John Ward April 30, 2014 At the End of the Day

At the End of the Day

Hi everyone.

This was going to be a post about money and life and shit like that.

But then awesomely shit Windows 8.1 intervened. And on awesomely shit Windows 8.1 there is….no* system restore option.

Another triumph for those who walked in the footsteps of William Gates and his wonderful $50bn invention, Microshit.

*Please don’t thread to tell me there is such an option. This is the page that claims there is…but there isn’t. It doesn’t work.

I would also like to congratulate WordPress for swallowing something that took me two hours to write.

Goodnight.

37Comments

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1

OyiaBrown on May 3, 2014 at 2:02 pm

A friend of mine tells me:

‘I read all the stuff about W8 and think some of the comments are quite stupid. There is a system restore facility it is easy to use
but like all W8 it is a strange changeover at first but once you begin to understand it becomes easier to use than W7

You can reset 8 with a clean restore, either keeping your files and your existing programmes or a clean restore entirely without your programmes.

There is also a excellent backup system called File, just connect your USB or your portable drive, click the File and its all done.

I quite agree that 8 is different and some of it is frustrating and unnecessary but when you get used to it and ignore the rubbish.
you don’t need, its good.’

Hope this helps.

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2

BobRocket on May 1, 2014 at 6:49 pm

John,

should have been written in capitals, I almost had to wipe the spittle of the inside of my monitor.

We’ve all had days like these, the only solution (short of teaching windows a lesson with the tradional half-brick (accrington naturally)) is to cut your losses and go outside and chill with une bouteille de bière or a glass of wine.

Later when you have calmed down and the computer has had time to think about it you can rejoin the battle.

I recommend writing in Notepad or Wordpad first and Copy/Paste into the application, using a ‘full function’ (POS) app only invites trouble.

(it takes me ages to write the simplest of things as I agonise over the nuances of written english, with Word, everytime I try to type something it starts to autosave, does it know ?)
(yes I could turn autosave off, then it will crash just before saving)

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3

jaywit on May 1, 2014 at 1:53 pm

As Hieronimusb said a couple of years ago.
Getting laid may clear the brain a little.

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4

umberto on May 1, 2014 at 1:24 pm

John
Get an ipad and forget Windows 8 and IE 8 or 9 or whatever the latest abortion happens to be otherwise you run the risk of premature cardiac infarct !
And we wouldn ‘ t like to see you go quite yet

( unless of course you have lined up a suitably competent compos mentis successor to continue your good musings ! )

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5

OyiaBrown on May 1, 2014 at 11:06 am

Reblogged this on Oyia Brown.

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6

I Wilson on May 1, 2014 at 9:44 am

Or here’s how to do it: http://pcsupport.about.com/od/windows-8/fl/system-restore-windows-8.htm

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7

John Ward on May 1, 2014 at 9:23 am

No Ulenspiel, I fancy this is more to do with them being “all in this together”, nicht?

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8

jimsresearchnotes on May 1, 2014 at 8:56 am

That must explain it: thanks, thats very helpful. But I get reminded by Apple almost daily to install Mavericks. They never used to do that if the programme was incompatible with your own computer. I guess these days they don’t bother as there are so many different variations in computers. I’ll ask about this in MacRumours Forum, the basics and beginners section.

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9

Hieronimusb on May 1, 2014 at 8:26 am

Jim, to run Mavericks you need a 64 bit machine – Macbook Pro mid/late 2007 or newer, iMac mid 2007 or newer, you also need at least 2 gigs of RAM. I have an early 2008 iMac and mid 2010 Macbook Pro on both of which I have installed Mavericks (after adding some RAM) in the last week and so far so good. Snow Leopard is fine but they won’t be adding security patches etc. from now on, if that’s any concern. If you’re happy with what you’ve got and it does what you need, stick with it! Otherwise, it’s time to splash out. I have only ever owned Macs, and have found them to be stable and reliable; JW’s predicament is all too common – yes, there are ways to work around the crappy MS operating systems but with a Mac you don’t have to bother, they just work. The trouble with P.C.s is that there are too many manufacturers involved – and at least one of them is utter shite.

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10

I Wilson on May 1, 2014 at 7:44 am

Classic Shell will do the trick with Win 8.1.

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11

boncourage on May 1, 2014 at 7:41 am

John, if you intend to continue to use a Win machine, do yourself a favour.

Get a copy of Win 7 Pro 64bit (your new machine should be able to handle 64bit) http://www.sofway.co.uk/categories/windows-7 I’ve bought several copies from this company and can recommend them, fast delivery too (FYI, I have no commercial association with them). Ditch Win 8 and install Win 7 Pro in its place.

From their site: “…We’re selling some Windows 8, but huge amounts of Windows 7 are selling, especially to people using 7 to wipe 8 off brand new machines. These two products are the most popular for the job: 7 Home Premium and 7 Pro…” ’nuff said!

