Windows 8.1 RTM Released to MSDN & Technet

Windows 8.1 is now available for download from Technet & MSDN

Based on the feedback from you and our partners, we’re pleased to announce that we will be making available our current Windows 8.1 and Windows 8.1 Pro RTM builds (as well as Windows Server 2012 R2 RTM builds) to the developer and IT professional communities via MSDN and TechNet subscriptions. The current Windows 8.1 Enterprise RTM build will be available through MSDN and TechNet for businesses later this month. For developers, we are also making available the Visual Studio 2013 Release Candidate, which you can download here. For more on building and testing apps for Windows 8.1, head on over to today’s blog post from Steve Guggenheimer.

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[Mystere]

IE 11 has blurred text issue as lots have said on this forum on some sites and is incompatible with java and other plug ins hopefully that be fixed when it is officially released or in next update it is the faster browser and hopefully the couple of issues will be fixed very soon then I can go back to windows 8.1 as I went back to windows 8 till IE 11 issues sorted

IE11 does not have blurred text issues. On some hardware, some people report blurry text in Windows 8 and 8.1, but this is related to Windows, not IE. Other people report similar problems with Chrome but not IE. Some see it in Metro mode, but not in Desktop or vice versa. The sheer randomness of the reports tells me that the problem isn't related any specific application, and may not even be entirely related to the OS specifically.. but rather a combination of factors.

IE only works with Java in desktop mode. It doesn't work with Java in Metro mode, and this is by design and won't be fixed as far as I know... unless Microsoft is working with Sun to have a special version of Java for WinRT. But Java works fine in desktop mode in IE11 on 8.1, at least it does for me.

If you're seeing problems with plug-ins, then it may be related to IE's Enhanced Protected Mode. You can turn this off (normal protected mode is still on). But, as with anything, plug-ins can be browser version specific and may need to be updated.. which doesn't typically happen until the browser has been officially released.

 

[Dave44]

IE 11 has blurred text issue as lots have said on this forum on some sites and is incompatible with java and other plug ins hopefully that be fixed when it is officially released or in next update it is the faster browser and hopefully the couple of issues will be fixed very soon then I can go back to windows 8.1 as I went back to windows 8 till IE 11 issues sorted

IE11 does not have blurred text issues. On some hardware, some people report blurry text in Windows 8 and 8.1, but this is related to Windows, not IE. Other people report similar problems with Chrome but not IE. Some see it in Metro mode, but not in Desktop or vice versa. The sheer randomness of the reports tells me that the problem isn't related any specific application, and may not even be entirely related to the OS specifically.. but rather a combination of factors.

IE only works with Java in desktop mode. It doesn't work with Java in Metro mode, and this is by design and won't be fixed as far as I know... unless Microsoft is working with Sun to have a special version of Java for WinRT. But Java works fine in desktop mode in IE11 on 8.1, at least it does for me.

If you're seeing problems with plug-ins, then it may be related to IE's Enhanced Protected Mode. You can turn this off (normal protected mode is still on). But, as with anything, plug-ins can be browser version specific and may need to be updated.. which doesn't typically happen until the browser has been officially released.

yes I am very aware of that I was talking about desktop mode when I tried yahoo games on IE 11 in desktop mode it didn't work because java would not work on it I am sure it be ok when it officially released.

I might go and put 8.1 on again and try turning off enhanced protected mode to see if that helps for now as I do love windows 8.1

 

[alphanumeric]

Maybe this will help you with your search issue. It won't totally disable search but it will kill the online adds that show up when you only want to search your PC for something.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27645-search-online-bing-turn-off-windows-8-1-a.html

 

[Mystere]

My point is, before you state something "for the record", you might want to make sure it's true.

I posted my factual findings and stand by my statement, whether you agree or not. You can re-read my post you so adamantly disagree with and check out the site yourself (provided you have an account) using IE11.

That said, "for the record", I stand by my statement(s).

Also, for the record, I happen to like IE11, growing pains aside.

Amway this conversation is finished

You know what's great about conversations? They're finished when everyone stops talking.

You didn't just post factual findings. You posted factual findings and then jumped to the conclusion that IE needed work to fix the problem. That's the part I disagree with.

I don't have an account, as i'm not a student, so I can't test it. However, as I said, I have never yet run into an issue that wasn't a bug in the sites browser sniffing. It's the most likely reason for a rendering issue you will encounter, and if you have not verified that this is not the problem, then your conclusion is not justified.

It doesn't do anyone any good to claim that IE is buggy when the problem is with the sites. In particular, IE11 has an entirely new User agent string. It no longer even says IE in it. This is the new string

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.3; WOW64; Trident/7.0; rv:11.0) like Gecko

Here is the old string

Mozilla/5.0 (compatible; MSIE 10.0; Windows NT 6.2; Trident/6.0)

In other words, if a site renders it's content based on browser type (and many do) then they won't recognize IE11 as an IE browser, much less recognize it at all. More than likely, it will send some broken version of the site.

