automatically upgraded to Windows 8.1 for free

Buy Windows 8.1 - Microsoft Store

If you're already running Windows 8 you'll be automatically upgraded to Windows 8.1 for free on October 17. If you're running Windows 7, pre-order Windows 8.1 now.

See also: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/32995-windows-8-1-upgrade-windows-8-8-1-preview.html

 

[Shallow]

Yeah I also checked Windows update there but there wasn't any. I'm guessing that's because I'm running the evaluation copy of 8.1.

Anyway checking my laptop, which does have 8.1 RTM installed, I haven't gotten anything through the store, but Windows update offered me 3 updates totaling 241 meg.

View attachment 29444

As you indicate, the main one, 230 meg, is a roll up and finishing touch for 8.1 - Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 General Availability Update Rollup

As soon as I post this, I'll update as post back.

Later

I installed them fine. But my apps and start button broke after returning from start up. Apps start then exit to desktop while anything from the start button claims it couldn't find the file. I'm unsure if the updates did this or it's just a 8.1 bug with the OS but it seems likely.

Just for anyone with same problem. It was an error with the display drivers from AMD with my card for the apps. Wait for driver updates, in which there is one right now but I haven't installed yet. I know from the app troubleshooter.

 

[caleula]

My Windows 8.1 upgrade aborted because my User Profiles are on another drive!

All done and dusted after checking my Audit Mode and XML file notes.

 

[BFG]

Yeah I also checked Windows update there but there wasn't any. I'm guessing that's because I'm running the evaluation copy of 8.1.

Anyway checking my laptop, which does have 8.1 RTM installed, I haven't gotten anything through the store, but Windows update offered me 3 updates totaling 241 meg.

View attachment 29444

As you indicate, the main one, 230 meg, is a roll up and finishing touch for 8.1 - Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2 General Availability Update Rollup

As soon as I post this, I'll update as post back.

Later

I installed them fine. But my apps and start button broke after returning from start up. Apps start then exit to desktop while anything from the start button claims it couldn't find the file. I'm unsure if the updates did this or it's just a 8.1 bug with the OS but it seems likely.

Just for anyone with same problem. It was an error with the display drivers from AMD with my card for the apps. Wait for driver updates, in which there is one right now but I haven't installed yet. I know from the app troubleshooter.

For me only the windows store app crashes. All the other apps work fine. I have to use an older ati driver as well.

 

[Hybrid Vigor]

I've waited to the 18. with the download, so the run to the update servers wasn't as severe as in the first hours of release. I was able to dl with full speed. Everything worked good. A view assistant progs had to be updated, like 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, in order to work with 8.1. I had a little workaround with Classic Shell and the new starbutton. But now everything is ok. And I had to disable Windows Update Notifier temporarely ( a little freeware prog to install Defender Updates automaticly and ask me about real Windows updates) in order to get the following 8.1 updates. For me as a desktop user hasn't canged much.

 

[alphanumeric]

Which update was that? do you have a KB number for it. I have six updates for 10/172013, not sure if its one of those or all of those? I haven't noticed anything obvious.

As posted here - http://www.eightforums.com/windows-...-upgraded-windows-8-1-free-18.html#post291183

I see all three in my list of updates dated 10/17/2013, I haven't noticed anything different, not yet anyway.

 

[HOODY]

Ok.........so yesterday about halfway through the download, I stopped it.....decided to wait.........today, I couldn't stand it and went back to the store and it picked up where it left off, then installed everything which the setup seemed to take forever. Where I ran into the problem was the stupid microsoft acct password.........I don't have a microsoft acct and when I set up windows 8 initially, it forced me to make one, so I did.....I tweaked the setting so that it would boot automatically when I start windows.... so during setup, it asked me for my password. My fault for forgetting it. I had to go to another computer and go to live mail to reset it, then I was able to log in.......

