• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Is Ready for Business

Joined
Dec 6, 2011
Messages
4,784 (1.01/day)
Location
Still on the East Side
In his CeBIT keynote speech today, Kevin Turner, chief operating officer at Microsoft Corp., showed how Windows 8 will bring together the potential of a tablet with the power of a PC. He also invited IT professionals around the world to test the recently released Windows 8 Consumer Preview, now available for download at http://preview.windows.com. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview offers a more robust experience for testing the world's most popular operating system and is available to the widest range of people yet following the initial release of the Windows 8 Developer Preview late last year.

"Windows 8 will deliver no compromise experiences on a range of devices from tablets and PCs to desktops. It will give people functionality they love and the enterprise-grade capabilities that IT departments demand," Turner said. "We encourage IT professionals to begin using it to get a firsthand experience of how Windows 8 will give people a beautiful, fast and fluid experience with the mobility and familiarity they need to effortlessly move between what they want to do and what they need to do."





"We believe Windows 8 will bring an evolutionary solution to Windows users that delivers business productivity, while helping IT to manage and secure new devices using their existing infrastructure and tools," said Al Gillen, program vice president, system software, IDC. "Windows 8 will help bridge the demands that end users are placing on IT departments with what IT wants for its business - a smooth transitional path to add tablet devices into an existing Windows client infrastructure."

Windows 8 highlights for enterprise organizations include the following:

- Great user experience. Windows 8 bridges the gap between a personalized experience for users and the security and management features that IT professionals trust. Features include the new Windows 8 Start screen and fully immersive Metro style apps. People can be more productive with both multitouch and traditional keyboard and mouse interfaces. Critical line-of-business apps also can benefit from an immersive full screen, allowing people to easily interact with the app.

- Tablets without compromise. Windows 8-based business tablets are built for touch and are deeply personalized. Powerful, connected Metro style applications are the focal point to create an immersive experience that helps eliminate distractions while having the productivity benefits of a PC. In addition, it works well with a mouse and keyboard. It also enables organizations to use Windows 7 productivity and line-of-business applications, and IT departments can leverage their existing infrastructure to help manage, secure and support it.

- New possibilities for mobile productivity. For people who are increasingly mobile, Windows 8 helps them stay connected and productive in a more secure way. Windows 8 includes Windows To Go - the ability to provide users with a full corporate copy of Windows 8 (along with users' business apps, data and settings) on a USB storage device. Windows 8 also includes improvements to DirectAccess and built-in mobile broadband features that natively support 3G and 4G telecommunication. And Windows 8 can stay always connected with Metro style apps.

- End-to-end security. Features such as Trusted Boot and improved BitLocker drive encryption, AppLocker and claim-based access control help protect corporate data across the client device, the network and back-end infrastructure.

- Advancements in virtualization. With Windows 8, users can get a virtualized experience with high-definition graphics, support for touch and support for USB devices on a local PC. It will be easier for IT departments to implement virtual desktop infrastructures in a more cost-effective way. In addition, Windows 8 includes Microsoft Hyper-V, a high-performing client virtualization technology that enables enterprise developers to develop, debug and test multiple configurations of apps and operating systems on a single PC instead of each configuration requiring its own PC.

- Improved management. Windows 8 easily integrates into most existing client management infrastructures, and management tasks are easier with Windows PowerShell automation.

The Windows 8 Consumer Preview will be available worldwide for download to users running Windows 7-based PCs in English, French, German, Japanese and simplified Chinese.

As Tami Reller, chief financial officer and chief marketing officer, Windows and Windows Live Division, shares in this video at http://win8.ms/lfolnd, Windows 8 will give businesses a personalized experience that is both convenient and productive to fit well with today's changing work styles. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is available for download and evaluation at http://preview.windows.com. Additional resources and information are available at http://windowsteamblog.com/windows/b/business/ or http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/presskits/windows/.

