Windows 8 Preview Build

Forums › Microsoft Windows › Windows 8 Preview Build

1 | ... | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8

Ragnor

8218 posts

Uber Geek

Trusted

#522212 17-Sep-2011 00:50

Regs: i see that there are some multi-monitor updates provided in windows 8:

taskbars on multiple monitors, with unique buttons:

background span accross multiple monitors:

Finally the first thing I install on a new install after 7zip won't need to be Ultramon or Display Fusion!

smooguy

8 posts

Wannabe Geek

#522731 18-Sep-2011 19:24

install using /force to ignore version check.

AndrewTarr: Hi (yes, I'm new...hello)

I downloaded the 64bit ISO and it seems to run on VirtualBox fine. The only thing I can't get to work is the guest additions as it won't recognise the windows version to install. I do create VHD disc's in VirtualBox if that makes any difference. This is just so I can move VM's to my Hyper-V box if required.

I haven't played with Windows 8 for long, but it's......weird... when you're used to Windows 7.

I'm not sure if I should laugh or cry. Perhaps I should keep playing.

A.

old3eyes

9119 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#524928 23-Sep-2011 10:31

Anyone installed this as a triboot OS. Win XP/Win7/Win8??

Regards,

Old3eyes

merve0o0

492 posts

Ultimate Geek

#527049 29-Sep-2011 08:01

Just wondering if people that are using windows 8 think it is worth waiting to buy windows 8 or get windows 7 now.

Will be going on my gaming pc

old3eyes

9119 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#527057 29-Sep-2011 08:29

merve0o0: Just wondering if people that are using windows 8 think it is worth waiting to buy windows 8 or get windows 7 now.

Will be going on my gaming pc

Get Win 7 as you may be waiting a long time for Win 8. 2012 sometime is the release date I believe..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Tom_Rush

208 posts

Master Geek

#530289 6-Oct-2011 17:39

old3eyes: Anyone installed this as a triboot OS. Win XP/Win7/Win8??

Yes.

Why do you ask?

Windows XP
Windows 7
Windows 8

I had to rename the descriptions in the boot manager to reflect the above, which I did using Windows 7 cmd.

I have a NAS and include the folders into my Windows folders.
Still have to use a downloaded application to include network folders into libraries as Windows 8 (like Windows 7) doesn't allow the inclusion of non-indexed external folders. You need a severer setup for that.

Windows XP and Windows 7 were installed using unattend configurations and share some data folders as well as the NAS resources bound into the Library structure(Windows 7).

Windows 8 is just a standalone partition although it is using my NAS folders within it's library folders too.

Also did the (probably by now) standard thing of 'hiding' the metro style.
You look at it, you play with it and then you're done with it.

Now using the 'standard' Windows 7 style of start menu.

Don't see the metro style having a place in a desktop environment when one has multiple 'large' monitors filled up with with green boxes. Maybe I'll warm to it one day... but that's not today.

Mobile phones and tablets yes, but can one really see a system engineer getting excited about a metro style layout on a desktop monitor? They're just not those sort of people.

I'm loving the native extended monitor layout. very pretty.

Now have to create some 3840x1200px images for backgrounds.

Oh, yes, all of this is happening on a Dell Dimension 4600i P4 3.2Ghz with 3GB of memory and a Radeon HD 3850 AGP GPU.

WEI: 4.3
Processor: 4.3
Memory (RAM): 5.0
Graphics: 7.0
Gaming graphics: 7.0
Primary hard disk: 5.9

And yes, AMD Radeon AGP v11.8 graphics drivers work fine under Windows 8.

Tom_Rush

208 posts

Master Geek

#531079 9-Oct-2011 02:48

As way of an update, I had a look through the previous posts here to see what other people are doing.

I connected a network USB printer attached to my NAS without any problems. All plug an play.
Had to update the available printer drivers to get my Canon PIXMA printer, but that's to be expected.

