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Microsoft Goes Public With Windows 8.1 Upgrade Policies

Tywais

By Tywais
in IT and Computers

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Tywais Star Member

Tywais

Posted
Posted

Microsoft goes public with Windows 8.1 upgrade policies

Summary: Microsoft is sharing more on how existing Windows 8 and Windows RT users will be able to upgrade to Windows 8.1 'Blue' preview and final.

With the public preview builds of Windows 8.1 due out later this month, a number of users are wondering how Microsoft plans to handle the upgrade.


At TechEd North America, officials shared some details on that topic in a session entitled "Windows RT in the Enterprise."


Microsoft officials have said previously that the company plans to deliver the public preview of Windows 8.1, codenamed "Blue," via the Windows Store on June 26.


Microsoft Senior Product Marketing Manager Michael Niehaus reiterated that message in the RT in the Enterprise session on June 4. When the 8.1 preview is available, Windows 8 and Windows RT users will receive a Windows Update notification. That update will trigger the new bits to show up in the Windows Store, where potential testers will be able to read the description and choose whether or not to install.

Once the final versions of Windows 8.1 are available, after their release to manufacturing, those who have downloaded the preview will get the same Windows Update plus Windows Store notification. While their data and accounts will be preserved if and when they choose to install the free, final 8.1 release, all their apps must be reinstalled, Niehaus said.

Source: ZDNet

Crossy Star Member

Crossy

Posted
Posted

My thoughts exactly, where's the upgrade path?

Or does the re-install all apps requirement only apply to those who installed the preview?

JetsetBkk Star Member

JetsetBkk

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"all their apps must be reinstalled"

Microsoft is doing a TIT or is that TIM. biggrin.png

Crazy! The reason I regularly make system images is so I don't have to reinstall all my "apps" if I have a major problem.

Reinstalling Windows may take an hour or so, reinstalling and reconfiguring all the applications takes days.

  • Like 1
MJCM Diamond Member

MJCM

Posted
Posted

"all their apps must be reinstalled"

Microsoft is doing a TIT or is that TIM. biggrin.png

My Guess (but I could be wrong) that they mean the Apps installed through the App store, but if not then "utter madness" biggrin.png

  • Like 1
Crossy Star Member

Crossy

Posted
Posted

This article gives some more details on when, if, and what apps have to be reinstalled: Link

From that page:

Windows 8 users who do not install the preview build and opt instead to

go straight from Windows 8/Windows RT to Windows 8.1 will not have to

reinstall their apps. All settings, data and apps will carry over, a

spokesperson said when we asked. Users will be able to decide when and

if they want to move from Windows 8 and Windows RT to the 8.1 versions,

officials stressed.

Make an image before you install the preview or wait for the full release.

OldChinaHam Gold Member

OldChinaHam

Posted
Posted

99 Lead balloons

You're playing my song!

-----------------------------

"While their data and accounts will be preserved if and when they choose to install the free, final 8.1 release, all their apps must be reinstalled, Niehaus said."

Reinstalling all apps? How are any advantages accrued worth the time and effort?

Upgrade makes no sense, but buying a new product then it would be worth choosing the newest OS, wouldn't it?

So, on this front, it seems that Linux (opensuse) is much more user friendly, because when upgrading from say 12.1 to 12.2, you can just download and install it with almost zero effort and all /most settings are maintained.

I am using Win8 on this laptop, and I don't like it well enough to spend time upgrading it.

All security related upgrades are continuing to be done, other than that, why bother?

Gerald14 Senior Member

Gerald14

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I am still on Vista and see no reason to change , well if support is dropped it could be a problem, but until then I will not upgrade

ronthai Silver Member

ronthai

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Same what I thought, probably will never touch windows8.

I went from W-98 to XP (drops support/updates 2014) to windows7 6months ago

retell Gold Member

retell

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Does anyone actually use Windows 8?

Nope. But unfortunately need to install to test some windows 8 specific website issues... feels like IE7.

tried the previeuw about a year ago ,, its way better than 7 but hey paid big money for my 7 official dvd so gonna be using that ,and for 8 ,half my apps are not compatible yet

seajae Platinum Member

seajae

Posted
Posted

when you consider that the majority of operating systems/software programs on thai computers are pirate copies it is a laugh. My wife got a new laptop, every program is a pirate, including windows, they do not give you the sodtware that comes with the computer, they keep it and sell it then just load pirate copies onto yours. I also found several virus's in some of the software so that when you ran it, it infected your computer meaning in most cases you had to take it back to the shop to be fixed. The same shop replaced a cracked screen in her daughters laptop, 2 days after picking it up the computer stopped working, took it back and they said the motherboard was no good, I took this to mean that they had stuffed up the computer and saw a way to make money from it. If thais will not pay for their software them making them reload it can cause them problems, I think this is a great way to make them re load everything again.

wpcoe Platinum Member

wpcoe

Posted
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I'm happily using Windows 8, but have yet to see anything in Windows 8.1 that would warrant me "upgrading." I saw a Microsoft-produced video touting the "enhancements" and ALL of them were for the Metro interface, which I don't use. If there are any improvements for Desktop users, I'd be interested to hear them.