View at TechPowerUp Main Site
 

Quantos

New Member
Joined
Nov 1, 2011
Messages
50 (0.01/day)
Location
Montreal, QC, CA
Processor AMD Phenom II 955
Motherboard MSI 790FX-GD70
Cooling Noctua NH-D14
Memory GSkill 2x2GB 1333
Video Card(s) ASUS EAH5850 DirectCU
Storage 1TB WD Black
Display(s) 2x ASUS VH242H
Case Lancool PC-K7
Audio Device(s) ASUS Xonar DS
Power Supply Corsair 750W (Orange)
Software Notepad O/S is the only software I run
Okay, well the OS seems great, but I'm still not convinced about the UI on a PC. It just feels very clumsy :(
 
Joined
May 19, 2007
Messages
4,520 (0.71/day)
Location
Perth AU
Processor Intel Core i9 10980XE @ 4.7Ghz 1.2v
Motherboard ASUS Rampage VI Extreme Omega
Cooling EK-Velocity D-RGB, EK-CoolStream PE 360, XSPC TX240 Ultrathin, EK X-RES 140 Revo D5 RGB PWM
Memory G.Skill Trident Z RGB F4-3000C14D 64GB
Video Card(s) Asus ROG Strix GeForce RTX 4090 OC WC
Storage M.2 990 Pro 1TB / 10TB WD RED Helium / 3x 860 2TB Evos
Display(s) Samsung Odyssey G7 28"
Case Corsair Obsidian 500D SE Modded
Power Supply Cooler Master V Series 1300W
Software Windows 11
Okay, well the OS seems great, but I'm still not convinced about the UI on a PC. It just feels very clumsy :(

+1 the start menu is retarted for use with a mouse, There should be a switch to turn it off and on because it windows no ios.
 

FreedomEclipse

~Technological Technocrat~
Joined
Apr 20, 2007
Messages
24,059 (3.74/day)
Location
London,UK
System Name DarnGosh Edition
Processor AMD 7800X3D
Motherboard MSI X670E GAMING PLUS
Cooling Thermalright AM5 Contact Frame + Phantom Spirit 120SE
Memory 2x32GB G.Skill Trident Z5 NEO DDR5 6000 CL32-38-38-96
Video Card(s) Asus Dual Radeon™ RX 6700 XT OC Edition
Storage WD SN770 1TB (Boot)| 2x 2TB WD SN770 (Gaming)| 2x 2TB Crucial BX500| 2x 3TB Toshiba DT01ACA300
Display(s) LG GP850-B
Case Corsair 760T (White) {1xCorsair ML120 Pro|5xML140 Pro}
Audio Device(s) Yamaha RX-V573|Speakers: JBL Control One|Auna 300-CN|Wharfedale Diamond SW150
Power Supply Seasonic Focus GX-850 80+ GOLD
Mouse Logitech G502 X
Keyboard Duckyshine Dead LED(s) III
Software Windows 11 Home
Benchmark Scores ლ(ಠ益ಠ)ლ
Personally i cant stand the new look, I will be hanging onto W7 until whatever comes out after W8
 
Joined
Sep 7, 2010
Messages
854 (0.16/day)
Location
Nairobi, Kenya
Processor Intel Core i7-14700K
Motherboard ASUS ROG STRIX Z790-H
Cooling DeepCool AK500 WH
Memory Crucial Pro 32GB Kit (16GB x 2) DDR5-5600 (CP2K16G56C46U5)
Video Card(s) Intel ARC A770 Limited Edition
Storage Solidigm P44 Pro (2TB x 2) / PNY CS3140 2TB
Display(s) Philips 32M1N5800A
Case Lian Li O11 Air Mini (White)
Power Supply Seasonic Prime Fanless Titanium 600W
Keyboard Dell KM714 Wireless
Software Windows 11 Pro x64
Only a color blind person would say that. The metrosexual color scheme was created by a daltonist.

YOU ARE RIGHT, some color blind daltonist metrosexual fool, i HATE the new windows 8 Look the metro look pisses me off:banghead:, if Microsoft goes on to release some shit like the two Consumer Preview or Developer preview, that will be the end of Microsoft. The Desktop and the old start Button work perfectly, if-it-ain't-brok-don't-fix-it
 
Joined
Feb 3, 2005
Messages
499 (0.07/day)
Anyone know how to back out of an application? Once I open anything I can't seem to get back to the main screen without logging out via ctrl alt del.
 

radarblade

New Member
Joined
Feb 8, 2012
Messages
48 (0.01/day)
Location
In the middle of Nowhere
Thanks to this news post, I am now downloading and installing it as we speak. Hope it doesn't disappoint me with the missing Start up button :cry:
 

meangenius

New Member
Joined
Jul 4, 2011
Messages
2 (0.00/day)
Location
Arizona
System Name My DVR
Processor Intel 2.53 GHZ
Motherboard Asus
Memory Kingston 512MB
Video Card(s) AIW 7500 (was AIW 9600 XT, card or AGP slot died?)
Case Azza Triton 401
Audio Device(s) Altec Lansing 100W 2.1 speakers
Power Supply 350W
Software XP
Personally i cant stand the new look, I will be hanging onto W7 until whatever comes out after W8

