Microsoft: Windows 8 News and Discussion Thread
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Ooo there's a new "frequent" settings screen in metro settings under the new Home screen in metro settings. It fills with settings that you frequently changed allowing you a quick place to go to find often changed settings without having to dig to far into the settings windows. That's nice. Also there's search in settings but it's not working just yet.
250QR5y.png
Everything seems to be there for settings except for programs and features and the ability to join a domain without going to the desktop
250QR5y.png
Everything seems to be there for settings except for programs and features and the ability to join a domain without going to the desktop
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Mar 25, 2013 at 01:00 AM.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
The new "movie moments" app seems to be a extremely simple video editor if you can call it that. So far I only see choose a video and add an audio track to it and that's it, I'm guessing more features will be added before launch in the summer/fall this year.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
A little thing but there's now a "view downloads" option in Metro IE 11, apparently in Metro IE 10 once you download something if you don't run it right away you have to go into the desktop to the downloads folder to run it. Not anymore.
6rSb0km.png
Also it's rumored and I've seen a couple hints of what appears to be a Metro File Manager app but it's not active yet.
Also if your screen is 1600x900 or higher you can snap more than two apps at a time, lower than that you can only snap two apps but you can now also do them 50/50 instead of just 66/33. Also the desktop is more usable when snapped with a metro app. In Win 8 the desktop is pretty useless when snapped to the 320px small size, now you can still use it and desktop programs resize to the new snapped view.
And finally you have the ability to fine tune the snapping screen sizes. If you have two apps snapped 50/50 you can make it 55/45 if you want or 40/60, 57/43 or 33/66. There's a minimum size for the snapped apps which is probably 320px wide and it won't resize any smaller than that but anywhere from there and up is now freely adjustable by the user.
I'm sure Metro apps will need to be updated to support this.
6rSb0km.png
Also it's rumored and I've seen a couple hints of what appears to be a Metro File Manager app but it's not active yet.
Also if your screen is 1600x900 or higher you can snap more than two apps at a time, lower than that you can only snap two apps but you can now also do them 50/50 instead of just 66/33. Also the desktop is more usable when snapped with a metro app. In Win 8 the desktop is pretty useless when snapped to the 320px small size, now you can still use it and desktop programs resize to the new snapped view.
And finally you have the ability to fine tune the snapping screen sizes. If you have two apps snapped 50/50 you can make it 55/45 if you want or 40/60, 57/43 or 33/66. There's a minimum size for the snapped apps which is probably 320px wide and it won't resize any smaller than that but anywhere from there and up is now freely adjustable by the user.
I'm sure Metro apps will need to be updated to support this.
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Mar 25, 2013 at 10:00 AM.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Not really a service pack, MS is changing how the update Windows now. It seems they're adopting a yearly cycle now much like iOS and other mobile platforms. Not sure about charges but I think this update will be free to Windows 8 users. General release is expected about a year after Windows 8 dropped so this fall. There may be a beta in Summer.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Microsoft has publically acknowledged 'Blue', announces its next BUILD conference
http://www.neowin.net/news/microsoft...ild-conference
I guess we'll find out more there...
Microsoft has announced the its next iteration of the BUILD conference will be held June 26-28 in San Francisco and registration opens at 09:00am PDT, April 2, 2013. Microsoft has also finally comes forward and recognized the name ‘Blue’ as a set of internal plans.
Frank Shaw penned a post that talks about the future plans for Microsoft where he says that leaders from across Microsoft have been working on plans to advance their devices and services; these plans have the codename of Blue.
With a remarkable foundation of products in market and a clear view of how we will evolve the company, product leaders across Microsoft are working together on plans to advance our devices and services, a set of plans referred to internally as “Blue.”
This is the first time Microsoft has talked about Blue publically and with the BUILD conference being held in late June, the summer launch of the platform is looking promising.
While certainly not the first BUILD conference, the event has for the past two years been held in the fall so this marks a disruption to their traditional schedule for the conference.
Microsoft has stated that at BUILD they will share updates about Windows, Windows Server, Windows Azure, Visual Studio. Notably, Windows Phone is left off that list, but at this time, we wouldn’t read much into it as Windows Phone typically has its own conference.
The conference is not that far away and we look forward to seeing what Microsoft has been working on for these past few months since the launch of Windows 8 in October.
