WARNING: Installing Windows 8 Consumer Preview

ugafan

ugafan

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I downloaded this earlier today and I'm here to warn others not to make the same mistake I did. After using it for several minutes I quickly realized it was a steaming pile of dog crap. After several more minutes and an internet search of how to shut down the computer, I powered down and started up. Or at least I tried to. At first I got a completely blank screen. After a couple of tries with the power button, it eventually rebooted and gave me the option to log into windows 8 or a previous version of windows. Unfortunately, windows 7 was no longer there. You have to completely reinstall windows 7 and it will NOT transfer your programs and files. Hopefully my stupidity saves someone the headache of having to reinstall everything.
 
What a ridiculous and biased post. I'm sure most people will do a little research before they install an operating system. I know I did before I installed it.
 
Snazzy Flapper said:
What a ridiculous and biased post. I'm sure most people will do a little research before they install an operating system. I know I did before I installed it.
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good for you. for the people who haven't done research, you will have to reinstall all of your files and programs to go back to windows 7.
 
Not sure if this translates to PC world yet, but in the mac world, if I want to do something like what you did, I'd clone my boot drive, boot the clone, then try updating and see what happens. This way, I keep a copy of a working system. When I was on PC, I'd clone the drive, swap the drives in the case and do the same thing (I upgraded the clone because you never know if the clone is correct so keep the original). Even moreso, if I find a problem with a new OS I can just ditch the updated clone -or- not use it till a patch came out.

Beyond that, I NEVER use version 1 of ANY OS EVER. Let someone else having the headache! :)
 
It's plain common sense to back up anything and everything when upgrading an operating system, but I must say it is foolish to expect perfection from what isn't even a release candidate yet.
 
Rick Burnett said:
Not sure if this translates to PC world yet, but in the mac world, if I want to do something like what you did, I'd clone my boot drive, boot the clone, then try updating and see what happens.
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One of the joys of a UNIX-based OS. Nope, not as easily done in a Windows world (Macs are PCs). You basically have to use a third-party program (I like the options from Acronis, i.e. True Image Home) to do a complete copy of your hard drive, back it up to a file, play around with Windows 8 on your computer, then when you're done, restore the backup file to your primary disk.

The reason you can't just copy everything is that there are a lot of "gotchas" if you do a straight copy. I find it more failsafe to use a program that is intended to make a mirror image (nothing ships with Windows that lets you do this).

I blame the archaic use of drive-letters for this. One of the biggest advantages of OSX over Win (I think they are both roughly equal, but each has advantages over the other).

EDIT: I should add that I think I'll be staying put with Windows 7 for now. I really don't see any advantage, on the desktop PC side, of upgrading.
 
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I use the term "PC" to refer to running a windows system, not just which hardware you are running. Technically, all home systems would be PCs since that just stands for personal computer, but most people hear PC and they think "Running Windows", so I just roll with that. :)
 
*shudder* I don't miss PowerPC at all. I do a lot of audio work and the G5 was a jet engine. I needed to use it from another state so I couldn't hear it on recordings :)
 
I have a cheap clone station that makes 1:1 mirror copies - even without a computer involved.
Whenever I´m finished to set up and hand massage a system with all programs andwhatnot,
I take the drive out and make a clone. So when the system acts up (usually with a customer breathing down your neck)
I just pull another clean copy from my spare drive and continue working.

I did this since years and it saved my butt many times.

Regarding Win8,

For me, it add´s nothing if you are not on a tablet or a touchscreen computer.
So I stick to 7 until they come up with something that improves my workflow.
Skipping every other version, proofed to be a good habit for me since I changed from Apple computers in 1998.

Frank
 
Postmaster said:
I have a cheap clone station that makes 1:1 mirror copies - even without a computer involved.
Whenever I´m finished to set up and hand massage a system with all programs andwhatnot,
I take the drive out and make a clone. So when the system acts up (usually with a customer breathing down your neck)
I just pull another clean copy from my spare drive and continue working.

I did this since years and it saved my butt many times.

Regarding Win8,

For me, it add´s nothing if you are not on a tablet or a touchscreen computer.
So I stick to 7 until they come up with something that improves my workflow.
Skipping every other version, proofed to be a good habit for me since I changed from Apple computers in 1998.

Frank
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What's the clone station called? I'd like to get one.
 
Now that´s really a deal breaker:

The very anticipated operating system Windows 8 will have a feature that was never found on PC's before: A kill switch that can remotely delete software and edit code without the user's permission. Although Microsoft claims the switch would only be used for software that is downloaded from its app store, no official policies clearly define the actual purpose of the kill switch... nothing is truly considered "illegal" and that includes issues regarding spying, censorship and free speech.
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http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2400985,00.asp
 
Non of my computers that I make money with is - or was - ever connected to the net.
I have one computer just for that.

Frank
 
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