Windows 8 stable enough to use as Main OS?

[McKay]

I'm seriously tempted to install the Beta of Windows 8 when it launches, I dont really do anything important on my Laptop, I listen to music, watch videos, browse the web and play Steam.

Also do any Devs out there know if it will do a completely clean install, or allow Win7 users to perform an "upgrade install". Also does anyone know how long the Win8 license will be valid for? Im being detached overseas until March.

[fusi0n]

omg..not these threads already..

[bdsams Veteran]

doubt it, its a developers preview for a reason, why not create a partition and dual boot?

[CronicHazel]

Playing on Steam already sounds like a lot lol; what's to say that your drivers required for games are fully matured for public use already :3

[Roger H. Veteran]

It's not a BETA just yet, it's still only a early preview which as was said is for developers. I'll be testing it out tonight but to use fulltime, why would anyone want to do that, stable or not :D Just as Brad says, install it on a partition and dual-boot.

Note - i used Windows XP, Vista and 7 as main OS long before they were released so i know where you are coming from but not this early.

[BetaAddict]

doubt it, its a developers preview for a reason, why not create a partition and dual boot?

While the safest route would be to dual boot, I definitely do believe that it will be stable enough to run as primary OS.

Remember Win7 developer build? That was stable right from the start and never went back to Vista at the time.

[Jen Smith]

While the safest route would be to dual boot, I definitely do believe that it will be stable enough to run as primary OS.

Just make sure you have backups handy. Should never trust something that's not even in beta yet without some sort of disaster recovery. Don't be shocked if it doesn't work quite as expected.

[BetaAddict]

Just make sure you have backups handy. Should never trust something that's not even in beta yet without some sort of disaster recovery. Don't be shocked if it doesn't work quite as expected.

I'll be installing on a separate partition, but I have been creating a shadow backup of my main OS just in case. All set to go with a little more than 5 hours before the links go live.

[Xerax]

Just make sure you have backups handy. Should never trust something that's not even in beta yet without some sort of disaster recovery. Don't be shocked if it doesn't work quite as expected.

Heck, you shouldn't even have a final OS version without back-ups. ;)

[McKay]

Just make sure you have backups handy. Should never trust something that's not even in beta yet without some sort of disaster recovery. Don't be shocked if it doesn't work quite as expected.

I have a full system backup of Windows 7 on the external, as for Dual-booting, I don't really know how. And I dont want my C: drive filling up with 2 OS's on. Thinking about stability, my roommate once ran Windows 7 Beta as his main OS, and didnt encounter any hiccups.

As they said anything that runs on Windows, runs on Windows 8, Im told that Windows 7 drivers will also run on Windows 8 too.

These are whats on my Drives at the minute, so if the OS went down the pan, could I restore Windows 7 from just a backup?

[+Frank B. Subscriber²]

It's a pre-beta, aimed at developers. Of course it won't be stable enough yet to use as main OS. I plan on installing it as dual-boot option. The actual beta release might be stable enough, going by the experience we had with the Windows 7 beta.

[.Neo]

If it was ready to be used as your main OS Windows 8 would be in stores right now... Honestly, why are people asking these questions every time a developer preview is released? They're called that way for a reason and it's the same reason why such an operating system isn't available for retail yet.

[FMH]

Dual-boot seems like an interesting proposition! ;)

[Bertch]

I'm going to use Windows 8 as my main OS and if I have any issues my Windows 7 full drive image will be waiting on my secondary disk.

[neufuse Veteran]

every public release we get these same darn threads..... one clue should be "PRE-BETA" aka not even tested througly yet....

[devHead]

as for Dual-booting, I don't really know how. And I dont want my C: drive filling up with 2 OS's on. Thinking about stability, my roommate once ran Windows 7 Beta as his main OS, and didnt encounter any hiccups.

These are whats on my Drives at the minute, so if the OS went down the pan, could I restore Windows 7 from just a backup?

If you don't even know about dual-booting, you have no business even messing with a Developer Preview build of an OS. If you're not a developer, you shouldn't be messing around with it.

Plus, bro, can't you take 3 seconds and give your two drives labels?

[Denis W. Veteran]

People are bringing up the stability of Windows 7's pre-release builds. I give them this, as a reminder of what can happen with pre-release software: https://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/05/warning-windows-7-beta-could-corrupt-your-mp3s

Keep that in mind for this developer build.

[BetaAddict]

If it was ready to be used as your main OS Windows 8 would be in stores right now... Honestly, why are people asking these questions every time a developer preview is released? They're called that way for a reason and it's the same reason why such an operating system isn't available for retail yet.

You are right. It's redundant to ask if a dev release is going to be stable. It's like asking if Firefox Nightly build is going to be stable enough to use.

Then again, browsers and OS are not much different as there's different definitions of stable: testing stable versus consumer stable. There's probably a number of people on this forum that will test it out and probably will use it as default OS as long as the programs they use most are fully compatible and work without issues. Same would be true with a browser where as long as the sites and addons work without issue, you would use a dev release for daily use.

We will find out in a matter of hours how stable it really is. Issues will likely arise for a small number of users, but hopefully they won't be cumbersome.

[_neutrino Veteran]

i plan on doing my testing in a vm rather than a dual boot situation. i will lose a bit of performance but i can keep it sandboxed.

[Astra.Xtreme]

Next up will be the masses of threads about how Windows 8 messed up their files/system. Sounds a lot like deja vu...

[McKay]

Plus, bro, can't you take 3 seconds and give your two drives labels?

They are labelled, C: and D: :rofl:

[devHead]

They are labelled, C: and D: :rofl:

Labels, not letters. Windows does the letters. And if you don't label them, they're just called Local Ha....never mind, what the heck am I doing?

[Lilrich]

Maybe they should have a Developer Programme so only Developers not n00bs who don't know the C: from the A: don't start installing it and clogging up our threads.

[ViperAFK]

Playing on Steam already sounds like a lot lol; what's to say that your drivers required for games are fully matured for public use already :3

afiak windows 8 uses the same driver model as win7 so that shouldn't be a big issue like the xp to vista transition.

[+Ryster Subscriber²]

Maybe they should have a Developer Programme so only Developers not n00bs who don't know the C: from the A: don't start installing it and clogging up our threads.

Clogging up "our threads"? I think you'll find that this is the OP's thread, not "ours". :)

Besides, I think the question isn't entirely as silly as it sounds. Calling it a beta is certainly silly, this is a pre-beta preview.

That said though, with my imminent PC build I've already backed up the files on my PC and cleaned it ready to move onto my new PC when I build it next week. This would be an ideal time for me to use it on my main PC for a few days and see how I get on :)