Windows 8.1 Pro N fresh install my 1st opinion

LATE, Late, late. I know.

Finally installed Windows 8 on an old Fujitsu Lifebook 1.2GHz C2D, 2GB DDR2 & 120 GB SSD. Version installed is Windows 8.1 Pro N x86.

From MS:
"The N editions of Windows 8.1 allow you to choose your own media player and software required to manage and play CDs, DVDs, and other digital media files."

This is my 1st experience using Win 8 other than a couple people saying try this & me immediately hating it.

Very quick install partly because of an SSD & part MS Win 8.

I heard about mandatory Windows ID & I said **** that. Then I heard you can bypass Windows ID. I swear this was the hardest part of the install. I almost created a new ID. Then I noticed I could skip this. The skip option was not present until I chose to get a NEW ID. Very sly of MS.

First program installed was Classic Shell. Makes the difference between using 8 or not for me. Only been playing with 8 less than a day. Can't think of any programs I'm using on my 17" media laptop running W7Ux64 that didn't install properly. Course when there are different 64bit & 32bit versions I used the 32bit on this.

Considering I had W7Ux64 previously on this Fujisu. I can say 8 is quicker to boot & much quicker to shutdown. I am using different security software. On my 17" I'm using Online Armor Free & EAM Paid. Fujitsu is running Outpost Security Suite Pro from a free license I got here or FatWallet.

Windows 8 feels much quicker on the Fujitsu. But this is subjective & not an apples to apples comparison. As noted different security software & 7 Ultimate 64 vs 8 Pro 32. I suspect though the biggest difference might be no Windows Media Player and software on 8N.

Couple things I'm looking into though. If 8 runs a defrag in the background or scheduled, got to turn that off. Like to uninstall Apps or disable them. Also on a couple programs I installed the shortcut icons were blank white not the colored program mini picture. But the proper picture appears after rebuilding the icon cache.

I use 7zip & under options I select all. But it never sticks & all my 7z files are blank white not the 7z icon. The proper picture doesn't appear after rebuilding the icon cache. 7zip appears in the right click context menu. Is there a way to make 8 let go of file archiving & let 7zip take over?

Also 8 has a built in PDF viewer? Or maybe it's SSuite - Ex-Lex Office Pro 2.2 thats installed. I usually use Nitro PDF causes it's a 2in1 solution (reads & creates). Anybody know?

That is it so far.

Suggestions are welcome.

 

Not really. I have Windows 8 with all of its bloats and it still has faster boot, shutdown, and fulltime operational speed than Windows 7, even with OA or AG running in the background. Well, at least it feels faster for me.

Either:
a. Right-click --> Properties --> Open With, or
b. CP --> Default Programs --> Associate a file type or protocol with a program and change the default program to 7-zip according to your desired file formats

Annoying, yes. But AFAIK those are the only ways. At least for 9.20 stable.

Yep. The Metro PDF viewer. I need multi-tabbed PDF viewer though, so I don't use it.

 

Thank you. I'm pretty sure with your help PDF is fixed. With 7z probably, though I am getting the b&w logo instead of the blue 7z on the manilla folder.

 

Eh?



I'm on 8.0 though, so it's possible that they messed changed some things in 8.1, like file associations.

 

When I go to file associations & choose 7z.

I get 5 options - when chosen results.

Lang - obvious no go
7z.exe - get a blank lined icon
7zFM.exe - black & white 7z logo as icon
7zG.exe - black & white 7z logo as icon
Uninstall.exe - obvious no go

Don't know where I'm going wrong.

 

Classic Shell
Fences
WinRAR 5.01
Sumatra PDF
Opera18

Then you are good to go.. Windows 8.1 is fantastic, and very speedy. Nothing to dislike about it, period.. Even on older hardware it's almost as fast as many linux distros.

 

@zapjb

A question: When you checked the file types in the main setting, did you run it as an admin? You need to elevate it, then choose file types you want. After that, set the file association through CP or right-click properties. Choose 7zFM.exe. Hope this helps.

 

I did & it didn't make any difference.

Oh well 7 zip still works & I uninstalled the MS archiving App/program.