[raghu.t.k]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

http://www.classicshell.net/ Free, Open Source and will bring that UI back in few clicks

Thanks, that brought back some resemblance of the classic interface. I would still wait for the next release to move it to my main laptop!!

Originally Posted by k_nitin_r

I didn't notice any slowdown when comparing Windows 8 (I didn't try Windows 8.1 yet) and Windows XP. Can you try disabling Live Tiles to check if they speed things up? Also, create a separate user account and try to log in with the new account - some users actually reported performance issues till they switched to a new account.
........
As long as you have enough memory, your laptop should be able to run Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 with ease. If you can perform a fresh install of Windows 8.1, it would be better, but you need separate keys for a clean install of Windows 8.1 (or so they say).

Originally Posted by msdivy

Right click on the start menu will give a menu with list of options for common tasks. For me those options were sufficient. Also if somebody wants desktop mode as default, setting can be made in control panel. Win 8.1 will boot directly to desktop mode in that case.

Originally Posted by k_nitin_r

On the Start Screen (or Home Screen, both terms refer to the same thing; I can't recall what Microsoft uses to refer to it), look for the tiles that seem to display data. The news tile and the weather tile are two of them; finance and sports are two other applications that have the live tile feature enabled by default. Right-click on the tile to see the menu on the bottom of the screen and one of the menu items lets you turn off the live tile for the application so it appears as just a regular square or rectangle with the name of the application. .......

Thanks k_Nitin_r, msdivy got thelive tiles disabled and in the process made a few more customisations. The pointers were really helpful.

I hope Microsoft does not mixup the desktop/laptop segement with hand-held / mobile devices, though interoperablity is welcome.

[k_nitin_r]

After using Windows 8.1 for a while, I have been looking for ways to make it look like Windows 8, but it's all in vain:
* Windows 8.1 now has an annoying start icon in the desktop view and there doesn't seem to be any way of removing it. With the start button on my keyboard, screen bezel, and right swipe menu, why do I need another start icon?
* Moving icons in Windows 8.1 can no longer be performed with a downward swipe and instead is a long touch. Most likely, it isn't possible to get Windows 8.1 to support Windows 8 touch gestures.
* Going from the Start Menu to the All Apps menu and back cannot be performed with an edge swipe. This is not intuitive at all, considering that Windows 8 had us start using edge swipes and the computer screens were designed to make edge swipes easier.

[Fillmore]

Upgraded to 8.1 recently. The upgrade as such went smooth.

However I have one issue. The laptop fan spins like crazy non stop post upgrade even with no programs running.

Though CUP and Mem utilization is < 10% the fan continues to run at full speed and makes a lot of noise as well.

Is there a workaround to this ? or does anyone face the similar issue ?

My machines has 8gb RAM.

-Fillmore

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

However I have one issue. The laptop fan spins like crazy non stop post upgrade even with no programs running.

Though CUP and Mem utilization is < 10% the fan continues to run at full speed and makes a lot of noise as well.

It is a known issue with 8.1

It seems that CPU is running at full power even though CPU usage is minimal. Try switching to "Power Saver" profile, that should resolve the issue.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by NetfreakBombay

It is a known issue with 8.1

It seems that CPU is running at full power even though CPU usage is minimal. Try switching to "Power Saver" profile, that should resolve the issue.

How will switching to Power Saver help ?

Power Saver just determines when to switch off hard disks / monitors etc.. and that will happen when there is no activity.

While I am working on the comp, it will still run at full utilization with the massive fan sound. Whereas this problem was not there earlier. You could be working and still the CPU and fan would not max out.

[NetfreakBombay]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

How will switching to Power Saver help ?

Power Saver just determines when to switch off hard disks / monitors etc.. and that will happen when there is no activity.

From Win 7 onwards, Power profile also controls CPU frequency (min and max frequency). For example, in my PC, CPU cores run at 800 MHz most of the time and bump up to 3.8 GHz if CPU load is high.

From the documentation:

High Performance (SCHEME_MIN) power scheme locks the CPU to 100%.
Balanced (SCHEME_BALANCED) has a frequency governor that is confident about stepping up to higher frequencies.
Power Saver (SCHEME_MAX) has a frequency governor that is more careful about stepping up to higher frequencies.

[sgiitk]

I am running Win 8.1 in my Laptop and 7 in the desktop. I have a couple of queries:

1. In my desktop a " followed by say an u gives me ü. Not so in the Laptop.

2. Also, the Rupee symbol displays correctly in the desktop using the Fordian font, and just a box in the laptop.

Any suggestions?

[sgiitk]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

2. Also, the Rupee symbol displays correctly in the desktop using the Fordian font, and just a box in the laptop.

Seems to be fixed in one of the updates.

[iamswift]

Seems the recent flood of updates fixed multiple things.
It definitely improved boot and shutdown time.
My laptop starts in less than ~10 seconds. Shutdown too is much faster.
I guess it also fixed some Wifi incompatibility issue.
Overall the system is very nice now.

Heard that update-1 for 8.1 has leaked for few hours. This is supposed to be released on April. Seems it has more changes pertaining to computer users. Hope it is for good.

[sgiitk]

Just downloaded and installed Windows 8.1 update (~950MB download). Went smoothly, now unit wkes up in Desktop and there is a market icon in the quick launch toolbar. No Start button found. You have to ask for download and auto updare will come at its own sweet will, if you do not.

[iamswift]

Originally Posted by sgiitk

Just downloaded and installed Windows 8.1 update (~950MB download). Went smoothly, now unit wkes up in Desktop and there is a market icon in the quick launch toolbar. No Start button found. You have to ask for download and auto updare will come at its own sweet will, if you do not.

Thats it? I thought, after upgrade, you get start button with program menu (like good 'ol way). There were so many articles talking about it.

I got the updates but yet to find time to download and install.

[raghu.t.k]

Originally Posted by iamswift

Thats it? I thought, after upgrade, you get start button with program menu (like good 'ol way). There were so many articles talking about it.

I got the updates but yet to find time to download and install.

Going by some of the blogs, the start button is expected in subsequent update, most likely the next but no confirmation. I have been waiting for the start button from day 1 of Win 8 release!!

Anybody managed to get a backup media from Microsoft for 8.1 ? Recently when the desktop at home conked off, I built a slightly higher end desktop. When it was time to install the OS, tried sourcing Win 7 Ultimate, and couldn't find one. Finally purchased 8.1 from Microsoft online store, and stored it on the USB stick. Some how I feel comfortable if I have a DVD media as well. The US store does have an option while the Indian store does not!!

[sgiitk]

I think third party start buttons are there. I have not tried one so far.

[iamswift]

Originally Posted by raghu.t.k

Some how I feel comfortable if I have a DVD media as well.

Optical drivers are on the decline. In fact few of the newer laptops do not have optical drives at all. Its going to be flash-based storage from now on. These have longer life than optical drives.

[raghu.t.k]

Originally Posted by iamswift

Optical drivers are on the decline. In fact few of the newer laptops do not have optical drives at all. Its going to be flash-based storage from now on. These have longer life than optical drives.

Vey true. I have not installed any in either of the desktops I built recently. But I felt the pinch recently when I wanted to put the Fedora ISO file onto the usb stick!! The default Fat32 does not support large files, and not all motherboards support NTFS or Other formats which support Larger files from Bios!!

And we also have a very rare instance where we want to watch/rip some media!