Annoying - bought Win8.1 64-bit instead of 32-bit. Swap?

[Watchman]

As per the title - I need a legit copy of 32-bit Win8.1 32-bit however I've just bought the 64-bit one by accident (mouse-tourettes), opened it, and started to install it all very blithely until the installation bombed-out.

I doubt Ebuyer will swap it for me, based on the fact that I've opened it.

Anyone fancy a swap? Needs to be legit, with DVD, licence and be able to activate.

[Vaud]

Take a look at this:

http://www.howtogeek.com/186775/how-to-download-wi...

You should be able to create a 32bit media to install, given you have a legit key.

[theboss]

Failing that just wipe whatever it is you want to upgrade and install the x64 version... See it as a blessing in disguise!

[Watchman]

Laptop isn't capable of using 64-bit Windows.

[Watchman]

Vaud said:

Take a look at this:

http://www.howtogeek.com/186775/how-to-download-wi...

You should be able to create a 32bit media to install, given you have a legit key.

Thanks for that. Sadly it won't work for me though. The DVD I bought from Ebuyer is an OEM disc. Still cost 80-odd quid though. Very annoying.

[theboss]

Confusingly Microsoft introduced a 'personal use' right for Windows 8 RTM allowing end users to purchase an 'OEM' copy and install on their own computer. As far as I understand they reversed this with Windows 8.1 so if you've bought a Win8.1 OEM license its not legit unless you're installing it as a system builder. If it is in fact a 8.0 OEM license you can exercise the 'personal use' right and then install the 8.1 update anyway.

If this is indeed the case, it begs the question as to why companies are allowed to sell OEM license packs to end users.

[skelters]

Either way it's a really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really,
really, st operating system.

Do yourself a favour and go back to Windows 7.

[Mr E]

Watchman said:

Laptop isn't capable of using 64-bit Windows.

How old is it? 4 year old celeron? An atom?

[Watchman]

No, it's a dual core Pentium 1.7GHz. Got to be 6 years old now but my work laptop is also a Dell of that vintage and runs fine with 4Gb and an SSD under Win 8.

Wouldn't have bothered had XP support not expired.

[TooLateForAName]

You can get a win8.1 licence for under £10 from G2A - I've bought several without problems.

[Skier]

Another who has had no issues with Windows 8.1. Admittedly I have installed 'Start 8' to restore the Start menu and remove almost all interaction with the Metro/Modern interface. I played around for several months on a laptop that I use as a testbed before it went anywhere near my desktop.

[ArsE92]

skelters said:

Either way it's a really st operating system.

Do yourself a favour and go back to Windows 7.

bks

[skelters]

ArsE92 said:

bks

Really?

I've used, implemented and supported desktop operating systems on small medium and large networks either self contained, multi site or multi site international along with Data Center based systems (Cloud).

I think I can actually speak with a little bit of experience in saying that it is the most unfriendly OS MS have produced for the end user. It is also the biggest change in using an MS OS since the change from Windows 3.11 Windows For Workgroups to Windows 95 and the issues users had with that due to the basic use of the OS.

If it was that good it would have been a hit. Windows 9 will fix the menu issues along with adding multiple desktops and remove the, "charms" thing.

Windows 8 is nothing more than an inconvenience for users.

We have an estate of over 2500 machines across 120 offices and Windows 8.1 will only be going onto 100 tablets for management on either 4G or the Domain WiFi across these sites. We are also quickly killing off the 200 or so XP machines still on the WAN. These are being replaced with Windows 7.

If it was any good then businesses would be moving to Windows 8. We're not moving desktops to Windows 8 and it is usually bad practice to move to the latest MS OS due to the teething troubles they always bring.

We'll be another 18 months to 2 years with Windows 7 before it is replaced with Windows 9. All dependent on Windows 9 not being another Windows ME / Vista / Windows 8 disaster.

Here's the list of OS's I've used, implemented and supported.....

Desktop OS's
Probably Windows 2.0 but can't remember! Windows 3.0, 3.1, 3.11 Windows For Workgroups, Windows 95 (all versions), 98 and 2nd Edition, ME. 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8, 8.1. Various Linix Distros. There was also the versions of MS-DOS, PC DOS and DR-DOS.

Server OS's
Novell Netware 3 - 6 and most major versions in between. Windows NT 4.0, 2000, 2003, SBS 2003, 2008, SBS 2008, 2012 including R2 for the various versions. Some Linux Server experience too amlong with Mini Systems and Linux based systems.


But what do I know? Obviously less than you!

[theboss]

skelters said:

ArsE92 said:

bks

Really?

I've used, implemented and supported desktop operating systems on small medium and large networks either self contained, multi site or multi site international along with Data Center based systems (Cloud).

