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| Initial D World - Discussion Board / Forums > Computers and Technologies > Recommend OS |
| Posted by: Tessou Apr 21 2015, 02:30 PM |
| I bought a laptop for Ceci last week and still have yet to do anything with it since it has Ubuntu. Ceci wants a Windows OS on it, but I'm on the fence about which one to install. Latitude E6400, Centrino 2 P8600 CPU, 4GB RAM. Windows 8.1 is readily available everywhere, but it would require a bit of taming to run "properly" without Metro fucking everything up. I also hear that the Latitude E6400 has some compatibility issues with Windows 8, and Dell explicitly does not recommend it. Windows 7 is no longer on shelves, but I can get it for a bit cheaper than 8.1 and wait some time for it to arrive at my door. I can get a sealed retail copy of Ultimate x64 for about $70 and I know it will run just fine. Cecilia honestly doesn't care what gets thrown on there, so long as it runs fine. Shoot suggestions at me. |
| Posted by: Rudy Apr 21 2015, 02:36 PM |
| I say your best luck will be installing whatever OS came factory with the computer. If it was 7, run 7. Less headache driver issues that way, laptops are super sketchy when it comes to this crap. I tried putting 7 on a computer designed to run on Vista... went back to Vista, because of said driver issues. |
| Posted by: Sensation! Apr 21 2015, 03:17 PM |
| I think I've mentioned plenty of times that metro itself is a fine interface in 8.1 (not vanilla 8). Its much more effective than the regular start menu if you're looking to launch programs or shortcuts, especially if you have a screen with a small resolution like the 8400 does. The only user experience problems with metro built default into 8 is the control panel, which in 8 and 8.1; there's annoyingly 2 control panels. But that's not really metro's fault, its just Microsoft being dumb. It's one of the first things they fixed in the earlier builds of 10. All metro needs is some organizing per the users preference and removal of the default windows store apps you don't need and viola; its a post modern cubist start menu. My x230t was designed for 7, it's running 8.1 perfectly fine minus the service for automatic screen rotation (windows wont shut down, the service prevents it, i have it disabled and use the rotate button manually) and the Thinkpad battery center program (designed for 7, the only real loss as its fantastic at extending battery life). However, I have a cadillac's worth of other features that work, some even better than their 7 counterpart. Most business class laptops use exclusively Intel components and Intel is pretty good with their driver updates. This usually leaves devices such as the touchpad up to Dell or whomever and chances are, there's windows 8 drivers for that stuff too. Dell doesn't recommend it because not every single piece of software (proprietary or not) installed on the default 7 image will work for 8. Their software suite teams don't care to make every piece of new software backwards compatible for older hardware, let alone care to even package them, new stuff for new stuff always comes first. (Most companies do however create software and driver suites for 8 on older laptops however, i'm sure dell does as well). It also makes tech support for the computer illiterate a total nightmare if you're dell. Sanjeet in india will probably tell you he can't help you the moment you say, "it came with 7, but i put 8 on it" TLDR; Everything should work on 8 and 8.1 if the laptop has majority intel chips and dell provides the pointer drivers for 8. All that is moot though if Cecelia doesn't want 8 or you're not willing to go through the trouble of making 8 work on the laptop. As always, your mileage may vary. I'd stick to 7 on that laptop anyways. Just for simplicities sake. |
| Posted by: Falbere Apr 21 2015, 03:54 PM |
| I would also recommend Windows 7. You said that you hear the Latitude E6400 has some compatibility issues with Windows 8, and Dell explicitly does not recommend it. The last thing you want to have is a computer that doesn't even run properly. Windows 8 isn't even super great that it offers something against Windows 7, except the ability to run Metro apps which are mostly designed for smartphones and other touchscreen devices. Microsoft is still actively giving out security updates to Windows 7, so you don't have to worry about 8 being safer to use either. |
| Posted by: Tessou Apr 21 2015, 03:56 PM |
| This E6400 originally had Vista so returning to factory specs is not gonna happen. I'll look into what needs to happen to run 8 on it. I know it's possible. Cecilia despises metro though. |
| Posted by: RalliKai Apr 21 2015, 04:53 PM |
| I think I'll join the Windows 7 train aswell. Granted my opinion is bias as I've yet to play with Win 8 or 8.1. |
| Posted by: Tessou Apr 21 2015, 05:39 PM |
| Yeah. I personally would prefer 7 but I'm still looking for a reputable seller that isn't selling "refurbish" or repair disks. I still have a Windows 7 disk for my old ultimate setup, but the Microsoft verification code was one time and I can't buy a new one from them. |
| Posted by: Nomake Wan Apr 21 2015, 06:15 PM |
| If it had Vista, run 7. Grab an 'untouched' ISO of Ultimate and then use Infinite Rearm 5 (part of Trilogy 4.2) to run it in trial mode indefinitely. That's what I do ever since M$ fucked me by invalidating my legally-purchased product key. It's not a crack, and for the love of God don't get a cracked ISO. It just abuses a built-in feature of the OS. [ Post made via Mobile Device ] |
| Posted by: kyonpalm Apr 22 2015, 07:38 AM | ||
Install Gentoo.
