Microsoft: Windows 8 News and Discussion Thread
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Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
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From: Florida
Microsoft has announced that Windows 8 development is now complete. The final Release to Manufacturing (RTM) code will now be delivered to the company's hardware partners within the next few days to ready PCs and tablets with the new operating system in time for general availability on October 26th. Microsoft's final milestone concludes almost two years of development for its new Metro inspired Windows 8 software and marks the beginning of the release phase.
The final build is 9200.16384.win8_rtm.120725-1247 and Microsoft says MSDN and TechNet customers will be able to download it from August 15th. Microsoft Software Assurance customers will get the RTM bits on August 16th, and Volume License customers without Software Assurance will be able to purchase Windows 8 through Microsoft Volume License Resellers on September 1st. Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's head of Windows, says the company "will continue to monitor and act on your real world experiences with Windows 8," despite the RTM milestone.
The finalization of WIndows 8 also means that the Windows Store will go live on August 15th. Developers will be able to access the final tools and submission process for Metro style apps at the Windows Dev Center later this month. PCs and tablets, including Microsoft's own Surface, will ship with Windows 8 on October 26th.
The final build is 9200.16384.win8_rtm.120725-1247 and Microsoft says MSDN and TechNet customers will be able to download it from August 15th. Microsoft Software Assurance customers will get the RTM bits on August 16th, and Volume License customers without Software Assurance will be able to purchase Windows 8 through Microsoft Volume License Resellers on September 1st. Steven Sinofsky, Microsoft's head of Windows, says the company "will continue to monitor and act on your real world experiences with Windows 8," despite the RTM milestone.
The finalization of WIndows 8 also means that the Windows Store will go live on August 15th. Developers will be able to access the final tools and submission process for Metro style apps at the Windows Dev Center later this month. PCs and tablets, including Microsoft's own Surface, will ship with Windows 8 on October 26th.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,670
Likes: 72
From: Northern VA
IE Metro froze on me when I was on AZ. 
And I can't figure out what username to use for file permissions since I'm using a Microsoft account. I have a folder shared with a specific username and password, but Windows 8 is saying I don't have permission with the Microsoft account I'm using.
And I can't figure out what username to use for file permissions since I'm using a Microsoft account. I have a folder shared with a specific username and password, but Windows 8 is saying I don't have permission with the Microsoft account I'm using.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
Yes, you can't completely use your MS account like a user account name. You account name should be your first name, that's what works for me. Just to check go to c:\users\ and see what your user folder is called and use that.
nnInn
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 37,670
Likes: 1,084
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
Wait till these Synaptics pressure sensitve multi-touch Forcepads (not Clickpad or Touchpad) come out in 2013
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ytXTxhb1dAI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
<iframe width="853" height="480" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ytXTxhb1dAI" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
Yeah 7 drivers should work fine for most things. Make sure you get the Win 8 graphics drivers for AMD/Nvidia GPUs though...
Also they redid printer drivers for Windows 8 and made them more universal
Read more here: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2...windows-8.aspx
Also they redid printer drivers for Windows 8 and made them more universal
In Windows 8 we've introduced a new printer driver architecture, which we call version 4, or v4. The v4 architecture produces smaller, faster printer drivers, and it supports the idea of a print class driver framework--a system that allows people to install their printers without having to locate a driver for that device, in many cases.
....
In Windows 8, we took a radically different approach, and have stopped shipping lots of printer drivers with Windows. Instead, we built a print class driver framework. This framework is extensible, as it supports printing to existing devices, but it also allows manufacturers to include support for new devices, even those that have not yet been designed.
With a print class driver framework, we can get closer to giving you an experience like driverless printing, where you don't have to actually go and find a driver, but instead the printer just works with the Windows printing system.
With the ability to support new and planned printers, the number of printers that are supported by the Windows 8 print class driver framework will actually increase over time.
First, we reduced the amount of disk space needed to support printers and imaging devices from 768MB in Windows Vista, to about 184MB in Windows 8.
....
With the Windows 8 driver model, we also made significant changes to how printer drivers are installed. In Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows, all printer drivers are stored in the “Driver Store,”—sort of like a database for all types of drivers. When you plugged in a printer, we would find the correct driver in the driver store, and copy it to a special location where the spooler could use it with your printer. In Windows 8, we have eliminated this extra copying, which removed quite a bit of disk I/O. The print spooler now just knows how to find the driver in the driver store.
For a real world example, we compared the installation times for an Epson Artisan on Windows 7 versus Windows 8 (using a relatively small driver on Windows 7): the install time on Windows 7 was 14 seconds, compared to under 2 seconds on Windows 8.
....
In Windows 8, we took a radically different approach, and have stopped shipping lots of printer drivers with Windows. Instead, we built a print class driver framework. This framework is extensible, as it supports printing to existing devices, but it also allows manufacturers to include support for new devices, even those that have not yet been designed.
With a print class driver framework, we can get closer to giving you an experience like driverless printing, where you don't have to actually go and find a driver, but instead the printer just works with the Windows printing system.
With the ability to support new and planned printers, the number of printers that are supported by the Windows 8 print class driver framework will actually increase over time.
