This will be Microsofts biggest ever flop, far bigger than Vista.

[area 66]

If you want a shell like Windows 7 , well you stay with Windows 7... This is a new OS, you get it like it is, no one force anyone to install it. I must admin that I have quite few thing I will like to see MS change in Windows 8, but I will for sure not make it look like Windows 7, it's 3 years ? we have Windows 7, I start to be bored., all true I will have prefer something more Desktop friendly.

Ms miss the boat with Windows 8, but only by few seconds, it will be easy to correct mistake if they want. Don't be fool , I'm sure Microsoft have a real desktop Windows 8, they just put it on the tablet.

 

[Mustang]

Mustang, did you change the printer, i mean did you tried to swap the HP to another computer to see what gives.
Anyway, i do not believe HP when they say the printer is fine.

Jeff

Hi Jeff, this is my setup:

Windows 7 PC, MS Office 2010, HP Deskjet 3050 Printer.
Windows 8 PC, MS Office 2010, HP Deskjet 3050 Printer.

I have swapped the printer from W7 to W8, and W8 to W7. And everything prints seamless on both systems, except on W8 it cannot print Excel files created in W7. It will print Word files created in W7. And will print new Excel files created in MS Office 2010 on W8.

There are other issues too, with MS Office 2010 Excel in W8. If I take an Excel file created in W7, and copy/paste it to a blank Excel file created in W8, it will not copy properly.

1. If the whole contents of a W7 Excel file are highlighted/copied, then a new blank Excel file opened in W8, and the W7 file pasted to it, the error message comes up that the formulas cannot be duplicated in the W8 Excel file, only values. And even if it's copied with only values, it still isn't even close to the origianl document. Most of the Paste Special options are missing.

2. However, if a new blank Excel file in W8 is opened/saved/closed and then reopened, the contents of the W7 file can be copied, with all Paste Special options available.

3. However, even after pasting, using the 3 Paste Special options of: Paste/Paste Formulas/Paste Formats ... the format of the W7 file is not pasted correctly. Arial 10 reverts to Calibri 11 default in the new W8 document, instead of Arial 10 as in the original doc. Also row heights are not faithfully copied.

This means that the selected print area for things like Profit & Loss statements no longer fit on one page as designated in the originating document. They're too big.

But even if the format did copy correctly, to try to convert all my Excel docs using this method would be totally impractical because there are too many. Even if I buy a new printer, there is no guarantee, because if there is an issue in Office 2010 on W8, I'll be wasting my money.

It should also be noted that all Excel documents originally created on both Vista and W7 using earlier versions of MS Office from versions 2003 and 2007 all print seamless on that printer in W8.

So it's only Excel docs created in W7 in MS Office 2010 that won't print in W8. The HP Deskjet on W8 prints all Excel docs created in all other OSs on MS Office 2003, 2007 and 2010 ... except Excel created in 2010 on W7 or Vista.

It's either a glitch in Excel in MS Office 2010, or a compatibility issue W8 has with Excel in MS Office 2010.

The really annoying thing is that Microsoft Tech support won't even look at it, and dismissed it out of hand. At least HP took control of my PC and spent nearly and hour trying to trouble shoot it. The only solution they could offer was the work around of recreating the files in new W8 Excel files, which as already stated is not practical.

 

[Night Hawk]

If you want a shell like Windows 7 , well you stay with Windows 7... This is a new OS, you get it like it is, no one force anyone to install it. I must admin that I have quite few thing I will like to see MS change in Windows 8, but I will for sure not make it look like Windows 7, it's 3 years ? we have Windows 7, I start to be bored., all true I will have prefer something more Desktop friendly.

Ms miss the boat with Windows 8, but only by few seconds, it will be easy to correct mistake if they want. Don't be fool , I'm sure Microsoft have a real desktop Windows 8, they just put it on the tablet.