Frank Shaw penned a post that talks about the future plans for Microsoft where he says that leaders from across Microsoft have been working on plans to advance their devices and services; these plans have the codename of Blue.
With a remarkable foundation of products in market and a clear view of how we will evolve the company, product leaders across Microsoft are working together on plans to advance our devices and services, a set of plans referred to internally as “Blue.”
This is the first time Microsoft has talked about Blue publically and with the BUILD conference being held in late June, the summer launch of the platform is looking promising.
While certainly not the first BUILD conference, the event has for the past two years been held in the fall so this marks a disruption to their traditional schedule for the conference.
Microsoft has stated that at BUILD they will share updates about Windows, Windows Server, Windows Azure, Visual Studio. Notably, Windows Phone is left off that list, but at this time, we wouldn’t read much into it as Windows Phone typically has its own conference.
The conference is not that far away and we look forward to seeing what Microsoft has been working on for these past few months since the launch of Windows 8 in October.
I guess we'll find out more there...
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
The metro snap feature now works on 1024x768 screens, before the lowest res it would work on is 1366x768. This makes me think MS is making a small 4:3 Surface Tablet...
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Windows Blue leak reveals evidence of WebGL support in IE11
http://www.neowin.net/news/windows-b...upport-in-ie11
The early Windows Blue build that was leaked to the Internet last weekend has revealed some of the plans Microsoft has for Internet Explorer 11 . Those features include tab syncing, a downloads list feature for the Modern version and more.
Now there's some evidence that IE11 might have support for something that a lot of web creators have been hoping would be added to the web browser: WebGL support. The discovery was mentioned in a blog post this week by web developer Francois Remy who wrote:
I didn’t get webgl working, even by trying using iesl, hlsl and other combinations. So, it seems like WebGL interfaces are defined but not functional at this time.
So what does this mean? Basically, the IE team at Microsoft have put in some programing that could be used to support WebGL but that the actual full support has not been implemented; WebGL is supported by Google's Chrome browser.
This is significant because in 2011, Microsoft went out of its way to state that putting WebGL support in Internet Explorer was too great of a security risk. However, other web developers feel that IE has suffered due to its lack of WebGL support and as a result some web-based games and other apps can run slower in IE compared to Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox.
The fact that Microsoft is at least putting in some code in IE11 that could be used to implement WebGL might mean that the company is keeping all bets open at this point, although the final version of IE11 could be released without WebGL
Now there's some evidence that IE11 might have support for something that a lot of web creators have been hoping would be added to the web browser: WebGL support. The discovery was mentioned in a blog post this week by web developer Francois Remy who wrote:
I didn’t get webgl working, even by trying using iesl, hlsl and other combinations. So, it seems like WebGL interfaces are defined but not functional at this time.
So what does this mean? Basically, the IE team at Microsoft have put in some programing that could be used to support WebGL but that the actual full support has not been implemented; WebGL is supported by Google's Chrome browser.
This is significant because in 2011, Microsoft went out of its way to state that putting WebGL support in Internet Explorer was too great of a security risk. However, other web developers feel that IE has suffered due to its lack of WebGL support and as a result some web-based games and other apps can run slower in IE compared to Chrome and Mozilla's Firefox.
The fact that Microsoft is at least putting in some code in IE11 that could be used to implement WebGL might mean that the company is keeping all bets open at this point, although the final version of IE11 could be released without WebGL
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Yup webGL IS coming in IE11 and you can enable it now though it's not complete
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/bl...-support-ie-11
Here's how to enable it though it may be best if you did it on a physical PC be ause your drivers have to support WebGL
http://withinwindows.com/2013/3/30/b...et-explorer-11
Blue’s Clues: WebGL Support in IE 11
With this third set of articles in the new Blue’s Clues series, Rafael and I can confirm that Microsoft is indeed bringing WebGL to Internet Explorer 11, as you may have read elsewhere. But Mr. Rivera can take this claim to the next level and help you enable WebGL support in IE 11 today.
News of possible WebGL support in IE 11 emerged earlier this week when web developer said Web developer and author Francois Remy explored the leaked Windows 8 “Blue” build and noted that Internet Explorer 11, which is part of the build, might eventually provide support for the technology.
