Who uses Windows 8 as primary OS?

[JOHW]

Been using it since release day as a main on my tablet laptop but I don't really use the touch features at all these days. Just using it as if it were the same as Windows 7.

[aiir]

I do,

I used Windows 8 for 3 weeks but then downgraded back to Windows 7.

Why?:

-> Mainly because Windows 8 is in beta and windows 7 is the ,etc ,etc (stupid reason but yeh...)

-> Small bugs, but not really a big problem.

Then after downgrading to Windows 7 I was like what the hell?, this sucks... Right away it looked outdated and the start was even harder to use (usally you know with 7 you would just search files,apps,etc but like wtf only in a small space with windows 8 you get the whole screen.

Now back to windows 8 again and very good.

Altough I don't use the metro UI at all... very stupid for desktop users imo, but its nice to lauch apps and search files

Great thing in 8

Start key-> Search = full screen

with 7 it was only in a corner, I know you could then click view all ,etc but windows 8 is nice...

[mrmomoman]

Been using it on my Dell M6500 Laptop and it is great. The Win8 drivers works very well when it wants to work. It likes to shut off my screen and not wake it back up from time to time. But otherwise its been a great experience. I run it as the main OS even though its really a Tri-Boot machine. I have 3 drives. Much faster and responsive with CS 5.5. I can't wait to see an ARM Windows 8 tablet or the HP Slate 8 that is in the news. Good things to come.

[theyarecomingforyou]

I did NOT have a compatibility issue with Crysis 2 (or any other game I had installed in Windows 7) - in fact, I haven't had a compatibility issue with ANY game I've installed in the Consumer Preview. (None - and that includes the Diablo III beta, Blacklight: Retribution, and several other betas - both closed and open.) What was the problem with Crysis 2? (If related to PunkBuster - which Crysis 2 requires - then download the latest update for PunkBuster, or - if you also have Blacklight: Retribution installed - which also requires Punkbuster - update to the latest client for the game.)

It relates to DX11 mode - the game starts in a window with a stupidly small resolution (not even 640x480) and you can't change it or go fullscreen; it runs fine if I play it in DX9 mode but that's not acceptable to me. I also had an issue activating the game because EA decided I had used up all my activations by trying a different operating system, though I managed to get that resolved after chatting to an Indian guy who barely understood English. As for LA Noire, from what I've read online it seems to be an issue with Steam that causes it to crash to desktop on launch - the standard launch commands people recommended didn't help.

My gaming experience with Windows 8 was in general extremely positive. Unfortunately it wasn't quite good enough, which is to be expected at this stage in development.

[Jorkand]

I have been using W8CP as the primary os since it came out. In that time I used it on a cross fire 6950 setup, replaced it with a gtx 680, changed all my HDDs to Storage Spaces. In all the only major problem was an issue with storahci causing the reset port error, resolved it by changing all my drives to IDE.

I had W7 on for about a month or so but eventually I just realized that I couldn't stand it. In terms of games I played a ton of SC2, skyrim, f1 2011 and nowadays I am playing tera (well not until tomorrow but for the beta). In general skyrim and sc2 run a lot better on W2, f1 2011 is a little iffy and I think w7 was a bit faster. Tera I never played on W7 but during the OBT I had no issues at all with performance while other people with very similar machines on W7 were having trouble. Somewhat subjective and I am using the W7 drivers on W8 for the 680.

[+Elі Subscriber²]

This has to be the most entertaining topic I have ever read on Neowin, I have gone through all of the 44 pages today, just to read Andrea's posts lol

[Anthonyd]

This has to be the most entertaining topic I have ever read on Neowin, I have gone through all of the 44 pages today, just to read Andrea's posts lol

How did you survived?

[+Elі Subscriber²]

How did you survived?

LOL I have to admit it got a little boring at the end, had to go quickly through the pages hehe.

[Dot Matrix]

Alright, now how many of you running the beta, are going to continue using Windows 8 after the RC is released?

Any holdouts that skipped the beta going to download the RC and use it?

How many are going to go back to windows 7 after the RC is out?

[+Elі Subscriber²]

I'm always on the cutting edge, it would be against my religion not to upgrade to Windows 8 upon its release :p

[Anthonyd]

Alright, now how many of you running the beta, are going to continue using Windows 8 after the RC is released?

Any holdouts that skipped the beta going to download the RC and use it?

How many are going to go back to windows 7 after the RC is out?

I can't see any reason to continue with 7 after 8 gets RTM. Plus I'll probably have a free licence to install it, so why should I bother with 7 anymore?

[Subhadip]

I can't see any reason to continue with 7 after 8 gets RTM. Plus I'll probably have a free licence to install it, so why should I bother with 7 anymore?

RTM is not publicly available. Free public previews stop at RC or Release Preview.

[BeerFan]

Alright, now how many of you running the beta, are going to continue using Windows 8 after the RC is released?

Any holdouts that skipped the beta going to download the RC and use it?

How many are going to go back to windows 7 after the RC is out?

I'll continue testing the RC to see what changes are made. But there's no way in hell i'm going to spend a nickel on this bag of crap they're calling an OS.

[Stoffel]

I'm using the CP now and will definitely upgrade to the RP and later in the year to the final version

For me it runs like a dream so far. Just wish they would update the core metro apps like mail and messaging a bit more often

But hey they probably get an upgrade early june :)

[Andrea Borman]

Well I have been using Windows 8 CP for 3 months now. And I have gone ahead and installed it on a new netbook I got as a present,that had Windows 7 Starter. So I now am running Windows 8 CP as the only operating system.

