Topic by Omar Alvarado 2015-11-26 02:58:25

  • Registered: 2010-07-27
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So recently I acquired a lenovo g5080, which comes preloaded with windows 8.1.
The specifications on this machine are more than good enough to run the OS, however, even in its stock state with minimal applications and services running foreground or background, it is sluggish as all hell.
It is equipped with 6 gb ram, a 500 gb hard drive, and an Intel I5 duel core processor that I believe runs at 2.5 ghz.
I've tried disabling foreground applications I've installed, that have come with this machine, disabling background services and tasks, reducing visual effects, setting performance options to high performance, and ensuring the Ac adapter is securely plugged in.
My main issue is windows explorer. It takes at least 2 to 5 seconds to load a file view, even if the view consists of just 1 or 2 text files.
Windows 7 quite literally zips through file views faster than I can think to catch my breath, no matter if I have 1 or 100000 files in one particular view.
Another issue I have is windows 8.1 randomly freezing if I leave it unattended for an extended time, say an hour.
Do any of you have any ideas of how to solve mainly my first issue?
Feel free to hijack this topic with anything else about windows8 or 8.1 in general

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Reply by x0 2015-11-26 03:12:09

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To make the start menu easier, download the classic shell program from it's website
I use xplorer2 light eddition, it may be a free version of a payed program but it's definitely enough for me. Duel paine, multiwindow support, with two paines per window, options like showing files in sizes such as 2KB, 2MB or 2GB, I recall that win explorer only displays sizes in kb, lots of customizations, classic menus or ribbon, etc. And best part, it don't freeze or crash! Only time I've seen it lock up was when I was loading a rather large file into a not responding foobar, in which case it was trying to get the file through, so it locked. When it locks, you'll know, because when you enter it's window, NVDA will say paine. Paine. You can get xplorer2 from zabkat.com or if that doesn't work, just google download xplorer2 light. Note that the light version only comes in x86 format, so when you enter the installer and it says would you like to install a 64bit version or continue, click yes to continue. 32 bit works fine. It won't replace your native explorer as far as I've seen, you probably need the correct bittage for that.

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Reply by livrobo 2015-11-26 11:38:01 (edited by livrobo 2015-11-26 11:48:02)

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If you're having a 5 second delay when opening Windows Explorer, the problem is something on your end. Stock Windows 8 doesn't do this, even on systems with lower specs. As for your freezing issue, that's another thing that obviously shouldn't happen. Since you said you've disabled programs that you don't use, I'm guessing you've checked and ensured that there's no bloated security software that came pre-installed taking resources. Also, have you checked Resource Monitor to see if anything is spiking?

If a helicopter falls in the field and no one's around, it doesn't make a sound.

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Reply by afrim 2015-11-26 15:21:16

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Hi,
As for your first issue, that's typical of windows explorer in win 8.1 so it delays while opening large folders containing something like more than 1000 or 3000 files. Let's not forget that it keeps like three or five seconds to load when you turn on the computer for the first time.
Regarding your second issue, I think it happens when the computer is set to sleep. So it sleeps and when you press enter to turn it on, it will not speak, right?
So press a button, I myself press the button (windows) and everything is fine.
I'm surprised at why didn't you mention the most bloody hectic issue of windows 8.1 where the computer won't shut down completely. So you press shut down button, and the computer starts to turn off. Then the screen looks like neither off nor on. Anyway the ventilator is still working so you are forced to force power it off. To fix this issue, you should go to power options and disable fast start up or disable the "lock the computer" option. The main start menu of windows 8.1 is not bad but I use another one from Stardock which is very similar to the one of windows 7. However, if you want to use the typical windows 8.1 start menu, you may need to send to start 8 the most used apps because browsing all apps is a little unpleasant. You have a very useful quick command that does not require you to open start menu and other submenues but you just press Windows+X and you are presented with some important applications of windows, here, worth mentioning windows mobility centre, control panel, shut down or sign out, power options, disk management, programs and features and so on.
If you are used to windows 7, then you have to know that windows 8.1, if you want to make your life easier, will force you to search for some programs that you cannot find by looking inside the start menu. For example, you will need to open the control panel and search "Update" to find the windows update app. Moreover, if you suppose that the order of applications on the all programs group is similar to the one of windows 7, you are wrong, windows 8.1 has another structure. For example, if you want to perform a disk cleanup, you go into start menu, open all programs and try to find accessories. Sadly, you won't find neither disk cleanup, nor accessories. Here on 8.1 it'll be windows accessories and no disk cleanup application is found there. The disk cleanup in this case is found inside the administrative tools submenu, which appears to have replaced system tools on windows 7. So, what I want to say shortly, is, you need to practice and work yourself to get accustomed to windows 8.1. According to the description of your computer's specifications, it appears that it is not bad. 6 GB is more than enough, and 2.5 GHZ processor will serve a normal performance.

Cheers.

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Reply by Omar Alvarado 2015-11-27 02:09:56

  • Registered: 2010-07-27
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I'm trying to keep the OS as stock as I can, in order to keep up with the tech industry.
@post 3. I have ensured there is no security software running (antivirus, anti malware, external firewalls, and other related programs).
@post 4,
When I leave the machine unattended for an extended time, the fans are still running, but pressing keys/mouse buttons does nothing, even on another keyboard. I am forced to force shutdown the machine.
I've never had the issue of it being in a limbo state of either on or off, its just reliably shut down for me, every time, standby, hibernation, starting up a new session, etc.
The start menu and UI of windows 8.1 is the least of my worries I can deal with it for the most part. And along those same lines again, I'm trying to keep the appearance as stock to windows 8.1 as possible, to keep up with the tech industry.
Also, windows plus x is quite a useful command to know, and you put a smile on my face when you brought it up.
One other really interesting issue I have at least with NVDA, sometimes when I go to log in, either a new session or resuming from sleep/hibernation, if I enter an incorrect password, NVDA loses focus of the window, and I can't really do much with it. I have to blindly press enter until NVDA catches up. I haven't yet tried with the new version of NVDA yet, so who knows that might be fixed now.
Apart from those oddities and troubles, and my hard drive going nuts after leaving the machine with its lid closed, turned on, logged in or out doesn't seem to make a difference, for about 5 minutes, I quite like the OS. It seems to use considerably less memory ram than windows 7 does, even with running the same exact apps and services.
Oh, and as of about a few minutes ago, I appear to have sorted out my file explorer issue. Here is what I did.
Open up a file explorer window, and go to the view menu, that I did change to regular menus.
Select sort, not group, by name, and under view again, select list view.
Turn off all the unnecessary file view data, leaving only date, name, size. Preview pain doesn't seem to make a difference in this equation.
I opened up a file explorer session and applied this in the main c:| view, and it seems to be working beautifully so far.
As of now and for now, file explorer is once again blazing fast, like I am used to in windows 7.
Hope this helps.

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Reply by CAE_Jones 2015-11-27 13:10:45

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I did change to regular menus

I haven't been paying attention and have just been trying to ignore everything by living out of the Command Prompt; how do you set it to use menus?

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Reply by afrim 2015-11-27 16:25:34

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@Omer,
Yeah, I love windows 8.1, it truly consumes less ram than windows 7. when I got it installed on my machines, the processor used to stand above 75% while now there are cases when the processor is less than 15%.
I think your issue you are forced to shut down your computer happened two days ago but now it's not happening again.
Regarding your NVDA issue on the log on screen, always feel free to long press windows then Enter and narrator will start speaking. By performing the same command you can turn it off if NVDA starts working again.

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