Today is the day: Windows 8.1 is out

[Culbrelai]

I'm using local accounts here at work on Windows 8. Windows 8.1 requires you to have a Windows Live account... unless you type in garbage for the Windows Live login stuff and then it allows you to opt out of using a Windows Live account.

I noticed this when I was installing Windows 8.1 Preview on a virtual machine (so I can write my next non-academic bashing Windows 8.x paper, coming soon to a thread near you!)

What you do is unplug the internet from the source. I deleted the VM and tried installing again with the internet unplugged, and viola! no prompt to create a Micro$cammer account.

Gonna see what happens when I try to update my Windows 8 VM to 8.1 with the internet unplugged too.

I will stick with Windows 7 till I DIE.

Or untill Microsoft loses enough money and realizes they made a mistake. Just like Vista, lol. It'll all work out, it always does.

EDIT: On my VM I can't find the Windows 8.1 update in the store, it doesn't show, im using an admin account, UAC on... nothing done to it at all..

 

[cullam3n]

Did you install the latest Windows updates? Otherwise you won't see it in the store.

 

[TeknoBug]

With 8.1 do you have to use a password to get into the OS?

There's a workaround in that, during the final stage of the upgrade, unplug the LAN or turn off wifi and it'll take you to local account instead of MS account, however when I restarted my PC after the upgrade it prompted me for the MS account and my PC wasn't online so I couldn't login (a bad thing) but managed to get the local account back after. And no you don't need a password once you make your local account, my laptop which also updated to 8.1 is my HTPC so I don't use a password as it boots up into Windows.

MS are being pushy with this BS. AFAIK Apple's latest iMacs also require you to login the Apple account to get into OS X, my sister has an iMac and couldn't use her computer when Apple's login servers were down a few months ago.

Despite Microsoft saying there will be no downloadable ISO of 8.1, it can be done. I made an ISO and a USB stick image from this:

I went to the ms site, downloaded the windows 8 setup program as well as the windows 8.1 setup program.

Started the windows 8 setup program and put in my windows 8 key. Then it began downloading...I exited and started the windows 8.1 setup program and it began downloading an 8.1 iso.

Expect MS to fix that sooner or later unless they change their mind (like with the XBone restrictions).

 

[Automata]

When it asks you to log in with your account, click "Create account", then "Use existing account". You don't have to disconnect from the internet.

 

[pcgamer4life]

I installed 8.1 pro straight from the iso, and I also didn't have to unplug lan to use a local account.

 

[Tokae]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/windows-rt-8-1-update-temporarily-pulled-due-to-a-situation/


hmmm

 

[TeknoBug]

http://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2013/10/windows-rt-8-1-update-temporarily-pulled-due-to-a-situation/


hmmm

^ lol

 

[c627627]

That happened to me on the 8.1 Preview, glad they fixed this issue (supposedly) for the PCs, but I was surprised how buggy 8.1 Preview was, it hosed my multi boot and rendered all my other OS on my PC multi-boot inaccessible.

I would go with installing 8.1 for a fresh install, but if you decide to update, make sure you drive image your 8.0 partition before upgrading to 8.1.

 

[gt24]

I wrote this post without reading the last page or two of this thread. Sorry for rehashing a somewhat stale topic point!

The updates ceasing for Windows 8.0 in around 2 years is the concerning thing. Since 8.1 isn't delivered as a Windows Update, people have to learn to go to the Windows Store and apply it, else they stop receiving Windows Updates at all in a few years.

I had to teach each person that got Windows 8 in the past year on how to switch and close programs in the Metro UI thing, most people don't know about the mouse drag from top to bottom to close windows and to use the side bars to switch apps and etc. If anything, Microsoft thought this would be user-friendly but has been the exact opposite. Most of the people I taught using Win 8 are now using a third party start button in the desktop, that should tell you something- are you listening Microsoft?

For those individuals using a 3rd party start menu which boots to the desktop and never shows "Metro" (which is what every individual I know who uses Windows 8 does), they won't ever use the store nor will they likely upgrade to Windows 8.1. When Windows Updates stops for them in a few years, they likely won't notice nor know to upgrade to 8.1 to have updates resume.

If this was a Service Pack then Windows Update would just insist on installing it. Since this is a Window Store thing, I'm not sure how Microsoft will convince people who never visit the Store that this update is necessary lest people stop receiving updates. Hopefully they will bother to find a way to push 8.1 out before the 8.0 folks stop receiving Windows Updates all together.

