How to make Windows 8 less horrible?

M

meme

Limp Gawd
Joined
Jul 15, 2004
Messages
239
I just installed Windows 8.1, as I had Vista 32 bit and needed a 64 bit operating system. Holy fucking god damnit this thing is fucking horrible.

Click on a picture file or sound file while on the desktop or in File explorer, and suddenly I'm in this horrible Metro crapfest where I can't access the desktop and the metro programs are awful and I wish I'd never clicked on that picture or sound file, but now it takes about 10 steps to get back to where I was on the desktop.

I knew that everyone hated Windows 8, but it's way worse than I imagined. As in, yeah, when I tried to view the 10 pictures I had in a directory on the hard drive, I did not want to be taken into Metro where I now had no access to the directory and so couldn't view any of the other 9.

Anyone got a general link on "how to make Windows 8 like windows 7/vista"?

Or, at least, anyone know how to stop windows 8 from sending me into its horrible Metro interface?

I'm guessing I need to install 3rd party programs to view pictures and movie files and sound files, and set these as the default. Any quick advice as to what a good general purpose picture file, sound file and movie file player would be?

And why the hell does every new window open behind the current one by default, so that I can't see what is going on with downloads and such?

"How bad could it be?", I thought....
 
You don't need to install new ones. The old viewers are there, you just have to change the file association (right click file, open with, choose default program).

In Windows 8, it used to be as simple as uninstalling all of those Metro app versions, but in 8.1, you can't uninstall them, which is pretty stupid IMO.
 
AMD T-type said:
in terms of making files open in certain apps, just change it the same way you've had to change it since like... windows 2000
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I'm very confused by the OP's curse-filled ranting when 5 seconds of near-muscle-reflex effort would have fixed virtually everything.

He's also using "Windows 8" and "8.1" interchangeably, which just makes it more confusing. I hope he's on 8.1. http://howto.cnet.com/8301-11310_39-57591261-285/how-to-boot-directly-to-the-desktop-in-windows-8.1/
 
The annoying thing about 8.1 is having to change each file association manually. In 8, all I had to do was uninstall the Metro apps.
 
Tsumi said:
The annoying thing about 8.1 is having to change each file association manually. In 8, all I had to do was uninstall the Metro apps.
Click to expand...

In the next Windows I get the feeling people will be saying "remember when you could still change file associations"
 
Yeah... no. That's not going to happen, at least not with the next 2-3 Windows releases. It would be a rather dramatic step to lock out third party programs.

Even then, that would basically mean that Microsoft would lock out third party photo and media apps from their stores as well. That's something that is simply not happening.
 
Feel free to hate on me for saying this, after a week of getting used to windows 8 i think its awesome. Things are way different and got to learn a different way to get there but ultimately it works way better.
 
meme said:
And why the hell does every new window open behind the current one by default, so that I can't see what is going on with downloads and such?
Click to expand...

This one I can agree with, this irritates me when I transfer files. I would assume there is a option for this but I've yet to spend any time to look for it.
 
Honestly.... as much as I hate on Windows 8, it's really not THAT bad. I actually like it in many ways. The thing that really irritates me about it though, and makes me not want to like it (or MS in general), is Microsoft's arrogance in forcing not just metro, but also the stupid ribbon interface on people. With a company that large, and as important a product Windows is, there is absolutely no reason why they couldn't of maintained and innovated both the classic and 'new' interfaces in parallel and keep both the Tablet and Desktop users happy. Windows 8 would of been an amazing, if not legendary, upgrade from windows 7 if not for those two things IMHO. Instead it will likely be remembered as a giant turd.

I use it daily on my Ultrabook with StartisBack and the ribbon remover tweak and really enjoy it. It's the way the OS should of shipped
 
I love the ribbon interface style but I could do w/o the "Modern UI". Overall, 8.1 works great & since I only use the start screen for certain app & app searches, I'm quite happy.
 
meme said:
I just installed Windows 8.1, as I had Vista 32 bit and needed a 64 bit operating system. Holy fucking god damnit this thing is fucking horrible.

Click on a picture file or sound file while on the desktop or in File explorer, and suddenly I'm in this horrible Metro crapfest where I can't access the desktop and the metro programs are awful and I wish I'd never clicked on that picture or sound file, but now it takes about 10 steps to get back to where I was on the desktop.

I knew that everyone hated Windows 8, but it's way worse than I imagined. As in, yeah, when I tried to view the 10 pictures I had in a directory on the hard drive, I did not want to be taken into Metro where I now had no access to the directory and so couldn't view any of the other 9.

Anyone got a general link on "how to make Windows 8 like windows 7/vista"?

Or, at least, anyone know how to stop windows 8 from sending me into its horrible Metro interface?

