Jody Thornton

Happy Ho Ho. Good wishes to you Submix8c. We've gotten off on a wrong foot in the past, but it's really good to be here. All the best in the New Year!

Could this be used instead of the WSUS Offline Updater? (say if I wanted to gather all of the updates available for an OS)?

I built mine with Windows Style Builder when I used the Windows 8.1 Evaluation Edition last year. Would there be an issue if I use it with Windows 8? I'll try some known Windows 8-specific visual styles and see what I come up with.

Actually I found a solution that works for me. I've downloaded and installed 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, with allows me to just use the old "Vista-Style" context menu (minimize, restore and colse choices). So goodbye jump list for now.

Hi Folks: I noticed whenever I right-click on an open program in the taskbar, I get a jumbled image like below: Now I've been told that the update KB3072318 is responsible for a similar issue in Windows 8.1. Once uninstalled, the issue goes away. But what about Windows 8? I don't have that update. Now I noticed that if I don't use an unsigned theme, the problem also goes away. As soon as I use an unsigned theme, the jumbled context menus return. I am using UxStyle, for what it's worth. I really prefer to use my custom visual style, so if anyone knows of a solution, I'm all ears. Cheers All (had have a good Christmas)

True, but I have to say Windows 8 is really snappy by comparison (I'd say even BETTER than Windows 7). So for now (lol) I'm glad I've switched.

Like he said. And yes, I will miss my Vista installation, but I am unable to run my tax software on it, because Canada has added a security protocol that is now incompatible with Vista and XP for Netfile use. So that hastened my decision this week,

Thanks Dencorso. Of course the interesting thing will be is what happens to Windows Defender support as of next month. I'm hoping I'll still get updates, but we'll have to see. It's funny. Vista would have continued receiving updates for another year and a bit, but Windows 8 is already running snappier (after an upgrade installation even)

Here's Pale Moon with the FoxE9 add-on. Looking good! (at least for me)

Well I went for it. My system is on Windows 8. Just applying updates and getting my apps to work again. I ran the upgrade over top Vista (and despite my usual hatred for upgrade installations, Windows 8 is running REALLY REALLY well.) Perfectly happy and I don't feel I'm missing anything that I can see from Windows 8.1. UXStyle, Classic Shell and most of my applications are installed. Just ridding of the Explorer ribbon, and I'll be all set.

I miss that era. I had a Cyrix 5x86/100 CPU installed on a baby PCI/ISA board with that BIOS on it. I ran OS/2 Warp 3.0 on it for the most part.

So do you think those concerns would extend to someone running Windows 8 (original) after next month when updates stop? I was hoping I'd hear thoughts on that in a Windows 8 thread I started on the topic. (I'm hoping it would be usable until 2023 at least)

Here Ya Go! xeoninfo.zip

Yeah I'll skip the patch (but thanks for the suggestion). I'd rather not risk instability. The whole reason to see if I can opt for Windows 8 original is so I can stick with a 64-bit OS.

Well I looked into what improvements are made with both Windows 8.1 and the Update 1, just to see if I can live without the improvements With 8.1 itself, I lose: Booting option to desktop (I think Classic Shell takes care of that) Multitasking of Metro apps (don't care) Start Button (Classic Shell helps here) With the Update 1 (I lose) Metro Title Bars (don't care) Default Boot to Desktop (Classic Shell bails me out) So I don't think I miss out on performance improvements per se, so I think this might be a go. I might upgrade from Vista to 8 this week) Thanks all!

I guess no one found a way to get any kind of security patches past July, eh? Not that it would make any sense since Server 2003 is gone too. Just thought I'd check in.

Hey Jaclaz, I cannot confirm that the CPU instruction you mentioned is the culprit. However, I do agree with that word "demented" as a fair description of making an oh-so slight change to hardware requirements on what you correctly labelled as a service pack. Nonetheless, I'm still hoping NoelC will chime in on this thread. I know what he has done with his Windows 8.1 installation with much success (basically updating to a point where Windows still operates at an optimum fashion, and then stops updating). I would think that with Windows 8, I would get updates to January, then it stops as well, and I don't even have to block telemetry updates. So as long as I can live without whatever Update 1 brings to the table, it sounds like I'm good, until I switch out the machine.

