Who uses Windows 8 as primary OS?

[theyarecomingforyou]

It's even easier to just press the power button on your computer case. Or press Alt-F4 when the desktop is selected. And I wouldn't be surprised to see Microsoft make it easier to shut down the computer before release - possibly from the user tile or from the right-click option on the desktop Start corner for power users. The current method leaves a lot to be desired.

[HawkMan]

But how often in a day do you need to shut down? Also you're not meant to, especially on a netbook. Just close the lid and let it sleep

[Andrea Borman]

Well on Windows Vista and Windows 7,if you shut off your computer suddenly without clicking the shut down button on your start menu. That is if you just press the power switch on your computer,it shuts down suddenly. And then when you start your computer again,you get a message saying-"Your computer was unable to start.Do you want to launch start up repair or start Windows normally?" Of course when you select "start Windows normally,"Windows starts up as normal most of the time. But sometimes it does not, and the computer then launches start up repair which is a pain in the neck. As you have to wait ages while Windows scans and then fixes errors.

And someone in the computer shop where I was trying out a Windows Vista laptop told me I should not shut down Windows by pressing the power button. I should try to turn it off from the shut down button in the start menu. As it seems that Windows Vista and Windows 7 cannot handle being shut down suddenly.

But this does not seem to be a problem when shut down with the power switch on Windows XP or Windows 8. But you still should be able to access the log off,restart or shut down buttons,without to spend ages trying to find it. Of course there is the power button on Windows 8, but it is out of the way. As on the Metro start menu the settings are all in different places. Not like on the traditional Windows start menu,. where they are on the left hand side.

On Windows 8,the Windows 7 or Windows XP start menu,gives to quick access to your programs and settings,including the shut down button. So it saves a lot of time and makes life easier on the computer.

The start orb,well, you can still bring up the start menu without it. But the taskbar does look bare without it. And if you only have Vista Start Menu installed,you will have to either click on your desktop short cut to bring up the Vista Start menu. Or pin the short cut to your task bar and click on it. You can also pin the short cut to where the start orb should be,if you want to.

But as I have installed Start Menu 7 as well as Vista Start Menu,I already have the start orb. As Start Menu 7 puts back both the start orb and the Windows 7 start menu. And if I want to bring up the Vista Start Menu,I just click my desktop shortcut.

Start Menu 7 gives you both the start orb and the Windows 7 start menu. And you can change the start orb to different themes,Windows 8 start orb,Windows 7,Mac OS, and they have a few others as well. And Vista Start Menu gives you the Windows Vista start menu and the Classic Start menu.And as I said in an earlier post the start menus show more settings and programs than what my start menus on Windows 7 and Windows XP do. And they are more customisable than the real Windows 7 and Windows XP start menu. Andrea Borman.

[HawkMan]

Well on Windows Vista and Windows 7,if you shut off your computer suddenly without clicking the shut down button on your start menu. That is if you just press the power switch on your computer,it shuts down suddenly.

No it doesn't. the power button on your computer, does the EXACT same thing as hitting shut down in windows. It's what's called a soft button. the only way to force it of like you describe is to push and HOLD the power button for more than 5 seconds.

It has worked like that since windows 95, though at the time of windows 95, most computers did not have soft buttons, and it didn't always work reliably. .

[HawkMan]

why do you need quick access to shut down anyway, as I asked before how often do you shut down your computer in a day ? should at most be once. meaning the button does not need to waste valuable space at the start menu. also you shouldn't need to shut down at all, just close the lid and let it go to sleep.

Also whoever the tech that told you not to use the pwoer button is, NEVER go to him to get your computer fixed. he's an idiot.

[brads900]

• its great only problem is it stops most msn features and doesnt get background right half the time
  

[Dot Matrix]

My main rig auto sleeps. I shut it off only to clean it once a month. Both my laptops sleep too, but I shut them down more because I move them quite a lot.

Even though I like what Windows 8 is doing so far, I do think the power options need to be more forward in the GUI.

[HawkMan]

My main rig auto sleeps. I shut it off only to clean it once a month. Both my laptops sleep too, but I shut them down more because I move them quite a lot.

Even though I like what Windows 8 is doing so far, I do think the power options need to be more forward in the GUI.

For a once a day function ? I'd rather have apps out there. but on the other hand, it would matter much if they added power options to a small strip at the bottom right of the metro start screen. in fact they could probably put the sound and wfi icon next to it there.

[HawkMan]

Also for anyone who still insist that the old start menu is missing or more organized or whatever.

1. you can zoom on the metro screen. ctrl+mousewheel.

2. Right click the stat screen and select all apps and you get all apps listed in folders as on the old start menu.

3. you can zoom on this screen to, and it works great. then you get all the folders listed and when you click on one it zooms back in on that.

[George P Global Moderator]

Also for anyone who still insist that the old start menu is missing or more organized or whatever.

1. you can zoom on the metro screen. ctrl+mousewheel.

2. Right click the stat screen and select all apps and you get all apps listed in folders as on the old start menu.

3. you can zoom on this screen to, and it works great. then you get all the folders listed and when you click on one it zooms back in on that.

Didn't know you could zoom in and out of the all apps screen, that's handy when you start to get a bigger and bigger listing over time. But you can't move things around in that screen right? Also, it'd be nice, imo, if we could have a option that automatically puts you into a zoomed out look when you have enough apps listed to make it faster to move to the one you want. Not everyone has a 30" screen, though I'd love one, heh.

[HawkMan]

It doesn't reall need to. It already gives a much better overview thanth old start menu ith out zooming out.