The 8 release with RT gui for Surface Tablet is what they are calling the next major desktop release! What you see is what you get! The focus again was on Tablet by design where you simply swipe fingers on a 7-10" screen to move around not move a mouse cursor back and forth twice as many times to get one thing done!

This is what the main fuss is over and why many of those trying 8 out as well as many who are going to run the new version are opting for the 3rd party addons. In fact if MS had wanted to bring the Start screen onto the desktop releases and still keep the tradition Start orb the Start screen would be launched from the Start menu itself for the All Programs option over simply removing what has been working for most all these and leaving no options behind.

At least with Vsta you saw the options for Classic or Aero where none have been offered in 8. Instead the Surface gui is MS saying this is what you will use without any other options by us!

 

[Mustang]

I purchased W8 Pro OEM disk from a retail computer shop for $149. I have imported Explorer 7 and original W7 Orb Start Menu using Ex7ForW8.

In it's native state I wouldn't have touched Windows 8 with a barge pole!

My first experience with it was with the original Enterprise version from a DVD inlcuded with Australian PC Magazine. It's bad enough using a touch screen and lack of start menu on my Android smartfone, but to have a smartfone GUI touchscreen set-up pushed down your throat for a desktop ... No way Hosea!

Why did I buy it? For the faster improved kernel OS, which is basically an upgraded Windows 7 OS. I call my setup Windows 7 v2.

My W7 Ult 64bit cost $421 ,($Aussie), so $149 didn't break the bank.

In fact if MS had wanted to bring the Start screen onto the desktop releases and still keep the tradition Start orb the Start screen would be launched from the Start menu itself for the All Programs option over simply removing what has been working for most all these and leaving no options behind.

That's exactly what you get when you install Ex7ForW8. There is an icon in jump start menu, (of Orb Start Menu), that logs you out of Explorer 7, and back into Explorer 8 via Start screen. And the same icon is used in Start screen to get back again.

Now if I could just get my Excel printing problem fixed ... see Post #1602 above ... I'd be a happy camper.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

Mustang wrote: Now if I could just get my Excel printing problem fixed ... see Post #1602 above ... I'd be a happy camper.

Easy fix for this, instead of C/Ping the file, open the file menu (upper orb) locate the ORIGINAL file you created, choose it, and click open. NOW it will give you an option to convert it into the format that can be read by your printer. Remember to check it over to make sure your columns and rows line up right before you click the orb and print it.

 

[Mustang]

Mustang wrote: Now if I could just get my Excel printing problem fixed ... see Post #1602 above ... I'd be a happy camper.

Easy fix for this, instead of C/Ping the file, open the file menu (upper orb) locate the ORIGINAL file you created, choose it, and click open. NOW it will give you an option to convert it into the format that can be read by your printer. Remember to check it over to make sure your columns and rows line up right before you click the orb and print it.

Thanks for the input Mike. When I open the original spread sheet file, these are the options I get.

​

If I choose the option Convert to Compatibility mode, unfortunately it still won't print.

Was this what you were referring to?

UPDATE:

Mike you're a freakin genius! What you said didn't work but it put me on the right track. See new diagram.

​

By choosing --> Check for issues --> Inspect Document

It listed various items and showed personal XML properties that were incompatible. By deleting these the document printed perfectly without having to create a compatible version. And all formulas, formatting etc were exactly as before.

Cheers Mate :thumb: You've made my day!

What Microsoft didn't want to know about, and HP couldn't fix after nearly an hour with their senior techo controlling my PC, you've fixed in a couple of minutes.

Now I'm a happy camper!

 

[AncientDragon]

>I purchased Windows 8 Pro OEM disk from a retail computer shop for $149.

You paid twice the price I did at Best Buy for $69.99, but it wasn't OEM disk.

I'm giving Windows 8 another try, took my computer to Best Buy where I bought it and they installed Windows 8 for me for free because I bought a warranty when I bought the computer. It's been working great for a few days now. The more I use it the more I realize that except for the Start button everything in Windows 7 is still there in Windows 8, just in different places. I suppose it's just a learning curve. I just installed M$ Office Pro yesterday, have not tried copying xcel sheets from Win7/Office 2007 to Win8 Office 2010.

