PREVIEW FOR WINDOWS 8 INSTALL
Again, nothing should change when you install the preview, only when the preview expires. (Microsoft’s not saying which apps may need to be reinstalled, however.) Microsoft sums it up in the table below, compliments of its FAQ. Basically, if you’re upgrading from Windows 8 to the Windows 8.1 preview, Microsoft anticipates that all of your data, with the exception of some apps, will be preserved. The operating system you’re upgrading from also determines the amount of data you’ll need to worry about.
PREVIEW FOR WINDOWS 8 UPGRADE
That said, if you choose to sit back, wait, and only upgrade when the final version is released, don’t worry-you shouldn’t have to touch a thing. The other thing to know is that if you download and install the Windows 8.1 preview, you may have to reinstall its apps when the final Windows 8.1 version is released. There’s bad news for Windows RT users, however: Microsoft says there’s no way back. Windows 8 users may also be able to restore their PC by performing a refresh. If decide you really can’t stand Windows 8.1 after it’s already installed, the only way out is to restore your PC to its original factory settings, using the recovery media that came with your PC or a backup.
PREVIEW FOR WINDOWS 8 UPDATE
(And be aware that if you begin installation and then get cold feet in the middle, you’ll also have to uninstall the associated Windows Update open the Control Panel, look for “View installed updates,” and delete KB2849636.) Installing the Windows 8.1 preview is essentially a one-way trip: Once the software is installed, there’s no going back. Is it on your main productivity machine? A spare PC? Or even within a virtual machine? Since you’ll be installing a preview version of the operating system, we recommend digging up a spare PC and installing 8.1 on top of an existing Windows 8 installation. You’ll find answers to specific questions that this guide can’t cover, including the most frustrating error message, “ Windows 8.1 Preview is not yet supported on this PC.” (Have you already seen this message? According to Microsoft, your PC might be running a 32-bit Intel Atom chip that’s currently unsupported.)īefore you download and install Windows 8.1, consider where you’ll be running it. If you do run into problems, try visiting the Microsoft Windows 8 Preview forums. Though I haven’t encountered a single bug in Windows 8.1, there’s no guarantee that you’ll have the same experience. If you have any critical apps or data, make sure that you have backup copies, or that your data is also stored within Microsoft’s SkyDrive. What Microsoft released last week is a preview, and so it may contain a bug or two. Note that, eventually, Windows 8.1 will be available to you, for free, when the software is released to “general availability,” most likely this fall. Not only does it have features designed to make Windows 8.1 a friendlier experience, but it has tons-yes, tons-of new features. If you own Windows 8 and dislike it, we encourage you to follow along and consider giving Windows 8.1 a try. From a marketing standpoint, Windows 8.1 is a do-over, a bid to simplify and personalize an operating system that, quite frankly, turned off a lot of people. Last week, Microsoft unveiled Windows 8.1, the next iteration of its Windows 8 operating system. Here’s one: Install the Windows 8.1 preview. And with the long weekend ahead, it’s time for a simple computing project. Any housework that needs doing is already done.