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[Jzero]

• General Availability: October 17th, 2013

• Free for Windows 8 users. Just go to the Windows Store and click update/upgrade
• Windows 8.1 $109.99 (On Amazon)
• Windows 8.1 Pro $189.69 (On Amazon)

• The new Windows 8.1 start screen allows you set the background to your current desktop wallpaper.

This is the regular desktop

This is the new start screen. As you can see, you now have a different tile size which can come in handy with apps with live tiles.

The Charms bar is a handy pop up that activates when you hover over the top or bottom right of your screen and allows you to use:

• Search: The search feature was updated in 8.1 so that it searches everything in your computer instead of splitting every result into categories.
  

The new pc settings section is a tablet optimized hub where you can change most of the settings you may need like your personalization options, your Microsoft account information, Your Skydrive information, etc.

Snapping applications side by side is now better than ever since you can now snap more than two apps and the app space isn't constrained to 75% and 25%

Right clicking the start button will make this little menu pop up and it will let you use most features that power users and computer technicians use. You can turn off and restart your computer faster this way.

If you want to boot right into the desktop and completely ignore the metro side you can now do so, all you have to do is check a couple of boxes.

1. Right click on task bar.
2. Select properties.
3. Select navigation tab.
4. Check the first two boxes under the 'Start Screen' section.

The Windows store has been updated visually so that is is easier to find apps. Microsoft also added a search bar so that you don't feel lost when you can't find it.

• Create a bootable USB drive with Windows 8/8.1, even with UEFI systems
• Use the Windows 8 Start screen with the Xbox 360 controller!
• Keyboard Shortcuts
  
• Microsoft Answers for Windows 8 (For common Windows problems and their solutions)
  
• Right click while in metro applications for additional options that an app might have!
  
• Start typing to search through the apps on your start screen, the store and many other apps.

• Skydrive
  
• Outlook
  
• Office 635
  
• Windows Phone |OT3|
  
• Xbox Live Gamertags for Windows 8 / RT users

What are the best tablets/hybrids available for Windows 8.1 ?

Head on over to this thread and find out yourself.

 

[Dreams-Visions]

checking in. will be upgrading my MBP and desktop installs of Win8 tomorrow.

 

[Camp Lo]

This OT looks better than the OS

 

[Animator]

Upgraded earlier and loving it. Looking forward to 8.2 now.

 

[Palmer_v1]

Nice OT. I'll be updating tomorrow probably. I do miss my proper start menu, but otherwise, I haven't had any issues with Win8.

 

[BocoDragon]

I've been using the preview for a long time, and I think it's now a great OS. But ironically I hardly ever interact with the Metro screen. I guess that's what happens when they stop forcing it down our throughts (booting into it, implying that it has hierarchy over the desktop, etc)

 

[NinjaCatfish]

Nice OT!

I've seen a few people post about the 'Secure Boot is not enabled' message in the bottom right, might be worth adding a mention that you need to enable Secure Boot in BIOS to make this go away.

 

[No Love]

OP, you live in Lakewood, CA too? lol

 

[Darko]

Is that a real start button?

 

[kudoboi]

a little offtopic but is that spotify on the right? i can't find a spotify app on windows store

 

[Chance Hale]

Nice OT, Windows 8.1 is truly wonderful.

Question for updating from preview to the final release though. Microsoft's statement on the process:

You can download the update for free from the Windows Store. You'll be able to keep your personal files, but you'll need to reinstall your apps. Make sure you have any original installation media that might be required for apps that were not installed from the Windows Store.

A desktop app would be what exactly? Everything from files to games or just certain things? Just really not sure with what they mean. Should I back up my entire hard drive and just copy things back over after updating?


Hopefully people as a whole will evolve and realize the start button was defunct several OS generations ago and is so much slower than using short cuts, file explorer tabs and run

 

[Jzero]

a little offtopic but is that spotify on the right? i can't find a spotify app on windows store

No, it's Xbox music. I really hope they add a Spotify version soon though seeing as they are even adding Spotify to Steam.