I think I can actually speak with a little bit of experience in saying that it is the most unfriendly OS MS have produced for the end user. It is also the biggest change in using an MS OS since the change from Windows 3.11 Windows For Workgroups to Windows 95 and the issues users had with that due to the basic use of the OS.

If it was that good it would have been a hit. Windows 9 will fix the menu issues along with adding multiple desktops and remove the, "charms" thing.

Windows 8 is nothing more than an inconvenience for users.

We have an estate of over 2500 machines across 120 offices and Windows 8.1 will only be going onto 100 tablets for management on either 4G or the Domain WiFi across these sites. We are also quickly killing off the 200 or so XP machines still on the WAN. These are being replaced with Windows 7.

If it was any good then businesses would be moving to Windows 8. We're not moving desktops to Windows 8 and it is usually bad practice to move to the latest MS OS due to the teething troubles they always bring.

We'll be another 18 months to 2 years with Windows 7 before it is replaced with Windows 9. All dependent on Windows 9 not being another Windows ME / Vista / Windows 8 disaster.

Here's the list of OS's I've used, implemented and supported.....

Desktop OS's
Probably Windows 2.0 but can't remember! Windows 3.0, 3.1, 3.11 Windows For Workgroups, Windows 95 (all versions), 98 and 2nd Edition, ME. 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8, 8.1. Various Linix Distros. There was also the versions of MS-DOS, PC DOS and DR-DOS.

Server OS's
Novell Netware 3 - 6 and most major versions in between. Windows NT 4.0, 2000, 2003, SBS 2003, 2008, SBS 2008, 2012 including R2 for the various versions. Some Linux Server experience too amlong with Mini Systems and Linux based systems.


But what do I know? Obviously less than you!

I much prefer working with 8.1 than 7... even my 5 year old alternates between them daily, on laptops, without so much as a hint of fuss. What makes 8.1 so st in your opinion, other than the fact that it hasn't yet become mainstream on business desktops?

[skelters]

Purely from a support point of view it's not going to be the easiest piece of software to support.

Too many ways to do too many things, confusing ways of getting to applications / files for the end user.

The underlying operating system may be good although the Fast Boot trick is half clever and half obvious at the same time in that it doesn't fully shutdown the machine.

The whole Metro interface thing is dreadful. It is confusing for users as they don't know how to actually close Apps they have opened through it if they are apps that do not have a close option X in the corner. Also confusing to get back to Apps they still have opened. Saw this happen last night. It will no doubt cause machines to get slower and slower with the amount of apps open.

There's probably ways round all these things though.

There's a huge learning curve required for users to get used to these things along with the different ways the basic OS works for the average user. Power Users and Windows diehards will no doubt love it by now.

Another down side is the compatibility of Business Critical Applications where an IT Department may have to upgrade critical applications to get the best out of Windows 8.1 tablets. Thats obviously a lot money involved to upgrade software and retrain IT staff along with end users. We're looking at upgrading an entire Citrix Farm, Sharepoint along with a ton of databases just to get 100 Tablets out. Thankfully the Tablet Deployment will be done through SCCM 2012 R2 so that at least saves an awful lot of setup time.

Personally I prefer Windows 7 as there's little difference in speed on an my laptops at home or PC at work.

[ArsE92]

skelters said:

ArsE92 said:

bks

Really?

I've used, implemented and supported desktop operating systems on small medium and large networks either self contained, multi site or multi site international along with Data Center based systems (Cloud).

I think I can actually speak with a little bit of experience in saying that it is the most unfriendly OS MS have produced for the end user. It is also the biggest change in using an MS OS since the change from Windows 3.11 Windows For Workgroups to Windows 95 and the issues users had with that due to the basic use of the OS.

If it was that good it would have been a hit. Windows 9 will fix the menu issues along with adding multiple desktops and remove the, "charms" thing.

Windows 8 is nothing more than an inconvenience for users.

We have an estate of over 2500 machines across 120 offices and Windows 8.1 will only be going onto 100 tablets for management on either 4G or the Domain WiFi across these sites. We are also quickly killing off the 200 or so XP machines still on the WAN. These are being replaced with Windows 7.

If it was any good then businesses would be moving to Windows 8. We're not moving desktops to Windows 8 and it is usually bad practice to move to the latest MS OS due to the teething troubles they always bring.

We'll be another 18 months to 2 years with Windows 7 before it is replaced with Windows 9. All dependent on Windows 9 not being another Windows ME / Vista / Windows 8 disaster.

Here's the list of OS's I've used, implemented and supported.....

Desktop OS's
Probably Windows 2.0 but can't remember! Windows 3.0, 3.1, 3.11 Windows For Workgroups, Windows 95 (all versions), 98 and 2nd Edition, ME. 2000, XP, Vista, Windows 7, 8, 8.1. Various Linix Distros. There was also the versions of MS-DOS, PC DOS and DR-DOS.

