I Did the Windows 8.1 Upgrade from 8.0, Here's the Scoop
Discussion
12 replies
Posted by Paul DeCesare on October 18, 2013 at 12:42 AM
Isn't it funny that when we talk about Windows we can actually make it sound foreboding and dramatic??
The Win 8.1 upgrade went surprisingly well. Everything works. Wow.
Some info:
- The upgrade I did was the download version that you slap right onto Windows 8. That download link is right here, just scroll to the bottom. For the record, my Windows 8.0 installation was also the downloadable version that I installed on top of Windows 7 64-Bit Ultimate. I did NOT do a clean 8.1 install.
- The download is 3.63GB, pretty hefty download. Took about 15 minutes on Cox broadband, but if you have a slow connection, that will take many hours.
- I'm still amazed that the installation went so well. The one glitch was that when it got to the "Click here to Accept the Terms" page, my Dell monitor went off as if there were no signal. I let it sit a while, thought maybe the Windows installer was doing background stuff. Finally I turned the monitor power off and back on, and it lit right up.
- During the settings configuration which runs after the install is done, I got all of the messages like Windows 8 was setting itself up for the first time. I did have a short panic because I thought for a moment that Windows didn't upgrade to 8.1 and keep all of my stuff, it seemed like it did a clean install, wiping out my C drive. Turns out I was wrong thankfully, the login sprang up and all of my everything was there, PC was just as it was when I started the upgrade, just now on 8.1.
-I did a thorough check of Photoshop CC and Office 2013 and SkyDrive and DropBox and all that, and everything is in place. PS fired right up, retained all my setting and licensing, etc.
There's only one temporary inconvenience: 8.1 includes the new Internet Explorer version 11. Most web developers check what browser people are using in case it's an old version, etc, and they send a message to the user that says Unsupported Browser. Welllll, I'm getting that at a few websites because IE 11 is too NEW and the web guys/gals haven't updated THEIR code to recognize the new version. Not really a bug, just lazy web developers, lol. But the stuff still runs.
Anyway, finally Microsoft gets it right. I still plan on a detailed review of Photoshop CC in conjunction with Windows 7 and 8 and now 8.1 and how things all work, I just need more hours in a day, lol. I will say this: I installed Windows 8 on a laptop as a test, with the intention to hate it. And believe me, I tried, in fact the first 30 minutes I was winning my "Hate Windows 8" contest. Then I got the hang of it, and I wouldn't go back to Windows 7 if you handed me a free iPad. Make it a 24mm TS/E then we'll talk.
Anyway, 8.1 upgrade is a winner, at least installation-wise.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE: after some research, it turns out that 8.1 actually replaces a LOT of buggy areas in 8.0, so this update is pretty much mandatory. More is discussed below.
I still have XP and love it. I know I have to upgrade to at least Win 7 in the near future. Is there any advantage in going directly to Win 8? must i download Win 7 before I do 8 or an 8 upgrade?
Really hate all this computer stuff - all i wanted was to be a good photographer!
Thanks -
Sandy
Posted by Paul DeCesare on October 18, 2013 at 2:18 PM
No Sandy, you don't need Win7 first, you can just buy Win8 and install it clean. However, I suggest you stay with Windows 7. Win 8 is pretty cool but the whole user interface is different and you have to want to have it, if that makes sense. They changed it to accomodate their new Surface tablet and other touch screen computers. For a software developer geek like me it's a neat upgrade, but for those just want their PC to work, Windows 7 is the best system Microsoft has put out, stability-wise. I would go for Win7 when you're ready (and while it's still for sale). Win XP was great 12 years ago but it has issues, and it's so slow compared to Win 7. Nonetheless,if XP is working and not stopping you from producing your images and not crashing or making Photoshop crash, then don't rush to rock the boat. You don't NEED Win8, I was posting the upgrade for those who were already on it. Ba Da Bing.
Support from Microsoft for Win XP ends in April 2014. That means no patches or security fixes will be available for that OS. In short, if you decide to XP after that date, you'll likely get hammered with viruses, trojans, etc.. That would be very bad. So...you're left with upgrading your OS to either Win-7 SP-1 or Win 8.1, or buying a new machine.
Here's the deal...
If you decide to upgrade your OS, you will need to do a clean install of either Win 7 or Win 8.1 (see note below). When you do a clean install, the Windows installer will format your HD, deleting all files on the disk. That means you'll need to have all your user data backed up, install Windows and then download and install all new device drivers and any Windows updates.