Done it now on several new Win 8 machines myself, and I, along with serveral other friends/clients, are a lot happier as a result!

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12

NIDS LOVE BIG EYES on May 1, 2014 at 6:08 am

Speaking of shit, I was watching a BBC program on the great British toilet, and there was Bill Gates and his lovely wife visiting a picturesque hanging toilet in Bangladesh. He is sponsoring a competition to find the next generation toilet, and the one featured was predictably complicated and expensive to put in and maintain. Apparently it took the “stuff” and converted it to carbon which could then be used to heat the home. Really useful where it’s 40 degrees in the shade and the people live on 20c a day, but that’s the Gates Foundation, something always gets lost in the execution.

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13

jimsresearchnotes on May 1, 2014 at 5:18 am

I use Macbook Pro Retina (2003) and it is fine with snow leopard OS. Problem is that it is not able to access decent RP games like Ultima Online, all designed for mass markets with Micros haft. Boot Camp is too complex for me to risk trying. Now, too, Mac does have the disadvantage of having a complex system and I’ve not been able to install Mavericks OS. I get timed out because I don’t stress enough to meet the paranoid Apple. I have considered Linux Ubuntu, downloaded it but found I couldn’t install it. I am a techno dinosaur, though so I have no cause to complain. I rather not allow computer technology to dominate my life.

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14

GrandPa on May 1, 2014 at 4:02 am

XP-looker:-
Win7 and Win8 have all those suggested ‘tools’ already included for ones use.
Problem is OS comes with no directions. Apps/Tools one doesn’t want are presented in ones face
while needed items are hidden away [like how to turn this sucker off]
At first I also tried to force/run Win8 they way I was used to, does’t work that way… I needed to adjust
my methods till I learned how it can be done.

Win8 is like a Jumbo777 = handing the monkey [me] the keys is useless – I didn’t know what to do!
But then smartphones are from same family =- at first I had no idea how to answer the thing when it rang!

An old dog can learn new things. Well almost, I’ve yet to master a digital clock on the TV or microwave
and the family chariot’s clock is only right after daylight time changes when I tell dealership “fix it” when
doing an semi-annual oil change.

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15

Inlooker on May 1, 2014 at 2:47 am

John:You could look to a 3rd party programme which contains a system restore feature built-in.Try to find out the latest “System Suite”.I’ve used them up to version 8,but as I’m still on XP I’ve not needed to get a later version.Also includes a Reg cleaner,firewall,anti-virus & other stuff.

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16

tassosgr on April 30, 2014 at 11:54 pm

Microsoft is preparing it’s frustrated customers for its next breakthrough. A faultless cloud-based operating system. The perfect tool one would use to check/spy on us regularly and in not so obvious ways. I bet it will initially be offered for free too.

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17

Hieronimusb on April 30, 2014 at 11:00 pm

+1 (I think) and very elegantly put.

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18

the ghost on April 30, 2014 at 10:49 pm

…._…._ _ _ _ _._. …._ ._._._._ _…

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19

Ulenspiegel on April 30, 2014 at 10:43 pm

I have used Linux for years. I currently use Knoppix Linux 7.3 which is a live system run from a flash drive which does not touch the hard drive of your computer. The software includes Libre Office and much more which is equal or superior to anything Microsoft has. The learning curve required is probably less than that for Windows 8 and there are many helpful forums online should you run into difficulties. I am in my sixties and definately not a techy, so if I can make the transition so can almost anyone. As has been mentioned all this is free of both cost and propriety control.

I do not know why governments, local authorities etc continue to fork out for propriety IT ware when better solutions exist for free, or at much lower cost for supported solutions. I think that it is mainly down to inertia and this makes me sad.

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20

Anon19/19 on April 30, 2014 at 10:28 pm

Microsoft tidbits

http://techrights.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page
http://techrights.org/wiki/index.php/Gates_Foundation_Critique

Check out the companies he manages by reviewing his Foundations Annual reports (Tax Havens)…
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/Resources-and-Media/Annual-Reports

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21

Zen on April 30, 2014 at 10:02 pm

Websites swallowing your text …..

Use Hotmail / Outlook –
it ‘saves draft’ every few minutes.

Or install NOTEPAD++.

It is free,
and very easy to use.

It can be used for ordinary text,
or for HTML or programming,
and highlights code to find errors.

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22

Hieronimusb on April 30, 2014 at 9:58 pm

No, they say the tools that work for Macroscheist produce bad workmanship to rip people off, not the same thing at all..

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23

Lady geek geek on April 30, 2014 at 9:22 pm

Don’t they say ‘a bad workman blames his tools’?
Suggest you take a course, but first read the instructions on how to restore your system. Every pc has one.
Take a hard earned break please and learn to relax.

