Windows 8 Consumer Preview ISO images

[Corona]

I got a headache just reading that.

I think I'll just stick with Win 7 for a few more years.

[Nergal]

LOL I thought that when they used the betaFish for win7 beta

[Super Fast]

Trying to get rid of that extra boot screen, trying various thing like replacing the boot.ini and other relevant system files made no difference. It was written into somewhere I couldn't find, and should have been deleted when I used "EasyBCD" from the "remove win8 dual boot" at this website.

 

In Windows 7, they have a Boot tab in MSCONFIG that allows you to do a few things to edit the startup somewhat. Could this be anything that would work in Windows 8 as well?

[hazelnut]

Sorry to read about your problems with the dual booting Win 8 and XP Dennis, and glad to hear you have more or less got things sorted. Sometimes things just don't workout on a machine

 

Did you make the partition by shrinking the C volume and installing it there? (Seems that is what most folk have done when dual booting as far as I can see)

 

On a remote chance you may not have done, did you try msconfig as Super Fast mentioned? Look in the bootini tab and remove the win 8 option. It could well still be listed there in your XP install..

 

So dual may not be the best option. Clean install with no other operating systems on the machine is better.

 

I'll just stick to having it installed in Virtual Box for now

[DennisD]

msconfig was one of the first places I went, and it listed the "win8" and "older operating system" options as well as my normal XP boot choice screen.

 

The temptation was to get in there and just edit win8 out, but I scratched that idea, as I really wasn't sure where else this win8 extra bit may be written/ stored. I didn't want a mis-matched conflict.

 

I used EasyBCD to delete the win8 dual boot sequence, and after removing win8 from the partition, that would be it I thought, but the now basic white on black screen (as opposed to the blue graphics of the "live" dual boot option) was still there, and appearing a few seconds before the normal XP boot choice screen.

 

Damn, all the instructions about this on line don't mention that this screen would still be there, or how to get rid of it.

 

Back to msconfig, and only the normal boot.ini dialogue is listed. Double damn, I can't edit out something which isn't there.

 

Next step, and I thought this would be a winner. I keep backup copies of all the root system files, including the hidden ones ...

 

 

... so I replaced the lot.

 

And it still booted with the win8 screen intact.

 

It was then that I noticed a new folder in the root drive called "boot". A quick look confirmed that this folder, containing a lot of files, was created by EasyBCD.

 

Bite the bullet time. All my own system root files were still there, so I decided to delete this folder. Took a while as I had to use some brute force with "Unlocker", but I got rid, and was left with all my intact, normal root system files.

 

Goodnight Irene, system drive screwed on next boot. And no amount of jiggery-pokery would make it boot again.

 

It was now 5.00am and time for the last resort, so I restored the Image of my C: drive. I half expected to see that damn win8 screen still there, but thankfully it had at last lost it's grip on my computer. I could have restored this Image much earlier, but I was trying to find a way to fix this directly as lots of folk don't have a disk image to fall back on. The quest for knowledge thing.

 

@hazel

 

Nope, I already had this new internal drive configured into 3 partitions, and the third one was formatted, and completely empty. Perfect for a second OS.

 

I later realised that this hiccup was probably normal. This is MICROSOFT!

[Super Fast]

I recently uploaded Windows 8 preview to my netbook to take it for a test drive.

 

I found the following:

 

- Attempt to use an application tile while 10.1 in netbook screen resolution is maxed out results in error: "Screen resolution too low". (Are you kidding me?)

- Attempt to install latest Classic Shell while offline results in error: "Smart Screen filter cannot determine if this file is safe to run". (Are you kidding me? Click the arrow key like a dummy to see, run this file, anyway.)

- Clicking start button once to load "Application tiles" & again to load "Desktop Tile" takes too many clicks. (Are you kidding me? Ummm, NO! I don't want to tap the start menu button on my keyboard more than ONE TIME to load the start menu. Only, it still doesn't load the start menu, but just switch between desktop & tiles).

- Right-Clicking an empty area to see all your apps (basically, your start menu) is not cool. (Are you kidding me? Right-click every time I want to see all the apps. Phew! Come on!)

- Shutdown? How? (OK, research, start menu, add a menu, latest version seems to not have a startmenu & adding the RPenabled key doesn't bring it back to the latest version of 8 preview... WHAT!?)

 

* Windows 8 is dead. When you spend more time googling fixes than using it, that's NOT a good OS. Sure, you can get used to it. But why should you have to?

 

Oh, & seems like it is all too easy to kill Windows 8... Windows 7 is far more stable. I personally booted into Windows 8 once, then the second time, it was different & I had to hit CTRL + ALT + DEL & use task manager to enter Windows 8 desktop since I was stuck looking at a blank green screen with no right click options.

 

Oh, & plus, Windows 7 actually loads FASTER on my netbook than Windows 8.

