Windows 8.1 Is Here!!!

[dave068]

I'm downloading it now from Windows Store and it's taking ages. It's just over 3 Gig to download and the way it's going I might just have the new Start Button in time for Xmas!

[bazwillrun]

I was forced to use a microsoft account for log in after the update and had to track down how to get back to my local account first (it's under settings -> accounts).
Very stupid - who in his right mind would want to log into his microsoft account when starting his machine?
I don't like where this is going, even if you still can disable it...
I would also recommend not using the default settings when you are interested in some privacy and not handing everything to the NSA right away without them even having to do some work first

[Buenchico]

There are some us who wished that the title to this post said "Windows 3.1 is here!"

Oh for the days of simplicity (and something that actually worked - well, most of the time, anyway!)
;-)

[hc4361]

Simplicity? Formatting floppy drives; parking the hard drive before turning off; dos commands...

[bazwillrun]

If anybody is d/loading it and not sure what the progress is.... in the top right of the screen where it says Updates() Windows 8.1 Pro, click on Windows 8.1 and it will show a new sceeen with a progress bar...typical MS though, why not just put it on the same screen that says its d/loading, took me an hour to find that progress bar

[VHG]

>>>and Windows 2000 (good).

Windows 2000 was never a "home" version of Windows. It followed on from Windows NT, for use in business.

And there was not an Windows NT7 or NT8 either, only NT 3 and NT 4 (in fact NT 3.1 was the first release of NT).

The home versions of Windows were - Windows 1, 2, 3 then 95, 98, ME, XP, Vista, 7, 8

[bibblebub]

Well, 8.1. is now installed, just have to sort out the mess it has made of things like the libraries I had set and other settings.

[Frank97]

Installed last night, all seems to be running smoothly this morning.
Do I now need to create a new recovery disk?

[bibblebub]

I would have thought so otherwise it will try recovering to W8 if you use the existing one. Personally I use regular disk image backups and so never need to use a recovery disk.

Incidentally, my 8.1 download paused at one point, waiting for me to uninstall "Sentinel Runtime Drivers" (whatever they are), but it was one of those times when having to get up to go to the loo proved useful because dealing with it during the night meant that the installation was waiting for me when I later got up at the usual time.

[Frank97]

That's what I was thinking, thanks Bibble, I'll do it later.

[bibblebub]

Tell you something that is a bit of a pain - various system settings that I made in places such as group policy editor have now been changed back to default so that I've got to try to find them again and change them back to what I want.

[bravejordy]

I'm not sure what to make of this Windows 8.1 yet. I know I don't like the way you need a Microsoft account to log in after the update. I've since found out you can by-pass this "annoyance" during set up, but by then, it was too late. My other bone of contention is that the Start screen now displays my full name. I'm trying to figure out how to get it back to the way it was of just displaying my first name. I had a gut feeling this wasn't going to be straight forward. Hopefully I'll feel differently when I've had a chance to feel my way this update.

[bravejordy]

^feel my way around this update^

[bibblebub]

bravejordy - you've just reminded me that i decided to set up a new account, which might explain why various settings have changed.

[bravejordy]

Hi bibblebub, the thing that really annoyed me was it's been so long since I set up or used my Microsoft account that I couldn't remember my email addy or password. Fortunately I had them stored on a flash drive which I had to access using my old Windows XP computer. I typed in the relevant information on this computer but then Microsoft wanted to send me a 7-digit security code to my regular virginmedia email address (again, which I had to retrieve using my XP machine), which I could then use to complete the login process on this computer (I'm not sure how I would have been expected to access this email had I only had this one computer!)

[bibblebub]

Same here with the microsoft account which is why i decided to just start with a new one. It has sent the security code to the mailbox i specified but i haven't had to use it so far - in the setting up of 8.1. it gave me the option of continuing without using that code. Everything seems to be ok without it prompting for the security code so i don't know i need it.

[bazwillrun]

you can get past the MS account stuff and use the user account you already have on the machine but its not obvious how during the upgrade and to .

Start button 1??? dont be fooled , its not the Start menu button that was...you need one of the freebies from Classic Shell, or Iolo for that

As it stands you cant upgrade via windows updates but only via the apps store and you cant d/load the upgrade as an iso image, belive me if you have more than one machin to upgrade you'lll know what i'm talking about here

you also cant save the d/loaded upgrade and install at your convenience, it auto installs, so depending on you b/band spedd and allow a good few hours for this whole shebang.

This is whole win8 upgrade, 3.5GB ??? are you sure its only an upgrade(more like a total re-install) is without doubt MS biggest clusterphuukk to date and thats against Millenium and Vista...no wonder they now also want Gates out , looks some of them have finally seen the light over there