Computer upgrade - windows 8 and solid state drives

[saaz]

Well I finally had to bite the bullet and upgrade the desktop computer (yes, I still use one) as the windows XP install had a corrupted file after a power outage, would not boot and I could not repair the install.

So, I bought 2 solid state drives, one for programs and one for data (the idea is the operating system can be refreshed without affecting data).  Windows 8 upgrade software bought and installed (thanks to Lionel as he had all the extra bits I did not have).

After a bit of a learning curve, all works great. Boot up and program speed is like the computer is supercharged, it is that much better.  The solid state drives must account for a fair bit of this, but windows 8 is supposed to be faster as well.  It has not taken long to get used to the way it operates, as there is a desktop option in there. Most other tasks can be readily found somewhere, just in different spots.

The upgrade from XP is straight forward, but only personal data can be retained.  Everything else has to be set up again.

Windows 7 upgade (for my laptop) kept everything so was very painless.

[Biggles]

Windows 8 cheats on the boot time by saving an image of your computer at shut-down, then just reloads it on start-up.
SSDs would certainly help.  It will be interesting to see what their life is, since USB pen drives are only good for around 500 to 1000 write/read cycles.

How different if W8 from W7? 

I still run XP on the desktop and still prefer it to W7 on the laptop.
You can help recovery from a disaster by making a backup image of the system and programs to an external drive and/or DVD.

[IanB]

Saaz and anyone else who installs W8 pls keep us updated.
Want to do the same since I intend to shift into the 21st century with a phone update and the preferred option is to stick with Nokia which runs the W8 software.
Nokia may not have all the smart apps like Apple and Google Android but it does have a good GPS and free lifetime maps. One less farkle needed.

[saaz]

I actually preferred windows 7 on the laptop, as it seemed more stable, quicker and just did thing to help you out.

Windows 8 looks fundamentally different to windows 7, but hidden underneath it is a desktop like windows XP and 7. It is obviously aimed at the touch screen market first, with all the tiles and features more suit to touch and drag.  But once you get used to it and search up a few FAQs on how to do things it works fine. beware that many system features work fundamentally differently to previous windows, an even greater difference than the windows 7 over XP comparison.  All the things you want are basically there, it just goes about it in a different logical fashion.  If you run a smart phone with touch and drag the windows 8 interface will make more sense.

I haven't looked into backups as yet, so stay posted.  I need to clear my old backups on a terabyte drive I have and do a backup of my current install.  I keep a separate copy of all documents/pictures/videos etc in a non-backup format. 

Windows 8 cheats on the boot time by saving an image of your computer at shut-down, then just reloads it on start-up.
SSDs would certainly help.  It will be interesting to see what their life is, since USB pen drives are only good for around 500 to 1000 write/read cycles.

How different if W8 from W7? 

I still run XP on the desktop and still prefer it to W7 on the laptop.
You can help recovery from a disaster by making a backup image of the system and programs to an external drive and/or DVD.

[Whizz]

I tried Win 8 on a friends machine and absolutely LOATHED it...so did he to the point where he has switched to Linux as his operating system. 

I like Win 7, as you say it just does. 

Windows 8 is an attempt to grab the kids who only know iPads and iPhones and can't get used to a mouse, and only want to poke the screen with their big fat fingers, so the tiles on the screen are HUGE, you could hit them from the far side of the room with a boot ... that's if your desktop had a touch-screen of course!. 

Isn't it funny that the vast majority of businesses are still running good old reliable XP, and are showing no signs of moving forward, despite what Microscoff want the to do.

[alans1100]

Not to sure about WIN 8 yet.....guess it'll be on Heather's next laptop when it's time to replace her current Vista version.

We have a 64bit WIN 7 all in one touch screen which Heather bought from one of those hamper sites in 2011. The wide screen is to big for her at 58/59 cms so I get to use it sometimes.

