Of course, new operating system Windows 8.1, released recently, eliminated a bunch of flaws in previous Windows 8, but also in this update Microsoft developers failed to do everything without mistakes. In this article, we'll take a look at 5 of the most significant shortcomings, which remained in Windows 8.1.
The start button is still a dream
The return of the Start menu has been eagerly awaited by everyone Windows users 8. And the time has come for him to return, but, unfortunately, not quite received what they expected. In fact, the menu and the Start button were not returned, since pressing the button redirects to an already familiar start screen.
In the "Navigation" tab in the properties of the taskbar, you can now check the box, which will make it possible to open a list of all programs after clicking on the Start button, and not to call the start screen. Now it’s easier to return to the usual mode than it was in Windows 8. But still, there is no longer the usual “Start”, only the name remains.
Tiles remain
In addition to the return of Start in Windows 8.1, there was also a rumor that Microsoft would remove the famous tiles. However, we decided that it was this interface that needed to be further supported.
Alas, but updated system continues to greet the user with tiles. But the problem is that among all the small and large fixes and changes in Windows 8.1, most of them concern all the same tiles. This time, users were allowed to customize the tiles, but this is not a solution to the problems, since the tiles only make it more difficult to access such simple functions and applications like a media player, etc.
Not real Internet Explorer 11
It would seem that the glory of bad browser, was supposed to motivate Microsoft to release new version Internet Explorer.
And of course, Microsoft released a new version of its Explorer, but as it turned out, it is no different from the previous version.
Version of Internet Explorer for desktop computers didn't change at all.
Kit basic functions And appearance browsers remained the same, and we did not find noticeable differences compared to the previous version.
Stability
After loading the platform, users of the new operating Windows systems 8.1 complain about problems. The fact is that a large number of users started downloading the update immediately after advent of Windows 8.1 in open access, and half of them encountered problems during the download.
I tried to download Windows 8.1, it failed to download boot files the first time. In addition, it has huge size updates, it takes up about 3.5 GB on disk. Before starting the download, it is recommended to connect to broadband Internet. Due to increased interest in Windows 8.1 Microsoft servers have become overloaded, so it takes a lot of time to update.
In addition, it turned out that the update can only be downloaded to 1 computer, but Microsoft does not comment on this. Previously purchased software, it was possible to install on several home computers. For small firms, for each computer you will have to do a download, and this will lead to huge traffic.
Windows 8.1 doesn't work with Windows RT
Windows 8.1 was required to update versions of Windows 8 and Windows RT. But with Windows RT there were big problems.
Microsoft has withdrawn the update to Windows 8.1, intended for Windows users R.T. The update has been removed from Windows Store Store after users who installed it complained about computer problems. Those who downloaded the update and installed it, after rebooting the computer, were able to observe the infamous blue screen with an error message. This error is related to the Boot Configuration Data file.
On the official Microsoft website, the message says that only a certain number of users encountered the problem, but the update has been withdrawn completely for all owners of the Windows RT system. The company apologized for the problems and inconvenience caused, saying that it is investigating the situation. But they didn't say when. windows update RT 8.1 will reappear in Windows Store.
The review of the shortcomings of Windows 8.1 is over and I would like to note that even taking into account these shortcomings, operating system looks much better than plain Windows 8. Maybe if Windows 8 had only the disadvantages listed above along with the same number positive properties, then more success awaited her, and not constant criticism from users and developers. However, in order to fix the problem, Microsoft needs to fix the above 5 points.
There has been a joke on the Internet for a long time - if XP was good, Vista was bad, Windows 7 was good again, what will Windows 8 be like? And although the latter has already existed for several years, the question of advantages and disadvantages of Windows 8 still remains open. Especially recently, Microsoft officially stopped Windows support 7 and fans of official and stable software will have to choose a new OS.
1. System performance. The developers really did a great job of optimizing the system - it has become less resource-intensive compared to previous versions. This can be felt already at startup - the system boots much faster. In the "raw" versions, there were problems with the speed of some programs, however, this did not depend on the system itself, but on the optimization of these programs. On this moment Windows 8 is in every way faster and smoother than Windows 7 and XP.
