8.1 just for fun

[spapakons]

I have not tested it with a Google account, but Windows Live Mail can be installed and run on Windows 10 and 11 by installing the latest Windows Live Essentials (version 2012). Were you referring to that or to the older Windows Mail from Windows Vista? You can also use the free Mail application that comes with Windows 10 and 11. While Mail has different appearance from old Windows Mail, Windows Live Mail has almost the same appearance. Let's hope it is Gmail friendly.

 

[TechnoMage]

Yes, "Windows Mail" from Vista. Copy all the files from Vista and install them into Windows 7 or 8.1 in place of the files in those OS's, and voila, you've got Windows Mail transplanted and running. I love it, because everything is so easy to set up.
More recently, some clever programmer, wrote O.E.Classic, an email program that closely approximates Outlook Express, and can be had for free, with just a few limitations or PAID for full feature. I bought the program to get the spell checker and multiple email accounts support.
But now, Google has decided that O.E.Classic also does not meet their requirements, so even though I've paid for the program, it no longer works for me.
Gawd, I hate that! I would have thought that the writers of O.E.Classic, would have put out an update to make it more compatible with Google Mail. Not so!
Years ago, I tried Windows Live Mail. That attempt lasted about five minutes. WHAT A POS!
But even with a few slight limitations, Mozilla/Thunderbird is working fine for me.
I had tried Thunderbird years ago and it was not anything like the Thunderbird of today. Just like Mozilla/Firefox has changed greatly since version 1.0.
Cheers Mates!
TM

 

[spapakons]

Why not use the moden Mail app? It is available in Windows 10 and 11, not sure if it is also in Windows 8.1

 

[TechnoMage]

Without naming names, just let me say that I've tried MANY so called email programs since email was first invented, and I've found them all seriously Wanting!
Except, for Outlook Express, Windows Mail (an O.E. Clone/look alike) and O.E. Classic. Obviously, or very possibly, you've not even tried any of the aforementioned programs.
Once again, I have Windows Mail working happily on Windows 8.1, after getting an "App Password" from Google.
Windows 10 & 11? Not interested in either one of them. Windows 10 is a POC, and 11 won't even install or run on any of my 12 PC's. So, it's a non-starter.
Like a horse showing up at the Derby, with a broken leg! lol
You can disagree with me till the cows come home, but you'll never change my mind.

Sorry California, I just filled up my gas tank at Walmart this morning for $4.44 per gallon.

 

[Bree]

and 11 won't even install or run on any of my 12 PC's....

Given enough determination on the part of the user Windows 11 can be made to run on almost anything, no matter how far below the official requirements

The one above is so far below spec it's practically a submarine

Let's see, which of my machines would be the lowest spec and least appropriate to install Windows 11 on?
That would be my little netbook, an Acer Aspire One D270.

Specs: Legacy BIOS, no TPM or secure boot. Intel Atom N2600, 2GB RAM. Even the display at 1024x600 doesn't meet Win11's minimum requirement of a "High definition (720p) display". And there are no display drivers available, so it's stuck with the Microsoft Basic Display Adapter.

Let's install Windows 11 on a incompatible hardware - post #37

 

[TechnoMage]

Sounds great, for those young enough and adventuresome enough to tackle it. I'm neither.
In the past I always enjoyed doing what someone would tell me, "You can't do that!" In some ways, and at some things, I still do that, but I just turned 79 years old yesterday, and these days I really enjoy good food, good drink and my favorite chair. And I really like it when my Chiropractor can stop that terrible pain in my back.

I've pretty well stopped my tweaking and tuning with Windows 10. But, I'm here in the Windows 8.1 forum because this is where I stop.
I did pretty well learn how to subdue Win-10 to support my customers who bought new PC's with Win-10 pre-installed. Now if they buy one with Win-11, I refer them to a shop in town. I used to race motorcycles too, but I had to stop that. There just comes that time..........

