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Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 5th, 2013, 3:39 pm
by Woodenhead
SmokeOnTheWater wrote::popcorn

Maybe one day I can be as savvy

Don't worry - if you haven't "upgraded" to Win 8, then you're already more savvy then those who did. lol

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 6th, 2013, 1:15 pm
by sooperphreek
Bought an Asus PC on boxing day. FX 3.10 with 10 ram. It has widows 8 and I am about ready to revert to windows 7. I had it going and set up first day with all my stuff and it loses wireless network connection after the reset and updates. Did a few restores and finally a couple of passive wipe resets and still the same. In my research I read that defender conflicted with panda so I went with avita and super bug as people said they were benign with windows 8. I'm really frustrated that I have to restart over and over from the beginning. Its not possible to run 100 ft of Ethernet wire to test hardwire connection. But the wireless conking out is simply rediculous and shouldn't be happening. I run all the other programs on my laptop on 7 just fine and never have network issues.

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 8th, 2013, 2:56 pm
by Logitack
just an update

received the windows 8 pro full version dvd today from M$, everything works, did a complete "clean install".
:nyah:

i have also created a usb key that is bootable and will install windows 8 pro


life is good again...

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 8th, 2013, 6:07 pm
by Loed
Ya, it sounds like the ISO you had was not actually a proper full ISO at all sadly.
Looks like that was the root of your issue.

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 8th, 2013, 6:57 pm
by Logitack
well, looks like i spoke too soon!!

turns out there is something on the asus laptop, model s56cm, hardware or software, that is preventing windows 8 from being updated to windows 8 pro!

after I booted from the dvd, it appeared to be installing fine, but it actually did NOT give me the screen to enter the product key. at first i thought, bonus, the key must of been part of the windows 8 pro setup.... NOT!

I took a peek at the control panel, system screen. it shows the last 5 letters/numbers of the product key that came with the laptop! i now assume the product key determines which windows 8 gets installed??? it also shows the words windows 8 rather than windows 8 pro as it should! now i am *bleep*!!

i thought maybe something is on the msata SSD that comes with the laptop, in addition to the 1 TB hybrid drive, so i went into the command prompt and diskpart to put the drive offline. but it still wont give me the product screen page, it goes from the install setup screen, to the accept the EULA, to the choice of over installing windows 8 or doing a custom installation. WTH!!

i guess i will have to live with installing windows 8 pro from within windows and then do a disk cleanup and get rid of the folder called windows.old...RME!!

got a call into asus now!!!

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 8th, 2013, 7:29 pm
by SmokeOnTheWater
:popcorn:

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 9th, 2013, 10:31 am
by Logitack
so, microsoft called this morning, after I emailed the tech that the installation didnt work...

he showed me how to activate the windows 8 pro. the steps involved are simple but does not allow a user to install something other than the OS that was original to the computer.

if you are interested the steps were to go to control panel, system, click on "view details in windows activation". when that window appears, you click on the button called "add features to your edition", you then enter your new product key and it begins to update your OS to the next highest incarnation.

long story short, you cannot boot up with ANY media, dvd or bootable usb key to go from windows 8 to windows 8 pro. why? apparently it is a "feature" whereby the product key is now embedded in the BIOS, so whenever you boot up from those media it automatically gets the product key and then installs the OS matched with the product key. So if your product key is for windows 8, that is what gets installed, even though you have a windows 8 pro dvd!

"One of the improvements Microsoft is making to Activation 3.0 for newly built machines that come preloaded with Windows 8, you won’t have a COA (Certificate of Authenticity) sticker attached to the machine anymore. Instead, this will be embedded in the BIOS. This will avoid product keys from being compromised and OEMs will buy what they need."

The BIOS or basic input/output operating system is the small program embedded into non-volatile memory that is responsible for starting up the computer when turned on.

Computer manufacturers have been able to write product keys to the BIOS since Windows 7 and Activation 2.1 for each system they shipped, but a sticker still had to be affixed to the computers.

Activation 3.0 does away with the requirement for a sticker and enables them to ship pre-authenticated systems.

Microsoft requires Activation 3.0 to be used for new computers shipped with Windows 8, but it's not used for Windows Server or embedded products, or the earlier Windows 7 operating system.


I am sure there must be a work-around to this "feature", right? so when the new version of windows comes in 2 or 3 years you are out of luck installing it on the computer? thanks microsoft for this added "feature"!!

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 9th, 2013, 10:54 am
by ol goat
My sister inlaw got a new laptop after xmas with windows 8 and nothing but grief trying to load anything and remove the fluff that she dos'nt want running (she uses it for buiness and does not need all the social media that it wanted to have up). After 2 weeks she took it back and got a deal on a new PC at 50% off with windows 7 ( discounted cause "No one wants win 7 anymore"). In one day she had everything ruuning and loaded with what she needs. There are good deals out there now if you want win 7

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 9th, 2013, 12:38 pm
by Woodenhead
Logitack wrote:I am sure there must be a work-around to this "feature", right? so when the new version of windows comes in 2 or 3 years you are out of luck installing it on the computer? thanks microsoft for this added "feature"!!


It's their attempt to prevent piracy. And as usual, it ends up hindering legitimate users.

This is why I will always build my own computer - that way I'm not chained to any specific OS.

Anyway, as usual, the My Digital Life forums are a treasure-trove of information. Might want to take a peek.

My Digital Life - Windows 8

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 9th, 2013, 5:41 pm
by Loed
In many, many ways W8 is exactly like W7(under the hood). So there's little to no reason that your sister was unable to get it function the way she wanted, aside from the learning curve and time needed to do so. In that case it is easier to downgrade to W7 again.
I wasn't aware they were implementing the BIOS authentication method yet. That is terrible to hear and changes many things I need to ask now... Ugh!

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 9th, 2013, 6:10 pm
by underscore
Logitack wrote:I am sure there must be a work-around to this "feature", right? so when the new version of windows comes in 2 or 3 years you are out of luck installing it on the computer? thanks microsoft for this added "feature"!!


I'm pretty sure Windows has been doing this for a while, as I ran into this when repairing a friends laptop running Vista (it never asked for a license key but listed that it was activated). I think it's designed to make it easier to recover a PC, because all you need is a generic OS disc and it automatically pulls the license key from someone in the hardware. Bear in mind if you try to install another OS it won't prevent you from doing so, it only makes it easier to install the original OS so it really doesn't hold you back in any way.

Also the whole upgrade from within Windows thing is also inside 7, I love it because you can upgrade a PC to a higher version of the OS without having to reformat. When I had to upgrade 7 PCs at work from 7 Home Premium to 7 Pro it was a piece of cake, and everyone got to keep their files and settings. Why would you want to reformat when all you're doing is unlocking a few features? It sounds like you're upset that they made things easier for you, with literally no downsides.

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 10th, 2013, 2:34 am
by Woodenhead
I prefer a reformat - I think of it as "spring cleaning". It's simple & quick, too, if you do regular backups & know how to do "slipstream" installs.

Re: Windows 8

Posted: Jan 12th, 2013, 6:57 pm
by StraitTalk
I've been using 8 on one of my PC's to be a little more useful at work, and honestly I do think it is a terrific OS, but there is absolutely no reason to switch to it from 7 if you don't own a Tablet or similar product.