I used it yesterday for just 2 hours. It does have the old desktop style underneath, but with no START button. Access Computer with an icon on taskbar. Control Panel is W7. I like the look actually. It has 2 versions of IE, desktop and "front screen", which is the green screen with squarish icons. That front screen is widescreen. I think people are going to love the final version if they do it right. It's very confusing to use right now. It's really an alpha version with lots of work to be done.

By the way that avatar is :cool: and O.O, beautiful and hot, (which makes the cynic in me think you're really a man using that pic, LOL).
 
Joined
Sep 7, 2010
Messages
854 (0.16/day)
Location
Nairobi, Kenya
Processor Intel Core i7-14700K
Motherboard ASUS ROG STRIX Z790-H
Cooling DeepCool AK500 WH
Memory Crucial Pro 32GB Kit (16GB x 2) DDR5-5600 (CP2K16G56C46U5)
Video Card(s) Intel ARC A770 Limited Edition
Storage Solidigm P44 Pro (2TB x 2) / PNY CS3140 2TB
Display(s) Philips 32M1N5800A
Case Lian Li O11 Air Mini (White)
Power Supply Seasonic Prime Fanless Titanium 600W
Keyboard Dell KM714 Wireless
Software Windows 11 Pro x64
Anyone know how to back out of an application? Once I open anything I can't seem to get back to the main screen without logging out via ctrl alt del.

There is a way, you have to scroll the mouse to the left side while on desktop, then a side bar running from top to bottom of the left side of the screen will appear, and in it you will see a small window in it just like the way Aero Peak works but on the left side, then you can highlight and close the application, by right clicking then select close. It seem to work on the metro interface some times.
 
Joined
Mar 5, 2009
Messages
248 (0.04/day)
Location
Western NC
System Name dell beast
Processor dual Xeon x5675
Motherboard dell t7500
Cooling stock
Memory 48gb ecc ddr3
Video Card(s) PowerColor 7870 Myst 2gb
Storage 2tb hpe ssd
Display(s) asus 23.8" 1080p
Case t7500
Audio Device(s) XFI soundblaster
Power Supply 1200watt dell
Mouse logitech
Keyboard logitech
Software win10x64
win8 just takes a little time to get used to it. i have it on my desktop at work (dual boot with win7) and on a Dell Duo tablet/netbook and it works great on either.

on the desktop side of thing, it pays to know the new keyboard shortcuts..."windows key" + "C" is your friend now, it opens your charms bar

plus i find i like the new search function better than the start menu now, it lays it out in a much more friendly layout...

take some time with it, its a big departure in the UI stand point but i think its going to work on a lot of different levels
 

statix

New Member
Joined
Mar 6, 2012
Messages
4 (0.00/day)
Processor i7-920
Motherboard GB ex58 ud5
Cooling polimatech megahalems
Memory 3x Kingston 2GB 1600 hyperX
Video Card(s) GB 560 ti SOC 950 MHz ver
Storage Hitachi 320GB + 640 GB WD Cav Blk
Display(s) Samsung 940 BG
Case CM Haf X
Audio Device(s) Creative Titanium Fatal1ty Champion
Power Supply CM Silent Pro M 700
it looks like the ms trend to follow up good os with crappy os will continue :)
say hello to the next paid beta test aka win 8
 
Joined
Jun 24, 2011
Messages
571 (0.12/day)
Location
Islamabad
System Name Hhumas-PC
Processor Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Extreme CPU X9650 @ 3.00GHz (4 CPUs), ~3.0GHz
Motherboard Asus P5W DH Deluxe
Cooling ZALMAN CNPS 9700 NT 110mm 2 Ball Ultra Quiet
Memory OCZ Platinium 2x2GB
Video Card(s) ZOTAC GeForce GTX 680 2GB 256-bit GDDR5
Storage WD Green 500 GB , WD 500 GB
Display(s) Dell U2410F
Case Casecom
Audio Device(s) Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Titanium Fatal1ty Pro
Power Supply Corsair HX1000
Software Windows 7 Ultimate 32 Bit
great for Mobile and tablets
 
Joined
Sep 4, 2008
Messages
875 (0.15/day)
????????????????