 

[daviyoung]

Start button is a waste of time but the other (minor) improvements are welcome.

 

[hipbabboom]

Must be nice...

 

[MCD]

You should provide a shot with All Apps view and the new desktop Options under Taskbar properties.

And Thurrott's upgrade guides are pretty useful. Better to include them:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/here-comes-windows-81
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-upgrade-guide-electronic-upgrade-options
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-upgrade-step-step

 

[Zeknurn]

Best Windows version to date. I really like the new snap and search.

 

[Aldebaran]

I really like the update. The aero icons are still there though...

 

[MCD]

It's great, yeah but I still don't know why MS refuses to put folders in All Apps View or Metro in general.

Is it a Metro limitation? Because WP8 still doesn't have folders.

 

[Raide]

Now, I wait for the update so I can join the club.

 

[MrGreencastle]

Makes my Surface RT feel like a new device. Not even sure I want to bother updating to a Surface 2.

 

[Tunesmith]

Now I have a watermark along the lines of

Secure Boot is not configured correctly
Windows 8.1 Pro
Build 9600

In the bottom right corner of my desktop. This is even when UEFI/Secure boot has been configured in the BIOS. Googling this it seems it's a widespread 'issue' and that MS has already made a KB update for 8.1 that's in the pipe to fix it.

Still, freaked me out for a moment..

 

[Blablurn]

Now I have a watermark along the lines of

Secure Boot is not configured correctly
Windows 8.1 Pro
Build 9600

In the bottom right corner of my desktop. This is even when UEFI/Secure boot has been configured in the BIOS. Googling this it seems it's a widespread 'issue' and that MS has already made a KB update for 8.1 that's in the pipe to fix it.

Still, freaked me out for a moment..

Glad they are going to fix it. It's really annoying.

 

[lexi]

Now I have a watermark along the lines of

Secure Boot is not configured correctly
Windows 8.1 Pro
Build 9600

In the bottom right corner of my desktop. This is even when UEFI/Secure boot has been configured in the BIOS. Googling this it seems it's a widespread 'issue' and that MS has already made a KB update for 8.1 that's in the pipe to fix it.

Still, freaked me out for a moment..

Is this not activation related?

 

[strata8]

I'd love to get rid of my 2012 Nexus 7 and 11.6" HP DM1 for a Bay Trail convertible. Is there anything between 8-10" or are they all 10" or above?

 

[Jzero]

Nice OT, Windows 8.1 is truly wonderful.

Question for updating from preview to the final release though. Microsoft's statement on the process:


A desktop app would be what exactly? Everything from files to games or just certain things? Just really not sure with what they mean. Should I back up my entire hard drive and just copy things back over after updating?


Hopefully people as a whole will evolve and realize the start button was defunct several OS generations ago and is so much slower than using short cuts, file explorer tabs and run

Desktop means everything that is not a "metro" app. So back up as much as you can.

I'd love to get rid of my 2012 Nexus 7 and 11.6" HP DM1 for a Bay Trail convertible. Is there anything between 8-10" or are they all 10" or above?

They're making smaller ones now that 8.1 is avaiable.

You should provide a shot with All Apps view and the new desktop Options under Taskbar properties.

And Thurrott's upgrade guides are pretty useful. Better to include them:

http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/here-comes-windows-81
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-upgrade-guide-electronic-upgrade-options
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/windows-81-upgrade-step-step

Whoops i totally though i put those in.

 

[Alx]

I updated last night, it was quite fast in the end. I haven't noticed much change this morning, but will look into it tonight. And upgrade the Surface too.

 

[Elija2]

Nice OT, Windows 8.1 is truly wonderful.

Question for updating from preview to the final release though. Microsoft's statement on the process:


A desktop app would be what exactly? Everything from files to games or just certain things? Just really not sure with what they mean. Should I back up my entire hard drive and just copy things back over after updating?

I upgraded to Windows 8.1 and everything was intact. Metro apps, desktop apps, random documents, everything. You can backup if you want to be safe, but I didn't and the upgrade went smoothly for me.

 

[Blablurn]

Soooo, is there a manual to set up the Remote Desktop app?