2. Safety. The built-in antivirus has been designed with all Windows 8 vulnerabilities. This means that the system will be protected from viruses and other unwanted surprises out of the box. Yes, for more security, you can install third party antivirus, however, the native product from Microsoft is doing its job very well.
3. Task manager. The utility has undergone significant changes and now has a more pleasant GUI. Also, some functions have been added to the program - now you can control the startup of programs directly from the manager when Windows startup 8 and many more.
4. System Explorer. The utility, which many users do not even pay attention to, but without which it is impossible to imagine the usual work in Windows, also received Big changes- the functionality and interface have been updated, important components placed in prominent places, simplified work with different types folders.
5. Drivers. After installing the "eight" now there is no need to search for digging into old disks or surf the Internet in search of drivers for your computer - the system downloads and installs everything automatically.
6. Metro interface. Here we come to the most significant change in the system. Metro is also called Modern UI (this was due to Microsoft's patent rights issues with the Metro name). In theory new interface designed to replace the Start menu, but in fact is so to speak whole system in system. Starting Windows 8, you will be greeted by the Modern start screen - tiled program shortcuts in a minimalist design. From here you can access both applications and the desktop familiar to previous versions of Windows. You can call Modern UI Win key or by clicking at the bottom left of the screen. 
Now let's talk about the utilities and other features available directly in Modern UI.
Disadvantages of Windows 8
1. Metro interface. The main innovation and advantage of Windows 8 became at the same time one of the shortcomings of the system. Consider what exactly when working in Metro can cause inconvenience.
No matter how updated and improved the new interface is, for some users, the lack of a Start menu is inconvenient.
The unusual location of some function keys such as shutting down or rebooting the system.
Often when installing applications, the latter create additional labels, such as Uninstall a program or Get help with the program. You can't hide these items in Metro, so the app list screen can quickly become cluttered with unnecessary shortcuts.
Metro pop-ups can get in the way at first familiar interface"windows". 
Conclusion
Yet all of the above disadvantages of Windows 8 as such, it's a stretch to call it a flaw, since it's just an interface change. Yes, the system may seem a little incomprehensible to a person who has tried it for the first time, but these sensations quickly pass, replacing the advantages of the system.
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“I am writing this article in the window Microsoft Word 2010, which takes up less than half the screen. There are also two windows open on the screen. Chrome browser- in one page of incoming mail, and in the second several pages are open, which I use to write this article and Windows is running media player, which suggests that Beethoven's Seventh Symphony is playing. I can easily run any installed program with a few mouse clicks.
You might think that I don't use Windows 8. I have a copy of this operating system installed for testing on another computer, but on the PC I use for work, I need a powerful and feature-packed operating system that allows you to organize programs and windows the way I want. Windows 7 is great for these purposes, Windows 8 is not.
Windows without windows: Does anyone at Microsoft understand that Windows is called Windows because it contains windows?
It seemed to be an obvious fact, until the smart guys from Redmond decided to surprise us with the interface now known as Metro. Starting windows screen 8 has no windows. IN best case you can work with two programs at the same time, but even this is not possible with a horizontal display resolution of less than 1366 pixels.
But the lack of convenient windows is not main disadvantage Metro interface. You can still organize your start screen by properly separating your applications, media players and utilities into individual groups. However, Metro does not allow you to create a hierarchy of programs like folders on your hard drive or submenus in the start menu. Instead, you have to accept that all labels are displayed.
unfinished worker Windows table: Windows 8 kept the old user interface, but you can't use the default desktop. You cannot boot the system directly to the desktop, or vice versa exit Windows from the desktop. You can still manage files using old interface, there is no Metro alternative to Explorer.
The worst thing is that Microsoft removed start menu, except for the truncated launch versions Windows 8. Introduced in Windows 95 and constantly improved, the start menu has evolved into an extremely convenient working tool.
Think of everything you could do with the start menu in Windows 7. You could pin a program shortcut to top level in the menu, but it wasn't necessary because the shortcuts were automatically sorted by how often they were accessed. The shortcuts in the start menu contained information about recent files with which the referring program worked.
Two operating systems in one. In order to make the system even worse, the interaction of the metro and the classic interfaces was not provided. Going from one to the other looks like stupidity.
