Upgrade to Windows 8 Pro for only $39.99!

[som99]

So I just bought it from my vista machine and got the discount with no issue.
I'm not really looking forward to wrestling with the new interface, but for ~$17CDN, I won't complain.
I figure I may as well dive in and learn what I can before my relatives start calling me for Windows 8 support, which they inevitably will.

In my opinion W8 is not usable without "classic shell"
http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/


So if you decide you want to use W8 I suggest you install classic shell, for me it was utter crap without it.

[kedawa]

Cool.  I was hoping something like that would be ready by the time I bought it anyway.
One sad thing about the way I did it is that the upgrade assistant checks the 'bits' of the host OS rather than the capabilities of the CPU when determining which installer to download, so I just spent the last hour downloading the 32 bit version.
I'm going to have to get a copy of the x64 install disk through other means and hope my product key works with it.

[som99]

Cool.  I was hoping something like that would be ready by the time I bought it anyway.
One sad thing about the way I did it is that the upgrade assistant checks the 'bits' of the host OS rather than the capabilities of the CPU when determining which installer to download, so I just spent the last hour downloading the 32 bit version.
I'm going to have to get a copy of the x64 install disk through other means and hope my product key works with it.

Ow that is a bummer, are you sure the iso do not contain both 32 and 64bit installation?

[kedawa]

I'm assuming that they're two separate images since the retail package contains two separate DVDs, and I've read a few articles that claim that to be the case.

[som99]

I'm assuming that they're two separate images since the retail package contains two separate DVDs, and I've read a few articles that claim that to be the case.

Ok to bad, write here and tell us if the key you got works for the 64 bit version when you got it

[Mightyzorlac]

No offence this is an Amiga site?The last time I looked.:rant: Who cares about windows? and making Microsoft richer.

[som99]

No offence this is an Amiga site?The last time I looked.:rant: Who cares about windows? and making Microsoft richer.

Well this is the non-Amiga-related OS section of the forums.
Last time i checked there is plenty of Amiga related topics so no worries we are still talking Amiga related stuff and plenty of it.

[kedawa]

I had to put off my install until I got done work this evening because it took all night to torrent the 64bit install ISO, but I'm pleased to say that it worked without a hitch.
Even though it's an upgrade, I'm pretty sure the product key is from the same pool as the rest of the retail keys.  I did a clean install on my second hard drive so that I can dual boot with my old Vista install.

[Iggy]

I did a clean install on my second hard drive so that I can dual boot with my old Vista install.

Why? I  have a copy of Vista I've retired.
Tired of it crashing.

[persia]

One of the things that I notice with Windows 8 is that while the Windows 8 interface works fine with a mouse, a lot of the Windows 8 style apps feel clunky with a mouse.  They are better with a touchpad and a huge portion of Windows users still use mice.

[som99]

I had to put off my install until I got done work this evening because it took all night to torrent the 64bit install ISO, but I'm pleased to say that it worked without a hitch.
Even though it's an upgrade, I'm pretty sure the product key is from the same pool as the rest of the retail keys.  I did a clean install on my second hard drive so that I can dual boot with my old Vista install.

I agree, I think they keys come from the same pool to, my key worked to fresh install on any system I tried it on.

Why? I  have a copy of Vista I've retired.
Tired of it crashing.

Agree

One of the things that I notice with Windows 8 is that while the Windows 8 interface works fine with a mouse, a lot of the Windows 8 style apps feel clunky with a mouse.  They are better with a touchpad and a huge portion of Windows users still use mice.

I think it's even better with touchscreen, tho when I tried W8 I do not use the modern GUI (Metro) at all and classic shell restores a start menu, without that I could not use it productive enough.
Also a tip is right clicking/properties on video/image files etc and set them to not open in Modern GUI/Metro.

[kedawa]

Why? I  have a copy of Vista I've retired.
Tired of it crashing.

I have it set up exactly the way I want, it's on a separate hard drive, and it has never crashed in all the years since I've been using it.
I'm not retiring it until I have Windows 8 fine-tuned the way I want with all of my software set up and working.

I also have about 30GB of stuff downloading via bittorrent that I don't feel like aborting.

[Iggy]

...it has never crashed in all the years since I've been using it.

You're a better man then me.
I've installed it several times (most recently only a couple months ago) and even with all current updates...boom!

[kedawa]

I honestly haven't had many problems with Vista (aside from bone-headed design decisions and questionable performance) since the first service pack.  It probably helps that I've disabled a lot of unnecessary services.

I also seem to have really good luck with bad operating systems.  Windows ME ran great for me for many years as well.

[stefcep2]

@kedawa: yes disabling unnecessary services is the way to get vista performing well.  Its proven to be stable, fast and better looking than Win7 for me.

Specifically  MS didn't tell anyone about the indexing service's hard drive usage on a new system as it built up the index of all the crapware thats usually installed and made it run like a dog.

BTW in Aus its Win 8 is $69.95 for the DVD, but with the "trick" I ordered it for $40.

[persia]

I just wish I could turn off the legacy desktop in Windows 8, it just looks so 20th Century....