Windows 8 - only 2 weeks left to upgrade for £25

Lum

For those wanting completely rid of Metro in Windows 8. I'd like like to plug this thread I wrote that covers pretty much everything:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4323561

Jivesinger

It seems Microsoft have confirmed that prices will indeed go up after 31 January, in the US at least.

In the US, the upgrade to Windows 8 Pro costs $40 until the end of January, but will be $200 after then. That's 5 times as much!

I haven't seen what the UK prices will do, but if it's on a similar scale, then a £25 upgrade will be £125 after 31 Jan.

Hmm - it seems I can't post a link to it, but Google for "Update on Windows 8 Pricing" and look for a Microsoft blog post by "Brandon LeBlanc"

railbuff

http://bgr.com/2013/01/18/microsoft-windows-8-pricing-296199/

Microsoft (MSFT) has been running a special promotion to entice consumers to upgrade to Windows 8, where the company has offered the operating system for as low as $39.99 since it was released last year. However, that offer price is slated to end on January 31st and Microsoft on Friday announced pricing information for Windows 8 that will take effect on February 1st. The prices are as follows: the Windows 8 Pro Pack will be available for $99.99, the Windows 8 and Windows Pro upgrade editions will be sold for $119.99 and $199.99 respectively, and the Windows 8 Media Center Pack will be offered for $9.99.

UK and international pricing has yet to be announced.

railbuff

23n1th wrote: »

I personally can't stand the new interface, leave my desktop alone! M$ can stick theirAOL rip off up their backside!

the new interface has been designed for the touchscreen brigade, just click on the desktop box and it just looks and acts as win 7

railbuff

23n1th wrote: »

Wheres the start menu? M$ have just added more steps to getting to the desktop. I can honestly say I will never use w8.

goto top right of screen and it will appear on right side of screen, or right click on desktop

Blackjack_Davy

Great, my £25 key I can sell on hopefully. Should make a tidy profit. I've certainly got no intention of ever using it.

Johnmcl7

23n1th wrote: »

Wheres the start menu? M$ have just added more steps to getting to the desktop. I can honestly say I will never use w8.

You can start it in desktop mode if you prefer but I find it quicker to remove the touch applications off the start screen and pin your applications there instead - that way you get one click access to your applications which is quicker than the old start menu (can be four or five clicks to go through the programs menu within the start menu) or desktop and additionally if you click on a desktop application from the start screen it automatically takes you to the desktop first.

John

Lum

It really doesn't take that long to sort out. Certainly much quicker than getting rid of the bloatware on a shop-bought PC.

Plenty of people on Windows 7 have the same issue, having to install interface fixes to bring back things they miss from XP, and the same thing was said when XP came out and people wanted it to behave like Windows 98 or 2000.

Still getting on fine with Windows 8 here, I haven't seen the Metro UI at all in the past month, but I'm still enjoying the faster boot times and faster running games.

railbuff

Lum wrote: »

It really doesn't take that long to sort out. Certainly much quicker than getting rid of the bloatware on a shop-bought PC.

true, 3 minutes and i had mine sorted. Only issue i hate is the long closedown process

mart44

railbuff wrote: »

i was only given the options Install now, Install later from your Desktop....

I installed the upgrade directly and later regretted it because some files needed to restore a disk image made in W.8 were not installed. I sometimes use the disk imaging function. I could make an image but not restore from it.

However, when the upgrade is done directly, a folder appears on the C: drive called 'ESD'. Inside this are the installation files for Windows 8. It is possible to make a bootable installation disk from the ESD folder using 'ImageBurn'.

http://www.pagestart.com/win8esdtodvd11041201.html

I did this and then reinstalled from the disk. This gave me the files needed to restore from a disk image made in Windows 8 ('WindowsImageBackup' folder).

If offered, best to choose the ISO option when upgrading to start with I think.