Fixing Some Major Annoyances With Windows 8

Windows 8 from Microsoft hasn't been very well received for the most part and it looks like MS will look to release an update to fix some annoyances that people are currently experiencing, like reinstating the missing start button and getting you into your desktop upon bootup. For those of you who can't wait, I'll show you how to fix some of the biggest annoyances that most people complain about with Windows 8. 

Add a Start Button

The easiest way to bring back Start is to download a free program called Classic Shell. It adds a slightly modified icon to the lower left corner. When you click on it, a standard set of Windows menus opens up.  You can also customize Windows Explorer to be more like Windows XP or Windows 7.

'Hidden' Power Button

Whereas with previous iterations of Windows, the Shut Down and Restart buttons were easily found from the Start Menu, with Windows 8, it's an entire procedure where you need to go through the Charms menu, click on Settings, then Power, and then select Shut Down. 

Microsoft designed Windows 8 with tablet users in mind, which is the only explanation I can think of for burying the shutdown and restart buttons since one rarely needs to do it with a tablet. 

To waste less time, you should create your own shortcuts for shutting down or restarting Windows 8.Just assign the shortcuts to the command-line commands "shutdown /s /t 0" (shutdown) and "shutdown /r /t 0" (restart), respectively. Be sure to pin these shortcuts to the Start screen and taskbar for easy access.

Bring Back Confirmation Box When Deleting Files

Currently, when you delete a file in Windows 8, it currently puts the file directly into the Recycle Bin as opposed to asking you first for confirmation. If you want that extra safety net, you can right-click on the Recycle Bin, go to Properties, and check the "Display Delete Confirmation Dialog" box.

The Touchpad Or Mouse Is Driving You Crazy, Right?

As I stated earlier, it appears Microsoft designed Windows 8 for tablets. It's all fine when you have touch screen as manipulating items on the screen works pretty well, and the built in gestures can be used to navigate more quickly and efficiently, however these gestures just doesn't translate well to the mouse or touchpad.  

For example, if you swipe from the left edge of the touchpad, it automatically switches to another open application. So if you're moving the cursor from the left edge of your touchpad you may end up switching to a different tab or equally frustrating, if you swipe from the right side of the touchpad, your movement brings the charms bar onto the page. 

Thankfully, you can disable the gesture from your desktop by hitting Windows + I, then Change PC settings, General, Turn off  the button for “When I swipe from the left edge, switch directly to my most recent app.”