 

[lastflowers]

Is this not activation related?

I work on secureboot related technologies

Spoiler

but not on windows desktop

:

While I'm not sure exactly how windows determines whether or not the copy of windows is activated, it is certainly possible that Secureboot is part of that chain. I'm sure they'll fix it relatively quickly. Pure speculation, but it might be a TPM or UEFI variable slip for a configuration they didn't account for.

 

[Jzero]

Soooo, is there a manual to set up the Remote Desktop app?

are you using your Microsoft account? if so, it's super easy.

 

[Blablurn]

are you using your Microsoft account? if so, it's super easy.

I'm not using anything right now Just downloaded the Apps on my Nexus 7 and on my Windows 8 laptop. But I have no Idea about Gateways or Credentials D: No idea how to set it up.

 

[toddhunter]

Just upgraded.

I couldn't get past the process without signing into my hotmail account, so I did that and it linked everything up again. With that disconnected and all the store stuff hidden I'm pretty much back to normal except:

* My screen has the black bars around it so it isn't quite full. I think this is a catalyst issue so reinstalling now.
* I keep getting huge prompts telling me how to operate the new features by doing things like swiping in from the side of the screen. I'm on a desktop, I can't do that, it is annoying me.

How do I turn that off and why was it ever turned on?

Other than that I have a start button *shrug* and it was all painless enough.

 

[Jzero]

I'm not using anything right now Just downloaded the Apps on my Nexus 7 and on my Windows 8 laptop. But I have no Idea about Gateways or Credentials D: No idea how to set it up.

If you have a microsoft account all you have to do is:
1. Search for "allow remote access to this computer" on your PC
2. Once the properties pop up all you have to do is click "allow remote connections to this computer"
3. Make sure "only connections only from computers running..." is checked
4. Go to the app on your nexus 7 and click on remote desktops and click the plus button.
5. For connection name put whatever name you want
6. For PC name put the actual name of your computer (which you can find by pressing Windows key + pause)
7. For credentials just put your microsoft account information (like email@hotmail.com and your password)

Just upgraded.

I couldn't get past the process without signing into my hotmail account, so I did that and it linked everything up again. With that disconnected and all the store stuff hidden I'm pretty much back to normal except:

* My screen has the black bars around it so it isn't quite full. I think this is a catalyst issue so reinstalling now.
* I keep getting huge prompts telling me how to operate the new features by doing things like swiping in from the side of the screen. I'm on a desktop, I can't do that, it is annoying me.

How do I turn that off and why was it ever turned on?

Other than that I have a start button *shrug* and it was all painless enough.

• The black bars is definitely a catalyst issue, you have to overscan your monitor.
• The huge prompts are annoying but they went away for me after a while

 

[MarcoZombieCannon]

Just upgraded.

I couldn't get past the process without signing into my hotmail account, so I did that and it linked everything up again. With that disconnected and all the store stuff hidden I'm pretty much back to normal except:

* My screen has the black bars around it so it isn't quite full. I think this is a catalyst issue so reinstalling now.
* I keep getting huge prompts telling me how to operate the new features by doing things like swiping in from the side of the screen. I'm on a desktop, I can't do that, it is annoying me.

How do I turn that off and why was it ever turned on?

Other than that I have a start button *shrug* and it was all painless enough.

I just moused over those prompts and they went away after a few popped up. I like how the start button is colored based on the ones you chose for the background and accent color. Pretty neat. But seriously, holy poop search is balls slow now. Maybe I need to rebuild the search index or something, but jeez. The old one was better IMO.

 

[toddhunter]

I just moused over those prompts and they went away after a few popped up. I like how the start button is colored based on the ones you chose for the background and accent color. Pretty neat. But seriously, holy poop search is balls slow now. Maybe I need to rebuild the search index or something, but jeez. The old one was better IMO.

Yeah the search seems worse than the old one...which wasn't great. Will need to find a way to not default to "everything" I think?

I'm hoping my pop-up problem was because a touch keyboard had appeared on the taskbar (I couldn't click to get rid of them). I'm also hoping the bloody thing won't come back every time I reboot.