This is an issue because Microsoft announced in mid-2011 that it would not support WebGL in Internet Explorer. In a post titled WebGL Considered Harmful, the firm revealed that “browser support for WebGL directly exposes hardware functionality to the web in a way that we consider to be overly permissive” and relied “too heavily on third parties to secure the web experience.” As a result, it refused to support WebGL until it could be implemented in a way that was “secure by design, secure by default, and secure in deployment.”
Well, that day has come.
Supporting Mr. Remy’s assertion, we can state that WebGL is already available via the leaked build. You just need to know how to enable it. That’s where Rafael comes in: He’s provided a tweak that will help you do that.
And while it may not look like much, the blue box shown here means that WebGL is working:
When I try this on IE 10 in Windows 8, the experience is just a bit different.
Granted, WebGL support is still incomplete in the current build. But if you’re interested in learning more, and getting WebGL support working in Internet Explorer 11, check out Rafael’s post, Blue's Clues: How to enable WebGL in Internet Explorer 11.
With this third set of articles in the new Blue’s Clues series, Rafael and I can confirm that Microsoft is indeed bringing WebGL to Internet Explorer 11, as you may have read elsewhere. But Mr. Rivera can take this claim to the next level and help you enable WebGL support in IE 11 today.
News of possible WebGL support in IE 11 emerged earlier this week when web developer said Web developer and author Francois Remy explored the leaked Windows 8 “Blue” build and noted that Internet Explorer 11, which is part of the build, might eventually provide support for the technology.
This is an issue because Microsoft announced in mid-2011 that it would not support WebGL in Internet Explorer. In a post titled WebGL Considered Harmful, the firm revealed that “browser support for WebGL directly exposes hardware functionality to the web in a way that we consider to be overly permissive” and relied “too heavily on third parties to secure the web experience.” As a result, it refused to support WebGL until it could be implemented in a way that was “secure by design, secure by default, and secure in deployment.”
Well, that day has come.
Supporting Mr. Remy’s assertion, we can state that WebGL is already available via the leaked build. You just need to know how to enable it. That’s where Rafael comes in: He’s provided a tweak that will help you do that.
And while it may not look like much, the blue box shown here means that WebGL is working:
When I try this on IE 10 in Windows 8, the experience is just a bit different.
Granted, WebGL support is still incomplete in the current build. But if you’re interested in learning more, and getting WebGL support working in Internet Explorer 11, check out Rafael’s post, Blue's Clues: How to enable WebGL in Internet Explorer 11.
Here's how to enable it though it may be best if you did it on a physical PC be ause your drivers have to support WebGL
http://withinwindows.com/2013/3/30/b...et-explorer-11
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
I'm interested to see if they found a secure way to enable webGL or not and are finally giving in.
Though is is really good news for windows phone since it should pick up this capability as well and many mobile games are made with open/webGL now so porting them should be a breeze after this.
Though is is really good news for windows phone since it should pick up this capability as well and many mobile games are made with open/webGL now so porting them should be a breeze after this.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Internet Explorer 11 getting SPDY support
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/bl...-support-ie-11
http://withinwindows.com/within-wind...g-spdy-support
No one is more surprised than us that we’re seemingly stuck on Internet Explorer 11, but in this fourth set of articles in the Blue’s Clues series, Rafael and I can confirm that Microsoft is also bringing support for SPDY to its next web browser. The goal? Make the web faster.
SPDY (pronounced “speedy,” of course) is a new web protocol, created by Google and currently heading towards a web standards certification. Its goal is simply stated: Make the web faster, a central tenet of Google’s Chrome browser. According to Google, SPDY is designed specifically for minimal latency and delivers up to 64 percent reductions in page load times. And unlike other technologies that are attempting similar performance gains, SPDY works with the existing networking infrastructure since it uses TCP as the underlying transport layer.
If you’re technically minded, you can check out Google’s SPDY whitepaper for more information. But Rafael confirmed that IE 11 will include SPDY support and he has separately provided a set of registry keys that appear to control this feature. We haven’t gotten SPDY working In the current leaked build, but it’s in there.
SPDY (pronounced “speedy,” of course) is a new web protocol, created by Google and currently heading towards a web standards certification. Its goal is simply stated: Make the web faster, a central tenet of Google’s Chrome browser. According to Google, SPDY is designed specifically for minimal latency and delivers up to 64 percent reductions in page load times. And unlike other technologies that are attempting similar performance gains, SPDY works with the existing networking infrastructure since it uses TCP as the underlying transport layer.
