# Switching to Windows 8...



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

My 12 year old computer is giving me signs that failure isn't very far away so a new computer is likely going to replace it soon.It's going to be a huge learning curve I guess,from XP to W8 but...it's the price for evolution.

My question is simple...will this forum and Decoder Pro work with W8?Am I worried for nothing?


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## CSXDC (Jan 20, 2014)

Not sure if you've ever ordered a computer before, but I bought a new computer about 6 months ago and had it custom-installed with Windows 7. Some manufacturers still have this option available. Best thing about Windows 7 is that it has been out for awhile, and it's a solid system. Not difficult to learn either. I do have a high-end business laptop though, which gave me a few options for custom ordering.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

I too stay with windows 7 it's easier and more stable than 8 or 8.1
If you can see it you can get one with windows 7 or better yet windows 7 pro, you won't have any learning curve going from XP, they are about the same interface.
If you must go to 8 I have heard that JMRI will work on it and there are drivers for the PR3 too.
http://www.digitrax.com/downloads/


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

Yes JMRI works fine on Windows 8. 

And if you find that you don't care too much for Windows 8 and the new and improved 8.1 you should check out Stardock Start8 and ModernMix - I use them with Windows 8 and like the end result a great deal.


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

Personally I would get them to install windows 7, windows 8 is horrible it just takes forever to do the simplest thingsand can be VERY unstable sometimes (crashes etc) windows 7 is like xp just even more stable, if you use xp you'll find windows 7 easy pretty much the same And it's much more stable than windows 8, very good OS.
Windows 8 is nice on a tablet, but it is AWFUL on a desktop since you don't have a touch screen.
So yeah, get windows 7
Good luck with your new pc


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## CSXDC (Jan 20, 2014)

Another thought: You can also buy Windows 7 and install it on a new computer. But it runs about $110 plus tax at Best Buy.


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## raleets (Jan 2, 2011)

We bought a barely used laptop from an estate sale that had XP on it. Our local computer shop easily converted it to Windows 7 Pro for about $50. 
Works great!!


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## Ml-toys (Dec 19, 2013)

What i hear from everyone that get 8 is that they hate it


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I bought a Dell Insperion touch screen a few weeks ago. It has W8 installed on it. Works great for this forum. I haven't tried JMRI on it though. It takes a little getting used to and is much faster than my 9 year old Dell Laptop. The touch screen is unique and is kinda interesting how it's laid out. I'm still getting lost in finding my way around the desktop and digging onto the control panel.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

I'm going to run XP until it no longer runs. I've yet to hear anyone say they like Win 8.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I run Windows 7, and I'm quite happy with it. I installed Windows 8 on a spare computer, and now it's back running Windows 7! I was not impressed.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

If I understand the salesman right,if one takes W8 with a regular screen,he indeed won't be too impressed with it.That's what my wife did three months ago and it's just that...she's not thrilled at all.

But if you get a touch screen,then W8 shines.In fact you have no choice as no other Windows version will accomodate the touch screen.Honestly,the touch screen appeals to me,what worries me is how reliable these devices are.

I'm looking at an Ultrabook Asus Core i5 wich seems to be a good machine.I sure wish the touch screen would work with W7...still thinking......


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## briangcc (Oct 11, 2012)

Windows 8.1 isn't that bad...just install Classic Shell from www.ninite.com (along with anything else you may want). It'll give you the vintage start menu back, ability to boot directly to the desktop instead of that gawd awful Windows 8.1 Metro, and is relatively stable. I would stay away from plain Windows 8 as that OS was buggy as all heck.

But if you really want Windows 7, I know Dell will offer downgrades to it. You may have to call them to have your PC/laptop custom configured but they were doing it recently as my work just bought a bunch of desktops with Windows 7 downgrades.


BTW: Touchscreens have support all the way back to XP. Just enlarge your icons on your desktop. Thing that detracts from using a touchscreen is all the finger smudges on the screen you're trying to look through. Give me a mouse any day!


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## D&J Railroad (Oct 4, 2013)

I forgot to clarify, W8 will work with the mouse pointer too.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I have no use for a touchscreen on my desktop computer. I deal with it on the phone and tablet, it has no place on my desktop.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

gunrunnerjohn said:


> I run Windows 7, and I'm quite happy with it. I installed Windows 8 on a spare computer, and now it's back running Windows 7! I was not impressed.


I bought a new laptop about 5 months ago. My requirement was that it was a Windows 7 machine. Dell was more than happy to sell me one. My partner told me she heard that HP was going to sell their machines with Windows 7, not 8. I know of few who actually like 8.


