Windows 8

Is there a way that you don't have to login with ms credentials? That's really holding me back.

Sparhawk wrote:

Is there a way that you don't have to login with ms credentials? That's really holding me back.

see my post three posts ago. Try to log in with an incorrect email address and it will let you skip.

Chairman_Mao wrote:
Sparhawk wrote:

Is there a way that you don't have to login with ms credentials? That's really holding me back.

see my post three posts ago. Try to log in with an incorrect email address and it will let you skip.

ok, thanks

sheared wrote:

1. Somehow, when I had installed 8.0, I did so without having to log into a Microsoft Account. Well, during this upgrade process, it insisted that I log into an account. I must have selected one that I had not used previously (honestly, who keeps up with Microsoft Account accounts if you do not use Hotmail/Outlook?!?), because now, none of the Metro apps I had downloaded will work. Wonderful. Thanks! I guess it's a good thing I rarely use them...

Wait a minute...how did you download apps from the Windows Store without a Microsoft account? It doesn't let you in the store without one does it?

I'll probably do all my machines ~thanksgiving. I just can't do the media center because 8 and higher broke classic extenders and I'm invested in that platform.

Parallax Abstraction wrote:
sheared wrote:

1. Somehow, when I had installed 8.0, I did so without having to log into a Microsoft Account. Well, during this upgrade process, it insisted that I log into an account. I must have selected one that I had not used previously (honestly, who keeps up with Microsoft Account accounts if you do not use Hotmail/Outlook?!?), because now, none of the Metro apps I had downloaded will work. Wonderful. Thanks! I guess it's a good thing I rarely use them...

Wait a minute...how did you download apps from the Windows Store without a Microsoft account? It doesn't let you in the store without one does it?

It did in 8.0 and you could do it in the 8.1 preview as well. On my pc I use one Microsoft account as a standard account but all the others are local - the store seems to work just fine for them.

I upgraded to 8.1 on a dev touch tablet and Surface RT without any trouble, but I'm really apprehensive about upgrading on my gaming/personal desktop. Those two machines I've upgraded so far are kind of throwaway machines (no sensitive/important data on them, so I didn't care if something got messed up) and they've worked out fine, but is there anything I should make sure of before I upgrade my desktop?

Anybody update that uses CrashPlan? For some reason, just got my Crash Plan backup email saying my laptop isn't backed up. Not sure if I need to remap the backup set or if it will straighten out on it's own.

Parallax Abstraction wrote:
sheared wrote:

1. Somehow, when I had installed 8.0, I did so without having to log into a Microsoft Account. Well, during this upgrade process, it insisted that I log into an account. I must have selected one that I had not used previously (honestly, who keeps up with Microsoft Account accounts if you do not use Hotmail/Outlook?!?), because now, none of the Metro apps I had downloaded will work. Wonderful. Thanks! I guess it's a good thing I rarely use them...

Wait a minute...how did you download apps from the Windows Store without a Microsoft account? It doesn't let you in the store without one does it?

I may have had an account setup within the store (I honestly do not remember), but it did not carry over to my login.

MannishBoy wrote:

Anybody update that uses CrashPlan? For some reason, just got my Crash Plan backup email saying my laptop isn't backed up. Not sure if I need to remap the backup set or if it will straighten out on it's own.

I had something similar happen with Carbonite, and I had to reinstall after the update to get it to recognize my existing backup.

I bought a new pc just days before the update. I had no issues updating and all is running great.

I did install ModernMix though which makes a desktop system far more usable. The start menu never bothered me much.

So it's called Modern now instead of Metro? First time I hear of it

Sparhawk wrote:

So it's called Modern now instead of Metro? First time I hear of it :D

They've called it that since they decided not to fight the copyright before Win 8 ever got released. It just doesn't stick, because everybody already had Metro on the brain.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/update-from-windows-8-tutorial

To keep using a local account

Windows 8.1 is designed to be used with a Microsoft account, so we recommend that you give it a try. Simply put, your Microsoft account is the glue that holds together so many useful features of the new Windows. Without one, you won't be able to, for example, automatically sync your settings and documents between PCs, back up your photos to the cloud so you can get to them from anywhere, or see all your contacts from multiple email and social networking accounts together in the People and Mail apps.

