# Windows 8 Consumer Preview



## H 3 L L S M A N (Feb 26, 2012)

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is arriving on the 29th for download, and I wanted to see if people will be using it and testing it out or waiting for the full release. Normally I do not like testing a product before the retail version is released because it can ruin the end experience sometimes.

My processor took forever to ship and is arriving on the 28th (i7-3930K Build in the build log section under "MSI Big Bang Xpower II Water Cooling Loop"), I will most likely be getting it up and running with Windows 7 that day and then create a backup and then install the windows 8 Consumer Preview on my X79 platform. If it is good then I will be using it up until the retail release of Windows 8.

Will you ignore it and wait or forget about it completely and wait till their is no more updates for Windows 7 or a new directX becomes standard.


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## lilhasselhoffer (Feb 26, 2012)

Serious?


A buggy release candidate is nothing worth downloading.  If MS wants me to quality test then they should pay me.  I'll settle for a single OEM license...or not...  Windows 8 is taking DRM to the next level of stupidity.


So no, not installing this.  A new version of directx is stupid, considering we're up to 11 but 9 is standard.  New features are a joke, given that I know more about the computer than where the on button is.  Top this with more malevolent DRM, and I'll skip windows 8 all together.


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## Liquid Cool (Feb 26, 2012)

Ignore it.

Still sticking with my favorite Windows XP 64 bit until they kick me off of it.  I didn't see any difference between Win XP and Windows 7 'cept a little eye candy and hand holding that I don't like or need.  Now Windows 8 adds some type of front end that's worthless for what I use it for.

Windows 8 = Windows XP SP5 to me.

Best,

Liquid Cool


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## micropage7 (Feb 26, 2012)

for trying maybe yes but since it isnt final version i wont push it for daily usage and so far win 7 runs well why you need to switch to win 8 that still preview?


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## TRWOV (Feb 26, 2012)

I've been using the Developer Preview since it was released and I haven't had any serious problems apart from a handful of applications not being compatible. I'll surely take the Consumer Preview for a spin.


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## LAN_deRf_HA (Feb 26, 2012)

So is this a RC or a beta? 

And for those that haven't been paying attention Windows 8 is a highly optimized Windows 7. Mainly because they're targeting the competitive tablet market with it. All that front end stuff people hate can be turned off. If you liked 7, get 8. If you're still stuck on XP for the resource usage, give 8 a try. It should have a similar footprint but with vastly more features. Once you have it you may even find yourself trying and liking some of those new features we're so put off by.


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## H 3 L L S M A N (Feb 26, 2012)

LAN_deRf_HA said:


> So is this a RC or a beta?
> 
> And for those that haven't been paying attention Windows 8 is a highly optimized Windows 7. Mainly because they're targeting the competitive tablet market with it. All that front end stuff people hate can be turned off. If you liked 7, get 8. If you're still stuck on XP for the resource usage, give 8 a try. It should have a similar footprint but with vastly more features. Once you have it you may even find yourself trying and liking some of those new features we're so put off by.



They have chosen the name "Consumer Preview" instead of beta to make it sound more friendly apparently, and therefore get a bigger audience to download it. So I believe this is the beta version but not 100% because there was the developer preview which could have been the beta and this is the RC but who knows, I will be installing it as soon as it comes out because I like new things and in the past never had a single issue besides a certain freeware low end program not working.

I am interested to see the footprint too.


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## Disparia (Feb 26, 2012)

Have been doing it since Windows 95, so probably will with do the same with 8. Though not as eager as the old days... I remember grabbing every weekly build of XP. But only did the RCs for 7.


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## Lochban1088 (Feb 26, 2012)

Personally i cant see my self switching to win 8 unless theres a game or games that need it most of the time i use ubuntu for day to day use and reboot in to win 7 for games  one day Ms will learn that there fucked up dmr is just hurting themselves .


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## Frick (Feb 26, 2012)

lilhasselhoffer said:


> Serious?
> 
> 
> A buggy release candidate is nothing worth downloading.  If MS wants me to quality test then they should pay me.  I'll settle for a single OEM license...or not...



Considering the pre beta build was very solid this should not be very buggy at all.



