MS Opens Official Windows 8.1 Preview Site

By FaiKee
in The Fast Ring (Insider Previews)

 Share

Recommended Posts

Veteran

FaiKee

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Michael Niehaus explains the channels of win8 upgrade to win8.1 preview and win8.1RTM

http://www.zdnet.com/microsoft-goes-public-with-windows-8-1-upgrade-policies-7000016419/

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.

Mary Jo Foley

By Mary Jo Foley for All About Microsoft | June 5, 2013 -- 13:59 GMT (21:59 SGT)

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.

bluesclues

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.

Even if testers opt instead to roll their devices back to Windows 8 after installing the preview bits, they still will have to reinstall their apps once they move to the RTM version of Windows 8.1.

Update: For those wondering exactly which apps will need to be reinstalled, it depends whether the tester is running Windows on ARM or x868. On Windows RT devices, it's the Windows Store/Metro-Style apps that will have to be reinstalled; for x86-based Windows 8 systems, testers will need to reinstall both their Windows Store/Metro-Style and Desktop apps, a Microsoft spokesperson said.

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 I 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.

Niehaus characterized the Windows 8 to 8.1 upgrade as "a little better" than how Microsoft handled the Windows 8 test build to RTM upgrade. A Microsoft spokesperson said the Windows 8 to 8.1 upgrade would be "comparable" to the Windows 7 to Windows 8 upgrade, in terms of how the upgrade dealt with user settings, data and apps.

Niehaus also told session attendees that Microsoft expects to have a reduced footprint size for Windows 8.1 as compared to Windows 8. He said the team has been working on removing old components, temporary files and improving NTFS compression to free up more space on users' machines. He noted that 4 GB of free space will be needed to install the Windows 8.1 preview builds. And he said that installation of Windows 8.1 will not result in the replacement of the recovery partition in Windows 8.

"If you deleted it, [8.1] won't replace it," Niehaus said.

Grand Master

George P Global Moderator

Posted
  • Global Moderator
Posted

I'll try it out in a VM, I'm sure they'll make a full ISO available for those still on Windows 7 or older. Then I'll upgrade right to 8.1 RTM when the time comes, no way I'm going to reinstall all these apps again.

Grand Master

HawkMan

Posted
Posted

Well I guess it's good that I don't really use metro apps, don't have to worry about them getting deleted. Plus I'll do a clean install anyway.

Metro apps are one thing as they will automatically reinstall and get back their settings. Not feeling like reinstalling all my desktop apps fro the preview and then once again for the final though.

I don't need any of the new stuff in 8.1 enough to bother with the preview, a consistent corner start button that's the same throughout the OS works fine for me. Not got any need for huge start menu icons, don't need to boot to desktop, not seeing the point as the first thing you have to do to use the computer is start an app anyway so, starting at the launcher screen makes sense, besides I "never" shut down/restart anyway.

Grand Master

LittleNeutrino Veteran

Posted
  • Veteran
Posted

There should be an app which can create a tile based on your image, and then execute any software that you want to.

that would actually be a rather cool option to have.

Grand Master

-T- Member

Posted
  • Member
Posted

I hope there's an option to disable the start button. My taskbar does not rest on the bottom and therefore i would not like to have a button in a random position to access the start screen

This topic is now closed to further replies.
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Posts

    • VS Code 1.123 introduces massive upgrades for persistent AI developer workflows