 

[PaulGo]

Why should we reward Microsoft for its stupidity in creating an OS we dislike? If you need third party patches to get it to become a usable OS then we should not be purchasing the OS since it tells Microsoft that the junk they are currently providing us is OK.

 

[Mustang]

Off topic: Printing problems with MS Office 2010 Excel s



Update to Post #1606

Off topic: Printing problems with MS Office 2010 Excel spread sheet in Windows 8.

It seems there is a security issue involved here with W8. When I create an Excel spreadsheet in Windows 7, it prints straight off.

When I try to print the exact same Excel sheet in W8 it will not print.

As mentioned in post#1606, if I open the Excel document in either Windows 7 or W8, and run: Check for issues > Inspect Document, it shows a warning under: Document Properities and Personal Information.

Windows 7: If this item is left intact, the document will still print OK.

Windows 8: If this item is left intact, the document will not print, period. To be able to print the document, the option to "Remove all" must be run on Documents Properties and Personal Information.

On checking the documents Properites > Details, before and after running "Remove all", the only item removed is my user name.

So in effect if I leave my user name in the document properties it will not allow me to print it in W8, but it will allow me to print it in Windows 7.

How can I over ride this enforced security measure as I want to retain my user name under Properties > Details.

 

[Mystere]

Why should we reward Microsoft for its stupidity in creating an OS we dislike? If you need third party patches to get it to become a usable OS then we should not be purchasing the OS since it tells Microsoft that the junk they are currently providing us is OK.

That's just it. You *DON'T* need third party patches. You simply *WANT* third party patches, because you don't want to change how you do things. Windows 8 is perfectly usable the way it comes from Microsoft. Just because you don't like it, it doesn't mean it's not usable.

 

[SIW2]

That is the double edged sword.

Many will be using workarounds or classic shell / tihiy's app. etc - so that win8 is usable for them.

MS should be thanking the guys who make these things.

The downside is , MS may take that to mean you like the product as delivered.

I dare say that if none of these things existed, far fewer on this forum and elsewhere would be using win8 at all.

That can have a surprising ripple effect - as the word spreads to the general public. Their geeky friend is using win8.

MS are very fortunate.

Why should we reward Microsoft for its stupidity in creating an OS we dislike? If you need third party patches to get it to become a usable OS then we should not be purchasing the OS since it tells Microsoft that the junk they are currently providing us is OK.

 

[area 66]

I agree with you Mystere, I will add that peoples don't know what they want, they have Windows 7 working fine, but it's not enough for them, they want a new OS who will be the same a Windows 7 ...do you understand that ?

Now it does means that I love Windows 8 , they have to seriously fix the annoyances, especially with 2 or 3 monitors and give an option to disable the hot corner. I learn to use the key short cut, I don't need the hot corner, this is an easy fix if Sinofsky want.

 

[Mike Lonewolf]

Go ahead and do that, then save it Mustang, then with a little tricky magic, right click on said Excel spreadsheet, then click on properties, then click on the details, and your name should still be there, and of not just click the author area and type in your name.
Bingo, Bango, Bongo. You are seen as the owner, no matter the formatting.

 

[gregrocker]

I've now gotten a perfectly stable Win8 that runs faster than Win7, has the exact same Start Menu with all of my settings, ignores the Wall of Buttons and all the crApps therein, and has the same WIn7 gadgets I like. As a bonus it's a bit faster since it doesn't have to load Metro into RAM.

I did this with Ex7ForW8 which installs the actual Seven explorer so you have the same Start Menu, and 8GadgetPack - Gadgets for Windows 8 - same gadgets as 7, just gotta rightclick to hide the sidebar.

