Windows 8 Long Update Duration for Windows 8.1 Pro Upgrade on Dual Boot Laptop

davidhk129 · Oct 20, 2013

Did you see the You-tube method I posted?

P.S. My Dell laptop is also a 32-bit. I had win 8 pro installed in it, and now win 8.1 pro.

Andrea Borman · Oct 20, 2013

Yes I saw the video you showed me David. It's a simple registry edit. Though if I don't want to run Metro apps I don't see the point. All they are is Metro Mail and Messenger but I like Windows Mail from Windows Vista,which works on 8. And I have got Aim Messenger,then there are the 16 bit and 32 bit Windows 95 games. So with all that who needs Metro apps.

Also you cannot close them once opened. And even if I had Internet Explorer 10 which I don't,the Metro IE does not do anything. Oh and I have got Windows Live Photo Gallery 2009,I have never use the horrible 2011 version. You can also access the apps store from a web browser. Though if you download Windows 8.1 that way they charge you for it-it said $189 on the Microsoft website.

davidhk129 · Oct 20, 2013

OK. I thought you were lamenting about being unable to change to higher screen resolution.
Since you have no need for it, then there is no problem.

Andrea Borman · Oct 20, 2013

Yes but the only thing is that I won't get the free update to Windows 8.1. Though when the time comes to install Windows 8.1 I will just buy the installation DVD and do a clean install.Which I think is better but at the moment Windows 8 will be supported for another 2 years. After that I think we have to upgrade to Windows 8.1.

davidhk129 · Oct 20, 2013

................Yes but the only thing is that I won't get the free update to Windows 8.1.

This part I don't understand.
All Win 8 users are supposed to get a free upgrade to Win 8.1
Why can't you?

If you want a clean install, that is a different issue.
Perhaps, later on a Win 8.1 ISO will be available to download.

davidhk129 · Oct 20, 2013

Andrea Borman,
Just found this from this forum. Instead of referring to the thread, I am posting the link to the actual article......
Download a Windows 8.1 ISO with a Windows 8 Product Key

The bad news is ..... you still need a legit Win 8.1 product key, not a Win 8 product key.

Andrea Borman · Oct 20, 2013

Well it seems the only way you can get the upgrade for free is through the App store on your PC. So even if you go to the App store website in Firefox or Google chrome web browser it does not work. What I get is, that it asks me to log in with my Windows Live ID. But then it asks me to buy Windows 8.1. So it seems the website does not or cannot recognize that I am already running Windows 8.

nmsuk · Oct 21, 2013

Andrea Borman said:
Well it seems the only way you can get the upgrade for free is through the App store on your PC. So even if you go to the App store website in Firefox or Google chrome web browser it does not work. What I get is, that it asks me to log in with my Windows Live ID. But then it asks me to buy Windows 8.1. So it seems the website does not or cannot recognize that I am already running Windows 8.

So do the reg edit, get the update which as a bonus adds support for lower resolutions. Problem solved. All without spending a penny.

Andrea Borman · Oct 21, 2013

I have just phoned up PC worlds the computer store in England that sells all Windows Operating systems. They told me they have not got Windows 8.1 in their stores. Apparently Microsoft have not released it for sale in computer stores in England yet. So at the moment you can only buy it online from Microsoft or order from Microsoft over the telephone. So I won't be installing Windows 8.1 any time soon. I guess they want people to test it out first.

davidhk129 · Oct 21, 2013

May I ask why is it important that you can buy 8.1 in England.
What difference does it make if you buy it from another country?
Example:
Windows 8.1 .........Link Removed

Windows 8.1 Pro ...Link Removed

Both sites offer Win 8.1 in English DVD. It also says shipping is free, although I wonder if it applies to overseas.

Jimbo22 · Oct 21, 2013

Isn't there more than one PC store in all of England that sells software.....hard to believe that only the one store sells software and they don't have it and giving very bad advice as well.

nmsuk · Oct 21, 2013

Just do the registry trick and get the update through the windows store. Problem solved. Is just that easy....

bassfisher6522 said:
Isn't there more than one PC store in all of England that sells software.....hard to believe that only the one store sells software and they don't have it and giving very bad advice as well.

