I am running Windows 8 now and have been putting off upgrading to 8.1 do to incompatibility issues I have been hearing about. I use my rig for gaming, streaming and video editing. Have I put this off long enough or should I hold off even longer?
Been using 8.1 since release - on 3 machines. Have had no issues whatsoever.
Hold off, especially if you have a start-menu application installed. The biggest feature Windows 8.1 has to offer is their start button, which brings up the ModernUI start screen we all know and love /sarcasm. On top of that, they forcefully integrate their cloud service, and there is no way to remove it short of registry hacks. I was kinda digging 8.1, especially after installing StartIsBack, but it killed itself somehow, so I installed Windows 7 and never looked back.
I actually installed on release also and some software I run daily was incompatible so I reverted back to 8. I have since checked and said software is now supported. Do you use any video editing/streaming/non mainstream software? I use some off the wall software, therein lies the problem.
Install StartIsBack and enjoy the benefits of Windows 7.5. Love it. It is way faster for me.
I am going to re install Windows and am trying to decide to go forward to 8.1 or back to 7. Im just getting tired of 8 and no I never installed a start button tool. Tried start is back but thought I would get use to the Metro, I never did!
installed 8.1 and found out simcity doesnt run, civ 5, sigh.
When I first installed 8.1 it wouldn't run my H100i tool, OBS or Flawless Widescreen. These are the things im more interested in. I have never played Sims good luck with Simcity though.
The only feature I kinda miss is the hybrid boot, and the cleaner start menu icon when using small icons on the task bar. For the booting, it's a minor complaint considering I have Crucial M500 SSD as my primary drive, and my secondary drive is a hybrid drive with 8GB of NAND, so even from a cold boot, it's still plenty quick. As for the start menu icon, there is an orb changer that I used, so instead of having an orb and sticks out above the task bar, I have a clean icon that stays within the task bar.
Here is an issue I have with the start menu icon:
And here is solution:
Both are running Windows 7
I recommend you to choose Windows 8.1 If you can spend 3$ bucks on Startisback, you'll have the same experience as in Windows 7, but with the better performance provided by Windows 8.1.
Im utterly confused why peeps still buy startisback since classicshell does the exact same thing and is free...
startisback has a cleaner design, and I found the classic explorer (bundled with classic shell) to be annoying. I also prefer startisback, and almost liked it better than Windows 7. Almost... then my system corrupted. I installed Windows 7 and never looked back.
im also about to consider installing windows 8.1 since im getting my first SSD soon.
So if I install windows 8.1 + ClassicShell. I'll have a desktop UI that is more or less like my current Windows 7 desktop? (pretty much, I never want to see Windows Metro.)
Edit: got my SSD installed windows 8 on it with Classic Shell. kept win 7 on old HDD. likely wont boot from the HDD again unless I need win 7 or Ubtuntu. Can still access that HDD if need be.
After I installed windows 8, got classic shell and Have not seen the MetroUI or ModernUI or whatever slander MS calls their tablet UI thing since day 1. When windows 8.1 was released, it causes some issues with some programs and games, but this has been rectified by now, and I havn't had any problems.
I would like to try running windows from within Linux, but havn't had the time to mess about with it.
Never had problems with 8.1 all my games worked, and i got used to the new metro interface( basically i use it like a quicklaunch games and useful shit are there so i can keep my desktop clean).
Just wait a couple of months till the new start button comes up.
I don't have any issues. Best thing you can do is check what software you use daily and games and look around to see if anyone else has issues. It will all be fine in time anyway. You can always run a VM of Win8 if you need compatibility anyway