Windows 8 - Looks really awsome

My friend (who works at MS) says they all do/will share the same core scanning engine, is also used in their enterprise forefront app as well - as to which specific versions (e.g. will one lag the other or be the same), he does not know.
I can't confirm if this is true or not, but he is usually accurate/reliable.

Cheers, Nick

 

Benchmarking, boot times etc - useless, not a fair comparison, is Win8 feature complete, is it a debug build, is more stuff logged etc, it may get faster or slower. Just not worth the effort at the moment.

AV - Not too fussed if its built in or not, what interests me is what is being done to improve the security of the OS (so malware can do less damage regardless of the AV). Don't get bogged down about issues if built in or not, step back and take a pragmatic look at the whole security picture from a default install and how easy it will be to configure to your needs.

IMHO MS has relegated to traditional UI to a 2nd class citizen and wants everyone/thing to use the new Metro UI. This will hurt adoption of Win8 as so many people/businesses tied to legacy apps that simply wont be worth upgrading their OS for. Then on the other hand MS has got to complete with ipad and possible even android tablet markets. If Android tablets momentum picks up over the next year MS might be facing similar tough competition as they did when they launched WP7.

Single feature best announced feature for me:OS wide spell checker.

So we are approx 12 months from Win8 launch (looking the milestones they have to get through), OS-X is already moving to a more unified with ipad/iphone UI, Android's tablet OS is maturing, we have small initiatives from the Linux world (Gnome3 / Unity) to modernise the desktop UI, will Win8 look as good at launch time, or will it be too late against the competition ?

Cheers, Nick

 

Hi,
Anyone is having trouble getting it installed in vmware? Even though I have enabled vt in bios, but it is still not working. I am trying to install the 64 bit version without the developer tools.

Any idea guys, please advise.

Thanks,
Ziaul

 

I'm getting the same error message as you in vmware player. I tried installing it into virtualbox also but I haven't had any luck with that either.

 

Probably, but it is definitely better than Win7 even with all the debug built it, that's undeniable.

I quite like metro, though I am quite glad this is only a preview. I think they've nailed the tablet experience but need to work on polishing the desktop experience. I want to be able to run desktop apps via the metro start screen, not immersive UI apps. For example if you run IE10 via the start screen you'll find yourself in the metro IE, something I don't want. I don't want to have to access the desktop to launch IE, that's 2 clicks instead of 1. But in reality people will see the IE icon and click it then think WHAT? when they are in the metro IE. Windows should detect if it's on a tablet and act accordingly.

But yeah all-in-all an enjoyable experience and I'm glad they will be pushing changes via WinUpdate to test.

 

Yes. Won't install in VMWare or Virtual PC. I can get it installed in VirtualBox but it keeps freezing.

 

http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-8-how-to-re-enable-the-classic-start-menu

For non-touch PCs, I find the switch between Metro and Desktop jarring.
It sure is snappy, but that is it.

Microsoft should support touch via trackpads. That is the only way to make Metro accessible for traditional PCs.

 

I was really looking forward to it.

 

is there a Windows Recovery Environment like W7? (F8 @ boot time)

 

this is one of the features im looking forward to

"Multi-monitor support now enables a single background across screens, as well as monitor-specific task bars"

im looking forward to hyper v on the desktop side as well. I think hyper v will probably be on pro and above only thou so I hope I can get a good preorder deal like with windows 7. I dont like the idea of the metro ui. the windows 7 taskbar is great imo they should not put the metro UI on what I consider a proper computer or laptop. metro UI will be fine for the toys such as tablets and phones.

 

there should be an option to revert to the traditional GIU.

if it's not in there already it should be soon.

 

There's a file you can modify to go back.

 

The real issue is they need to work more to polish the desktop experience. For example, I want desktop apps on the "start" menu. Currently the only way to do this is install one, I cannot add shortcuts which needs to be changed.

On top of that it needs better desktop detection. If I click IE I don't mind it being "immersive" (fullscreen) but I DO mind it giving me the touch interface. I want the desktop interface, I don't want to have to click the desktop then click IE to get that.

I realize this is a preview so I won't rant too much. I like Windows 8 and I feel they've perfected the tablet experience, but they need to do so on the desktop to make it solid.

I like the new "start" menu and with improvements it can really work, it's a bit like a graphical "alt-tab" menu, it grows on you.

 

I have no problems installing within virtualbox under windows 7 64bit SP1.

Im using the 64bit dev preview and have selected windows 7 64bit under virtualbox. it didnt work if i selected the option windows other windows.

 

Hi Lodore,
Thank you for the information, I will try to install 8 in the new vmware version.

Thanks,
Ziaul

 

Ok got it working on VirtualBox. You need these settings:

.: Go the the virtual machine settings
.: Tab Motherboard on the menu system and enable the feature extended “IO APIC”
.: On the tab Processor on the menu system, enable the feature extended “PAE/NX”
.: Next, on the tab Acceleration, enable hardware virtualization “VT-x/AMD-V” and “nested paging”

 

Glad I finally stumbled across a way to disable Metro and enable the classic start menu just in case anyone is interested:

"Press Windows Key +R to get RUN,

then to get back the old start menu, open regedit, goto

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer

change value of RPEnabled from "1" to "0"

close regedit, you get your old start menu......the catch is, no more metro UI because you just disabled it. To get back the Metro UI, change the value back to "1" "

 

I quite like Metro UI. Easy to get used to.

Is the old start menu hardware accelerated? Or is the entire OS? idk

 

Acts just like Windows 7's start menu. I think this option to commit to either UI will eventually be made available to the user.

 

No, but the entire Metro UI is hardware accelerated.

 

Ok. I figured as much.

 

Absolutely hate it. If the final looks anything like this that Metro UI crap will be the first thing I turn off.

 

Hi,
It's working now, but you need vmware 8 because Windows 8 requires ACPI 2.0. I hope this helps others who are trying to install it in vmware.

Thanks,
Ziaul

 

Why?

10 characters

 

Cartoonish...There, 10 characters

In all seriousness, I don't like it either. It's fugly and big, and looks almost like Unity, lol.