Windows 8 Release Preview Discussion

[Dashel]

In name only or is it a complete new (Metro2) app based on the current POS Music one? If so I might as well commit seppuku right now.

[George P Global Moderator]

The Zune Client still works in Win8, you can install it and use it like it's on Windows 7. As for the metro music and video apps, those aren't done, they'll probably get more features as well but they're going to be the new apps that access the new xbox music and video service which is basically Zune 2.0.

That said, they should also do a new, updated desktop client. No way they won't release Xbox Music/Video desktop app for Windows 7 users, so in the end even that will probably run on Windows 8 as well.

Still, I think once we get the whole feature set and any performance updates to the metro apps they'll be fine for most people. I myself use the zune client for my music playback, I let it manage things through metadata etc, while I use MPC for my video playback needs.

[theyarecomingforyou]

I finally got around to playing with Storage Spaces. It's pretty straightforward but it has some limitations - for instance, you can create a drive from the pool without any resiliency but you can't convert that to a two-way mirrored setup. Although I had over 6TB in free space I still had to do some juggling of data to get started. I created a drive with no resiliency from the pool and moved data from an unrelated drive onto it; I then formatted that drive, added it to the pool, created a two-way mirror and then copied the data from the drive without resiliency to the drive with the two-way mirror (which was incredibly slow because they were the same physical drive).

My biggest criticism is the way Storage Spaces handles things when it runs out of space. When I initiated a transfer that was too large for the drive it allowed it to continue without warning; it continued copying until it ran out of space before it disabled the drive and spewed up an error message about being unavailable. That's pretty disconcerting as there was no explanation as to what had happened.

In order to bring the drive back online it was simply a case of clicking 'Change settings' and then 'Bring online'. The problem is that it's very difficult to know exactly how much space you have left, as the individual drive and pool capacity indicators don't tell you that. The problem was exacerbated as I was using two drives of different sizes - rather than base the default size of the drive on the smallest drive it was instead done by taking half the combined pool size (see it's 2.26TB rather than 1.81TB). It means if you're doing bulk copying you don't know when you're going to run out of space. As for performance, I benchmarked it and it was the same performance as a single regular drive.

Storage Spaces is a great feature but it has a lot of idiosyncrasies and certainly isn't designed for average users, which is a shame. If it were polished I would like to see it become the default storage method, as although it halves your storage capacity it means that you can recover from any single drive failure.

PS - Microsoft should have changed the way storage capacities are displayed from binary multiples to decimal multiples to match the size advertised by hard drive manufacturers. It doesn't make any sense to buy a 3TB drive and have it appear in Windows as 2.72TB. I understand it's not Microsoft's fault but that doesn't matter.

[BajiRav]

Another interesting stupidity of the metro music app. I was playing a song in WMP and used the volume keys to increase volume. The onscreen volume control then showed up with a song that was paused in the metro "Music" app a day before. :laugh:

[grayscale]

So is anyone still experiencing a f***ed up firefox UI after using it for some time? All the buttons disappear. I cannot find out what triggers it so I can't reproduce it but it happens almost most of the time. It is still fully functional. It's just that you won't be able to see the buttons.

[x-byte]

Try the new Nvidia drivers

http://www.nvidia.com/object/win8-64bit-302.80-preview-driver.html

[Dashel]

I'm betting the copy/sizing will be better come release to pre-check landing space.

[Mohitster]

I hope so. But it wouldn't surprise me if they don't.

Actually it would surprise me if they don't! They have to! They are becoming design conscious off late and it's pertinent that they go for a design consistency across their most important OS release.

[x-byte]

Do anyone else have issues with the volume controls for keyboard not working with RP? They worked fine for the CP. The same goes for my G35 headset. I have to manually adjust the volume now in the systray.

Update

This is weird. I recently updated to the latest Nvidia drivers for the RP, and now the volume controls is working perfectly. Not sure why that is, but I'm happy....

[Defcon]

So is anyone still experiencing a f***ed up firefox UI after using it for some time? All the buttons disappear. I cannot find out what triggers it so I can't reproduce it but it happens almost most of the time. It is still fully functional. It's just that you won't be able to see the buttons.

