Download Windows 8.1 Update 1 Early, If You Dare

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so many people clicking add your comment like several times XDAlso 8.1 is just fine , just grab ClassicShell, Start8 or StartIsBack if the start screen really bugs you :)
 
When I replaced the motherboard CPU and RAM in a Win 8.1 machine I booted up and Win 8.1 adjusted all its drivers and flared into life in less than four minutes. I tried to do the same with a Win 7 machine and it blue screened until I gave up and re-installed from scratch. The right click menu on the Win 8.1 "start" button is vastly superior to the offerings in previous versions. Many programs installed on Win 7 would not show up in the Start Menu anyway. Five minutes of configuration and Win 8.1 provides the complete desktop experience. This constant denigration of any innovation in the PC OS is an embarrassment especially when all the hate is based on half truths and second hand opinions from people who believe because they can put a disk in an optical drive they are seasoned techs as opposed to self entitled consumers who parrot the opinions of others.
 
*presses win-key and types in a phrase on windows 7 box**sees list of programs and files with phrase in the name**presses win-key and types in a phrase on windows 8 box**sees list of programs and files with phrase in the name... and documents, and tagged photos, and other potentially related programs*Ya, the process is just so different, and the newer search results are just simply not as comprehensive or as useful red77star. I COMPLETELY see why a an intelligent human being would be completely offended by this.
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Does it have more functionality? Yes. Does it have enough to warrant taking over the whole goddamn screen? No.
 
Maybe I'm just superficial, but I just hate how Win8 LOOKS - and as far as I know there is no way to fix that. It looks kinda like Win 3.1 imo. Sure you can say that how it looks is totally unimportant, but you're forced to look at this ugly flat UI all day in some cases. Is it really too much to ask to make the UI just a bit more attractive? Win7 had a equally ugly "basic" mode UI for low-end machines, why couldn't MS have done the exact same thing with Win8, and made Aero (or a new attractive UI) an OPTION for those that can/want to use it?
 
People do seem to enjoy bashing Microsoft. I realize most of the comments here are a result of the frustration felt over Windows 8's interface. However I don't personally feel it's as bad as most people seem to express. I bought Windows 8.1 Pro for my desktop machine back in December. I've been using it now for about 3 months. My machine is custom built. It's an AMD A8-3870 APU (Llano) on an Asus F1 A75-I Deluxe motherboard. Performance wise it's fairly mid-range but with my overclocks it really does run pretty well. I bought Windows 8.1 because I wanted to use an SSD as my primary drive and I wanted the improved trim support. I picked a Seagate 240 gig SSD and so far I love it. My experience with Windows 8.1 has been generally okay. Like most everyone, I do find find the switch from the desktop to the start screen to be rather jarring. I manually created a QuickLaunch toolbar on my task bar. Most of the time I don't need to access the start screen since I have QuickLaunch icons for my most frequently used programs. I love how quickly the machine boots to ready. I hear a lot of emphasis on having the OS boot directly to the desktop but my experience with Windows 8.1's boot has been almost identical with my experience in Windows 7. Since I always password-protect my user account anyway, I'm one password-entry away from my desktop in windows 8.1 just as I was with Windows 7.Microsoft really has done a decent job of optimizing resource utilization. Everything just feels snappier on this machine compared to Windows 7 on my higher-end gaming machine and this machine isn't nearly as powerful. I look forward to the additional optimizations they have coming but I do think I'll wait for the official release. =D
 
 
No thanks, I have Windows 8.1 Pro w/Media Center on 2 notebooks that dual boots with Windows 7 Pro. Fortunately, I gave only $40 for one & $15 for the other, during the initial release promo period, otherwise I'd never have bought it. Have bought a XPS 8700 since with Windows 8, I removed the HDD, installed a SSD & went with Windows 7 Pro, which meets most of my needs. Linux Mint 16 meets the rest. Beginning with Windows 8, it seems that MS has used the OS to spy on it's customers, as they know everything we install & some apps can actually be blocked if MS desires. Unless MS takes three steps in reverse & give it's users an OS like Windows 7, which shows no signs of slowing in sales, 8.1 will be the last Windows OS that I own. Cat
 


Apps vs applications. And apps are controlled just like Apple does in iOS and Google does in Android. But normal desktop applications still install just like on 7.

BTW, Microsoft has been able to "spy" on you since XP. Acting like 8 is any different is acting blind.
 


You may have a point there, in regards to MS's ability to spy on it's users, however it made it so much easier being logged on live to MS beginning with Windows 8. I can agree that it at least began when MS introduced the WGA process with XP in or around 2006, as my genuine OEM Dell XP Pro was flagged, however a phone call took care of it.