Note: One important thing to be aware of is compatibility of your current programs, hardware, and drivers with Win 7 or 8.1. MS has a 'compatibility checker' tool that will scan your system and tell you what will, or will not work with the new OS.
From my reading on some of the tech sites, some suggest to not upgrade the OS on an older computer, but rather to purchase a new machine with the OS already installed. The main reason is the newer hardware (mother boards, video cards, CPU's, RAM, and HD's) are vastly superior in terms of performance to legacy hardware. A secondary reason to simply go with a new, clean machine is one doesn't have to spend many hours, and money to upgrade an older box.
Since you have an old XP box, and based upon my comment above, I would forego upgrading and save your nickels for a new machine.
(I recently had an issue with Win 7 on my laptop. The tech I was working with could not find a specific fix for the problem, so we decided a clean install of Win 7 would be the best bet. It went very well, but I had to download and install 15 hardware drivers and 125 Windows updates. It was very time-consuming, to say the least. My point here is that you would have to jump through similar hoops to upgrade your current OS, assuming your hardware is compatible.)
I know this is a lot to think about, but you do have some time to make a decision as to which way you want to go.
--P
Posted by Carol Nichols on October 18, 2013 at 5:10 PM
Sandy, I feel about computers the way you do. So my first thought is, how old is your computer? Usually whenever it's time for me to upgrade my operating system, it's also time for a new computer. There's too many things that can go wrong when you try to upgrade an operating system on an old machine and for non-geeks like us, that can be disastrous. I stuck with XP for a long time, but am now very happy with Windows 7. I have avoided Windows 8 for the reasons Paul mentioned.
Posted by Stan Rose on October 18, 2013 at 10:30 PM
I run Vista on my desktop and IMO it has been hastle free for years. 8 has been one headache after another. Even after streamlining things (like putting shortcuts on my desktop for restarts etc) it is bug-city. And the frequent updates, which come fast and furious (no surprise there..) wipe out things like software settings right and left. Worst OS Ever!
Thanks - I should mention that this is a custom computer, 3 yrs old, and I chose the old XP over the stuff that was available then. It's not a vintage computer with the old XP.
No way can I buy a new computer right now. It will be a struggle to buy a new small laptop for Africa this summer, that can handle emails, CS6, and burning lots of DVD's.
Sandy
Given the age of your machine, you should not have much difficulty upgrading to Win 7-SP1 (I'd suggest the 'Pro-64 bit' version, assuming your motherboard and hardware support 64 bit.). If you can, have the tech who built your computer do the upgrade for you. I'd also suggest upgrading the amount of RAM at the same time. (The amount RAM that you can use is determined by the mother board and the OS). This course would bring the computer to nice state and save you time and money.
--P
Posted by John Mumaw on October 19, 2013 at 6:25 PM
You mean that some people are using Windows 8?
Thanks for the write-up anyway, Paul.
Posted by Paul DeCesare on October 20, 2013 at 5:31 AM
8 has been one headache after another... it's bug city
I must be on another planet I think, because Windows 8 is a phenomenally stable operating system and I have had ZERO problems with it. I'm running the full CC suite, using Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, etc and it's been rock solid. My peers in IT have switched and all say the same thing. It recognizes every device and PCI cards that I have with no need for drivers, it mounts ISO files like a hard drive, the dashboard that replaces the Start Menu looks terrific on a 30" monitor and it's a breeze switching back n forth. It didn't even need me to install drivers for my LSI 3Ware RAID card, recognized it at first boot up. I also ran 8 on a cheesy Acer laptop with a P6100 with no graphics card and it ran flawlessly, and on there I was running Visual Studio .net and a SQL Server Express database, doing development. 8 is awesome, stable and fast. What "bugs" are you finding Stan?
Regarding Vista, it is very stable now. Microsoft released SP2 after Win 7 Beta was released, and it was FINALLY a great Vista version. Problem was, everybody was tired of it by that point. But if you have Vista SP2, it should run just fine. The navigation to me in unfriendly compared to 7 and 8, but at least it's stable now.
Posted by Paul DeCesare on October 21, 2013 at 1:28 PM
Hey Stan, I heard something that totally vindicates you: Microsoft will end it's support of Win 8.0 in 2016, only 2+ years from now, instead of the usual 10. Translation: "we now realize there's problems under the hood with 8.0 so we're going to redo it and call it 8.1, and when people upgrade, we'll really be replacing most of the operating system". So THAT'S what Windows 8.1 is, the FIX. I was wondering why some Registry settings were cleared out after the 8.1 upgrade, I thought that odd for what is supposed to be an update. It really isn't, Windows 8.1 is now the fixed version. SO, maybe I didn't find bugs in Windows 8 but they are definitely there, you were right, my apologies amigo.