KRS1 Platinum Member

KRS1

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Does anyone actually use Windows 8?

I tried it for 2 days, hated it.

Reformatted and went back to Windows 7.

Pib Star Member

Pib

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Does anyone actually use Windows 8?

I tried it for 2 days, hated it.

Reformatted and went back to Windows 7.

I thought about installing Win 8, hated it.

Stuck with my Win 7 tongue.png

joeaverage Silver Member

joeaverage

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I am still on Vista and see no reason to change , well if support is dropped it could be a problem, but until then I will not upgrade

hahahahahah, dont see a need for a change? what about greater stability in 7 and reducing boot time by about 10 minutes
Joe Mamma Silver Member

Joe Mamma

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How much dosh is this one going to cost? Over 35 years of buying and upgrading operating systems has been quite costly, usually necessary because of hardware advancements, but now they use obsolescence to market their new verses the old versions. Clever.

Pib Star Member

Pib

Posted
Posted

I am still on Vista and see no reason to change , well if support is dropped it could be a problem, but until then I will not upgrade

hahahahahah, dont see a need for a change? what about greater stability in 7 and reducing boot time by about 10 minutes

It was one of the happiest days of my life when I upgraded from Vista to Win7...the upgrade went easy & fast. And I didn't go through the hell of trying to get some software/hardware drivers that would work with Win7 like I did with Vista. My first few weeks/months on Vista were not happy ones but after about 6 months after "all" the Vista-specific software drivers, hardware drivers, etc., got released that I needed to make Vista work properly/without error on my machine Vista ran pretty smooth then but by then it was too late...Vista was on my sh&t list. Vista was a failure for Microsoft for various reasons but hopefully Microsoft will avoid that happening with Win 8 after they add back in features the customers really liked. I'll waited until I get a new laptop which can take full advantage of Win 8 capabilities, before I switch to Win 8.1.

OldChinaHam Gold Member

OldChinaHam

Posted
Posted

I have been using Windows 8 which came installed with my laptop purchased in January 2013. I think it works pretty well. I used Win95, then Windows NT, then Windows 2000, then XP, Vista never used, nor Windows 7, and now using Windows 8.

NT was the best, I thought. Now Windows 8 is really pretty good.

So far with 24 hour per day use, it still works fine with no problems. I just do not like the new method of starting various programs which I often cannot find from the GUI.

Originally I liked Opensuse KDE and always wiped Windows from the HD on any computer.

But I am beginning to like Windows 8, and this time I am in no hurry to wipe this new laptop HD and install Opensuse 12.3

What I do not like is the problem with the bios and the difficulty I have booting from a USB bootable Knoppix Flash Drive.

This drives me nuts.

Because I would prefer to just keep the Windows 8 untouched on my computer,

And then use a persistent USB bootable Knoppix OS most of the time without touching the Windows 8 installation.

I have not had enough time to find out why after changing the settings in the bios on this Asus laptop, my bootable flash drive still will not boot.

So I just continue to use Windows 8, and it is not too bad.

It is the least of my worries, in fact.

  • Like 1
how241 Platinum Member

how241

Posted
Posted

"all their apps must be reinstalled"

Microsoft is doing a TIT or is that TIM. biggrin.png

Crazy! The reason I regularly make system images is so I don't have to reinstall all my "apps" if I have a major problem.

Reinstalling Windows may take an hour or so, reinstalling and reconfiguring all the applications takes days.

+1

OldChinaHam Gold Member

OldChinaHam

Posted
Posted

"all their apps must be reinstalled"

Microsoft is doing a TIT or is that TIM. biggrin.png

Crazy! The reason I regularly make system images is so I don't have to reinstall all my "apps" if I have a major problem.

Reinstalling Windows may take an hour or so, reinstalling and reconfiguring all the applications takes days.

+1

Yes, very good idea, always. But in this case with Windows 8, what is the best way to do this and on what do you back it up?

Sorry for my ignorance.

Burt what do I do just back up everything to an external HD

And then create an emergency recovery disk to re-install all settings?

The reason I ask is that I have already gone too long without backing up this laptop which has all that I care about in this world. (almost)

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