Questions re Windows 8

Compliments of the Season to all..

I must ask the Staff and members to please forgive me for not responding to my posts re the Popups I had been receiving. Thing is, this same old laptop I am still now using had gone completely bad and befoire I dumped it I bought a new one which has Windows 8 installed. And I have been struggling to try and learn how to use Windows 8..

Would be very thankful for help with the following:

1) How does one set up an Email account in Windows 8?

2) A note comes up saying that I can install Windows 8.1 free... Is Windows 8.1 a better version?... What is the difference between the 2 versions? And is it easily installed?

3) Can you recommend a good, dependable virus program for Windows 8? I am not too jkeen on Norton which Windows has installed.

Any help with this situation will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

beach boy

 

Microsoft.com > Mail app for Windows

A) Yes

B) Wikipedia > Windows 8.1 > New and changed features

Microsoft TechNet > What's New in Windows 8.1

C) Yes.

Microsoft Security Essentials along with Malwarebytes (free version).

 

Thanks very much Doc. Will work on this info and advise.

beach boy

 

You're welcome.

 

Correction Doc. Defender in it's new form is in W8/8.1. This replaces MSE which was available in Windows XP/Vista/7.
My HP Notebook came with W8 installed and Nortons. I have removed Nortons and setup Defender.
Also Malwarebytes is something I installed as further protection.

Classic Shell is a good help to work your way around W8/8.1 as I use it with the W7 Desktop - much easier than the Metro interface and Tiles. Neil.

 

Yes retiredlearner, you're right. Windows Defender along with Malwarebytes. Prefer Start8 to Class Shell though.

 

Yes, Windows Defender replaces MSE in W8/8.1 but understand it is already included in W8. All you need to do is ensure it is enabled - which it should be by default.

I like Start8 too. Start8 brings back the familiar W7 Start Orb and Start Menu and lets you boot directly to the Windows Desktop instead of the new Windows 8 "Start Screen" that so many people don't like. Then W8 works and looks and feels almost exactly like the familiar W7. It cost $5 (after a 30-day trial period), but is well worth it, IMO.

However, Classic Shell also brings back the Start Orb and menu, is free and very popular too. Also, Pokki, though a bit different, it gaining in popularity too.

It is not about better or worse. The .1 is "service patch 1 (SP1)" for Window 8. It was not released to provide consumers a "choice" of versions but to fix and repair several problems and features, including several dealing with security. So ALL Windows 8 users should install the patch and upgrade to 8.1.

 

MaximumPC > Stardock Start8 vs. Classic Shell

 

I have marked this thread as resolved. I thank all who have contributed, especially Spyware Doctor. The main thing I really wanted to do was to set up the email account and the link from Doc, with some help from my ISP got that done very successfully. [that also enabled me to receive some other important info from the Microsoft Community]. So the other issues I need help with can now be easily dealt with. Again, many thanks to you all.

beach boy

 

You're more than welcome.