Mailbag: Replacing Windows 8 with Windows 7

Q: I just purchased a new computer with the Windows 8 operating system. All my friends tell me I will not like the Windows 8 system because like I am not a techie — no smartphone, no iPad, no touch-screen monitor, etc. My friend has a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate that he never installed and said I could have. Can I uninstall Windows 8 and install Windows 7 on my new computer without any negative side effects?

— Ron Latreille

A: While it's true that Windows 8 is designed for computers with touchscreens, the operating system's features still work well on standard machines with a keyboard and mouse. I would strongly recommend keeping Windows 8 on the new computer — the OS might grow on you — and perhaps installing Windows 7 on a separate partition on the hard drive. If you decide to format the hard drive and wipe out Windows 8, your new machine will be able to handle the older operating system just fine.