Problems with Windows 8.1

[Sophon]

My girlfriend got a new laptop with Windows 8.1 a couple of months ago, and we installed Classic Desktop on it. Until recently it worked fine, but the last week it has developed (what I believe to be) problems with the operating system. After starting the computer up all the program/app tiles are inactive and so is the scroll bar at the bottom of the screen.

If I press Ctrl + Esc a few times, I can eventually get the computer to shift to the classic desktop. From here the program short cuts work, but the Start button is still inactive. The functions in the task bar on the bottom left such as changing the language are still sometimes inactive, but can be activated with another few presses of Ctrl + Esc. The Windows 10 installer has been downloaded and show up in the task bar, but when pressing it nothing happens. The only windows functions I can access is the Task manager (Ctrl + Alt + Del), and when I do no functions seem to take up excessive amount of system resources. Actually, most/all the Windows functions running seem to use no system resources.

The problems appeared the first time about a week ago, but restarting the computer a couple of times solved it back then. It then worked until yesterday, but now it seems to be happening every time the computer is started. No new programmes have been downloaded to the computer over the last couple of weeks, and in total only Windows classic shell, Open office, VLC player, Avast and Firefox have been installed by us.

Any ideas what might be wrong, or suggestions of what we can do to solve the problem?

Sophon

[aussiedoug]

I too bought a laptop with 8.1 on it, and hated the rubbish, so took the free upgrade to 10, and that was not to my liking either, even with classic shell, so bit the bullet and am now installing 7 pro, got another 3 machines on that and never a problem. But it costs in OZ $250 for a genuine copy.

[WhizBang]

Sounds like something may have become corrupted, either that or you might have a virus of some sort.

So first, I would run some malware scans to see what, if anything, they pick up. Quarintine/delete anything the scanner finds.

Second, try uninstalling Classic Shell. Then download a fresh copy and reinstall.

[jacky54]

Nothing but trouble with 8.1 even after refreshing it a couple of times where you lose all installed programes. Gone back to 7, they can keep their 'free' OS 10

[t8769]

Just upgrade to Win10 for free. But personally, I'd pay someone 300Bt and have Windows 7 put in - can't be beat.

[lostinisaan]

"Sometimes we do not see the trees when walking in the forest."

Have you tried a simple system restore to a date where the machine worked well?

I haven't met or read anybody who's happy with 8.1. Why don't you upgrade, or downgrade to 7?

Edited October 26, 2015 by lostinisaan

[lostinisaan]

Sounds like something may have become corrupted, either that or you might have a virus of some sort.

So first, I would run some malware scans to see what, if anything, they pick up. Quarintine/delete anything the scanner finds.

Second, try uninstalling Classic Shell. Then download a fresh copy and reinstall.

To be honest. That sounds like a lot of wasted time to me. Avast ain't seeing shit. ( Sorry, didn't mean that your post was bad advice)

OP, download the Kaspersky clean up tool here: http://support.kaspersky.com/viruses/utility ( TDDS killer is fine)

Then see what it found. If so, delete your Avast, while you're downloading the Kaspersky 30 day trial full functioning.

Here:

http://www.kaspersky.com/anti-virus-trial

To make sure that your machine's really fast, finally download the trial version of SpyHunter 4.

http://www.enigmasoftware.com/products/spyhunter/

Download all your trials from the companies' websites that produce them, other website's might give you some unwanted stuff that's causing new problems.

Then you've got 30 days time to think about whgich antivirus program you'll use later. Good luck !!!

[Sophon]

Sounds like something may have become corrupted, either that or you might have a virus of some sort.

So first, I would run some malware scans to see what, if anything, they pick up. Quarintine/delete anything the scanner finds.

Second, try uninstalling Classic Shell. Then download a fresh copy and reinstall.

Thanks for the suggestions but a scan shows no malware/virus and I am unable to uninstall anything as I cannot get into any of the Windows functions. However, I tried to start the PC in safe mode and while that didn't work out it did somehow make it start up normally with everything working. As a result I was able to successfully upgrade to Windows 10 and hopefully that has solved the problem (time will tell).

Thanks to everyone for their input.

Sophon

[Sophon]

"Sometimes we do not see the trees when walking in the forest."

Have you tried a simple system restore to a date where the machine worked well?

I haven't met or read anybody who's happy with 8.1. Why don't you upgrade, or downgrade to 7?