[HawkMan]

just tested

You can't move stuff at all on the "all apps" screen, so no you can't move stuff when zoomed out, but neither can you when not zoomed out. on the regular start screen, you can move the groups when zoomed out but not individual items.

[johnporter29]

why do you need quick access to shut down anyway, as I asked before how often do you shut down your computer in a day ? should at most be once. meaning the button does not need to waste valuable space at the start menu. also you shouldn't need to shut down at all, just close the lid and let it go to sleep.

Also whoever the tech that told you not to use the pwoer button is, NEVER go to him to get your computer fixed. he's an idiot.

Just remember that as long as you just press the power button and let go it will shut down correctly, however a long press, for example holding the power button for 4 seconds kills the power without shutting down windows correctly. Could Andrea be talking about that?

[HawkMan]

Just remember that as long as you just press the power button and let go it will shut down correctly, however a long press, for example holding the power button for 4 seconds kills the power without shutting down windows correctly. Could Andrea be talking about that?

5 seconds or more, not 4 ;)

it's actually quite a long time to be holding the button before it dies. I know since fixing computers I have to do it regularly, it doesn't sound like a lot but it is.

[Anthonyd]

Also for anyone who still insist that the old start menu is missing or more organized or whatever.

1. you can zoom on the metro screen. ctrl+mousewheel.

2. Right click the stat screen and select all apps and you get all apps listed in folders as on the old start menu.

3. you can zoom on this screen to, and it works great. then you get all the folders listed and when you click on one it zooms back in on that.

That's very complicated.

1. Click on the button on the bottom right corner.

2. Use charm > search on the Desktop.

[HawkMan]

Just keyboard is faster to, but that's the easiest and most logical way.

[BoDEAN]

Would never run a CP as a main OS.

Ill wait for a RC.

[Anthonyd]

Just keyboard is faster to, but that's the easiest and most logical way.

All your tips are using the mouse :p

Anyway, did someone managed to install a lot of metro apps ? Because on WP, the "all apps" menu gets a long list selector. On W8 CP, you get the equivalent by using the semantic zoom. I was wondering if you get it automatically once you have installed ******** of apps.

[patseguin Global Moderator]

I dual boot so I can use 7 or 8. 7 has all my software installs so 8 is mainly for playing and testing stuff.

[theyarecomingforyou]

Would never run a CP as a main OS.

Ill wait for a RC.

Fair enough, but I've found it to be just as stable as Windows 7. I haven't come across any bugs, the compatibility is excellent and I've found the improvements - especially to Task Manager and file copying - to be incredibly useful. I'll almost certainly continue using Windows 8 until it is released (upgrading to the RC when available), at which point I'll buy it. I've avoided using Storage Spaces - one of the features I'm most looking forward to - as I don't want to risk my data, though my most important data is already backed up via-Dropbox anyway.

I think Microsoft has handled the development of Windows 8 very well so far. There were quite a lot of complaints made about the Developer Preview and Microsoft did a good job of addressing them - I just hope that continues until release.

[George P Global Moderator]

Windows 8 will be my move to 64bit finally and also follow with a nice RAM upgrade to my system, but right now I've just got it in vbox for testing.

[Andrea Borman]

Update-Classic Shell has now been updated to work on Windows 8 CP. It was updated on 31st March which was yesterday. And as you can see in my pictures I now have both the Classic and Windows XP start menu back on my Windows 8. And I also have the Classic toolbar in Windows Explorer which I missed very much.

The new version of Classic Shell also includes the start orb. Which can be customised and there is the choice of the Metro,Windows 7 or classic Windows 98 start orb.And you can change the start orb from the settings just like you can the start menu.

The advantage of Classic Shell is that it works with the Windows key. so now you don't get taken back to the Metro start screen every time you press it. Which means that I now only see the Metro start screen on start up. And I hardly have to deal with it at all. So more start menu programs are being adapted to work on Windows 8 CP. So that's good new for me and other people who want the Windows XP start menu.

You can get Classic Shell from here-http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

Andrea Borman.

[Arceles]

Update-Classic Shell has now been updated to work on Windows 8 CP. It was updated on 31st March which was yesterday. And as you can see in my pictures I now have both the Classic and Windows XP start menu back on my Windows 8. And I also have the Classic toolbar in Windows Explorer which I missed very much. The new version of Classic Shell also includes the start orb. Which can be customised and there is the choice of the Metro,Windows 7 or classic Windows 98 start orb.And you can change the start orb from the settings just like you can the start menu. The advantage of Classic Shell is that it works with the Windows key. so now you don't get taken back to the Metro start screen every time you press it. Which means that I now only see the Metro start screen on start up. And I hardly have to deal with it at all. So more start menu programs are being adapted to work on Windows 8 CP. So that's good new for me and other people who want the Windows XP start menu. You can get Classic Shell from here-http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/ Andrea Borman.

This is the only way I may even consider to buy Windows 8, but I will simply not do it to show my unconformity with the removal of the start orb, may as well wait for Windows 9 (If they give Windows 8 free then yeah, I take it but I still install that addon)

[Andrea Borman]

This is the only way I may even consider to buy Windows 8, but I will simply not do it to show my unconformity with the removal of the start orb, may as well wait for Windows 9 (If they give Windows 8 free then yeah, I take it but I still install that addon)

But if you install one of the start menu programs I mentioned,you will get both the Windows 7 or Windows XP start menu and start orb on Windows 8 CP. Andrea Borman.

[bryonhowley]

I am running the CP as my primary OS I have found it every bit as stable as Windows 7 64bit. I have found Metro UI to be very easy to use and there is absolutly no need what so ever for Classic Shell it is just not needed.