wellies

Yes that is different Ken because Microsoft make their money elsewhere. This isn't the case with other security software though and the free versions of these are often mentioned too. I never have thought MSE very good although with Windows 8.1, Windows Defender is said to be much improved. I use paid Bitdefender and Sandboxie myself.

I pay for a Virgin Media package that includes loads of TV stations, telephone with calls to UK numbers included and a 60MB broadband connection. This costs £80 per month. I know it's a lot but we don't spend money on much else. VM have never put prices down but they do keep doubling the connection speed at no extra cost. I've heard they are considering another speed increase.

I really don't mean to be confrontational but would like to put a point of view. Why is there such a mindset against paying for software? Security program companies have to make money to keep going. If they don't get enough people willing to pay, then that could ultimately make the software suffer. People who never pay are relying on those who do pay to keep them in security software. A fair policy? I think if anyone uses free software for a while and finds it good, then it should be paid for. I can't see why not paying would be promoted. Perhaps that's why we're getting all the PUPs that we do these days. Nobody wants to pay for anything, so software developers have to resort to bundling PUPs in order to make a bit of money for their troubles. Are PUPS a direct result of people's quest for free software? I think they could be.

Been using LastPass for quite a long time now. It has been working very well. However, there is an issue between the latest version of LastPass and Sandboxie at present. This being when run on Windows 8.1 When running Chrome inside Sandboxie, Chrome doesn't auto-terminate (stop running inside the sandbox) as it should when the browser is closed. It has to be stopped manually. That's all I've noticed regarding the incompatibility but there is a bit more to it than that for some people: http://www.sandboxie.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=16803 I hope for an update from Sandboxie's developer soon. Not an issue that will affect many I know.

If after the clean-up that homepage still won't go away, try resetting the browser. I once had this situation with Snap.do. Resetting worked.

A different sort of Desktop, that's for sure. Looks good.

What OS is it?

Thought you'd be impressed. ;)

..and this too? :) http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u78/Mart44/marts-graphics/qam_zps2a66e76a.gif

What ..you mean you don't want a lovely Start Screen like this one with all the different size shortcut tiles it can have? http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u78/Mart44/marts-graphics/81-tiles_zps219ca90d.jpg I just can't understand why. :D

My brother had a JVC VHS that cost him £600! I had one the same eventually. All of the rental companies (except for Radio Rentals) used to sell their older or faulty video recorder stock to companies that had huge warehouses full of them. People in the trade used to got to there and buy them in bulk for repair and resale in the second-hand sales and repair shops. I used to buy 10 or so at a time. Then overhaul and sell them along with a guarantee. The JVCs, such as my brother had, eventually got old enough to end up in the warehouses. That's when I had one. :)

Sheer nostalgia for me all this video recorder stuff. What a lovely era it was when video recorders first came out. Every shop or organisation had to have people who repaired them and that, along with repairing B/W and colour TVs, was what I did. Employed by Radio Rentals, I was sent off to stay in Manchester and Birmingham for company-held VHS video recorder training courses. So I was in at the beginning of those. Only later when I went self-employed did I have much to do with Betamax. Then my learning was by hands-on experience along with the help of the local Sony engineer who I was friendly with. I was associated to a number of Video Rental shops. The business relationship usually started if one of their tapes got mangled up by a customer's video player or recorder. It nearly always was the fault of the recorder/player. A worn or shiny pinch-roller was a common cause of tapes becoming crinkled. This would let the tape ride up or down on the tape guides (not good) ...and if the machine had got to the stage, it was always best to change the belt kit too. Also the take-up clutch and the back-tension belt. Spares suppliers sold repair kits with all these part included for just about every make and model of video recorder. There was a whole industry surrounding video recorders and film rental shops. It employed lots of people in the background who aren't needed now. I'm sure there are those who still hang in there (I mended a VHS about a year ago) but think of all those small repair shops that used to be around. They aren't there any more. There were once lots of them in our area and I did some freelance work for nearly all of them on a no repair no fee basis. Good times. I liked my job ..sigh sigh :)