Microsoft had to do the same thing with XP, notice you never hear of XP Service Pack 1? It was such a buggy upgrade that Microsoft actually urges that it NOT be used (I've seen that on some software titles, even office). My peers at Microsoft back then let me in on a little secret: XP Service Pack 2 completely changed out almost every DLL file (the things that make Windows run) with a new version, so essentially, XP SP2 is a totally new operating system. Then XP3 just shored up some small bumps. SO, there's no doubt that Windows 8.1 is the fixed version, let's hope the fixes are right. Stan, believe me, the moment I get wailed with an 8.1 bug, I'll post it and let you know.
THE TAKEAWAY: if you get a new PC with Windows 8, make sure it has 8.1, or do the upgrade immediately.
The reviews I've read about Win 8.1 have been pretty favorable, so I encourage you to install it. I suggest that you do a clean install, rather than an upgrade installation. The clean install starts you out with a clean slate--no left over registry entries, temporary files, c**pware, etc. It would also be a good idea to download and install updated device drivers from the manufacturer's website while you're at it. Of course, you'll also need to reinstall programs and move your backed up data to the drive, but you'll have a lean and clean machine when you're done.
--P
Posted by Mia McPherson on October 30, 2013 at 3:15 PM
I have Win 8 and love it, in fact when I work on Ron's machine that has Win 7 it drives me a little bonkers because I am so used to Win 8 now.
Haven't done the Win 8.1 update yet but your post has been helpful Paul.
Discussion
12 repliesThe Win 8.1 upgrade went surprisingly well. Everything works. Wow.
Some info:
- The upgrade I did was the download version that you slap right onto Windows 8. That download link is right here, just scroll to the bottom. For the record, my Windows 8.0 installation was also the downloadable version that I installed on top of Windows 7 64-Bit Ultimate. I did NOT do a clean 8.1 install.
- The download is 3.63GB, pretty hefty download. Took about 15 minutes on Cox broadband, but if you have a slow connection, that will take many hours.
- I'm still amazed that the installation went so well. The one glitch was that when it got to the "Click here to Accept the Terms" page, my Dell monitor went off as if there were no signal. I let it sit a while, thought maybe the Windows installer was doing background stuff. Finally I turned the monitor power off and back on, and it lit right up.
- During the settings configuration which runs after the install is done, I got all of the messages like Windows 8 was setting itself up for the first time. I did have a short panic because I thought for a moment that Windows didn't upgrade to 8.1 and keep all of my stuff, it seemed like it did a clean install, wiping out my C drive. Turns out I was wrong thankfully, the login sprang up and all of my everything was there, PC was just as it was when I started the upgrade, just now on 8.1.
-I did a thorough check of Photoshop CC and Office 2013 and SkyDrive and DropBox and all that, and everything is in place. PS fired right up, retained all my setting and licensing, etc.
There's only one temporary inconvenience: 8.1 includes the new Internet Explorer version 11. Most web developers check what browser people are using in case it's an old version, etc, and they send a message to the user that says Unsupported Browser. Welllll, I'm getting that at a few websites because IE 11 is too NEW and the web guys/gals haven't updated THEIR code to recognize the new version. Not really a bug, just lazy web developers, lol. But the stuff still runs.
Anyway, finally Microsoft gets it right. I still plan on a detailed review of Photoshop CC in conjunction with Windows 7 and 8 and now 8.1 and how things all work, I just need more hours in a day, lol. I will say this: I installed Windows 8 on a laptop as a test, with the intention to hate it. And believe me, I tried, in fact the first 30 minutes I was winning my "Hate Windows 8" contest. Then I got the hang of it, and I wouldn't go back to Windows 7 if you handed me a free iPad. Make it a 24mm TS/E then we'll talk.
Anyway, 8.1 upgrade is a winner, at least installation-wise.
-----------------------------------------
UPDATE: after some research, it turns out that 8.1 actually replaces a LOT of buggy areas in 8.0, so this update is pretty much mandatory. More is discussed below.
Really hate all this computer stuff - all i wanted was to be a good photographer!
Thanks -
Sandy
Support from Microsoft for Win XP ends in April 2014. That means no patches or security fixes will be available for that OS. In short, if you decide to XP after that date, you'll likely get hammered with viruses, trojans, etc.. That would be very bad. So...you're left with upgrading your OS to either Win-7 SP-1 or Win 8.1, or buying a new machine.