However, there's a huge difference between how MS can interact with us between Windows 8 & XP.

As to what I term "apps", I'm actually referring to applications (formerly called "programs"), just going with the flow, I guess. Who uses the term "surfing" in regards to web browsing anymore? I've read that is one word NOT to include on a job resume. Many now calls applications/programs "apps", when another current term is widely used, I'll adapt to it.

Just being with the times 🙂

However, I won't update 8.1 any further, actually I'll gladly transfer my licenses for what I paid in 2012(& it's perfectly legal, according to the EULA), as soon as I make some other changes to those computers. As long as everything, including all install media & license keys are transferred to the new user & I keep nothing, it's good. I've known others to do the same.

Hopefully someone else can find the joy that I haven't with the Windows 8 project. I don't even bother to boot into the OS's & update them any longer.

As for the Dell that I purchased with Windows 8, that SATA3 HDD has been removed from the PC & will be retained in it's original state, until the warranty expires in 2017. It's in a safe place, cushioned in a box that another HDD shipped in.

Being logged into an OS just isn't my preference, not to mention that Windows 7 Pro outperforms the OEM Windows 8 that shipped with the PC. There are some good features of the OS, such as IE syncing between Windows 8 devices & the same with Store apps. However other browsers had this function long ago.

The Hyper-V app is rough around the edges also, especially when running some Linux VM's. Windows 7 Ultimate's version of bootable VM's is better than running Hyper-V guests with Windows 8/8.1 running & they get to use the full resources of the computer.

It's going to take one hell of an OS to knock Windows 7 off the top of the charts. I see MS in 2020 having a much harder time getting 7 users to let go, than they are with XP users now. More than likely, 7 will get a stay of execution like XP did. That OS should have been gone as initially planned, it was Vista that stalled those plans. Hopefully Windows 8 will cause the same effect for Windows 7.

I don't see where 8.1 update will actually increase migration to a huge extent, as MS is already trying to distance themselves from the failed OS release, that except for maybe tablets, wasn't even needed for PC's & traditional notebooks.

Cat

 
In regards to the article, it would be interesting if someone at Tom's tried out the update on one of the bench computers and gave a more professional opinion than what we're hearing in the comments section. Size of update, length of time needed for update, performance improvements, etc. Has Tom's already been granted access to the RTM of the update and is now under NDA?
 
Dan you can do that but the iso for 8.1 needs a new key, because it is a major upgrade from 8.0. So you need to buy a new key for it. If your a student you can get the whole retail copy free from dreamspark.
 
The reason I say new key is because the upgrade through the store was made free. I would not do upgrade from any operating system, because there is more chance of failure with upgrade, than a fresh install of the operating system. If you know a student if you not one. They might be able to get you a copy free from dreamspark retail copy. I did the upgrade over oem, that came with my laptop, and the process was a painful wait, and doing a fresh you need new key, and I was wrong on upgrade through ISO, that it will upgrade, but still could by chance be asked to reactivate and need a new key. Would you like to take that chance? If you did do it, then let us know how it went.
 
You may have a point there, in regards to MS's ability to spy on it's users, however it made it so much easier being logged on live to MS beginning with Windows 8. I can agree that it at least began when MS introduced the WGA process with XP in or around 2006, as my genuine OEM Dell XP Pro was flagged, however a phone call took care of it. However, there's a huge difference between how MS can interact with us between Windows 8 & XP. As to what I term "apps", I'm actually referring to applications (formerly called "programs"), just going with the flow, I guess. Who uses the term "surfing" in regards to web browsing anymore? I've read that is one word NOT to include on a job resume. Many now calls applications/programs "apps", when another current term is widely used, I'll adapt to it. Just being with the times 🙂However, I won't update 8.1 any further, actually I'll gladly transfer my licenses for what I paid in 2012(& it's perfectly legal, according to the EULA), as soon as I make some other changes to those computers. As long as everything, including all install media & license keys are transferred to the new user & I keep nothing, it's good. I've known others to do the same. Hopefully someone else can find the joy that I haven't with the Windows 8 project. I don't even bother to boot into the OS's & update them any longer. As for the Dell that I purchased with Windows 8, that SATA3 HDD has been removed from the PC & will be retained in it's original state, until the warranty expires in 2017. It's in a safe place, cushioned in a box that another HDD shipped in. Being logged into an OS just isn't my preference, not to mention that Windows 7 Pro outperforms the OEM Windows 8 that shipped with the PC. There are some good features of the OS, such as IE syncing between Windows 8 devices & the same with Store apps. However other browsers had this function long ago. The Hyper-V app is rough around the edges also, especially when running some Linux VM's. Windows 7 Ultimate's version of bootable VM's is better than running Hyper-V guests with Windows 8/8.1 running & they get to use the full resources of the computer. It's going to take one hell of an OS to knock Windows 7 off the top of the charts. I see MS in 2020 having a much harder time getting 7 users to let go, than they are with XP users now. More than likely, 7 will get a stay of execution like XP did. That OS should have been gone as initially planned, it was Vista that stalled those plans. Hopefully Windows 8 will cause the same effect for Windows 7. I don't see where 8.1 update will actually increase migration to a huge extent, as MS is already trying to distance themselves from the failed OS release, that except for maybe tablets, wasn't even needed for PC's & traditional notebooks. Cat
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Well, if Microsoft does what people are hoping for Windows 9, then Windows 9 will be the last good one, because Windows 10 is going Cloud. I will not go the way Google went if Microsoft does it. I like having my Optical drive, and Hard drive built in. They remove those two for cloud, and I am done with Microsoft's newer releases. That to me is so stupid, because not the whole world has internet at their finger tips, like DSL or Cable. Dialup would be so nasty for cloud OS.
 
