Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with windows8

Merging Skype and Microsoft accounts - does the account name change?

vegartanipla — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 19:19:00 -0800

I have a Skype interview tomorrow. In logging on to Skype to test it out, I was asked by my new Windows 8 laptop to merge the Microsoft and Skype accounts. Does my account name change now? I need to know what to tell the interviewers who are asking me, now, to email it to them! Plus I have some other questions about Skype as run through a Windows 8 app. My Skype account is now merged with my Microsoft account. My Skype account is firstname.lastname and my Microsoft account is name@gmail.com. They are now merged. The interviewer is asking me to email them back, now, with my account name.

Bonus points if you can walk me through how a Skype call works now (I last used it in 2007) particularly with Windows 8 apps running it, if my cell phone is involved at all, and any other Skype/Windows 8 tips. I will be on the receiving end of the call. Do I wait at the appointed time with the app running and open, or will it pop up when a call comes in? That sort of thing.

How to reinstall windows 8 on a preloaded asus zenbook

theyexpectresults — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 02:18:21 -0800

I recently bought an asus zenbook UX32VD-R43317, and I would quite like to replace the hard drive in it, reinstalling windows in the process, but I don't seem to have any way of doing so. The problem is that my machine did not come with any windows 8 media, and I don't think I can download windows 8 from microsoft (I tried to using this page but it would not work.)

My laptop has a recovery partition, and I have read a whole load of articles suggesting that when you get a laptop with preloaded windows, you should burn recovery discs right away. As far as I can see, there is no option to burn recovery discs or create .iso files on my machine. The software asus typically uses to burn recovery discs (maybe on windows 7 and earlier?), Asus AI Recovery Burner, is not installed on my machine, and it is not available for download for my model on Asus's website.

Amazingly, Asus's website says that it does not offer recovery media for windows 8 yet (I found that message by clicking on "Purchase recovery media" on this page). I have contacted asus but haven't received a reply yet, so I'd be grateful if anyone here had any ideas.

Is there any way for me to reinstall windows onto a new hard disk? I really don't want to download a torrent of windows 8. If all else fails, could I clone this hard disk onto the new one I want to install, or would that screw up windows 8?

Thanks a lot.

Mac->Windows migration for a small office: tips and suggestions?

Oktober — Mon, 25 Feb 2013 13:59:49 -0800

I've been the all-around IT guy for a small office of 30 for a few years now. We've been primarily a Mac shop this whole time, but new business requirements mean that we'll probably be buying more windows machines going forward. I've been tasked with a pilot program to migrate 1/3 of our office over this year, with the assumption we'll bring everyone else over next year. Details inside: 1)We're running a mix of 10.6-10.8 on a variety of <3 year old macbook pros. We've got an Xserve handling files, open directory, and vpn. Mail is handled by an exchange server at our parent entity. This, of course, presents its own set of problems because we have to back up massive amounts of mail locally.

2) I was originally a windows guy, but I haven't done enterprise level windows work since the XP/2003 days, I'll admit I'm a little rusty. The pilot would be ~10 laptops plus a server to act as the AD Domain Controller. What am I forgetting?

3) I'd like to do this the right way (AD + Roaming Profiles, right?) but we may not have the budget for a serious SAN able to accomodate all of that data. What's a realistic amount of per-user storage for roaming profiles?

4) I'm seriously unhappy with our backup solution now (Retrospect 9 + LTO4). What's the standard on the windows side? Backup Exec?

Help me find a tablet PC to buy!

eviemath — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:12:15 -0800

My Thinkpad X61 tablet is dying. Work will replace it, I just need to tell them what fancy new machine I want. But I don't have much time - the new machine needs to be ordered and delivered by March 31! Which doesn't give me enough time to research my options. Thus I turn to you for help. Here's what I need:

* I need to travel with it, so want something light and small. But not too small - a 10- or 11-inch screen would be good, but anything less than a 10-inch screen is getting too small to be useable.

* Must have at least one, preferably two usb ports, preferably powered. It's okay if these are on a detachable keyboard/dock.

* Must have headphone and microphone jacks. It's okay if these are on a detachable keyboard/dock.

* Must be of good quality construction (to hold up to aforementioned travel).

* Must work with a pen/stylus, not just my finger. (In fact, it's okay if it only works with the pen/stylus.)

* Aaaand the hard part: must run Linux. It's okay if it takes some insane Windows 8 UEFI Secure Boot workaround and a week or two to get Linux installed - I have access to sufficient technical expertise. But it at least has to be theoretically possible (eg. vendor has given the requisite key to a Linux distributor - preferably SuSE, second preference Fedora).

