Windows 8

8.1? I thought we already were using 8.1.

fangblackbone wrote:

8.1? I thought we already were using 8.1.

I think it's 8.1 update 1.

MannishBoy wrote:
fangblackbone wrote:

8.1? I thought we already were using 8.1.

I think it's 8.1 update 1.

Sigh... Microsoft and it's awesome naming schemes. Why not just 8.1.1 or 8.2?

They're also teasing yet another update after that which will have windowed Modern apps and will bring back the Start Menu which will incorporate Modern App Tiles.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/02/m...

I still think they should've let you pin tiles directly to the desktop, but this great. I'm glad it will be an update to 8 instead of all new os to purchase.

PaladinTom wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:
fangblackbone wrote:

8.1? I thought we already were using 8.1.

I think it's 8.1 update 1.

Sigh... Microsoft and it's awesome naming schemes. Why not just 8.1.1 or 8.2?

Why can't they name them after cats, like everyone else?

PaladinTom wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:
fangblackbone wrote:

8.1? I thought we already were using 8.1.

I think it's 8.1 update 1.

Sigh... Microsoft and it's awesome naming schemes. Why not just 8.1.1 or 8.2?

They're also teasing yet another update after that which will have windowed Modern apps and will bring back the Start Menu which will incorporate Modern App Tiles.

http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/02/m...

I still think they should've let you pin tiles directly to the desktop, but this great. I'm glad it will be an update to 8 instead of all new os to purchase.

Metro tiles on the desktop make the most sense ever.. so naturally that won't ever happen.

TheGameguru wrote:

Metro tiles on the desktop make the most sense ever.. so naturally that won't ever happen.

That actually makes very little sense. They've been designed to occupy at least half the screen.

Kurrelgyre wrote:
TheGameguru wrote:

Metro tiles on the desktop make the most sense ever.. so naturally that won't ever happen.

That actually makes very little sense. They've been designed to occupy at least half the screen.

The tiles? Not the running apps...

PaladinTom wrote:
Kurrelgyre wrote:
TheGameguru wrote:

Metro tiles on the desktop make the most sense ever.. so naturally that won't ever happen.

That actually makes very little sense. They've been designed to occupy at least half the screen.

The tiles? Not the running apps...

Even the running apps don't have to take up half the screen. I will use a twitter client or music player in that side bar layout on a desktop sometimes.

Is it possible yet for you to have the regular desktop on your main monitor and the metro style tiled area on a second or third monitor?

tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Is it possible yet for you to have the regular desktop on your main monitor and the metro style tiled area on a second or third monitor?

I do this all the time using my Surface Pro and 2 external screens - you just hit the "Start" button on the taskbar in the monitor you want to see the "Start screen". You can then select a metro app (or any app for that matter) and it will launch on that specific screen.

TexasRay wrote:
tuffalobuffalo wrote:

Is it possible yet for you to have the regular desktop on your main monitor and the metro style tiled area on a second or third monitor?

I do this all the time using my Surface Pro and 2 external screens - you just hit the "Start" button on the taskbar in the monitor you want to see the "Start screen". You can then select a metro app (or any app for that matter) and it will launch on that specific screen.

yeah I've been doing this since 8.

MannishBoy wrote:
fangblackbone wrote:

8.1? I thought we already were using 8.1.

I think it's 8.1 update 1.

Yeah, sorry, it's the first update. I believe they're actually calling it Windows 8.1 Update while a lot of the press is calling it Update 1.

I haven't updated to 8.1 from 8 yet because of the mouse problems in video games. I know there is an optional patch that fixes it for some games but it doesn't seem to be a universal fix. Does anyone know if 8.1 update 1 will fix the mouse issues or should I just stick to 8?

BNice wrote:

I haven't updated to 8.1 from 8 yet because of the mouse problems in video games. I know there is an optional patch that fixes it for some games but it doesn't seem to be a universal fix. Does anyone know if 8.1 update 1 will fix the mouse issues or should I just stick to 8?

I'm pretty happy with my system right now using 8.1 with ModernMix and I'm afraid this update might mess things up.

I might just wait until Windows 8.1 Update 1 Revision 2.

BNice wrote:

I haven't updated to 8.1 from 8 yet because of the mouse problems in video games. I know there is an optional patch that fixes it for some games but it doesn't seem to be a universal fix. Does anyone know if 8.1 update 1 will fix the mouse issues or should I just stick to 8?

