Windows 8 Will Windows 8.1 upgrade retain your installed software?

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

While I'm somewhat undecided about how I'm going to update to Windows 8.1, I started wondering about how the update process works.

The last thing I do before I update will be to make an image of my C:\ drive, so I can experiment a little.

If I just run the update from the Windows update utility will it keep all of my installed software?

I ask because of how Windows refresh treats your installed software as if it didn't exist.

I'm leaning toward just trying the upgrade process because I can always go back and do a clean install if it doesn't work out anyway and I'd like to see it the update process does really work.

I have so much stuff installed that I'm literally looking at weeks of work to get everything back and configured again if I start from scratch.

All of my games, graphic arts software, all of my movie and sound editing programs, not to mention all of the little items like Fraps, Dropbox, Itunes, 3D Movie Maker, the list goes on and on.

Anyway if anyone knows how it will work I'm interested in knowing everything that I can before I start the process.

Mike

 

[Jimbo22]

check you windows core photo app...some are reporting it crashing right after opening it or very shortly after opening it.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Well it screwed up my video drivers, it looks like it updated them to the newest version, something I didn't really want to do, but it only installed part of it I'm reinstalling it right now, if I still have issue I'll go back the my previous drivers.

My 3D software isn't working and my text to speech software is really distorted.
The volume is so low you can barely hear it and it very distorted.

Music files don't seem to be effected only my text to speech files, but even if they have already been saved in the form of .wav files or on the soundtrack of a video.

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

Ok the video is sorted and my Stereo is working.

Anyone have any idea about what would make it distort only the text to speech created sound?

Mike

 

[Jimbo22]

Other than uninstalling it and re-installing the software and check or even re-installing it in compatibility mode.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

1 hour and 20 minutes, not too bad; I am hearing similar times from other Users on that. I think my new 8.1 RTM install was around 45 min.--in place, no download. Probably around 1 hr. to download ISO image and burn to disc; so total around 2 hrs. VERY clean install; and again I'm amazed how well things are working with my 5 year old Dell Studio hardware.

BIGBEARJEDI