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Windows 8.1 question

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phillyman36

Golden Member
Hey just wondering when the Windows 8.1 update comes out does anyone know if i have to re install my software, games etc etc? Right now im running Windows 8 64.( I did not update to the preview version of 8.1 Im waiting for the final version)
 
It should be a simple upgrade. There is no way that MS is going to force every user to do a full re-install just to upgrade to 8.1.
 
From what I have read you can get it on the MS win 8 store and just install it.

My guess is that it will probably be as involved as a service pack update so check for program compatibility (there will probably be a compatibility tool I'm guessing) as a precaution before installing the update.

Backing up your "I can't afford to lose these" files as well is always a good idea anyways.
 
Microsoft will release full ISO images of Windows 8.1. If you were using Windows 8, you could just upgrade to 8.1 via the Store (or you can do a clean installation using the iso/dvd).
 
Hero1711 said:
Microsoft will release full ISO images of Windows 8.1. If you were using Windows 8, you could just upgrade to 8.1 via the Store (or you can do a clean installation using the iso/dvd).
Click to expand...

So can I just take my unused win 8 key and just use it for the 8.1 iso or do I have to install 8 and then get 8.1 from the store?
 
blankslate said:
So can I just take my unused win 8 key and just use it for the 8.1 iso or do I have to install 8 and then get 8.1 from the store?
Click to expand...

8.1 is a free upgrade from 8 (new model - yearly, smaller releases that offer incremental changes - to replace the old SP model - a big bang release with many, many changes every three or four years). Your legit Windows 8 product keys will surely work when install 8.1 directly from iso/dvd.
 
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Just to confirm. Updating from Win 8.0 to 8.1 RTM is a simple upgrade with no reinstallation of anything.

I can now say I'm 100% positive of this because I've now updated multiple machines. All 64, no x86.
 
The RTM download ISOs are available everywhere now

I downloaded the Windows 8.1 Single Language x64 ISO

With Windows 8.1, you cannot use your product key to install during setup, instead, there are a few default keys just for the sake of installation, after you enter that default product key (which cannot be activated its just for the sake of installation), when you are on your desktop, go to PC Settings, then activation, the enter either the key built into your BIOS or your retail product key and it will activate right away

if you don't kinow what is the key built into your BIOS, before you format, get it using Belarc Advisor (google it, install it, then look under software licenses it will be there)
 
Athlon64 users will have to switch to 32bit which means a reinstall. >8TB support couldn't wait for Win9.
 
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Sorry for the lmgtfy link I like to keep urls short. Found the 8.1 FAQ which states
For 64-bit installations of Windows 8.1 Preview, your CPU must also support CMPXCHG16b, PrefetchW and LAHF/SAHF.
Click to expand...
Wikipedia says P4 didn't get LAHF/SAHF until G1, but PrefetchW is a non-deprecated 3DNow instruction which AMD says
Intel processors do not implement these instructions. However, with family 15/model 6/stepping 1, Intel processors started treating the instructions as a NOP
Click to expand...
which is Cedar Mill so all 90nm P4s are affected. Found this fun fact.
When the original port of our compiler to target x64 was done, only AMD hardware existed. And, at that time, the PREFETCHW instruction was deemed beneficial, so we emitted it.

At some point after this, Intel hardware was released that supported x64. Of course, that hardware did not support the PREFETCHW instruction. Given this and the fact that the instruction does not modify data, registers, or flags, the Windows team added support to handle the illegal instruction -- i.e. the offending 0f 0d modrm PREFETCHW encoding is modified, likely becoming 0f 1f modrm which is a multi-byte NOP. With this support our compiler continues to emit the PREFETCHW instruction.
Click to expand...
So MS will probably dropping the trap, LAHF/SAHF is used for virtualization I have no guesses on whats going on there, and CMPXCHG16b would be needed for >8TB per process (insert NSA joke). That is quite a bit for a point release.
 
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berryracer said:
The RTM download ISOs are available everywhere now

I downloaded the Windows 8.1 Single Language x64 ISO

With Windows 8.1, you cannot use your product key to install during setup, instead, there are a few default keys just for the sake of installation, after you enter that default product key (which cannot be activated its just for the sake of installation), when you are on your desktop, go to PC Settings, then activation, the enter either the key built into your BIOS or your retail product key and it will activate right away

if you don't kinow what is the key built into your BIOS, before you format, get it using Belarc Advisor (google it, install it, then look under software licenses it will be there)
Click to expand...

I don't see them on technet? I thought it was an October release.
 
StinkyPinky said:
I don't see them on technet? I thought it was an October release.
Click to expand...
Windows 8.1 isn't being released on Technet or MSDN until October. Any RTM releases you see right now are stolen ISOs that are presumably legit.
 
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