So, for example, I like the looks of the Asus VivoTab or the Toshiba Excite 10. But the VivoTab is a Windows 8 machine, and the Excite is a non-Intel-compliant Tegra 3 CPU. Both of which will almost certainly not play well with Linux.

Question 1: Does anyone know if Asus has released the boot process key signature for the VivoTab to any Linux distributor?

Question 2: Does anyone know anything about Linux on Tegra 3?

Question 3: What other options can you recommend for me that would fit my needs?

Thanks!

Cannot see remote computer's full screen in LogMeIn

desjardins — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 10:38:12 -0800

I'm trying to remote control a Windows 8 PC with LogMeIn. The end user is not there and would not understand anything I told them to do anyway. I can connect, but I can only see the upper left corner of the screen. The PC is set at some large resolution (for her poor eyesight) but I cannot change this since I cannot see the entire dialog box for the graphics properties. I cannot scroll around. I cannot zoom in or out. I need to be able to view the whole screen. Things I have tried (per the forum posts on LogMeIn):

- Using Chrome, IE, and Ignition.
- Changed the resolution and view size within LogMeIn
- Changed MY resolution
- View LogMeIn at full screen
- Disabled user interfaces and display acceleration in the LogMeIn preferences

What I need to be able to do is help Grandma with her PC. My mom was at the PC and requested my help, and it was agonizing because I basically had to tell her what to type and where to click (since I couldn't see it). An hour long conversation with my mom would take four hours with my grandma. If I can just see the entire screen, I'd be fine.

The end user will NOT be able to install any other program, and I am 1500 miles away, so I really need to get LogMeIn to work.

(Bonus: Is a tremendous lag time normal? I have cable internet and she has DSL yet it takes 30 seconds for any mouse click on my end to do anything on her end.)

Windows 8 - Worth $40 on a new desktop?

Auden — Thu, 31 Jan 2013 13:14:30 -0800

Today is the last day to buy Windows 8 (specifically, upgrade) at the discount price of $40. Is it worth it? I'm going to build a new desktop in a few months, and can install either Windows 7 or 8 onto it. I can buy Windows 8 and install it at my leisure later on, but today is the last day.

For those who have now used both (with a non-touchscreen monitor), how do you feel about the new version?

I know the various issues with metro and will install some software to bypass it on start-up and will re-register some of the files to default to desktop software instead of the various metro apps.

I already have a Windows 7 that I can install for free. It's only $40, but is it worth it?

Can I take advantage of $40 Windows 8 if I don't have an older Windows?

grobstein — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 10:29:26 -0800

I currently don't have any version of Windows installed on my PC (it's a Mac). I would like to install Windows on a Bootcamp partition. I noticed that Microsoft has a special offer where they are selling a Windows 8 download for $40 through Jan. 31. That's a good price for me. The possible catch: Microsoft seems to be saying that I need to have an earlier version of Windows installed in order to use that download. I can't quite tell whether they are serious about this. Do I really need to have a preexisting Windows install to take advantage of the $40 Windows 8 offer? For clarity: this is a question about what Microsoft is selling in their $40 deal. Is the download they're selling good enough to allow me to install Win 8 on my Mac, even though I do not have a previous version of Windows installed? If it won't, what's a good alternative?

merry christmas and happy calling me everyday for help

acidic — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 18:56:09 -0800

My mom wants to switch from iPhone to either Android or Windows. What's best for her needs, and which phone should she choose? My mom, who has an iPhone 4S but wants to try something new, spends a lot of time on her various devices but is not tech-savvy at all. For instance, she has never personally synced her iPhone and can only find websites using the google search box, not with a URL I suspect that the new Windows phones would be easier for her to use, but I want to be certain. She currently uses her phone to:

- Negotiate freelance assignments over email. I'd love to load her resumes and rate schedules onto her phone, preferably in an editable format, allowing her to attach them to emails without waiting to go home... but it needs to be super-simple.
- Make calls; she uses several thousand minutes a month. Call quality is very important.
- Input pinyin Chinese. Very very important, because she is an interpreter/translator.
- Listen to the radio; she likes the selection of Chinese-language stations on the Tunein app.
- Occasionally listen to podcasts, music, etc. This is very much a work in progress.
- View traffic conditions, and use maps for walking around unfamiliar cities. She has GPS in her car so she doesn't need turn-by-turn navigation.
- Light web surfing, no social media.

She has 2 Yahoo accounts and 1 Gmail account (also a work in progress) and maintains calendars for separate purposes on Yahoo web and the phone itself. She uses Windows XP on her computer (sigh) but we're updating to 8 once the new hybrid tablet/laptops come out.