LAN_deRf_HA said:


> If you're still stuck on XP for the resource usage, give 8 a try. It should have a similar footprint but with vastly more features. Once you have it you may even find yourself trying and liking some of those new features we're so put off by.



For most people this is a non issue today. Why would anyone have a desktop/laptop system with less than 1GB of ram?


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## puma99dk| (Feb 26, 2012)

well DRM protection can be broken even the activation on Windows 7 was broken in secs and they just released and update that will "Re-Activate" Windows 7 which is a free choice to install so what does it really matter?

it only gives ppl a reason to test out, bcs if a fully activated OS like Windows 7 and Beta's of Windows 8 can be activated doing the installation and u don't "Re-activate" them they will just keep on working.

but i will properly they out Windows 8 CP when it comes bcs i will properly get it.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 26, 2012)

It won't be my primary OS until it is RTM, but I will have Win8 installed on at least one workstation at work to get used to it.(I'll also be disabling the useless Metro crap.)



lilhasselhoffer said:


> A buggy release candidate is nothing worth downloading.



Good thing this won't be a buggy release candidate, so your post has no point.



puma99dk| said:


> well DRM protection can be broken even the activation on Windows 7 was broken in secs and they just released and update that will "Re-Activate" Windows 7 which is a free choice to install so what does it really matter?



What is the point, I don't even put a CD key in when I install Windows 7 on my own machines.  After 30 days when I don't activate I get a little text in the bottom right of the screen saying Windows might not be genuine, but the computer still functions perfectly, so big deal.


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## LAN_deRf_HA (Feb 26, 2012)

Frick said:


> For most people this is a non issue today. Why would anyone have a desktop/laptop system with less than 1GB of ram?



It's not an issue, but a lot of people pretend it is to justify their continued use of XP to themselves.


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## SonDa5 (Feb 26, 2012)

I'll be test dummy for MS if they give me final released OS.


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## trickson (Feb 26, 2012)

No need for it at all. I have win7 64bit.


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## James1o1o (Feb 26, 2012)

If I install this, I like it and keep it, when the RC or final release of Windows 8 comes out, will I be able to upgrade my "beta" into the final release or will it require a reinstall?


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## BrooksyX (Feb 26, 2012)

I had a Microsoft rep come to my school on friday and he put on an all day event on how to program for windows phone 7 but he also showed us some the latest windows 8 goodies on his windows 9 slate tablet. Pretty sweet stuff.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 26, 2012)

James1o1o said:


> If I install this, I like it and keep it, when the RC or final release of Windows 8 comes out, will I be able to upgrade my "beta" into the final release or will it require a reinstall?



Requires a re-install.


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## Kreij (Feb 26, 2012)

Yes, you definitely want to VM/dual boot any beta or pre-release installs.


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## AsRock (Feb 27, 2012)

Seen what i needed to see for now, i'll wait till release and then if it don't give any gaming performance increase it's pointless for me.


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## DigitalUK (Feb 27, 2012)

windows 8 is going to be another windows ME, everyone was fine with 98SE no real reason to change to ME until XP arrived, its far to soon to release windows 8 if you disable metro you have windows 7 with ribbon addon.

i think MS is releasing it mainly for phones and tablets


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## Kreij (Feb 27, 2012)

I personally think that Windows 8 is going to do well.
The easy way to tell how it's doing it cheking out the adoption rate on TPU. The members here are the most brutal beta-testers I know. If TPU'ers like it ... it's got promise.


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## Drone (Feb 27, 2012)

I use dev prev as my main OS and yes I will install cons prev when it's out.


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## H 3 L L S M A N (Feb 27, 2012)

Kreij said:


> I personally think that Windows 8 is going to do well.
> The easy way to tell how it's doing it cheking out the adoption rate on TPU. The members here are the most brutal beta-testers I know. If TPU'ers like it ... it's got promise.



I think it will too I like the direction Microsoft is heading I love the one OS idea, a tablet with Windows 8 being able to snyc with a destop with Windows 8 and having everthing with you on the go minus the big media collections would be awsome. As far as the increased DRM goes I will wait and see if it intefears with me.