 

Oh, & plus, Windows 8 doesn't have any organized way to keep up with your programs now in a human usable format...

 

Oh, & plus, did you notice I do not like 8? Hahaha!

[hazelnut]

Sorry Super fast I do not see some of the issues you mention. To see start tiles I just click on the right hand side 'charms' menu. (perhaps because of your resolution you couldn't see it) or just hover in top left hand corner and select it. There are quite a few ways.

 

Shut down can be reached via the 'charms' menu. 2 click to shutdown, same as now.

 

Review here of another netbook user

 

http://liliputing.com/2011/09/this-is-what-windows-8-looks-like-on-an-old-netbook.html

 

Anyway each to their own opinions, me... I am just trailing

it out of interest.

[Winapp2.ini]

I really feel like Win8 was designed purely for Tablets :/

 

I'd be all over Win8 if it looked like the Zune Player

 

http://shanegowland.com/files/2012/02/WindowsMockup2.jpg

[Super Fast]

Sorry Super fast I do not see some of the issues you mention. To see start tiles I just click on the right hand side 'charms' menu. (perhaps because of your resolution you couldn't see it) or just hover in top left hand corner and select it. There are quite a few ways.

 

Shut down can be reached via the 'charms' menu. 2 click to shutdown, same as now.

 

Review here of another netbook user

 

http://liliputing.co...ld-netbook.html

 

Anyway each to their own opinions, me... I am just trailing

it out of interest.

 

Yeah, but if they are gonna force tiles on us, they should work on a netbook. Period. There are millions of netbook users out there.

 

And they don't work on netbooks. At least without hacks to trick your computer into thinking it has a higher resolution than it does, which could ruin your netbook if you do it this way long enough.

 

And the Metro interface should be easier to totally disable.

 

And I got shutdown menu by logging out, then it showed the shutdown menu.

 

(It's as easy as 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 11 12 13 14 ...)

 

Oh man, Windows 8 is making my head hurt! Microsoft, if your looking at this, can we PLEASE skip Windows 8 & pretend it never existed? Let's just skip to Windows 10, ok?

 

Hahaha!

[DennisD]

I have to say it surprised me when I learned that win8 was actually being developed.

 

I haven't been following it on-line at all, and I've no intentions of even googling to find out why it's being developed, but win7 hasn't been around for long, so why not keep working to improve that.

 

Or is win8 supposed to be an improved win7 with a new name to capture the folk who "must have" the latest of everything?

 

From what I've seen so far, and I have had a good play around with my sons win7 machine, thank heavens I came into computing when XP was the latest operating system. It's still the bees knees for me. I was gonna say the dogs bollocks, but decided not to.

[Super Fast]

Dennis, I quite agree with you. I found work arounds for many of the problems in 7, including being able to import XP image viewer into the 32 & 64 bit versions of it. This solved my gripes with it not playing animated GIF files, but it still did nothing to solve the problem of the treble/bass controls. I bought a new creative card that does sound great in 7, but in XP, I could turn down the bass so I could really crank it loud enough to jam on my drums here.

 

With 7, there is no, ahem, easy way to do that unless you download the youtube vids as MP3 & use WMP to do so...

 

And Windows 8 has features scattered all over the place. I quite like a wallpaper much better than I do a tile, & excuse me, blocks do not look good for a "start" menu. Nor is it a great way to browse, install, uninstall, view your programs.

 

And having multiple places to have all your settings, & changing the way settings already are used by users, not a good thing at all. Windows 8 has a few good things, & the rapidity of how fast I can remove it is one of them. Even Windows ME is better OS than Windows 8, & that's saying a lot!

[hazelnut]

Not a bad assessment here

 

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-call-common-sense-142476

[login123]

Got a bit cranked up, didn't he?

 

I have a question, probably everybody except me knows this, but I'll ask anyway: What does this mean? (about three quarters down the page) "But just so we're clear, it's a modern PC. Why the frick are you shutting down a PC? It's not 1989, people."

 

My experience is quite narrow, so I am probably missing something here, but even I can think or one or two good reasons to shut down a PC.

[Winapp2.ini]

I'd even think it'd be the reverse:

 

My understanding of the early days of computers leads me to believe that minimal shutdown/turn on processes were better for the hardware, as the expensive components would wear out over time. Now that computers are incredibly cheap, it's no longer an issue, and we can restart to our hearts content.

 

That being said, I only shut down my PC if I'm going to be opening it up.

[Alan_B]

I worked in Research/Design Laboratories and the mains supply to the entire laboratory was always shut down when we left at night.

This was to protect equipement far more expensive than computers from being destroyed should an experimental prototype short circuit and burst into flames.

 

Our computers did not suffer from the shutdown.

Windows 95 was DESIGNED for shutdowns - it never went a day without giving a BSOD.

When a serial COM port stopped communicating the Reset switch never restored normality - it took a full shut down and power up.

[hazelnut]

I know quite a few people who just sleep/hibernate their machines for days on end.