TM

 

[strollin]

On my personal computers, if Windows update says the computer is Win 11 capable and wants to do the upgrade, I'll let it. On my main computer Windows update says is not compatible because it lacks TPM. It has TPM, I just have it disabled in the BIOS. Maybe someday I'll enable it and update to Win 11 but I'm in no hurry. Meanwhile, I have a laptop and another of my desktops running Win 11. My Windows tablet has notified me that it is ready to be updated to Win 11 so I migtt go ahead and let it upgrade.

 

[TechnoMage]

WHY? What does it benefit you, to say "I'm running Windows 11?" Status? Public notoriety? Do you get a check from Microsoft?
Or, how about your name on a Wall Of Fame, somewhere. ???

I'm perfectly happy to just say, "I don't want any part of that crap!".

Sorry Dude, you do your thing and I'll do mine and I really hope that we both can be happy. Isn't that what life is all about?

 

[strollin]

I don't have any clue where your response came from. But in response I say, What does it benefit you, to say "I'm running Windows 8.1 on all my computers?" Status? Public notoriety? Do you get a check from Microsoft?
Or, how about your name on a Wall Of Fame, somewhere. ???

I'm perfectly happy to just say, "I don't want any part of that crap!".

Sorry Dude, you do your thing and I'll do mine and I really hope that we both can be happy. Isn't that what life is all about?

 

[spapakons]

Let me remind you that you don't have to pay for a Windows 10/11 license. You can upgrade to Windows 10 or do a clean installation using your Windows 8 or 8.1 key for free. You can eventually upgrade to Windows 11 again for free. If you don't like the look of 10/11 there are third-party tools to make it exactly the same as Windows 7/8, so that is not excuse either. Have a look at the relevant threads of Tenforums and Elevenforum respectively.

 

[TechnoMage]

You're obviously a very intelligent man, so why don't you get it...... I don't like Win-10, and I don't ever want to run it as my everyday OS, lic. Keys not withstanding.

I'm perfectly happy to continue to run Windows 8.1 as long as I can. I may stop when I'm dead. Or at least taper off gradually.

 

[strollin]

Just because you don't like Win 10, doesn't mean it is a bad OS. You're happy, we're happy, everybody wins!

 

[spapakons]

I wasn't addressing you in my post. I just wanted to let others know they can upgrade to Windows 10 and 11 for free using the same drivers. A new computer is supposedly compatible with Windows 10 or newer only. It shouldn't be too difficult to install Windows 8.1 in UEFI mode. The challenge is to force the Windows 10 drivers on Windows 8.1 Even bigger challenge to install Windows 7 in Legacy BIOS mode and force the Windows 10 drivers. Anyone brave enough and with a lot free time?

 

[spapakons]

Next time we have to build a new Ryzen PC for a customer (and hopefully adequate time), I will try to install Windows 8.1 on a spare disk just for the experience. I will start a new thread "Let's install Windows 8.1 on a new computer" and report my experience in detail, including if I could force the Windows 10 drivers and how I did it. Maybe time permitting I will also do the same with Windows 7 SP1.

 

[TechnoMage]

Cool!
I just finished installing 8.1 to an HP SFF Slimline PC, that had 8.1 on it before. During the initial install, the correct video drivers were not loaded, but after several reboots, they miraculously got installed. Windows 8.1 is crazy like that. Now all the drivers are installed and she's running great.

 

[spapakons]

Windows Update might have installed the proper graphics drivers automatically but if you want maximum performance and access to the Graphics control panel I strongly recommend to manually download and install latest graphics drivers directly from manufacturer (Intel, Nvidia or AMD).

 

[TechnoMage]

And, why would I need access to the Graphics Control Panel.
Do you mean, this one?

Windows 8.1 installed it for me. I've never needed one! It's too late to start now.

Remember the saying about "old dogs and new tricks".
By the way, A RE-Install of the latest and greatest version of 8.1/Pro/64, has really paid off.
My little SFF PC, with a new 500GB SSD, is just purrrrring like a kitten. I can really enjoy my PC once again.

