Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Get it here http://dev.windows.com

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Hmmmm, tempting. I've just formatted my lappy and have yet to put the majority of stuff back on it so I could try this and not really lose much/anything if it goes wrong...

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

I'm downloading it and sticking it in Virtual PC

---------- Post added at 10:34 ---------- Previous post was at 09:57 ----------

Except it won't run in Virtual PC damn it

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Yeah I spotted that too just now...

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Tried downloading the 32bit version and it downloads the ISO but theres no data in it (only 6.2kb in size).

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Woo hoo. Found a solution http://ghost301tech.wordpress.com/20...rtual-machine/

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Nice one - works a treat!

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Lost all interest in window's 8 after they said they are intergrating Xbox Live in to it, and I just see that as the death of pc gaming.

Should be nice for people to try though.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Except, you need a PC to run it.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Still not actually managed to get it installed lol

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

I set it up as a virtual machine but it seem quite laggy so I cleared a drive and changed hard drive priority and installed it clean. Its just a simple matter of boot selection to choose which OS I boot now but once you get past what I think is an awful GUI without a touch screen its pretty complete. Even flash works

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

have you burned it to disc

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

No, trying to install it direct from the ISO to a Virtual machine on VirtualBox. Just keeps hanging.

Unfortunately I've got a laptop so installing it on a secondary drive isn't an option

---------- Post added at 22:43 ---------- Previous post was at 20:43 ----------

Right I give up. Managed to get it installed but it keeps on freezing. Shall wait for the beta/RC version

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Just installed on a spare hard drive, just getting used to interface but it is running fast. It's definitely set up for touch screen in mind though.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Navigate to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Curre ntVersion\Explorer

change RPenabled to 0 and you have disabled metro

You can Auto logon by opening a run box and typing control userpasswords2 untick the require password box and apply. Input details and password press ok windows now boots

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Although my laptop has a second HDD bay I've not got an adapter for it so I've stuck it on a USB drive myself.

Still you could repartition your main drive (which I might do, as it's faster).

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

I actually found the linked instructions very useful, quick check in the BIOS to enable the virtualization and all the steps in the notes.

I'm actually running quite a high spec i7, 8gig, 64 bit, Windows 7 laptop.

And even though I did get it to work I have to say I'm not all that impressed yet!

Running Virtual box as a single virtual machine.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

I have been tempted to try it but it looks like its targeted at touch screens more than anything.

Just reformatted my laptop though so may try it on there tonight.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

I don't like it.

The new interface would be fine for a tablet, but I have my keyboard and mouse and just want it to stay out of my face.

Also, I WANT THE WINDOWS 7 START MENU BACK.

Please microsoft add a "desktop" mode.


The new task manager is nice though.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Sorted it. As I'm running W7 64 and VirtualBox supports 64 bit guest OS's I thought I'd give it a try

Now running W8 64 without any issue (apart from the fact I don't like it so far so think it may be the first version of Windows I don't want to upgrade to)

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

see my post a few up with the reg hack to get rid of metro

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Actually that's exactly why I'm trying it.

Windows 7, despite all their so-called touch optimizations, still sucks for touch.

---------- Post added at 00:58 ---------- Previous post was at 00:57 ----------

Well, I have a tablet and Win 7 is horrible to use in touch-only mode (it's fine for pen though).

---------- Post added at 00:58 ---------- Previous post was at 00:58 ----------

You wanted to upgrade to ME and Vista?

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

glad you got it working properly ben why dont you like it

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

That worked but it also disabled most of the desktop improvements, as well as the new task manager which I actually liked. :confused:

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Vista? Yes, because it's not as bad as everyone say it is. Never had any problems with it.

I wanted to go from 98 to 2000 rather than ME as I was aware it was a dead end.

Just think it's too aimed at touch at the moment, plus they've made some odd choices. I had to Google how to shut down W8, which means it's not exactly obvious, nor are some of the other interface choices

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Lol - I couldn't shut down either and actually gave up and just powered the damn thing off!

Care to share? :)

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Start > Settings > Power Icon > Shut down

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Took me five minutes to work out where the restart option was. Just so I could retreat back to Win7 and it's keyboard friendly interface. Big fan of Win7, I own and love Windows Phone 7, but Metro on a proper PC is just wrong.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Or you could just use the power button.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Except that'll probably be set to put the computer to 'Sleep' rather than 'Shut Down' as it is in Windows 7

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

you need to go into power save and turn off the hard drive power down option. Power button is usually set to soft off nowadays by default. Easy to change in advance power options anyway

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Well yes, but if you want a shut down button, you can easily set one.

Just saying... If Start > Settings > Power Icon > Shut down is too complex just set your power button to do the same thing.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

Well, I've thrown it at a machine that JUST meets the specs for the 32bit version - HP TC1100 1GHz Celeron CPU, 2Gb Ram, 40Gb Hard drive - why? because it's a tablet PC and I use it as a baseline for windows usability under multiple layouts.

Opinion? - Not a whole lot, the machine isn't multitouch in fact it's digitizer driven, so it at least can make some use of the touch system.

Closing Applications - doesn't seem to be a way to do it other than dropping out of metro and using the task manager. Yes the app is suspended but it still reserves memory.

Speed - I know I'm at the bottom end of the spectrum on this machine for the required specs, but 7 is double the speed. 8 seems like windows 7 with the windows phone 7 interface pasted on top badly.

Reliability - Now, I know it's a dev preview so I'm not going to hold this against it but it has locked up a couple of times and launching applications seems to have issues sometimes.

Given that it's a development preview I'm not going to base final judgment on this incarnation, but initial opinion is that it's suited to a much faster machine with a multitouch interface, as an upgrade to existing machines without that multitouch system - not so much. I really hope the beta and final versions are faster and gain the ability not just to suspend the app but to close it. If not, then I won't be considering it as an operating system I would install or advise people to go for.

Re: Windows 8 Developer Preview
 

hope a beta version will not be too long in coming out