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

 

[adamf]

http://www.w3schools.com/downloadwww.htm

Excellent link. I don't have enough disk space though apparently. What do you suggest?

(only joking btw).

 

[alphanumeric]

http://www.w3schools.com/downloadwww.htm

Excellent link. I don't have enough disk space though apparently. What do you suggest?

(only joking btw).

Cloud storage? bwa ha ha

 

[Onlyafrika]

Conclusion...........I think

I've been reading through this entire thread, and my conclusion is: I don't need 8.1 as long as 8 is working.
Few days ago, I did upgrade/update to 8.1, and I immediately got issues. First of all my Kaspersky Internet Security 2014 got compatibility problems. I were recommended by support to restore to windows 8 to get latest version, before upgrade to 8.1. (And YES, im aware of that I can use another Antivirus software).
Then the real problems started......It is now impossible to restore my PC to factory settings. All possible ways to restore through windows has been tried, also creating a restore for an USB stick.
Asus tells me that on my laptop (Asus S440CA,Intel Core i3-3217U CPU @ 1.80 Ghz 6GB RAM) there is no dedicated partition on HDD for factory restore, this function is in BIOS, which doesn't tell me anything.
Anyway, this doesn't belong in this thread I guess (please advice me where to put it)

I am now in the process of doing a clean install of Windows 8 Pro (Windows 8 came with the computer)
Is there any reason for me NOT to install Pro? And is there ANY reason I need 8.1?

Rgds.....

 

[alphanumeric]

Asus tells me that on my laptop (Asus S440CA,Intel Core i3-3217U CPU @ 1.80 Ghz 6GB RAM) there is no dedicated partition on HDD for factory restore, this function is in BIOS, which doesn't tell me anything.
Rgds.....

I would say you've been misinformed. I own an ASUS K75DE that originally came with Windows 8 Core factory installed. It had a factory installed recovery partition with the factory image of the factory install. I needed a 16 GB thumb drive to create the Recovery drive with the "copy recovery partition from the PC to recovery drive". With that drive you can do a reset and restore the factory image. At least that's what I was told by ASUS. It didn't work for me but that's another story. I had swapped out the factory hard drive for an SSD.

Your Windows 8 product code is embedded in the BIOS, maybe that's what they were referring to. My TechNet 8.0 ISO's read it out automatically during the install and install Core automatically without prompting me to enter a product code. My embedded code is for 8 core. If yours is for 8 Pro that's what will be installed, assuming you have unaltered official Microsoft install media.
I've moved on to Windows 8.1. My TechNet 8.1 ISO ignores the embedded 8.0 code and prompts me to enter one. I could install with one of the generic install codes and then activate with my 8.0 code but I just use one of my TechNet 8.1 codes. I have them so I use them. If your PC came with Core and your installing Pro you'll need a valid legal 8 Pro product code.

 

[Onlyafrika]

Asus tells me that on my laptop (Asus S440CA,Intel Core i3-3217U CPU @ 1.80 Ghz 6GB RAM) there is no dedicated partition on HDD for factory restore, this function is in BIOS, which doesn't tell me anything.
Rgds.....

I would say you've been misinformed. I own an ASUS K75DE that originally came with Windows 8 Core factory installed. It had a factory installed recovery partition with the factory image of the factory install. I needed a 16 GB thumb drive to create the Recovery drive with the "copy recovery partition from the PC to recovery drive". With that drive you can do a reset and restore the factory image. At least that's what I was told by ASUS. It didn't work for me but that's another story. I had swapped out the factory hard drive for an SSD.

Your Windows 8 product code is embedded in the BIOS, maybe that's what they were referring to. My TechNet 8.0 ISO's read it out automatically during the install and install Core automatically without prompting me to enter a product code. My embedded code is for 8 core. If yours is for 8 Pro that's what will be installed, assuming you have unaltered official Microsoft install media.
I've moved on to Windows 8.1. My TechNet 8.1 ISO ignores the embedded 8.0 code and prompts me to enter one. I could install with one of the generic install codes and then activate with my 8.0 code but I just use one of my TechNet 8.1 codes. I have them so I use them. If your PC came with Core and your installing Pro you'll need a valid legal 8 Pro product code.