That's OK. I can tend to go all thoughtful and profound at times. :)

Just thinking further about the different experiences people can have with Microsoft operating systems/upgrades both past and present. It's perhaps no wonder people can get trouble. The operating system or upgrade has to be compatible with possibly hundreds of different combinations of software, hardware and possibly even previously existing problems. People want to upgrade on existing systems to avoid the trouble of starting from scratch. So the upgrade ends up being done on computers that are of unknown conditions and software configurations. It must be just about impossible for Microsoft to cater for all the variables that might exist with peoples' computers. I sometimes think Microsoft shouldn't offer an upgrade path at all because of the variables. There might be less trouble if they told people to back up their files because the whole hard disk was going to be wiped and a new operating system installed. People often do this by choice anyway and those who do seem to get much less trouble than those who go for upgrading an existing OS. I have to say I didn't do a clean upgrade because of the difficulty of getting the Windows key to work with an 8.1 ISO. I might have another try at that sometime. However, the upgrade went onto a system (installed from a disk image) that only had Windows 8 and updates installed. No other software at all. Maybe this makes a difference too as it might be what an upgrade process would ideally require. I think Macs score here because the computers people have are known quantities. Apple knows the hardware/motherboards and software that is likely to be found in a Mac. I think this would mean upgrades can be designed that are far less likely to cause trouble. ..but Microsoft? Look at what they have to cater for.

I think any upgrade can give trouble, just the same as the upgrade could when going from 3.11 to Windows 95 to Windows 98 to XP to Vista to Windows 7 to Windows 8. However, we manage to get up and running in the end. Complicated things these computers and experiences might vary a bit. I'd say not to be too scathing about Microsoft. After all, they have played a great part in making it possible for most of us to be here on the Internet. So endeth the anti-rant. :) My own experience of the upgrade to 8.1 wasn't bad but I did need to have two goes at it. This was because I mucked the system around quite a bit the first time trying out this and that. Prudently, I had made a disk image of Windows 8 before starting with the upgrade and one of Windows 8.1 immediately after it was done. When I'd messed up the 8.1 system the first time, I reverted gratefully to the Windows 8 disk image for a few hours. Not to be daunted though, I loaded up the 8.1 disk image the next day and had another go at it. This time, everything was fine and I haven't looked back. 8.1 is running great now. The 8.1 upgrade didn't give trouble with existing programs not running after the upgrade. The only reason I messed around and upset the system was because the text was blurry in Firefox and one thing led to another. KenB's advice to make a disk image before starting is very good. Also make one immediately after it. Then you'll have two points of return if trouble is experienced. One to get back to Windows 8 and another back to the beginning of 8.1 without having to download and install it again. About the only immediately noticeable differences after the upgrade are: 1. The tiles on the Start Screen can be made smaller. 2. If you have a Microsoft account, your full name is displayed at the top-right of the screen, rather than just your computer username. A bit unnerving at first. 3. There is a Start Button but it doesn't bring up a Windows 7 type menu. It merely opens the Start Screen. 4. There is an option to make the computer boot to the Desktop rather than the Start Screen. For a full list of 'What's new in 8.1', just type the term into a search engine. There are plenty of less obvious changes to be read about. The rather handy jump list that pops up when the bottom left-hand corner of the screen is right-clicked is still there in 8.1

I haven't experienced the message because of going for the upgrade on day one. Lot's of people prefer to wait before upgrading though so yes, the message should not be forced on people.

