win 8.1 sucks

[BilliumMoto]

So Windows update decided it would be cool to glitch out somehow and replace parts of system32 with empty files, eventually resulting in a laptop with capabilities equivalent to a punch card reader accessible through command line.

After 12 hours of trying to diagnose and fix the issue via smartphone, it became obvious that the only way to fix this would be to reset the computer to factory settings, reinstall Windows, and then enjoy recovering files.

tl;dr win 8 is really good at bricking a laptop

[Fission]

i thought it was common knowledge windows 8 sucks ass

[choof]

Originally Posted by Fission

i thought it was common knowledge windows 8 sucks ass

i recently had the opportunity to apply for a migration project from (brace yourself) windows nt to windows 8

this is not a joke, this actually happened

[choof]

Originally Posted by BilliumMoto

After 12 hours of trying to diagnose and fix the issue via smartphone, it became obvious that the only way to fix this would be to reset the computer to factory settings, reinstall Windows, and then enjoy recovering files.

tl;dr win 8 is really good at bricking a laptop

use a linux live cd to move files to an external hdd and then install windows 7

[BilliumMoto]

Originally Posted by choof

use a linux live cd to move files to an external hdd and then install windows 7

no cd drive on laptop rip

[choof]

Originally Posted by BilliumMoto

no cd drive on laptop rip

make a live usb stick

[BilliumMoto]

Originally Posted by choof

make a live usb stick

Now all I need is a time machine and go back to before I reset the laptop

[dAnceguy117]

heyyy I just got a new laptop running win8. so far so bleh. to be fair I've messed with it for all of an hour.

the windows update bricking your computer thing just sounds like microsoft being incompetent though, right? I would guess that could happen with a different OS if they were to similarly botch an update.

[Fission]

Originally Posted by dAnceguy117

I would guess that could happen with a different OS if they were to similarly botch an update.

when is the last time you have heard of a linux distro or a mac bricking on an update though

[tosh]

Personally, I haven't run into any problems with win 8.1 yet (thank god).

Originally Posted by Fission

when is the last time you have heard of a linux distro or a mac bricking on an update though

I had it happen with Ubuntu a few years back. Thankfully I was dual-booting linux and windows, though.

[dAnceguy117]

a different *windows* OS, should have specified rofl

[danceflashrevo]

Go tell at Microsoft techs and tell them to give you another laptop?

[choof]

Originally Posted by danceflashrevo

Go tell at Microsoft techs and tell them to give you another laptop?

they will blame it on hardware

[Wafles]

I love windows 8, maybe I'm in the minority though. It just feels like a better windows 7 to me..

[Mahou]

Originally Posted by Wafles

I love windows 8, maybe I'm in the minority though. It just feels like a better windows 7 to me..

I want to try whatever you're smoking.

[Izzy]

Beyond disabling the metro UI I can't think of anything about windows 8 that isn't as good or better than windows 7.

[choof]

windows 8 uses resources better than windows 7 does but the interface is a trackwreck for anyone that's not a new user

[Izzy]

So once you disable that new UI then what is the problem?

[choof]

Originally Posted by Izzy

So once you disable that new UI then what is the problem?

Maybe we're looking at this in two different ways. Tweaking Windows 8 to run like Windows 7/Windows XP takes online tutorials, time, and effort. A large reason that people even know what "Metro" means is because there are so many articles online that tell you how unwieldy it is.

For users, especially when it comes to the average user (trust me, you and I are both not average users), Windows 8 is a step backwards. A bunch of things are "broken." You can get Windows 8 to boot straight to desktop, but this involves know-how. You can get files to open in desktop applications and not Metro, but this involves know-how. You can get the start menu back (which has quite literally been a major defining feature of Windows since Windows '95). but this involves know-how, and some money. You can remove bloatware, but this is far harder than it is on Windows 7 and involves know-how. You can have multiple windowed Metro apps running on the desktop, but this involves third-party applications (which means it's not truly native). Getting Windows 8 to look and feel like an operating system that has dominated the market for over 20 years, takes time, effort, third-party applications, and extra money. This is not indicative of a good operating system, and this isn't even my opinion. There are hundreds, if not thousands of articles online about why Windows 8 is a step in the wrong direction, and there is a very vocal community that is sticking with Windows 7, because even though Windows 8 handles resources better than Windows 7 (YMMV), Windows 7 is better than Windows 7.

You don't change a tried-and-true formula after 20 years.

[tosh]

I mentioned before that I haven't had any problems with 8.1, but I guess that wasn't entirely correct.
1. Flash 9 standalone likes to completely black out my screen if I try to change any settings when playing FFR. This happens on multiple engines, so I'm guessing it's something on Flash's end and not FFR.
2. Some programs don't support win 8.1 very well. Hearthstone has to be run in win7 compatibility mode or it can render every program on your computer inoperable when you close out of it and you're forced to do a hard shut down.
3. I have charms turned off but they still show up. Go figure.
4. The fact that Control Panel and PC Settings are two different applications (with PC Settings being a Metro app) is incredibly dumb.
5. The pre-installed Skype Metro app is terrible omg.

Originally Posted by choof

1. You can get files to open in desktop applications and not Metro, but this involves know-how.

2. You can get the start menu back (which has quite literally been a major defining feature of Windows since Windows '95). but this involves know-how, and some money.

1. I've never had any files open up in Metro (and I've never fiddled with any settings in that regard).

2. There is a built-in option that makes the metro page look kinda like a full screen start menu (that you can easily exit out of via the windows key). It's in the same area as where you select to boot straight to desktop.

Example of what it looks like (desktop background is in the bg, obv).