That's all I have to say.

I have no idea WTF that is, who would use it or why it exists.

I cannot put this CRAP on a clients computer - it effectively renders a business machine useless.

People have smartphones for the weather & twat-face & book-space & whatever other garbage 12 year old girls are into these days...

... so why the FUNK would I want it on my PC?

FreedomEclipse said it best : "whatever comes out after W8" because we all KNOW there will have to be a proper OS just around the corner from this - this looks like just another Windows ME - or Vista to me ...
 
Joined
Sep 15, 2011
Messages
6,725 (1.39/day)
Processor Intel® Core™ i7-13700K
Motherboard Gigabyte Z790 Aorus Elite AX
Cooling Noctua NH-D15
Memory 32GB(2x16) DDR5@6600MHz G-Skill Trident Z5
Video Card(s) ZOTAC GAMING GeForce RTX 3080 AMP Holo
Storage 2TB SK Platinum P41 SSD + 4TB SanDisk Ultra SSD + 500GB Samsung 840 EVO SSD
Display(s) Acer Predator X34 3440x1440@100Hz G-Sync
Case NZXT PHANTOM410-BK
Audio Device(s) Creative X-Fi Titanium PCIe
Power Supply Corsair 850W
Mouse Logitech Hero G502 SE
Software Windows 11 Pro - 64bit
Benchmark Scores 30FPS in NFS:Rivals
????????????????

That's all I have to say.

I have no idea WTF that is, who would use it or why it exists.

I cannot put this CRAP on a clients computer - it effectively renders a business machine useless.

People have smartphones for the weather & twat-face & book-space & whatever other garbage 12 year old girls are into these days...

... so why the FUNK would I want it on my PC?

FreedomEclipse said it best : "whatever comes out after W8" because we all KNOW there will have to be a proper OS just around the corner from this - this looks like just another Windows ME - or Vista to me ...

+1

couldn't said it better...
 
Joined
May 21, 2008
Messages
4,113 (0.68/day)
Location
Iowa, USA
System Name THE CUBE 2.0
Processor Intel i5 13600k
Motherboard MSI MPG Z690 EDGE DDR4
Cooling Phanteks PH-TC14PE BK 2x T30-120 Fan mod mount
Memory G.Skill TridentZ 3200 MT/s C15 32GB 2x16GB
Video Card(s) Gigabyte Aorus 1080 Ti 11GB OC: Core 2GHz, Mem 5.7GHz
Storage WD SN770 250GB / 3x WD SN850X 2TB / Toshiba X300 4TB / 2x RAID1 Toshiba P300 3TB
Display(s) Samsung 49" Odyssey OLED G95SC 240Hz 5120 x 1440
Case "THE CUBE" Custom built, pure Red Alder wood
Audio Device(s) Beyerdynamic DT 880
Power Supply Corsair RM1000X
Mouse Logitech G700
Keyboard Logitech G910
Software Windows 11 Pro
WTF! Why is there a onscreen keyboard on a desktop OS!
:banghead:
Pic 2.
 

MxPhenom 216

ASIC Engineer
Joined
Aug 31, 2010
Messages
13,006 (2.50/day)
Location
Loveland, CO
System Name Ryzen Reflection
Processor AMD Ryzen 9 5900x
Motherboard Gigabyte X570S Aorus Master
Cooling 2x EK PE360 | TechN AM4 AMD Block Black | EK Quantum Vector Trinity GPU Nickel + Plexi
Memory Teamgroup T-Force Xtreem 2x16GB B-Die 3600 @ 14-14-14-28-42-288-2T 1.45v
Video Card(s) Zotac AMP HoloBlack RTX 3080Ti 12G | 950mV 1950Mhz
Storage WD SN850 500GB (OS) | Samsung 980 Pro 1TB (Games_1) | Samsung 970 Evo 1TB (Games_2)
Display(s) Asus XG27AQM 240Hz G-Sync Fast-IPS | Gigabyte M27Q-P 165Hz 1440P IPS | Asus 24" IPS (portrait mode)
Case Lian Li PC-011D XL | Custom cables by Cablemodz
Audio Device(s) FiiO K7 | Sennheiser HD650 + Beyerdynamic FOX Mic
Power Supply Seasonic Prime Ultra Platinum 850
Mouse Razer Viper v2 Pro
Keyboard Corsair K65 Plus 75% Wireless - USB Mode
Software Windows 11 Pro 64-Bit
+1 the start menu is retarted for use with a mouse, There should be a switch to turn it off and on because it windows no ios.

