Windows 8.1 Discussion

I'm stuck at work - is this a full-on ISO we have to install from scratch or is it a patch from the Windows Store...or both?
 
I got the patch from the windows store.

With that said I have to head to work. But I wanted to leave a few first impressions before I take off.

I like that when I put my cursor on the top left it doesn't bring up the metro switcher in desktop anymore.
I still don't know how to reorganize my metro tiles. It doesn't work like the video shows and the tiles still automatically stack top to bottom left to right. It's also rendered my 2nd monitor useless because metro decided it wanted to live there. I don't know how to set it so I have my desktop on both monitors anymore and microsoft didn't make it easy to find a solution (if there is one).
 
Installed it on my surface pro and I like the changes thus far especially on the surface pro. In desktop mode you can right click the start menu to finally access task manager and other things without a keyboard. Also the updates for the app store UI and music app UI are very welcome. The app store was crap before IMO

Also a neat little addition is the lock screen can now be a slideshow of your photos or photos in a specified folder

@domingo its a patch that allows you to download 8.1 from the windows app store (provided you are on windows 8 already)
 
Before I left I noticed a few things. The first was that I could get the desktop on my 2nd monitor again. I didn't see the start button on my 2nd screen but that fixed it. I tried looking around for how to customize the metro screen to make it pop up on top of my desktop (like in the videos) but couldn't find it. If anyone figures that out, please post how.
 
Whats not asked or answered is that if you install it, can it be fully removed or do you need to wipe the whole system when the actual SP1 comes??????
 
Lost-Benji said:
Whats not asked or answered is that if you install it, can it be fully removed or do you need to wipe the whole system when the actual SP1 comes??????
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in my brief readings .. if you install via the windows store ..then you'll be ok .. :(
 
I'm still using Win 7 Pro 64 myself. What sort of "under the hood" improvements would I see with Windows 8.1 (a pro, 64 bit version)?
 
lloose said:
I tried looking around for how to customize the metro screen to make it pop up on top of my desktop (like in the videos) but couldn't find it. If anyone figures that out, please post how.
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Right click on the task bar->Properties->Navigation Tab and you should see this:

task%20bar-Properties-Navigation%20Tab.png
 
Anyone experience any obvious problems with drivers? I am downloading it now :)
 
bdr529 said:
Anyone experience any obvious problems with drivers? I am downloading it now :)
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None yet, though I am having a problem installing the Lenovo system update utilities that automatically installs all of the latest drivers for my device.
 
I'm having issues with my wireless adapter, it's a d-link wireless usb ac adapter,keeps loosing connection,I unplug it plug it back it reconnects and will work for a little bit then disconnect again
 
lloose said:
Thank you. You basically answered all my "how do I do this" questions with 8.1.
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Happy to help. Only thing I've not yet figured out with the new Start Screen options is how to turn on the animated backgrounds.

Wow, this was interesting. I'd setup Windows Server 2012 R2 Monday and set it up with a Microsoft account. It looks like the cloud settings sync even remembered the password for my MiFi. I just turned it on and the MiFi just worked.
 
So anyone else having problems with there wireless adapter? I have the D-Link USB DWA-182 wireless ac adapter and it randomly stops working and I have to unplug and replug it to get it to work?
 
bdr529 said:
Anyone experience any obvious problems with drivers? I am downloading it now :)
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Yes. I was using nVidia 320.49 & my SLI said it was changed. Tried to pull up the control panel & it wouldn't come up. Uninstall was a multi-reboot process & then I was finally able to reinstall the 320.49 drivers & reset SLI. Also, there is an update for my network card that is getting refused by Win 8.1. Just for shits & giggles I tried to instal the same driver that was already installed & its also now being refused by Win 8.1.

PC seems fine but there is an issue with drivers (edit) "for me thus far".
 
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heatlesssun said:
Happy to help. Only thing I've not yet figured out with the new Start Screen options is how to turn on the animated backgrounds.

Wow, this was interesting. I'd setup Windows Server 2012 R2 Monday and set it up with a Microsoft account. It looks like the cloud settings sync even remembered the password for my MiFi. I just turned it on and the MiFi just worked.
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Microsoft had that figured out before 8.1 - when I logged in with my MS accounts on my other laptops, my WiFi network credentials were automatically downloaded and configured without me doing anything.