If one is tempted to 'tinker' with a non-metro style of Windows 8, just be aware, you will loose many of the Windows 8 new 'features'.

By modifying the registry, you loose the extended screen layout and maybe other things.
If you rename systems files to give a Windows 7 layout, you loose things like the 'new' task manager and maybe other things, but you do still retain the extended screen layout. (That I do like)

I'll probably go back to the Windows 8 Metro style, thus keeping abreast of updates in 'features' as they happen.

I crashed Windows 8... how cool is that.

I was installing a game (as you do) and was checking and monitoring the performance of system resources and disk I/O as the game was being installed. At the same time I was linking in the resources of my NAS,,,, and then black screen!!!!
Then a duck egg blue screen with something about a crash for a second, then black again.

Then the system rebooted.

Wow just like the old days. All very exciting.

As I was presented with WinXP, Win7 or Win8 (My installed systems at boot manager level) I just went back to Windows 7 as I had things to do.

Must reload Windows 8 again to see what the aftermath was/is.

Maybe NOT being in Metro mode on Windows 8 is bad for it.

Equinox IT

Cloud spending continues to surge globally, but most organisations haven’t made the changes necessary to maximise the value and cost-efficiency benefits of their cloud investments. Download the whitepaper From Overspend to Advantage now.

old3eyes

9119 posts

Uber Geek

Subscriber

#531115 9-Oct-2011 09:34

Tom_Rush: As way of an update, I had a look through the previous posts here to see what other people are doing.

I connected a network USB printer attached to my NAS without any problems. All plug an play.
Had to update the available printer drivers to get my Canon PIXMA printer, but that's to be expected.

If one is tempted to 'tinker' with a non-metro style of Windows 8, just be aware, you will loose many of the Windows 8 new 'features'.

By modifying the registry, you loose the extended screen layout and maybe other things.
If you rename systems files to give a Windows 7 layout, you loose things like the 'new' task manager and maybe other things, but you do still retain the extended screen layout. (That I do like)

I'll probably go back to the Windows 8 Metro style, thus keeping abreast of updates in 'features' as they happen.

I crashed Windows 8... how cool is that.?

I was installing a game (as you do) and was checking and monitoring the performance of system resources and disk I/O as the game was being installed. At the same time I was linking in the resources of my NAS,,,, and then black screen!!!!
Then a duck egg blue screen with something about a crash for a second, then black again.

Then the system rebooted.

Wow just like the old days. All very exciting.

As I was presented with WinXP, Win7 or Win8 (My installed systems at boot manager level) I just went back to Windows 7 as I had things to do.

Must reload Windows 8 again to see what the aftermath was/is.

Maybe NOT being in Metro mode on Windows 8 is bad for it.
?

Do a search . There are apps out there that turn off the Metro UI without turning off other stuff. I have a test PC at work setup that way. The only issue I have had is trying to get it to run on a domain. After I setup the domain and try to log in I just get a black screen with the mouse on the screen. Same when i try top log back into the local machine account..

Regards,

Old3eyes

Tom_Rush

208 posts

Master Geek

#531146 9-Oct-2011 12:15

old3eyes: ....here are apps out there that turn off the Metro UI without turning off other stuff. I have a test PC at work setup that way. The only issue I have had is trying to get it to run on a domain. After I setup the domain and try to log in I just get a black screen with the mouse on the screen. Same when i try top log back into the local machine account..

I see others have been able to log onto their domains using Windows 8 preview, so thats encouraging.

Most third party 'applications' are just setting the reg bit or renaming a system32 .dll file.
This just flips Windows 8 into Windows 7 mode without keeping the new features minus Metro GUI.

If the Windows 8 task manager Performance tab looks like this layout and the ability to extend the monitor layout over two screens still remains, then I'd be interested.

AND I do like the new Windows 8 Task Manager layout and information.

Saves having to go into the Resource Monitor as you have to in Windows 7 for the same overview.

1 | ... | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8