its not even close to iOS. I do not see the resemblance.
 

trickson

OH, I have such a headache
Joined
Dec 5, 2004
Messages
7,595 (1.04/day)
Location
Planet Earth.
System Name Ryzen TUF.
Processor AMD Ryzen7 3700X
Motherboard Asus TUF X570 Gaming Plus
Cooling Noctua
Memory Gskill RipJaws 3466MHz
Video Card(s) Asus TUF 1650 Super Clocked.
Storage CB 1T M.2 Drive.
Display(s) 73" Soney 4K.
Case Antech LanAir Pro.
Audio Device(s) Denon AVR-S750H
Power Supply Corsair TX750
Mouse Optical
Keyboard K120 Logitech
Software Windows 10 64 bit Home OEM
WOW that looks like SHIT! I mean what the hell? Are they now thinking that the PC should look like a cell phone? Icons are crap no start menu nothing that even resembles a desk top at all. looks like an apple on roids! What are they smoking at Microsoft? How many people use apps on a PC any way? I know I never have never will.

Looks like some old 70's reject game. Match the symbol with the word.
 
Last edited:
Joined
May 15, 2007
Messages
777 (0.12/day)
System Name Daedalus | ZPM Hive |
Processor M3 Pro (11/14) | i7 12700KF |
Motherboard Apple M3 Pro | MSI Z790 |
Cooling Pure Silence | Freezer 36 |
Memory 18GB Unified | 32GB DDR5 6400MT/s C32|
Video Card(s) M3 Pro | Radeon RX7900 GRE |
Storage 512GB NVME | 1TB NVME (Boot) + 4 x 1TB RAID0 NVME Games |
Display(s) 14" 3024x1964 | 1440p UW 144Hz |
Case Macbook Pro 14" | H510 Flow |
Audio Device(s) Onboard | None | Onboard |
Power Supply ~ 77w Magsafe | EVGA 750w G3 |
Mouse Razer Basilisk
Keyboard Logitech G915 TKL
Software MacOS Sonoma | Win 11 x64 |
Anyone know how to back out of an application? Once I open anything I can't seem to get back to the main screen without logging out via ctrl alt del.

Alt+F4 or Click and hold at the top of the screen and drag it to the bottom (yes this is right).

I have been using Windows 8 on my main desktop for a couple days now and I am in two minds.

On the one side it performs very well on the 5400rpm HD I have it installed on, but on the other it does my ******* head in.

The Metro GUI and Desktop GUI simply don't gel well together.

Take for example the Control Panel. There is the option for it in the Metro Interface. You click on it and BAM you are back into the desktop view with a windows 7 style Control Panel, I mean why? If you want to use Metro why the **** do you switch me back to the desktop GUI at the first chance you get?

The biggest problem by a country mile though is the way that the Metro interface seems to hide logical things from you. I mean take for example Mike's query which I have responded to:

I am going to assume Mike knows a bit about computers and how to use them (he is after all on TPU) but still he has had to ask how to do something as simple as backing out of a Metro APP. If he is having trouble how on earth is my mum/your mum/ normal users going to cope?

(Mike I mean no offence by this comment and do not wish to single you out but your query is a perfect example of what I have seen right around the web from wat I could consider "advanced" users).

As another example why is Shut down hidden within the charms side menu? Why isn't it a button I can click directly on the Metro GUI?

Why are simple things like this so hard to find / perform?

For anyone wondering you can put your Computer and User folder icons on the desktop in the same manner as Win 7.

I have also found that if you use the Metro interface as nothing more than a glorified Start menu it effectively works - although this does beg the question; what is the point?

Finally anyone trying to get a HD7xxx working in Windows 8 try the following:

1) Download and extract the 12.2 drivers available on AMD's website.
2) Manually update the drive for the GPU in device manager - this will at least allow you to use it albeit without the CCC

3) Install the 11.12 drivers that came on the DVD with the card.

In my case this worked. Points 1 & 2 can probably be avoided by just doing point 3 but it is the way I got it to work.
 
Top