I thought windows 8.1 update kept all your settings? It didn't on mine. I had to go back to change mouse sensitivity on my Lenovo laptop, because even with charms bar disabled in the new 8.1, it still activated the charms bar........once I changed mouse sensitivity, that stopped. Also, the wireless adapter had power management enabled, I had to turn that off again.........so all those little settings apparently have to be reconfigured........also, the windows 8.1 startup sound is enabled, but there is no startup sound............Otherwise, I have no issues and it seems fine, but it's really hard to notice much difference quite frankly....I guess when I delve into it more and look around I will notice some things...........

yeah that happens, I found a few programs I had to go and do the run as admin, and a few that had to be made compatable with earlier versions of windows. I had no problems as far as making any kind of passwords, it just D/L and installed. only re install I had was the comodo security suite, it got hosed. and yeah had to re install the HP graphics driver to get my radeon to work, cause FF wouldn't run except in safe mode on the intel gpu.

I did mess myself up cause I actually deleted my W8 image lolol, so I hope this one doesn't get hosed lol, I did manage to create a new Image with Acronis 2010, which is working as usual on 8.1, btw Office 2002 works fine on 8.1 too, some have said it wasn't compatable.

still hope to see the ISO for this thing though.

 

[samanthablock]

I spent some time last night playing around with the new 8.1 to make sure nothing is screwed up. I finally got the startup sound to work. When I looked, it was checked "enable startup sound", but I didn't hear it on startup, and when I looked again, it was unchecked! Weird! But after checking it again, the startup sound works. I tried all of my programs, different websites, google earth, everything I could think of. Everything seems to work great..........so with that, I created an IMAGE in case of a future refresh. But about a week ago, I did the same thing.....with windows 8.....One of the images is called customrefresh and the other is called refreshimage........Here's my question: I don't want the refreshimage file anymore, can I simply just go to the C drive and delete that unwanted image? It seems like a really stupid question, but I just don't want to screw something up...the image is over 3 gigs, that's why I want to delete it if I can. As you can tell, I'm sort of an intermediate GEEK, not a FULL ON computer geek.

 

[HOODY]

just fyi

New details about Windows 9 have leaked

Indicative Roadmap for Windows 9, the next update after Blue.
Windows 9 Beta (7 January 2014)
Windows 9 Release Candidate (July 2014)
Build 2014: Windows 9 RTM (October 2014)
November 2014: Windows Release 9

seen something too about no desktop at all in that version, I dono?

the way things are going it may be just better to keep the "old" computer/laptop as is and just buy a whole new machine if you need to "update" in the future lol.

 

[waltc]

I've waited to the 18. with the download, so the run to the update servers wasn't as severe as in the first hours of release. I was able to dl with full speed. Everything worked good. A view assistant progs had to be updated, like 7+ Taskbar Tweaker, in order to work with 8.1. I had a little workaround with Classic Shell and the new starbutton. But now everything is ok. And I had to disable Windows Update Notifier temporarely ( a little freeware prog to install Defender Updates automaticly and ask me about real Windows updates) in order to get the following 8.1 updates. For me as a desktop user hasn't canged much.

You probably already realize it, but version 3.9.5 of Classic Shell is specifically tailored for 8.1. I only use the Start-button/menu function, though. I really like the degree of control it gives you over the hotspots and charms sidebar--more than 8.1 provides in that you can turn them all off if you like...

 

[HOODY]

I spent some time last night playing around with the new 8.1 to make sure nothing is screwed up. I finally got the startup sound to work. When I looked, it was checked "enable startup sound", but I didn't hear it on startup, and when I looked again, it was unchecked! Weird! But after checking it again, the startup sound works. I tried all of my programs, different websites, google earth, everything I could think of. Everything seems to work great..........so with that, I created an IMAGE in case of a future refresh. But about a week ago, I did the same thing.....with windows 8.....One of the images is called customrefresh and the other is called refreshimage........Here's my question: I don't want the refreshimage file anymore, can I simply just go to the C drive and delete that unwanted image? It seems like a really stupid question, but I just don't want to screw something up...the image is over 3 gigs, that's why I want to delete it if I can. As you can tell, I'm sort of an intermediate GEEK, not a FULL ON computer geek.

pretty much any file YOU create can be removed, I don't know what those are, but I delete old images all the time, I use Acronis 2010, and also use the built in windows image program (system image backup on W8.1) I do rename the windows images I made of my original W7 and my W8 because when you run the image program in windows it automatically puts it into the same default named folder, overwriting your old one, and I wanted to hold on to those.

