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

 

[sygnus21]

Hi !

Computer , where i have Windows Pro 8 installed, isn't connected to internet connection.
Will there be a way to install 8.1 update to offline computer ?

Thanks in advance,
Best

Short answer.... no.

Unless you has an ISO image, which is rare to none, you'll have to have an internet connection to upgrade.

 

[HOODY]

I'm downloading now too...........and I must be crazy for doing so. I finally just got used to 8 and got everything the way I wanted it, running perfect.........and this download is incredibly slow! I keep trying to talk myself out of STOPPING the download.......and just leave things the way they are for now.......but I can't......but from what I read, after the download finishes, you have to manually click the installer file on the desktop, correct? If you change your mind, you can just delete that file? Or am I wrong?

Oh Oh, and can someone explain to me about the .iso...........why do people prefer that over the store upgrade?

lol I'm the same way lol, but I made a full Image backup of my W8 setup just prior to starting the D/L, which is sure takin its time @about 100 on DSL. that way I can just recover the system as it was if I don't find anything I like, but I don't see any problems as pretty much everything that is running on W8 Pro should run on 8.1. A lot of programs have already updated to be comparable with it.

Only reason I have a slight concern is cause HP has a problem supporting the stupid Az Radeon/Intel switchable graphics with drivers, it took 3 months after W8 was out to get a graphics driver for this laptop. Problem is AMD doesn't like/support the idiotic 7690m xt and won't let me D/l the driver right from their site. I have to wait for the OEM crap. So that's why I made a full image just in case the graphics driver doesn't like 8.1

The ISO will let you burn the installer to a DVD like W8 D/L did so you can re install later without going through this mess again if you ever need too re install.

 

[samanthablock]

I stopped the install...........I'm going to WAIT...........I have no problems at all with my setup and I have no issues with it..........and generally, I wait while and don't jump right into something new...........I had problems with graphics drivers on this Lenovo laptop...........google and firefox constantly needed their cache cleared or web pages wouldn't load properly.........I recently got the correct drivers........I also had a problem with wireless being slow and staying connected. I fixed that by uninstalling the adapter and windows reinstalled it...since then it's been fine.......working great.

 

[gasdel]

Good evening @all from Italy,
Download and installation was alright, I then wanted to make an image backup but i have not been able to because of not enough space on disk (43 GB the image, 160GB the free space on disk), anyone else having this kind of issue?
Thanks a lot for any help
Gas

 

[burtie]

Well I wish I hadn't downloaded and installed...the modern settings panel keeps crashing back to the start screen when ever I try do change anything, and I also can't customise any start screen items.

I had to go and catch a bus as I am away for the weekend, so I had to turn my PC off... I'll have to sort it out next week when I get back

I really wish I hadn't bothered now... I had W8 set up perfectly and I just hope I haven't gone and ruined it.

 

[SIW2]

You must be able to roll back from windows.old

 

[burtie]

You must be able to roll back from windows.old

Can you do that?

If I can't get it fixed I might just wipe the HDD and start with a fresh clean install... it just means I have to reinstall all my darn programmes again.

I am wondering if maybe the amount of programmes I have caused some problems with the upgrade. I do have an awful lot, all of which I use for various different work and hobby reasons.

 

[HOODY]

Well I wish I hadn't downloaded and installed...the modern settings panel keeps crashing back to the start screen when ever I try do change anything, and I also can't customise any start screen items.

I had to go and catch a bus as I am away for the weekend, so I had to turn my PC off... I'll have to sort it out next week when I get back

I really wish I hadn't bothered now... I had W8 set up perfectly and I just hope I haven't gone and ruined it.

sounds fixable, but its called prepping, I always make a full image backup before I do anything like this.

btw I been D/L 5 hrs now and am just at around 75%

edit, well I see its "gathering info" so I assume its D/l and installing, my bad lol

 

[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.

 

[kb7uar]

I checked the store, their is no update in it. I am in Az. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. I currently have 8.1 preview, but I can not find the update in the windows store.

 

[sygnus21]

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.

I didn't run into any show stopping issues and everything works jus like it did before the update. The only strange thing I noticed was after the update Norton re-created it's Norton Identity Safe icon on the desktop, and I had to re-enable the add-on in IE11

Other than that everything, including Norton, works fine.

 

[sygnus21]

I checked the store, their is no update in it. I am in Az. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. I currently have 8.1 preview, but I can not find the update in the windows store.

Being in Arizona shouldn't be an issue, especially now since it's basically all over the world now. Anyway here's some reasons why you may not be seeing it in the store - Why can't I find the update in the Store? - Microsoft Windows

The other issue is you may be running an older preview version.

That said, see my post here http://www.eightforums.com/windows-...-upgraded-windows-8-1-free-18.html#post291183, and check Windows Update.

 

[jacatdilly]

Just wondering.
When I was downloading the 8.1 upgrade from the windows store, I noticed it dumped a big folder, about 3.89 g on C drive.
Just before I restarted computer as instructed, I tried to copy the folder to another hard drive.It copied everything over except a few long file named office files.
Would I be able to burn this folder on a data disc, for use as a stand alone upgrade, say sometime in future, if I wanted to start fresh install?.
I checked the original folder on drive C, after the 8.1 upgrade had finished, and it is now only 129 meg.Definetly had something to do with the upgrade.
Sure would be nice to have a real ISO upgrade disc.
By the way no problems with the free upgrade, everything as expected

 

[sygnus21]

I doubt it, especially if it left out a few files. Anyway I didn't get a 3.9gig dump on my HD so I can't say what those files are.