But if you're sure you want to use a local account instead, choose Create a new account, and then on the new account page, choose Continue using my existing account.

Just for those still trying to do it.

That's good info

The one notable hiccup I had going from 8 to 8.1 was that for some reason my nvidia graphics card suddenly decided it should render any game I launch in 3D mode (as in, 3D using glasses). Couldn't find any way to turn that off until a found a forum post indicating you could key in (I think) Ctrl+T (might be Alt) to make it go back to normal rendering. It was bizarre, but apparently I'm not the only one this happened to.

Beyond that, it's not a lot different. I do think being able to have the same background and Desktop adds a surprising amount of cohesiveness to the experience. It also works better using multi-monitors in terms of having things appear where you want them (still can't have the Start screen appear on both displays at once). Several of the Modern apps are better if you use them (Mail, News, etc.), but I live on the Desktop 98% of the time so I don't know that they'll make much difference to me. (Not an 8.1 thing, specifically, but the NextGen news reader, which can pick up from Feedly, has improved a lot over the past year.) Finally, the addition of double-height and small square tile sizes has done wonders for getting my Start screen organized better.

As a free upgrade from Windows 8, it's a no-brainer improvement. Like before, though, if you're perfectly happy in Windows 7 I can't think of a big reason to upgrade unless you're hot to play around with the Modern apps.

I had the same stereoscopic 3D thing happen to me and I turned it off in the Nvidia Control panel.

I updated my video card and the pc wouldn't boot. Turns out I had to disable SecureBoot in the BIOS. Now I have a watermark message on the desktop that SecureBoot isn't configured correctly that I can't disable. Not a big deal, but annoying.

One of my PC's lost all its USB ports when I upgraded... I tried everything but nothing short of disabling xHCI in the BIOS under USB brought them back.

PaladinTom wrote:

I updated my video card and the pc wouldn't boot. Turns out I had to disable SecureBoot in the BIOS. Now I have a watermark message on the desktop that SecureBoot isn't configured correctly that I can't disable. Not a big deal, but annoying.

sh*t I ended up doing a clean install because of this. Oh well, I guess I was due anyways.

Edwin wrote:

I had the same stereoscopic 3D thing happen to me and I turned it off in the Nvidia Control panel.

First place I went was to the CP and I don't think I ever saw that option there. I probably just glazed over it in my frustration/annoyance.

Incidentally, trying to Google anything "3D" in relation to video cards when you mean the stereoscopic thing (wish I had remembered that term) and not just rendering/modeling is... less than helpful.

Edwin wrote:
PaladinTom wrote:

I updated my video card and the pc wouldn't boot. Turns out I had to disable SecureBoot in the BIOS. Now I have a watermark message on the desktop that SecureBoot isn't configured correctly that I can't disable. Not a big deal, but annoying.

sh*t I ended up doing a clean install because of this. Oh well, I guess I was due anyways.

Why did you do a clean install? To fix not booting or fix the watermark?

I want to re-enable SecureBoot, but I don't know if this will prevent my pc from booting again. I don't feel like swapping video cards again if this happens.

MS seems aware of the watermark issue, but right now there is no fix.

Windows 8.1 kills SkyDrive for Desktop. This is really, really annoying because you have to use the Modern app which can only be used if you sign into Windows with your Microsoft account. Really bad idea, Microsoft.

Chairman_Mao wrote:

Windows 8.1 kills SkyDrive for Desktop. This is really, really annoying because you have to use the Modern app which can only be used if you sign into Windows with your Microsoft account. Really bad idea, Microsoft.

Are you sure? I've never used SkyDrive, but I did come across this on Lifehacker.

sheared wrote:
Chairman_Mao wrote:

Windows 8.1 kills SkyDrive for Desktop. This is really, really annoying because you have to use the Modern app which can only be used if you sign into Windows with your Microsoft account. Really bad idea, Microsoft.

Are you sure? I've never used SkyDrive, but I did come across this on Lifehacker.

the problem is that I can no longer use the desktop version. I could remove it entirely, but I don't think lifehacker's method will let me use the SkyDrive desktop app again, which is what I want.

