Windows 8 Consumer Preview Now Available for Download

Status
Not open for further replies.

noblerabbit

Distinguished
Oct 14, 2010
312
0
18,780
Is this preview (being only 5MB?!) to be installed as an Existing Windows 7 program? Or do I need a blank new HDD to install it, or will it dualboot with Windows 7 Dos Menu?
 

DRosencraft

Distinguished
Aug 26, 2011
743
0
19,010
I will enjoy testing this out in the coming days (after my RMA'd mobo gets processed). I ran the Win7 beta right to the end of that beta period, kicking the hell out those tires. When I bought 7, I knew exactly what I was getting and wasn't disappointed at all. I will do the same with 8 now. If it works, then awesome. If not, then I'll get rid of the beta and I'm not out anything but some time. Fun times. :sol:
 

bigdragon

Distinguished
Oct 19, 2011
1,107
547
20,160
I really expected Microsoft to completely ditch Aero in favor of Metro. They did not. There's this weird mixture of the two user interfaces. I don't really like it. Windows 8 seems too tablet-focused. I like Windows 8 about as much as I like Gnome 3, which is to say not at all. Vista didn't give me reasons to upgrade from XP. I don't see 8 giving me reasons to upgrade from 7.

Why are we determined to unlearn all the things we've previously learned about desktop user interfaces? I really really hate the two-faced UI determined to waste screen real estate as much as possible. I can go on and on about the specific properties of the UI design that get in the way of me being productive. I'm getting the impression it would be easier to sit down in Flash and create a stupid little program to show what Windows 8 should have been. I can't see them making any usability-focused changes between now and final release.

Try again, Microsoft. You had great ideas, but you didn't implement them the right way.
 

damianrobertjones

Distinguished
Aug 14, 2010
587
1
18,995
@bigdragon

As far as I can see Windows 8 is no more or less productive than Windows 7. I can still launch the exact same applications as I did before and I've even added the shortcuts that were on the desktop to the Metro interface.
 

derkman

Honorable
Feb 29, 2012
23
0
10,510
Having no Start button is going to cause hell for people in IT. End-users will be constantly calling the help desk because they can't find the Start button.
 

mcd023

Distinguished
Nov 9, 2010
370
0
18,780
making bootable flash drive now.

[citation][nom]cronik93[/nom]Do win7 drivers have no problems with Win8?[/citation]

since they are built off of the same kernel, there shouldn't be any problems. I haven't had any. I was even able to run StarCraft II off of my Win7 partition. Didn't think you could do that :)
 

stevelord

Distinguished
Mar 17, 2010
167
0
18,680
During the developer preview, I did a clean and drivers were not an issue. To include touchscreen drivers being that this was on an HP 2740p tablet.

Doing an upgrade this time to see how much of the existing software works.
 

stevelord

Distinguished
Mar 17, 2010
167
0
18,680
[citation][nom]monsta[/nom]I have mixed feelings with Windows 8 , its weird having the two interfaces, guess it might just take some time to get used to or do we have another Vista on our hands?[/citation]

The Metro UI can be disabled. This has always been the case even with the developer preview.

I was not able to do an Upgrade install. It required me to remove MSE and what I suspect was a driver for the touchscreen of my laptop. Couldn't do it and had to do a clean install instead.

Looks a little different from the Dev Preview. Haven't done anything with it yet.

 
G

Guest

Guest
This build does not seem Virtual Box friendly, I keep booting into the debugging screen. Has anyone else had any VM issues?
 

johnb0118

Distinguished
Jan 31, 2009
118
0
18,710
Windows Server 8 is a complete epic failure. Why is Microsoft bringing seemingly reduced functionality to a server platform. No start button for the server? Retarded. Windows 8 is just as a bad. Don't give us a tablet OS for our PC's. Long live Windows 7.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.