You cannot upgrade from Windows XP 64-Bit to Windows 8 64-Bit...

[c627627]

... but you can upgrade from Windows XP 32-Bit to Windows 8 32-Bit.

Why? Windows XP Service Pack 3 is required. It seems that Windows 8 developers forgot that there is no such thing as SP3 for Windows XP 64-Bit. Service Pack 3 is only available for 32-Bit Windows XP. Windows XP x64 Edition is based on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 codebase. Because Windows XP Professional x64 Edition comes from a different codebase than 32-bit Windows XP, its service packs are also developed separately.

Service Pack 2 is the last released service pack for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. There was no Service Pack 3.


How is it possible that they did not realize this!?!


I am trying to keep all my drive letters uniform across all operating systems on my multi-boot and you can only do that if you install Windows 8 from a previous version of Windows already installed on a custom drive letter. The solution, of course, is to do this using Windows Vista/7 and then install Windows 8 over them. But I happened to have Windows XP 64-Bit installation media and found this out the hard way.

 

[azanimefan]

... but you can upgrade from Windows XP 32-Bit to Windows 8 32-Bit.

Why? Windows XP Service Pack 3 is required. It seems that Windows 8 developers forgot that there is no such thing as SP3 for Windows XP 64-Bit. Service Pack 3 is only available for 32-Bit Windows XP. Windows XP x64 Edition is based on Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 codebase. Because Windows XP Professional x64 Edition comes from a different codebase than 32-bit Windows XP, its service packs are also developed separately.

Service Pack 2 is the last released service pack for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition. There was no Service Pack 3.


How is it possible that they did not realize this!?!


I am trying to keep all my drive letters uniform across all operating systems on my multi-boot and you can only do that if you install Windows 8 from a previous version of Windows already installed on a custom drive letter. The solution, of course, is to do this using Windows Vista/7 and then install Windows 8 over them. But I happened to have Windows XP 64-Bit installation media and found this out the hard way. View attachment 119532

they didn't realize this because win8 was a buggy beta release pushed out before the holiday season before it's ready. Its filled with incongruities, bugs, and irrationality that only shows up in a unfinished product. Even it's touchscreen gestures aren't intuitive, which makes working with a mouse on metro a nightmare.

Frankly you should be thankful that you can't install that mess on your PC. you'll be much happier with win7.

 

[c627627]

There are many threads about people venting anger at Windows 8, this shouldn't be one of them. I just wanted to post to save at least one person who reads this some time.


As for Windows 7, first of all, whenever possible, we do a multi-boot and add the new OS instead of abandoning previous OS for a new one. Just partition your hard drive. But more importantly: the Win 8 Graphical User Interface can be completely replaced to look like Windows 7, I am working on that right now (comparing using reg settings to installing shell programs) so why not reap any advantages Win8 may have while looking at a Windows 7 GUI, booting straight to Win7 GUI but still having Win8 underneath - problem solved. Of course this doesn't apply to average users who don't know how to mod the OS, etc. so let's not get into that, that's been established.

 

[azanimefan]

There are many threads about people venting anger at Windows 8, this shouldn't be one of them. I just wanted to post to save at least one person who reads this some time.


As for Windows 7, first of all, whenever possible, we do a multi-boot and add the new OS instead of abandoning previous OS for a new one. Just partition your hard drive. But more importantly: the Win 8 Graphical User Interface can be completely replaced to look like Windows 7, I am working on that right now (comparing using reg settings to installing shell programs) so why not reap any advantages Win8 may have while looking at a Windows 7 GUI, booting straight to Win7 GUI but still having Win8 underneath - problem solved. Of course this doesn't apply to average users who don't know how to mod the OS, etc. so let's not get into that, that's been established.

IF i were to upgrade (downgrade?) to win8, i'm pretty sure i'd have it set up in the same way. I'm one of the few holdouts left on winXP, and probably won't migrate off it till i have my new system up and running.

That said, I actually love win7... and am quite familiar with it. I just happen to be working on a pc far too old to make use of it atm. Windows 8 however... i'm sure i could speak for a long time on how much i loath certain aspects of it (it took me less then a minute to figure out both the ipad/iphone, and android systems... yet metro still traps me. Maybe i'm just an idiot, but that must be both the most unintuitive and awkward touch based OS I've seen to date. The reason they felt it necessary to "hide" key features and then delay their appearance truly baffles me. Its like a treasure hunt... an extremely awkward, slow and frustrating one.) but in the end none of it matters as much as the little oversights present all over this system.

For some people oversights like the one you've highlighted, they'll never notice... but that said, these oversights are the hallmarks of what is undoubtedly a beta release. I think it's this lack of polish, and the fact the windows user is clearly being used as a bugtester that agrivates me the most about win8

don't get me started on the Windows "Blue"... or win9 that's going to be released as a series of "paid and unpaid" fixes for win8 that they're ramping up for next xmas season... think about that... they're going to turn Windows into a dynamic constantly evolving OS, whose new features will be released in a micro-payment OS update/app form... which will be the gateway into a subscription format to use their OS.