Windows 8 contains two Internet versions Explorer - one for each interface. But they don't work well with each other. When you favorite a link on a desktop version of the browser, it is saved only in that version. Create new item in Favorites in the Metro version of Internet Explorer - again, it is saved only in classic version browser. (The Metro version of IE lets you pin web pages to the Start screen, further cluttering it up.)
But everything could work out. Clearly, Microsoft is on the wrong track. We don't need a weird mixture of classic and Metro apps. We need an operating system that changes the user interface when changing hardware. All options must be configurable and you must be free to choose the interface.
Alas, Microsoft decided to do things their own way. So I will continue to use the seventh Windows version for as long as I can and hope the company fixes all the bugs in Windows 9 (or better yet Windows 8 SP1). And if not? Well, besides Microsoft, there is also Apple and Linux…”
Common reasons why Windows 8 slows down are problems with hard drive and accumulation of temporal data. viral infection may cause the operating system to freeze. To fix such problems, it is not necessary to reinstall the OS. In most cases, diagnostics and repairs are possible using free programs.
Windows 8 is infected with viruses
Malicious applications use the hardware resources of a Windows 8 computer. This becomes the reason why the PC slows down and freezes. To scan for viruses, you can use AVG program AntiVirus Free. It has a wide functionality with the ability to install additional modules. Another advantage is that AVG is free.
On the first launch of the application, activate the module antivirus protection. It is located on the left side of the window. After the extension is launched, its data will be downloaded and unpacked. You can also increase the functionality of the program with other add-ons:
- PC TuneUp - tools to speed up your PC.
- HMA! Pro VPN - Protect your privacy using a VPN server.
- Web TuneUp is a browser plugin for safe use Internet.
Viruses are searched for on a computer using special signature databases that are regularly updated by developers. antivirus utilities. These records contain data to determine malicious code, causing Windows 8 to freeze or slow down. The AVG installer contains only basic signatures. For this reason, the definitions will need to be updated after the module is loaded. The process will take a few minutes, and after its completion you will be able to start scanning your computer for viruses.
Note! To save system changes a restart of the PC is required. Complete it before moving on to the next step.
The scanning interface contains the same elements as in most other antivirus utilities. The progress bar displays the current amount of checked data as a percentage. Below is the analysis statistics, which includes: the number of scanned files and threats found, the operation being performed, and the current object.
High fragmentation and HDD problems
Files on a computer hard drive may be stored inconsistently. This increases the data access time, and the computer slows down. When a document is deleted, the freed space becomes writable. If the next file to be written has larger size, only part of it will be saved to this place, and the rest will be written to the next free sector.
Thus, one file is located in different parts HDD, interrupted by other recordings. This is called hard drive fragmentation. Although the computer can read such information, it takes more time, in some cases, fragmentation is the reason why Windows 8 freezes. You can speed up the work using the Defraggler utility.
After launching the application, go to the Status tab to run disk diagnostics and get a SMART report. Information about the selected hard drive is located in the lower left table. On the right are the test results. Their analysis helps to identify the cause of errors that occur if the disk is faulty.
Important! The overall health of the HDD is indicated in the "Status" line. Also pay attention to the item "Temperature". If the value is displayed in red, the device is not cooled enough.
Click "Analyze" to evaluate hard drive fragmentation. Progress is displayed in the Status section and may vary unevenly. If the computer freezes at a certain percentage, wait until all data has been processed.
Between top table and bottom working area will be withdrawn color scheme data placement. Values different colors can be specified on the "Disk Map" tab. The sets of sectors with the highest fragmentation are shown schematically as red squares. The blue and light blue sections do not need to be defragmented.
Click "Defragment" and wait for the process to complete. Depending on the size of the HDD and the amount of recorded data, the operation will last from a couple of minutes to several hours.
Tutorial Video: Speed up Windows 8
System slows down due to temporary files
You can clear unnecessary temporary entries in Windows 8 using advanced system care. The program also has basic antivirus tools and built-in modules for cleaning the registry. Incorrect entries in it can cause unstable work Windows. On the start screen, select the desired operating modes and click "Start".
Have you upgraded to Windows 8 yet? On Lifehacker, we wrote a lot about this version of the OS. However, practice shows that most users do not get along with the 8th and prefer the 7th.
