Solved Basic Win8 installation question...

At the moment I am using Win7 64bit which I am considering upgrading to Win8.

My desktop has Stardock's Fences running on it and most of my programme shortcuts are in seperate areas. There are about 50 shortcuts (it's just the way I like things)

If I upgrade, what happens to all these shortcuts? Do they all transfer over and turn up as tiles, or will they show up on the desktop as shortcuts?

If they turn up as tiles and clicking on one of them will launch it's associated programme, then what is the point of upgrading when that happens already?

Sorry for being thick, but I need someone to explain to me what I will gain by upgrading a fast, stable Win7 installation to something I would like, rather than need.

If anyone can work out an answer, I will be most grateful....

Beats me....

Hello there!

You know, I would image those shortcuts will carry over. I don't think it will be the way you have them set up, but they will end up being there if they're all compatible programs. To stay safe, just take a screenshot of your Desktop, and if the upgrade doesn't keep things the way they are, you can just tweak them back again.

I don't believe they will become tiles though, chances are that the start menu entries for those programs MIGHT be on the Start Screen, but more likely in the All Apps screen. If certain things have program associations, those probably will carry over, but I don't know for sure to be certain, hopefully someone else can answer this.

Ideally, I'd just do a custom, clean install. I don't ever do upgrades as they can cause issues within Windows that probably might not be worth doing it. So far, some people have posted issues that stem from an upgrade install from 7 to 8. Upgrades aren't flawless, but a clean install is. I'd suggest weighing the pros and cons of doing an upgrade install.

But if you're looking for reasons why to install Windows 8, I'll be right here.

Thank you both for your replies. Much appreciated.

I think I will stay with Win7. Allow me a moment to explain why.....

I have been using computers for some 30 years, starting on a Sinclair ZX81 and progressing through Commodore and all variations of Windows. So I am fairly knowledgeable.

However, I am just coming up to my 70th birthday and feel that by the time MS discontinue their support for Win7 (2020?) I will probably be dead!!

So I think I will continue with Win7 64bit which I like and, in my case, is both fast and stable.

Once again, thank you both for taking the trouble to reply and I hope you understand my reasoning.

Don't plan to be dead in 2020. I am 75 and plan to be alive in 2020. LOL.

beauparc said:

However, I am just coming up to my 70th birthday and feel that by the time MS discontinue their support for Win7 (2020?) I will probably be dead!!

Click to expand...

Wow, that gave me a good laugh! That's pretty interesting that you think you might end up dying with Windows 7...

:winkey: Oohh, there's the new Start button!