Returning to Windows after mac

[nitaantsingh254]

Hi,

I am a returning windows user after using mac for a few years. Mac was great, stable and no virus problems, but now I'm seeing that the benefits are outweighed by the cons - mostly being a part of apple's empire.

Lack of gaming ability, hardware upgrade, issues with mac support in general (I couldn't even buy a proper charger for my macbook anymore. Simple stuff). So I have decided to get back to windows.

I purchased an Acer Laptop from Newegg.

I have some general questions as this is windows 7 and not windows xp like I was used to using, and I was hoping I could get some answers here.

Questions:

- Is there any way to set the Start Menu, Windows Explorer and Control Panel Screens to classic view? I don't see a default option by right clicking the screen or the taskbar.

- Is AVG still the one of the best free antivirus? Should I get something else?

- I am trying to partition the HD so that I have a smaller C: with windows and about 100gb for software. I want to make another D drive for games and an E drive for multimedia. IT won't let me shrink the C: drive on a 450gb partition under 220gb. So I have a rather large c: still which I do not want. Any way around this?

Any help is greatly appreciated

Thank you

 

[Crazy4RS]

Nice!!!

 

[ignatzatsonic]

Questions:

- Is there any way to set the Start Menu, Windows Explorer and Control Panel Screens to classic view? I don't see a default option by right clicking the screen or the taskbar.

- Is AVG still the one of the best free antivirus? Should I get something else?

- I am trying to partition the HD so that I have a smaller C: with windows and about 100gb for software. I want to make another D drive for games and an E drive for multimedia. IT won't let me shrink the C: drive on a 450gb partition under 220gb. So I have a rather large c: still which I do not want. Any way around this?

There is an app whose name escapes me that can give you a classic view--so it's doable. I used it briefly, but backslid.

AVG is pretty good--maybe in second place on this forum for a free antivirus, behind Microsoft Security Essentials--free from MS directly. Malware Bytes is an anti-malware app that many here run alongside AVG or MSE.

You can use Partition Wizard boot disk to do your partition work. It's more powerful than the built in capability.

Get the one at the bottom and burn it to a disk:

Free Download Magic Partition Manager Software - Partition Wizard Online

 

[Britton30]

Welcome to Seven Forums and real computers.
In control panel the closest thing to classic view is in the upper right of the (any Explorer) window is the View options, choose Large Icons. Other explorer windows always show the folder tree in the left pane.
AVG and McAfee have known issues with Win 7 and some set ups. Below my sig is a link to Microsoft Security, it's free and a full featured security suite. MalwareBytes free is a good back up scanner to have too.
For the partitions, start a new thread in Hardware and Devices, we have many knowledgeable people for that.

 

[nitaantsingh254]

I will try the suite then, and the partition manager you linked.

Another question was, I am trying to play world of warcraft on my laptop now.

Although it only has 4gb of ddr2 RAM, it has what is apparently a good crossfire enabled AMD Radeon HD 6640G2 graphics system . After removing bloatware, it appears to play WoW maxed but only for very short periods and when there is not too much apart from terrain to render. In org or in a bg the FPS drops to unplayable. I am on the Rivendare US server at the moment which is a very low population server. There are like 15 people in the main city right now. It should render this better shouldn't it? Only setting it to 'Good' is playable. I dropped multisampling to 1 from 8 and view distance to high from ultra, but it is still unplayable.

Cheers

 

[investmenttech]

another vote to MS Security Essentials, it is a very good anti virus program, and the interface is great.

 

[C32C3]

another vote to MS Security Essentials, it is a very good anti virus program, and the interface is great.

I have MSE installed on WinXP Mode. To date it's protection is doing the job that I had hoped it would do. I am not sure how infrequently it is being updated but I suspect MS is anxious to show MSE as a viable competitor to retail internet security suites.

 

[CreepinJesus]

another vote to MS Security Essentials, it is a very good anti virus program, and the interface is great.

I have MSE installed on WinXP Mode. To date it's protection is doing the job that I had hoped it would do. I am not sure how infrequently it is being updated but I suspect MS is anxious to show MSE as a viable competitor to retail internet security suites.

It gets updated with every Windows Update check/install. If you want to increase this, check out this tutorial I wrote on my site: CreepinJesus.net - Update Microsoft Security Essentials on a schedule (sorry about the lack of screenshots)

 

[kado897]

Classic Shell can give you an XP like start menu and some XP features in Exploror.
Welcome to Classic Shell

 

[nitaantsingh254]

Classic Shell can give you an XP like start menu and some XP features in Exploror.
Welcome to Classic Shell

Thank you. This should work beautifully.

 

[kado897]

No problem nitaansingh and welcome to Seven Forums. Don't forget to check out our excellent tutorials section. There is lots of good Win 7 help there.

 

[seavixen32]

Check this tutorial for partitioning your hard drive.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/93322-partition-wizard-use-bootable-cd.html

 

[Internet Badass]

I believe that Microsoft Security Essentials is the best free antivirus program.
There is nothing to annoy you unless there may actually be a problem, and when there is one, it finds it and eliminates it.

With the few apple products I own, i notice a ton of restriction. Less access to important folders, less 3rd party hardware, and in general just not being able to do what i want and need to do!

 

[nitaantsingh254]

With the few apple products I own, i notice a ton of restriction. Less access to important folders, less 3rd party hardware, and in general just not being able to do what i want and need to do!

This. They're a pain in the ass, arn't they? In general I feel like a guest on my own computer. lol

Does anyone happen to have an answer to this

Although it only has 4gb of ddr2 RAM, it has what is apparently a good crossfire enabled AMD Radeon HD 6640G2 graphics system . After removing bloatware, it appears to play WoW maxed but only for very short periods and when there is not too much apart from terrain to render. In org or in a bg the FPS drops to unplayable. I am on the Rivendare US server at the moment which is a very low population server. There are like 15 people in the main city right now. It should render this better shouldn't it? Only setting it to 'Good' is playable. I dropped multisampling to 1 from 8 and view distance to high from ultra, but it is still unplayable.

Thanks