Windows 8.1 (trial)

[Barrykgerdes]

Has anyone tried the trial Win 8.1 O/S

I downloaded the win 8.1 (trial) *.iso today (3.8GB) and tried to install it on an empty 750GB sata drive. Could not be done! you need an operating system on the HDD first (XP,2000,Win7,win8 are all suitable).

I then first installed XP onto the drive. This allowed the Win8.1 system to install. I installed it as a separate system without any bother. However it took quite some time, about an hour!

The "start" button has been re-introduced but the "menu" is accessed with a right click. This allowed an icon for the network and control panel to be added to the desk top. I could not find a button for the computer at first. It is called "file explorer". However I now have desktop icons for the main items and I can now add any programs I need.

I then added easyBCD 2.2 to the desktop and did a search for my older O/S's on the 2nd and 3rd HDD's these were added to the BCD menu and I can now boot to all the other systems on the computer from the BCD menu.

Barry

PS I still don't like Win 8 or 8.1

[acropolite]

Just finished installing the 8.1 upgrade, underwhelming is the only word I can think of, if they think this is going to pull W8 out of the sewer, then they're sadly mistaken. The upgrade took 5 hours to download and partly install, hanging once during the process, then a further hour to do it's thing setting up. Looks like they managed to sneak what look to be advertising apps in to the interface. I've turned off all active apps for now.

The reinstatement of the "start" button looks to me to be in name only (correct me if I'm wrong) but all roads still seem lead to the totally useless and unloved Metro interface.

The sad thing is that the OS looks to be fast and stable and addresses the need for a touch screen OS but it's a shame MS can't admit their mistakes and give users the options they know and want.


Thank goodness for the Classic Start Shell.

[Astro_Bot]

I installed Win8.1 Pro the day it came out as an upgrade to Win8, which was on top of WinXP, but it's in a virtual machine as my main OS is Linux. The upgrade took about 1.5 hours all up and was fairly painless as upgrades go.

By default, the Metro interface is still the default - you have to search for the option to make the "desktop" the default. It's possible to make the Metro background your desktop, which, in effect, turns the Metro interface into a transparent overlay menu - something I find conceptually easier to deal with. The Metro "menu" interface is accessed by normal right click from the Start button, while a "utility" menu is accessed by left click. I don't see a need to add a third-party menu for my use, but then Win8.1 isn't my main OS. The relevant options are in Control Panel > Appearance and Personalisation > Taskbar and Navigation.

You can still edit what's on the Metro screen, so it's possible to beat it into a better form and make it work as a menu overlay. save for those apps having no desktop presentation mode - i.e. they're fullscreen Metro style only - I don't use any of those, though - all the applications I use work in the desktop.

As mentioned, desktop icons are back, which is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. You have to find in Control Panel, and enable, that option for the old "default" icons: Control Panel > Appearance and Personalisation > Personalisation (and then on the left). Icons can be re-named, as before. Otherwise, you can left-click on the desktop and create shortcuts for any particular application. Shortcuts can be pinned to the task bar as before.

Win8.1 is a definite improvement over Win8, but I agree it won't impress the general public as the improvements are hard to access for the everyday user and don't go quite far enough, IMHO.

The main improvment of Win8 (and Win8.1) is under the hood - it's faster and less resource intensive than Win7 - I also have Win7 in another virtual machine, and have done a side-by-side comparison.

--------

All of this is familiar to me ...

Linux went though all this 3 years ago with release of the Gnome 3.x desktop interface that eschewed a traditional menu for an "overlay" mode designed for touchscreens (amongst other changes). Unlike Windows, however, Linux offers several desktops to choose from, and many annoyed Gnome users simply installed a different desktop ... including me.

[AstroJunk]

My win 8.1 upgrades were pretty smooth. A tad frustrating to have to download it once for each machine, but such is the way of deployment these days.

I am very happy with *most* for windows 8(.1) and my surface pro is a simply brilliant PC for travel. That form factor demonstrates how well the touch interface works and having the charms on the keyboard is surprisingly useful too.

Without a touch screen, I find the whole experience is much more ordinary should I venture into the Modern world, even since 8.1 - but don't forget the universal search is meant to be the primary interface for launching apps now, and it does do the job very nicely.

[acropolite]

I heard the same from another collegue, however having to use keystrokes as well as the mouse to launch isn't efficient in my opinion.

