Reply With QuoteInstalling it now.
Having had Windows 8 pre-installed on my Laptop, I couldn't wait for the newly improved 8.1 update. Having arrived today and downloaded it (just under 4 gig) I hope that this live up to expectations.
Anyone else trying it?
B
Installing it now.
thanks will do an update now.
FYI, you have to get from the store as I was unable to get it through Windows Update in Control Panel.Originally Posted by timestuff
Yup ! did it about 1pm today, no fuss, no drama. start button back to where it should be.
Everything worked and works ( touch wood).
8.1 reminds me a lot of 3.1 ( apart from the apps shell) I have 98/xp/NT/7/mac and now 8.1 (upgraded from 8)
Seems pretty good to me -don't know what all the bellyaching is about.
XP et al die from next year anyway so time to move on............long live the king.
B
I have used windows 8 just once it made me very angry, its going to be a version i skip
Updated my laptop and desktop machines with it last night (they were both on Win8).
Seems quite a lot snappier performance wise...but that could be a placebo effect.
Hopefully they've addressed the 'touch-screen-centric' nature of Windows 8 and made it feel more integrated for keyboard users.
Even with all this, I really liked Windows 8 once I got used to its quirks.
Yep works well. Does seem faster than W8. Booting to the desk top is great. Takes a while to download.
I agree it's faster. I have been using Start8 on Windows 8 so I've always booted to the desktop and had a start menu. Recommended.
Ok but not a vast improvement. Desktop was only ever one key press away.
It was only a click away but I still found it annoying. Another plus for me is that the 4 minute delay in connecting with wifi on my lenova laptap has mysteriously resolved itself despite pulling my hair out to find a fix.
Its like a new laptap.
Got it from app store last night as upgrade to Win 8 and can say although it looks more or less the same, it really is a whole new OS and now seems to work perfect.........for my needs anyway, why couldn't they simply have done this with Vista.
Something I don't like about 8.1 is the way 'Computer' has been renamed 'This PC' - clicking this then shows all the drives and the personal folders (Music, Documents etc) from the system ('C') drive.
I don't use the default Music, Videos folders (My Music, My Videos are on second drive due to space requirements) so these are empty.
They're all accessible via 'Libraries' of course but use of this seems to be out of favour now.
Looks like I'm the only one having serious doubts and issues then!
I love Win 8, upgraded to 8.1 this morning, what a disaster! Vile coloured tiles, that I can't change, some blending in with the icons do I can't see what's what, strange behaviour on Windows snapping which never occurred in 8, desktop mode displaying things in poor clear type even though resolution hasn't changed and what on earth has happened to Chrome!? IE looks beautiful, but all text and edges are a fuzzy mess in Chrome, it looks awful!
Some Googling shows I'm not alone. Just need to figure out how to roll back.
My advice, read up before taking the plunge!
Just collapse the folders on your opening view and rename the icon back to My Computer - I have.
And lets not forget the explorer shell command/goto.
On the desktop open a new shortcut
Right-click on an empty part of your desktop, select New > Shortcut ------ type "Explorer Shell: AppsFolder in the "Location" box.
Click Next and enter a name say "All Programs" - click Finish. ....................and Voila
Double-clicking that shortcut will open a folder listing all your installed programs, including the apps.
You can launch whatever you like from there......and you can pint it to your taskbar and/or your Metro/Start screen - but I guess the start screen pin is redundant now the mid screen downswipe reveals all apps.
B :-)
Last edited by Brian; 19th October 2013 at 13:36.
Thanks Brian, but it's not the name 'This PC' I object to, it's what it does.
It's useful to show the various drives/capacities etc. but it now also shows (at the top) various folders which are largely irrelevant.
BTW anyone having problems with keyboard since upgrade. Typing is now a nightmare as key presses often missed. Tried keyboard settings to no avail.
did the update yesterday, but I had been running 8.1 preview so wasn't a whole lot different for me
I originally installed the preview on top of my OEM supplied w8 install, but it wasn't a very happy bunny... but i'd been planning a SDD upgrade for a while (if you haven't done this, do this)
so I downloaded the preview iso & installed from DVD.
yesterday when I updated from the iso built drive, I was told I had to purchase win8.1 (because i'd installed from iso) for £99, I took this on the chin, as when I downloaded the iso I took the liberty of going with the pro version (my shipped-with OS was home)
but when I checked, it seemed like the new 8.1 i'd updated too wasn't pro (well I can't find hyper-v !!)
this annoyed me and I immediately was adamant that I wasn't going to pay for it!!
luckily I still had the hdd that had the original downloaded 8.1 preview on it, so I was able to extract the prod key & use this on the SDD install.