PaladinTom wrote:
Edwin wrote:
PaladinTom wrote:

I updated my video card and the pc wouldn't boot. Turns out I had to disable SecureBoot in the BIOS. Now I have a watermark message on the desktop that SecureBoot isn't configured correctly that I can't disable. Not a big deal, but annoying.

sh*t I ended up doing a clean install because of this. Oh well, I guess I was due anyways.

Why did you do a clean install? To fix not booting or fix the watermark?

I want to re-enable SecureBoot, but I don't know if this will prevent my pc from booting again. I don't feel like swapping video cards again if this happens.

MS seems aware of the watermark issue, but right now there is no fix.

Not booting.

Chairman_Mao wrote:
sheared wrote:
Chairman_Mao wrote:

Windows 8.1 kills SkyDrive for Desktop. This is really, really annoying because you have to use the Modern app which can only be used if you sign into Windows with your Microsoft account. Really bad idea, Microsoft.

Are you sure? I've never used SkyDrive, but I did come across this on Lifehacker.

the problem is that I can no longer use the desktop version. I could remove it entirely, but I don't think lifehacker's method will let me use the SkyDrive desktop app again, which is what I want.

SkyDrive is built into 8.1. There is no need for a desktop app. If you're signed into your MS account, the files should sync into a SkyDrive system folder.

PaladinTom wrote:
Chairman_Mao wrote:
sheared wrote:
Chairman_Mao wrote:

Windows 8.1 kills SkyDrive for Desktop. This is really, really annoying because you have to use the Modern app which can only be used if you sign into Windows with your Microsoft account. Really bad idea, Microsoft.

Are you sure? I've never used SkyDrive, but I did come across this on Lifehacker.

the problem is that I can no longer use the desktop version. I could remove it entirely, but I don't think lifehacker's method will let me use the SkyDrive desktop app again, which is what I want.

SkyDrive is built into 8.1. There is no need for a desktop app. If you're signed into your MS account, the files should sync into a SkyDrive system folder.

Yep. It's just a drive IIRC (don't have mine up to be 100% sure, but pretty certain). I get to it from File Explorer. Which is how I do it on Win 7, too.

PaladinTom wrote:
Chairman_Mao wrote:
sheared wrote:
Chairman_Mao wrote:

Windows 8.1 kills SkyDrive for Desktop. This is really, really annoying because you have to use the Modern app which can only be used if you sign into Windows with your Microsoft account. Really bad idea, Microsoft.

Are you sure? I've never used SkyDrive, but I did come across this on Lifehacker.

the problem is that I can no longer use the desktop version. I could remove it entirely, but I don't think lifehacker's method will let me use the SkyDrive desktop app again, which is what I want.

SkyDrive is built into 8.1. There is no need for a desktop app. If you're signed into your MS account, the files should sync into a SkyDrive system folder.

I know this. I don't want to sign my whole computer into Microsoft just to use SkyDrive. That is a huge problem for me. I've gone back to dropbox.

I get not signing into MS accounts on work PCs. But on a personal PC, I don't mind any more than that I have to stay signed into Google for all their services on either PCs or my phone, or to an MS account to use my Xbox. I also really like that my basic setup stuff can be synced between my Win 8 devices via Skydrive automatically.

*shrug*

To me, the best way to use Skydrive is from Explorer just like how I access my local storage.

To each their own I suppose.

One of my PCs is a work computer, but it hasn't been upgraded to 8.1 yet. I'm the opposite though, I'd rather not hand over access to my personal PC to any company--I have a lot more stuff there I'd rather keep private.

I also used SkyDrive from Explorer via a favorite'd folder, so integrating it doesn't change anything for me. And I know they scan those files periodically, so I'm not keeping anything sensitive there. Just let me log into it separately from the rest of Windows and we're all good.

From what I've read on the Windows support forums, this is also causing headaches for people working in business environments who can't attach their enterprise logins to MS accounts for various reasons, so I hope they back down eventually.

edit: and I actually wouldn't mind if I were using a Win 8 tablet, since syncing is a key part of mobility. But a PC, to me, is different.