 

[Frost_Ace]

Will be a win8 user in a few days and wanted to ask if there's a way to boot straight to desktop mode on this version and how to do it, thanks.

 

[G_Berry]

No update yet for my RT

 

[archnemesis]

Will be a win8 user in a few days and wanted to ask if there's a way to boot straight to desktop mode on this version and how to do it, thanks.

1. Right click on task bar.
2. Select properties.
3. Select navigation tab.
4. Check two boxes.

 

[Jzero]

Will be a win8 user in a few days and wanted to ask if there's a way to boot straight to desktop mode on this version and how to do it, thanks.

Yes sir, it's in the OP. Just right click the taskbar click properties, go to the navigation tab and choose what you want from the start screen section.

Edit: freaking beaten.

 

[Blablurn]

If you have a microsoft account all you have to do is:
1. Search for "allow remote access to this computer" on your PC
2. Once the properties pop up all you have to do is click "allow remote connections to this computer"
3. Make sure "only connections only from computers running..." is checked
4. Go to the app on your nexus 7 and click on remote desktops and click the plus button.
5. For connection name put whatever name you want
6. For PC name put the actual name of your computer (which you can find by pressing Windows key + pause)
7. For credentials just put your microsoft account information (like email@hotmail.com and your password)


• The black bars is definitely a catalyst issue, you have to overscan your monitor.
• The huge prompts are annoying but they went away for me after a while

I have a GMail address for my Microsoft Account. Could this be a reason why it doesn't work? When I clicked on Connect it said "Invalid Argument".

Thanks for the help

 

[Wurst]

Is Adobe Reader XI not working for anyone else?
Tried to reinstall but says it's already installed..

 

[Deleted member 1235]

Start button is a waste of time but the other (minor) improvements are welcome.

it really isn't, some people (not me) need a visual indicator to orientate themselves.

I like

snap screen for metro apps

small icons on metro screen, this is really great, I have a surface pro and this makes the start scren pretty ok.

booting to desktop hooray! great for desktop, not needed for surface.

 

[Deleted member 1235]

• The black bars is definitely a catalyst issue, you have to overscan your monitor.

confirmed!

I have it on my media center as well. what infuriates me is that I can't find a way to set the overscan as default and I always notice it again halfway through a film, or when someone says 'why is there a black screen around the movie'

 

[DonMigs85]

It seems they got rid of the Experience Index?

 

[Yoshichan]

Sorry, I'm on my phone and can't see the entire OP (bandwidth eater), but does 8.1 start on the desktop or does it automatically take you to Metro and you have to click on desktop from there?

 

[bkw]

Did they add better support for multi monitor? I don't recall being able to have metro apps on one monitor and desktop on the other.

Love having it setup that way though. Metro on one for stuff like news, music, netflix, etc, where I want the clean "kiosk" like presentation, and desktop where I get work done.

Since the update, Internet Explorer from the start screen seems to always launch the desktop version though. Is there a setting to get it to open the metro version?

 

[LeeRoyBrown]

This update has fixed my Toshiba laptops broken USB port issue where I had to disable every USB port and enable them again for anything to work.

I'm hoping this will fix my WINROT issue also, I have been unable to install SC2 for about 2 months now keep getting random .dll errors and I have no idea why.

Attempting the install now.

 

[Jzero]

It seems they got rid of the Experience Index?

Oh wow you're right. Oh well there's better ways to bench mark anyways.

 

[Gemüsepizza]

I am currently using the Windows 8.1 Preview. I think it's nice, but there is still room for improvements:

- The option to not use a Microsoft account during install was hidden, I think this is bullshit.

- I am using the start screen to display all apps with "Boot to desktop" activated. I would prefer if I could turn off "apps" and only display all normal applications.

- What I also don't like is that I can not make shortcuts of applications on the desktop from the "All apps" start screen.

If they fix this then I'm happy. I don't need apps on a desktop system.

 

[Blablurn]

WiFi acting strange since I upgraded to 8.1. Sometimes drops/goes out for no reason.