First, we reduced the amount of disk space needed to support printers and imaging devices from 768MB in Windows Vista, to about 184MB in Windows 8.
....
With the Windows 8 driver model, we also made significant changes to how printer drivers are installed. In Windows 7 and earlier versions of Windows, all printer drivers are stored in the “Driver Store,”—sort of like a database for all types of drivers. When you plugged in a printer, we would find the correct driver in the driver store, and copy it to a special location where the spooler could use it with your printer. In Windows 8, we have eliminated this extra copying, which removed quite a bit of disk I/O. The print spooler now just knows how to find the driver in the driver store.
For a real world example, we compared the installation times for an Epson Artisan on Windows 7 versus Windows 8 (using a relatively small driver on Windows 7): the install time on Windows 7 was 14 seconds, compared to under 2 seconds on Windows 8.
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Aug 20, 2012 at 03:35 PM.
the overexplainer
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,287
Likes: 385
From: OC, CA
Hard disk error messages appeared in windows 7 too, but I guess only for the OS drive. I got it a bunch on my Samsung 1TB F3, but seemed like a false positive though as far as the utilities could find, so I ended up disabling SMART in the BIOS.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
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My Win8 experience is lackluster so far. I couldn't install it on a brand new Kingston SSD drive and ended up returning the drive. My Lifecam vx6000 isn't recognized, I got the new version of a bluescreen when plugging in an eSATA drive, and most critically, I can't add any new payees in MS Money without the application crashing.
I guess I'm still going to plow forward though. I may need to make a Windows 7 VM to get me by with MS Money.
I guess I'm still going to plow forward though. I may need to make a Windows 7 VM to get me by with MS Money.
nnInn
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 37,670
Likes: 1,084
nnInn
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 37,670
Likes: 1,084
Put W7 on it or you'll be working with them even more to instruct them how to use it. Plus in a few months the Preview will be over and you'll have to get them a good version.
Three Wheelin'
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 1,670
Likes: 72
From: Northern VA
I have the final version from TechNet, but I decided to put W7 on it. My mom needs to use her company's VPN software and I doubt that's been tested with W8.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
There's an app called Trackage that allows you to track your packages for UPS, FedEX and USPS all on one screen. You can also pin individual package live tiles to the start screen so that you can easily get updates to just that package without having to open the app to check.
Pretty neat.
Pretty neat.
Go Giants
Joined: Aug 2004
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From: PA
nnInn
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 37,670
Likes: 1,084
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
It's $40 to upgrade from xp/vista/7 to 8 Pro.
http://www.theverge.com/2012/7/2/313...o-upgrade-deal
We've known for a while that Microsoft is offering some upgrade promotions for its new OS, but the company has now said that it will be selling Windows 8 Pro upgrades online for $39.99. In stores, the price will be quite a bit higher: $69.99. The offer is eligible to anyone currently running any version of Windows XP, Windows Vista, or Windows 7; it will last until January 31st, 2013. That's the same time frame offered for the current $14.99 upgrade deal, but it applies to any current Windows users, not just those who purchase a new PC in the lead-up to Windows 8's launch. Microsoft says the offer will be available in 131 markets, and that it will release more details as we get closer to launch.
We've also got some more details on the upgrade process for older versions of Windows. An upgrade assistant will help users migrate files, settings, and apps from Windows 7, files and settings from Windows Vista, and files only from Windows XP. As before. After the upgrade, you can add Windows Media Center for free through the “add features” option. The online version obviously comes as a download, but it's possible to buy a backup DVD for $15. Users who aren't upgrading from a previous version and are building their own machine or running a virtual one will need to buy Windows 8 Pro System Builder. Microsoft generally offers upgrade deals for its early adopters, but this is both cheaper and more widely available than the equivalent option for Windows 7.
We've also got some more details on the upgrade process for older versions of Windows. An upgrade assistant will help users migrate files, settings, and apps from Windows 7, files and settings from Windows Vista, and files only from Windows XP. As before. After the upgrade, you can add Windows Media Center for free through the “add features” option. The online version obviously comes as a download, but it's possible to buy a backup DVD for $15. Users who aren't upgrading from a previous version and are building their own machine or running a virtual one will need to buy Windows 8 Pro System Builder. Microsoft generally offers upgrade deals for its early adopters, but this is both cheaper and more widely available than the equivalent option for Windows 7.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
The next update to MS Solitaire is going to allow you to pause and resume a game that you started on another win 8 PC or Windows Phone and you now get xbox achievement points for playing solitaire
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,845
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Speaking of pause and resume, I noticed the file copy/move dialog now has a pause button. That will come in handy when I need to stop what I'm doing and take the laptop somewhere else.
Thread Starter
Sanest Florida Man
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 46,006
Likes: 11,782
From: Florida
yup it's even better than that"when a system sleeps or hibernates, the copy operation will automatically pause, and when the machine wakes, you can choose to resume the copy by clicking the depressed pause button; and while copying, any interrupt issues are queued and presented once the system has completed all the work it can."
Also if you're copying files over the network between two windows 8 machines and one is using wifi and then you plug in a gigabit ethernet it will switch from using wifi to gigabit on the fly.
Last edited by #1 STUNNA; Aug 23, 2012 at 09:47 AM.