If you’re technically minded, you can check out Google’s SPDY whitepaper for more information. But Rafael confirmed that IE 11 will include SPDY support and he has separately provided a set of registry keys that appear to control this feature. We haven’t gotten SPDY working In the current leaked build, but it’s in there.
I can't talk SPDY or even properly demonstrate it working (as the screenshot confirms), but can say it's coming and is being implemented at the OS level (via additions to the Windows Internet API.) That means most internet apps -- like IE 11 -- will be SPDY ready for free.
Go Giants
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 70,003
Likes: 1,260
From: PA
Been using Windows 8 in Boot Camp on my 2011 13 inch Macbook Air and its probably one of the most enjoyable computing Ive had in a long time. Its quick, Im using Xbox music and it just works. Anyone subscribe to Xbox music? Im about to start the trial.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Will Windows 8.1 (Blue) allow users to boot to desktop?
http://www.neowin.net/news/will-wind...oot-to-desktop
Ever since the consumer preview of Windows 8 was available, some users of the operating system have complained that there's no way to boot to the desktop instead of the Start screen. If recently discovered information is accurate, however, that may be changing in Windows 8.1.
An examination of the twinui.dll file in Windows 8.1 (build 9364) by Microsoft Portal discovered a line of code that indicates users may be able to immediately launch into the desktop when starting Microsoft's upcoming operating system. The ability isn't yet available in leaked copies of Windows 8.1, though the code implies it's something Microsoft is at least considering.
The ability to boot directly into the desktop has been one of the most requested features for Windows 8, with some users even using workarounds to obtain the ability. So far, however, Microsoft has made no statement that it's working on such a feature. Last month, a research firm said a boot-to-desktop feature and start menu are the two options users have requested the most for Windows 8.
An examination of the twinui.dll file in Windows 8.1 (build 9364) by Microsoft Portal discovered a line of code that indicates users may be able to immediately launch into the desktop when starting Microsoft's upcoming operating system. The ability isn't yet available in leaked copies of Windows 8.1, though the code implies it's something Microsoft is at least considering.
The ability to boot directly into the desktop has been one of the most requested features for Windows 8, with some users even using workarounds to obtain the ability. So far, however, Microsoft has made no statement that it's working on such a feature. Last month, a research firm said a boot-to-desktop feature and start menu are the two options users have requested the most for Windows 8.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Microsoft's Windows 8 Plan B(lue): Bring back the Start button, boot to desktop
http://www.zdnet.com/microsofts-wind...op-7000014075/
What if Microsoft relented and granted users who are lukewarm about Windows 8 two of their biggest requests: Allow those who want to boot straight to the desktop, and bring back the Start button with Windows Blue, a.k.a. Windows 8.1?
Though supposedly not part of the original plan for Blue, these two UI options are looking more likely.
Reports from a couple of different forums from this past weekend raised the possibility that Microsoft might be moving toward allowing users to skip booting into the Metro-Style Start menu and instead start their PCs in desktop mode. (Winbeta.org noted the thread about this on April 14.)
One of my sources confirmed this is now looking like the plan and added that Microsoft is also considering bringing back the Start button as an option with Windows Blue.
It's not 100 percent sure that either/both of these options will be baked into the final Blue release, which is expected to be released to manufacturing on or around August 2013. I guess we'll have a better indication once the next milestone build, a.k.a. the Blue Preview, leaks — or when the public version of that preview goes live around June.
"Until it ships, anything can change," said my source, who requested anonymity.
Microsoft officials have publicly maintained that users are not confused by the new Windows 8 interface and that they find it "easy to start to learn," especially on touch screens. I, myself, have adapted to the new UI well on my touch-screen Surface RT, but like a number of business users, I find the new UI more of a curse on non-touch-screen machines. As a result, I am still running Windows 7 on two of my three Windows devices.
If Microsoft does end up adding the Start Button and boot to desktop options to Blue, it won't be the first time in recent history that the Windows client team has gone back and changed the Windows UI based on user dissatisfaction. Remember how users balked over the way Windows Vista first implemented User Account Control (UAC), the "most hated feature" in a hated OS release? Microsoft ended up changing direction with UAC in Windows 7, based on beta tester outcry.
