Return or refund help!!

Nicky1209

Hi, i hope someone can help! my mum bought a new laptop from argos which has windows 8 on it. Her previous one was windows vista and she could use that no problem. When she bought it she assumed windows 8 would look like all the previous versions. She is a pensioner with only basic computer skills and unable to use it at all, both myself and my 16 year old nephew struggled! I spoke to argos to see if she could exchange it for an identical one but that has windows 7 and was told that it was exempt from their 30 day money back guarantee and that they wouldn't have exchanged it anyway as the box had been opened and the lap top switched on. So basically there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. She now has a £400 laptop sat doing nothing. Does this come under the "not fit for purpose" part of the sale of goods act? and if so what do i do next? Thanks in advance.

ThumbRemote

Not a consumer rights answer, but install Start8 (costs about £5). Gives you the start menu and the old look and feel of windows 7. I use it and don't touch the new-look Windows 8 stuff at all.

Nicky1209

Brilliant, as long as it looks the same and she doesn't have to use the apps, she'll be fine. Where do I get Start8?

vuvuzela

Nicky1209 wrote: »

Hi, i hope someone can help! my mum bought a new laptop from argos which has windows 8 on it. Her previous one was windows vista and she could use that no problem. When she bought it she assumed windows 8 would look like all the previous versions. She is a pensioner with only basic computer skills and unable to use it at all, both myself and my 16 year old nephew struggled! I spoke to argos to see if she could exchange it for an identical one but that has windows 7 and was told that it was exempt from their 30 day money back guarantee and that they wouldn't have exchanged it anyway as the box had been opened and the lap top switched on. So basically there was absolutely nothing she could do about it. She now has a £400 laptop sat doing nothing. Does this come under the "not fit for purpose" part of the sale of goods act? and if so what do i do next? Thanks in advance.

It is most definitely not 'not fit for purpose', it just looks and acts differently to W7 etc but it does exactly what MIcrosoft wanted it to do (sadly). I'd agree with ThumbRemote - Start8 is very good. http://www.stardock.com/products/start8/download.asp

Nicky1209

That's ok, start8 sounds like it'll do the trick nicely! Thanks a lot both x

Nicky1209

Sorry, 2 more question for you.... Can you have icons on the desktop with start8? and does it change internet explorer to look like the windows 7 version too?

vuvuzela

Nicky1209 wrote: »

Sorry, 2 more question for you.... Can you have icons on the desktop with start8? and does it change internet explorer to look like the windows 7 version too?

First question, yes. Second question, I don't know, sorry, but I suspect not.

neilmcl

ThumbRemote wrote: »

Not a consumer rights answer, but install Start8 (costs about £5). Gives you the start menu and the old look and feel of windows 7. I use it and don't touch the new-look Windows 8 stuff at all.

Or better still get a cheap copy of Windows 7 and install this instead.

vuvuzela

neilmcl wrote: »

Or better still get a cheap copy of Windows 7 and install this instead.

Cheapest OEMs will likely run you around 70 quid, and if it's a new laptop, possibility there may not be drivers for W7 available. Then there's the hour and a half installing it (minimum) if you know what you're doing and have done it before. The Start8 will be much much less fuss and way cheaper.

Nicky1209

Yes i've done it before myself, it is a bit time consuming and I don't really want her to pay out much more if I can help it. I'll try the start8 first and go from there. Thanks everyone x

SuperHan

I believe that if you take the laptop to a Currys/PC World store they will teach you how to use Windows 8 (for a fee, of course).

Granted you don't want to spend more, but if she really can't get on with it, it might be worth spending a bit more money so she can get a personalised tutorial and learn how to use it

But the advice above is good, try start8, it may solve all your problems!