I never recovered a system yet using one of the MS backups though, I was able to make a recovery DVD with 7 and 8, which I assume would be able to boot and recover the backups in case the whole computer didn't boot, but with 8.1 there isn't that option, so I dono, I assume that the DVD I created for W8 would still work the same, I dono, hope I don't need to find out, lol, I have my Acronis for that.

 

[waltc]

I spent some time last night playing around with the new 8.1 to make sure nothing is screwed up. I finally got the startup sound to work. When I looked, it was checked "enable startup sound", but I didn't hear it on startup, and when I looked again, it was unchecked! Weird! But after checking it again, the startup sound works. I tried all of my programs, different websites, google earth, everything I could think of. Everything seems to work great..........so with that, I created an IMAGE in case of a future refresh. But about a week ago, I did the same thing.....with windows 8.....One of the images is called customrefresh and the other is called refreshimage........Here's my question: I don't want the refreshimage file anymore, can I simply just go to the C drive and delete that unwanted image? It seems like a really stupid question, but I just don't want to screw something up...the image is over 3 gigs, that's why I want to delete it if I can. As you can tell, I'm sort of an intermediate GEEK, not a FULL ON computer geek.

Yes, you can safely delete any of those files you like--at least you know which is which... What I do in those cases is to include the date in the file name (or some other pertinent info that helps me to recall what's in the backup) as that makes telling the files apart much simpler if you have more than one of them.

 

[samanthablock]

I spent some time last night playing around with the new 8.1 to make sure nothing is screwed up. I finally got the startup sound to work. When I looked, it was checked "enable startup sound", but I didn't hear it on startup, and when I looked again, it was unchecked! Weird! But after checking it again, the startup sound works. I tried all of my programs, different websites, google earth, everything I could think of. Everything seems to work great..........so with that, I created an IMAGE in case of a future refresh. But about a week ago, I did the same thing.....with windows 8.....One of the images is called customrefresh and the other is called refreshimage........Here's my question: I don't want the refreshimage file anymore, can I simply just go to the C drive and delete that unwanted image? It seems like a really stupid question, but I just don't want to screw something up...the image is over 3 gigs, that's why I want to delete it if I can. As you can tell, I'm sort of an intermediate GEEK, not a FULL ON computer geek.

Yes, you can safely delete any of those files you like--at least you know which is which... What I do in those cases is to include the date in the file name (or some other pertinent info that helps me to recall what's in the backup) as that makes telling the files apart much simpler if you have more than one of them.

Ok got it.........I remember which is which..........But say I leave both of them.............when doing a refresh, I'm assuming during the process it will ask you which image you want if you have multiple images. Right?

Thanks

 

[Wds]

Hi All .

My wds 8.1 up and running good now , and I just made a set of windows recovery "5 dvds" in case I need to reinstall .
My question is that the recovery will be wds 8.1 OR the original 8 ....
if that ... we have to go through 8.1 update again after recovery ...!!!


Any idea ..?

Thanks

 

[alphanumeric]

Hi All .

My wds 8.1 up and running good now , and I just made a set of windows recovery "5 dvds" in case I need to reinstall .
My question is that the recovery will be wds 8.1 OR the original 8 ....
if that ... we have to go through 8.1 update again after recovery ...!!!


Any idea ..?

Thanks

I do believe I read somewhere than if you upgrade though the store, you factory recovery partition is untouched. Doing a reset would put you back to Windows 8. If you do a clean install a reset would reset Windows 8.1. I'm not sure what happens if you update via the ISO/DVD. Short answer, I'm not sure?

 

[HOODY]

Hi All .

My wds 8.1 up and running good now , and I just made a set of windows recovery "5 dvds" in case I need to reinstall .
My question is that the recovery will be wds 8.1 OR the original 8 ....
if that ... we have to go through 8.1 update again after recovery ...!!!