Disable graphics acceleration in Firefox. I could never get it to work with my video drivers.

[McKay]

The error I'm currently experiencing is Windows Media player recognises no video formats. I get the audio from it but no picture. Its annoying because this error also affects Movie Maker.

[Stokkolm]

Has anybody been having a problem with the desktop not coming back up once the hard drive goes idle? It may be my computer, I have an Asus G74SX, but it's not an issue for me in Windows 7.

[giannisgx89]

I have issues for Photoshop cs6, only when i disable the gpu acc then it works but again not so smooth as windows 7.

Maybe ati has't released new drivers yet

[anidais]

The latest NVIDIA drivers finally fixed the problems I was having with driver crashes and other errors, finally.

[Andrea Borman]

I have installed Windows 8 Release Preview on Thursday morning. And anyone who has used Windows 8 CP will feel at home on Windows 8 RP. Windows 8 RP is much more stable than Windows 8 CP.Although CP was quite stable for a Beta version. Windows 8 RP is the RC(Release Candidate) version of Windows 8.

And in this version there is more choice of color themes for the start screen, like this cool pastel pink, in my picture above. And there are more pastel colors, and the dark colors,the reds,the greens are much brighter and nicer than in Consumer Preview.

Also Windows 8 RP has more support for hardware and there have been no crashes for me as yet.

But also those of you who still want the traditional start button and Windows7 or Windows XP start menu can still have that. By installing third party software like Classic Shell,Start Menu 7 and other. And all of these work on Windows 8 RP. Also if you want the Windows 7 windows Explorer without the ribbon,there is Ribbon Disabler. Which works on Windows 8 RP, the same way it does in Windows 8 CP.

Also all of the Windows XP and Windows Vista software works on Windows 8 RP. And so does the software for older versions of Windows, Windows 95 and NT games, Microsoft Entertainment pack. As well as all of the Windows 7 software which works on Windows 8 RP.

You still cannot disable the Metro theme in Windows 8 RP,like you cannot in CP. But you can just install start menu software to get the Windows 7,Windows XP or the Classic Windows 98 start menu. Like I have got in this picture,thanks to Classic Shell.

If you are running Windows 8 on a netbook like I am,the Metro apps won't work. But you can use all of the non metro software you use on Windows 7.

I think Windows 8 Release Preview is a very much improved version of Windows 8. So although you can still use Windows 8 CP until January as it does not expire until then. You are missing out on new extra features by not upgrading to Windows 8 RP.Windows 8 RP also expires in January 2013 but by that time,there should be a retail version that you can buy in the shops. Andrea Borman.

[Mohitster]

I have installed Windows 8 Release Preview on Thursday morning. And anyone who has used Windows 8 CP will feel at home on Windows 8 RP. Windows 8 RP is much more stable than Windows 8 CP.Although CP was quite stable for a Beta version. Windows 8 RP is the RC(Release Candidate) version of Windows 8.

And in this version there is more choice of color themes for the start screen, like this cool pastel pink, in my picture above. And there are more pastel colors, and the dark colors,the reds,the greens are much brighter and nicer than in Consumer Preview.

Also Windows 8 RP has more support for hardware and there have been no crashes for me as yet.

But also those of you who still want the traditional start button and Windows7 or Windows XP start menu can still have that. By installing third party software like Classic Shell,Start Menu 7 and other. And all of these work on Windows 8 RP. Also if you want the Windows 7 windows Explorer without the ribbon,there is Ribbon Disabler. Which works on Windows 8 RP, the same way it does in Windows 8 CP.

Also all of the Windows XP and Windows Vista software works on Windows 8 RP. And so does the software for older versions of Windows, Windows 95 and NT games, Microsoft Entertainment pack. As well as all of the Windows 7 software which works on Windows 8 RP.

You still cannot disable the Metro theme in Windows 8 RP,like you cannot in CP. But you can just install start menu software to get the Windows 7,Windows XP or the Classic Windows 98 start menu. Like I have got in this picture,thanks to Classic Shell.

If you are running Windows 8 on a netbook like I am,the Metro apps won't work. But you can use all of the non metro software you use on Windows 7.