What mouse issues?

I've been on 8.1 since release. Haven't seen anything that affects me.

EDIT: I see this. I've experienced no jitters, lag, etc in the games I play. I am running Logitech drivers.

Also, this thread says MS released a fix for mouse lag back in November. Here's the patch info.

MannishBoy wrote:
BNice wrote:

I haven't updated to 8.1 from 8 yet because of the mouse problems in video games. I know there is an optional patch that fixes it for some games but it doesn't seem to be a universal fix. Does anyone know if 8.1 update 1 will fix the mouse issues or should I just stick to 8?

What mouse issues?

I've been on 8.1 since release. Haven't seen anything that affects me.

EDIT: I see this. I've experienced no jitters, lag, etc in the games I play. I am running Logitech drivers.

Also, this thread says MS released a fix for mouse lag back in November. Here's the patch info.

Yeah, that's the patch I was talking about. I was just wondering if they completely fixed the issue with Update 1. There is probably a high chance I won't have any issues like yourself but the potential to have problems doesn't outweigh the benefits of 8.1 for me. I'll just wait for the Update 1 patch notes.

I had to visit the App Store to manually install the last update. Does anyone know if this update will be pushed through Windows Update?

PaladinTom wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:
fangblackbone wrote:

8.1? I thought we already were using 8.1.

I think it's 8.1 update 1.

Sigh... Microsoft and it's awesome naming schemes. Why not just 8.1.1 or 8.2?

No kidding. I think shenanigans like this put it in a negative light in the public perception. It's often hard enough to keep track for techies, let alone the average consumer.

So for some reason, Windows update seems to have decided to destroy itself on my main machine. No updates since 4/5, right before 8.1 update 1. All I can find is my error code is basically the last on the list, meaning the system doesn't know what happened. I think it's looking like some files may be missing. Not sure if I can copy them from my updated laptop and reregister them, or if I'm going to have to reinstall.

MannishBoy wrote:

So for some reason, Windows update seems to have decided to destroy itself on my main machine. No updates since 4/5, right before 8.1 update 1. All I can find is my error code is basically the last on the list, meaning the system doesn't know what happened. I think it's looking like some files may be missing. Not sure if I can copy them from my updated laptop and reregister them, or if I'm going to have to reinstall.

Go try out the utility Tweaking.com Windows Repair. It has a module in it for repairing Windows Update. I can't even remember the number of times this utility's saved my ass. I've actually donated to its developer, it's that good.

Parallax Abstraction wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:

So for some reason, Windows update seems to have decided to destroy itself on my main machine. No updates since 4/5, right before 8.1 update 1. All I can find is my error code is basically the last on the list, meaning the system doesn't know what happened. I think it's looking like some files may be missing. Not sure if I can copy them from my updated laptop and reregister them, or if I'm going to have to reinstall.

Go try out the utility Tweaking.com Windows Repair. It has a module in it for repairing Windows Update. I can't even remember the number of times this utility's saved my ass. I've actually donated to its developer, it's that good.

I laughed at the domain "tweaking.com". So many ways that could go so wrong on a random click.

I'll try it. Thanks for the recommendation.

EDIT: Nope. Didn't fix it. Might have to try the laptop file copy, but the laptop is already on 8.1 update 1.

MannishBoy wrote:
Parallax Abstraction wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:

So for some reason, Windows update seems to have decided to destroy itself on my main machine. No updates since 4/5, right before 8.1 update 1. All I can find is my error code is basically the last on the list, meaning the system doesn't know what happened. I think it's looking like some files may be missing. Not sure if I can copy them from my updated laptop and reregister them, or if I'm going to have to reinstall.

Go try out the utility Tweaking.com Windows Repair. It has a module in it for repairing Windows Update. I can't even remember the number of times this utility's saved my ass. I've actually donated to its developer, it's that good.

I laughed at the domain "tweaking.com". So many ways that could go so wrong on a random click.

I'll try it. Thanks for the recommendation.

EDIT: Nope. Didn't fix it. Might have to try the laptop file copy, but the laptop is already on 8.1 update 1.

Try anything in this thread? It looks like the Win 8.1 update rollout is a complete mess right now. I'm going to wait awhile before attempting.

