Win 8 Upgrade to Win 8.1 observations

The upgrade installation from 8 to 8.1 seemed to install flawlessly with not even a hiccup..

After Installation I checked several of my programs including the ones I wrote with Visual Basic 5..0.
I also checked my Home Server that I use to host an elaborate Family web page and etc.
Everything appeared to be OK.

However, it didn't take too long to find problems.

1) had to change the Windows 8.1 Log In type.
I changed from the "Microsoft Account" to the "Local Account".
This was done to eliminate the need to use a Log-In Password.

2) Classic Start Menu
The check box to bypass the windows Start Screen was missing.
With 8.1. It would not go directly to the conventional DeskTop.
This was corrected by installing the latest version 4.0.0.0 of the "Classic Start Menu" program.

3) IE 11
Some web pages are not displayed correctly. For example:
I use Verizon Web Email. Much of what is supposed to be displayed in the Verizon Web Mail page is missing.

Also, the displayed information from the results of a Search is totally screwed up.
I have not found any fix yet.

4) Google Chrome.
This was sluggish with lots of problems.
This was corrected by downloading and installing the latest version of Google Chrome

5) Printers:
I have 3 printers in my network. 1 is wireless and the other 2 are attached to 2 of my network computers.
One of the 3 printers did not print color as it should.
This was corrected by Uninstalling the driver and restarting the computer.
Upon restart, there were no indications that "New Hardware" was found and that the driver was being installed, etc. However, after another restart, the problem with the printer was fixed.

Obviously, Windows 8.1 needs a lot of tender care before some things work as expected.
I was hoping to use the computer for constructive tasks instead of spending a lot of time fixing it.
I went through all of that with 95, 8, XP, Win 7, Win 8.0 and now Win 8.

Anthony

Thanks for sharing your well documented upgrade experience. Nicely done!

Thank you "My2Cents". I have received a lot of help and information in this forum and I just wanted to contribute something that may be helpful to others. Anthony

System Restore was turned off on mine, along with a few other things that had to tweaked.

Hello Clint! System Restore was also turned of on mine as well. I forgot to mention that. Along with a few other things like you.

I'm still finding things. Some of my usernames and passwords were not saved either. I don't know if this is an up grade or a down grade. Everything seen a lot slower.

awbarnett, using my Favorite in Google, several critical displays on the Verizon web mail site also whacked out for me right after switching from Windows 8 and ie 10 directly to Windows 8.1 and ie 11 via the Windows store. The Verizon web mail site does work unchanged via my Favorite in Google Chrome. I prefer the way Google shows Favorites, but I keep Google Chrome as a another option on my home Desktop PC since one or the other have whacked out for some sites in the past after other Updates, etc. I see no problem in the downloading to my PC, but I do use the Verizon web mail site directly when travelling and as a free back up for selected emails, like purchases. JS10013

Can't get screen saver to work any more. IE 11 crashes and so does Windows Live Mail. I think I'll try a clean install of 8.1. If that is the same I'll go back to 8.

I had a few problems after upgrading, but realised they were only happening on my user account. I just created a new account and set a few things up again and all is good.
It was really easy for me to migrate to a new account as all my user documents are kept on a separate hard drive.

awbarnett said:

3) IE 11
Some web pages are not displayed correctly. For example:
I use Verizon Web Email. Much of what is supposed to be displayed in the Verizon Web Mail page is missing.

Also, the displayed information from the results of a Search is totally screwed up.
I have not found any fix yet.

Click to expand...

Try compatibility view... Tools, click Compatibility View Settings, and add the troublesome website.

Fixed my issue here: IE11 Release Preview for Windows 7 Now Available

sygnus21, adding Verizon.com to the box in Compatibility View in IE 11 got the Verizon email inbox options to come out of hiding. I also went back and added Google.com instead of the fix of unchecking Use the Microsoft list, which is widely recommended on the Web. It is not clear to me if the unchecking might affect adversely other sites so it was worrying me a bit. The Google version via Compatibility is pretty far back, e.g., the Search options are on the side, not along the top, but it works fine. Thanks! JS10013

On my Dell it went OK (if slow), but the Comodo A/V no longer worked nor did the desktop gadgets, but this ws easy fixed. I have a W8 Pro Upgrade & was forced to call MS to reconfirm my license after the upgrade! Also had the desktop watermark: SecureBoot is not Properly Configured - yeah that will be because I want to keep the option to boot to Linux!

On my friend's Toshiba (a new machine) much worse, Store download kept failing with an 0x80070002 error (gosh that helps). After a lot of internet searching (and much BS from MS), I found the answer here (thanks) that this is often due to a prev. failed Windows Update & can be reset by using the built-in DISM Tool:
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/26512-dism-fixing-component-store-corruption-windows-8-a.htmlHope this helps & thanks MS (for nothing). PS: Apple now offer their OS for free, take note M$.

Can update devices as non-admin now

A surprise plus in my going to Windows 8.1 and IE 11. For updating my Tomtom GPS and Logitech remote, before, I had to log-on as the Administrator (I log-on almost always as a User to make life more difficult for potential hackers). I wouldn't even get the usual option of putting in the Administrator password, and it took me a while to even figure out that that I had to log-on as the Administrator for the sites to work, as opposed to something else. Now, logged in as a user, I was asked once if I trusted each site to be an exception to Enhanced Protection, the default in IE 11. One Yes for each and the sites and the updating of the devices work without a problem as a User. Even with the temporary need for Compatibility Views, I am a fan of 8.1 and IE 11 so far, a little for some more speed and more for better security from what I read and see. JS10013

Update re TomTom. A couple of days ago TomTom changed its website yet again, now it's TomTom Drive to get updates. The TomTom user sites confirm, as I found, that IE 11, even with compatibility, didn't work with it, but went into a loop. TomTom Drive worked fine in Google Chrome, which I keep as a backup and as a convenience, e.g., I stay logged in on Amazon under my password in Google Chrome while my wife does the same in IE. Still, the new twist makes me a little less of an 8.1 and IE 11 fan for now. JS 10013