Though supposedly not part of the original plan for Blue, these two UI options are looking more likely.
Reports from a couple of different forums from this past weekend raised the possibility that Microsoft might be moving toward allowing users to skip booting into the Metro-Style Start menu and instead start their PCs in desktop mode. (Winbeta.org noted the thread about this on April 14.)
One of my sources confirmed this is now looking like the plan and added that Microsoft is also considering bringing back the Start button as an option with Windows Blue.
It's not 100 percent sure that either/both of these options will be baked into the final Blue release, which is expected to be released to manufacturing on or around August 2013. I guess we'll have a better indication once the next milestone build, a.k.a. the Blue Preview, leaks — or when the public version of that preview goes live around June.
"Until it ships, anything can change," said my source, who requested anonymity.
Microsoft officials have publicly maintained that users are not confused by the new Windows 8 interface and that they find it "easy to start to learn," especially on touch screens. I, myself, have adapted to the new UI well on my touch-screen Surface RT, but like a number of business users, I find the new UI more of a curse on non-touch-screen machines. As a result, I am still running Windows 7 on two of my three Windows devices.
If Microsoft does end up adding the Start Button and boot to desktop options to Blue, it won't be the first time in recent history that the Windows client team has gone back and changed the Windows UI based on user dissatisfaction. Remember how users balked over the way Windows Vista first implemented User Account Control (UAC), the "most hated feature" in a hated OS release? Microsoft ended up changing direction with UAC in Windows 7, based on beta tester outcry.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Blue’s Clues: New Search Experience
Windows 8.1 is getting an updated Search experience!
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/bl...rch-experience
http://withinwindows.com/within-wind...ew-search-pane
About fucking time! Shit got worse with 8 but they should've done this since Vista, OS X has had this since 10.4.
Windows 8.1 is getting an updated Search experience!
In Windows 8, Search is activated via the Search charm (WINKEY + Q, or Charms, Search) and provides a full-screen experience that can be filtered by apps, settings, files, or by individual Metro-style apps.
The big complaint about this interface is the separation of apps, settings, and files: In Windows 7, applications, settings, and files all appeared in-line, together, in the search results (which occurred in the Start menu in that release). So the Windows 8 Search experience requires an extra step if you are looking for a setting (a Control Panel or PC Settings item).
(Yes, power users do have ways to get directly to settings and files search by using new keyboard shortcuts. But this isn’t obvious or discoverable for the vast majority of users.)
In Windows 8.1 “Blue,” this is changing.
Now, there’s just a single Search experience for apps, settings, and files, so there’s no need to choose the type of result unless of course you’re trying to filter it to a specific Metro app. And Microsoft has added a second nicety, though it looks pretty terrible in the current leaked builds: Web search results that appear in-line in the Search pane, under results from the local PC.
The big complaint about this interface is the separation of apps, settings, and files: In Windows 7, applications, settings, and files all appeared in-line, together, in the search results (which occurred in the Start menu in that release). So the Windows 8 Search experience requires an extra step if you are looking for a setting (a Control Panel or PC Settings item).
(Yes, power users do have ways to get directly to settings and files search by using new keyboard shortcuts. But this isn’t obvious or discoverable for the vast majority of users.)
In Windows 8.1 “Blue,” this is changing.
Now, there’s just a single Search experience for apps, settings, and files, so there’s no need to choose the type of result unless of course you’re trying to filter it to a specific Metro app. And Microsoft has added a second nicety, though it looks pretty terrible in the current leaked builds: Web search results that appear in-line in the Search pane, under results from the local PC.
The new Search Pane in Windows 8.1 does away with the visually distinct result categories -- Apps, Settings, and Files -- and instead provides results sorted by relevance in an easily accessible manner.
http://winsupersite.com/windows-8/bl...rch-experience
http://withinwindows.com/within-wind...ew-search-pane
About fucking time! Shit got worse with 8 but they should've done this since Vista, OS X has had this since 10.4.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
So a slightly newer build 9369 leaked and it's got some more changes since 9364.
The biggest change for me is ReFS client support, the new file format they rolled out in Server 2012. You can't use it as an OS disk, just on a data disk.
