Windows 8.1 Preview

I got caught with the Product Key on the ISO web page. I didn't see it and tried to use my Win8 Key, which doesn't work. All OK after I saw the web page key.

 

tnx Brian.

so what is my own product key good for then? lol

do i enter it when the Preview expires?
that's confusing.

i guess i'll just install and find out.

 

Everyone keeps complaining the Preview needs a Windows Live login. Isn't that JUST for the Preview, not the actual final Windows?

 

Yes. I remember they did the same with the Windows 8 Preview but it wasn't necessary with the RTM.

 

Hi Wendi,
You should tell your friend that Samsung computers usually come with a utility which should help when users aren't familiar with Windows 8. It's called 'Quick starter'. On the Metro interface right clicking will bring up 'All Apps' on the bottom right hand side of the display. Clicking 'All Apps' it will show everything that is installed on the machine. Under the heading 'Samsung' you will find listed 'Quick Starter' which can be pinned to the tray. I don't use it much anymore as I got used to Metro, but it was quite useful in the beginning.

 

Easter I had no problems whatsoever with my Win8, stable, no bluescreens, fast, i really can't see any flaw. Metro is obviously a matter of visual taste, many here at Wilders hate it, I really like it to the point that I'm not going to upgrade to 8.1 if they plan to change it.

Allow me to say that if you have all that stuff in your signature installed, chances are that it might be responsible for some of your woes (conflicts are very common nowadays).

 

I hope so.

 

Osaban,

The Win 8.1 Metro is quite similar to how mine was setup. Perhaps a little better.

You have the option to boot to the desktop but you and I will still prefer to boot to Metro.

 

Local Accounts are still there.

 

just finished installing it.

* the install was much faster than either Win 7 or Win 8.
* WindowsBlinds works on 8.1
* I installed the Windows Updates (only 32 megs of them in size), then ran the Disk Cleanup tool.
it found nothing to clean.
so I assume it was done automatically.
we'll let that one slide for now.

 

also,

the disk space usage has dropped from about 24 GB in Win 8 on my 64 bits machine to about 18 GB with Win 8.1.
so it looks like they tied up some loose ends.

smaller is usually always more beautiful.

 

Did you include Cleanup system files with the Disk Cleanup tool? Mine found an extra 4 GB to remove. I think it was the Windows.old folder.

 

yes i did Brian.
i also did a clean install so there was no .old folder.

 

Is Win 8.1 better at memory consumption than Win 8 and Win 7? Is Win 8.1 faster?

 

I just did a clean install so I have two Win 8.1. An upgrade and a clean install.

Edit.... The clean install was fast. 10 minutes. The upgrade took 40 minutes.

The clean install does create a Microsoft account but you can later create a Local account and delete the Microsoft account.

 

If you are not connected to the internet during install you can only create a local account (and of course later switch it to a MS Account if you want that).

 

I'm just going to wait for the final release, I really don't see anything new & exciting enough to make me want to run this beta.

 

This is a documented change, Windows 8.1 utilises improved NTFS compression as part of their plan to give tablet users more disk space. (direct result of Surface available disk space drama) Desktop users reap the small benefit it provides.

 

When you first install it you must use MS account. Once installed I'm sure you can establish a local account, but that's not what I'm talking about. It shouldn't be necessary to use a MS account to go forward with the installation. When installing Win 8 not 8.1 we are given that option.

 

Did the cleanup yesterday. Wasn't with the system around the whole time. I guess it too some where around 40 minutes. And i saved 2.4GB
Guess i never ran it before

Some tests for HTML5 Netflix streaming..Netflix switches from Silverlight to HTML5 in Windows 8.1, reduces CPU usage dramatically

I use netflix a lot. So, this a great improvement and initiative. Can't wait others to implement it..

B/w the videos playing in general browser Vs Apps tends to be more cpu friendlier running from the apps. I have not done apple-apple comparision but the difference is noticeable. But the apps should be given more time to mature themselves, they have few quirks still.

 

the RAM usage and CPU is similar to Win 7 & Win 8.
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tnx for the heads-up funky!
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tnx harsha!

 

Oh! I see. Thanks.

 

i am told you will be able to have a local account in the final version but as with everything to do with ms this could change, but if you install while connected to the internet as someone said i am told it will require you to login so it seems you will have to make sure your connection is cut off for just a bit to be able to do that. there are a few other small things due for the final but im not sure im able to post to much from my ms contacts. nothing major and nothing showstopping though. this preview i am told is a pretty good idea of what the final will be like overall. i am told they will be moving further and further to being almost totally "cloud based" or "cloud reliant" by the next couple versions of windows from his best guess.

it will be a free upgrade and once final you will be able to use your win 8 key (again from what my source tells me)

after a long chat last night with this person it also seems they are actually looking to make it much more difficult for av vendors in the future due to wanting EVERYONE to use the built in methods of security as someone already mentioned. so we all have to hope in the near future av companies will still be able to find a way to remain compatible. i dont think ms will totally block them but from what he said they will now have to work around ms' rules by the time win 9 and further start to surface. as always dont quote me here since this is info from a normally reliable source that up till now has every time been correct but with ms you just never know.

 

Hi Osaban,

We did see that but it was still too different from the desktop my friend has been accustomed to seeing. In any case, she wound-up getting StartIsBack which does the job almost perfectly.

Wendi

 

i just spent 10$ for WindowBlinds 8.
money well spent i think because i don't have to look at the ugly square flat look ever again. lol

ugly Windows look aside, 8.1 seems like a solid release.
i haven't come across any show-stopping bugs yet.