Windows 8.1 Update 1 Could Boot Directly to Desktop
More Windows 8.1 rumors to chew on.
New rumors are beginning to emerge regarding the next update for the Windows 8 platform. They stem from a leaked build of Windows 8.1 Update 1, and show that Microsoft really has listened to feedback. Microsoft is expected to reveal Windows 8.1 Release 1 sometime in March before the BUILD conference a month later.
One of the leaked builds is Windows 8.1 Update 1 Build 9600.16606, which was acquired by Windows leaker WZOR. Now there's speculation that Microsoft partners are already testing Update 1. There's also evidence showing that Microsoft plans to allow users to boot directly into Desktop rather than load up the Start screen first.
As stated in recent posts, one of Microsoft's biggest mistakes in promoting the new operating system was to force the new interface down the consumer's throat. Many of us embraced the design, clicked on the desktop tile and went on with our lives. Many customers haven't been quite so welcoming; it was entirely too much change.
Okay, so maybe booting into the desktop isn't a big deal. But selling Windows 8 on a pre-built machine that's sporting the Modern UI may have hurt PC sales overall. Windows 8.1 is a step in the right direction, merging the traditional and the new together. But right now it may not be enough. Take a line of laptops sitting in Walmart or Best Buy, switch them all to desktop, and see if the sales increase.
In a screenshot stemming from the leaked build, you can clearly see an option reading "When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start." This resides in the Taskbar and Navigation Properties box. If users want to see the Start screen, all they need to do is click the Start button.
There's also still talk about the Metro apps on the desktop. According to the new rumors, they not only sit pinned to the taskbar, but will actually run in the desktop environment. That little tidbit wasn't expected to arrive until Windows 9, but the word is that Microsoft wants this feature ASAP.
According to the leakers, Metro apps will have an "X" box for quickly shutting down the app. They also won't look like classic windows, meaning there may just be the single "X" box in the upper right-hand corner. Another feature in Update 1 is SkyDrive. Leakers claim that Microsoft has already re-named the service to OneDrive in the platform.
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March 11 is supposedly the day Microsoft releases Update 1 to Windows 8.1 customers. Another update may arrive in October if Microsoft doesn't launch Windows 9 instead. The new platform was originally scheduled to arrive April 2015, but the company may be pushing to get into "9" territory as fast as it can to leave all that Windows 8 fiasco behind.
Kevin Parrish has over a decade of experience as a writer, editor, and product tester. His work focused on computer hardware, networking equipment, smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, and other internet-connected devices. His work has appeared in Tom's Hardware, Tom's Guide, Maximum PC, Digital Trends, Android Authority, How-To Geek, Lifewire, and others.
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JamesSneed "of us embraced the design, clicked on the desktop tile and went on with our lives. Many customers haven't been quite so welcoming; it was entirely too much change."It wasn't to much change for me. It was a total pain having the switches from desktop to "metro" applications. It made my PC experience feel like using an iPad. Which is why I installed classic start menu along with making my default applications the desktop versions of picture viewrs, files viewers etc. I found it a big waste of time to open a picture on the desktop to have it bump me out to the "metro" interface to then have to jump back to desktop mode. Microsoft simply needs to have the "metro" interface tweaked to be useful and run under desktop mode for those that want to work like that i.e. like an updated start menu. I'm running classic start up until the day they fix this time wasting experience.Reply -
koga73 This isn't news since the option to boot straight onto the desktop rather than the start menu already exists in Windows 8.1. In fact I use it every day at work.Proof. In 8.1 Right click on Taskbar > Properties > Navigation > "When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start"Reply -
irish_adam yeah you've been able to do this since 8.1, the same as you dont have to sign in every time you boot either.2 minuites on google and problem solvedReply -
blibbi Yeah, that "go to desktop instead of Start" thing is already there. Kinda weird that the author doesn't seem to know that.Reply -
carowden i believe the article is saying that boot to desktop would be the default, rather than boot to "metro" or whatever you want to call it. i'm pretty sure he already knew that the option to boot to desktop was available with windows 8.1Reply -
Quarkzquarkz Nope, still think Windows 7 x64 is the best since XP days. Will not be changing to 8 or 8.1 or 8.1 release update 1 or 8.1 blue or whatever it's called. Tried it before and it's just a waste of time, TRUST me~ =(Reply -
lp231 Reply12577525 said:i believe the article is saying that boot to desktop would be the default, rather than boot to "metro" or whatever you want to call it. i'm pretty sure he already knew that the option to boot to desktop was available with windows 8.1
On a clean Windows 8.1 install, it will boot directly into Metro, and then the user can have the option to boot directly into desktop. If Windows 8.1 already have this feature, then what is the point of this update?
If this update says to boot directly into desktop by default, well it won't help at all since this is just a update and when you do a clean install of Windows 8.1 it will still boot into Metro by default.
Unless the newest revision of Windows 8.1 have this patch integrated into the OS install image and let users have the option of selecting boot to desktop or boot to metro during initial setup.
For now this is noting but a misleading title trying desperately to collect click points.
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voltagetoe What is there in 8.1 that would make a person choose it over Win 7. Does it choke badly when there are many applications installed ?Reply -
Christopher Shaffer ReplyThis isn't news since the option to boot straight onto the desktop rather than the start menu already exists in Windows 8.1. In fact I use it every day at work.Proof. In 8.1 Right click on Taskbar > Properties > Navigation > "When I sign in or close all apps on a screen, go to the desktop instead of Start"
This ^^^ 100%. I haven't used the Start menu more than 3 times since installing 8.1, and if it weren't for my password, it would boot directly to the desktop.What is there in 8.1 that would make a person choose it over Win 7. Does it choke badly when there are many applications installed ?
Multiple applications being installed isn't what slows down your PC. This is a misconception; it's usually multiple *active* programs that automatically load when Windows boots. The more active background processes, the more CPU and memory reserved for them, and in some cases even network resources.If you're having issues like this w/Win 7, I'd suggest posting in the forums and looking for assistance. We can help you optimize your OS, whatever it may be.