Windows 8 upgrading to Windows 8.1

[vinoman]

I would like to upgrade from Win 8 to the new Windows 8.1 preview and try it out.

Once I install Win 8.1 preview will I be able to install the Win 8.1 final over it when it comes out this Fall?

 

[Drew]

Right now we have Windows 8.1 Preview available. IT IS A BETA!

Once it goes RTM, it will be pushed out to Users who, already, have Windows 8 via Windows Updates later this summer. Until then...

DO NOT upgrade (or overwrite) your Windows 8 w/ the 8.1 Preview. DO NOT replace your Windows 8 w/ Windows 8.1 Preview.

Only install Windows 8.1 Preview on a spare box, as a dual-boot or as a virtual machine in Hyper-V on your Windows 8 host machine.

Cheers,
Drew

 

[Drew]

Please, also, move this to the Windows 8.1 Discussion thread.

THANKS

Cheers,
Drew

 

[vinoman]

Thanks. I did give it a try because it's not a hard drive I use much. Win 8 is more experimental. My main hard drive on this PC is Linux Mint 15.

So if I need to reinstall Win 8.0 do I have to format the hard drive and reinstall my original win 8 disc? Or will there be an option to over write Win 8.1 and install 8.0?

 

[Drew]

No, would have to be done as a Clean Install

Cheers,
Drew

 

[vinoman]

I did a clean install and had to call to reactivate and then I can't find the legacy drivers for the ati rv530 video. someone sent me a link to the amd page and its installed but the resolution is still bad. Why can't win 8 handle a 5 year old driver?

 

[BigFeet]

I did an upgrade on my tablet (knowing I was going to reinstall Windows 8 from scratch anyways). The upgrade went well. I did create a recovery disk in case it went bad, but as Microsoft said, you'd still have to reinstall all your apps when the RTM came out. I have to say, not overly impressed by 8.1, so reinstalling 8 now. Oh the improvements to the RT side are good, but the start menu is still worthless to me.

 

[kemical]

I did an upgrade on my tablet (knowing I was going to reinstall Windows 8 from scratch anyways). The upgrade went well. I did create a recovery disk in case it went bad, but as Microsoft said, you'd still have to reinstall all your apps when the RTM came out. I have to say, not overly impressed by 8.1, so reinstalling 8 now. Oh the improvements to the RT side are good, but the start menu is still worthless to me.

Hi,

thread has been moved as the original section is really for discussion only.

Just to add to Bigfeet's post you can find almost all the info relating to Windows 8.1 via this blog:

Today's the day. Microsoft is making available to anyone and everyone with Windows 8 and Windows RT a public preview build of its next Windows release, Windows 8.1, codenamed "Blue."
On June 26, Microsoft is making the Windows 8.1 preview available for download via the Windows Store. If you choose to download the preview, make sure you know that you will have to reinstall your apps before you move from the preview build to the release-to-manufacturing (RTM) bits.
Check out Link Removed
Most if not all of the new features in Windows 8.1 have leaked and or been detailed by Microsoft to date. The biggest one in many Microsoft watchers' and customers' eyes is the return of a Start Button of sorts. While this isn't a Start Button with a Start Menu like the current Windows Start buttons, it will provide an anchor for those who have had trouble navigating Windows 8.
Boot straight to desktop is a built-in feature of Windows 8.1, as we've known for a while now. And the search experience in Windows 8.1 is getting a major overhaul.
A few potentially handy links for those interested in the Windows 8.1 preview:
Download link for the Windows 8.1 preview
Windows 8.1 FAQ (read before you install)
List of processors a nd devicessupported (and not) with the Windows 8.1 preview (Note: this is likely to change by RTM)
List of business-focused features in Windows 8.1
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What's new in DirectX 11.2 in Windows 8.1

Reference:

Microsoft's Windows 8.1 public preview: What you need to know | ZDNet

 

[vinoman]

I won't do anymore preview upgrades again. A few nice extras but not much different than 8.0. And now that I re-installed win 8.0 I had to call to get it activated again and I can't get the right legacy drivers for my ATI RV530 video so the resolution is too big. A big headache for nothing! I'm better off using Linux Mint 15! It can find the correct video drivers automatically! Why can't Windows do that?

 

[BigFeet]

I won't do anymore preview upgrades again. A few nice extras but not much different than 8.0. And now that I re-installed win 8.0 I had to call to get it activated again and I can't get the right legacy drivers for my ATI RV530 video so the resolution is too big. A big headache for nothing! I'm better off using Linux Mint 15! It can find the correct video drivers automatically! Why can't Windows do that?

Don't feel bad. I went to reinstall Windows 8 on my tablet from a flash drive and it was corrupt. I bought the tablet used, and at least he gave me the the backup of Windows 7 that originally came on it, and I could upgrade to 8 from microsoft's website, since he gave my a valid 8 key. Unfortunately, Windows 7 was 32 bit. So now I'm stuck with Windows 8 32 bit until I come across someone with a 64 bit version.

 

[kemical]

I won't do anymore preview upgrades again. A few nice extras but not much different than 8.0. And now that I re-installed win 8.0 I had to call to get it activated again and I can't get the right legacy drivers for my ATI RV530 video so the resolution is too big. A big headache for nothing! I'm better off using Linux Mint 15! It can find the correct video drivers automatically! Why can't Windows do that?