[AstroJunk]

No need for the mouse - hit the start key and type. And it will select the appropriate version of the app where there is one for desktop or modern (try typing "inter" and see what I mean).

I'm still a slave to the mouse myself, but touch typists seem to get on very well with the new way.

[JB80]

Here, here!

When it asked me if I want to install 8.1 I didn't even think twice about not touching it with a 10ft pole.
Plus the file size is far too big for my internet to handle.

[Barrykgerdes]

Hi

I checked my win 8 installation using the shell I mentioned earlier ( my screen looks like a cross between Win 7 and XP) and then installed the updates to win 8.

When the update was complete I got a message on the screen inviting me to install the free upgrade to Win 8.1. I took the option and left the computer to its own devices.

Three hours later the screen showed the upgrade was complete and to restart the computer. This I did, took about four minutes to shut down and start up.

I got the start up screen as in win 8, that called for my log on password. I entered this and then it made some request for another password that I knew nothing about but looked like my secondary email address. I entered the password but it was not accepted so I just clicked on next. The screen then had a reference to the cloud system and I said no! It did not like me saying no but "next" worked and I got a screen that said it was installing all my apps.

This took about two minutes and then I got the old win 8 start screen. I clicked on desktop and it went straight to the screen I started with. I can't see any difference now to what I had with Win 8 except there is a message in the bottom right of the screen that tells me I have not given the correct password or something for something I don't know about or use. I will look into that later.

Overall I have not seen an installation program that has worked so invisibly. Other than a couple of mouse clicks for optional features and the entry of a password on restart, the upgrade is done!

Barry

PS this does not mean I like Win 8.1. I still hate it because it does not run my old 16 bit programs but I guess I am stuck with it.

[acropolite]

If there weren't enough reasons to dislike Microsoft and W8.x, MS has apparently introduced problems with H264 MP4 video and the release of 8.1

I loaded GoPro studio2 only to find the MP4 export doesn't work, some investigation reveals similar problems with other video packages including Sony Vegas. Users are reporting non funcional MP4 export after the 8.1 upgrade where the export worked prefectly with W8. :shrug:

[Barrykgerdes]

I have a few movies that were H264 MP4 produced by Cyberlink Powerdirector 10 but I have not tested them yet. I will try tomorrow.
They were taken in 3D mts format

Barry

[acropolite]

There also appears to be an issue with an error message "COM Surrogate has stopped working" which MS claims back in the Vista/W7 days is "caused because of codecs and other COM components installed by various software that aren’t fully Vista-compatible, like some versions of DivX or Nero"
Unfortunately the fix which is to turn off DEP for the offending dllhost.exe doesn't work on W864.

I've resorted to yet another reset to factory default, restoring the original W8.0 image.:shrug:

[DIYman]

Just stumbled on this thread and found it useful and wish I had read it back in November.

I need to upgrade my laptops and PC from Vista to something better and am going through the process of considering W8.1. I have read on some sites resentment of having to set up a MS account with W8.1 and be linked to the Internet when using the platform. This is something I am not in the least intertested in doing.

Just a quick question, if a person buys the software and it states single licence only, does it mean it can only be used and registered for one machine? What about people like me with a PC and two lappies?
Cheers

[pluto]

I just got a new lappy the other day with 8.1 so I haven't gone through it too much yet.
I think I can answer your questions though.

You can create a local account and not use a MS/Outlook/Live account to log in and use your computer and you don't need to be connected to the net to use the computer (Though you probably have to connect when you initially set it up?). If you want to use the Mail app you will need to be signed in with a MS account though. (probably also if you want to use the Windows Store)

As with every version of Windows, a single license only allows you to install and use it on one computer. Of course older versions that didn't need to be activated online could, in theory, be installed and used on multiple computers ;)
If you have more than one box you need to buy separate licenses.

[DIYman]

Thanks Hugh
I must be living in the past thinking that a single licence applied to one seat allowing the purchaser to install t on more than one machine. I guess it is too bad if you need to reinstall W8.1 if something happens to the hard drive or you buy a new computer. Doug
:(

[pluto]

I don't know the details but I'm pretty sure it does allow you to reinstall with different components. You could probably install a single copy on multiple boxes as long as they aren't connected to the net at the same time, I know you could with XP but I haven't tried since then. However that wouldn't be covered by the license.