Windows 8.1 Update Must Be Installed by May 13
Last week, Microsoft released Windows 8.1 Update (1), a mandatory update that makes the Windows 8 experience a bit more tolerable for mouse and keyboard customers. Since then, Microsoft has warned that this update needs to be installed by May 13, the next Patch Tuesday, in order to receive additional security patches from Microsoft.
"Since Microsoft wants to ensure that customers benefit from the best support and servicing experience and to coordinate and simplify servicing across both Windows Server 2012 R2, Windows 8.1 RT and Windows 8.1, this update will be considered a new servicing/support baseline.
"What this means is those users who have elected to install updates manually will have 30 days to install Windows 8.1 Update on Windows 8.1 devices; after this 30-day window - and beginning with the May Patch Tuesday, Windows 8.1 user's devices without the update installed will no longer receive security updates," states a Microsoft engineer.
In other words, starting on patch Tuesday in May 2014 and beyond, Windows 8.1 (and Windows Server 2012) users will require this update to be installed. If the Windows 8.1 Update is not installed, those newer updates will be considered "not applicable."
Note that no other Windows platform has this restriction; users of Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows 8 will have no problems downloading and installing security fixes on the Patch Tuesday. This new baseline only applies to Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2.
For keyboard and mouse users, Windows 8.1 Update is a must-have despite Microsoft's own push. Simple things like pinning Start Screen apps to the taskbar, the power button on the Start Screen, and options to close and minimize within Start Screen apps makes the experience a lot easier than before.
To see what's new in Windows 8.1 Update, head here.
Yeah, I've been using Pokki, forgot the Start Screen even existed,
Microsoft is so customer friendly!
Only time I see the modern ui screen is at startup - and even then it is blank and only show for a few seconds.
In translation...our Windows 8 sucks so bad and Windows 8 base is so fragmented between 8.0, 8.1 and 8.1 update 1 that we need to fix a mess asap by saying to people you must this and that.
Win8 is still supported. Win8.1 won't be. Vista, 7 and 8 will continue to be supported. MS is dropping support for Win8.1 only a few months after release. As long as you didn't upgrade to from 8.0 to 8.1, you're not being forced to install "Update 1" to continue support.
Since Microsoft wants to ensure that everyone has a good experience, we will take away your security updates unless you do EXACTLY as we say.
Brilliant.
My friend is Win8 user(because it was preinstalled on a laptop) after updates he experianced nothing but troubles and back to 8.0 Many companies have preinstalled way to say "**ck you" to metro crap. Sure it leaves you with ugly flat theme but atleast you ca use it.
I am not 100% sure, but I think that Update 1 changes some stuff in the built-in security software which is why you have to install it to continue getting security patches.
"I have to install an update so I can install further updates. Screw you, evil MS!!"
Do you realize how incredibly stupid you sound?
It has ALWAYS worked like that. Back in the days of good old XP - which was a good OS, but lately has been raised to heights beyond it's merits so people can add strength to their moans about it's support being terminated - you were pretty much required to have SP2 or SP3 to receive further critical updates. Even software compatibility came into play.
We are talking about a FREE software update distributed through the regular channels (Windows Update), much in the same way that any other patch or update package has been distributed. Why wouldn't you want to install it to begin with?
This is quite nonsense.
Been using using 8.1 Update 1 with absolutely no problems at all and happy about it.
@omarz ... sadly those are old`ish CPUs ... and you want them to run the very latest hardware... if i had an Core 2 duo or Athlon 64 i wouldn`t install Win 8 anyway. Like you wouldn`t install XP on a 486 machine
Have you tried them or are you like the silly users you mentioned? Win8 runs REALLY fine on those CPUs!
The only problem is cutting support (security updates too!) during a minor update!
Leaving behind old CPUs is ok, I agree, but once you allow them, stick to it.
They should have introduced the requirement if that cpu instruction with 8.1.