Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

Well, I have a dual boot system with three hard drives, one boots to W7 64, and the other boots to Vista 32.
So who needs Vista when I am running 7 - 64?
So for the experiment of it, I upgraded the Vista 32 to W 8 32.   (I did that because I expected by now, after so many failed Upgrade attempts, that maybe they got it right this time.)


It installed and saved all my pictures that were on that drive, and all the other Word Perfect, Word, Corel, etc files, but no programs.
So my first job was to install Qimage Ultimate fresh install.
OK that was easy! Now to see how it runs.... wont open!  HUH?
Double click the Q yellow icon: wont open!
Qimage will do that when it cannot find *any* printer at all.
Checked Epson; NO Windows 8 driver available.

I contacted Mr. Chaney who suggested I try a W7 driver install for my Epson printer. That worked!  Qimage Ultimate opened just fine and the printer worked...
Hmm.... Some fine print on the inner box... looks like 4 point type.... maybe 3..... magnifying glass...... If you are Upgrading over XP or Vista.... you will have to re-install everything.!
So why didn't I just do a clean install the first time? Because I didn't read the fine print!
I also didn't know that Vista 32 Print drivers were different from Windows 7 32 print drivers.
So   forewarned is forearmed!

What do I think of W-8 after about 4 days of playing?
It looks like it's for kids with itunes in their heads; an ipod in their ears; an iphone in their hands; and an ipad in their underwear!

Click on the Icon, NUSIC... and you go to an ad for buying music.
Click on Communications, and you go to a Special sale on cell phones.
Click on Messages, and you go to a screen to sign up for something you don't want.

The best screen Icon is the one that takes you to a simile  of a Windows 7 desktop.....   and the best part, I know it must be there somewhere, A way to shut down!
I found an old Shut Down Icon on the W 7 desktop that was a carry over from W 95 and later could be added to XP; the Shutdown icon with the timer in properties, plus a cousin desktop icon for Reboot.

The CTRL ALT DEL Task manager is almost useless.
I installed a few programs like Nero, for example.   Nero has many internal routines, such as Express, Nero Burning ROM, Nero Designer, Nero Wave editor, Nero CD Speed, Nero Burn rights, Nero Drive control, Nero Info Tool, and Nero Product Setup.
That put NINE icons on the W 8 screen, and big ones that you can slide with your finger.
I added a few more like Irfenview, Winamp, Clone DVD 2, and PickPick, my screen image snapper.... VLC as my video player....AnyDVD which has a Ripper and ISO file maker, etc.
Winamp is like Nero with many facets...   Every program I installed made multiple desktop icons, and already, I was treated to a horizontal scroll bar for my desktop and the icons!!

I haven't found a way to open 2 windows at once.... not yet anyway.

I heard, due to popular outcry, Microsoft is now shipping W 8 with a roll of Charmin Ultra soft.

Do not waste your money... upgrade your Qimage Pro to Ultimate instead.


Fred