This is simply the most likely reason for any rendering issue, so jumping to the conclusion the IE is buggy and needs work, and then defending that position despite other evidence.. well.. good luck with that.

 

[Dave44]

ok back on windows 8.1 turned off IE's Enhanced Protected Mode and now java working on yahoo games so very happy

 

[sygnus21]

Compatibility View Settings

For those having issues with webpages under IE11 try using compatibility View...

Tools, click Compatibility View Setting, than add the offending site. You should be on the offending site before adding.



Did this on both machines running IE11 (Win 7 & 8) and now my DreamSpark issues are gone. Hopefully this fixes the Giants.com live streaming issue I'm having as well. Won't know till they broadcast a live stream.

Anyway try compatibility view for troublesome sites.

Peace

 

[niekoniekonieko]

No, its full rtm version from microsofts dreamspark. You checked not all services, i checked them all, and they are limited. I bet when you disable windows search service, it will only disable indexing, but search will still work, and there still will be search boxes in explorer.

It might help if you specified which services you're referring to. I can't find a single one, so name one.

You asked how to "turn off" Windows Search, you didn't say "Uninstall". No, you can't uninstall search as it's integrated into the OS. It's a key part. You can turn it off though by disabling the search service.

In which way will disabling search service disables search ? I.e. in windows 7 you can completely disable search by unchecking it from "windows features" in add/remove programs -> it will disable search and it will remove search boxes from explorer.
Castrated services control is not a big deal, although windows 8 is a deal breaker itself, 8.1 is even a bigger deal breaker - broken usb power management and removed ability to control things like search is not the way i will go.

 

[Mystere]

For those having issues with webpages under IE11 try using compatibility View...

Yes, compatibility view is another option. That basically forces rendering in IE7 mode, IIRC. Which should still work. Live streaming may be a plug-in issue. The plug-in likely has to be upgraded to support IE's new Enhanced Protected Mode. If you disable that in advanced settings, it may work.

 

[waltc]

it does you can turn off hot corners on 8.1 and boot straight to desktop if you want

8.1 only allows you to turn off the upper right and left corners as hotspots. (See the navigation tab in taskbar properties.) You cannot turn off the lower left and right corners--right corner opens charms and left corner opens the "power menu." Wouldn't make any sense for Microsoft to allow you to mute all the corners, because then you'd be stuck and it would be highly awkward to say the least.

My point is that the control Classic Shell provides for the desktop is superior not merely because the program provides a very functional start menu, but because the program provides many more configuration options than are available from the desktop in 8/8.1. You can close all the corners down if you want with Classic Shell because now you have your start menu back and can go anywhere from there--plus, you can configure the Windows key (from CS) to either open the start screen or do nothing or do something else, if you like. By leaving off the start menu, Microsoft tied its hands in relation to providing this degree and level of user control over the desktop environment.

The great thing is that we don't have to let Microsoft's short-sightedness become an insurmountable impediment, thanks to programs like Classic Shell, which strive to overcome the limits Microsoft has deliberately hobbled (with respect to non-touch desktops) Windows 8/8.1 with... (I have nothing to do with Classic Shell, btw, it's just that I'm impressed that a program of the quality of the 3.9.5 version of CS is available as freeware.)

Other than this one glaring area--I like 8.1 just fine. Now that I've fixed 8.1 and brought it back to my standards, I prefer it to Win7, in fact. Here's hoping Microsoft gets its ducks in a row from now on out.

 

[waltc]

No, its full rtm version from microsofts dreamspark. You checked not all services, i checked them all, and they are limited. I bet when you disable windows search service, it will only disable indexing, but search will still work, and there still will be search boxes in explorer.

It might help if you specified which services you're referring to. I can't find a single one, so name one.

You asked how to "turn off" Windows Search, you didn't say "Uninstall". No, you can't uninstall search as it's integrated into the OS. It's a key part. You can turn it off though by disabling the search service.

What I *think* he's talking about is the unremarkable fact that there are certain services essential to the operation of Windows as an OS that are always on and so the user is given no options as to stopping them, disabling them, etc. The Windows Defender Service is one such service. However, you can "turn it off" by simply running the defender.cpl and turning off the real-time protection (which is advised policy if you decide to run another antimalware program.) At least, this is what I *think* he's talking about... Not sure why it bothers him, though.

 

[Mystere]

What I *think* he's talking about is the unremarkable fact that there are certain services essential to the operation of Windows as an OS that are always on and so the user is given no options as to stopping them, disabling them, etc. The Windows Defender Service is one such service. However, you can "turn it off" by simply running the defender.cpl and turning off the real-time protection (which is advised policy if you decide to run another antimalware program.) At least, this is what I *think* he's talking about... Not sure why it bothers him, though.

Ahh.. Well, that's one service that can't be disabled via Services.mmc. However, there is a reason for this. And the reason is to make it harder for malware and viruses to disable the anti-virus without your knowledge. Still, there are very few services like this, and it can be disabled in other ways.