I'm guessing I need to install 3rd party programs to view pictures and movie files and sound files, and set these as the default. Any quick advice as to what a good general purpose picture file, sound file and movie file player would be?

And why the hell does every new window open behind the current one by default, so that I can't see what is going on with downloads and such?

"How bad could it be?", I thought....
Click to expand...

Hi

1) right click on any picture stored on your computer, and go to 'open with', then click ''choose default program'', and select ''windows photo viewer''. This should solve the problem without having to install any 3rd party stuff, and all pics will open in a non-metro way

2) for sound files, there should be a similar right click process as (1) which will allow you to select windows media player (non metro) as default sound player

3) windows 8 isnt as bad as you think. Admittedly, it doesnt come with much instruction, but youtube has plenty of tutorials this one> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BSmmSU-UZU is a nice little 25 min video.
If you have the patience to watch the video, things fall into place.


I switched from vista (which I had no problems with, despite all the hatred against it) to 8 in May of this year, as a new system I ordered came with 8 (no option for windows 7 as 7 was discontinued).
Before the pc was delivered, I watched a fairly lengthy (about 30min) tutorial like the one in the link above. I had no probs and the transition was smooth for me.
Had I not watched the tutorial, I would have been like you, and many others (ie bewildered!). I had tried 8 in shops and I could do nothing on it, it was so confusing.

I suspect once you get to grips, you wont need any 3rd party stuff.

I thought I would have teething problems and would have to download 3rd party apps and stuff, but I was fine. The metro apps are a total waste of time I never use them. I spend 99% of my time in dektop mode, anything I could do in previous versions i ccan do in 8.

I like the speed of windows 8, the new taskbar, file manager, copy&paste illustrations, to name a few pluses.




Let me know how you get on

EDIT: here is another little summary tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wi8NpwiEuzc it only lasts 5mins and is really helpful
 
Last edited:
Start menu replacement, remove all default metro apps and replace with desktop equivalents if none are already provided. It doesn't fix all of the annoyances, but the fewer trips you're forced to take into metro hell the better.
 
PinchedNerve said:
This one I can agree with, this irritates me when I transfer files. I would assume there is a option for this but I've yet to spend any time to look for it.
Click to expand...

I don't understand the set of steps that makes that happen. I've never had "every new window open behind the current one by default." If I open a window it typically opens in front of everything.
 
Tsumi said:
Yeah... no. That's not going to happen, at least not with the next 2-3 Windows releases. It would be a rather dramatic step to lock out third party programs.

Even then, that would basically mean that Microsoft would lock out third party photo and media apps from their stores as well. That's something that is simply not happening.
Click to expand...

Uh huh...
 
DPI said:
Uh huh...
Click to expand...

Prove that they will do it then. Until then, you're just spreading FUD, like you do in virtually every other Windows 8 thread.

I doubt you'll find anything, but I'll present proof to the contrary:

Internet Explorer anti-monopoly lawsuits.
Windows Media Player/Media Center anti-monopoly lawsuits.

In every case, Microsoft lost, and it's not like they were preventing people from installing and using alternatives. If they take the major step of preventing use of alternatives, I assure you Microsoft will be sued out of existence (at the very least extremely impacted).
 
Romale23 said:
Feel free to hate on me for saying this, after a week of getting used to windows 8 i think its awesome. Things are way different and got to learn a different way to get there but ultimately it works way better.
Click to expand...

A lot of dislike towards Windows 8 is because it does change a lot in a old and well known paradigm that many are happy with. On a purely mouse and keyboard driven machine, it doesn't make as much sense overall as a device that also supports touch. However I think 8.1 works better even on a mouse and keyboard only device with multiple independent monitors. And 8.1 apps now support better horizontal resizing, some a pretty cool to use on the desktop in combination with desktop apps, like Xbox Music, Twitter, Facebook, etc. And they actually have maximize and restore capability like desktops.

For instance, take the desktop and snap a modern app to the size. When you double click on the top of the modern app it will go full screen. Double click it again and it snaps back into its original position, very much like any desktop app. So more work to do on the desktop side and with customization but overall it's a matter of getting used to the new UI and learning about the modern apps and how many are actually nice on the desktop now.
 
meme said:
And why the hell does every new window open behind the current one by default, so that I can't see what is going on with downloads and such?
Click to expand...

Not sure what you mean....I have been using W8 since day 1 and this has never happened as far as I can remember.
 
SuperSubZero said:
I don't understand the set of steps that makes that happen. I've never had "every new window open behind the current one by default." If I open a window it typically opens in front of everything.
Click to expand...

I generally only see this (that I can remember) during file transfers which I do very regularly in my house. Sometimes I do it to test the house wifi & when the transfer progress window defaults to open behind file explorer I find it irritating as hell because I am always curious about the speed of the transfer.
 
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