Well, I finally did it ...

[Spock 271]

I have ordered and started building a new Windows based computer system since my old one runs an OS that is no longer supported (Windows XP).

 

I'm posting here because I have a feeling that I will be asking for help before I'm finished since there is so much new technology that I'm not familiar with.

 

Anyone interested can see the specs for the machine over at my forum. I won't be posting them here unless I reach a point where I need help. Then I will have to not only list what I have but what I've done so far and what the problem is.

 

Right now I'll just say it's an Intel i7 processor running at 4GHz with 16 GB RAM, a 2TB mechanical harddrive and a 512GB SSD. I have Windows 8.1 ready to install but I'm still waiting for the internal Blu-Ray drive to get here.

[podgie_bear 184]

Deepest sympathy Spock, I am putting things off as long as humanly possible. But when the time comes I will be moving away from Windows unless MS does a U-Turn on their operating systems. I am still considering Linux over Mac but time will tell. Whatever happens it will never be a Metro system!

[Ironwill 135]

Stay away from Windows 8 for the sake of the universe

[SX255 630]

Windows 8 if useful on touchscreens only.

Windows 7 is the best upgrade form XP.

I use 7 as default OS for my machine. The other OS is XP (in case very old games don’t run on 7). Plan to sit on this setup for the next decade, upgrades be damned.

 

 

P.S.

Windows XP =
Windows Vista =
Windows 7 =
Windows 8 =
Windows 9 = ?
Windows 10 = When you see the product in its fullness, I think you'll agree it's an appropriate name.

[gogoblender 3,068]

I agree... windows eight was such a big blech ...trying to use that on a desktop, agonizing experience

DEFINITELY, windows 7 is still the best operating system in the world

Was at my parents' for a few weeks and having to fend with the Apple OS on Air macs was a torture

Good luck with this Spock!

 

gogo

[lujate 575]

I have Windows 8 on my gaming laptop, and it works well enough. Most everything you need is still there, you just may have to ask Google where the heck to find it.

 

I was disappointed to hear that MS is sticking with their one-desktop philosophy with Windows 10 (and WTH happened to Windows 9?). We installed Windows 10 at work this week for development testing. I haven't used it yet, but it looks like a cross between Windows 7 & 8.1.

 

I've been a Linux user since '03, but I keep a Windows partition for gaming. Windows is the alpha and the omega of the gaming world, and trying to game on Linux or Mac is a recipe for frustration.

[gogoblender 3,068]

I have Windows 8 on my gaming laptop, and it works well enough. Most everything you need is still there, you just may have to ask Google where the heck to find it.

 

 

I can see it working better on a lap top...the screen is smaller, so the "real estate" they allot to how it all works would make better sense

Re finding stuff on it ...yes, search sucks! ... What happened to the delicious search bar they had in Windows 7 that you didn't need to actually figger out which category the search had to be performed in before hand? This actually was the most frustrating part of the OS for me...and I finally ended up putting in Windows seven clone just for the Start Button with the search

 

gogo

[Ironwill 135]

Enjoying w8 is like being fine with Sacred 3

[SX255 630]

Enjoying w8 is like being fine with Sacred 3

 

For the short time I got to use it a year ago, Win8 worked fine on the tablet. That's what it was meant to do. Be a tablet OS, not a PC OS.

Sacred 3 is A LOT worse than Windows 8.

[Ironwill 135]

For the short time I got to use it a year ago, Win8 worked fine on the tablet. That's what it was meant to do. Be a tablet OS, not a PC OS.

Sacred 3 is A LOT worse than Windows 8.

Thanks for the tablet info but if it is that way,why are all laptop brands in my country are using Windows 8 in them?

[podgie_bear 184]

 

Enjoying w8 is like being fine with Sacred 3

 

For the short time I got to use it a year ago, Win8 worked fine on the tablet. That's what it was meant to do. Be a tablet OS, not a PC OS.

Sacred 3 is A LOT worse than Windows 8.

Sorry, I have to disagree. Sacred 3 you can not bother to install. Windows 8 you have to either cope with or uninstall and put in a whole new operating system. Sort of like the difference in NOT shooting yourself in the foot (Sacred3) and being shot by a gangster and needing emergency treatment (Win8).

Unless of course you scrap your gaming PC and go buy a tablet instead.

[gogoblender 3,068]

Enjoying w8 is like being fine with Sacred 3

Ayup!

 

 

gogo

[lujate 575]

 

For the short time I got to use it a year ago, Win8 worked fine on the tablet. That's what it was meant to do. Be a tablet OS, not a PC OS.

Sacred 3 is A LOT worse than Windows 8.

Thanks for the tablet info but if it is that way,why are all laptop brands in my country are using Windows 8 in them?

Windows 8 was supposed to be one desktop for PC, tablet and phone. Unfortunately, PC's got the short end of the stick on that deal.

