Thinking about test driving a new OS?

[morongobill]

Do you feel lucky?

Learn from my recent experience trying to test drive Linux on my new Windows 8 laptop.

Linux is available via USB memory stick without making changes to your existing OS setup. In other words the computer will boot off the memory stick and you can work and play with another operating system, try before you buy.

The problem is that with my laptop at least one must make changes to the computer BIOS to change the existing boot order.

Now I have used Windows since it was DOS on an old IBM with a 10 meg hard drive, if my memory is correct. And I have experience dealing with the BIOS, but not for several years.

Anyway I went into the BIOS and unlike the old days, nowhere did it mention hd or usb as boot possibilities, instead it had complicated terms and I made the mistake of guessing and changed 2 options, leaving me with a non-functioning OS. Thank the Lord for Recovery, and I was able to restore Windows 8(8.1 actually) but it would not boot up, again due to the BIOS changes I made.

So I restored the factory defaults, rebooted, and was back where I started from the day I bought the laptop. All changes made were gone, luckily the data was saved. So I had to go through all the downloading of the 8.0 updates and then redo the 8.1 upgrade and reinstall programs, not finished yet btw.

Still trying to sort out all the lessons I learned from this experience. I guess the main one is that I wished that I had bought a new Windows 7 unit.

 

[Willy]

It seems that quite a few people have been having problems with the UEFI Bios. My X220t has the option of legacy or UEFI, and I've kept the legacy one. I suppose it's one of those things where ya gotta do a buncha studying on the internet before jumping in. Linux is getting better 'n better and I'm seriously thinking about a dual boot. Maybe wait till the new Linux Mint comes out (after the next Ubuntu distro in April).

One of the things I like about my laptop is the open slot where I can shove in an MSATA SSD. good for redundancy if my main SSD bites it.. can put the Linux distro on the alternate SSD. ..Willy.

 

[minimotos95]

i haven't had any problems with the UEFI BIOS on my ASUS motherboard other than it not wanting to display on my TV if i boot into it with the VGA cable plugged in, but i also don't use USB boot, only DVDs or SD cards so i haven't tested that.
i ignore the first screen of the UEFI and tap f7 to go to advanced mode which is more like a traditional BIOS. on mine the boot options are on their own tab.

right now i am running a dual boot of win 8.1 and ubuntu 13.10
what has been annoying me is every time i go into the disk manager on windows it will delete my ext4 linux partition without me doing anything.

 

[morongobill]

Thanks for the replies. Microsoft is updating to Windows 8.1.1 in April in a supposed effort to make it more appealing to Win 7 users. It better make it easier as I will be bailing if it isn't.

My plan is to go Linux on this machine shortly thereafter if doesn't get a more like Win 7. No way I am paying 100 or 200 for Win 7 on this 450 buck laptop when I can get other options a lot cheaper. Microsoft is going "cloud" and more like a phone experience and I am not staying for that ride.

 

[akrvbob]

I have a Windows 8.1 laptop and I just spend all my time in the Desktop which is very much like Win 7. I'd say 98% of the time my work is just like it was in Win 7. I never use any of the Apps or "entertainment" side MS was after with all that other crap.

But, I have a touchscreen which I find to be very useful in a few situations. I have a Lenova Yoga 11.6 laptop with touchscreen, Intel I5 processor and 128 gig Solid State Drive. Blazing fast startups!!! If I have 10 minutes to write, it's worth taking the time to open it up and start typing on Word because as soon as I lift the lid I can be typing. Love this thing and it's more than worth putting up with the s**t of 8.1 because I rarely have to see it.

All in all, I'm happier with 8.1 that I was with 7 because of the touchscreen. I just ignore all the other junk. But I have to admit I'm hoping they make it more like Win 7 in this next upgrade. I still have to keep a Win 8.1 book close by to figure things out every so often.
Bob

 

[kyonu]

For those uninterested in Windows 8, pick up Classic Shell for free, and it turns it into a Windows 7 clone of sorts that has an actually useful start button.

With that said, I find Windows 8 personally a LOT faster than Windows 7 in many aspects. The "Metro" windows 8 feature is pretty junk unless you have a touchscreen, but if you know how to work around Windows 8 well enough, you begin to like it more than Windows 7 (personally.) Getting an SSD makes it all that much better since Windows 8 has better controllers for SSD's than Windows 7.

 

[morongobill]

Thanks for all the ideas.

Yes, messing around with that new UEFI was a searing experience, having to start all over and redo everything. But after doing further research about it, the desire to jump into the fire with it is just not there.

Still very interested in maybe jumping into Linux but will wait for that 8.1.1 in April first, which gives lots of time to investigate the different options available.

Like the SSD option as well, waiting for future price drops is something that I am good at.

Even after stumbling out of the block with this new laptop, overall I am satisfied with it.