How to Correctly Install Windows 8.1 Preview

The official documentation that reached the web recently reveal that Windows 8 users should basically make the switch to Windows 8.1 Preview via the Windows Store, as this is the safest, easiest, and fastest way to do it.

Separate ISOs will also be offered for those who wish to set up a dual-boot configuration and install Windows 8.1 Preview on a different partition. Here’s what Microsoft says about it.

How to Correctly Install Windows 8.1 Preview


See also: http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/27188-windows-8-1-preview-download-install.html

 

[Nugroho]

Hi,

I have external USB hard disk with running Win8 Preview. When Win8 released, I install it to main hard disk. Now I want to try Win8.1 from that USB hard disk instead of main disk.

I boot from USB want to upgrade via apps store. Ops it's not supported anymore. I install KB2849636 but still I cannot update from apps store.

I download iso and boot from DVD, but setup refuse to install to USB disc.

I don't remember I have issue when upgrade from Win7 running from USB disc to Win8 Preview.

Any idea of work around?

Cheers,
Nugroho

 

[andyparks]

So, I gave up. Cancelled. That thing never moved again and never showed the progress anymore.

Bravo Microsoft. The habit of making shoddy stuff seems to be strong as always. The company's motto. We make junk, you buy it.

I gave up because microsoft left english (uk) off the support

 

[alphanumeric]

Hi,

I have external USB hard disk with running Win8 Preview. When Win8 released, I install it to main hard disk. Now I want to try Win8.1 from that USB hard disk instead of main disk.

I boot from USB want to upgrade via apps store. Ops it's not supported anymore. I install KB2849636 but still I cannot update from apps store.

I download iso and boot from DVD, but setup refuse to install to USB disc.

I don't remember I have issue when upgrade from Win7 running from USB disc to Win8 Preview.

Any idea of work around?

Cheers,
Nugroho

Only Windows 8 Enterprise will install to an external USB drive. It's called Windows To GO. I do believe the Windows store is disabled in a Windows To GO install.

EDIT: Seeing as this is only a Beta release you can likely try this. http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/5349-windows-8-go-setup-usb-flash-drive-usb-disk.html?filter[2]
http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/14119-windows-go-store-access-enable-disable.html

 

[Nugroho]

I always test Preview or beta on USB. When I upgrade to Win8 Preview, the installer didn't check if it running from USB.
Now iso installer doesn't allow it, while AppStore in Win8 Preview has expired since Win8 release.
Is it possible to download update without AppStore.

I don't have Win8 Enterprise, and don't want to run Win To Go.

Cheers

 

[kmint]

So, I gave up. Cancelled. That thing never moved again and never showed the progress anymore.

Bravo Microsoft. The habit of making shoddy stuff seems to be strong as always. The company's motto. We make junk, you buy it.

I gave up because microsoft left english (uk) off the support

Apart from the pride thing, is US English so different by written?

Sometimes I've used theoretically "latinoamerican spanish" translations of some programs and there is zero differences. I wonder why some people bother in doing a local translation when, if properly written, it is and must be exactly the same language with very few different words.

 

[tst]

So, I gave up. Cancelled. That thing never moved again and never showed the progress anymore.

Bravo Microsoft. The habit of making shoddy stuff seems to be strong as always. The company's motto. We make junk, you buy it.

I gave up because microsoft left english (uk) off the support

Apart from the pride thing, is US English so different by written?

Sometimes I've used theoretically "latinoamerican spanish" translations of some programs and there is zero differences. I wonder why some people bother in doing a local translation when, if properly written, it is and must be exactly the same language with very few different words.

I've been thinking the exact same thing. Is it about national pride? "I'm British, I'm speaking only UK English. I'm French, I'm speaking only French..."

If you're speaking English, be happy. If you speak only Finnish, you can't even use the 8.1 Preview.

 

[kmint]

I gave up because microsoft left english (uk) off the support

Apart from the pride thing, is US English so different by written?

Sometimes I've used theoretically "latinoamerican spanish" translations of some programs and there is zero differences. I wonder why some people bother in doing a local translation when, if properly written, it is and must be exactly the same language with very few different words.

I've been thinking the exact same thing. Is it about national pride? "I'm British, I'm speaking only UK English. I'm French, I'm speaking only French..."

