Why Have Most Windows 8 Users Not Upgraded to Windows 8.1?

Windows 8.1 is a free upgrade to Windows 8. It’s what the original Windows 8 should have been, with important improvements for both desktop and tablet users. So why are more people using Windows 8 than Windows 8.1?

It’s hard not to see this as a failure for Microsoft. Windows 8.1 is the first “new version” of Windows they’ve given out for free to existing users and most Windows 8 users aren’t biting.

Source

A Guy

 

[Wynona]

It has never been included in the cheaper home and student editions. You need at least the business edition to get outlook.

Yeah, I think I knew that . . .

However, Outlook is pretty much wasted on me, even if I've always had the Pro version of Office as far back as Office XP because I wanted Access. Like the Apple operating system, Outlook isn't one of my faves, so it goes begging while I use Thunderbird, which serves my needs.

 

[jimbo45]

It has never been included in the cheaper home and student editions. You need at least the business edition to get outlook.

Yeah, I think I knew that . . .

However, Outlook is pretty much wasted on me, even if I've always had the Pro version of Office as far back as Office XP because I wanted Access. Like the Apple operating system, Outlook isn't one of my faves, so it goes begging while I use Thunderbird, which serves my needs.

Hi there.

"Horses for Courses".

Outlook works fine for me -- especially if you use it for work as well and need to connect to a few different servers -- work EXCHANGE servers, and two home ISP IMAP accounts - not forgetting easy GMAIL integration too.

Setting up is an absolute doddle in Outlook 2007/2010. (Hate outlook 2013 though).

There are LOADS of different email packages - however I will agree that it's not worth buying the EXPENSIVE version of office just to have Outlook included - or even ACCESS -- if you need a database system there are loads of Freebies as well -- although MySQL does a decent job.

Access when used as a database system has a horrible habit of easily getting broken and it's not at all suited to Multi user operation. It's fine for simple modelling which is what I use it for and then I build a REAL database with MySQL.

If you run almost ANY Linux system as Host and your Windows as VM's then there are literally 100's of good FREE email programs out there - including Thunderbird. I still though run Outlook from a Windows VM - just my preference since I got office FREE via a previous contract.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[Wynona]

Hi there.

"Horses for Courses".

Outlook works fine for me -- especially if you use it for work as well and need to connect to a few different servers -- work EXCHANGE servers, and two home ISP IMAP accounts - not forgetting easy GMAIL integration too.

Setting up is an absolute doddle in Outlook 2007/2010. (Hate outlook 2013 though).

There are LOADS of different email packages - however I will agree that it's not worth buying the EXPENSIVE version of office just to have Outlook included - or even ACCESS -- if you need a database system there are loads of Freebies as well -- although MySQL does a decent job.

Access when used as a database system has a horrible habit of easily getting broken and it's not at all suited to Multi user operation. It's fine for simple modelling which is what I use it for and then I build a REAL database with MySQL.

If you run almost ANY Linux system as Host and your Windows as VM's then there are literally 100's of good FREE email programs out there - including Thunderbird. I still though run Outlook from a Windows VM - just my preference since I got office FREE via a previous contract.

Cheers
jimbo

Yes, I've been with email from the paid editions of Eudora, through several iterations of "live" mail (until it got so bad I couldn't stand it), beta tested Outlook and it couldn't stand me or my system, and finally settled on Thunderbird.

Although I don't have more than the one server, I travel a bit and Thunderbird collects my emails for me . . . @hotmail, @live, @gmail, etc. Each email addy is unique in that it serves a particular purpose; what is really great is that my maiden name is so unique that I can use it on all my @email clients.

As to Access, you're probably right . . . so far, all the "databases" I use have been created by others in Excel, so I'm kinda stuck. I tried to get our Owners Association to use a "real database" program without success, so although I've hung onto the higher priced versions of Office for all these years, Home and Office will most likely suffice for the time being. If I acquire another Office after 2013.

I keep thinking I'll try a Linux system but so far, haven't found the extra physical space. Once a legal matter I'm working on as researcher is done, though, I should have all the physical space I need.

 

[geeve420]

Wynona, you can use a thumb drive to boot linux from without touching any of the files or settings on you PC. It would run "Live" From the USB thumb drive. might be worth just checking out

Geeve

 

[Wynona]

Wynona, you can use a thumb drive to boot linux from without touching any of the files or settings on you PC. It would run "Live" From the USB thumb drive. might be worth just checking out

Geeve

Well, of course, I knew that . . . What was I thinking!?! Sigh . . .

So, if I boot from the jump drive, can I still get into Windows if and when I want to? Like, say, using one of my Windows programs?

 

[geeve420]

Basically you will boot from the jump drive. everything Linux runs from it, just make sure to make a persistent partition on the jump drive and it will keep the changes you make. When you want to use windows, just tell linux to reboot, remove the jump drive and reboot as you normally do

Geeve

 

[Arpan]

I have tried Linux Mint Cinnamon, Linux Mint KDE and Ubuntu so far. Linux Mint with the KDE desktop is what I like the most. I have found the KDE desktop interface to be most polished looking. So, if you are not sure which distro you want to try, I suggest try either Ubuntu or Linux Mint but with the KDE desktop. I hate Ubuntu's Unity interface and the ugly orange colour.