Most people who are in a highly productivity related field have two or more monitors. The way 8.1 works is the monitor you are focused on becomes the start screen. Now a easy way to do it would be to open up search and make it 1/4 of the screen on one screen that way you always have a search open and you can still focus on what is open.Of course no one is forcing you to use 8.Getting 7 to boot under UEFI is no big deal. It's the same as getting XP to boot with AHCI, it is possible. The main difference is that 8 was designed to natively take advantage of it. I have one for you to try here. Try and get 7 to load on a GPT partitioned drive. I tried and it is near impossible. Then do it with 8. It will work like a charm as it is the first Windows to support booting from GPT and as well has a new FS in place, just us end users can't really use it right now.A lot of the improvements are in memory, for instance 8.1 uses less memory when it is a clean OS only install than 7.I prefer 8.1 overall to 7. I didn't use the start menu at all so it doesn't affect me. Even without it I can navigate through a PC with a keyboard or a command prompt. What I do find funny is how people call the Start Screen unorganized when in reality you can remove everything that is there and put what you want and organize it how you want it to be.
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I have only one screen and having search pane opened all the time takes too much of the space but it doesn't matter. In nutshell Windows 8.1 offers nothing over Windows 7 for consumers let alone businesses. I have Windows 7 installed on a GPT partitioned drive, but i agree it is not easy process. About memory i don't know. I really didn't see any differences. Both Windows 8 and Windows 7 idles at 1.5Gb of RAM after clean install. No matter how you organized Start Screen it stays unorganized, as i said looks like cluttered circus. Out of box Windows 8 is a mess so you have to spend time to get that Start Screen meaningful which most people have no time for such crap.
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Ok, I usually stay out of rants and the bickering of old souls, but I have to stop this stupidity. You have absolutely no right to complain about being unproductive with one monitor unless you are working with a 40 inch+ 4k monitor. Working IT, our firm requires 8.0+ on our computers, and with 4 monitors productivity has never been an issue. 8.0 is a huge step in the right direction. YES the UI sucks, but the OS itself runs so much smoother and is much more efficient. Dropping back to W7 is like saying you want a slower computer..
 
These are all just excuses, just to do one or more steps for the same thing of Windows 7. The more the excuses to go back to 7, just says your lazy enough to not want to learn something new. I really don't care how hard you make Windows 8/8.1 sound to not use. It is the person not the operating system. I have done pretty much everything just perfectly fine in 8/8.1 as 7 in less than an hours time, when first using it. Who care about the metro ui, because I have used boot to desktop since first release of 8.1, which people keep saying its not there until the update. Its in the taskbar navigation options. Not that hard to use a little effort to do something. Not everything is put on a platter or done for you so you don't have to hardly do anything, unless you stay with Windows 7, then a baby could run it too. These comments are not worth the read any more. Just complaints, that really aren't worth the hear.
 
Microsoft is not going to add things to every single complaint, because the operating system would never be released if they did. Just way too many picky people for hardly anything to say about. If I was them, I would be laughing my A** off all the time. I do now anyways.
 
I really dislike how there are some many alternatives to perform one task (perhaps it's great for power users but not so good for any average user) as well as having a "metro" setting and control panel. Worst part is that I even found a setting in control panel that takes me to the control panel... 8 felt like it was in beta to me and 8.1 is in many ways better but it really needs a less confusing and unified settings.
 
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