If you're speaking English, be happy. If you speak only Finnish, you can't even use the 8.1 Preview.

Lol. It reminded me of this scene from Love Actually.

[video=youtube;WITlM2pY_a4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WITlM2pY_a4[/video]

 

[alphanumeric]

I always test Preview or beta on USB. When I upgrade to Win8 Preview, the installer didn't check if it running from USB.
Now iso installer doesn't allow it, while AppStore in Win8 Preview has expired since Win8 release.
Is it possible to download update without AppStore.

I don't have Win8 Enterprise, and don't want to run Win To Go.

Cheers

Other than Windows 8 Enterprise, Windows won't let you install it to an external drive. The only way to do it is with some trickery. As far as I know its app store or ISO.

 

[Hamnat]

After initial issues with Asus USB drivers which I have seen on the Microsoft forums a few people have had my install has gone well. I am liking IE 11 so far. Only a few issues with flash videos playing I have noticed.

 

[alphanumeric]

No problem with USB 2 or 3 on my ASUS K75DE, must be a chip-set issue. I've been meaning to sign up on the Microsoft forums but just haven't gotten a round to it yet.

 

[TerryE]

If this has been answered already here in this thread then forgive me for skimming through the posts (and therefore missing it).

Here's my situation:

Windows 7 is installed on my hard drive. I don't intend to mess with that.
I installed Windows 8 Enterprise to a VHD and I dual-boot that with my Windows 7 installation.

Windows 8.1 will not let me update the VHD installation. So am I stuck installing it on a new VHD, or can I mount the Windows 8 VHD in Windows 7 and run setup from the Windows 8.1 ISO to update it from there?

 

[Lee]

If this has been answered already here in this thread then forgive me for skimming through the posts (and therefore missing it).

Here's my situation:

Windows 7 is installed on my hard drive. I don't intend to mess with that.


I installed Windows 8 Enterprise to a VHD and I dual-boot that with my Windows 7 installation.

Windows 8.1 will not let me update the VHD installation. So am I stuck installing it on a new VHD, or can I mount the Windows 8 VHD in Windows 7 and run setup from the Windows 8.1 ISO to update it from there?

Sorry. . .What is a VHD? Am I right to assume that is another term for VM as in Virtual Hard Drive. I ask because I have never heard or seen it put this way. . .Thank You.

 

[TerryE]

VHD = Virtual Hard Disk (or Drive)

Hyoer-V uses this format, I believe. Windows 7 and Windows 8 allow you to create a virtual disk on your existing file system and attach it as another drive to your system. Then you can install another OS onto that drive and boot from it. That's how I run Windows 8 in a dual-boot setup with Windows 7.

When I boot into Windows 8 using the VHD I am not allowed to update it to Windows 8.1 so I am guessing that I will need to go back to my Windows 7 install, attach the VHD (which results in it being assigned a separate drive letter), and then run the update from Windows 7, telling it to install to the attached drive.

For example, if my Windows 8 installation is on C:\Win8\Windows8.vhd and I attach that as drive Q: on my Windows 7 system, I'm hoping I can then run setup from the Windows 8.1 media and tell it to update the Windows installation on Q:. I'm just not sure that can be done, or if anyone has tried it.

 

[Lee]

VHD = Virtual Hard Disk (or Drive)

Hyoer-V uses this format, I believe. Windows 7 and Windows 8 allow you to create a virtual disk on your existing file system and attach it as another drive to your system. Then you can install another OS onto that drive and boot from it. That's how I run Windows 8 in a dual-boot setup with Windows 7.

When I boot into Windows 8 using the VHD I am not allowed to update it to Windows 8.1 so I am guessing that I will need to go back to my Windows 7 install, attach the VHD (which results in it being assigned a separate drive letter), and then run the update from Windows 7, telling it to install to the attached drive.

For example, if my Windows 8 installation is on C:\Win8\Windows8.vhd and I attach that as drive Q: on my Windows 7 system, I'm hoping I can then run setup from the Windows 8.1 media and tell it to update the Windows installation on Q:. I'm just not sure that can be done, or if anyone has tried it.

Thank you. Will have to pull some more info from Google to see if I can do this (brain only works one day a month). At present am running 8.1 in a VM within a SSD, thus works quit fast, so would the VHD setup within the SSD be any faster.

