Post by irvsp on Oct 19, 2013 15:24:03 GMT
OK, first the 2 computers that were updated:
Both Dell's, one an XPS Studio 1 435T, about 4 1/2 years old. The other a 1 1/2 year old XPS 8500. Both have SSD's as the primary OS drive with other mechanical drives used for other purposes, data and program storage, but some programs and data are also on the SSD's.
Both have similarities such as Intel i7 CPU's but different models, 8GB's of RAM at different speeds, and different Internet connection methods, one wired, one wireless, and different ATI display adapter's. The last 2 ARE important as they had problems on the 8500.
Basically the 435T ran into a single problem, the network was 'randomly' not connected too (wired). Connectiod says the cable is unplugged. DID NOT happen at first though, but has randomly since then. Easily rectified, DISABLE and then ENABLE the card and the network in found. I've had this problem on occasion before and it automagically 'repairs' itself at some point. For some reason I had to 'authorize' the computer after the install of 8.1. 8500 didn't seem to require that?
Ahh, the 8500... first problem it said it had limited connectability to the web. The 8500 has 2 wireless cards in it. An Intel 1/2 card that WAS disabled, and a LinkSys AE2500 dual band card. Why 2, well Dell could NOT fix the Intel card to connect at 300Mbps (N Speed). So they sent the LinkSys card. It can only connect at 300Mbps on the 5Ghz signal. Had to look in Device Manager as the Network and Sharing Center did NOT see the LinkSys card. Was NOT in Device Manager either? Hmmm... so I tried installing the LinkSys driver. Yes, it installed (this driver gets a LOT of complaints from users on W8 as it is really a W7 driver that 'should' work) and then appeared in Device Manager and Network and Sharing Center. Disabled the Intel, enabled the LinkSys, gave the network password and it is now working fine, even after shutdown and reboot.
Now the next hurdle. On the 435T the video driver and Catalyst Control Center continued to work. The 435T has a 'legacy' HD4000 series W8 driver. The 8500 has an HD7000 series driver and it had the W8 version of the driver. Many complaints about Win 8.1 problems on the AMD/ATI forum, and I too have the problem. Catalyst Control Center doesn't work. On the first boot W8.1 warned me I'd have to re-install the driver. All the driver install did was install the VIDEO driver but NOT the CCC. Trying to start it gives a weird error message that there are no settings for it? Already reported in the ATI forum with no solution. So I make sure I have the correct driver. Well when you try to find the W8.1 driver NONE is listed? Huh? However the W8 drivers states it is for W8.1??? So I d/l it again and install, install fails. Remove the AMD driver, reboot, retry and it again fails. However the display driver is updated? OK, I'll try the Beta, same thing... No 'real' problem at this time, but we'll see how well this works over time?
Some changes were made on the 435T but not on the 8500? Basically BOTH were set to start without the need to logon or supply a p/w. That was retained on the 8500 but not the 435T? Reset it on the 435T and it now works as I want it. Why it was changed, I'll never know?
Probably other stuff too I'll discover over time, but so far it seems to have been OK.
No, I can't tell any difference between W8 and W8.1 basically. Have NOT messed with the real Start Screen, and that it appears with the major visual changes have been made.
One small 'nasty' I don't like though. One the TASK BAR properties NAVIGATION TAB you'll find the box to go directly to the DESKTOP. Only problem it isn't just for the booting. It is also tied to 'CLOSE ALL APS ON A SCREEN'. Sometimes I'll use the START SCREEN to look at some Metro/Live Tile apps, such as ESPN, USA TODAY, etc. By habit I close those using ALT-F4. If you were to just switch away from those apps they stay running in memory so I close them. Well, with this NAVIGATION option selected doing that returns me to the DESKTOP, not the START SCREEN like it did before.
Both Dell's, one an XPS Studio 1 435T, about 4 1/2 years old. The other a 1 1/2 year old XPS 8500. Both have SSD's as the primary OS drive with other mechanical drives used for other purposes, data and program storage, but some programs and data are also on the SSD's.
Both have similarities such as Intel i7 CPU's but different models, 8GB's of RAM at different speeds, and different Internet connection methods, one wired, one wireless, and different ATI display adapter's. The last 2 ARE important as they had problems on the 8500.
Basically the 435T ran into a single problem, the network was 'randomly' not connected too (wired). Connectiod says the cable is unplugged. DID NOT happen at first though, but has randomly since then. Easily rectified, DISABLE and then ENABLE the card and the network in found. I've had this problem on occasion before and it automagically 'repairs' itself at some point. For some reason I had to 'authorize' the computer after the install of 8.1. 8500 didn't seem to require that?
Ahh, the 8500... first problem it said it had limited connectability to the web. The 8500 has 2 wireless cards in it. An Intel 1/2 card that WAS disabled, and a LinkSys AE2500 dual band card. Why 2, well Dell could NOT fix the Intel card to connect at 300Mbps (N Speed). So they sent the LinkSys card. It can only connect at 300Mbps on the 5Ghz signal. Had to look in Device Manager as the Network and Sharing Center did NOT see the LinkSys card. Was NOT in Device Manager either? Hmmm... so I tried installing the LinkSys driver. Yes, it installed (this driver gets a LOT of complaints from users on W8 as it is really a W7 driver that 'should' work) and then appeared in Device Manager and Network and Sharing Center. Disabled the Intel, enabled the LinkSys, gave the network password and it is now working fine, even after shutdown and reboot.
Now the next hurdle. On the 435T the video driver and Catalyst Control Center continued to work. The 435T has a 'legacy' HD4000 series W8 driver. The 8500 has an HD7000 series driver and it had the W8 version of the driver. Many complaints about Win 8.1 problems on the AMD/ATI forum, and I too have the problem. Catalyst Control Center doesn't work. On the first boot W8.1 warned me I'd have to re-install the driver. All the driver install did was install the VIDEO driver but NOT the CCC. Trying to start it gives a weird error message that there are no settings for it? Already reported in the ATI forum with no solution. So I make sure I have the correct driver. Well when you try to find the W8.1 driver NONE is listed? Huh? However the W8 drivers states it is for W8.1??? So I d/l it again and install, install fails. Remove the AMD driver, reboot, retry and it again fails. However the display driver is updated? OK, I'll try the Beta, same thing... No 'real' problem at this time, but we'll see how well this works over time?
Some changes were made on the 435T but not on the 8500? Basically BOTH were set to start without the need to logon or supply a p/w. That was retained on the 8500 but not the 435T? Reset it on the 435T and it now works as I want it. Why it was changed, I'll never know?
Probably other stuff too I'll discover over time, but so far it seems to have been OK.
No, I can't tell any difference between W8 and W8.1 basically. Have NOT messed with the real Start Screen, and that it appears with the major visual changes have been made.
One small 'nasty' I don't like though. One the TASK BAR properties NAVIGATION TAB you'll find the box to go directly to the DESKTOP. Only problem it isn't just for the booting. It is also tied to 'CLOSE ALL APS ON A SCREEN'. Sometimes I'll use the START SCREEN to look at some Metro/Live Tile apps, such as ESPN, USA TODAY, etc. By habit I close those using ALT-F4. If you were to just switch away from those apps they stay running in memory so I close them. Well, with this NAVIGATION option selected doing that returns me to the DESKTOP, not the START SCREEN like it did before.