mode-to-take-control-of-settings-in-windows-8/

Have a fiddle, it works in Win 8 and Win 8.1

[Chicog]

Agree re Search; I always hide the Bing update as well.

[hml367]

GodMode is just an interface/menu to get to things in Administrative.

I had a Programs menu in 8 without 3d party stuff. I am using a 3d party Start button in 8.1 because it is prettier. I think there are settings or software which are causing your differences - obviously this just my opinion.

There is a Windows 8 forum which has answered all of my questions since the betas. I believe this forum takes the place of what used to be in the MS Support Knowledgebase.

[Briandajew]

GodMode is just an interface/menu to get to things in Administrative.

I had a Programs menu in 8 without 3d party stuff. I am using a 3d party Start button in 8.1 because it is prettier. I think there are settings or software which are causing your differences - obviously this just my opinion.

There is a Windows 8 forum which has answered all of my questions since the betas. I believe this forum takes the place of what used to be in the MS Support Knowledgebase.

Yes, God mode is an interface, but it is quite neat compared to trying to find everything using the basic Win 8 interface - the Powershell is well worth spending a bit of time looking at, very powerful.

and for those looking to speed things up and wanting to customize a bit - check out Black Viper...

http://www.blackviper.com/windows-services/computer-browser/

You can disable a lot of unnecesary junk from your OS

[thrilled]

When I have trouble I go to youtube and type in my problem.Much of the time there will be something on it.