Quick question

[kelly1]

I was given an old Dell laptop.I think it previously had Wndows XP or 7 installed, it now has Windows 10 which I don't like, I prefer Windows 8.1 with Classic Shell.net installed, do I have to uninstall Windows 10 before downloading 8.1?

 

Thanks in advance

Kelly

[ngc2392]

Best option (as always) is to completely format the drive and fresh install system. But, if the laptop has only 2gigs of ram you would be better with 32bit windows 7.

[SuperDave]

Windows 10 can be configured to look like Windows XP, 7 or 8.

[kelly1]

Windows 10 can be configured to look like Windows XP, 7 or 8.

I think I'll give that a shot, how is that done?

[kelly1]

Best option (as always) is to completely format the drive and fresh install system. But, if the laptop has only 2gigs of ram you would be better with 32bit windows 7.

My Dell has 4 gigs

[kelly1]

As mentioned above I installed Classic shell on my Asus with Windows 8.1 and I really like it, but on the Dell it looks much different on Windows 10, also something I really dislike is the way it displays photographs, my old desktop with windows XP has Windows Picture & Fax Viewer which is brilliant, they downgraded to Windows Photo Viewer on Windows 8.1 which I can live with, but whatever photo viewer they have on Windows 10 is garbage, that's my main reason for replacing 10 with 8.1

[jackb7]

As mentioned above I installed Classic shell on my Asus with Windows 8.1 and I really like it, but on the Dell it looks much different on Windows 10, also something I really dislike is the way it displays photographs, my old desktop with windows XP has Windows Picture & Fax Viewer which is brilliant, they downgraded to Windows Photo Viewer on Windows 8.1 which I can live with, but whatever photo viewer they have on Windows 10 is garbage, that's my main reason for replacing 10 with 8.1

or you could just install something like irfanview

[wind670]

I recommend you to reformat your computer and install the os u like later, you don't hav to delete the os, just install the new os after you reformat your computer.

[kelly1]

or you could just install something like irfanview

I like irfanview I use it a lot, but it doesn't reallr compare to Windows Picture & Fax Viewer

[kelly1]

I recommend you to reformat your computer and install the os u like later, you don't hav to delete the os, just install the new os after you reformat your computer.

Thanks wind670 I think I'll do that

[ngc2392]

well, if you format the drive/disk it's empty afterwards. so it's only way to clean install the os. Or you can (but, like I said, clean install wins every time) just refresh the pc to the original state.
I use irfanview for about 20 yrs and it's simple and fast. I use it mainly for vieweing, editing is done in other software. But, for viewing purposes, irfanviw is (one of) the best.