I did create a recovery drive using a 16GB thumb drive, but it failed to recover my PC for a to to me, unknown reason. I ended up with an error message saying (translated from Norwegian) "Unable to reset the computer. An neccecary station partition is missing. Also there were referring to an error code: 8000 4005
I also tried Bactrack from Asus, with no success.
Last attempt: I got an USB recovery to thumb drive from another ASUS PC, and when prompted I choosed language and keyboard layout, then I choosed the USB drive before next step, and finally I got back to the language and keyboard selection.
It seems like some files are missing in the recovery made from my own computer, but there may also be other reason option 2 is not working.
I have access to Windows 8 Pro with valid serial, so that may be my solution.
Btw, what is TechNet 8.0 ?

 

[m4v3r1ck]

Sorry to be a pedant (and doubly so if I am wrong). 3gb is 3.221.225.472 bytes or 25.769.803.776 bits. At 55kbps this would take around 5 1/2 days. I guess your speed must be better than you thought (or my arithmetic worse of course). Cheers

OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

http://www.w3schools.com/downloadwww.htm

 

[alphanumeric]

@Onlyafrika

TechNet 8.0 > Windows 8.0 TechNet ISO. I got the "a required partition is missing" error too. For me I just attributed it to my SSD only being 128 GB to the original drives 750 GB. I was able to do a reset to factory condition from the hard drive via F9 on boot. I did it just before swapping out the factory drive for the SSD. It just never worked from the thumb drive with the SSD installed.


You may find that 8 Core gets installed even though your DVD is 8 Pro. The TechNet ISO's have Core and Pro on them and what is installed is determined by the Product Code you enter. I do believe Retail ISO's work the same way. If you didn't get prompted to enter a product code you will almost certainly end up with 8 Core if that is what was installed by the OEM. Press the Windows logo key and the pause/break key to see what's what. If it is only core and you want pro try clicking on add features and entering your pro key.

 

[adamf]

I've been reading through this entire thread, and my conclusion is: I don't need 8.1 as long as 8 is working.

No you don't for a few years at least. Apparently support finishes in 2016 but you can fix any issues before then presumably.

Is there any reason for me NOT to install Pro? And is there ANY reason I need 8.1?

Not at all. All versions of 8 are the same - 8 Pro has extra features enabled but if you don't use them it makes no difference. If you aren't interested in the 8.1 changes then don't do it. Personally I prefer 8.1 - you can see the differences here where it says "new" http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/32281-compare-windows-8-1-editions.html Certainly if you don't use the Pro features or 8.1 changes then it doesn't matter.

 

[alphanumeric]

I also prefer 8.1 over 8.0. It has advantages on my multi monitor setup over 8.0.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

8.1 is by far a much better system IMO. I'm amazed at how many more features they added in the few short months they did it in. Buggy at first, but with each Patch Tuesday it's been coming along nicely.

Why people refer to it as an update rather than an upgrade is beyond me. It is a vastly different OS in that it has many more features.

 

[alphanumeric]

Upgrade would be the word I'd use. The Windows kernel version gets up'd so it is technically a new OS.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Upgrade would be the word I'd use. The Windows kernel version gets up'd so it is technically a new OS.

Thanks for that agreement, Kerry. Yes, new kernel version = new edition.

It just dawned on me. Perhaps that's why there was trouble in the ranks of Microsoft and why Steven Sinofsky was asked to leave. He pushed 8 out the door too fast without more testing? I bet Microsoft wishes 8 didn't see the light of day.

It'll be interesting to watch now that Balmer and Gates are more or less out of the picture. Quite a big change within Microsoft since the release of 7 with their restructuring in many ways.

 

[alphanumeric]

Upgrade would be the word I'd use. The Windows kernel version gets up'd so it is technically a new OS.

Thanks for that agreement, Kerry. Yes, new kernel version = new edition.

It just dawned on me. Perhaps that's why there was trouble in the ranks of Microsoft and why Steven Sinofsky was asked to leave. He pushed 8 out the door too fast without more testing? I bet Microsoft wishes 8 didn't see the light of day.

It'll be interesting to watch now that Balmer and Gates are more or less out of the picture. Quite a big change within Microsoft since the release of 7 with their restructuring in many ways.

