Windows vista desktop

NiftyDigits

Kim_kim wrote: »

Thank you for trying to help, but I'm useless:(

Cold you point me in the direction of the best I can get for £200 - £250?

Perhaps you can tell us what machine that you are using now. Brand name and model number?

Kim_kim

Dell inspiron 530

NiftyDigits

Kim_kim wrote: »

Dell inspiron 530

Have sent you a private message.

patman99

If you are using Windows 7 at work, then Windows 8.1 will come as a total shock to the system.

I purchased a 2nd-hand 9 month old HP Pavilion desktop which had Windows 8.1 on it and it is a nightmare.
I have improved things by installing 'Classic Shell 8' and turning off the metro system to make it more usable, but installing printer drivers was a nightmare as was installing the latest graphics driver.

Had I managed to find some Win 7 drivers for an MSI 7778 mobo, then I would have removed Win 8 and used my now-redundant Win 7 Pro instead.

NiftyDigits

patman99 wrote: »

If you are using Windows 7 at work, then Windows 8.1 will come as a total shock to the system.

I purchased a 2nd-hand 9 month old HP Pavilion desktop which had Windows 8.1 on it and it is a nightmare.
I have improved things by installing 'Classic Shell 8' and turning off the metro system to make it more usable, but installing printer drivers was a nightmare as was installing the latest graphics driver.

Had I managed to find some Win 7 drivers for an MSI 7778 mobo, then I would have removed Win 8 and used my now-redundant Win 7 Pro instead.

Easily done

Little point in changing now though.

martinthebandit

Kim_kim wrote: »

I use windows 7 at work.
I don't want to leave windows.
I guess it doesn't matter if I buy 8 or 8.1 as the update is free?
Any further advice on the bargain basement towers.

You use Windows 7 at work so want to use 8 or 8.1 at home? Oh boy are you in for some fun, enjoy.....


PS, bargain basement towers are cheap for a reason and your almost ccertainly running vista on one.........

Chrishazle

Everything I've heard about Win8 says nightmare, so I'd suggest you avoid it and go for Win7 instead - you can buy a tower with no OS then buy Win7, which is what my BIL has just done - a Gladiator system from Aria for £250, Win7 was an extra £70 for home premium. I set it all up for him, and it's a nice system!

BTW, I upgraded my system from Vista to Win7 a while ago, and it's much nicer - and more stable!!

NiftyDigits

martinthebandit wrote: »

You use Windows 7 at work so want to use 8 or 8.1 at home? Oh boy are you in for some fun, enjoy.....


PS, bargain basement towers are cheap for a reason and your almost ccertainly running vista on one.........

That's a bit of a leap.... I'm sure that her PC will run Windows 7 with ease.

prowla

Kim_kim wrote: »

Every time I try to use my desktop it's a mission.
Been trying to start it up & get on the internet for over half an hour this time!

I've got a nice screen & a Kodak printer (cheaper refills), should I dump it & get a cheap windows 8?

I can probably get something for £250? Less?

Can anyone tell me the difference between 8 & 8.1?

Anywhere I should go for a cheap tower?


http://!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/Products/cat/Desktop+PCs/refine/46572~148095$46572~148191

I wouldn't go for Windows 8; Windows 8.1 is a free update to Windows 8; the difference between 8 and 8.1 is that 8 is really achingly awful and 8.1 is also really awful but slightly less so.

Windows 7 is nice, and pretty much like Vista but just done better in every aspect. Windows 8 is a whole shift of user interface; things are all flat and single colour, not pleasant to look at and rather hard on the eyes; the front-end was really designed for a cheap mobile phone and has no business being on a PC at all.

On the free angle, Ubuntu Linux is nearly as good as Windows 7, but you still have to get under the bonnet from time to time. I've just built a new PC and it's got Ubuntu on it.

An alternative is to go for a Mac mini - they are around £500 and work with Windows screens & keyboards (though I would recommend Apple's excellent wireless Magic Mouse); that's what I'm using right now.

Deneb

Chrishazle wrote: »

Everything I've heard about Win8 says nightmare

I don't agree with that. Win 8 out of the box maybe, yes. But Win 8.1 properly configured and perhaps with the addition of one of the excellent start menu replacements, definitely not.

I run both, and in my experience Win 8.1 with hot corners disables and no use of the Metro/Modern environment is if anything more solid and more responsive than Win 7.

Having said that though, with Win 9 not that far off, it probably doesn't make much sense to jump into 8.1 at this time.