My Sis and Windows 8
David_Aston
Forumite 1.2K Posts
in Techie Stuff
Yesterday, I spent about two hours on the phone to my dear Sister, trying to help her get her new Windows 8 endowed laptop to work. As a Vista user, I start off by knowing zilch about 8. I could however Google for help and relay this to her over the phone.
Naturally, I don't know how clearly she understood the help I was trying to give. Or of course what she was doing.
It did occur to me that if at least I could get her online she could access the same Google help I was looking for.
So, could anyone give me a short blow by blow description, of how to at least get her from signing in and start up, to getting the computer to "see" her BT router. She does have an ethernet cable to pyshically connect the router to the laptop, and I did wonder if simply plugging this in might stimulate the computer into offering her a connection wizard. Going forward the computer should also operate through wifi, but I am thinking, "One step at a time." To indicate my problems, we would have spent a good hour trying to find the @ sign so she could put her email address into the machine. I can see how we should be able to fix that.
Any help re the internet access problems will be very gratefully received.
Naturally, I don't know how clearly she understood the help I was trying to give. Or of course what she was doing.
It did occur to me that if at least I could get her online she could access the same Google help I was looking for.
So, could anyone give me a short blow by blow description, of how to at least get her from signing in and start up, to getting the computer to "see" her BT router. She does have an ethernet cable to pyshically connect the router to the laptop, and I did wonder if simply plugging this in might stimulate the computer into offering her a connection wizard. Going forward the computer should also operate through wifi, but I am thinking, "One step at a time." To indicate my problems, we would have spent a good hour trying to find the @ sign so she could put her email address into the machine. I can see how we should be able to fix that.
Any help re the internet access problems will be very gratefully received.
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Prior to that though, and I can't stress this enough for normal users, it is not worth creating a Microsoft Account when you first turn the PC on. If you choose you don't want one, you can create a local account the PC (like you did with Windows 7 and all previous versions) then link an existing account should she wish to use the App store.
Once in, tell her to click on Desktop tile then the Internet icon. She can google from there
I hope to goodness that she hasn't managed to create a Microsoft account. It does seem unlikely, given how flummoxed she sounded, and I increasingly became, over the two hours!
I can't frankly remember what I did about an account when I got this five year old Dell Desktop.
Apparently it's supposed to look like this.
We have got that far. I don't suppose you could throw any light on this business of not needing to create a Microsoft account. She is getting pestered by the machine as she is trying to set up her email account?
I can however tell you that IE will look different depending on where it's launched from.
http://www.howtogeek.com/121975/htg-explains-microsoft-accounts-vs.-local-accounts-in-windows-8/
In which case she can probably use this as a stopgap while you ponder the possibilities.