Chairman_Mao wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:
Parallax Abstraction wrote:
MannishBoy wrote:

So for some reason, Windows update seems to have decided to destroy itself on my main machine. No updates since 4/5, right before 8.1 update 1. All I can find is my error code is basically the last on the list, meaning the system doesn't know what happened. I think it's looking like some files may be missing. Not sure if I can copy them from my updated laptop and reregister them, or if I'm going to have to reinstall.

Go try out the utility Tweaking.com Windows Repair. It has a module in it for repairing Windows Update. I can't even remember the number of times this utility's saved my ass. I've actually donated to its developer, it's that good.

I laughed at the domain "tweaking.com". So many ways that could go so wrong on a random click.

I'll try it. Thanks for the recommendation.

EDIT: Nope. Didn't fix it. Might have to try the laptop file copy, but the laptop is already on 8.1 update 1.

Try anything in this thread? It looks like the Win 8.1 update rollout is a complete mess right now. I'm going to wait awhile before attempting.

My laptop got it fine and it has WMC on it. It looks like the last update check that worked was on 4/5.

The error I'm getting seems to be one nobody knows what it means. Seems it's just the last one in the table of errors according to some post I saw, so it might just be the catch all for everything not identified. It's error 80244FFF.

EDIT: Another google search turned up this thread with the following:

Go to Internet Options->Connections->LAN settings. Check "Use a proxy server for your LAN". Under "Advanced", for the "HTTP" and "Secure" text boxes, type in "127.0.0.1" for the address and "8888" for the port. Under "exceptions", type in: "<-loopback>".

Strangely, that worked. Makes absolutely no sense, and you can't use regular internet stuff with that loop back proxy set up. But I'll be damned if I didn't get the updates.

Turn off the proxy, and get the new error of 80240442. Which is apparently the new error for the same problem on Win 8.1 update 1.

Banging your head on the wall hurts.

My dad just got a new PC with Windows 8.1 preinstalled. I spent a few hours this afternoon setting it up for him, copying stuff over from his old PC, etc. I had tried Windows 8 Preview for a few minutes on a VM a few years ago, but otherwise haven't had any opportunity to check out Win 8/8.1 at all... I'm generally pretty hesitant making any big OS change (especially when it's on a family member's PC, for whom I'll inevitably have to provide 1st and 2nd level tech support), but I think I might actually kinda like the Metro UI as long as there's easy access to Desktop as needed.

That said...

Is it really true that when Google Chrome is running in Windows 8 Metro mode, it is incapable of running any form of Java applet?

Since you can relaunch Chrome in "Windows 8 mode" from its menu (as well as go back to desktop mode the same way), it should be easy enough to confirm. I'm in the middle of a slow download, otherwise I'd just try it myself.

If you're not using a touch screen, why would you want Chrome in Win 8 mode? I immediately flipped back the one time I accidentally used it.

MannishBoy wrote:

If you're not using a touch screen, why would you want Chrome in Win 8 mode?

It's as much about it being full-screen as supporting touch.

I did verify that in Win8 mode, the java.com "what version do I have" page reports that Java won't work in Chrome's Win8 mode -- and switching to Desktop mode it works fine. It just seems really weird to me that this is the case.

Also, Chrome's Win8 mode looks actually pretty nice -- puts a Google AppBar whatchamacallit at the bottom of the screen, which can be tweaked to show commonly-used Chrome apps.

merphle wrote:

I did verify that in Win8 mode, the java.com "what version do I have" page reports that Java won't work in Chrome's Win8 mode -- and switching to Desktop mode it works fine. It just seems really weird to me that this is the case.

Also, Chrome's Win8 mode looks actually pretty nice -- puts a Google AppBar whatchamacallit at the bottom of the screen, which can be tweaked to show commonly-used Chrome apps.

I think all plug-ins, except Flash, are supposed to be disabled in Modern/Metro browsers to isolate and protected the native code.

As for Win8 mode, I think it's actually presenting itself as a Chromebook would, albeit without the same limitations. It's an odd thing where you can have Chrome open in Windows 8 mode, but with zero web pages/tabs. Only works on non-hidpi displays at the moment, though.

Metro mode is a walled garden, where everyone has to pay toll to Microsoft, and programs simply can't do many things, particularly things that would be competitive with Microsoft, like being a proper web browser.