For more on what's new
The biggest change for me is ReFS client support, the new file format they rolled out in Server 2012. You can't use it as an OS disk, just on a data disk.
For more on what's new
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Can I just say this. Hyper-V in Windows 8 is awesome! Two Stories.
First story. One our clients PCs was dying, it ran XP and had an old version of medical software for keeping track of clients and whatnot, that company had gotten bought out and the new company wasn't going to support the old software which wouldn't install on 64bit and the client didn't have a support contract. They were told by the new company that they'd have to buy the new software and on top of that make up for the years of support they never purchased. Yeah, some serious bullshit, they wanted them to pay for back software support that they never used or needed before getting the new software. The whole thing was going to cost them $5000. Not cool.
So my boss gives me the PC to look at and says he wants to see if he can put it in a VM using VMware Workstation or whatever. Then he tells me they got a new PC running Win 8 Pro. I told my boss, "child please, we don't need that Vmware BS. Win 8 Pro has Hyper-V built-in, that'll save them $200 right there."
Coincidentally the night before I was browsing my massive downloads folder on my PC which has accumulated downloads going back to my Vista days when I decided to separate my data and OS drives and came across Disk2VHD a Sysinternals tool for P2V conversions on live machines using VSS or offline systems. I'd never had a need for it before and had forgotten about it completely and then the next day I needed it.
So I fired it up on the offline OS drive and it worked wonderfully. Making a VHD out of the physical drive. I had some issues getting the VM to boot from the VHD due to BSODs caused by the migration from P2V. Once I got those sorted out by adding some registry entries, the XP VM was up and running on my PC. I then spent the night up until about 5:30am scanning for viruses, removing rootkits (probably the source of the problem to begin with), updates, and fixing a weird issue where the MS activation app (msoobe.exe) and associated files were completely missing from the VM (and physical drive as well) causing it to be unable to activate.
After that it was done and ready to deliver to the client the next day. I showed up setup Hyper-V on their Win 8 Pro PC and transferred the VM and everything went pretty smoothly. In the end they saved over $4000 (think we billed $800 or $900 for my work) and were very happy in the end, and they gave me a bottle of wine for staying up all night to work on it. Though I was very excited to work on this project, I've never done a P2V conversion with Hyper-V before so it sounded like a fun night in to me.
2nd story is not as cool but I have started taking out hard drives from PCs with issues and using the physical drive as the boot drive in a VM allowing me to work on a PC without having to use my 2nd KVM setup in the other room. I'm currently fixing a KSOD (Black screen of death) issue on a Windows 7 PC in a VM. Very convenient.
This is the very handy and simple Disk2VHD tool from SysInternals that I used to create the VHD.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../ee656415.aspx
and if you ever do a P2V conversion of an XP machine you're probably going to get the same BSOD I got when firing it up in a VM so create this .reg file and run it on the XP machine before doing the conversion and it'll should work fine. It probably happens with VMware too, though I've never done a P2V on an XP machine and VMware.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314082
First story. One our clients PCs was dying, it ran XP and had an old version of medical software for keeping track of clients and whatnot, that company had gotten bought out and the new company wasn't going to support the old software which wouldn't install on 64bit and the client didn't have a support contract. They were told by the new company that they'd have to buy the new software and on top of that make up for the years of support they never purchased. Yeah, some serious bullshit, they wanted them to pay for back software support that they never used or needed before getting the new software. The whole thing was going to cost them $5000. Not cool.
So my boss gives me the PC to look at and says he wants to see if he can put it in a VM using VMware Workstation or whatever. Then he tells me they got a new PC running Win 8 Pro. I told my boss, "child please, we don't need that Vmware BS. Win 8 Pro has Hyper-V built-in, that'll save them $200 right there."
Coincidentally the night before I was browsing my massive downloads folder on my PC which has accumulated downloads going back to my Vista days when I decided to separate my data and OS drives and came across Disk2VHD a Sysinternals tool for P2V conversions on live machines using VSS or offline systems. I'd never had a need for it before and had forgotten about it completely and then the next day I needed it.
So I fired it up on the offline OS drive and it worked wonderfully. Making a VHD out of the physical drive. I had some issues getting the VM to boot from the VHD due to BSODs caused by the migration from P2V. Once I got those sorted out by adding some registry entries, the XP VM was up and running on my PC. I then spent the night up until about 5:30am scanning for viruses, removing rootkits (probably the source of the problem to begin with), updates, and fixing a weird issue where the MS activation app (msoobe.exe) and associated files were completely missing from the VM (and physical drive as well) causing it to be unable to activate.
