MS Releases Windows 8 Consumer Preview

[strollin]

Microsoft released the Windows 8 Consumer Preview today. Download here.

 

[NETWizz]

I need to download this. My laptop expires soon... Same day that Daylight Savings Changes.

 

[Tekguy]

Thanks, I totally forgot when this was coming out.

 

[FoolishTech]

Does anyone know if it just downloads an ISO or if it insists on installing during the download, like I heard some rumor of.

I just downloaded the 4MB installer from the provided link, and it's checking my hardware for compatibility. Potentially this is NOT cool I want this in a VM not on my main PC LOL. *sigh* I guess I'll just setup a VM for it now...

 

[YeOldeStonecat]

Wanna see how it runs on low spec hardware like some claims.....I have some little Asus single core Atom 9" netbook with a gig of RAM that has been sitting there unused for over a year, I'll stick it on.

 

[Xander]

Does anyone know if it just downloads an ISO or if it insists on installing during the download, like I heard some rumor of.

See? Despite my occasionally stupid D7 questions, I sometimes can see things right in front of me

 

[FoolishTech]

See? Despite my occasionally stupid D7 questions, I sometimes can see things right in front of me

LOL ya know, sometimes as a tech I forget my own common advice to my clients: READ what's in front of you instead of clicking like a monkey.

 

[Tekguy]

That stupid installer was driving me crazy too.

 

[anglian]

That stupid installer was driving me crazy too.

+1

At first glance I thought the installer was some kind of download manager where you could choose the iso

 

[FoolishTech]

In my experience so far, it's FAR from ready for even a customer preview :\

 

[16k_zx81]

anyone got this working in VMware or VirtualBox?

Ive had a quick look and no luck so far. Dont have a lot of time to play with it...

Can anyone share settings?

...

 

[FoolishTech]

I wouldn't call it working, but I have it up and running in virtualbox.

You MUST have hardware virtualization. I'm using the ICH9 chipset, enable IO APIC, PAE/NX, VT and nested paging... I was only able to get it to install with the VDI on an IDE controller not a SATA which really disappointed me, kept getting black 0xSomething or another screens with SATA... set the chipset to ICH6, and use an intel NIC.

 

[cprompt]

I have a CTL 2Go Tablet that came with Windows 7. I had put the Developer version of Windows 8 on it, and have just replaced that with the consumer preview.

It will not be real functional for me due to the fact that my screen resolution is 1024 x 600. Pretty much all the apps on the metro interface require at least 1024 x 768 in order to run. With the exception of the Desktop selection and perhaps one or two other minor ones, when I click any of the apps I get an error that it cannot load due to screen resolution.

I do find however, that the touch screen itself seems much more responsive than on the Windows 7 installation. It is easier to scroll through a web page, for example, than on Windows 7.

Don't know how much more I'll play with this one...

 

[cpalmer2k]

I installed it as a dual boot setup on my laptop with Windows 7. I skipped the developer preview so I can't comment on changes, but so far I despise what I've seen. Unless they allow you to get rid of the stupid Metro UI I'll stick with Windows 7. I've been considering going Mac OS for some time, Microsoft might just have made the decision easier for me.

While it might be fine for tablets, I think it is very cumbersome as a desktop operating system. I realize most of the Metro "Apps" are "Preview" versions, but they look horrid so far IMO. I swear some of them look like they were designed in Paint, just like the fish logo they have right now. The calendar magically links itself to Google, but randomly decides which of your calendars to show. Mail linked itself to my GMail without asking permission and attempted to sync. This might make computing "easier" for the clueless user, but for people who know what they're doing it seems like a major nuisance.

 

[NETWizz]

I also got Windows Server 8. It doesn't even have a Start Button anymore at all. It's even worse than the Developer Preview... Oh, and I didn't read any documents or use any compatibility tools ... they are for people that don't live dangerously.

Either way, Windows 8 isn't even close to ready. It is going to be the next Vista; I can already tell.

 

[tankman1989]

I'm using my TechNet subscription to download the "Windows 8 Consumer Preview with Apps (x64) - DVD (English)" which is 3.4GB. It is an ISO file and I hope I can install it in a fresh VM. I also see the new

TechNet also has a number of Windows 8 server to download:
Microsoft Hyper-V Server “8” Beta (x64) - DVD (English)
Windows Server "8" Beta Virtual Machine Core (x64)
Windows Server "8" Beta Virtual Machine (x64)
Windows Server "8" Beta Language Pack (x64) - DVD
Windows Server "8" Beta (x64) - DVD

 

[Cambridge PC Support]

Uuuuugh it's horrible!

But on the plus side it turned my monitor into a touch screen - how do they do that?

 

[Tekguy]

You MUST have hardware virtualization.

That explains why it's not working for me on 2 different machines. I got to see what the new blue screen looks like at least.

 

[parker.casey]

Does anyone know if it just downloads an ISO or if it insists on installing during the download, like I heard some rumor of.

I just downloaded the 4MB installer from the provided link, and it's checking my hardware for compatibility. Potentially this is NOT cool I want this in a VM not on my main PC LOL. *sigh* I guess I'll just setup a VM for it now...

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/iso

They have straight ISOs...

 

[Xander]

Out of curiousity, what's the will-run-until date on this?