 

[spapakons]

Of course, a fresh installation with all drivers properly installed always has better performance than an old installation. That's why a clean installation is preferred when upgrading the hardware or replacing the whole computer. But if like me you have tons of data and hundreds of software to re-install and re-configure, you first try to adapt the old installation to the new hardware and do a clean installation as a last resort. In my case, after 3-4 failed attempts to upgrade Windows 10 to 11, did finally a clean installation and took many days to re-install and re-configure my software. At least now it is as fast as it gets.

 

[TechnoMage]

The benefits of a Clean OS install is well known, as well as the time it takes to re-install all your favorite software. What is seldom talked about is the time and effort it takes to backup all your data.
I've installed Windows 8.1 many times, so that in itself is no problem and goes fairly fast. Even installing a dozen or more Programs takes some time, but is no real problem. What can be a real headache, is getting and saving the date files created by some of those old programs.

What has given me the most difficulty this time around, is saving the Web page logins and passwords that Firefox has been saving for me, for several years. Firefox has given me the ability to Export those files, in .csv format, but on the new install, there is no place that will let me Import those .csv files. Someone at Mozilla really screwed up on that one!!!

So I did the next best thing.... I opened the .csv file in Wordpad, increased the point size of the text, made it BOLD and Wordpad painted all the Web pages (links) Blue, which made them much easier to read and visually jump from web site to web site. When I sent that mess to my Printer, it took five pages to print out all my saved data. Every place I've logged in to with a Name and Password for several years is included in that one .csv file.
So I've not lost anything, it's just not IN Firefox where it would be much easier to recover.

Even with the problems I've encountered, I'd do a Clean Install in an instant, if the need arises. What I've learned this time, will help me greatly the next time. There is just nothing quite like a nice, Clean, Fresh Install of my OS.

 

[spapakons]

For anyone interested, to save you time to backup all your data, either use a spare disk (and copy your data back from the original disk after the clean installation) or do a new Windows installation on the same disk WITHOUT formatting. Choose the largest partition (where Windows is) and proceed. You will see a warning that there is already a Windows installation on the disk and will be moved to Windows.old folder, proceed. After installation find all your data in C:\Windows.old\users\yourusername. You can just cut-paste (move instead of copy) your user folders (Documents, Downloads, Pictures, Music, Videos) back into your new user folder (c:\users\yourusername). This will restore your data.

You can also change your settings to show the hidden folders and restore some more user data, such as Firefox data. I have successfully done this many times. Look carefully at the following folders:

C:\Windows.old\Program Files
C:\Windows.old\Program Files (x86)
C:\Windows.old\ProgramData
C:\Windows.old\users\yourusername\AppData\Local
C:\Windows.old\users\yourusername\AppData\LocalLow
C:\Windows.old\users\yourusername\AppData\Roaming

Copy any folder "Mozilla" and similar to the respective folder in the new installation. This must be done BEFORE installing Firefox. If you find Mozilla folder in C:\Program Files then you must download and install (upgrade) the 64-bit version. If you find Mozilla folder in C:\Program Files (x86) then you must download and install (upgrade) the 32-bit version. In each case Firefox installer will detect the old files and offer to upgrade Firefox to the new version. Doing that you preserve ALL your Firefox data, including themes, bookmarks, passwords, history etc!

To do the same with Google Chrome, you have to copy all the old Chrome data from C:\Windows.old to the respective folders BEFORE installing Chrome. Make sure you install (upgrade) to the same folder as the original. In case it was in C:\Windows.old\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Google you must select custom installation and make sure it goes to C:\Users\yourusername\AppData\Local\Google, not in Program Files! The same goes for Opera.

There is no easy way to backup your Internet Explorer passwords, so make sure you import them to another browser BEFORE you do the new installation, so you can get it from there. You can backup all your bookmarks (favorites) by copying your favorites folder from C:\Windows.old\Users\your username