Annoying thing with the touch screen is when your watching a movie some insect will come along and land on the wrong part of the screen and your movies has minimised or worse....lol

So it'll be a little while before we need to venture into WIN 8 stuff

[Lionel]

My latest and last employer, Dept of Defence, still uses XP.
I have a large (not touch) screen on a large desk. I can't imagine having to extend my arm half a metre to reach the screen every time I need to change something.
IMHO touch screens are OK for smaller devices, iPhone, iPad, etc, but no use to me with my desktop setup.

[Brock]

I guess you are on DRN then Lionell

[alans1100]

My latest and last employer, Dept of Defence, still uses XP.
I have a large (not touch) screen on a large desk. I can't imagine having to extend my arm half a metre to reach the screen every time I need to change something.
IMHO touch screens are OK for smaller devices, iPhone, iPad, etc, but no use to me with my desktop setup.

I still use the mouse on the touch screen, but with a wireless keyboard and mouse (and a flat battery) at least with a touch screen your not at a stand still.

[saaz]

I don't have a touch screen, windows 8 works quite ok with a mouse.  But then I don't have a smart phone or such, so am used to old fashioned human input interfaces.  In desktop mode you would not notice much difference apart from being faster.

In a work environment, training and and network support rule. My former work only moved over to windows 7 last year. I ran office 2010 at home well before work took it up.  Windows 8 is more of a consumer product.

[Brock]

I'm not a fan of the buttons, on a 22" screen they look big and clunky, and they arent what I want on the screen.

[Whizz]

Hey Brock, I'm on DRN, and was on DSN for about 18 months...and what a pain it the proverbial that was!

[Brock]

I have been on DRN for 20 Yrs, If DSN is the fibre net, then every one hates it.

[Lionel]

No Brock, I was kicked off the DRN when they gave me a bag of gold to retire 5 months early.
No complaints though, as they paid for my new second-hand 2008 ST1300 and a few other things.

[Brock]

  :

[saaz]

They can be changed quite easily

I'm not a fan of the buttons, on a 22" screen they look big and clunky, and they arent what I want on the screen.

[Whizz]

No DSN is the classified network (i.e. Secret) instead of Restricted. It's a real pain because it can't be connected to any other network so you can only send and receive emails etc from people also on the DSN

[Brock]

Yep thought so, thats what at Pearce is localy known as the fibre net, cos the puters are connected to rolls of fibre optic cable.

[saaz]

We had DSD certified network at work. It really restricted certain information that could be transmitted, and at what level and to who.  Confidential, Secret, Australian Eyes Only etc are national security classifications, things like restricted are at a lower level (ie embarrassment to government rather than national security). We had all sorts of trouble with overseas agencies sending through documents with confidential on them when in our terms is was more like in-confidence.

Glad to be rid of all this stuff anyway    A lot of the information I saw in DFAT communications was only rehashes of media reports or old news, and they placed confidential classifications on it!

[Whizz]

Saaz, if you worked at DFAT did you ever come across a bloke called Brian Clements, (ex Compucat)? He and I did all the Tempest and EMI/EMC testing for the Wedgetail Ops and Sim buildings and internal and external systems at Williamtown, hence the requirement for DSN traffic.

Brock, sounds like you've got it in one...and a royal pain in the poo-shoot it is! Glad to get off it I can tell you. 

[Brock]

For some reason, it was installed in the building I was working in at the time, no one knew why and no one wanted it and there was no use for it. The puters ended up being stored in a store room, other wies the rooms would have to have special locks fitted to keep un authed folk out..

More dollars wasted.

[saaz]

I worked at the Treasury, and had the need to access DFAT cables sometimes, as well as sending emails via secured lnks and the CABNET system

Saaz, if you worked at DFAT did you ever come across a bloke called Brian Clements, (ex Compucat)? He and I did all the Tempest and EMI/EMC testing for the Wedgetail Ops and Sim buildings and internal and external systems at Williamtown, hence the requirement for DSN traffic.

Brock, sounds like you've got it in one...and a royal pain in the poo-shoot it is! Glad to get off it I can tell you.