 

[Zuzzz]

Here is how to get the iso images.

http://www.neowin.net/news/here-is-how-to-get-the-windows-81-iso-and-create-a-usb-install-stick

and

http://www.winbeta.org/news/how-download-windows-81-iso-using-your-windows-8-retail-key

enjoy


Z

 

[c627627]

Thank you kindly. ↑

 

[TeknoBug]

lol I posted a quote earlier on how to get the 8.1 downloads and it works, only downside is needing a 8.1 key to use during installation (you can find it on the net) and your own 8 key.

 

[Automata]

I'm having an interesting issue after the update. My screen won't turn off when it is locked (at the logon screen). I verified my settings will disable the screen and it was previously doing it within a minute.

I searched online, but I'm not seeing any other results.

 

[Tokae]

That happened to me on the 8.1 Preview, glad they fixed this issue (supposedly) for the PCs, but I was surprised how buggy 8.1 Preview was, it hosed my multi boot and rendered all my other OS on my PC multi-boot inaccessible.

I would go with installing 8.1 for a fresh install, but if you decide to update, make sure you drive image your 8.0 partition before upgrading to 8.1.

A friend of mine has been waiting to upgrade to 8.1 and when he did it, his PC failed to boot after. He had also pulled all his hardware out and put it in a new box at the same time. When his PC refused to boot, I figured he had put the heatsink on incorrectly, because it was shutting down during the boot process (not a bluescreen mind you). Turns out it was just his 8.1 failing to boot for some reason.

 

[notarat]

When it asks you to log in with your account, click "Create account", then "Use existing account". You don't have to disconnect from the internet.

This info is what I was waiting to hear.

I've been using 8Pro with a local account for a while and I was wondering what would happen to my local acct if I grabbed 8.1.

 

[c627627]

lol I posted a quote earlier on how to get the 8.1 downloads and it works, only downside is needing a 8.1 key to use during installation (you can find it on the net) and your own 8 key.

'

Wait what? You can download using your own 8.0 key, are you saying 8.1 will not install using 8.0 key, are you sure about that, that doesn't sound right.

I'm having an interesting issue after the update. My screen won't turn off when it is locked (at the logon screen). I verified my settings will disable the screen and it was previously doing it within a minute.

I searched online, but I'm not seeing any other results.

If this can be replicated on another machine, what would be the procedure top file an official bug report with Microsoft? I always wondered about that, ever other software has a procedure but not Windows.

 

[Automata]

If this can be replicated on another machine, what would be the procedure top file an official bug report with Microsoft? I always wondered about that, ever other software has a procedure but not Windows.

I don't have another machine with 8, so we'd have to wait and see if anyone else has the issue. I noticed something interesting, though. If the computer is on battery power, it will turn off the screen. I'm going to update (video) drivers to see if that helps. Someone mentioned that they had some odd behavior until they did that.

I manually changed all the options for when the computer turns the screen off and goes into standby, then changed them back, thinking that maybe it reverted to the wrong power plan or the settings were corrupted. That did not help.

 

[c627627]

Keep in mind, that very soon after booting in, I realized that this was no ordinary 'service pack type' update. Lots of features were reset to stock.


My conclusion is that people should do a fresh install on this to avoid problems of the nature you are describing.

 

[TeknoBug]

'

Wait what? You can download using your own 8.0 key, are you saying 8.1 will not install using 8.0 key, are you sure about that, that doesn't sound right.

You can get the Win 8 setup, use your win 8 key, close it when it starts downloading, then open the win 8.1 setup (winsetupbox.exe) and it will download the 8.1 files.

However when booting the iso or USB image from cold start, you need to use an 8.1 key to get past the product key screen, and then reactivate with the 8 key after the install is done.

 

[c627627]

Thanks.

Are there there 8.1 ISO's on MSDN or other official sources that allow installation of 8.1 using a retail bought 8.0 key?

So let me get this straight, this is crazy, I have a store bought Retail 8.0 and if I am installing from scratch, I would want to install 8.1 of course. Using my own store bought key. It's absolutely mental that I would have to go out looking for a leaked key just to install it - then go messing with changing an illegitimate 8.1 key to my own retail 8.0 key.

Whoever thought of that needs to tend to wildlife in Alaska and leave the computer software business altogether.