To be honest your trying to use a card that is unsupported which is why your having issues. The card in question will only use Windows Display Driver Model or WDDM 1.1 and Windows 8 has seen this updated to WDDM 1.2. You would need to upgrade to a 5000 series AMD card at least to attain the use of WDDM 1.2.
Just as a by note Windows 8.1 has seen this WDDM driver upgraded again to 1.3 as well as DirectX 11.2 (to follow shortly). These upgrades are there not to make the end users life more difficult but to provide better graphics.

AMD GPUs and iGPUs supported by WDDM 1.2:

• AMD Accelerated Processors (Llano) for Desktop or Notebook PCs:
• A8-3870K, A8-3850, A8-3820, A8-3800, A8-3550MX, A8-3530MX, A8-3520M, A8-3510MX, A8-3500M, A6-3670K, A6-3650, A6-3620, A6-3600, A6-3430MX, A6-3420M, A6-3410MX, A6-3400M, A4-3420, A4-3400, A4-3330MX, A4-3320M, A4-3310MX, A4-3305M, A4-3300M, E2-3000M, E2-3200
• AMD Accelerated Processors (Brazos) for Desktop, Notebook or Tablet:
• C-30, C-50, C-60, C-70, E1-1200, E1-1500, E2-1800, E2-2000, E-240, E-300, E-350, E-450, Z-01, Z-60
• AMD Radeon HD 6000 Series
• AMD Radeon HD 5000 Series
• AMD Radeon HD 5000M Series
• AMD Radeon HD 6000M Series
• AMD Z-Series APU
• AMD FirePro A320 APU, AMD FirePro A300 APU
• Link Removed V9800. AMD FirePro V9800P
• ATI FirePro V8800
• AMD FirePro V7900, AMD FirePro V7900 SDI
• ATI FirePro V7800, AMD FirePro V7800P
• AMD FirePro V5900
• ATI FirePro V5800, ATI FirePro V5800 DVI
• AMD FirePro V4900
• ATI FirePro V4800
• AMD FirePro V3900
• ATI FirePro V3800
• ATI FirePro 2460, AMD FirePro 2270
• AMD FireStream 9370, AMD FireStream 9350
• AMD FirePro M8900 Series
• AMD FirePro M5950 Series
• AMD FirePro M7820 Series
• AMD FirePro M5950 Series
• AMD FirePro M3900 Series

 

[Drew]

"These upgrades are there not to make the end users life more difficult but to provide better graphics."

The above comment points to a very true & somewhat bigger concept. It relates directly to a larger problem in perception from some people. I have seen much evidence of same over a number of years writing in tech forums.

And this is not in regard to any particular company or product. People really do need to stop treating things as if there is some big, clever, nasty, effort on the part of manufacturers to make lives miserable. It IS progress and an attempt to improve. It IS an attempt to respond to a changing world & meet (or predict) changing demands.

And something in human nature makes some people hate change. They hate it if you take something away, if something is different (from the past) or if they are given something new. What is worse, you didn't knock on their door or ring them up to ask if they approved, FIRST.

Funniest thing is, we seem to only hear the rants & rhetoric of this 'logic' involving IT.

Well, it is going to happen. Parts are going to become passé & obsolete. Machines & or software will not function or be compatible forever. Society, culture, lifestyle is in a constant state of flux. We have different devices, we do different things & activities, we do things in different ways. Things kids now take for granted, you get the point. Dial phones are gone, TVs, cars, photography, the list is endless... it's all different and in 5 or 10 years there will be more morphing. 8 track tapes are gone, VHS is gone & a video card may not work any more. But, it is not a mean ole conspiracy to cause people grief... it's just the way our technology goes.

Formula 1 motor-racing filters down to innovations in street cars. A lot of what we see happening in computing is enterprise driven. Well, the work environment is, really changing and rapidly; both the workplace and the workers. Wants & needs drastically altered in recent times; and it is not going to stop. Greater mobility... more & more of the workforce are not anchored to an office desk and this trend is growing by leaps & bounds. Desire for greater speed, power & graphics. Greater need for and appreciation of security. Add to this more and more cloud based/web based products & services... even IT staff & jobs are changing. Plenty of business-based IT factor bear on what the Consumer sees.

Anyway, sorry for the longish editorial but, the original comment hit a nerve or a pet peeve. Take this stuff in stride, Folks. The amount of change I've seen in one short lifetime is spectacular. The amount of change I've seen in IT in 5 to 10 years is bizarre. But, when something feels the impact, don't cry, stomp your feet or write a dirge... just go pick-up a more recent piece of gear or learn another way of doing something; admittedly, easier for some than others.

I am not being glib or blasé towards anyone's feelings but, people have to stop getting mad every time something happens in the computer world. It's in the name of progress not persecution. Maybe somebody in R&D is trying to come up w/ an idea they reckon will be exciting, something they deem people want or will need. They may get it right, they may not. Whatever their reasons are, whatever the motivation, it is not just to inconvenience people. Let me end by saying, this bit of writing has understanding & empathy... I recently completely revamped my tower to bring it up to date, have it do all it could potentially do & al I might want it to do... I wonder how long until something comes along to prompt another reno. If an old IT consultant can learn new tricks, so can you

Thanks for listening; maybe, give it some thought and take no offence.

Cheers,
Drew
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[Drew]

Please, refer back to Post #2 of this Thread. Please, re-read, absorb, digest and HEED what it says.

This is a bit like the 'Rule #2, see Rule 1' thing only, this time it's see Rule #2, lol

Cheers,
Drew Link Removed
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