 

Me.. I like to shut down each night, they way I look at it, even computers deserve to sleep:)

[DennisD]

Not a bad assessment here

 

http://www.winsupers...on-sense-142476

 

Took a whole page to say not really very much IMHO. I know all that and choose not to like it. It's different, but is it better?

 

I still can't see the point of Win8 at all, other than to swell the coffers. Puts me in mind of football teams who change their strips for the sole purpose of clawing more money from hard pressed families who's kids must have the latest strip.

 

And that's not counting the adults who should know better.

[Super Fast]

Took a whole page to say not really very much IMHO. I know all that and choose not to like it. It's different, but is it better?

 

I still can't see the point of Win8 at all, other than to swell the coffers. Puts me in mind of football teams who change their strips for the sole purpose of clawing more money from hard pressed families who's kids must have the latest strip.

 

And that's not counting the adults who should know better.

 

I agree. I can't help but wondering how many of these so called "journalists" are paid by MS to give a positive spin to junk in order to convince the sheeple that it really is looking out for the best interests for them...

 

Maybe they aren't, but sometimes you wonder! LOL!

 

Edit: With many people having just switched to Windows 7, & some still using XP, now is NOT a great time to switch to 8. At least give people 5 years or so to get used to 7, then it people MIGHT be interested in a new OS.

 

* Win 95 -> People WANTED Win 98 for the extra ease of use/features/better USB support.

* Win 98 -> People WANTED to upgrade to ME... Later, after seeing how halfbaked it was, they clung to Win 98 tightly.

* Win ME -> People did not initially WANT XP, but they found it was VERY stable & could use more memory & larger drives. After SP2 with upgraded firewall support, it became a must have. No more crosslinked files! And System Restore worked better than the one in ME. XP is also fast.

 

* Win XP -> People loved XP, but Vista was clunky, slow, & just wasn't fast enough to be a worthy successor. Bad move, MS!

* Win Vista -> People already have a fast & stable OS in XP, why do they want Vista?

* Win 7 -> Built in ISO burning support, finally an OS that is fast, good 64 Bit support, & is stable, works good with most programs. Over time, people begin to like 7 a lot better than they did initially. But there are still some features stripped from 7 that XP works better for... Overall, people did not mind 7...

 

* Win 8 -> What is MS thinking? Win 7 is stable, fast, easy to use, & just works. Why re-invent the steering wheel? Who wants to re-learn everything they knew just to have a new OS that looks clunky and unpretty?

 

Me thinks, MS should have waited 5, or maybe 10 years to release 8. Releasing it dead on the heels of 7, just as people were beginning to get used to it, is a bad move. VERY bad move. They could have had much more success hyping it up for a few more years, & THEN releasing it.

 

This would give them more time to crush bugs, make Metro optional, etc.

 

At least, I mean, that's how I see things!

[Winapp2.ini]

I'm going to install the preview this weekend! I'll let you guys know my opinions on it.

[login123]

@Winapp2.ini

 

"My understanding of the early days of computers leads me to believe that minimal shutdown/turn on processes were better for the hardware,"

 

Thats what they said then, and what I always thought, Winapp. Also, it is lately suggested that newer hardware is less prone to those issues, but opinions seem to vary quite a bit.

 

Alan, in the old days, when the mainframe computer lab got a new hard drive, the factory techs made them wait for hours until it reached room temperature before they would let them start up the computer. Never knew exactly why, but it made a big impression on me.

 

Hazel, I do the same thing, and shut down if I'm going to be away for several hours. Might not be the best overall approach, but is has worked for me for 6 or 8 years.

[Corona]

I always shut down overnight. What blows me away is how Win 7 "updates" (& etc.) overnight when the pooter is supposedly "shut down".

[hazelnut]

We have to remember here these are all just opinions, in the big scheme of things a new OS is but a speck of dust.

 

Me, I just like the mental exercise of finding my way around a new place. I like the new ribbon on top of Windows Explorer etc, the ability to just start typing when on the start page and it will find what I want. Note I said start typing, you don't type in a box, you just literally start typing to search for something.

 

Most of my tiles would go anyway as there will be things I wouldn't use or I would prefer to put my own program on.

 

My favourite OS is XP, and probably always will be, but that won't stop me using and trying out others. To me that would be like going on holiday to a foreign country and complaining that the scenery is different and the food is not the same as at home.

 

By the way Corona will understand when I tell him how upset I am that spider solitaire doesn't work right in Win 8

[Winapp2.ini]

So does it work a bit like Zune Player? http://dl.dropbox.com/u/14823386/2012-03-15_040126.png

[hazelnut]

Sorry Winapp I don't use Zune Player.

 

Which aspect are you talking about in relation to usage?

[Winapp2.ini]

The search - In artist view you can search for an arist (see the picture) by just typing anywhere.

 

The same thing works in Genre view.