Newer doesn't mean better
First, let's clear one thing up. Bill Gates was once asked if he uses Windows 8, to which he pointedly replied: “The higher, the stronger!” However, in practice it turns out that this rule does not always work. Remember Windows Me - this "lover" blue screen death - but everyone was stuck on Windows 98. Then there was Windows Vista, which could not transfer files over the network at a reasonable speed; and everyone chose Windows XP. Now the fate of Windows 8 is being decided: is it worth upgrading to this version or is it better to stay on the same version - 7?!
It's worth noting that the story with Windows 8 is not the same as with Me or Vista. The latter had problems with stability and performance. Windows 8 and stable. The problem here is not in its implementation, but rather in its design.
The interface is certainly good, but…
Windows 8 has many new features and features that you might be interested in, as well as improved security. But the bulk of them are sharpened for tablets, and not for the desktop. We list the reasons why you still should not switch to Windows 8:
Metro UI: no, I haven't heard!
Microsoft was apparently confident that users would no longer want to use the desktop. In this they miscalculated. Not everyone likes the finger-oriented interface and metro apps. Yes, and why - if the usual analogues are many times more functional and more convenient? But what users miss the most, besides their favorite Start button, is the ability to Windows boot 8 directly in desktop mode, bypassing the start screen of the touch interface.
The start screen is disorienting
The start screen creates cognitive overload and obscures important content for the user. Does not paint fancy interface and lack of familiar button"Start" or obscure black Metro panels falling out from the left, then to the right, single-window mode or low density of information on the screen. If you use many applications at the same time, then your taskbar turns into a real dump. You can make life a little easier with by installing special alternative menus "" for Windows 8.
There is no single search
In the 7th version of Windows, finding a file or program is easy. In the search bar you need to type in the name or keywords, and all programs and files that are relevant to the query are displayed in the search results. However, they can be opened directly from the same window. In Windows 8, for some reason, the developers added one more extra step. Default search only looks inside installed applications; if you want to search through all files or programs, you will have to choose the search area yourself. In addition, the search takes up the entire screen, thereby blocking access to the rest of the content.
Windows Store: decay and hopelessness
The Windows Store is one big missed opportunity. In Windows 8, although implemented convenient system centralized installation and software updates, but this joy extends only to applications transferred to the touch environment. The Windows Store has a list of desktop apps, but these are just download links. That is, the store will not install, update and synchronize them between devices.
Weird innovations in the desktop environment
Gone is not only the beloved Start button, but also the ability to boot Windows 8 directly into desktop mode, bypassing the start screen. Starting the system is stopped every time due to the lock screen that appears after you boot the computer, when you enter the OS, or after the computer is woken up from sleep. To disable it, you will have to run the "Local Editor" group policy” or the registry editor. And because of the careless movement of the mouse, incomprehensible black panels fall out on the left and on the right, which is wildly distracting.
The eccentricities don't end there. By clicking on the icon, a weighty side panel to select a network. And if you click on the sound icon, a standard pop-up window will appear. All this is somehow not harmonious.
Modern Metro interface: eccentricity or the future of operating systems?
There are those who do not like Windows 8. Others believe that tablet-centric interfaces are the future. But Microsoft will take it and completely remove the desktop in all subsequent versions of the OS, leaving users alone with the Metro interface! However, not everyone can afford to abandon the desktop. And here's why, by the way:
- In the Metro interface, it is impossible to simultaneously hold open browser, and next door is a notepad. Side-by-side applications, unfortunately, do not know how to work.
- Weak support for large monitors. It seems that Windows 8 was developed exclusively for 13-inch PCs (1366x768).
- Live in the Microsoft ecosystem - thank you! Windows 8 is for those using Bing, SkyDrive, Xbox Live (Music, Video). The fact that the user can use other services (besides those provided by Microsoft) is not taken into account.
- This is a closed platform. The Metro interface only allows you to install apps approved by Microsoft. What one-sidedness! Imagine what would happen if only Internet Explorer 6 could be used as a browser in Windows XP? At what stage of development would we be today, using only it?
- The Windows Store with its apps is dislike. Even if the design of the Windows Store were the coolest in the world, it would still continue to exude dullness. The number of apps in the store has grown. But quality is more important than quantity, and the latter is never observed.