That any user would have to go through this to have a tolerable desktop experience only points to the foolishness of forcing a touch screen OS on desktop users, who will not tolerate a wall of buttons slamming down on their work to access Start menu functions, not when they already had the best OS ever.

 

[Mystere]

That any user would have to go through this to have a tolerable desktop experience only points to the foolishness of forcing a touch screen OS on desktop users, who will not tolerate a wall of buttons slamming down on their work to access Start menu functions, not when they already had the best OS ever.

This is a completely false argument. No user *HAS* to do this. Windows 8 is 100% completely usable as it is out of the box.

You don't like Metro. Fine, but that doesn't make it unusable, as lots of people find it quite so. It's your own refusal to change that is the problem here. Your argument, taken to the extreme, would be that a Mac user comes to Windows 7, and complains that there's no dock (even though the superbar is similar in many ways), complains that each window has it's own menu bar, complains that there's too many buttons on the mouse, then proceeds to install various tools and apps to make it look exactly like MacOS X.

Then, he has the gall to say "The very fact that I have to do all these things to make Windows 7 usable shows how bad Windows is".

Would you not, rightfully, rip into such a person about their faulty logic?

 

[Night Hawk]

That is the double edged sword.

Many will be using workarounds or classic shell / tihiy's app. etc - so that win8 is usable for them.

MS should be thanking the guys who make these things.

The downside is , MS may take that to mean you like the product as delivered.

I dare say that if none of these things existed, far fewer on this forum and elsewhere would be using win8 at all.

That can have a surprising ripple effect - as the word spreads to the general public. Their geeky friend is using win8.

MS are very fortunate.

Why should we reward Microsoft for its stupidity in creating an OS we dislike? If you need third party patches to get it to become a usable OS then we should not be purchasing the OS since it tells Microsoft that the junk they are currently providing us is OK.

Before I even had tried Start8(the first one looked at) or Start Menu 7 as you recall prior to Classic Shell I worked my way through things to see a shortcut created for each item I could pin on the taskbar or add into a quick launch type addon toolbar from the taskbar itself or add onto RocketDock. Someone else pinned the Programs folder to the taskbar or simply expanded the taskbar and kept on pinning things to it.

All that taken into consideration the 3rd party addons are mostly heard of where? Here af 8F without a doubt while the general public will eventually become the deciding factor since that's a much larger populace of less informed individuals except where OEMs have compensated for the MS gui change with their own Start menu developed! Staples office supply now running ads offering "free training" for Windows 8 on the new machines they sell. They know people will be stumped at how MS went about things and returning new machine fast unless they help out!

I agree with you Mystere, I will add that peoples don't know what they want, they have Windows 7 working fine, but it's not enough for them, they want a new OS who will be the same a Windows 7 ...do you understand that ?

Now it does means that I love Windows 8 , they have to seriously fix the annoyances, especially with 2 or 3 monitors and give an option to disable the hot corner. I learn to use the key short cut, I don't need the hot corner, this is an easy fix if Sinofsky want.

What was interesting was finding out why once Classic Shell was on I suddenly would not see the popups for the Start screen like I should have until going over the CS settings even further. Somehow the disable Start option was ticked off. The other thing to know about the options for the Start button or orb is changing it from 7's Aero style to XP or see the 8 Start screen appear from the taskbar button.

With Vista and later 7 people still wanted the XP Classic theme showing despite what new version it is people "want familiar turf"! This is why many still linger on to XP despite being told the newer versions have been found far more stable and secure with MS making improvements in those areas while unfortunately this large of gui change for 8 is based on the Windows RT package for Tablet and Tablet PC not best suited as the OS to replace a Desktop 7!

Each new version brings in something new as everyone already knows. Which version tickles someone's fancy the most is what they will stay with regardless of how much or how little someone else likes or hates a newer version!

What does that mean? For some you can simply toss any changes at them and they will buy into the newer. For others who have a different agenda the changes one version brings in on the other hand can be a "Royal Pain in Der..." putting it that simple. This is when they opt for the extra help of the 3rd party items to make the OS usable!