She is, unsurprisingly, attracted to the look and feel of the new Windows phones, but I need to make sure that those phones are great for business and bilingual purposes. In addition to the Android/Windows debate, I need phone suggestions. We're on AT&T and she has an unlimited data plan. Samsung is not an option; I don't want to cause a derail, but she has her reasons and they are non-negotiable. So, if you recommend Windows, should she get the HTC or the Nokia, and if you recommend Android, which non-Samsung phone is best?

I would especially appreciate opinions from those who have used both Windows 8 and Android phones!

Will my parents hate Windows 8?

jon1270 — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 04:33:36 -0800

Will Windows 8 put my parents off computers for good? It's time to replace my parents' old PC (eight years old, P4, XP), and they're looking to me for guidance. They've both been light computer users for a long time, but are not 'digital natives' by a long shot.

As I begin to shop for this new PC, it seems that virtually every current model now comes with Windows 8. I had been hoping to find a Windows 7 model, to minimize the learning curve as they switch away from XP, but that now seems to require the purchase of Windows 8 Pro, which comes with downgrade rights. Dell charges a $70 premium for this 'upgrade to downgrade' solution, which I'd rather avoid.

I realize there are still some Windows 7 models on store shelves, but given the likely possibility that such will be very hard to find by the time my parents are ready to pull the trigger, I'm wondering: would the Windows 8 learning curve really be as bad as I fear? I have no experience with it myself. I also live more than 2 hours away, so I can't pop over and help them get unstuck. What do you think the transition from XP to W8 might be like for your typical tech-intimidated older person?

Can I still get Windows 8 consumer preview to run on my tablet PC?

filthy light thief — Fri, 23 Nov 2012 20:35:41 -0800

Can I still use a consumer preview version of Windows 8 on my new-old tablet PC? I just bought a refurbished Fujitsu LifeBook PC Tablet T5010 with Vista currently installed, and while I'm not 100% sure it can use finger touches, I'd like to see how it runs with Win8, especially if I can demo it before buying a copy. The consumer preview will expire in Jan. 2013, but can I still do a fresh install of it? While the links to Microsoft's official download pages now direct you to buy Win8, I imagine there are copies of the consumer floating around, but I wanted to save myself the trouble if it wouldn't work.

Teaching Windows 8

vers — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 15:52:25 -0800

Where/what are the best online resources that will help me learn enough about Windows 8 to teach someone else to use it? In a little over 48 hours, I will need to teach someone how to get up and running on Windows 8 within a short amount of time. The catches? I've never used it myself, and the someone is not computer-savvy. What are the best online resources to get us both started with Windows 8? Articles, step-by-step instructions, expert tips, videos all welcome.

How to "move" an iTunes profile to a new desktop profile after Win 8 installation

chris88 — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 20:12:19 -0800

How do I get iTunes to sync to a new desktop profile (on Windows PC) I'm a non-Apple user/unfamiliar with the ecosystem - so I'm thinking the answer to this might be simple. Still I wanted to ask just to make sure.

Updated our PC to Win 8. No problems there.

Thing is, my wife has an iPhone and iTunes account which was synced to our shared desktop.

Since the upgrade to Win 8, she's got her own profile, own desktop, etc.

But what has happened is that her iTunes profile, songs, apps, etc, hasn't "followed" her to her new desktop. She clicks the shortcuts and there is nothing there - no apps or songs.

Yet the apps and songs appear on my desktop when I click shortcuts there.

For information, what is now "my profile/desktop" was formerly our shared one - has retained sign in details, etc.

I'm thinking that we need to do something to tell iTunes to "send" her profile to her "new" desktop, but I can't figure out how.

Can anyone here help me?

Thanks so much -

Sod off.

ed\26h — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 07:54:12 -0800

Does this email contain something malicious? I just had a huge mail (14MB) from a known contact. While the visible content was relatively normal (albeit a duplicate of an email sent earlier in the day), the source, after I’d decoded the Base64, was full of this sort of thing:

{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass li.ecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate112, .ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate112
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate112
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate112
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass p.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212, .ExternalClass li.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212, .ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass li.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212, .ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass li.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212, .ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsonormal212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass p.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212, .ExternalClass li.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212, .ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass li.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212, .ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass li.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212, .ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}
.ExternalClass div.ecxecxecxecxecxecxecxmsoacetate212
{font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";font-size:12pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-left:0cm;}

The malformed-looking “ecxecxecxecxecxecxecx” parts made me a little suspicious (although perhaps only because it looks a bit like “exec”!). I should state the sender is trusted, lacking the knowledge or inclination for anything malicious. They could have contracted virus, however. One further point is they may have been using the Windows 8 Consumer Preview. Can anyone informed offer an explanation?