My 8.1 upgrade has gone OK (I never tried the preview) and I've become confident enough to start building the system up permanently with my games, Firefox, photo/art and security programs. It's strange how mileages vary with this upgrade and impossible to say why sometimes. Regarding a clean install of 8.1, I did think about doing this and have managed to burn an ISO to a DVD. There is some trickery involved but instructions on how to do it can be found with a search. However, once you have an installation disk ready to go, the installation comes to a stop because the Windows 8 key number will not work. It will only work for Windows 8. It is still possible to install directly but not without further work to make the installation procedure bypass the 'enter key number' stage. The Windows 8 key will work once the 8.1 installation is complete. Information about this can again be found on the Internet. I thought this might be worth a mention just in case people want to try a clean installation of 8.1 before committing hara-kiri. :) I personally decided not to bother doing a clean install in the end. All too much hassle for me. The upgrade has gone in OK and I've now cleaned off the old Windows 8 system file backup (created when 8.1 is installed) using Windows's own disk clean-up function. Everything works OK and I'm going to leave it at that.

I've been using only Windows 8 since its release and now running with 8.1. I didn't have difficulty in accepting the new UI but there has always been one point that I'd like to change. This is to make the Metro Internet Explorer run in a Window rather than only in full screen. I find IE too wide on a widescreen monitor. Other browsers can be brought in at the sides but not Metro IE. This has always put me off trying to get used to it. I saw a program recommended to overcome this and it works well. It is called 'ModernMix' (by Stardock). This makes it possible to run any App in a window and even have mutlple Apps running in different windows. I'm very happy with Windows 8.1 now. I've started to make more use of IE 11 running in Metro mode. Not sure I could ever use it as a default browser but it does make me more inclined to give it a go. ModernMix is only $4.99 and it can be tried for 30 days before buying. The installation offers Start8 as well. A program that returns the Windows 7 or XP Start button and menu. This option needs unticking if not wanted. http://www.stardock.com/products/modernmix/index.asp

I settled on Bitdefender Internet Security in the end. It probably slows boot time a bit but doesn't noticeably slow the computer down when it's up and running. The 2014 version includes 'Wallet'. I don't need this because LastPass is used for storing passwords. There are 3 'Wallet' listings in Task Manager > Start-up and I've run BIS for a while with these disabled. It doesn't seem to affect the running of the rest of the suite. The Bitdefender Wallet plugin still gets installed in Firefox and Internet Explorer though. I've given up trying to prevent that kind of thing and am happy just to see plugins disabled, rather than removed. Small prices to pay for using the program but they were the reasons I thought about when deciding whether to install BIS again. However, I reckon the good points outweigh any drawbacks and I'm going to settle for it ..and I've also paid for the program. :) I'm keeping Sandboxie too. It can't be used for IE11 in Metro mode. There's no way of doing that as far as I know but it doesn't need it anyway. The App Container IE 11 runs in (when in Metro mode) is a sandbox in itself. I like Firefox though and have kept Sandboxie for that and for any other browser that might get installed. I'm going to make a disk image of the system now and then stop messing around for a while. :)

I tried Emsisoft Antimalware on Windows 8 for a couple of weeks and almost went with it for a year. It has an impressive list of protections. In the end though, I renewed Bitdefender instead. I like to have strong security but at the same time, silent. I've found Bitdefender good at that. It has a silent mode where all decisions are taken for you. This had never let me down over period of the previous year, hence the renewal. All paid up for another 300 or so days, so it seems a waste not to use it. One the other hand, if Windows Defender is good then maybe the system doesn't need a suite. Perhaps use Windows Defender and Sandboxie - or Windows Defender, Sandboxie and MBAM - or Windows Defender with Hitman Pro - or.... :)

Thanks for that Starbuck. I've been using Bitdefender Internet Security for a year or so, attracted by its reported good detection rates. Also features such as frequent updates and idle-time scanning. The company said their programs would be fully compatible with Windows 8.1. It looks like this is the case since it's not on the list and runs OK on my Windows 8.1 system. BIS is not installed at the moment though. I'm using Windows Defender and considering staying with it because it now has the extra feature of network behaviour monitoring. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Microsoft-Adds-Windows-Defender-Security-Features-in-Windows-8-1-365175.shtml If I could get used to IE 11 in Metro Mode, security provided by Microsoft could be good enough on its own. Metro Apps run inside App Containers, a kind of sandboxing that could mean Sandboxie (my primary protection for years) might not be needed. Windows Defender and App Containers combined look to provide strong protection. Just considering/trying these possibilities. Always a job to know what security programs to put faith in

