Lars, it always takes me time to get used to a new computer and the operating system, appearance, keyboard, everything.

I have Vista and I hate it. I hated it when I got it and continue to hate it. Elery's son says he has Windows 7, and so I might try that instead.

Good luck, I'll bet you'll like the extra space and power of the new computer.

Annie

Lars, the letter K fell off my Toshiba laptop almost as soon as I got it. I still haven't taken it in to be repaired. I've just gotten use dot typing on the white plastic button under the K key. It works. I'm not sure when my warranty expires, but soon I bet. My old desk top is about dead, too. I will be without the laptop for two weeks while they replace the keyboard and I can't imagine depending on that old clunker for internet access.

How do you know which operating system you have/ where does it tell you?

Found it -- Windows 7 Home Premium.

I like Windows 7, use it at work and on one home computer. i like Mac OS X, use it on most of the home computers. Have heard mixed things about Windows 8, but most say that after you add back the start button (there is some way to do this) it is okay.

I haven't found out how to add back the start button, but I do think that will make all the difference. I use Windows 7 on my laptop (which is rarely), and I think that getting used to Windows 8 will be easier than getting used to Vista was. So far, everything has been very easy, but I use the option to go back to the traditional windows screen - otherwise the screen looks like a phone.

I've had some luck with installing programs, but it will not accept my Autocad 2000 16 bit program - it is just too old and obsolete, although I do have it on an old computer in the sewing room. I have to keep that old computer with windows XP for a few antique programs, including my astrology program, although I have not tried that on this one yet.

I still have to install flash and some other programs for browsers.

Lars

Lars, I'll watch this thread to see how you do with Win8.
I just bought a new desk top a couple of weeks ago with Win7 and can upgrade to Win8 if I wish...I think I have until Jan to decide. I ordered mine through Dell, I've had good luck with them, my last desktop was Dell and my laptop is Dell. I transferred what I wanted to save off the old desktop to the laptop just before the crash...there were signs that it was going to fail.

I haven't installed any old programs, that kind of scares me. I worry about the security of the old programs. I got a new version of my photoshop and it's vastly improved over the old program. Just saying, think twice about installing too many old programs, the new versions are faster and better and will prolly work better with your new system. IMO.

Nancy

Let us know how it goes, we'll all be there someday, sooner or later. And especially any tips and tricks you learn.

I hate having to set up a new computer, it takes days of installing and fiddling and reinstalling and copying stuff from the old one, etc. Days you'll never get back!

Good luck.

My next computer will not be Microsoft dependent. I'm switching to Apple.
Hopefully soon. I love my iPad and my DH has an Apple laptop, far better than my Dell with MS software.

Bye bye Bill Gates

I had thought about switching to Apple, but there are too many drawbacks to that, plus I don't like it. I've had to do jobs on Macs, and they really slowed me down. I also do not like the way that everything is so proprietary and expensive, and I do not need to have the latest gadgets.

I'm getting used to Windows 8 quickly now, and I have Photoshop 7 installed, and I got my scanner up and running. Here's the first picture I scanned on my new machine. The photo was taken around January 1979 or 1980 and show me with friends Alberto and Jose in Mexico City. I am in the middle, of course. Jose (on my left) lived in a huge house in Polanco, which he inherited when his mother died in 1985. I had my own room on the third floor of the house with maid service, etc. As you can see, we often dressed for dinner.

Lars

Last night I discovered that I cannot play DVDs with the home edition of Windows 8 - at least not without third party software. I installed VLC, and it will play the DVDs, but without sound.

I never learned how to use Windows Media Center, and so I have always used other media players, but they will not work as well with 8. I installed Media Player Classic (my favorite from before), but it will not play DVDs, and it will now only play a few of the FLV files that I have. The ones that will not play on MPC will play on WinAmp, but I would prefer to have one player that would do everything. I guess I'll have to go back to watching DVDs on the TV with a DVD or BluRay player. Or I will try to find an inexpensive way to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro. I wish I had been given that option from the beginning.

The reason that a DVD player is not included with Windows 8 is that MS expects DVDs to become obsolete in the near future, but Kevin and I both do not believe that to be the case. Kevin should know since he is in DVD sales at Sony, and while sales have already peaked, they are still steady and are a huge business. People still have vinyl records, and so I think DVDs should be expected to be around for a while. Apple removed the DVD drive from their notebooks long ago, and that is another reason I won't buy their products.

I'll give you another update when I get this problem resolved.

Lars

Well, after about three months, the new computer I got with Windows 8 will no longer start! I can take it back to the store to be fixed because I bought an extended warranty - because I do not trust computers any more! I have no idea what is causing the problem - it might be the "sleep" option, or it might be anti-virus and windows updates fighting with each other. I put both on those on manual, but the anti-virus updates itself automatically anyway, and if it does this while Windows is trying to update itself, I get major problems.

I have all my files stored on external hard drives, and so I have nothing to lose if the computer has to be replaced again. I have a laptop with Windows 7 that I can use, but it has problems with the screen showing full color. I'm going to take that in for repair also, since my warranty covers one other device that I already have.

Lars

Oh Lars, I hope mine lasts longer than yours did, I got mine on Cyber Monday. And, of course, it has Windows 8, which I still don't like. There are applications which will only "run from desktop". It's loaded with things I'll never use, like games and links to on-line gaming sites. Ugh.

Good luck with yours, I hope you get it all straightened out. Elery's son is an IT technician for a big company and I told him that I just wanted a computer that I could turn on, it wouldn't take 10 minutes to load, and that worked. He said I needed an Apple.

Annie

As it turned out, when I turned on my computer today, it started working again. The first thing I did was run the anti-virus program to check for problems, and most of the problems were with IE, which I never use, although sometimes it starts accidentally. The other problem I found was with the VLC video program that I use to watch certain videos that I download that will not play on Media Player Classic (my favorite media player) or the other standard programs. As it turns out, VLC has serious security issues, and the anti-virus program told me that the solution was to download the newest version of VLC. However, when I did that, I was warned that this version was also unsafe, and so I plan not to use VLC in the future. I have some old videos that would not play on my preferred players, but I guess I do not need to watch those videos.

I've tried using Apple, and I have many more problems with that than I do with PCs, and I find it much less versatile for my needs. If I were doing a lot of video editing, it would be helpful, but since I do AutoCAD drafting instead, it is inferior.

Lars

"As it turned out, when I turned on my computer today, it started working again.----"

Just a small tip:

After a few years of use, it is amazing how much dust gets collected inside a computer. There are a few parts of a computer which are very heat sensitive, namely the CPU, the power supply and the graphics card, the ones with a fan and/or heat sink. If the heat sinks and fans are coated with dust dirt, they cannot evacuate heat effectively and the computer will not work. If you have access to compressed air, take the computer to outside of the house and wear a face mask to blow the dust out. Or go to a car repair shop and borrow their compressed air.

"---I have some old videos that would not play on my preferred players,---"

Tip #2:

You can down load video converters to convert any video format to formats which will play.

dcarch

Dcarch, I've only had the computer for three months, and it is in an area that protects it from dust.

I prefer not to spend the time converting video formats - the videos are not worth it!! On ones that worth it, I did convert the formats.

Lars

Just in case of total frustration....

That being said, I really like how fast Windows 8 boots up my computer. No more ten minute waits and it is worth the major adjustment.

Here is a link that might be useful: Seems like a good business

I have no comment on Windows anything as I have been a Mac user for 23 years. But I must say the photo of you and your friends is very nice.

Eileen