View Profile
View Forum Posts
You guys have helped me enormously from a past pc build, son's desktop pc, plus plenty of other things and now my wife needs a new laptop. She currently has a Dell E1505 15" laptop that's pretty worn out. She has an iPad Mini but still likes the bigger screen & keyboard of a laptop it's for play not work.
I'll have my eyes open for a bargain between now and Xmas so I can wait for a good deal. I don't want to spend probably anymore than $400 (or less) but still want something good that will last a few years... it also needs to run on Windows 7.
What do you think of this laptop? http://configure.us.dell.com/dellstore/config.aspx?oc=smi153w7ph5701&model_id=inspiron...en&s=bsd&cs=04
I wish it had a bigger and faster HD (7200RPM) and an i5 Processor but I guess you can't have everything for the price.
What does it actually mean when a laptop or desktop pc says "Windows 7 Professional English 64bit (includes Windows 8.1 Pro 64bit License and Media) [Included in Price]? Is this a good or bad thing?
+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 26 of 26
-
-
Try going to www.tigerdirect.com and shop.
If it feels good, do it. -
It is a good thing. It means Windows 7 Professional English 64-bit is installed and Windows 8.1 Pro 64bit License and Media are included in case it becomes necessary to upgrade to windows 8.1 at some point. The laptop should be fine for general use for a few more years, and it's possible that at some future date your wife will decide that she wants to use something that is only available with Windows 8.x.Originally Posted by mccoady
Windows 7 will be easier to get used to than Windows 8.1 if your wife is moving from XP or Vista. (I have used all four of these.) However, Windows 7 mainstream support ends on January 13, 2015 and Windows 7 extended support ends on January 14, 2020. Extended support is more important because the OS still receives security patches while its available. This page explains the difference between what mainstream and extended support means for consumers and businesses. https://support2.microsoft.com/gp/lifepolicy -
My wife is coming from a Windows 7 machine. Just curious if you ever upgraded to 8.1 Pro from 7 Pro could you go back again?
Do you think a laptop with those features could be gotten cheaper than $400? -
Maybe, but the price difference would not be huge. You would have to shop around to find out.Originally Posted by mccoady
That I don't know. Today, there is normally no installation media for the pre-installed OS provided with a pre-built PC from Dell, HP, etc. Re-installing Windows 7 Pro would need to be done using the restore partition on the HDD. I have never tried going back to an earlier version of Windows that way.Originally Posted by mccoady
I don't like not having installation media. For insurance against HDD failure, I ordered Windows 8 install disks from HP when my sister and brother-in-law gave my mother a Windows 8 laptop two years ago. -
So if I order the Dell I can order a Windows 7 install disk? What do they charge?
-
I don't know. Maybe you could enter a chat session with a sales assistant during the ordering process and find out. All I found by searching was a way to order Dell recovery media after receiving your PC: https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/mediaOriginally Posted by mccoady
-
Thanks I will check it out and thanks for your help!Originally Posted by usually_quiet
I don't know. Maybe you could enter a chat session with a sales assistant during the ordering process and find out. All I found by searching was a way to order Dell recovery media after receiving your PC: https://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/mediaOriginally Posted by mccoady
-
If you do decide to try widows 8.1, I recommend installing Classic Shell. It will make 8.1 more like Windows 7.
-
True. I ended up installing Classic Shell too. Although they are not freeware, there are other similar programs, like Start8! and StartIsBack. ModernMix is good if someone wants to run Metro apps in a window on the desktop. Many people also find they need to change many of the default file associations away from Metro apps to more familiar programs.
Last edited by usually_quiet; 17th Nov 2014 at 09:12. Reason: clarity
-
Yeah I had read up on them when Windows 8 first came out but my wife needs to stay with Windows 7. I've installed Windows 7 on all our computers and I'm pretty knowledgeable with this OS and I'm not interested in learning a new OS at this point in time. I'll wait for another OS generation or two before I jump into that.
-
Calling Windows 8 a new OS is a bit of a stretch.Originally Posted by mccoady
Unless you have specific compatibility issues I really do not see the issue of using Windows 8 as opposed to 7. You can pretty much make the UI it look like 7.
Out of curiosity what does your wife think about it? Perhaps she does want the latest and greatest!Originally Posted by mccoady
-
Windows 8.1 update is a very good OS. Windows 10 is scheduled to be released sometime next year.
-
I guess to spell it out my wife is pretty dumb when it comes to computers and she would be asking me all the time how to do something.
Like I said I have no desire to bone up on how to use to use Windows 8.1 since she would be the only one using it. When the time comes I feel I need to upgrade I will with 10, 11, etc. but I'm happy with Windows 7 for now. I spend more time nowadays on my iPad than my PC.
-
I've had two laptops with W8.1 and I immediately added Start8 to them. The W8.1 interface is a nightmare if you are used to W7, IMO.
The good news about W8.1 is, without the W8.1 junk, it's really a nice operating system. It seems a bit faster than W7 and it is up to date for drivers and add ons.
I just bought a W8.1 Asus laptop for less than $300 through NewEgg and it does what I want as a laptop. It doesn't have a DVD/CD player, but I never used the player on my last laptop. I did pick up a external USB DVD drive, though. The laptop has a USB 3 and a HDMI port. One of my dislikes is that the battery and RAM are not easily accessible. You need to split the case to change either. No removable panels.
That's generally the setup you will get with sub $300US laptops.
-
Indeed there is nothing wrong with Windows 8.1 except for the metro interface but that can be changed easily.Originally Posted by redwudz
I've had two laptops with W8.1 and I immediately added Start8 to them. The W8.1 interface is a nightmare if you are used to W7, IMO. The good news about W8.1 is, without the W8.1 junk, it's really a nice operating system. It seems a bit faster than W7 and it is up to date for drivers and add ons.