Here's the deal...
If you decide to upgrade your OS, you will need to do a clean install of either Win 7 or Win 8.1 (see note below). When you do a clean install, the Windows installer will format your HD, deleting all files on the disk. That means you'll need to have all your user data backed up, install Windows and then download and install all new device drivers and any Windows updates.
Note: One important thing to be aware of is compatibility of your current programs, hardware, and drivers with Win 7 or 8.1. MS has a 'compatibility checker' tool that will scan your system and tell you what will, or will not work with the new OS.
From my reading on some of the tech sites, some suggest to not upgrade the OS on an older computer, but rather to purchase a new machine with the OS already installed. The main reason is the newer hardware (mother boards, video cards, CPU's, RAM, and HD's) are vastly superior in terms of performance to legacy hardware. A secondary reason to simply go with a new, clean machine is one doesn't have to spend many hours, and money to upgrade an older box.
Since you have an old XP box, and based upon my comment above, I would forego upgrading and save your nickels for a new machine.
(I recently had an issue with Win 7 on my laptop. The tech I was working with could not find a specific fix for the problem, so we decided a clean install of Win 7 would be the best bet. It went very well, but I had to download and install 15 hardware drivers and 125 Windows updates. It was very time-consuming, to say the least. My point here is that you would have to jump through similar hoops to upgrade your current OS, assuming your hardware is compatible.)
I know this is a lot to think about, but you do have some time to make a decision as to which way you want to go.
--P
No way can I buy a new computer right now. It will be a struggle to buy a new small laptop for Africa this summer, that can handle emails, CS6, and burning lots of DVD's.
Sandy
Given the age of your machine, you should not have much difficulty upgrading to Win 7-SP1 (I'd suggest the 'Pro-64 bit' version, assuming your motherboard and hardware support 64 bit.). If you can, have the tech who built your computer do the upgrade for you. I'd also suggest upgrading the amount of RAM at the same time. (The amount RAM that you can use is determined by the mother board and the OS). This course would bring the computer to nice state and save you time and money.
--P
Thanks for the write-up anyway, Paul.
I must be on another planet I think, because Windows 8 is a phenomenally stable operating system and I have had ZERO problems with it. I'm running the full CC suite, using Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects, etc and it's been rock solid. My peers in IT have switched and all say the same thing. It recognizes every device and PCI cards that I have with no need for drivers, it mounts ISO files like a hard drive, the dashboard that replaces the Start Menu looks terrific on a 30" monitor and it's a breeze switching back n forth. It didn't even need me to install drivers for my LSI 3Ware RAID card, recognized it at first boot up. I also ran 8 on a cheesy Acer laptop with a P6100 with no graphics card and it ran flawlessly, and on there I was running Visual Studio .net and a SQL Server Express database, doing development. 8 is awesome, stable and fast. What "bugs" are you finding Stan?
Regarding Vista, it is very stable now. Microsoft released SP2 after Win 7 Beta was released, and it was FINALLY a great Vista version. Problem was, everybody was tired of it by that point. But if you have Vista SP2, it should run just fine. The navigation to me in unfriendly compared to 7 and 8, but at least it's stable now.
Microsoft had to do the same thing with XP, notice you never hear of XP Service Pack 1? It was such a buggy upgrade that Microsoft actually urges that it NOT be used (I've seen that on some software titles, even office). My peers at Microsoft back then let me in on a little secret: XP Service Pack 2 completely changed out almost every DLL file (the things that make Windows run) with a new version, so essentially, XP SP2 is a totally new operating system. Then XP3 just shored up some small bumps. SO, there's no doubt that Windows 8.1 is the fixed version, let's hope the fixes are right. Stan, believe me, the moment I get wailed with an 8.1 bug, I'll post it and let you know.
THE TAKEAWAY: if you get a new PC with Windows 8, make sure it has 8.1, or do the upgrade immediately.
The reviews I've read about Win 8.1 have been pretty favorable, so I encourage you to install it. I suggest that you do a clean install, rather than an upgrade installation. The clean install starts you out with a clean slate--no left over registry entries, temporary files, c**pware, etc. It would also be a good idea to download and install updated device drivers from the manufacturer's website while you're at it. Of course, you'll also need to reinstall programs and move your backed up data to the drive, but you'll have a lean and clean machine when you're done.
--P
Haven't done the Win 8.1 update yet but your post has been helpful Paul.