Sure, but I wish there would be an option to just see it when there is the prompt.
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Windows 8 / RT |OT|
- Thread starter Jzero
- Start date
Sure, but I wish there would be an option to just see it when there is the prompt.
I would think once you have a key, you don't necessarily have to install it. I don't think they expire.
Details button shows up on the update page when you select one update.
Eight Diagram Bat Fighter
Banned
The large and empty space above the window, where aero used to show transparency.
Also, having your applications showing up as large tiles instead of tiny 32x32 icons or a drop down list of that family of applications– again, good for touch, but pointless without. Even having to switch to another screen to see your content is unnecessary.
Having to go and pin each one of your applications to make it easily available on Metro is another user design flaw. That was the one nice thing about the start menu, you click it, go to programs and everything was there and only expanded on mouse over. Especially for me with a ton of pc applications, it's a pain scrolling through Metro's show-all list of apps. The type-to-search thing is nice in finding apps, but you shouldn't have to take your hand off the mouse to scroll through a ton of things to find what you want.
Basically, it was easier with the start menu from windows 7 right out the box. Taking it out was unnecessary and feels like they wanted to force people to use their new interface style instead of allowing for options for those without a touch screen.
I wouldn't be able to list all these things if I used it for just a couple of minutes.
Hmm, you must have a screen I did not get, I tried right click etc but it just put me back to the store homepage after I clicked install.
Jzero
Member
What do you mean?
You can see what the update does before you update unless the maker of the app didn't put any details.
Visual design aside the start screen functions exactly like the start menu. When you install an application it auto pins a shortcut exactly as in <W8. The entire process for pinning applications is exactly the same as before and there is really no change.
The only functionality that has really been changed, and this is what you can really complain about, is having to explicitly search for files now, as search defaults to apps only when you start typing on the start screen, as opposed to searching control panel, apps, and files when you start typing on the start menu.
Still have no idea what you mean about the difference in Aero. IIRC default settings still have transparency, and you can edit the settings in Personalization. I use the basic theme myself because the transparcy/aero is visually disgusting in Vista/W7/W8.
It did not show anything, in the store there is now the "new version info" (youtube+ btw.) but the update page was the buttons of the two apps I needed to checkmark, then install, and that was it.
Eight Diagram Bat Fighter
Banned
I'll take a screenshot when I get home. Those icons don't auto pin if you are upgrading from 7 to 8 though where programs were previously installed.
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
The default is that all updates are checked.
If you check one single update (IE uncheck all other updates), there will be an additional option next to install called "Information" or something like that. Click that, and you'll see the changelog notes for the one application you've selected.
It's not ideal, especially if you have multiple updates, but there you have it.
Ah, that's what you were getting at. I guess that's just a bug with upgrading to W8. I would have assumed all your applications would have carried over their pinned status as well. Oh well, take a few minutes to set them up again and you won't have to bother with it again.
Out of curiosity, do you pin applications to your task bar? I mean, a decently sized monitor should be able to accommodate 20+ pinned icons in the task bar, which is where all my frequently used apps go. I did that back in Windows 7, which led me to using the start menu a lot less even then. I'll be using Metro tiles only for Metro apps and Steam games.
Everything else I can access by pressing the Windows key and typing. It's pretty much the same thing as Windows 7, except that explicitly separating search into Apps (Win+Q), Settings (Win+W) and Files (Win+F) makes it a lot better. It would be nice if Apps were better structured in the search list though. The OS is still in its infancy, so there's some chance MS might add it in later on.
Throw in Win+X for quick access to admin tools and my need for a traditional start menu is no longer needed. It took time to adapt, but I think Windows 8 is a much better experience than Windows 7 overall.
Eight Diagram Bat Fighter
Banned
Rocketdock. Clears up the clutter, auto hides, expands on roll-over, and doesn't take up room on the task bar that could be used for tabs. One of the only features I like about OS X is the ease of drop-in/out of the dock. All without having to take your hand off the mouse to type. It's especially good when you don't have a hi-res monitor or using a low-res laptop.
I just wish that MS gave options to go back to what the user feels is most efficient for them instead of forcing a feature that really isn't much faster and in some instances, worse than before. Even Stardock is selling a third-party application that allows you to get the win 7 start menu back and is showing that some users just want windows 8 to be what they are used to on win 7 with features added, not taken away.
SUPARSTARX
Member
Where's this $15 key??
i think they fixed the loophole. If you have a w7 key that you got after june then i think it should still work.
windowsupgradeoffer.com
SUPARSTARX
Member
windows.com
SUPARSTARX
Member
Oh nice. But is that a full edition or upgrade? I can do fresh installs with this one off the website?
ooohh did not know that. Has it custom icon graphic options?
I did a clean install on a Bootcamp partition of my Macbook Pro with the 'Upgrade' edition, no Win 7 key required.
Frustrated_me
Member
Are new apps added daily or once a week on a given day?
SUPARSTARX
Member
Where does the upgrade assistant download the files to?
edit nvm just finished downloading!
edit nvm just finished downloading!