Server OS's
Novell Netware 3 - 6 and most major versions in between. Windows NT 4.0, 2000, 2003, SBS 2003, 2008, SBS 2008, 2012 including R2 for the various versions. Some Linux Server experience too amlong with Mini Systems and Linux based systems.


But what do I know? Obviously less than you!

Good grief. Are you Randomthoughts in disguise?

Posting your CV doesn't support your 'Windows 8 is st argument'.

For the record we have no plans to roll it out to our 140k+ desktops either. Doesn't mean it's st.

[skelters]

In my opinion it is indeed st. There are more bad parts than good.

I didn't post my CV only some of the OS's I have used and supported to highlight the experience in the Microsoft OS's. Support of OS's is a minor part of the things I do.

If you think it's good then that's up to you but it'll die a death when Windows 9 is available a bit like the way Vista died a quick death too. There is a reason for that and it's because Microsoft have had so many complaints, bad reviews and low sales.

If Windows 8 is actually a replacement for Windows 7 then why is the End of Sales for PC's with Windows 7 Installed date not yet established for Windows 7? It was originally slated as October 2014 and then changed. http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/lifecyc...

It looks like the preview of Windows Threshold will come soon with a release date of April 2015 for Windows 9. If Windows 8 was going to be fixed and MS had faith in it they wouldn't be rushing out Windows 9. If you agree with that then Windows 8 and 8.1 are indeed dead ducks already due to the reviews, complaints and sales. New machines will still be available with Windows 7 installed up until Windows 9 is available with Windows 8 as an option.

That'll be 18 months from the release of 8.1 to the release of Windows 9. Checking the release dates it is the shortest period of time since the Vista and Windows 7 releases.

Windows 9 will be how Windows 8 should have been on release similar to Windows 7 being how Vista should have been on release. AFAIK the Kernel in Windows 7 is a reworked version of the Vista Kernel. It is basically the same with a slightly different memory footprint although supposedly pretty negligible in comparison.

Steve Ballmer said Windows 8 would be his defining moment. That worked out well for him didn't it!

Not installing it on 140k machines doesn't mean the OS is crap from the point of view of the business. It means that those in charge may actually know (for once) what they are doing in that it would be extremely bad practice to move to the latest Windows OS with the problems faced by any new OS. This is common practice in IT departments worldwide. You'll probably not upgrade or replace them until Windows 9 is at least 6 months to a year old at least.

I'd presume that the uptake in Windows 8 and 8.1 is mostly down to home users who may not have the best knowledge of OS's and are sold it in the shop by some spotty yoof as it comes with the new Laptop or PC. 200 million sales in 15 months for Windows 8 compared to 240 million for Windows 7 in 12 months.

Enjoy Windows 8 or 8.1 if you must however, you would be better waiting for Windows 9 and anyone I know who has installed it has went back to Windows 7 within weeks due to it being st!

Here's another interesting link to Desktop Operating System Market Share..

Windows 7 51.22%
Windows XP 24.82%
Windows 8.1 6.56%
Windows 8 5.92%
Mac OS X 10.9 4.12%
Windows Vista 3.05%
Linux 1.68%
Mac OS X 10.6 0.84%
Mac OS X 10.8 0.70%
Mac OS X 10.7 0.65%
Mac OS X 10.5 0.16%
Mac OS X 10.1 0.12%
Windows NT 0.08%
Mac OS X 10.4 0.04%
Windows 2000 0.03%
Windows 98 0.01%
Mac OS X (no version reported) 0.01%

http://www.netmarketshare.com/operating-system-mar...

If you look at the Desktop Top Operating System Share Trend you'll see that it is actually decreasing for Windows 8 and 8.1. Could it be that it is actually st!

[Watchman]

Anyway, back to my OP.

I've approached Ebuyer to see if I can swap it but as I've opened it, I think I'll have trouble. It's annoying though because I'm a relatively educated user (work in IT although no longer a techie) then what hope do "normal" users have when they get the notifications from XP that it's no longer supported? I agree that it is potentially naughty of Ebuyer to sell OEM versions to the public - an argument I'll be leaning on over the next few days.

[ZesPak]

Watchman said:

Anyway, back to my OP.

I've approached Ebuyer to see if I can swap it but as I've opened it, I think I'll have trouble. It's annoying though because I'm a relatively educated user (work in IT although no longer a techie) then what hope do "normal" users have when they get the notifications from XP that it's no longer supported? I agree that it is potentially naughty of Ebuyer to sell OEM versions to the public - an argument I'll be leaning on over the next few days.

Hmmm, odd that that laptop can't swallow a x64 OS!

Maybe not the most helpful, but see if you can sell it on or use it elsewhere?

Win 8.1 is great btw, have Win 7 on my home computer and 8.1 on the laptop and don't really know which one I'd pick, both great OSses.

[ArsE92]

skelters said:

tl;dr

Could it be that it is actually st!

No.