No way to restore, since I was unable to get into any Windows functions, nor could I upgrade to Windows 10 as suggested in the previous post. But as mentioned once I managed to get the computer to start up normally, I was able to do the upgrade.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Sophon

Edited October 26, 2015 by Sophon

[NeverSure]

I too bought a laptop with 8.1 on it, and hated the rubbish, so took the free upgrade to 10, and that was not to my liking either, even with classic shell, so bit the bullet and am now installing 7 pro, got another 3 machines on that and never a problem. But it costs in OZ $250 for a genuine copy.

Before downgrading any machine it's important to find drivers for all of its hardware. I had a nightmare of a time going from 8 to 7 and back.

I bought a new Toshiba Satellite laptop with 8, didn't like it, uninstalled and installed 7. Only then did I discover that some of the hardware manufacturers never made drivers for the hardware for 7, and I had some devices that wouldn't work including the ethernet and wireless. After all of the setup work I had to do a reset to factory and restore backups, reinstall programs, re-do settings, etc.

The same has happened to me with the Win 10 upgrade. My wireless NIC works but is slooooooow. I've tweaked settings, looked for a newer driver... Nothing helps. I bought a USB NIC, installed the 10 driver, went into Device Manager and disabled the onboard NIC and it's back up to speed. So it looks like I'll forever have a USB wireless NIC plugged into this box unless Realtek makes a 10 driver for this 18 month old laptop.

Cheers.

[DogNo1]

Keep in mind that you can now do a completely fresh install of Win 10 and use your Windows 8.1 key to activate it. For those who have already upgraded, you can use software (magicjellybean?) to extract your hidden Windows 10 key and also use it to validate a fresh install. Upgrades to Win 10 are prone to problems.

[Jiu-Jitsu]

I too bought a laptop with 8.1 on it, and hated the rubbish, so took the free upgrade to 10, and that was not to my liking either, even with classic shell, so bit the bullet and am now installing 7 pro, got another 3 machines on that and never a problem. But it costs in OZ $250 for a genuine copy.

Was likely not necessary to buy a licence at all, dependent on the machine in question.

[lostinisaan]

Nothing but trouble with 8.1 even after refreshing it a couple of times where you lose all installed programes. Gone back to 7, they can keep their 'free' OS 10

Maybe you weren't using the right refreshment? Please watch the attached movie clip how to successfully refresh an unfresh machine.

Edited October 26, 2015 by lostinisaan

[lostinisaan]

"Sometimes we do not see the trees when walking in the forest."

Have you tried a simple system restore to a date where the machine worked well?

I haven't met or read anybody who's happy with 8.1. Why don't you upgrade, or downgrade to 7?

No way to restore, since I was unable to get into any Windows functions, nor could I upgrade to Windows 10 as suggested in the previous post. But as mentioned once I managed to get the computer to start up normally, I was able to do the upgrade.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Sophon

Have you tried to boot into safe mode?

[lostinisaan]

I too bought a laptop with 8.1 on it, and hated the rubbish, so took the free upgrade to 10, and that was not to my liking either, even with classic shell, so bit the bullet and am now installing 7 pro, got another 3 machines on that and never a problem. But it costs in OZ $250 for a genuine copy.

"Even with classic shell?" You can make your setup so "lovely that you don't need classic shell. Don't worry, women are more expensive.

Never heard of anybody who used classic shell for a Windows 10 installation. Is it possible that you just didn't get it?

[Sophon]

"Sometimes we do not see the trees when walking in the forest."

Have you tried a simple system restore to a date where the machine worked well?

I haven't met or read anybody who's happy with 8.1. Why don't you upgrade, or downgrade to 7?

No way to restore, since I was unable to get into any Windows functions, nor could I upgrade to Windows 10 as suggested in the previous post. But as mentioned once I managed to get the computer to start up normally, I was able to do the upgrade.

Thanks for the suggestion.

Sophon

Have you tried to boot into safe mode?

See post 8.

Started the pc this morning and Windows 10 seems to be working correctly.

Sophon

Edited October 27, 2015 by Sophon

[WhizBang]

Good luck with Windows 10. I didn't like it and went back to Win 8.1. I have Win 7 on the rest of my computers and have zero intention of changing them.

[petermik]

Like Windows 10...............both laptops running it everything fine

[t8769]

I use Classic Shell, the most wonderful app.

I really don't like Windows 10​ and missed the old Win7 Start menu.

I'm re-installing Win7 when I get some time, until then Classic Shell is a lifesaver.