Thread: Windows 8 runs exactly like Windows 7. And all of the Windows XP,Vista and 7 software works too.

I am very new to Windows 8. I only downloaded and installed the developers preview 3 days ago on Thursday.

Many Windows users are talking about the new Windows 8 and are trying it out. So my curiosity got the better of me and I installed Windows 8. I did this by mounting the ISO file on virtual clone drive.

Windows 8 looks different from Windows 7 and Windows XP at first glance but it is not. The good news is that when you first set up Windows 8,like Windows 7 and Windows XP,you do not have to have a password if you don't want one. That is you don't have to log in with a password or have a password on your account.Which is sheer heaven. As I hate security settings and having to enter password every time I do some thing on my own computer.

And of course the first thing I did was turn off User account Control as it is very annoying.UAC does not exist on my Windows 7 so I don't want it on Windows 8.

I was able to turn off UAC on Windows 8 but there is another similar feature that I was not able to turn off. And that is the Smart Screen filter.

Smart screen is an additional feature added to Windows 8 that every time you install a program from the Internet. You get a pop up from Smart Screen telling you that Windows has blocked this download. And it then asks you if you want to run the program or not.And if you want to run the program you just click run and if you don't want to run it click do not run.

Smart Screen will also pop up if you open a program on your computer not recognised by Windows. Smart Screen although it is annoying like UAC does not stop you running or installing any programs you want to. And there are settings to disable Smart Screen. But when I turned it off it came back on again.

And from what I have read on other posts on the web.It seems that although there is a setting that is supposed to turn off Smart Screen it may have been disabled in this build of Windows 8. As other people have tried to turn off Smart Screen but they could not. As every time they turned it off in the settings,it came back on again.

Fortunately Smart Screen will not block any of your downloads or programs or stop you doing anything on your computer unless you want it to. But it is certainly not something I want on my computer. And I would disable this feature if I could. As I feel that such a feature is unnecessary. But Smart Screen has not stopped me doing any thing I want to on my computer.

And then we have the Metro theme.Which is enabled by default when you first set up Windows. But the Metro theme can be disabled with a simple registry edit. Or with software such as Metro Controller,which can do this for you.

Although I did not have much problems using the Metro theme I found it slower than using the Windows 7 start menu.And most of the apps did not work but I think that is because they are not active yet.

But my own software that I installed myself,such as Google,chrome,Windows Movie Maker which shows up in the Metro theme as an app did all work.So any software such as web browsers,chat messengers and media players that you install yourself.Will show up as an app in the apps menu if you have the Metro theme enabled. And all of your own apps will work when you click on them.

But most of the apps from the app store did not work. Except for internet Explorer,windows Explorer and Control panel,desktop and other settings.

But you can still pin short cuts to your desktop while in the Metro theme.And launch your software from the taskbar and Windows Explorer. By going to your programs file and launching the program from there,the same way you can on Windows 7 and Windows XP.

But I have disabled the Metro theme which most Windows users will do. As that is the way I am used to working. And I would advise Windows users that unless you happen to like the Metro apps and are going to use them. You do not need to have the Metro theme enabled. As Windows 8 run perfectly well and faster without it.

And as I am using my own software I do not need the Metro apps.

Once you disable the Metro theme you get the Windows 7 start Menu.that looks exactly like it does in Windows7 and Windows Vista.And the ribbon toolbar in Windows Explorer will also be disabled once the Metro theme is turned off or disabled.

You can also install Classic Shell in Windows 8 if you wish to have the Windows XP or the Classic Start menu in addition to the Windows 7 start menu. Classic Shell will also put the classic toolbar buttons in Windows Explorer on Windows 8. just like it does on Windows 7.

Also if you do not want to disable the Metro theme in Windows 8 but you still want to have a full start menu. Classic Shell also works with the Metro theme enabled. And you can then switch between both the classic or Windows XP start menu or the Metro start menu.Just by launching Classic Shell and you will also have the classic toolbar in Windows Explorer. As well as the ribbon toolbar.Which looks quite good actually.

Now we come to running software in Windows 8. I like most people want to run my Windows XP and Windows Vista software that I was using on Windows 7 on Windows 8.