Many. Miostly online but hey it's 2013

davidhk129 · Oct 21, 2013

Andrea Borman said:
Yes I saw the video you showed me David. It's a simple registry edit. Though if I don't want to run Metro apps I don't see the point.
.

Anrea Borman,
RE : regedit from You-tube instructions
Who said you have to run the Metro apps?
All you want is to be able to change the resolution to 1024x768 so that you can access the Store and upgrade to 8.1. Yes?
The registry tweak will help you achieve that.
So, what is the problem?
Am I missing something?

Andrea Borman · Oct 21, 2013

Well I tried the regedit doesn't work. it never found the registry key so Microsoft must have removed it in Windows 8 Pro. I saw this post here-
http://liliputing.com/2011/09/how-to-enable-windows-8-metro-style-apps-on-an-older-netbook.html

But no did not work. I don't have that registry key. So much for that.

davidhk129 · Oct 21, 2013

I have 2 laptops. One running Win 7, one running Win 8.1 Pro
Both find " Display1_DownScalingSupported " in the registry.
It is inconceivable that your netbook couldn't find it.

An image from 'Long Update Duration for Windows 8.1 Pro Upgrade on Dual Boot Laptop'. Windows Registry Editor showing Display1_DownScaleOverride key with value set to 0x00000000.

Andrea Borman · Oct 22, 2013

Well I did manage to locate that registry key manually. as the search would not bring it up. i tried the CTRL+f but nothing came up. So I had to find it manually. I did the registry edit and it did change my screen resolution.

Though when I opened the Apps Store Metro App my screen went black then it rebooted my computer. It did that every time I tried. I also tried to run other Metro apps and it was the same thing. It seems the Metro apps don't like my netbook. So Metro apps won't run on that netbook.

davidhk129 · Oct 22, 2013

Sorry to hear.
I am afraid I can no longer assist you.
Good luck.

Fromjim · Oct 22, 2013

Andrea Borman said:
Okay here are some more screenshots of my Windows 8 Pro running on my netbook. As you can see I have the Windows XP or Windows 7 desktop and start menu-Thanks to Classic shell. The software I have is ordinary software I use on windows 7-No metro apps.

The one Metro app I have is Apps Store which as you can see won't run on my netbook. In my other image you see it says screen resolution is too low to run Metro apps. But it won't go any higher on a netbook.

I have seen Windows 8 laptops in the shops which have the Metro apps and I was not impress. So I don't think you are missing anything not having the Metro apps.Why do we need them anyway when we can run ordinary software on Windows 8?

View attachment 25546 View attachment 25547 View attachment 25548

Andrea, I see "FreeCell" on your desktop, my wife loves FreeCell and I can't find it, could you help?
Thanks
God bless
Jim

Andrea Borman · Oct 22, 2013

David, first of all Metro apps were never designed to work on a netbook because of the low screen resolution. Secondly the site where I read about the registry edit, says that the regedit does not really change your screen resolution. It only tricks Windows into thinking you have a higher screen resolution.

Jim,the Freecell is taken from my Windows XP computer which I still have. All of the Games from Windows XP work on Windows 8 if you copy the program files over from Windows XP. So you can do that. If you have got 32 bit Windows 8 as I have you can also run all of the 16 bit apps such as Windows 3.1 and Windows 95 software and Games on Windows 8.

If you really want the Windows XP look on Windows 8 what do you think of this? Thanks to Classic Shell and windows XP wallpaper this is my Windows XP look desktop on Windows 8 Pro.

An image from 'Long Update Duration for Windows 8.1 Pro Upgrade on Dual Boot Laptop'. The image shows Windows XP Start menu overlaid on a Windows 8 'About Windows' screen.

mansurj1 · Oct 23, 2013

Andrea borman

Sent from my iPhone using WindowsForum

Windows 8 Long Update Duration for Windows 8.1 Pro Upgrade on Dual Boot Laptop

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