It's not that "you can not run this new version the way it is" but how much of a hinderance this sudden change will be for those that do still try and work with it! For someone who doesn't have a lot of time to play around with new "Bells & Whistles" as far as the gui being changed or is not geeky in nature but wants things kept simple as many do the way 8 is is awkward.

Others are lost at finding settings for their WiFi connection it seems and have to be coached on how to get into the Control Panel by either having it in view in any WE window or by right clicking on the desktop to click on the Control Panel>Home when the Personalization screen appears in order to get into the Network & Sharing Center. Or just to find the command prompt since where iare the Accessories formerly found at the top of the All Programs list?

The Start screen is fast and furious for your main problems with a simple swipe on the touchscreen! Some here with 8 Tablets are finding that out for themselves. But for finding settings oh gee that right click in lower left if you know about some of the CP items there or getting the mouse cursor over just the right spot on the right lower corner is awkward as "H" at times.

It still works but best on Tablet which it was intended for! No one is saying "You can not work with it!" at all. The main point is not everyone will even want to be bothered trying to keep each Win key shortcut in memory as they go about their daily tasks. They won't want their desktops cluttered up with Shutdown and Restart shortcuts either. People as a general rule simply want to see things "MADE EASY" for them! You can't get away from human nature there!

 

[SIW2]

I have heard some arrogant tosh in my time, but that takes some beating.

Mystere
It's your own refusal to change that is the problem here

OK Mystere, from now on - there is a new way for you to get to work.

Instead of driving the 10 miles each way - you are going to crawl on your hands and kness.

You don't like it ?

It's your own refusal to change that is the problem here

 

[Mystere]

I have heard some arrogant tosh in my time, but that takes some beating.

Really? What, exactly, is the point of upgrading to a new OS if you just want to turn it into the old OS?

OK Mystere, from now on - there is a new way for you to get to work. Instead of driving the 10 miles each way - you are going to crawl on your hands and kness. You don't like it ?

Well, if I had moved to a new location, knowing that this would be the case... Then I would have nothing to complain about, now would I?

The point you are missing is that YOU DECIDED TO UPGRADE. Microsoft did not put a gun to your head. Why upgrade and then refuse to accept the changes that come with it? That's just pointless.

 

[Night Hawk]

I won't touch that one with a ten foot pole! RIght from the get go the one lump sum I knew would be coming however was 8 would be seeing all types of opinions! Some are going to love it while others are going to hate it putting it that in simple terms.

When Vista was first it was the say way desipite being for different reasons. The complaint was many didn't have the hardware support and complained about it being a sluggish OS. SP1 corrected some of the initial bugs like not accurately reporting the actual amount of physical memory installed. By SP2 however it was smooth sailing for the more secure OS at the time. 7 was a champ right out of the box with everybody wanting it while now for 8 MS went off in a different direction and where the mixed bag of opinions are emerging.

Here I could easily pick up an OEM 8 Pro x64 disk at any time and do what? It won't run a number of apps that work well on 7 and no longer supports video playback in WMP which is used regularly to test integrity of video captures. VLC is used at times while that program won't suffice all the time as any substitute.

If anything I would likely pick up an 8 Tablet or Tablet PC for use as a portable where the gui is where it should be on the RT! Recently picking up a Syvania Netbook with the embedded form of 7 on it wasn't so good! No java support for the limited form of IE on it not allowing you to log in as well as having an 800mhz processor? You need at least 1ghz or faster these days as well as 11gb or more and a larger SSD onboard!

 

[Mystere]

SP1 corrected some of the initial bugs like not accurately reporting the actual amount of physical memory installed.

Actually, Vista did report the correct amount of Memory that the OS could use. Many people complained that they had more memory in the system than was displayed, and this was because Vista could not use that memory.

Finally, Microsoft relented and just displayed what was there, rather than what the OS could use. In effect, lying to us because we demanded it.