After that it was done and ready to deliver to the client the next day. I showed up setup Hyper-V on their Win 8 Pro PC and transferred the VM and everything went pretty smoothly. In the end they saved over $4000 (think we billed $800 or $900 for my work) and were very happy in the end, and they gave me a bottle of wine for staying up all night to work on it. Though I was very excited to work on this project, I've never done a P2V conversion with Hyper-V before so it sounded like a fun night in to me.
2nd story is not as cool but I have started taking out hard drives from PCs with issues and using the physical drive as the boot drive in a VM allowing me to work on a PC without having to use my 2nd KVM setup in the other room. I'm currently fixing a KSOD (Black screen of death) issue on a Windows 7 PC in a VM. Very convenient.
This is the very handy and simple Disk2VHD tool from SysInternals that I used to create the VHD.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/s.../ee656415.aspx
and if you ever do a P2V conversion of an XP machine you're probably going to get the same BSOD I got when firing it up in a VM so create this .reg file and run it on the XP machine before doing the conversion and it'll should work fine. It probably happens with VMware too, though I've never done a P2V on an XP machine and VMware.
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/314082
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Apr 19, 2013 at 05:46 PM.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,021
Likes: 11,789
From: Florida
Windows Blue: Microsoft promises changes based on feedback and a holiday release
Pricing and more details in the next few weeks
http://www.theverge.com/2013/5/7/430...g-windows-blue
Pricing and more details in the next few weeks
After acknowledging its Windows Blue codename publicly in March, Microsoft is getting closer to revealing all about the upcoming Windows 8 update. In an interview with The Verge this week, Microsoft's Windows CFO Tami Reller provided some details on where the company is heading with its Blue project.
Although Windows 8.1 has been spotted in a number of leaked builds recently, Reller says Blue is simply an "internal name" and that the company isn't yet discussing exact naming, pricing, and packaging details. All of those details will be revealed by the end of the month she says, well ahead of Microsoft's Build developer conference in June. "Blue is an update," says Reller. "That's a good way to describe it, that's a good way to think about it." It's an update to Windows 8 that Microsoft is focusing on three key areas with: the touch vision, addressing feedback, and new form factors.
One of the biggest areas of Windows 8 criticism is related to its use on a non-touch PC and a lack of a traditional Start button and Start menu. "We do have an opportunity with Blue to address some of the feedback that we're seeing from customers and from the market," says Reller. Although Microsoft isn't listing the exact feedback, Reller admits that the company has heard the cries for a Start button. "We have heard that, we definitely have heard that and taken that into account," she explains. "We've really also tried to understand what people are really asking for when they're asking for that."
Reller stopped short of confirming the Start button will return, but sources close to Microsoft's Windows Blue plans have previously revealed the company will include this in the final version. Reller's open approach on Microsoft's plans to act on feedback is a stark contrast to the company's previous efforts under former Windows chief Steven Sinofsky. It appears the company is preparing how to best communicate its upcoming Windows changes in the coming weeks. Reller says Microsoft has also received a lot of feedback from businesses on what they'd like to see in Windows Blue. Microsoft is also believed to be adding an option to boot to desktop in Windows Blue. "I would say we've looked at a broad set of options as we've made decisions on where we take the product going forward, "explains Reller, while not discussing specifics.
Although the addressing of feedback is critical, Microsoft's other push with Blue is 7- and 8-inch form factors. While some of these types of tablets will arrive in the coming months, ahead of Blue, Microsoft has been working to allow OEMs to bring these devices to market running Windows 8 and Windows RT. "The product as you know it today can run on small screen form factors," says Reller. "We've made sure from the product to our pricing and offerings we are supporting 7- and 8-inch devices specifically." That said, "Blue does a nice job of optimizing for those small screen form factor sizes," says Reller. "Yes you'll see them before, but Blue also does more to support."
