Not Happy With Windows 8

[ayabrea38]

OH bought a new laptop,an
Item title:Asus K55A 15.6" Laptop Black Intel Pen 2020M 8GB Ram 1TB HDD Blu-Ray HDMI Win8.
He has tried to get along with Windows 8 but cannot and want to go back to 7.
We have a copy of Vista with win 7 upgrade and I was wondering if I can wipe the hard disk (I dont know how and if I go ahead will be back for more help) and put these on,or will the hard disk throw a wobbly and not allow the other OS to go on?
Any advice-in very basic terms,would be great.
Much thanks
Aya

[bookbinder]

Enter 'microsoft windows 7 download' in your search engine. You will see plenty of advice there.

[Buenchico]

Wiping the disk is easy. Installing a different OS is easy. Then comes the hard bit of sorting out all of the device drivers, which can be an absolute nightmare!

I'd forget about doing it that way and either follow the instructions here
http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/software-and-web-apps/how-to-make-windows-8-look-like-windows-7-50009546/
or (far simpler) just spend $4.99 on Start8 here:
http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/
(Start8 is the biggest-selling Windows 8 application and has great reviews on many websites and in the technical press).

Chris

[berniecuddles]

i was the same with windows 8 but after a few months have got used to it now!
don't forget tho if you do change it to 7 and if something should go wrong with the laptop you may not be able to take it back under the guarantee as you have changed it!

[Lie-in King]

Win 8 is a dreadfully user-unfriendly OS, designed for touch-screen devices. I've got it on both my new desktop & laptop but have downloaded (free) -

http://www.iobit.com/iobitstartmenu8.php

It's not perfect & it's not an OS change, but it certainly helps me navigate with a little more ease.

[VHG]

While I also don't like Win8 (and hence have stuck with my W7 desktops and laptop) I cannot support the idea of going back to Windows 7 on a new laptop.

Laptops tend to have special hardware that needs special software drivers.

It may be, if this is a new laptop, that there are no Windows 7 drivers for some of the components in this laptop.

So you may install Windows 7 and find some of the hardware components don't work.

Also note if the Vista/W7 you have has already been used it on one PC it may not also work on another computer (depends on the version of Vista/W7). Microsoft may not allow you to activate it.

With Windows 8 you can just skip past the Metro interface and go to the desktop where it is pretty much like using Windows 7 (with few differences).

Note Microsoft are due to bring out Windows 8.1 in October, which is a free upgrade to Windows 8, and although I have not used it yet, I understand it does answer some of the criticism they have got about the current W8 product.

[VHG]

Also note that your hard disk also probably has a "hidden" version of Windows 8 on it, to allow you to reinstall W8 at some future date if you need to.

If you wipe the hard disk and go back to W7 you will lose this hidden version of W8 and will not be able to go back to W8 in the future.

[Alston]

Windows 8 was never designed for anything other than Touch Screens. I can't understand why any manufacturer put W8 into Laptops and Desktops.

L-i K seems to have the free answer to your problem. ( No payment for download )

Al.

[hc4361]

W8 works very well with desktops, a keyboard and a mouse. Behind the tiles it is not that much different from W7 and in many ways it is much better.

Try sticking with it.

[VHG]

>>>I can't understand why any manufacturer put W8 into Laptops and Desktops.

Because Microsoft have them over a barrel.

If they refuse to put on W8 then Microsoft wont supply them with W7 licenses.

Note it is still possible to buy "business" laptops with W7 on them.

Most businesses have not moved to W8 and want their staff to have W7 laptops, so it is possible to buy them

[ayabrea38]

Thanks very much for those answers,I now know that there is no way that I will try the W7 reinstall,neither of us had thought of the driver issue.
I have tried looking for another laptop with the same HDD and RAM,with W7,but the prices are way out of our pocket.Seems most are for gamers,and while OH enjoys gaming on the PS3,not the laptop.
Anyone spot a laptop with W7,1tb,8 gb RAM and a processor of 2.3Ghz or above,anything else does not matter going for under £450 please let me know.

Think the best thing for now would be to wait for this upgrade to W8,try to get the W7 feel to it (though the one I have tried for him made other things go wrong,I don't know the details,I just heard the swearing)and keep looking for another laptop.

Again,thanks for your thoughts and hopefully another laptop will turn up. :(
Aya

[netibiza]

I've struggled with win 8 since Xmas, hate it, but am getting used to it. Microsoft are bringing out an update in Oct to make it easier. Worthless piece of rubbish.

[galeck1947]

Wait until the 18th of October and Windows 8.1 will be released and download it for free it will be very similar to Windows 7 given the major changes made to Windows 8 it has the start button back which can boot straight to the desktop once set.