I just bought a W8.1 Asus laptop for less than $300 through NewEgg and it does what I want as a laptop. It doesn't have a DVD/CD player, but I never used the player on my last laptop. I did pick up a external USB DVD drive, though. The laptop has a USB 3 and a HDMI port. One of my dislikes is that the battery and RAM are not easily accessible. You need to split the case to change either. No removable panels. That's generally the setup you will get with sub $300US laptops. -
Ok so maybe I'll rethink my position on Windows 8, or at least not let it be the determining factor in choosing a laptop.
Immediately after starting Windows 8 and installing Classic Shell, Start8!, or StartIsBack what other other changes should be made for it to operate/look like Windows 7? -
Three of the major differences are the Start Screen, the Charms Bar and the need to set up a Microsoft account (to be able to use the App Store and various cloud-based services). The Start Screen can largely be avoided by using a Start Menu replacement, plus setting up Windows 8.1 update to boot into the Desktop. I don't think the Charms bar can be disabled, and it is the easiest way to access a lot of system settings, so I think you will have to get used to it. It is possible to only use a local account and delete the Microsoft account, but you may not want to give up access to the App store as a few of the Apps might appeal to your wife.Originally Posted by mccoady
Many of the file associations use a Windows 8.x app by default. Often these are not as good as the program Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows used. The old program may still be installed, and if that is true, it makes changing the default file association easy. However, sometimes the old program isn't installed, in which case you will need to obtain and install the old program or an alternative.
If your wife uses Windows Media Player to watch DVDs and some other types of video, she will need to find something else. Windows 8's version of Windows Media Player won't play anything other than music and .wmv files. Microsoft did not want to pay the licensing fees required for DVD playback, or for the required MPEG-2 video decoders, plus some other codecs. Also, a number of governments have sued Microsoft for bundling WMP with the Windows and making it good enough that too many people want to use it, so crippling it may address the problem of facing similar lawsuits in the future.
Some hardware and software that works for Windows 7 is incompatible with Windows 8, but I don't think these problems are worse than was the case when moving from XP or Vista to Windows 7. -
Just have to think about it I can already see my wife having a hard time understanding the Charms Bar
-
IMO, Windows 8 sucked even after I installed Classic Shell. Windows 8.1 with Classic Shell was better, but still wasn't to my liking. Windows 8.1 Update(8.1.1) is what Windows 8 should have been. On my desktop (non-touch screen) I boot to the desktop and not the start screen. I have turned off the Charms Bar from popping up when my mouse cursor is in the upper right hand corner. The only time I see the Charms Bar is when I hoover my mouse cursor in the lower right hand corner. Windows 8 is not for everyone. If your wife is more comfortable with 7, I would stay with that.
-
Or perhaps you are underestimating your wife?Originally Posted by mccoady
-
Member
- Nov 2014
- Orlando, FL
Actually, it's more than that. Microsoft has come out saying that Windows 10 will be a free upgrade for users who have Windows 8.1. So having that license means your wife will be able to upgrade next year for free.Originally Posted by usually_quiet
It is a good thing. It means Windows 7 Professional English 64-bit is installed and Windows 8.1 Pro 64bit License and Media are included in case it becomes necessary to upgrade to windows 8.1 at some point. The laptop should be fine for general use for a few more years, and it's possible that at some future date your wife will decide that she wants to use something that is only available with Windows 8.x.Originally Posted by mccoady
[/url] -
As I already mentioned, I installed Start8. It's less than $5, so not a burden. I disabled the W8 start screen and reverted to a W7 style start screen. There's really not a lot more to do. The 'Charms' bar only activates when you go to the far right side of the screen. And it's easy to ignore.
If you accidently access the W8.1 startup screen, just click on the 'Desktop' panel and you're back to W7 style. Any other adjustments can be done with the W8.1 system.
I add a larger black mouse pointer, turn off 'don't show extensions for known filetypes, and turn on single click to open items. These are all in 'Control Panels>Folder Options.'
The big 'secret' with W8 and 8.1 is that the W7 interface is still there, just hidden by W8/8.1. That's why it's so easy to get to the W7 start screen.
Just me, but I also disable the touchpad on my laptops in BIOS and buy a radio mouse. Much easier, IMO. And the cursor doesn't just jump around when I try to type.
Being that MS has forced most PC manufacturers to install W8/8.1 by default, it's on the vast majority of new PCs, like it or not. It was designed solely for a touchscreen PC, really useless on a non-touchscreen PC. IMO. But MS didn't care. But once you get rid of the 'touch' part of the interface, it's easy enough to deal with and a decent OS.Last edited by redwudz; 18th Nov 2014 at 22:07.
-
IMHO another dreadful legacy from Steve Balmer, glad he is gone!Originally Posted by redwudz
-
Gotta say I agree it's not so bad performance-wise. I only recently installed my first copy of Windows 8.1 on... my wife's computer. I had resisted Win8 after all I read, but it's actually a snappy OS once you get over (or hide) that first layer of touchscreen nonsense. It's easy enough for even a non-techie better half to get used to for most common non-techie better half uses.
It's somewhat annoying accessing the more technical aspects of the OS I (the family IT guy) would typically have to deal with - I feel like Archie Bunker in that episode where his furniture is rearranged and he's pissed off because he stubs his toe walking through the house in the dark on his way to the john at night when he's spent twenty years memorizing where everything is.Last edited by p_l; 18th Nov 2014 at 22:58.
-
I think that is still just speculation on the part of various reporters and analysts. I just did a search and found no official announcements from Microsoft stating that a Windows 10 upgrade will be offered at no cost to consumers running Windows 8.x.Originally Posted by SomeWhoCallMeTim
Quote
Visit Homepage