Demand for Windows tablets has been difficult to gauge due to a lack of touch-based hardware and high price points, but Reller believes there's demand for 7- and 8-inch Windows-based devices. "It's still early days in terms of exactly the size within that category, I think we will see some good range even within the small form factor category," she says. "There's definitely interest." Microsoft itself has been rumored to be preparing a 7-inch version of its Surface tablet, expected later this year. With a focus on these types of devices with Blue, due for the holidays, expect to see a greater emphasis on these tablets in the coming weeks and months as Microsoft moves closer to bringing Blue to market.
Although Windows 8.1 has been spotted in a number of leaked builds recently, Reller says Blue is simply an "internal name" and that the company isn't yet discussing exact naming, pricing, and packaging details. All of those details will be revealed by the end of the month she says, well ahead of Microsoft's Build developer conference in June. "Blue is an update," says Reller. "That's a good way to describe it, that's a good way to think about it." It's an update to Windows 8 that Microsoft is focusing on three key areas with: the touch vision, addressing feedback, and new form factors.
One of the biggest areas of Windows 8 criticism is related to its use on a non-touch PC and a lack of a traditional Start button and Start menu. "We do have an opportunity with Blue to address some of the feedback that we're seeing from customers and from the market," says Reller. Although Microsoft isn't listing the exact feedback, Reller admits that the company has heard the cries for a Start button. "We have heard that, we definitely have heard that and taken that into account," she explains. "We've really also tried to understand what people are really asking for when they're asking for that."
Reller stopped short of confirming the Start button will return, but sources close to Microsoft's Windows Blue plans have previously revealed the company will include this in the final version. Reller's open approach on Microsoft's plans to act on feedback is a stark contrast to the company's previous efforts under former Windows chief Steven Sinofsky. It appears the company is preparing how to best communicate its upcoming Windows changes in the coming weeks. Reller says Microsoft has also received a lot of feedback from businesses on what they'd like to see in Windows Blue. Microsoft is also believed to be adding an option to boot to desktop in Windows Blue. "I would say we've looked at a broad set of options as we've made decisions on where we take the product going forward, "explains Reller, while not discussing specifics.
Although the addressing of feedback is critical, Microsoft's other push with Blue is 7- and 8-inch form factors. While some of these types of tablets will arrive in the coming months, ahead of Blue, Microsoft has been working to allow OEMs to bring these devices to market running Windows 8 and Windows RT. "The product as you know it today can run on small screen form factors," says Reller. "We've made sure from the product to our pricing and offerings we are supporting 7- and 8-inch devices specifically." That said, "Blue does a nice job of optimizing for those small screen form factor sizes," says Reller. "Yes you'll see them before, but Blue also does more to support."
Demand for Windows tablets has been difficult to gauge due to a lack of touch-based hardware and high price points, but Reller believes there's demand for 7- and 8-inch Windows-based devices. "It's still early days in terms of exactly the size within that category, I think we will see some good range even within the small form factor category," she says. "There's definitely interest." Microsoft itself has been rumored to be preparing a 7-inch version of its Surface tablet, expected later this year. With a focus on these types of devices with Blue, due for the holidays, expect to see a greater emphasis on these tablets in the coming weeks and months as Microsoft moves closer to bringing Blue to market.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,967
Likes: 2,685
From: Jersey
CNBC comparing Windows 8 to "New Coke" 
Microsoft Prepares U-Turn on Windows 8
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100713593
Microsoft Prepares U-Turn on Windows 8
http://www.cnbc.com/id/100713593
Needs more Lemon Pledge
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 52,768
Likes: 2,000
From: Phoenix, AZ
The fact is, the current W8 system of accessing programs, etc, is too "touch screen" centric. This is fine if you have a touch screen, but business users for the most part do't give two shits about the tiles. They want the desktop. plain.and.simple. It's more productive, easier to navigate, works well with multiple screens, etc...
MS should have had a "business" license without all the RT style crap (or an option to disable metro) and now they are tacitly admitting that they leaped before they looked.
MS should have had a "business" license without all the RT style crap (or an option to disable metro) and now they are tacitly admitting that they leaped before they looked.
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 25,967
Likes: 2,685
From: Jersey
I hate having to learn a new GUI every 4 years for no other reason than Redmond thinks I have to. It's such a productivity killer when all I want to do is get my work done so I can clock out. That's one thing I like about OS X. They may add more menus/buttons/screens etc but for the most part the old stuff is where I remember it.
Last edited by doopstr; May 7, 2013 at 03:06 PM.