Windows 8.1 Update – important refinements to the Windows experience

Just what WindowsME did for XP?

 

Or maybe what ME did for Win2K...

 

ME came after 2000.

 

Did it really? I know they were around the same time. I bought a machine with WinME on it, and it sucked so bad, I then got Win2k and installed that instead. I guess that's why I thought 2k came after ME... Win2K, btw, was my idea of a solid well done OS. They don't make 'em like that anymore...

 

What about the Update? Any comments?

 

Well, I'd say more like what Win8.x is doing for Win9. Everytime there's a major change, there is growing pains. The successor becomes more "polished" thanks to user feedback/complains. The successor gains acceptance because people became acquainted with the changes. It's a repeat cycle.

 

Vista is not as bad as people think. I got a new machine soon after vista was released and I am glad i got vista on it rather than xp. after SP1 it was fine. windows 7 is faster than vista and 8 is even faster.
I do not miss the start menu. I have the main apps i use pinned to my taskbar so i only see the start screen once when i login.
I got windows 7 soon after release and had no issues. I got windows 8 early on and had no issues with that either. I do wonder how many people actually try new versions of windows before saying they do not like them.

I have worked on tons of machines for clients running xp and I know the issues with it that MS never fixed. I hate xp now and wish people would move on.

I do not get why people are happy to always have the latest phones with the latest OS but do not want to migrate from xp on their desktop.

I had the horror of using windows ME and it was so crap Microsoft stopped selling it quite quickly.

 

I totally agree with every point you've mentioned. Vista is still working great on one of my machines, and Win 8 is the very best I've experienced so far (with metro and all). It might not be a biggie for some, but in 11 months of Win 8 operation I've had no instances of blue screens of death, no black screens, no botched starts, which were very common issues with XP and to a lesser extent in Vista.

Some people tend to take the opinions of some Wilders members as if they were truly unbiased judgements from people in the know. Sometimes it's true, but most of the time it is parroting rumors that have more to do with taste than real substance...

 

Wow really. Well, i've used XP since 2003 and the only BSOD I have ever had was self made when I created a memory dump.

So very common I do not agree with.

 

I wasn't generalizing to 'other users', I am talking about my own experience, I still use XP on 3 machines...

 

But you still said very common, even if that was on your own PC. So you didn't digg deeper to find the cause to the XP problems you mentioned as they shouldn't be very common on XP. And you say "were" so I take it that they are no longer a common problem for you then wich is good.

 

You seem to be weighing every word I say because you take it as personal criticism to your beloved XP. I said WERE because the 3 machines with XP have specific tasks: one is to PRINT only (my printer is very old, no drivers even for Vista) one is for my treadmill when I exercise (watching videos) and the last has a Korean XP version for some specific Korean programs used by my wife.

My real working machines are with Vista and Win8. Since my first use of XP in 2001 I would say I've had at least around 50 bluescreens sometimes requiring a total reinstall of the OS, blackscreens where options are given about to what might be the best solution to the problem, countless problems with transferring files using XP... Now if this hasn't happened to you, great, keep using it, I'm not suggesting you should upgrade, none of my business really...

 

I don't take it personal... why would I? These have been your XP issues not mine. And I absolutely don't love XP. XP is not perfect.

I am only trying to understand why BSOD's and the other several issues you mentioned was very common on XP, even if they're only common for you.
Why even mention it if one can't ask questions or make a comment about your terrible XP experience.

But if you don't want to talk about it then we can end this discussion.

 

First everyone knows that BSODs are very difficult to read as they require special knowledge, most people would solve the problem by empirically check what changes/conflicts might have brought about the blue screen. Secondly having images software I always found it easier and faster to restore an old image, and thirdly since 2001 I've only had BSODs with XP (many), Vista (a few), Win 8 (none).

 

Sure did. I remember going to CompUSA on the day Windows 2000 was released (2-17-2000) to buy a copy. ME didn't come out until September I believe.
I am liking the Windows 8.1 update. I have Windows 7 on my work PC, but I take my laptop in with me running the latest version of 8.1 on it and I find myself using it most of the day because I have come to prefer it over 7.

 

Yes, sorry for being unclear. I didn't mean that you would understand the bsod code. But more like what caused those bsod's if you suspected it were conflicting software, newly updated/installed softwares etc etc...Then you could fix the bsod problem by uninstalling them. But let's move on shall we...

 

On several of my systems.... Do you know what's working really great? Windows XP 64-Bit. It is much more responsive than Vista SP1. It is solid, stable and very quick.
On a side note, as far as Tiles/Metro goes (Win.8 ).... I'm sorry to say, it's just pure "Fluff".
When it comes phone use.... I can see it as being a function.

 

Not necessarily. There's a free utility called BlueScreenView which will parse the BSOD dump file and show the module (often a driver) that caused it. Often that's all you need to sort things out.

http://www.softpedia.com/get/System/Back-Up-and-Recovery/BlueScreenView.shtml

 

Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2 Update April, 2014

Windows Update will offer and install multiple packages under KB2919355 starting April 8. However, there is only one update entry KB2919355 in Programs and Features. You can also use the DISM command to verify the installation or uninstallation of the update.

Windows Update
This update will be available from Windows Update starting April 8.

Notes

1. This update is provided as an important update.
2. If you select the Install updates automatically (recommended) Windows Update setting, this update is installed automatically.
3. If you select other Windows Update settings, we highly recommend that you install this update through Windows Update immediately.

Microsoft Download Center
This update will be available in Microsoft Download Center on April 8, 2014.

Prerequisites: To apply this update, you must be running Windows 8.1, Windows Server 2012 R2, or Windows RT 8.1. Additionally, you must have the following update installed: 2919442 A servicing stack update is available for Windows RT 8.1, Windows 8.1, and Windows Server 2012 R2: March 2014

Restart information: You must restart the computer after you apply this update.

 

Windows 8.1 Update is a mandatory update for Windows 8.1 users

Edit:
Microsoft requires migration to Windows 8.1 Update within 5 weeks
'Just plain crazy' that Windows 8.1 users must apply Windows 8.1 Update before May 13 to keep getting patches
April 8, 2014

http://www.computerworld.com/s/arti...igration_to_Windows_8.1_Update_within_5_weeks

 

just downloaded and installed the update.
of course i made a disk image first in case things went bad.

everything went fine.
nothing new really, except a whole bunch of changes that have to do with Metro, which i don't give a damn about.
you can pin Metro apps to the taskbar.
an icon to the Store was automatically added to the Taskbar which i deleted.

i'm sure there were plenty of bug fixes and tweaks and those are always welcome.

 

Exploring Windows 8.1 Update – Start Screen, Desktop and Other Enhancements
http://blogs.technet.com/b/askpfepl...rt-screen-desktop-and-other-enhancements.aspx
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Windows 8.1 Update 1 Review
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-update-1-review

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Windows 8.1 Update 1 Download Links:
http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-81-update-1-released-now-available-for-download
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=42327

 

hi thanks for the feedbacks but it's a must to get the future update?
would like to know if they have fixed some problems with wacom tablet
thanks

 

http://www.neowin.net/news/a-closer-look-at-the-windows-81-start-menu

 

i don't know the answers to your questions but i would install the updates anyway.

updates includes bug and security fixes anyway, so that's always good.