Well the good news is that you can run most of your Windows XP and Windows Vista software on Windows 8.

Here is a list of all my software that I have tried that works on Windows 8-

Software that works on Windows 8.

Windows Sidebar-

That's the Windows Sidebar from Windows Vista or the Vista Sidebar. This works on Windows 8 without any problems. Windows Sidebar works both with the Windows 7 start menu and also with the Metro theme enabled.There are no conflicts.

Windows Calendar-

From Windows Vista,this works on Windows 8.

Windows Movie Maker 6 and Windows Movie Maker 2.6-

Made for Windows Vista but works on Windows 7. Both versions of Windows Movie Maker works on Windows 8.

Windows Movie Maker 2.1 for Windows XP-

This works on Windows 8 and so does the web cam feature. Windows Movie Maker 2.1 works on Windows Vista,windows 7 and Windows 8 as long as you have Windows Movie Maker 2.6 installed. As it runs of of the dill files of Movie Maker 2.6.

Windows Live Essentials for Windows XP-

That's Windows Live Messenger,Windows Live Photo Gallery,Windows Live Writer and Windows Live Mail for Windows XP. Works on Windows 8.
Some people like me prefer Windows Live Essentials for Windows XP or 2009 as it is sometimes called over Windows Live Essentials 2011. Well the good news is that this works on Windows 8.

Windows Media Player 11 for Windows 7-

Works on Windows 8.
This is Windows Media Player 11 that has been adapted to run on Windows 7 for people who want to downgrade from WMP 12 to WMP 11. WMP 11 works on Windows 8. But first you must turn off WMP 12 in turn Windows features on or off to disable WMP 12.
But after that Windows Media Player 11 works on Windows 8.

Gmail notifier for Windows XP and Windows 2000-

Works on Windows 8.

Advanced browser,Pink Browser,Green browser and other IE based browsers.

Most of these browser were made for Windows XP but they work on Windows 8. Just like they do on Windows 7.

Pale Moon,Safefox,Firefox,Google Chrome and other web browsers-

Pale Moon,Safefox and Wyzo are based on Firefox 3 all work on Windows 8 and so does Google Chrome. Also the latest versions of Firefox work too.

CCleaner-

A very handy registry cleaner that also has other settings to help you manage your programs. Works on Windows 8.

Media Player Classic-

Works on Windows 8. this is the old version of Media player Classic not the Home cinema version. But this works on Windows 8.

Programs that do not work in Windows 8.

Windows Mail-

From Windows Vista this works in Windows 7 after you delete the Windows 7 Windows Mail Program file and replace it with the Windows Vista version. But this does not work in Windows 8. Despite my best efforts Windows Mail is the only program I have tried which does not work in Windows 8.

There may be more software from Windows XP,Windows Vista and Windows 7 that will work in Windows 8. But I have not installed these yet.

But you can also import your software from Windows 7 that can be found in the Windows Old folder onto Windows 8. By copying the files and pasting them into the Programs file on Windows 8.

Even though I no longer have my Windows 7 operating system as the Windows 8 install wiped it out. I still have my Windows Old folder from Windows 7.That has all of my old programs from Windows 7.

Well I have got windows 8 now and before I tried it I was expecting it to be complicated and difficult to use. But now that I have Windows 8 I have found out that this is not true.

Windows 8 looks and is exactly the same as Windows 7. I have limited experience with computers. But if I can use Windows 8 anybody can. Andrea Borman.

First, let me say I find it ironic that every windows forum I've ever signed up for to simply respond to one post is a nightmare. Why is it you click reply, it asks you to sign up, you go through several different pages, and when your done, it spits you out onto the index, rather than simply back to the page.. go figure.

Any who, I came across your problem "ironically [again] browsing windows 8 issues, problems and just plain hates. (I'm running it tri boot with xp, and 7, and god I hate it, but I digress)

The answer to your problem is the exact same way you got into it. I sent you an email with more, or if you read this first, shoot me an email or pm or private message or w/e this forum uses, and I'll get you fixed back to win 7 in no time