Windows 8.1 Updates

50Twuncle

This morning - I switched my Win 8.1 laptop on and was told that I needed 761 Mb updates..

I remember when a complete operating system (DOS) came on 3 floppy disks (total 4.5Mb)

Even Windows 3.1 fitted on 6 disks and Win NT 3.1 fitted on 22) !

It comes to something when updates are so huge

I reckon that it is a conspiracy between MS and Hard Disk manufacturers to sell larger and larger disks ...

Jivesinger

That's because Microsoft are adding some new features and tweaks to Windows 8.1 this month. It's a fairly significant update. Some things will look different after the update; mostly I think it's improved.

http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/windowsexperience/archive/2014/04/02/windows-8-1-update-important-refinements-to-the-windows-experience.aspx

http://www.zdnet.com/windows-8-1-users-its-time-to-move-to-windows-8-1-update-7000028157/

penrhyn

Mine took an age to update yesterday.

Lot of code to stick a power button on the Start page, and a Store icon on the desktop.

Still find Classic Start useful.

vuvuzela

50Twuncle wrote: »

This morning - I switched my Win 8.1 laptop on and was told that I needed 761 Mb updates..

I remember when a complete operating system (DOS) came on 3 floppy disks (total 4.5Mb)

Even Windows 3.1 fitted on 6 disks and Win NT 3.1 fitted on 22) !

It comes to something when updates are so huge

I reckon that it is a conspiracy between MS and Hard Disk manufacturers to sell larger and larger disks ...

It is Windows 8.1 update 1. It isn't a conspiracy
It will replaces many system files (and also inevitably add some) so even though the total download size is 800MB, the impact on the HD after installation will be much less. It's a very good update to Win 8.1 BTW and makes it more functional.

vuvuzela

penrhyn wrote: »

Mine took an age to update yesterday.

Lot of code to stick a power button on the Start page, and a Store icon on the desktop.

Still find Classic Start useful.

Not quite all it does I particularly like the taskbar being visible when you use a 'Modern App', also the functionality to close a 'Modern App' by the old-fashioned X in the top right corner. Pinning Modern Apps to the taskbar is also a nice touch. It brings it a bit closer to the Windows 7 experience.

penrhyn

You are right, cheers.
I had the task bar on autohide, so it dissappeared from the Start screen. Unclicking autohide brought it back to the modern app screen where it ahem, autohides!!

Can't have a modern app window open on the desktop as far as I can find.

vuvuzela

penrhyn wrote: »

<edited>
Can't have a modern app window open on the desktop as far as I can find.

Nope, that is apparently in their future plans. They have also demonstrated a 'proper' old-fashioned start menu to access installed programs as well, that may arrive by the end of the year...

50Twuncle

So it is SP2 then ?
Why don't MS admit this ?

Jong_2

50Twuncle wrote: »

I reckon that it is a conspiracy between MS and Hard Disk manufacturers to sell larger and larger disks ...

Although I think it is more of a sign of the times, with the way things are moving forward with user interfaces and graphics, I like your way of thinking. We should definitely be looking into this

John259

penrhyn wrote: »

Can't have a modern app window open on the desktop as far as I can find.

There's a third-party utility which can do that but sorry, I don't remember the name.

GRM

50Twuncle wrote: »

This morning - I switched my Win 8.1 laptop on and was told that I needed 761 Mb updates..

I have Office 2013 installed as well - 1.7GB later...