I think Windows 8 Release Preview is a very much improved version of Windows 8. so although you can still use Windows 8 CP until January as it does not expire until then. You are missing out on new extra features by not upgrading to Windows 8 RP.Windows 8 RP also expires in January 2013 but by that time,there should be a retail version that you can buy in the shops. Andrea Borman.

Interesting post! o_O

[BajiRav]

Reminder: Clean your desktop. :x

and what's with the old 9x style start menu? :/

[Andrea Borman]

Reminder: Clean your desktop. :x

and what's with the old 9x style start menu? :/

It is one of the many start menus you can chose from with Classic Shell here-http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

Classic Shell also has the Windows XP , Windows Vista and Windows 7 start menu. And a few other customised start menus as well.Like this Windows XP and Windows Vista start menu. And it has some different start buttons to choose from. And you can create your own custom start button with a bitmap image.As you can see I have the Windows XP and Windows Vista start button. And like most Windows users,I always pin most shortcuts to the desktop. Andrea Borman.

[BajiRav]

It is one of the many start menus you can chose from with Classic Shell here-http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

I know about classic shell but why use the old 9x start menu? it is inefficient compared to the XP+ start menu.

I know most users put crap on their desktop and still don't see a point of that especially when you have your whole taskbar empty (not to mention show all icons in system tray)!

[Seketh]

I know about classic shell but why use the old 9x start menu? it is inefficient compared to the XP+ start menu.

I know most users put crap on their desktop and still don't see a point of that especially when you have your whole taskbar empty (not to mention show all icons in system tray)!

Exactly, that old Start Menu is even less eficient than than the Start Screen. In the end, it's having a worse Windows just because you don't like the Start Screen, which is irrational.

Actually, this is a mighty fine example of the approach many Metro haters have while adapting to Windows 8.

[Dashel]

Not to beg the question, but less efficient at what, and for whom?

[Andrea Borman]

Exactly, that old Start Menu is even less eficient than than the Start Screen. In the end, it's having a worse Windows just because you don't like the Start Screen, which is irrational.

Actually, this is a mighty fine example of the approach many Metro haters have while adapting to Windows 8.

Well in Windows 8 Developers Preview you could disable the Metro theme with a registry edit. But now in Windows 8 Consumer Preview and in Release Preview,you can't.

So you still get the Metro start screen on start up.Then you click the desktop tile or start button. And you are taken to the desktop,where the Windows XP start menu is.

So you have the Windows XP start menu, but the Metro start menu runs in the background. And you can still access the Metro start menu by using the charms bar, or by exiting Classic Shell.

But even though you cannot disable the Metro theme, installing start menu software,which gives you the Windows XP start menu.Is a reasonable option for Windows users like me who are used to the "traditional Windows" start menu. Andrea Borman.

[theyarecomingforyou]

If people want to customise their operating system then that's up to them. People shouldn't forget how popular the modding / skinning community was in the 9x / XP days. However, the screenshots that Andrea posted are simply hideous and I can't imagine how anybody could actually consider any of those an improvement over the default Windows 8 theme. I wish the modding scene would focus on improving Windows and not on trying to recreate the past. There are some really interesting UI concepts out there and it's a shame to see those ignored in favour of the rubbish being posted here.

[Andrea Borman]

Well WMP 5.1,Mplay32 from Windows XP and Windows Mail from Windows Vista, is just some of the many Windows XP and Windows Vista software that works on Windows 8. As you can see in my picture of my desktop.

I found out how to get Windows Mail working in Windows 8 from here-http://www.eightforu...indows-8-a.html

So if you are running Windows 8 on a netbook like I am, you won't miss the Metro apps.

And the Metro messenger and email won't work anyway if the person you are calling is using Windows 7 or Windows XP.

And you can run all of the chat messengers,Windows Live Messenger (2009 the Windows XP version,which is better than the 2011 version)Aim Messenger and others on Windows 8. Andrea Borman.

[Stoffel]

And the Metro messenger and email won't work anyway if the person you are calling is using Windows 7 or Windows XP.

That's a lie!

I use the Metro Messaging app all the time, and i'm sure most of my friends are not on Win8. Yet, we can communicate just fine through all the Metro apps