Windows 8 and older computers

When Windows 8 went RTM, I downloaded the ISO that day and because I only seem to have old computers in my house, I tried to install Windows 8 on them.  Right off the bat, I'm at strike 2.

According to reports, Windows 8 is DESIGNED to run on netbooks, see review of Windows 8 Developer Preview and netbooks here.  Windows 8 was meant to be lighter and more efficient.  There are fewer running processes than Windows 7 and has a lower memory footprint than Windows 7.  All of these reports in theory should make Windows 8 faster than Windows 7.  The question then is, why is doesn't Windows 8 work as efficient or better than Windows 7 on my old notebook computers which works well with Windows 7 and can run laps around netbooks any day of the week.  This should be easy!


Strike 1 - Sony VAIO TXN27N

The Sony VAIO TXN27N has an Intel Core 2 Solo 1.33 GHz processor and 2 GB of RAM.  The Intel Core 2 Solo processor is more complex and faster than Atom processors, see comparative review here.

However, once I got Windows 8 installed on the Sony VAIO TXN27N, Windows 8 was sluggish and the CPU was generally running at 20-30% continuously.  Although I managed to install all the necessary drivers for all the hardware on the notebook computer for Windows 8, Windows 8 just ended up too slow and too laggy.

The Sony VAIO TXN27N is back to running Windows 7 happily.  I would be happier if it could play Flash video without being choppy, but it might be asking too much for Adobe to make a leaner more efficient Flash plugin.  Never mind that VLC can play 800MB video files without trouble on the old ultraportable notebook computer.

Strike 2 - Alienware Aurora m7700

A little disappointment with my experience with the Sony VAIO TXN27N, but undeterred, I tried to upgrade the Alienware Aurora m7700 to Windows 8.  Install took about 2 hours.  A little too slow for me, but everything looked ok initially.  However, but then problems started.

• NVidia Geforce Go 6800 Ultra (in Windows 7, the NVidia Geforce 6800 Ultra drivers work just fine) DOES NOT INSTALLL.  I tried installing the original drivers, the Windows 7 NVidia Geforce 6800 Ultra drivers, the Windows 8 NVidia Geforce 6800 Ultra drivers, and the Clevo D900K drivers, but nothing worked.
• I have an aftermarket Dell Wireless 1350 WLAN miniPCI card, but I've noticed various problems with it.  For example, I had trouble downloading the NVidia drivers from the website.  The connection kept breaking.  I also had issues connecting to the Windows 8 store and installing apps from the Windows 8 store.

Generally, I'm ok with not being able to install ALL the drivers for hardware, but I have 2 requirements.  The video and sound drivers MUST work.  I want native color and resolution and I need sound.  Generally, sound works because Windows always manages to install some compatible driver.  With the Alienware Aurora m7700, NO video drivers that I can find work with Windows 8.  So I'm maxed out at 1600x1200 when the native resolution is 1920x1200.  This is a deal breaker for me.

Strike 3 - ???

I haven't gotten here yet, but I'll let you know how I get on, but I'm think I might have hit my disappointed point.  At work, we're definitely going Windows 8 so maybe that'll be Strike 3, but then again, it's definitely a newer notebook computer, the Dell Latitude E6410, and most likely it'll have Windows 8 support, or something close to it.  It's not like I've got legacy Windows XP drivers running on it.  Stay tuned.

2013-05-19 Update

Good news on the Dell Latitude E6410 front. I have Windows 8 Enterprise edition running on a Crucial m4 256 GB SSD. It runs great! I can deal with the new Windows 8 start screen. I like that I can fine tune what's there versus Windows 7 where the start menu becomes a pile of applications, but the same can be said for Windows 8 because it's unorganized. The applications really are a pile of applications. At least in Windows 7, the start menu organized the applications into folders.

Conclusion

Windows 8 is undeniable cool, but it's too tablet oriented.  I want a hybrid mode where I can make use of the new tablet orient features, but maintain all the productivity of traditional Windows.  The desktop being an "app" is awkward and too much effort is required to stay there.  I want an option to start in the Desktop and stay there.  I want the Start screen to be more like a Start menu.  Maybe I can have it take up half the screen instead of all of it?

However, nothing compares to the driver issue.  I need to be able to install my video card drivers.  Additionally, I was under the assumption that Windows 8 is faster and more efficient, but it seems to be slower on older computer even though in general, my older computers are faster than most netbooks.

Windows 8 is Windows Vista with new clothing:  strict about drivers and slower on older computers.  The beauty of Windows 7 is that it's flexible.  It's all the features of a modern operating system with support for older computers so that older drivers can be installed and aren't arbitrarily left out.  Windows 7 can only be better by becoming leaner, faster, more efficient.  The qualities of a modern operating system isn't limited to a new fancy new UI.  It's what's behind the covers:  robust security, file management, memory management, support for modern hardware, etc.

I am not opposed to Windows 8 and I believe in the "one OS to rule them all" position.  Proponents of Apple can say that OS X integrated tablet like features into the desktop OS better, but the simple fact remains that OS X DOES NOT run on a tablet notebook computer.  Windows 8 does and it tries to bring a common UI between all Microsoft-based products (desktop OS, notebook OS, tablet OS, XBox gaming console, and smartphone OS).  Sony has already successfully integrated a common look and feel across their devices with the XrossMediaBar for a long time.  Windows 8 gives you want no other tablet can do.  True computing power on the go in your hands at the touch of your fingertips.

But, for now, I'm downgrading to Windows 7.