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## kix662003 (Mar 8, 2013)

Windows 8 was hard to get used to, but with running Windows 7 Professional on the laptop, I agree that the boot and shut down is much faster. VLC doesn't have a video player that works well with 8, but is great on 7. My version of Photoshop that I have in 7 won't work in 8. Having 8 on a new HP desktop, 8.1 is of no value. I, too, have downloaded the Start 8 program, and that makes life easier, whether coming from XP, Vista or 7. It's a pain sometimes to put photos on a flash drive to use Photoshop and it would be nice to have VLC for flash videos, but for me it's not bad enough to buy the Win 7 OS for the desktop. Eventually, the support for the older OS will end, and we'll all have to upgrade to have malware removal tools from Microsoft. At least the price of a new PC is lower today. I couldn't upgrade my old desktop for what I paid for my new 6-core HP Envy with 1T of storage!


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

My new laptop has 8.1, what a mongrel thing, the desktop still runs w7, I like it, be warned.


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

Downgrading from 8 to 7 can be done, but not easily.


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

Windows 8 does have a number of good points but the "Metro" UI is not, imo, one of them.

For $5 I added Stardock's Start8 and I was basically back to Windows 7 but with the good parts of Windows 8 available.

As long as Start8 works I'm fine with Windows 8 on any new machines.

I have not upgraded to Windows 8.1 (which moves a step or two back towards Windows 7) for fear the something will break.


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

JackC said:


> I'm going to run XP until it no longer runs. I've yet to hear anyone say they like Win 8.


Sad news Jack, Microsoft is finally pulling the plug on XP support after April 8, 2014.:sly:
So you have 2 months before you computer will self-destruct! :rippedhand:


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## fcwilt (Sep 27, 2013)

JackC said:


> I'm going to run XP until it no longer runs. I've yet to hear anyone say they like Win 8.


After adding Stardock Start8 I like Windows 8 - aside from the Metro UI (don't like) it has some nice new features.

It will take maybe an hour to get used to it with Start8 installed.


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

I am a former IT guy. Rule of thumb for Microsoft products...use the odd numbered releases.


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

So true!
I dislike windows 8 mostly because of the touch screen and I prefer a mouse, and it is terrible to use with a mouse...

And as for microsoft ''pulling the plug'' well I'm waiting to see what's going to happen
I haven't downloaded an update in years as they mostly caused problems, and microsoft haven't TOUCHED xp in ages so I don't think anything will change The internet is covered in hype about how your computer will cease to function etc but honestly  they just want people to buy a new windows 8 machine.


Only worry is internet support, but chrome will be ok for a while yet, once the browsers are discontinued THEN I say it's dead but I'm not leaving XP yet


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## golfermd (Apr 19, 2013)

JackC said:


> I'm going to run XP until it no longer runs. I've yet to hear anyone say they like Win 8.


It's not so much that it will stop running, rather newer applications will not run on XP.


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## Gansett (Apr 8, 2011)

Thing is this 'puter is for fun, not work. I have a Office suite from back in "ought 3" that works just fine for me.
The only thing that would affect me and many,many others is if next years tax prep software, Turbo Tax,Tax Act and HR Blocks entry won't work on XP. I'd bet the farm those entities aren't going to lose hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of customers by marketing a product that won't run on XP.


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## BK R (Dec 8, 2012)

Another thing to watch for when going to W 8.....a few years ago I bought a new PC that had W 7.... I then found that my old printer and scanner were not compatible with 7, so I was also up for a new printer/scanner.


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## RedManBlueState (Jan 9, 2013)

rrgrassi said:


> I am a former IT guy. Rule of thumb for Microsoft products...use the odd numbered releases.


As a current IT guy, I totally agree!!

Odd numbered Windows, even numbered Star Trek movies. :smilie_daumenpos:


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

RedManBlueState said:


> As a current IT guy, I totally agree!!
> 
> Odd numbered Windows, even numbered Star Trek movies. :smilie_daumenpos:


YEAH!!!:appl: I'm only a former IT guy due to Out Sourcing.


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## trains galore (Jul 22, 2013)

I sometimes wonder if the general idea with windows is to make each revision more bloated and processor/RAM hogging than the last so people have to buy new computers all the time:laugh: I do like 7 because it is stable but all the pretty interfaces just take up processing power.

Honestly though, I have had the displeasure of using windows 8 on a laptop with an intel atom and 2gb ram it was TERRIBLE and even though the atom processor is newer the pentium 4 from 10 years back is just as goodhwell:
They need to start making OS's more resource efficient


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## lgjc (Oct 25, 2011)

It's absolutely amazing to me that MicroSoft released Windows 8 with functionality that is soooo cumbersome. It's like they tried to make it less user friendly. I usually like new stuff, including software, but Windows 8 has been a PITA for me.


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## underthetire (Jun 6, 2013)

Remember vista? I skip every other ms OS, so windows 9 should be OK 

Sent from my G-Tab Quantum using Tapatalk


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

ME (Mistaken Edition), Vista, Win 8. All worth not using.


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## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

Just a quick question then...let's say you give W8 a try and don't like it,can it be wiped away and install W7 instead?The machine should be powerful enough,isn't it?


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