8
   

The Official a2k Windows 8 and/or Microsoft Surface thread

 
 
engineer
 
  1  
Sat 27 Oct, 2012 11:02 am
@ehBeth,
Do you have a link for that? I have a purchased version of W7 from a couple of years ago.
0 Replies
 
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Mon 5 Nov, 2012 10:46 am
Patent troll claims it invented the Windows 8 and Windows Phone "tiles"
http://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2012/10/patent-troll-claims-it-invented-the-windows-8-and-windows-phone-tiles/

The US Patent office really needs to overhaul the patent process. Basic shapes shouldn't be patentable.
0 Replies
 
oralloy
 
  2  
Tue 20 Nov, 2012 06:25 am
@oralloy,
oralloy wrote:
tsarstepan wrote:
So who's planning on moving to Windows 8 when it comes out in around October I believe, alongside the Microsoft Surface, Microsoft's first attempt at tablet and computer hardware under their own name. Will you be buying a new computer to get Windows 8 or will you be merely upgrading your old laptop or desktop computer? Did you skip Windows 7 and will upgrade Windows 8 from XP or Vista?


I've always been happy with XP, and would keep using it forever if I could, but Microsoft is going to cut it off sometime in 2014, so I guess I'm upgrading to Windows 8. Gonna try to get the professional version so it'll last a few years longer before Microsoft makes me switch yet again.

Now and then I fill up a hard drive and go buy a bigger one, and I hit that point this spring. However, I've decided to combine the two moves by limping along for awhile on an almost-full drive, and then this fall I will simultaneously get a new hard drive and switch to Windows 8.

So this will mostly be an upgrade. But since it'll be a brand new hard drive, it'll be a clean install.


It works! Very Happy Cool Razz

I'm still getting the computer in order, downloading various software to install, etc, and am much short on sleep, so I might be awhile before I'm back to posting regularly.



Some tips for people upgrading:

Windows 8 will not run (or even install) if your CPU does not have Data Execution Prevention.



If also upgrading your hard drive, note that any motherboard manufactured before 2012 will not correctly recognize an internal hard drive over 2 terabytes.

If your motherboard was manufactured in 2012, you will probably be able to go over 2 terabytes after updating your BIOS.



If installing on an existing drive, note that Windows 8 prefers a 350MB "system reserved" partition at the front of its drive.

Windows 7 and Vista have only a 100MB "system reserved" partition, while XP has none at all.

Windows 8 does not require such a partition in order to work, but will lack some system recovery features with only the 100MB version. Without any partition it will probably also lack encryption features.

If installing over an earlier version, you might want to give some thought into how much these features are worth to you.

You can certainly repartition your existing disk, of course, but doing so will wipe out all data on the disk. And chances are, if you are installing on an existing disk, you prefer to keep your data intact.



And for those getting an "upgrade" edition, note that you no longer have the option of briefly slipping your previous CD into the drive to prove you own an earlier version. An upgrade edition WILL NOT validate/activate if it did not see a previous version of windows already on the computer during installation. It will just function as an unactivated 30 day trial.

I was able to make it work by installing on my new drive while my old drive was still attached to the computer. (I was *extremely* careful when it came time to tell it which hard drive to format.)

Windows 8 does give the option during the installation process of formatting the drive that the previous version of Windows was on (wiping out all data in the process, of course), for those who want to upgrade with a clean install on an existing drive. But if you do that, make sure you don't lose power (and hope against hope that the installation is successful), because once it formats the disk, an upgrade edition will no longer be able to find an earlier version of Windows if you have to start over.



One final tip: Don't order your equipment from a warehouse in New Jersey a day before a large hurricane strikes the state. Embarrassed Embarrassed Embarrassed
oralloy
 
  1  
Tue 20 Nov, 2012 06:44 am
@tsarstepan,
tsarstepan wrote:
Will My Laptop Work With Windows 8?
Before you take the plunge with Windows 8, find out if your laptop is compatible with Microsoft's new operating system.
http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2411287,00.asp


Windows 8 drivers for older ATI graphics cards are hidden in a corner of the AMD/ATI site where no one can find them.

But here they are, if anyone else has an older ATI card:
http://support.amd.com/us/kbarticles/Pages/catalystlegacywin8.aspx
0 Replies
 
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Tue 20 Nov, 2012 06:48 am
@oralloy,
Thanks Oralloy. Quite helpful and detailed advice here. Smile
0 Replies
 
ehBeth
 
  1  
Tue 7 May, 2013 06:06 pm
@tsarstepan,
and it's on its way out

adios to windows 8 was one of the leads on the CBC radio news tonight
roger
 
  1  
Tue 7 May, 2013 07:34 pm
@ehBeth,
What next, then? I've been debating a new desktop, and holding off thil ms came to it's senses.
oralloy
 
  1  
Tue 7 May, 2013 09:04 pm
@roger,
roger wrote:
ehBeth wrote:
and it's on its way out
adios to windows 8 was one of the leads on the CBC radio news tonight

What next, then? I've been debating a new desktop, and holding off thil ms came to it's senses.

My understanding is that they are not replacing Windows 8, just modifying it so the cosmetics are similar to previous systems (so people can find things where they expect to find them).


One thing I notice about Windows 8 is that it is nimble. I've never griped about how long it takes a computer to start, but I've heard plenty of such griping from others.

Windows 8 may not be quite as instant as turning on a light switch and instantly getting light, but it loads pretty quick. I haven't timed it, but it seems like it takes about 20 seconds to go from "power on" to "all loaded and ready for use". It certainly loads a lot faster than Windows XP did on what is nearly the same computer.

I did switch hard drives at the same time I switched operating systems, and possibly the new hard drive could explain some of the improvement, but Windows 8 definitely loads fast.

Windows 8 is also pretty stable. I've only had two crashes where I've had to restart the computer without being able to properly shut down.
roger
 
  1  
Tue 7 May, 2013 09:21 pm
@oralloy,
Thanks. I'll be waiting.

I just want the use of a computer; not a new hobby and learing experience to improve my mind.
0 Replies
 
oralloy
 
  1  
Wed 17 Jun, 2015 03:34 am

Is there going to be a Windows 10/Intel Skylake thread?

Windows 10 launches July 29. Skylake launches August 15.
ehBeth
 
  1  
Wed 17 Jun, 2015 08:45 am
@oralloy,
Start the thread! I'll follow along for sure.
0 Replies
 
tsarstepan
 
  1  
Fri 1 Mar, 2024 04:29 pm
0 Replies
 
 

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