I'm posting this at the kind invitation of colucix.
Having had to buy a new laptop because my previous one was stolen, and Windows 8 being installed on the new one, I was not too happy.
Luckily thanks to a nearly freebie called "StartIsBack" I was able to make it look exactly like Windows 7, which in the Microsoft realm is so much better -user friendly- than Win 8. By disabling EdgeMotion as well that to me infantile looking Metro interface and the so called Charm stopped from appearing and the first from blocking my sight from what I was doing. Every time I moved my finger on my touchpad from right to left there was that box with children's play blocks again.
I say "nearly freebie" because after a month free trial you must pay $2.99 to keep StartIsBack. Or install it again, which only takes a few minutes including setting personal preferences.
But Windows updates had a bug. It tried unsuccessfully to configure them, then undo it, and try again during reboot. Thus keeping my laptop in a loop.
I tried to get rid of the updates by using System Restore, but they were still there, the loop continuing. Finally applying Refresh they were gone. I let the updates install again to give my Windows 8 a second chance at updating, but the loop was repeated. So after another Refresh I disabled updates. I surf and open mail in the sandbox of Sandboxie by default -typing this in that virtual space too- and having a few of the best AV's I don't need Windows updates. I've never gotten malware over the years using the sandbox. I only got it bad once when I surfed outside it by mistake.
But still there were annoying bugs in my Windows 8 even though it looked like Windows 7.
Then I remembered Zorin. So I installed it next to Windows but that is when the trouble really began good. Being a total newbie to Linux and it's Zorin version with limited pc knowledge I made a total mess of it. I asked for help by starting a thread on the Zorin forum, the EasyBCD forum, and this forum.
"Zorin 9 Not Appearing, Only Windows 8"
http://www.zoringroup.com/forum/view...php?f=5&t=7977
"a Partition Disappeared From Sight"
https://neosmart.net/forums/showthre...039&#post81871
"Zorin Only For the More Advanced?"
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ed-4175513286/
Before installing Zorin I had made a System Backup using the Windows 7 method following the tutorials online I found. But when all that appeared on my notebook were black screens with white texts and different error codes -no matter how many different things I tried- and I plugged in my external drive and somehow tried to use the backup made before I installed Zorin: no dice. The backup did not function.
Finally I was able to get Windows back with the use of a flash drive having the factory restore software on it. But even after reformatting and having Windows back again, still in it's raw to me ugly state, I tried to use that backup to get everything back the way it was before Zorin, but even with Windows working the backup still did not work.
It turned out that many of the tutorials on how to make system backups using the Windows 7 method are copy cat tutorials, not hands-on experience ones. To make system backups in Windows 8 with the Windows 7 method you must do some things you don't need to do in Windows 7. Like changing the boot sequence and inserting a rescue disk, plus a few more things. I only found out later seeing a few real hands-on video tutorials.
In total I reformatted 4 times since I tried to make my notebook dual boot with Zorin 9 and Windows 8. And I have only Windows 8 on it now, looking like Windows 7, which I like. And those annoying bugs I had which make me want to install Zorin are gone, I think due to the lean -no bloatware- version on the flash drive I used.
I'm happy with the way things work an look on my laptop at this point: Windows 8 hidden from sight by the Windows 7 look.
But I thought I would only be able to use System Restore and the Refresh function in case something went wrong. And I would never install Zorin again. Too risky to me without having a System Backup that works.
Then yesterday I got the hunch to surf and see if there was any backup software that would hopefully work on Windows 8. And I found a marvelous freebie called Backupper. Or fully: "AOMEI Backupper."
I tried it out yesterday and it works well on Windows 8. And there is also a Linux version. Also for free.
This was the excellent HD video tutorial I found that turned me on to it:
"AOMEI Data Backuper Software Tutorial Freeware"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wsc4MhDCHAA
So now I'm wondering: if I would install Zorin again, this time using the extra guidelines it's lead developer mailed me -"disable Secure Boot when using the Life disk, but re-enable it after installing Zorin, as Windows will not boot up otherwise, the rest will take care of itself now in the latest Zorin 9 version, no third party software needed"- would a System Backup restore my notebook to the pre-Zorin state, including the partition situation before Zorin made it's own partition? If so, I might try Zorin again just for fun.
In any case I call this a success story, because I now have an a very nice Backup tool that works on my Windows 8. And would also work on Zorin if I understand it well using free the Linux version they offer.
Yesterday I made a System Backup with it, using the compression "None" option and the "Intelligent Sector Backup" option. That way works the fastest, and only the data of the software in use on the hard disk is backed up, not also the unused space.
After making the backup I made a document with only the text "Test" in it and saved it to Documents. Then I used the backup to restore my notebook to the earlier state, and as it should that Test document was gone.
Great Relief After Days Of Failures