Windows 8 and now 8.1 are OK in my opinion, or as OK as any other OS I've used. What Microsoft OS has never come in for any flak? I can remember XP coming in for just as much as Windows 8 has. Throughout its life, XP has always been added to, manipulated and customised with various third-party programs. Yet now people treat it as an old friend and many don't want to say goodbye to it. I think the of the change from Windows 7 to 8 as being comparable to the change from Windows 3.11 to Windows 95. At the time, it was a completely different way of presenting an OS. It was not well received by some. Windows 7 good? Complaints have been pretty prolific about Libraries and the files that won't arrange or stay where they are put in a list of files. Yet now people say this OS is one of the best released by Microsoft and they aren't going to change to a later one. My own thoughts on this are that Windows 8 and Windows 8.1 are no different. Presentation has changed just as with 3.11 to Windows 95. Not to everyone's liking but it continues to do the job just the same as the previous operating systems have. It runs all of my program well and starting them up via tiles instead of a fly-out menu doesn't worry me. I don't think there will ever be a magic operating system that will be to everyone's liking. This applies to all platforms from what I read. There is always something about any of them that people would like to change ..and they can all give trouble. So nowhere to run really if wanting to keep taking part in the world of computers. I like to keep up with Microsoft operating systems. They provide good computer interest if nothing else. Being an early adopter usually saves money. I pre-ordered Windows 7 before its release date for a very good price. Went for Windows 8 when offered at a knock-down price and downloaded the Windows Media Centre while the offer was there. Financially, it pays to progress the next OS early on. Why keep releasing new and different operating systems when the previous one works? Just progress the same as happens in all fields. A business has to do that or it will stagnate. My present car doesn't do any different to the one I had twenty years ago, yet I didn't keep the old one just because it ran OK.

Another thought. Providing you don't have a fault, perhaps consider giving your files 'tags'. This can help with their arrangement. For instance, if you have lots of photos of cars, select them all and tag them with the word 'cars'. Then, when you choose 'Sort by' (in File Explorer's 'View' menu), all car photos will be grouped together. 'Cars' can also be searched for within the 'Pictures' library and all the car photos thumbnails will be displayed. So you could create tags for various categories of photos/images to keep them sorted. It's even possible to find photos fairly easily by initiating a search of the all of the folders within the Pictures library. No need to go to particular folder they are in. An example here of images found that were tagged with the word 'water'. This being done without going to the containing folder: http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u78/Mart44/marts-graphics/watertag_zps0c3ebf3e.png As can be seen, the 'water' photos have been found even though the word is not in the file name (although the search will also find and show any photos that do have 'water' in the file name). Although I've only done this with 'Pictures', there is the option to tag music and some other types of file as well. As said, all this being providing you don't actually have a fault that you can be helped with. If this does turn out to be the case, just class the above as (hopefully) useful information.

You may not have a fault. I believe what you could be experiencing is just the way Windows 8 is. I never had Vista to see how that worked but I know in XP, it was possible to drag files around in the way you describe. This must have carried over to Vista from the sound of it. From Windows 7 onwards though, the ordering of files can't be done that way anymore. Files in Windows 8 can only be sorted in the ways shown below (slightly different presentation in Windows 7 but the principle is the same): http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u78/Mart44/marts-graphics/filesort_zpse80fe4de.png Some people have found this a drawback. There may be ways around it that I don't know about but by default, it's how the file arranging stands. I have overcome this in some areas by prefixing file and folder names with a number. For example '001 Flower' would always be at the top, '002 Tall Ship' next etc. Not ideal but having been with Windows 7 and then 8 for a while now, I've got used to it.

Yes. If you want to keep Norton, then it is best to run the latest version of it (or the one before). I can't think why it won't update. If you want to keep using Norton, it might be best to ask on the Norton forum what to do about it not updating automatically. It may be necessary to reinstall it.