 

[TerryE]

I run two different Windows 8 installations:

- One is a dual-boot VHD with Windows 7 as I described. That's the one I haven't yet been able to upgrade to 8.1
- The other is a VMware Workstation VM running from an external USB 3.0 drive. I created a new VM for 8.1 just to experience a clean installation.

The VHD installation is quicker but the VM isn't half bad. Of course part of that is the VM overhead and part may be attributable to the fact that the VM has 2 GB of memory while the VHD installation uses all the system memory (8 GB) and native hardware.

The advantages of the VM: I can still run my favorite Windows 7 apps concurrent with the Windows 8 VM. If needed, I can freely copy files from Windows 7 to the VM (or vice-versa). There are no permissions issues. I can also run other systems like a server OS or a Linux VM while the Windows 8 VM is running. There's also a great deal more flexibility with the configuration of a VM.

Booting to the VHD requires a reboot of the system, and while my Windows 7 drive is still available, most if it isn't accessible to me since I use a Microsoft account to logon to Windows 8. I'm not going to mess with the Windows 7 file and folder permissions. Anything I have installed on Windows 7 would have to be reinstalled on Windows 8 if I want to use it there. (Most of the time I don't do that.) If I want to go back to Windows 7 it's another reboot.

 

[Lee]

I run two different Windows 8 installations:

- One is a dual-boot VHD with Windows 7 as I described. That's the one I haven't yet been able to upgrade to 8.1
- The other is a VMware Workstation VM running from an external USB 3.0 drive. I created a new VM for 8.1 just to experience a clean installation.


The VHD installation is quicker but the VM isn't half bad. Of course part of that is the VM overhead and part may be attributable to the fact that the VM has 2 GB of memory while the VHD installation uses all the system memory (8 GB) and native hardware.

The advantages of the VM: I can still run my favorite Windows 7 apps concurrent with the Windows 8 VM. If needed, I can freely copy files from Windows 7 to the VM (or vice-versa). There are no permissions issues. I can also run other systems like a server OS or a Linux VM while the Windows 8 VM is running. There's also a great deal more flexibility with the configuration of a VM.

Booting to the VHD requires a reboot of the system, and while my Windows 7 drive is still available, most if it isn't accessible to me since I use a Microsoft account to logon to Windows 8. I'm not going to mess with the Windows 7 file and folder permissions. Anything I have installed on Windows 7 would have to be reinstalled on Windows 8 if I want to use it there. (Most of the time I don't do that.) If I want to go back to Windows 7 it's another reboot.

No need to worry about memory (32 gigs) when setting up a VM in VMWare Workstation (give each VM (except XP) at least 8 gigs)). Will look into do the VHD this weekend (got the reality people coming buy tomorrow and Wed.

 

[Lynn]

I bought a windows 8 system builder oem disk from a computer store when 8 came out a year ago, I got just 8 and not Pro since I felt I did not need it. So put in on a computer with a clean hard drive. So I do not have Pro, computer shows 6.2.9200 build 9200 Windows 8 64bit. I download the preview 8.1 iso 32bit and installed it on another computer just for testing. It shows 6.3.9431 build 9431 windows 8 Pro. In other words the only preview I see is for Pro, I have just windows 8 no pro. This is no problem for now but my question is when the final 8.1 comes out will there be a version for Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro? Am I missing something? Lynn

 

[caperjack]

This is no problem for now but my question is when the final 8.1 comes out will there be a version for Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro? Am I missing something? Lynn

hello,it will not be an issue ,only difference is one for 32bit and one for 64bit ,happy computing

 

[Lynn]

Caperjack, but I am right in saying there is a difference in Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro? And you are saying the 8.1 will work on either as long as you have the right 32 or 64 bit?

 

[caperjack]

Caperjack, but I am right in saying there is a difference in Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro? And you are saying the 8.1 will work on either as long as you have the right 32 or 64 bit?

its my understanding of how it works,only difference is the 32&64 bits in the 2 downloads offered , yes it will work,having said that ,i have only done a full install so far of 8.1 64 bit ,not a upgrade ,i will not be doing a upgrade any time soon ,don't want to take the chance of frigging up my main computer