|
| Posted by: Tessou Apr 27 2015, 11:26 PM |
| Update on this. I bought a copy of 7 Ultimate and installed it. Naturally, the included product key in the sealed box popped up as "blacklisted" when I tried to authenticate the fucking thing. I checked the discs and seal stickers against Microsoft's "how to tell" site and came up emptyhanded. I really can't tell if it's fake or not, but the code doesn't work. So of course, I did "something", and it's activated and genuine without having to pay for anything. I didn't have to reset the timer to keep it in trial mode indefinitely either. I'm also getting a refund for the bogus OS. |
| Posted by: Nomake Wan Apr 28 2015, 09:08 AM |
Well, as long as whatever activation scheme you used sticks then that's cool.  |
| Posted by: Tessou Apr 28 2015, 09:32 AM |
In hindsight, since the product key was really what I was paying for, it would have been easier to just burn an ISO and throw it onto the laptop a week ago, since it would end up with the same result: trial mode OS. I wasted my time trying to go legit.  |
| Posted by: Nomake Wan Apr 28 2015, 09:59 AM |
I feel like I might have said that already.  [ Post made via Mobile Device ] |
| Posted by: Tessou Apr 28 2015, 10:34 AM |
| I know. As I said, I was trying to get a legitimate copy of the OS, but that turned out to be a waste of time. The joke is entirely on me. |
| Posted by: Möbius May 7 2015, 02:30 PM |
| A bit too late, but Windows 7 was what I would have recommended for that PC as well. |
| Posted by: hakurio Jun 14 2015, 12:44 AM |
| -deleted- |
| Posted by: kyonpalm Jul 31 2015, 10:18 AM |
Windows 10 should be on every personal computer in every home, worldwide. |
| Posted by: Tessou Jul 31 2015, 10:32 AM |
| Why? |
| Posted by: TrainEngie Jul 31 2015, 10:59 AM |
| Tilt your screen a little away from you, sir. |
| Posted by: Tessou Jul 31 2015, 11:07 AM |
| Ah, so I see. Microsoft Edge is a piece of shit browser, that's for sure. Runs somewhat smooth (froze up on first boot) but no support for extensions/addons? No thanks. I'll keep my system-hogging Chrome. I also didn't like the weird way it scrolls on pages. Another fuckup comes in screen options. Changing wallpaper options can be a pain if you are using a smaller image over a basic colored background, because you can't change the color without removing the image, and then applying the image again after choosing a color. Maybe I just have the oversimplified idiot version of the software that assumes I'm mentally challenged. The big thing about 10 that I do enjoy is that the transition was seamless. It took everything about my "tamed 8.1" and naturalized it to be the OS it should have been all along. I asked Cortana to tell me a joke and it sent me to the Bing website. |
| Posted by: kyonpalm Jul 31 2015, 11:45 AM | ||
http://i.imgur.com/qgoK5Km.jpg |
| Posted by: tsukikomi Jul 31 2015, 11:49 AM | ||
Welp I'm not converting anytime soon. |
| Posted by: Tessou Jul 31 2015, 12:53 PM |
| Look at all of those "Project Spartan" references. None of that is particularly difficult to disable anyway. Mcdonalds has my credit card number because I swiped it once. CALL THE POLICE! |
| Posted by: Nomake Wan Jul 31 2015, 01:34 PM | ||
Fuck off. Unless you got yourself an Enterprise version of the OS, then as someone who's pretty damn handy with a Windows OS...fuck off.  |
| Posted by: Tessou Jul 31 2015, 01:35 PM |
| I do not kiss and tell. |
| Posted by: SgtXDNX Jul 31 2015, 07:04 PM | ||
 But seriously, Windows 10 so far is basically the equivalent of Microsoft dumping a mag into their foot, stopping to reload and then doing it again. |
| Posted by: Nomake Wan Jul 31 2015, 09:57 PM |
| It's a total bait-and-switch is the problem. They pushed it aggressively and all these wonderful things were said about it on the test blogs, like the whole unified control panel thing I was so giddy to finally see. Then you install the damn thing and find out that nope! M$ pulled a fast one on ya! Enjoy your new OS, bro!! Pathetic. |
| Posted by: Tessou Jul 31 2015, 11:10 PM |
| I solved the problem by disabling network connectivity on the laptop. I only use the innernette since it puts the web on a single cdrom with no risk of pesky eworms or email viruses. Even contains over 100 songs across six genres. |