Windows 8

[murraymints]

My nephew tells me that it's best to get touch screen with Windows 8 as he doesn't think it's conducive to mouse operation....any thoughts ?

[murraymints]

Thanks for that....what about e mail ?

[murraymints]

I'd want to keep email address which I have on xp outlook....Will I have to install office to do so ? Excuse my ignorance in such matters..

[ToraToraTora]

he is correct, it is designed for touch screen. That's why it's the biggest pile of cack for a normal PC/laptop. Gawd knows what they where thinking. I wiped mine and installed W7 but I believe you can actually get some software that makes it work very similar to W7.

[hc4361]

I've been using Windows 8 on my desktop for 12 months.
My desktop is dual boot with Windows 7 but I don't use that - I really prefer Windows 8 and I am using a keyboard and mouse.

[VHG]

>>>is office preinstalled already check

Office is never pre-installed.

Or if it is it will be a 30 day or 60 day trial.

You wont need to install Office to use email on Windows 8, there are plenty of free email products.

[hc4361]

No, and nor is it with any Windows Operating System.

Some retailers and manufacturers choose to include it on their machines but these are becoming far and few between.

[murraymints]

I have office disc already...Just don't know about using my existing email address....don't want a new one !

[bibblebub]

With Windows 8 you can easily go to the desktop and use it in exactly the same way as previous versions of Windows. You are not forced to use any apps (I don't) and just carry on using the programs that you have before. Personally, I reckon that anyone who has it and then wipes it to revert to a previous version of Windows is a floppy short of a disk pack.

[hc4361]

Indeed, bibblebub. You can even start up straight to desktop if you prefer, no splashscreen on logging in.

[bibblebub]

W8.1 has that option included and I make use of it

[sara3]

I didn't know you could do that! please explain, in very simple terms!!

bibble, your avatar is....... I have no words :'(

[bibblebub]

It was included in Windows 8.1 - on the desktop right-click the Taskbar and select Properties. In the Navigation tab you'll find the option to go straight to the desktop, as well as other options e.g. turn off the Charms sidebar appearing if the mouse pointer goes to the top-right corner.

For W8 Skip Metro Suite http://winaero.com/comment.php?comment.news.103 does the same things.

[hc4361]

sara3, assuming you have 8.1
From the tile screen type run
Then click on 'run'
Type netplwiz in the box
Hit Enter

In the User Accounts box, highlight your User Account and untick 'Users must enter a username and password to use this computer'.
Click 'apply, enter your password twice and click OK.


Now, from the tilesscreen, type taskbar
Press Enter
In the Start Screen section select 'Go to desktop instead of Start when I sign in'.

[sara3]

thanks chaps, going to try now :o)

[sara3]

HELP ME!!!! arghhhhhhhhh..........

so I changed the start-up but and it goes straight to desktop on start-up, which is great.. however........ I did the other actions to get rid of the password bit and it's all gone horribly wrong!

when I got to the "user acct" bit it offered 3 username options, all me as it's my laptop, and I clicked on the one that had "admin" next to it (assuming I had to, to make changes), entered the password twice, etc.. all looked fine.

but now, when I start up, I get a password screen with "HomeGroupUser$" in the username box, and it won't accept the old password ("username/password incorrect"). my option is to click "other user" and manually enter the username (an email address, which was previously holding) and password. when I get in (which is fine) I've tried typing "run", and the pop-up is still holding "netplwiz", and it opens a little box that says to enter my admin password, then click "yes", but there's nowhere to enter a password and the "yes" is greyed out.

please can someone help? I hate Windows Bloody 8, and now Windows Bloody 8.1.

thank you.

[bibblebub]

I don't know the solution - if you search for [i]password screen with "HomeGroupUser$"[i] there are 1 or 2 suggestions which may or may not work.

One thing you could do is to is a system restore - you can get there via Control Panel > System and Security > System and there is System Protection on the left which will let you do the system restore (assuming there is a restore point available).

If that is not an option then you need to start a new question - maybe mark it FAO hc4361 - to get the problem noticed rather than it being at the tail end of someone else's thread. I've never used netplwiz because that isn't necessary to get Windows to skip over the password prompt but I assumed hc4361 knew what he was talking about.

[sara3]

indeed... thanks bibble, I planned to do a louder scream a bit later! I'll look at what you've said but a bit scared of f'ing it up even further!

have a good day :o)