Any idea ..?

Thanks

what you mean "a set of recovery dvd's" if your talking about making a backup Image using some backup program than ONLY what you just backed up will be recovered, the image of what you had, 8.1

I see no option in Windows after the update to create a set of "recovery" DVD's like you do when you buy your machine and the manufacturer gives you that option to create a set of OS recovery DVD's, those ONLY re install the OS as it came from the factory, any image backups you make using another program will re install your OS AS you backed it up incl ALL your stuff.

I only see the file backup, or Image backup in "file history" on W8.1 and I don't see where you can select a DVD drive anyway, in mine it only gives me the external HD I have connected.

 

[sygnus21]

Hi All .

My wds 8.1 up and running good now , and I just made a set of windows recovery "5 dvds" in case I need to reinstall .
My question is that the recovery will be wds 8.1 OR the original 8 ....
if that ... we have to go through 8.1 update again after recovery ...!!!


Any idea ..?

Thanks

I do believe I read somewhere than if you upgrade though the store, you factory recovery partition is untouched. Doing a reset would put you back to Windows 8. If you do a clean install a reset would reset Windows 8.1. I'm not sure what happens if you update via the ISO/DVD. Short answer, I'm not sure?

Yeah the way I understand it, as long as you don't delete the recovery partition, the system will be restored to the factory settings the machine arrived with. Having an ISO of 8.1 I did a clean install to the OS hard drive, however because I never touched the recovery partition should I need to do a recovery, it'll be from the recovery partition which is Windows 8.

I asked a somewhat similar question here and the answer was what I stated above - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a-4.html#post227675

 

[alphanumeric]

Hi All .

My wds 8.1 up and running good now , and I just made a set of windows recovery "5 dvds" in case I need to reinstall .
My question is that the recovery will be wds 8.1 OR the original 8 ....
if that ... we have to go through 8.1 update again after recovery ...!!!


Any idea ..?

Thanks

I do believe I read somewhere than if you upgrade though the store, you factory recovery partition is untouched. Doing a reset would put you back to Windows 8. If you do a clean install a reset would reset Windows 8.1. I'm not sure what happens if you update via the ISO/DVD. Short answer, I'm not sure?

Yeah the way I understand it, as long as you don't delete the recovery partition, the system will be restored to the factory settings the machine arrived with. Having an ISO of 8.1 I did a clean install to the OS hard drive, however because I never touched the recovery partition should I need to do a recovery, it'll be from the recovery partition which is Windows 8.

I asked a somewhat similar question here and the answer was what I stated above - http://www.eightforums.com/tutorial...usb-flash-drive-windows-8-a-4.html#post227675

You may have a bit of trouble actually accessing it though. It's my understanding that the link to it is in the boot loader so your clean install may have broken that link. Your factory F (function key) used to access it may not work now. Windows may not see it either. My laptop had two recovery partitions, one small one and one large one. I swapped my factory drive for an SSD and couldn't restore the factory setup back to it. Even with the recovery thumb drive with the factory recovery partition copied to it. I've since wiped the factory drive and put it in an external enclosure. I have 8 and 8.1 install media via TechNet so its no big deal for me.

 

[sygnus21]

Yeah it looks like you're right. I just tried to recover my laptop using the supplied instructions and hitting F9, what I get is Windows options, but nothing to do with accessing the hidden partition for the laptop. In short no recovery partition.

Oh, well, like you, I have the 8.1 ISO image with it's own key so same here, no sleep lost.

Looks like I need to create a backup image for the new OS now.

Thanks for the heads up :thumb:

 

[Wds]

I used The app that comes with the lap top . and looks like you all are right . It only makes the original OS that came with .

That don't make sense to me . when you open system info , it said wds 8.1 , why can't it copy that ...?





Thank you all .

 

[Joan Archer]

After I'd updated my Notebook I made an image backup using Acronis True Image 2013 and also a Windows Image through File History, both to an external hard drive.