 

[jacatdilly]

Additional Clarification.
What I meant is install Win8 fresh install-no extra programs, then click on the setup exe file in the "$Windows.~BT"
folder to install 8.1 , without having to download again?

Gave up on that idea.

The free Win8.1 upgrade from store, was really a piece of cake.
Just that after a year, my hard drive is full of garbage.
Would be nice to make a clean fresh Win8.1 pro 64 Media Center image, which is yet to be completed.
Did what others did, kind of. Well, had a lot of time on my hands. Wasn't so automatic!

1. Upgrade 8.1 from store.
2. Make Macrium image for safety.
3. Do the download and burn 8-8.1 upgrade iso from MS with original Win8 Pro key.
4. Reset to factory settings, using the 8.1 iso upgrade media disc, when it says missing files required.
5. Activate fresh 8.1 Pro 64 with original Win8 Pro key. Yahoo, everything good.
6. Make another Macrium image for safety.
7. Install Win 8 Pro Media Center key, yes it accepts.

Problem, now it wants to be activated, but wont accept any keys.
I try "Windows 8.1 product key finder". System won't accept that key either.
It says grace time expired. Rotten luck. I remembered now that the key was free to use until end of Jan 2013.
Close, but no cigar.
8. Put last good image back.
Has anybody else figured a legal way to get Media Center back on a clean install? Free

 

[sygnus21]

I don't believe that's possible, but I'm sure someone could better clarify it for you.

I will say Microsoft has made it clear downloading the update from the store or Windows update, for those of use who already had 8.1 installed, is the way to go. With that, I seriously doubt they'd just dump the files on your drive to avoid what they've been saying no to.

However, as I said, I have no idea what 3.9gig files were dropped on your HD as I didn't need to update through the store since I already had an 8.1 ISO disk. I just got the latest updates released today for the final release of 8.1.

Again, I'm sure someone who did the store update could further clarify.

 

[HOODY]

well I got done updating, and so far "most" of the stuff is there, I have a lot of stuff to go through to test if it actually does work. I know for sure my HP graphics driver for W8 doesn't work, it disabled my Radeon 7690 m xt, and now device manager says its a 6700 series, with a yellow question mark. so all I have now is the Intel 3000 thing.

Also my COMODO security suite won't load right, tried to re install and now it won't even do that. that's 2 items so far.

For a bit I thought Fire Fox was hosed too, but it came back, but is slow to start up.

I may end up re installing my W8 image, I dono, we'll see. I just hate to go through the damned update time again later though, sure need a ISO, smirks.

edit

btw that windows 7 recovery image backup program is gone in 8.1 too. luckily Acronis 2010 still works.

edit 2

after re installing COMODO security suite its is now operational again, also re installing the HP graphics driver (sp59850) for my unit it is also back in operation on 8.1 and using the radeon gpu. so its a hunt and peck thing I guess until its all working.

 

[IownAmoneyPit]

Thank god I upgraded my Internet package about a month ago, 60% in 10mins lets hope the rest of the upgrade goes smoothly.

Everything seems to work fine on the laptop except the secondary AMD Radeon HD Graphics driver.:mad, The primary Intel ones work great. I can only hope that a compatible one is found as the HP website only has the Windows 7 ones available & I found the Windows 8 HP compatible ones by chance on a reputable 3rd party site.

PS: After searching most of the day for solutions I managed to successfully install the hybrid AMD display driver on my laptop and now have switchable graphics again & no more yellow triangles in device manager.

 

[HOODY]

Thank god I upgraded my Internet package about a month ago, 60% in 10mins lets hope the rest of the upgrade goes smoothly.

Everything seems to work fine on the laptop except the secondary AMD Radeon HD Graphics driver.:mad, The primary Intel ones work great. I can only hope that a compatible one is found as the HP website only has the Windows 7 ones available & I found the Windows 8 HP compatible ones by chance on a reputable 3rd party site.

PS: After searching most of the day for solutions I managed to successfully install the hybrid AMD display driver on my laptop and now have switchable graphics again & no more yellow triangles in device manager.

? what "hybrid" driver is that? I have a HP with switchable graphics, 7690m xt/Intel 3000 and used HP SP59850 on W8, I seen where people said that that driver WAS compatible with 8.1, but its not in my case. Device manager shows it with the yellow question mark and says its a 6700M series.

What's the driver version and name you used?

Never mind, I just re installed SP59850 and its back to normal, device manager sees the card as it is now.

 

[gedstar]

I had the same issue with Comodo, the way to fix that is un-install Comodo Internet Security and go to the registry and do the following

Run regedit, go to this value
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Network
On the right side you will see MaxNumFilters REG_DWORD change it's value from 1 to 8. Reboot your machine and then install CIS, everything works just fine thereafter.

Hope that helps, for me I actually deleted the key, only found that above solution after the fact. But Comodo Internet Security is working fine for me know.

If you don't have the above DWORD, you can simple create a new one by right click selecting New \ DWORD name it MaxNumFilters and change it's value to 8.

well I got done updating, and so far "most" of the stuff is there, I have a lot of stuff to go through to test if it actually does work. I know for sure my HP graphics driver for W8 doesn't work, it disabled my Radeon 7690 m xt, and now device manager says its a 6700 series, with a yellow question mark. so all I have now is the Intel 3000 thing.

Also my COMODO security suite won't load right, tried to re install and now it won't even do that. that's 2 items so far.

For a bit I thought Fire Fox was hosed too, but it came back, but is slow to start up.

I may end up re installing my W8 image, I dono, we'll see. I just hate to go through the damned update time again later though, sure need a ISO, smirks.

edit

btw that windows 7 recovery image backup program is gone in 8.1 too. luckily Acronis 2010 still works.