Win 8.1 question
- Thread starter SpringWater
- Start date
DMGrier
VIP Member
Don't blame you at all, though I am sure when you call MS they will try and trouble shoot it before handing over the refund. I just was looking at the wireless card in my notebook is at least three years old in design and received it's last update in the beginning of 2012 which means I am probably not going to be getting a driver update to fix my issues with Windows 8.1.
So I don't think of Windows 8.1 as a service pack since the update does not come through the update manager. Does anyone know if all future bug fixes and security updates will be both compatible for Windows 8 and 8.1 or are they receiving different updates which means Windows 8 has a life cycle now?
From my understanding Microsoft is going to be releasing yearly updates like this now which if they do it like OS X and other Unix/Linux like operating systems you would think this means that eventually everyone will have to upgrade from Windows 8.0 to the current version even if that means breaking compatibility.
Windows 8 and 8.1 are receiving their own updates I think. Whenever I get an update in Windows Update, it's usually for just Windows 8.1.
Take a look at my update history:
Note that before I upgraded to 8.1, I had hundreds of updates previously installed for 8, but it clears the update history when you upgrade and it also changes the OS installation date to when the 8.1 update was applied. I originally installed this copy of 8 on my PC on April 27th I think, but now it reckons that Windows was installed on October 19th, which is when I upgraded to 8.1.
Take a look at my update history:
Note that before I upgraded to 8.1, I had hundreds of updates previously installed for 8, but it clears the update history when you upgrade and it also changes the OS installation date to when the 8.1 update was applied. I originally installed this copy of 8 on my PC on April 27th I think, but now it reckons that Windows was installed on October 19th, which is when I upgraded to 8.1.
DMGrier
VIP Member
Very interesting Spirit, like I mentioned earlier I don't think we can call this a service pack, I went to MS Windows life support page and it did not list 8.1 as a service pack or as a main release. I think they are going to be going up 0.1 every year cause it show support ends for Windows 8 in 2023 which if it goes up 0.1 edition per year that would be about the time Windows 9 would hit.
Okedokey
Well-Known Member
Ok update.
I acquired a Windows 8.1 Retail DVD ISO online and installed it in 15 minutes.
What really annoys me is that is all they needed to do. Provide a bloody ISO file download. The rest of us can sort out everything else.
It installed as I said in 15 minutes tops, and im now completely working from 8.1.
Seriously, why they have to make it such an epic fail??
And they wonder why people resort to piracy. Especially us in Australia where it costs double the cost for the same bloody downloaded digital product as the USA.
Very annoyed.
I acquired a Windows 8.1 Retail DVD ISO online and installed it in 15 minutes.
What really annoys me is that is all they needed to do. Provide a bloody ISO file download. The rest of us can sort out everything else.
It installed as I said in 15 minutes tops, and im now completely working from 8.1.
Seriously, why they have to make it such an epic fail??
And they wonder why people resort to piracy. Especially us in Australia where it costs double the cost for the same bloody downloaded digital product as the USA.
Very annoyed.
DMGrier
VIP Member
The wonderful world of proprietary operating systems.
That's pretty much what I had to do since I have Enterprise. You can only download 8.1 from the Store if you have the vanilla 8 or 8 Pro.
I had to download the 8.1 Enterprise ISO from MSDN, and then burn it to a DVD, and install it from inside 8. It was kind of annoying but it installed quickly.
How are you finding 8.1 then? Stuff in Britain is a rip-off too compared to US prices.
I think 8.1 is more than just a service pack. It is virtually a new operating system, or much more so than 7 SP1 was. This could explain why people have been having problems upgrading.
DMGrier
VIP Member
Figured I would just share that over at Windows Eight forums in the news room they post Windows 8.0 will no longer receive critical update in 2015.
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecy...?sort=PN&qid=&alpha=Windows+8&Filter=FilterNO
http://support.microsoft.com/lifecy...?sort=PN&qid=&alpha=Windows+8&Filter=FilterNO
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Here in the UK:
Windows 8.1 Pro (Retail) on Amazon.com - $167 http://www.amazon.com/Microsoft-Win...F8&qid=1383496442&sr=8-4&keywords=windows+8.1
Windows 8.1 Pro (Retail) on Amazon.co.uk - £182 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Microsoft-F...id=1383496493&sr=8-1&keywords=windows+8.1+pro
$167 = ~£104
£182 = ~$291
Obviously it's more expensive over here. Probably because of shipping it over here and VAT and whatnot.
And I suspect the support lifecycle is a bit like the service pack support lifecycles. Windows 7 RTM isn't supported anymore, or if it is, support isn't long to this world. But, Windows 7 SP1 is still going to be supported until 2020 I believe.
Looks like mainstream support for 8(.1) ends on January 9th 2018 and extended support for 8(.1) ends on January 10th 2023, so 8.1 is good to go for another 9 and a bit years.
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