Once activated w8.1 let me do my (minimal) desired customisation and runs pretty much as the preview!
one thing to note, is that win8.1 removes all your apps, even Microsoft ones, like office so you need to put them back on again:(
so all-in-all I spent quite a while f***ing around with the laptop yesterday
luckily, this is the only windows device, the other laptop I keep on w7 as a back up and my mrs stuff is all mac (she of course found the whole windows process and my various points of frustration highly amusing)
overall i'm not really techy enough to truly rate the new OS... I went to win8.1 with a SSD, so I was always going to notice a speed increase
I was told that the kernel structure of w8, was basically w7 with a different GUI, I've no idea if w8.1 has changed this....
if w8/8.1 has taught me anything its the incessant need for run in compatibility mode !!!
the metro tiles of w8 were far to non-configurable and 8.1 has fixed that nicely, but i'm not really a heavy user of my home machine, just internet stuff and the odd office document, so I can usually get by with taskbar shortcuts
where you having the problem? if its on the internet you'll to add the site to the compatibility list
TZ for example needs to be in this list
No keyboard probs here - and I use a wireless one!
Btw, anyone tried browsing eBay on the Win 8.1 Metro version (or whatever they're now calling it) of IE?
Virtually unusable - backing out from a specific auction listing to the general search results seems to cache image data or something else EVERY TIME, causing delays. Even in an auction listing, the photos regularly just disappear without trace. Bizarre.
Usually use Chrome or Firefox, so not sure if this behaviour also occurred on the Win8 version.
I suppose it is on the internet (as that's mainly where I've been) but I don't think it's an IE issue. TZ is on the list and I still have problems here. Seems to miss random keys as if delay is wrong (not just enter key which has been TZ problem in past).
It is a wireless keyboard BTW.
At last, i'm free.
Search for something with Google (desktop IE11) - navigate to one of the resulting hits then use the browser 'back' button to return to search results. Requires 2 presses - 1 just gives a blank page.
This is with compatibility off. 8.1 started with compatibility on for Google but the display is then unusable.
Windows 8.1 might be an improvement but I think IE11 breaks a lot of sites and think I might be using Chrome as default browser in future.
That's weird, TZ is fine for me, the only thing I have compatibility with was good old Google search but that disappeared within an hr or so everything else seems fine to me, is it hardware issues like the bad old days of win 95-98
Go to compatibility and uncheck the "use microsoft compatibility lists " should be fine then.
B
Already done this.
EDIT : Is this on the metro launch or a desktop launch ??? BtW
Have you removed all the cookies etc (Crap Cleanered) and restarted as well ?
This has happened to me on an XP SP3 version as well but it just disappered of its own accord.
I always have chrome/explorer/bookmarks synced to "judge" site issues. I think it will be a wise move to get chrome as well
B
Last edited by Brian; 19th October 2013 at 15:33.
As a self-confessed technophobe with computers, I dread having to make any changes.
I fail to understand why the f*****g geeks can`t get it right first time when they launch these things. Seems to be par for the course in the whole IT business.
Thank god these people don`t run chemical plants or nuclear power stations.
Paul
This is with desktop IE. Here's an example:-
search 'fish' in Google. This is the resulting search string:-
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fi...BKml0wW7vIGIDA
from list of results, choose Wikipedia entry:-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fish
press browser back button, gives blank page (a different result to clicking this link now, which goes back to Wikipedia entry):-
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...54934254,d.d2k
press again and back to start:-
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fi...BKml0wW7vIGIDA
Chrome works as expected with a slightly different search string:-
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=fi...sm=93&ie=UTF-8
I've cleaned everything with CCleaner and rebooted. Any idea what's up?
Just installed, all seems well.
Awaits blue screen of death/yellow circle of doom/meltdown !!
I'll look at this tomorow - but just tested on XP and NT& 7 - all ok.