I'd have gone back to 7 on my desktop PC if 8.1 hadn't been released. 8.0 just didn't cut it for me on a multi monitor setup. I actually went back several times as I tried each of the previews and didn't like what I saw. Contrary to what some might think, it actually appears like they did in fact listen to customer feedback and make changes. I will say that even the final official version of 8.0 still felt unfinished to me. I think a lot of people felt that way. Some would say they went to far and some would say they didn't go far enough. That gets back the Metro's g8t or h8t thing I guess.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Kerry, I know you did the leaked updates. Do you boot to Desktop? If so, does WinKey/C get you the black Charms bar and time on it? How about hot corners? The right corners get you the white Charms bar? How about the lower left Start Flag and right click on that? Is the Start Flag still in the Task Bar?

 

[alphanumeric]

Kerry, I know you did the leaked updates. Do you boot to Desktop? If so, does WinKey/C get you the black Charms bar and time on it? How about hot corners? The right corners get you the white Charms bar? How about the lower left Start Flag and right click on that? Is the Start Flag still in the Task Bar?

WinKey plus C does bring up the charms bar. The right corners on each monitor brings up the white charms bar, it turns black when I mouse on to it. The White Flag as you call it is there on all three of my monitors and right click works as before. My taskbar spans all three monitors and shows icons for what's open on that monitor, Metro Apps and desktop programs. Pinned ICONS only show on my main monitor. Clicking the Start Button (white flag) opens the Start menu on the monitor I clicked the Start Button on.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Thank you so much! :thumb:

Wow! It looks as though they have come a long way with multi-monitoring. You must be in heaven at your work space! Has it always been this way, or has there been additional features via Windows Updates? Was W7 just as good?

I call it a flag, for buttons are usually round. I don't have the flag on my Task Bar for I installed StartisGone by our fellow member hb860. http://www.eightforums.com/free-dev...ove-start-button-windows-8-1-startisgone.html

Did you ever see the Aero wave it does when it first comes up in the lower left? It just does it once.

Thanks again!

 

[adamf]

I installed StartisGone by our fellow member hb860. http://www.eightforums.com/free-dev...ove-start-button-windows-8-1-startisgone.html

Me too - good isn't it

 

[HippsieGypsie]

I installed StartisGone by our fellow member hb860. http://www.eightforums.com/free-dev...ove-start-button-windows-8-1-startisgone.html

Me too - good isn't it

:thumb:

Excellent to say the least. Don't need no stinkin' Start Flag on my Task Bar! There's one in the hot corner already.

 

[alphanumeric]

Thank you so much! :thumb:

Wow! It looks as though they have come a long way with multi-monitoring. You must be in heaven at your work space! Has it always been this way, or has there been additional features via Windows Updates? Was W7 just as good?

I call it a flag, for buttons are usually round. I don't have the flag on my Task Bar for I installed StartisGone by our fellow member hb860. http://www.eightforums.com/free-dev...ove-start-button-windows-8-1-startisgone.html

Did you ever see the Aero wave it does when it first comes up in the lower left? It just does it once.

Thanks again!

It's what they did in the Metro side of things as far as multi monitor goes. The desktop side of things works the same as Windows 7. In 8.0 Metro snap would not work on my two 1280x1024 LCD screens, too small according to Microsoft. Also you could only open Metro apps on one monitor. In 8.1 I can snap 2 Metro Apps side by side on those 1280x1024 monitors and 3 on my 1080 P main screen all at the same time. I usually have the Slacker Radio App and The Weather Channel App running side by side on my left monitor. Outlook running on the right and IE on my main screen. I've run a dual monitor setup for quit a while. My second desktop PC is now connected to our flat screen TV and that freed up a third monitor. As luck would have it my Video card can run three monitors, 1 HDMI and 2 DVI. It wasn't planed but it worked so I enjoy it. I'll soon get a reality check when I start using my laptop again and have to go back to the one screen. I don't use it much in the Winter. Once spring arrives I'll be taking out on the deck.

 

[CountMike]

What about all the updates if someone stayed with plain W8 and not go to 8.1 or 8.1.1 ?