      By zikalify · Posted

      VS Code 1.123 introduces massive upgrades for persistent AI developer workflows by Paul Hill Microsoft has just released Visual Studio Code 1.123 alongside its annual developer conference, Build 2026. This release, as always, has a heavy focus on advanced AI agent integration and making the built-in browser more robust. Notably, this update brings big sync changes that keep your AI agents persistent across sessions. With this update, VS Code now supports cross-machine syncing for chat histories, touched files, repository contexts, and related PRs via GitHub accounts, tying users even more into Microsoft’s developer ecosystem. This update also introduces the new /chronicle command that allows you to query past sessions using natural language, generate instant standup reports, and get personal productivity insights. Microsoft has also made some improvements to network-dependent operations, it explains: “When a terminal command that is run by a local agent requires access to domains that are not configured as allowed domains, the command is automatically retried inside the sandbox with unrestricted network access. After that, if it still fails, it falls back to unsandboxed execution. This allows network-dependent operations such as git fetch to finish, while keeping filesystem protections in place.” Microsoft has not stopped there; in this update, it also allows developers to drag, drop, and pin multiple agent sessions side-by-side for easy code comparisons in real-time. It also introduces the Research Agent, accessible via /research. This is a read-only, depth-optimized tool that gets data from the web, local codebase, and GitHub to give you a Markdown report on complex APIs or unfamiliar code. Now, let’s talk about the integrated browser and some security enhancements. VS Code 1.123 features enhanced screenshot capture tools that allow for targeted Area Screenshots and Full Page Screenshots to send layout context instantly to AI chat. The address bar has also been revamped, supporting favorite pages and tab management. Finally, on the security front, this update introduces a safety-first two-hour delay on third-party extension auto-updates to safeguard against compromised or buggy releases. This release is now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux. If you have VS Code, keep an eye out for the update availability notification. If you still don’t have VS Code, you can get it here.
    • New Surface Pro with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 leaks ahead of announcement

      By dirtyvu · Posted

      I'm hoping with the Surface Pro 12, I can use either USB-C for my Xreal One Pro glasses. With my Surface Pro 11 OLED X Elite, I have to plug them into the top port. The bottom port will power it, but nothing shows on the screen. Maybe it's my setting. When I plug in the glasses, I have it output only to the glasses. So maybe I need to turn on both displays with it in the top port, then switch the glasses to the bottom port and set it to output only to the glasses. And then hopefully Windows remembers the settings for either the top port and bottom port (one of the awesome features of Windows where it remembers the exact configuration when plugging in external monitors.
    • New Surface Pro with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 leaks ahead of announcement

      By +samw61 · Posted

      Forgive my ignorance, but the only difference I see here is that a USB-A is now a USB-C, so there are two of them. For the modern age (and I'd argue since 2020), most products would now come with USB-C as an option, if not the default. Display, charging, devices, etc on TWO connectors, sometimes all combined! So having 2 of those powerful ports is great for something this size! Meanwhile my Surface Pro (5) has a single USB-A port which I cannot even get display out to, instead relying on some Surface Connect dock which I don't have. That is a poor experience, not to mention expensive and not compatible with other devices. Thank God USB-C is mainstream!
    • New Surface Pro with Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 leaks ahead of announcement

      By dirtyvu · Posted

      wow. that color finally comes to Surface Pro. was always a little jelly when a friend had the sandstone Surface Laptop. I wonder how different this dune is from the sandstone. I'll be getting the dune version. always thought black and platinum were a little boring. I'll still have access to my blue Surface Pro 11 as it'll be a hand-me-down.
    • Apple MacBook Neo is a blessing for Windows users, here's why

      By +samw61 · Posted

      Looks a very subjective aren't they!? I like its simple design. I love the way Apple designs their products with function over form, minimalization, and simplicity over cluttered complex designs. Many, not all, of their products follow this trend, and the device becomes a tool rather than dominating the space. I do not however like their OS. I have never bought a Apple product, and while I'd consider the Neo for my wife, I am hoping there are better alternatives out there when her failing MacBook Pro 2017 finally stops. Fischer-Price is famously plastic, garish, and poorly made. Basically you're describing the Window Laptops the Neo competes against! This is how product design should be, and what Apple have often followed in recent years: https://tenprinciples.design/

  • Recent Achievements

    • One Month Later
      B2Proxy earned a badge
      One Month Later
    • One Year In
      MadMung0 earned a badge
      One Year In
    • Week One Done
      jefred earned a badge
      Week One Done
    • Apprentice
      JoeyNeo went up a rank
      Apprentice
    • Week One Done
      oliviaexpo earned a badge
      Week One Done

  • Popular Contributors

    1. 1
      +primortal
      482
    2. 2
      PsYcHoKiLLa
      227
    3. 3
      Skyfrog
      70
    4. 4
      FloatingFatMan
      58
    5. 5
      Nick H.
      54
    Show More

  • Tell a friend

    Love Neowin? Tell a friend!