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
New apps are being added apparently daily, but MS has not specified if they have any policies in place, if it's batches or rolling, what the schedule is for Xbox games, etc.
Anyone authenticate remotely using your Microsoft account credentials? I added a local account as a back door, but apparently forgot to make it an admin so I can't connect to my home PC remotely. Is there a specific syntax for authenticating with your Microsoft account, or does that even work remotely?
No, it doesn't support tiles in the way OblyTile does. It has basic support for changing the icon of the shortcut though.
I just use teamviewer now for remote access.... much easier to setup/configure and their apps are excellent (even just added a touch version for metro which works very well).
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
I really like them.
It's funny .. They were totally different in the preview releases... I guess they tried a bunch of different ones before settling.
Is there any particular reason why my laptop suddenly has:
Windows 8 Pro with Media Center
Build 9200
in the bottom right corner? And how do I get rid of it? I bought this W8 license just a couple days ago directly from the Upgrade Assistant, so it should be a legitimate license. That watermark wasn't there until I added Media Center just now.
Windows 8 Pro with Media Center
Build 9200
in the bottom right corner? And how do I get rid of it? I bought this W8 license just a couple days ago directly from the Upgrade Assistant, so it should be a legitimate license. That watermark wasn't there until I added Media Center just now.
Jzero
Member
It's crazy how people don't try re-starting first.
Tried that. It didn't work, the watermark is still there.
You didn't request more than 1 key for the Media Center pack using the same email address did you? Because if you did, MS will have sent the same key every time and that's what's caused the issue - the same key has been used on more than one machine. If that's the case, you need to request a new key using an email address you haven't used before, then you can license Windows 8 like this: -
1. Right-click in the bottom-left corner of the screen and choose "Command Prompt (Admin)" from the menu that appears.
2. Type in "slui 3" without quotes and hit Enter.
3. The activation screen will appear and you can enter in the new key and re-activate Windows.
This happened to me a few days ago.
If that's not the cause, just do the activation over the phone and that'll fix it too.
Can someone explain to me how to have all apps open desktop versions when I click on links? Especially with chrome, I want it to stop opening the metro version when I click on a link from a metro app but have no idea how to set this up.
Also my internet explorer straight up stopped working, it doesnt load any web page and I can't even access its options, it is greyed out.
Also my internet explorer straight up stopped working, it doesnt load any web page and I can't even access its options, it is greyed out.
Jzero
Member
Yea that's mostly it. The addition of the App Store is the main addition. You really shouldn't upgrade if you don't see anything worth upgrading for.
You can install the test version in the OP and try it yourself.
http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-review-part-1-desktop-144218
only the default browser can have a metro version. And in IE10 (desktop-options) you can change how links open. Not sure if chrome has this yet.
StudioTan
Hold on, friend! I'd love to share with you some swell news about the Windows 8 Metro UI! Wait, where are you going?
New file copy system which allows you to pause file copies and provides accurate time estimates with graphs. It also combines multiple file copies into 1 window for easy management.
Much improved task manager which provides far more information as well as better laid out information.
Storage spaces allows you to merge multiple hard drives into a single partition and allows you to dynamically add or remove storage from the space. So you can plug in a USB thumb drive and add it to your storage space if you want to.
Better resources management and a smaller footprint than Windows 7.
Better multi-monitor support. You can have different wallpapers on each monitor or span wallpapers across all your monitors. Taskbars can now be shown on all the monitors and can be set to show all open apps or only apps running on that monitor.
Native USB 3 drivers.
Native support for mounting ISO files.
That's off the top of my head, I'm sure I'm missing some.
EDIT: Oh yeah, how I could I forget the Win+X menu. That's one of the best features of Windows 8.
yn-neko hates a cat
Banned
I haven't had a chance to hear it yet but I love the other system sounds so far... Like someone else here pointed out, there is an early ots Capcom arcade vibe to it that I'm enamored with
yn-neko hates a cat
Banned
Is there any particular reason why my laptop suddenly has:
Windows 8 Pro with Media Center
Build 9200
in the bottom right corner? And how do I get rid of it? I bought this W8 license just a couple days ago directly from the Upgrade Assistant, so it should be a legitimate license. That watermark wasn't there until I added Media Center just now.
That shouldn't be there... only Baby should be there.
ColtraineGF
Member
I like the new sound set for 8, it's nice and smooth to my ears.
As an aside, do people who've done fresh installs still have the special MIDIs in their Windows/Media folder (onestop, town, and flourish)?
As an aside, do people who've done fresh installs still have the special MIDIs in their Windows/Media folder (onestop, town, and flourish)?
yn-neko hates a cat
Banned
What are those? What happened to canyon.mid?!
There are a few handy features: new task manager, Hyper-V, better driver support. I've installed Classic Shell so I don't have to see the Metro start screen and so far Windows 8 feels like Windows 7 SP2 with a slightly different UI. (It's a good thing though I paid only $15, it's not worth more for what it brings extra compared to its predecessor)
BocoDragon
or, How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Realize This Assgrab is Delicious
^ RT tablets will be like half the cost of Pro tablets. You can't compete with iOS and Android with Pro alone.