And I am doing very well with Windows 8. I have got my Windows XP start menu on there thanks to a new updated version of Classic Shell.Although you can still use Start Menu 7 and Vi Start if you want.

Also I have got all of my Windows XP and Windows Vista software on Windows 8 CP,I have even got Windows Media Player 5.1,Mplay32 from my Windows XP on Windows 8. WMP 5.1 which is one of the two WMPs that are on Windows XP alongside WMP,works on Windows 8. But WMP 6.4,Mplayer 2 does not, but WMP 5.1 does work on Windows 8.

Also believe it or not Microsoft Entertainment Pack games for Windows 95 and Windows NT works on Windows 8.Actually Windows 8 32 bit has the option to enable 16 bit applications and the games are all 16 bit. Which is why they work on Windows 8 as well as on 32 bit Windows 7, Windows XP and Windows Vista.But the 16 bit games will only work on 32 bit Windows,not 64 bit.And so do all of the games from Windows XP work on Windows 8.

Also I have now got Windows 7 Games and Purble Place working on Windows 8,thanks to the Windows 7 Games Patcher. Which I downloaded from the My Digital Life website,here- http://forums.mydigi...-7-in-Windows-8

And now there is a software to disable the ribbon in Windows Explorer and bring back the Windows 7 Explorer,Ribbon Disabler. Which is now available for 32 bit Windows 8 CP here-http://winaero.com/c...comment.news.20

And yes it works and to get the ribbon back you just run the tool again. But I don't find the ribbon a problem. And I think most people will go for the option to have the traditional Windows XP and Windows 7 start menu.Which you can do if you install Classic Shell or Start Menu 7.

And so when the final version of Windows 8 goes out on sale,I will be buying it and installing it on my netbook.And I will install classic Shell or Start Menu 7 or another start menu software of course.So I am running Windows 8 the way I want it. Andrea Borman.

[Dot Matrix]

The Metro apps will probably be updated for the RC.

[MajorWinters]

I'll soon be running Windows 8 CP on my laptop. First I need to move my development environment to my desktop (hopefully this weekend).

Need to do a clean install, apparently it's not possible to perform an upgrade from a dutch Windows 7 install.

[notuptome2004]

Netbooks suck andrea why do you keep using them cause that is the main issue with you and windows 8 is the Netbook use as it limits windows 8 . get a system that windows 8 will work fully on and use it as intended quit running crap 3rd party software to makke it run liek older versions of windows cause if you do that Why bother with windows 8 just use older versions of windows

[Anthony Tosie Veteran]

I use it as the primary OS on my desktop. I'll probably update it to the RC when it's released in a week or so.

[The_Observer]

I'm always on the cutting edge, it would be against my religion not to upgrade to Windows 8 upon its release :p

+1 to that!

[MelFranks]

Been using it on my Dell M6500 Laptop and it is great. The Win8 drivers works very well when it wants to work. It likes to shut off my screen and not wake it back up from time to time. But otherwise its been a great experience. I run it as the main OS even though its really a Tri-Boot machine. I have 3 drives. Much faster and responsive with CS 5.5. I can't wait to see an ARM Windows 8 tablet or the HP Slate 8 that is in the news. Good things to come.

I've had something like this happen on my desktop system a few times, I'll be browsing the web, and once while playing the Diablo 3 beta the screen shut off as if the system went to sleep.

Impossible to recover from, had to restart by holding the power button.

[Anthonyd]

I've had something like this happen on my desktop system a few times, I'll be browsing the web, and once while playing the Diablo 3 beta the screen shut off as if the system went to sleep.

Impossible to recover from, had to restart by holding the power button.

Sounds like overheat, clean the dust :)

[MelFranks]

Alright, now how many of you running the beta, are going to continue using Windows 8 after the RC is released?

Any holdouts that skipped the beta going to download the RC and use it?

How many are going to go back to windows 7 after the RC is out?

I tried the developer preview and went back to Windows 7, but I've run the CP since it was available and currently have both my PC's and my laptop running it.

I don't see any reason to ever go back to Windows 7, although I did recently boot into it on my laptop just to compare.

Honestly, I just wanted to get back to Windows 8.

Oh, and every time I read your posts I'm strangely compelled to watch the movie you have linked in your sig.

Although a bit utopian I am intrigued by the possibilities, that this is where Metro is ultimately headed.

[MelFranks]

Sounds like overheat, clean the dust :)

Well, to my credit the interior of my PC is immaculately clean.

I'm just writing it off (for now) as running beta NVidia drivers on a pre-release OS.

Other than that the CP has been rock solid stable, not a single issue with any software or hardware, which is rather impressive IMO.

[PatrynXX]

I can see WIndows 8 running on your slate as a great OS, but as a desktop i don't know. Looking forward to the beta release in FEB.

I've tried twice. First time in a big way. Second time. it's gotten worse since last year. This will never be a Desktop OS. Windows again has put out something thats before it's time. Think I'll wait for Windows 9. This seems to be a Windows ME waiting to happen. Vista at least was a monster. Windows 8 the hardware isn't there yet. Every computer maker in the world would have to start selling some sort of touch screen overlay for this to be any sort of success. I can't imagine that would be hard. clips onto a screen, basically clear screen and it's touch sensitive and just plug it in on usb. But Windows would have to provide that for free if I'd bother paying any deep price for it. Otherwise It can't even begin to compete with Windows 98 let alone XP.