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## erocker (Feb 27, 2012)

H 3 L L S M A N said:


> Will you ignore it and wait or forget about it completely and wait till their is no more updates for Windows 7 or a new directX becomes standard.



I will try the retail version, see if it works better, then decide from there. If it brings any kind of performance improvements, I'll most likely definitely switch. You'll most likely be able to make Windows 8 the way you want it in terms of interface and/or getting used to any new features doesn't take much time.


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## Deleted member 3 (Feb 27, 2012)

DigitalUK said:


> windows 8 is going to be another windows ME, everyone was fine with 98SE no real reason to change to ME until XP arrived, its far to soon to release windows 8 if you disable metro you have windows 7 with ribbon addon.
> 
> i think MS is releasing it mainly for phones and tablets



Apart from ME being a pos not everyone was fine with 98SE, 98SE was a pos as well.

There should be some features in Windows 8 that are interesting, though as far as I can tell nothing that couldn't be added in a service pack for Windows 7. The ARM edition is an exception to that.


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## Mathragh (Feb 27, 2012)

I will be using it from day one, first on the laptop, and when I'm overhauling the PC I'll install it on that too. Will also probably install it on the home server since it has alot of improvements in the file and disk management. 

I don't really see any downside to using the win 8 beta. Everything should be functional, and I'm looking forward to using alot of the new functions, like improved SkyDrive intergration(together with my windows 7 phone).


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## newtekie1 (Feb 27, 2012)

DanTheBanjoman said:


> Apart from ME being a pos not everyone was fine with 98SE, 98SE was a pos as well.
> 
> There should be some features in Windows 8 that are interesting, though as far as I can tell nothing that couldn't be added in a service pack for Windows 7. The ARM edition is an exception to that.



The ME analogy is a bad one for sure, mainly because ME was just plain bad and Win2000 was already out showing people how good it was.

Windows 8 is more like Windows XP MCE.  It adds a few extra features that most desktop users are probably never going to use, so most desktop users will likely stick with Windows 7 just like most desktop users stuck with regular XP and didn't bother with MCE unless they were buying a new computer that came with it.


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## Scrizz (Feb 27, 2012)

newtekie1 said:


> The ME analogy is a bad one for sure, mainly because ME was just plain bad and Win2000 was already out showing people how good it was.
> 
> Windows 8 is more like Windows XP MCE.  It adds a few extra features that most desktop users are probably never going to use, so most desktop users will likely stick with Windows 7 just like most desktop users stuck with regular XP and didn't bother with MCE unless they were buying a new computer that came with it.



that sounds more like it.
for an OS to be compared to ME, it has to be a complete pile of  

I'll be loading this on a machine, not my main just yet.


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## EarthDog (Feb 27, 2012)

Kreij said:


> I personally think that Windows 8 is going to do well.
> The easy way to tell how it's doing it cheking out the adoption rate on TPU. The members here are the most brutal beta-testers I know. If TPU'ers like it ... it's got promise.


But do they? Is there a thread with a poll in it (that forces you to hit the frontpage to vote :shadedshu). 

Just much ado about nothing so far... terrible interface (that can be disabled).


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## Athlon2K15 (Feb 27, 2012)

With a disabled metro every pc in my house will be running it from day 1,im not sure I will try this preview build because i dont know what driver compatibility will be like


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## DigitalUK (Feb 27, 2012)

i didnt mean windows 8 was rubbish in anyway i meant that windows 98se and windows ME were almost the same OS with afew minor changes, in the same way win7 and win8 are the same OS with afew changes (mainly for the portable market). why would you change from windows 7 to windows 8 (unless you didnt have to pay for it)


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## newtekie1 (Feb 27, 2012)

DigitalUK said:


> i didnt mean windows 8 was rubbish in anyway i meant that windows 98se and windows ME were almost the same OS with afew minor changes, in the same way win7 and win8 are the same OS with afew changes (mainly for the portable market). why would you change from windows 7 to windows 8 (*unless you didnt have to pay for it*)



That is the only reason I switched over to Win7 from Vista, if I didn't get Win7 for free I'd still be using Vista.  There really wasn't a whole lot changed from Vista w/ SP2 to Win7.