 

[hawkman]

not so easy to re-install

As the title suggest this is why i think its a major factor,
under prior versions you only required a set of disks AND an easily found product key, (on the sticker).
i got my laptop secondhand and thought it was pirate because it had no sticker.

So OK now found the my OEM (ASUS) code hidden away in the BIOS.
now i would only like to have 2 partitions AFTER the BIOS recovery, C and D.(in screenshot is that the way the disk is structured?)
I upgraded via the store, note which you can only do after a specific KB has also been downloaded, cant remember which one, and as this is identified as a new OS, you then get another recovery partition, see screenshot.
Which one to choose for recovery purposes??,(1,2 or 3) and if i create an 8.1 ISO/USB recovery medium,
Will it work first time, viewing this forum the odds dont look good for the average user, not quite 123 more like 4567.
Im quite happy to play around inside the registry and such but this seems too over complicated.

Roy

 

[Coke Robot]

As the title suggest this is why i think its a major factor,
under prior versions you only required a set of disks AND an easily found product key, (on the sticker).
i got my laptop secondhand and thought it was pirate because it had no sticker.

So OK now found the my OEM (ASUS) code hidden away in the BIOS.
now i would only like to have 2 partitions AFTER the BIOS recovery, C and D.(in screenshot is that the way the disk is structured?)
I upgraded via the store, note which you can only do after a specific KB has also been downloaded, cant remember which one, and as this is identified as a new OS, you then get another recovery partition, see screenshot.
Which one to choose for recovery purposes??,(1,2 or 3) and if i create an 8.1 ISO/USB recovery medium,
Will it work first time, viewing this forum the odds dont look good for the average user, not quite 123 more like 4567.
Im quite happy to play around inside the registry and such but this seems too over complicated.

Roy

That's just the UEFI BIOS and the GPT hard drive partitioning scheme. You have your system partition and OS partition. OEMs like to put in a recovery partition among others with their custom .wim file of all their drivers and bloatware so when you need to refresh Windows, you get put back to factory specs.

You only need two partitions to run Windows properly with UEFI BIOS: system and OS. Everything else is not needed.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Hello, hawkman. This is a news thread and not really a help thread. I can see why you may have posted here because of the thread title and recent posts' subject, however you would get better results of help if you started a thread of your own and posted your question here: Installation & Setup - Windows 8 Forums

 

[hawkman]

just pointing out the drawbacks

Hi Coke/Gypsie,
Understand what your saying Coke, but the average user wont know which is the correct recovery partition to use, and when you goto disc management, all you get when you right click is help, which takes you to a standard MS page.

Gypsie not looking for help, happy enough with the way my lapptops running, allthough an explanation of what these partitions represent might be handy if your going down the recovery road, as this is a standard OEM setup.

My main point was about the number of recovery partitions AFTER upgrading to 8.1

Roy

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Ok. I see. May as well continue here for this older thread is off topic anyway. I'm on my phone so I'm a little inhibited to answer with tutorials and can't see system specs.

The OEM recovery partitions are of no use in agreeing with CokeRobot, however, you'll need some other means of recovery if or when you desire to eliminate those partitions. They take up HD space IMO.

You may want to look into mirroring, which is the best means IMO. Someone else will have to advise you on that right now or I'll be back on my tower PC later on this afternoon to explain.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Can't edit posts on the phone either. In addition if you have install media, it has the option of formatting the whole drive, but I would think you don't want to mess with the UEFI partition.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Decided to get back on the tower for a bit to clear things up. Went too quick with me previous posts. It dawned on me now you have a used laptop that had 8 installed and you upgraded to 8.1 via the Store. I had 7, then upgraded to 8 via purchased install disk, and upgraded to 8.1 via the Store. It did not create a partition during the 8.1 upgrade process as seen below, so I have no idea on that one. I kept a partition in anticipation to dual boot with upcoming 9RPs.

Your OEM recovery partitions are only useful for recovering back to 8, then upgrade again to 8.1 via the Store. This would be a long process. You could keep the recovery partitions, but IMO wouldn’t. I do and would advise to mirror for recovery. I use Macrium Free to do so. Imaging with free Macrium - Windows 7 Help Forums

To eliminate or combine your partitions is beyond my knowledge, so others would have to help you there.

Whatever you decide, back up all of your important files and read all tutorial warnings before doing so.

 

[hawkman]

partitions/recovery

Hi Gypsie,
i do have macrium.
and your dawning is correct thats why i posted in this thread, especially as 1 of the recovery partitions is between C & D, certainly not ideal, and from Brinks posting this AM re a required security updated in 8.1 only adds to the fact that a lot more are going to have to upgrade, then decide to clean up thier drive and probably end up here saying i used the wrong recovery partition and i stuck with nothing!!, most likely OEM users like me. But the question still stands WHICH recovery partition do you use or copy

Roy

and i know about the hidden partition that doesnt show in disc management