Shouldn't really have had that extra one tonight :-)..............zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Just doing mine and I can't get past the bit where you have to enter your Microsoft account details, The account name and password are not compatible andI see no way of logging in using another Microsoft account details. The second account is valid but I can't remove the original one from the pc , any clues ????/
I had an issue here too where the @ symbol was unavailable until I clicked the keyboard button to select UK...
"I looked with pity not untinged with scorn upon these trivial-minded passers-by"
Seems to be a known issue http://www.eightforums.com/browsers-...-properly.html.
Yea picked up that topic - and a few more besides.
One thing that you could try is :
see if there are any unknown browser addons internet options/programs/ manage addons - then possibly reset internet explorer settings in the advanced tab of internet options.
Further up the programs page "choose how you open links" select "always in internet explorer on the desktop"
Apply and restart.
I am not confident on this metro vs desktop launch approach yet(from a currency perspective). Good luck.
B
Last edited by Brian; 20th October 2013 at 11:49.
Cannot get update to show in Windows Store, appears to be common problem they are trying to fix, something to do with an update that will not load on either of my pcs :(((
Cheers
Simon
Ralph Waldo Emerson: We ask for long life, but 'tis deep life, or noble moments that signify. Let the measure of time be spiritual, not mechanical.
Did as you suggest but still no joy. Probably best I just monitor threads like one I posted till Google sorts it out. Bit of a shambles that stuff like this wasn't picked up before 8.1 general release.
Thanks, Dave
Windows RT 8.1 update pulled from Microsoft's Windows Store following errors
Microsoft removed the Windows RT 8.1 update from its Windows Store earlier this morning, as they investigated a 'situation.'
Read the post: "Windows RT 8.1. Microsoft is investigating a situation affecting a limited number of users updating their Windows RT devices to Windows RT 8.1. As a result, we have temporarily removed the Windows RT 8.1 update from the Windows Store. We are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience. We will provide updates as they become available."
That is really annoying - that sort of thing would get on my nerves - I think we are in the realms of the resrticted sites or anti virus back button problems of a couple of years ago all over again. I don't know if you rememeber but Norton/Mcafee caused some issues and googleclick ads on websites caused problems. You'll have to keep your eyes on the site that you mentioned that user JIMBO seems to have recreated it whereas I can't.
Best of luck
Brian
oh dear, been using 8.1 and realised now I can't print from my computer using our wireless printer.
Anyone has this issue and offer advice? My desktop computer still prints so its not an issue with the printer or wifi.
Looks to be a common problem too as just googled it, if this worked then I would be happy with the upgrade especially with the start button....
- - - Updated - - -
anyone know if I can go back to windows 8!?
I think I'll wait until you beta testers have ironed out all the bugs ;-).
Eddie
Whole chunks of my life come under the heading "it seemed like a good idea at the time".
I had 4 Windows Updates to apply to my 8.1 installation earlier - maybe fixes a few of these problems. Seems very early for 4 updates!
microsoft should be paying us early adoptors for there research and development!
Installed the update and trotted down to Scan the next day to build my new Haswell ITX system and take advantage of things like the C7 power states and faster booting with UEFI.
I've spent a good day with 8.1 today getting everything sorted and I'm glad to say that it's so much more refined. It's sorted almost all the little gripes I had with 8 and they're slowly starting to integrate more in to Metro. I'm happy!
Kingstepper - Dave, I have managed to recreate your browser back button issue on one machine(from a metro launch) but I'm afraid that I will not be attempting to find a hack since I am rolling the update back on that machine because of hardware issues. (Lenovo.)
The ASUS however is fine but doesn't seem to have the back button anomaly.
Brian
Now reconciled Account an p/word details and works just fine.
From the BBC website today:
JakeThe updated version of the web browser has caused Google search results to be mashed together at the left hand side of a display. Others have reported IE11 has caused similar usability problems with Google's Play website and Music service.
In a statement, Microsoft said changes Google had made to its search and other sites were responsible for the glitches. Despite this, Microsoft has now made changes of its own to fix the problem, which can be turned on by unticking an option in IE11 that makes the browser use "Microsoft Compatibility lists".
pretty sure my batt life is worse on 8.1, compared to 8.1 preview....
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