New Computer Download Sequence - "Results"

MrWizard wrote:
classic shell was just about the first thing, i put on my Win 8 PC when i got it
then i immediately installed anti-virus and anti malware protection

then the rest of my programs

i think it was
fire fox
classic shell
antivirus ..etc

which i will soon be doing all over again on another PC

a hinge has broken on this laptop and the display back light has gone out
at this moment i am using my TV for a display all this happen saturday

this time i bought the 3yr service contract, this thing turned two on Jan 29,
so FRYS gets to repair it or replace it..their choice ?
taking it in this week, just as soon as i can backup all my files and data and verify i didn't miss any thing

wow. seems like yesterday when you were researching for a laptop w/ power.

martha's inexpensive dell ($250) hard drive crashed just after 1 yr. my 2 old XP machines went out and since november i have been on an inexpensive toshiba ($230} w/ win 8.1. it has some better low vision accessibility features that go beyond XP's, but i have not tried to master 8.1 like i had XP (which took many years).

for those looking to get a new PC which will be 8.1, consider that win 10 will build on it as well as bring back familiar classic features. i would say spend a few months using 8.1 w/o a shell for now. follow the tips others have been giving in this thread to tame the 8.1 desktop down closer to win 7. this should get you by for a while, then you will likely roll more comfortably into the free win 10 coming as soon as late summer.

on edit:

btw, just for fun i stuck my ms office 97 CD into win 8.1 which loaded and runs perfectly. i did not do anything special to make it happen.