Yes I know. Hence the thread title. But I figured if NoelC is running Windows 8.1 successfully without updates (so no telemetry BS), I'd basically be in the same boat as him, except I'd even get updates in to January 2016. Just was trying to rationalize moving to a newer version of Windows. I have had good experiences setting up 8.1 for friends. I wondered if I'd be equally happy with original Windows 8. Whoops -- I read the entire thread and then went back to reply to your post. By the time I got around to that, I'd forgotten the title of the thread! --JorgeA You should hear me laughing when I saw your blushy emoticon. No worries. I guess what I really want to know is (with Classic Shell installed), will I be able to hide charms, and run Explorer-style Windows 8 the same way as with Windows 8.1, and has the Update 1 on 8.1 fixed anything that I'd be hard-pressed to put up with on Windows 8 original.

If you have time and opportunity, please run the latest CPU-Z on it, so that, on knowing for sure what CPU is inside, we may pursue the reason why 8.1 doesn't like it, even if just to satisfy our collective curiosity. Here ya go!

If it's important to you, Microsoft stops supporting Windows 8.0 four weeks from now. --JorgeA Yes I know. Hence the thread title. But I figured if NoelC is running Windows 8.1 successfully without updates (so no telemetry BS), I'd basically be in the same boat as him, except I'd even get updates in to January 2016. Just was trying to rationalize moving to a newer version of Windows. I have had good experiences setting up 8.1 for friends. I wondered if I'd be equally happy with original Windows 8.

Well, this snippet is interesting: Would it be possible that the good MS guys are wrong or lying? jaclaz No I've known this for quite awhile Jaclaz. The processors in an HP wxw8600 (which shipped with Windows 7 in 2009) will run Windows 8.1. The xw8200 with P4-style Xeons will Blue Screen on boot. I can load Windows 8 setup, but I cannot load Windows 8.1 setup. http://www.pcworld.com/article/2058683/new-windows-8-1-requirements-strand-some-users-on-windows-8.html I was trying to find the extensive thread on eightforum.com where several users run into this issue unknowingly. Boy were they angry. Here's one: http://www.eightforums.com/installation-setup/34549-win8-1-upgrade-win8-0-8-1-2-computers-one-failed.html

I will - I know that I have two Netburst (P4-style) Xeon Processors at 3.68 GHz.. But I'll grab CPU-Z when I get a chance.

I love using it with Windows 8.1. That's how I have my friend set up.

That's what I was always told jaclaz. Whatever the actual reason, the Windows 8 x64 DVD boots and starts setup. The installation for Windows 8.1 doesn't. No biggie. I'm hoping NoelC will chime in with his opinion too. Thanks guys. EDIT: I was saying Windows 8 "Classic" to make certain I was distiguishing from 8.1 (I have seen the lack of clarity trip up people). Penium Classic didn't exactly exist either, but I hate when people say "Pentium One" ... lol, so I followed in the footsteps of those few that used it.. I saw many people back two decades ago use the term "Windows 95 Classic" to refer to its original non-SR2 release, when I knew in reality it was just Windows 95. I just gave a psuedonym to Windows 8 for clarity.

Windows 8.1 has processor-specific demands like SSE2 and NX which aren't needed for 8 Classic. So vanilla 8 will run on my system. Regarding your comparison to 7, I think 8 runs better, faster and smoother than 7, and I like the somewhat flatter look. So even if I want to just use Windows 8 the way I'd use Windows 7, I actually prefer the feel of the environment a tad better. Just a curiosity Why would I use Classic Shell on Windows 7? I was thinking about how NoelC is running Windows 8.1 in a "frozen" time state (with no new updates). I figured that I would basically be in the same boat on Windows 8, and I would avoid all telemetry add-ons.