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24

JasonG on April 30, 2014 at 8:46 pm

Never tried windows 8 as I moved to linux about a year and a half ago. I read a report yesterday by the Free Software Foundation which states that all microsoft software is malware. Here is the link…Enjoy reading http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/malware-microsoft.html

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25

Jack Savage on April 30, 2014 at 8:43 pm

I have not regretted installing “Lazarus”….brings lost stuff back from the dead. http://getlazarus.com/

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26

Linda Fisher on April 30, 2014 at 8:31 pm

Oh please save us all from technology, but some brill advice given above, all I can suggest is go and sit somewhere tranquil , look at the stars, listen to the crickets and have a glass of wine!

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27

GrandPa on April 30, 2014 at 8:00 pm

John; Google “Restore Win8 to factory settings” for proper directions for your computer make…
or
restore Win8 to earlier time [ like a day or 2 ago ] – again Google for info how…

* Don’t toss that computer out as in a year or two your grand-daughter will be old ’nuff to show you how it all works! :>)

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28

Juliet46 on April 30, 2014 at 7:22 pm

Oh – how I feel for you, JW – to lose something down the black hole of T’interweb is really frustrating. My lovely family clubbed together at Christmas to get me a new pc – with windows 7 as I had very heavily hinted that UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES did I want windows 8. Windows 7 is okk for me – but I do miss XP – shame there is no more support for that OS.

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29

David B on April 30, 2014 at 7:12 pm

I went over to using Ubuntu and open office years ago ( build 7 I think ) and have found it more stable and better than Microshafts offerings.

There is a good work around for things that will only work in Windows called ” wine ” commonly known as Windows in a nice environment.

One of the main advantages is that it will run at lighting speed on a machine of 5 years old that windows will not install on

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30

JohnM on April 30, 2014 at 6:30 pm

Simples, install a flavour of Linux – Ubuntu has a wide choice.
Free (as in free of cost) and open source (as in free of proprietary control).
The code is visible to all and the system is built, maintained and developed
as a voluntary participation by geeks around the World.
It’s true mutual virtual community at work, it should appeal to you.

A pox on the closed world of Apple (ironically built on an open source
system but the very opposite of what the Apple II was) and the graspingly
commercial monopolistic leech that is Micro$haft.

Explore it as a way of reviving and/or speeding up an old laptop.
Or send one to me and I’ll install it for you (for nix of course).

John (you know, yet another one)

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31

James on April 30, 2014 at 6:10 pm

Same crap here again John I’m afraid. About ten years ago I sent my home movie video tape in to a Daily Mail offer to put it on a DVD. This comes with a digital scrapbook that lets you extract clips to email to friends. I put it in my Vista machine today to try to do that, and a warning comes up saying: ‘Only Windows 2000 and Windows XP are supported.’

Brilliant!

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32

Impoverished Psychologist on April 30, 2014 at 6:07 pm

This is precisely what I feared, hours of work down the toilet – a post that no doubt would have been well worth reading.

This is the reality of Windows 8 – it is not a productive tool, it is a way to slide money out of people’s pockets.

John, your important message is being blurred by a crappy OS………………

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33

kfc1404 on April 30, 2014 at 6:06 pm

Night night, sleep tight, hope the bedbugs don’t bite..

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34

jaywit on April 30, 2014 at 5:47 pm

Would or could Big Bill be playing games.(shooting himself in the foot)?
The NEW computer buyer must be truly challenged to even contemplate buying an 8.1 machini
Not being expert at anything but streetsmart,I passed on Vista, XP was great, and 7 is pretty good.I hope the gods are with me and the 3 yr. old Tosh.

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35

DonW on April 30, 2014 at 5:37 pm

I never got System Restore to work on ANY pc (and there have been quite a few, as they are generally AFU after about 2 years) since it first appeared in the 90s (iIrc). Well, maybe for a fortnight from new. After that, an infuriating waste of time.

Like BtP, my experience of Macs since I switched in 2009 has been pretty much positive; not quite perfect, but a damned sight closer than Windows. I’ll never go back.

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36

GrahamD on April 30, 2014 at 5:27 pm

My condolences on the WordPress Swallow Up ! Since getting Windows 8….I type all comments and anything else in Word or Libre Office and then finally cut ‘n paste it into Slog Comments or wherever. I dunno how anyone could make Windows 8 work without Google Chrome….its the only way that I can make it look like a normal desktop with stuff I want on it that I can find. A synchronised Dropbox between all my computers and my i pad is handy too. I run a Windows 8 Laptop for fast internet and 2 Macs…one + Colour Calibrated Monitor and the other as a print server…both quite old but they never crash on me. I have to say that I preferred Vista before my last laptop died.

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37

Bugger (the Panda) on April 30, 2014 at 5:12 pm

Get a Mac, I did after Mrs Panda bought an HP PC with Windows 8. I could not get my head around it and subsequently bought and moved wholesale to MAC, after 20 years on Windows.

Incidentally, do you John drive a metallic red Peugeot open top?

BtP

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