AthlonX2 said:


> With a disabled metro every pc in my house will be running it from day 1,im not sure I will try this preview build because i dont know what driver compatibility will be like



If it is anything like the Developer Preview, driver compatibility will not be a problem.  For all the hardware I tested it on, if there wasn't a Win8 driver(and there usually wasn't) the Win7 driver worked without any hassle.


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## Frick (Feb 27, 2012)

I just hope that I can get it for free via my school and/or that Amazon have a preorder deal like they had with Windows 7. I got Win7 Home Premium retail on launch day for about €85.


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## trickson (Feb 27, 2012)

Didn't Microsoft just put out windows7 and on the heals of this they announced that windows 8 is on it's way. Seems to me there should be a few good years with one OS. I am sticking with windows 7 for now. I see no need to get this OS at all. Windows 7 does every thing and them some. Really what can windows 8 offer that 7 doesn't have now?


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## Frick (Feb 27, 2012)

trickson said:


> Didn't Microsoft just put out windows7 and on the heals of this they announced that windows 8 is on it's way. Seems to me there should be a few good years with one OS. I am sticking with windows 7 for now. I see no need to get this OS at all. Windows 7 does every thing and them some. Really what can windows 8 offer that 7 doesn't have now?



Tablets and tablets. A useful tablet UI.


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## trickson (Feb 27, 2012)

Frick said:


> Tablets and tablets. A useful tablet UI.



Meh. I do not use them.


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## ThE_MaD_ShOt (Feb 27, 2012)

I'll give it a whirl.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 27, 2012)

trickson said:


> Didn't Microsoft just put out windows7 and on the heals of this they announced that windows 8 is on it's way. Seems to me there should be a few good years with one OS. I am sticking with windows 7 for now. I see no need to get this OS at all. Windows 7 does every thing and them some. Really what can windows 8 offer that 7 doesn't have now?



Windows 7 came out in 2009, its going on 3 years, and will likely be near 4 years before Windows 8 is actually released.  How much longer do you want?  No one wants another 10 years like XP...


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## trickson (Feb 27, 2012)

newtekie1 said:


> Windows 7 came out in 2009, its going on 3 years, and will likely be near 4 years before Windows 8 is actually released.  How much longer do you want?  No one wants another 10 years like XP...



Why not? Give programers and games to catch up for once! Hell I have DX11 and not one game that can even use it! WTH?


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## LiveOrDie (Feb 27, 2012)

lilhasselhoffer said:


> Serious?
> 
> 
> A buggy release candidate is nothing worth downloading.  If MS wants me to quality test then they should pay me.  I'll settle for a single OEM license...or not...  Windows 8 is taking DRM to the next level of stupidity.
> ...



I ran windows 7 way back before RC i was using leaked builds for 8 months why because the leak builds ran 100x better than window vista on my system and in the whole time i was using it i found some what of 6 bugs and they didn't really effect any think major, when the RC come out i couldnt find any bugs normally RC builds are only 1 step off Retail, also CP isn't a RC make sure you read next time.


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## newtekie1 (Feb 28, 2012)

trickson said:


> Why not? Give programers and games to catch up for once! Hell I have DX11 and not one game that can even use it! WTH?



Considering nothing has really changes for programmers and games since Vista, and Win8 won't have a new DX version, I don't see your point.  I've have x64 and not a single game that can even use it, so should Microsoft still be on Vista holding back anything new until programmers and games start consistently use it and we all just sit on our hands, or should the industry continue to move forward regardless of if game developers want to go with it?


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## trickson (Feb 28, 2012)

newtekie1 said:


> Considering nothing has really changes for programmers and games since Vista, and Win8 won't have a new DX version, I don't see your point.  I've have x64 and not a single game that can even use it, so should Microsoft still be on Vista holding back anything new until programmers and games start consistently use it and we all just sit on our hands, or should the industry continue to move forward regardless of if game developers want to go with it?



Well if there is no movement from the game and program industry what is the point? 
So what you are saying is windows 8 is really not offering up any thing new or even improved, So what is the point in an upgraded OS if there is no real improvement for desk top users?


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