As for 8.1 - it's an improvement but not quite there yet. MS still needs a better "wall" between "metro" apps and desktop apps. I should not be opening JPEG's or MP3's in full screen apps when I click on them in desktop mode. I also should see ALL of my apps when I use the upper left hand corner of my screen - not just the metro apps and "Desktop" - that's way too big of a pet peeve to overlook.
 
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ComputerBox34 said:
Microsoft had that figured out before 8.1 - when I logged in with my MS accounts on my other laptops, my WiFi network credentials were automatically downloaded and configured without me doing anything.
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Thanks. In all of the times I've installed Windows 8 with the same Microsoft account I've never seen it carry over WiFi settings until now. The cloud syncing does seem more complete and solid to me in 8.1.

ComputerBox34 said:
As for 8.1 - it's an improvement but not quite there yet. MS still needs a better "wall" between "metro" apps and desktop apps. I should not be opening JPEG's or MP3's in full screen apps when I click on them in desktop mode. I also should see ALL of my apps when I use the upper right hand corner of my screen - not just the metro apps and "Desktop" - that's way too big of a pet peeve to overlook.
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I imagine that for some just having the desktop and Modern UI mixed will always be a problem. I agree even in this preview the desktop and Modern still need to be better integrated but the default apps are completely configurable.
 
wasabipeas said:
I got a blue screen trying to install the 8.1 Preview - UGG! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls-NPUVZlm4
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I did get a bluescreen just now while installing 8.1 on an old Asus EP121. Out of the dozens of times I've installed 8 on various machines since the Developer Preview it has happened on some a couple of times with the betas, don't think it's ever happened with the RTM. But once the EP121 restarted it proceeded with the install normally and everything seems to be ok. Did it not continue the install after the bluescreen?
 
One thing I just noticed, I've got my convertible hooked up to an external monitor and have the lock screen picture view activated. It will actually show different images on each monitor while rotating through them, that's pretty cool.
 
Ran into a problem where my nvidia driver was stuck in 3d mode. I reinstalled the driver and it fixed it. Other than that its a nice little step in the right direction.
 
I can't even download the thing I'm at 44% everyone's mother uncle must be downloading porn at the same time while trying to download the update!!

I had it running for a few hours now I'm stuck at Pending.....
 
lloose said:
Ran into a problem where my nvidia driver was stuck in 3d mode. I reinstalled the driver and it fixed it. Other than that its a nice little step in the right direction.
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Hmmm...is that why Chrome looks all magnified and pixel-y on my screen? The display settings say "3D" but this card was released loooong before 3D existed.
 
heatlesssun said:
I did get a bluescreen just now while installing 8.1 on an old Asus EP121. Out of the dozens of times I've installed 8 on various machines since the Developer Preview it has happened on some a couple of times with the betas, don't think it's ever happened with the RTM. But once the EP121 restarted it proceeded with the install normally and everything seems to be ok. Did it not continue the install after the bluescreen?
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No..it restarted and it reverted back to my previous Windows 8 Pro installation. I will try installing again tomorrow and see if it works.
 
Ok, so I think I figured out my wireless adapter issue. Uninstalled drivers then re-installed using the program compatibility trouble shooter with settings as vista service pack 2 and run as administrator and haven't lost connection since!
 
Boy, how did you guys miss this?

"Under the hood, engineers have tweaked graphics memory management to boost the performance of games on systems with really high-end hardware. Meanwhile, they've increased the size of files that can be downloaded from the Windows app store, because games can be greater than the 2 gigabytes currently allowed.

Since gaming was traditionally a PC stronghold, and Windows 8 wasn't warmly received by PC gamers, these kinds of upgrades matter."
 
Gamers seem to be the ones adopting 8 the fastest by far if the Steam surveys have been indicative of the gamer community overall.
 
My download stopped at 50% then started installing it's stuck now at 63% and been that way for a half hour should I just let it.
 
ok lol had me worried......I didn't want to pull a all nighter made some progress went from 63% to 72%
 
Can't get the Nvidia control panel to open up on right click....so going to install the 320.49 beta driver
 
Anyone figure out where the motion wallpapers are? I can't find it in Personalize like the guy had them in the video that circulated a few weeks back.
 
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