[gogoblender 3,068]

 

 

For the short time I got to use it a year ago, Win8 worked fine on the tablet. That's what it was meant to do. Be a tablet OS, not a PC OS.

Sacred 3 is A LOT worse than Windows 8.

Thanks for the tablet info but if it is that way,why are all laptop brands in my country are using Windows 8 in them?

Windows 8 was supposed to be one desktop for PC, tablet and phone. Unfortunately, PC's got the short end of the stick on that deal.

They did!

But 10 looks like there's going to be many "variations on a theme" kinda thing goin on

 

 

gogo

[SX255 630]

The Legend of Windows 8

Microsoft CEOs got into their heads that all devices should run the same OS. The PC, laptop, Windows Phone, smart refrigerators, smart toasters... every device - one universal OS. And that OS was to be Windows 8...

Windows 8 was to make all interfaces Tablet interfaces. Touch screens were its main aim to satisfy.

 

But you probably know that a smart refrigerator doesn't need an OS as complicated as a factory work PC or a digital drawing board. And that's were Windows 8 failed. Instead of building Windows 8 "for smart toasters" and "for PC" separately, they lobed it all into one... and it is a mess. Pluss, printer drivers didn't work again.

 

So now they are making Windows 10 (completely forgetting about the numbering curse of Windows) which will be Windows 7 + features of Windows 8.

[Ironwill 135]

hahahahah that was awesome

[Spock 271]

Any idea when Windows 10 will be out and stable? I would prefer Windows 7 right now but it's also about to go under and I want to be able to use my new system for at least a few weeks before the OS is unsupported!

 

My daughter has Windows 8 on her laptop and said it took a while to get used to but it was capable of running older games and the interface could be set up do work the way you want. Yes, I ordered Windows 8.1. I have 16GB RAM but can go to 32GB if I want/need to. Windows 7 doesn't support more than 16GB.

[lujate 575]

Windows 10 is scheduled for late next year.

[Ironwill 135]

Any idea when Windows 10 will be out and stable? I would prefer Windows 7 right now but it's also about to go under and I want to be able to use my new system for at least a few weeks before the OS is unsupported!

 

My daughter has Windows 8 on her laptop and said it took a while to get used to but it was capable of running older games and the interface could be set up do work the way you want. Yes, I ordered Windows 8.1. I have 16GB RAM but can go to 32GB if I want/need to. Windows 7 doesn't support more than 16GB.

why do you pick that much of a ram? is it for rendering?

[SX255 630]

An "unsupported OS" means absolutely nothing if it’s your home computer. You’ll just stop getting routine updates. Unless you have routine big risk of hackers, there is little point in worrying about it. A good antivirus should handle most of intruders. Not being a "gullible idiot who clicks on every link" will inshore the rest.

 

Jumping on Windows 10 as it is being launched next year may be a bad idea, primarily for the risk of your drivers failing for half a year.

[Thorin Oakshield 260]

Just did a check at the MS site and it says the "General support" of windows 7 ends at january 13th, 2015. However, the "security support" is still continued for another five years.

 

However, when checking some "tech"-sites, I see a lot of expectations that the first deadline is pushed forward, since Win7 is undergoing the same thing Windows XP did; being the most stable and most popular OS at the moment.

 

So, personally I would install Win7, wait for a while until every problem with Win10 has been solved - which could easily take a year or so - and then switch to Win 10.

Over time I've learned that when it comes to Windows OS, it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

Thorin

[Ironwill 135]

I almost had no problems with win7,... never needed a "support",thanks to my licensed antivirus

[gogoblender 3,068]

Hi guys good morning... and it is early here

Just wanted to put a quick note here about software, as our TOS for DarkMatters only lets us discuss on the boards legally purchased software, without reference to any items that are pirated

Thanks!

 

 

gogo

[Spock 271]

Sorry? Everything I've been talking about has been legally purchased through respected vendors. I didn't see anyone else talking about anything pirated. Did you remove a post I didn't catch?

 

Well, I put everything I had together (only lacking the internal optical drive), hooked it all up, turn on the power, and ... nothing!

There is a small light on the MB that flickers and goes out and the power button lights up. Other than that there is no indication that anything is even thinking about waking up. Guess I get to call the vendor Monday to see if they have any ideas what may have gone wrong.

This is the first SATA only system that I've ever built, so I was extra careful to make sure that I paid attention to how everything was supposed to connect. I even read the installation instructions which I never before needed to do. I'm sure it's got to be something really simple and stupid. If it was one of my older systems though, I would say that something was wrong with the motherboard.

[lujate 575]

 

...

Did you remove a post I didn't catch?

...

Yes.

 

Sounds like when I built my current PC. Lights were on but nobody was home. In my case, there was another power input on the motherboard I overlooked.