A thorough overview of the Windows 8.1 update can be read from this MSDN Blog. Some changes in the following areas are covered: Personalization, Store/Apps, Search, IE, and Cloud Connectivity - This last one is very exciting and can possibly be a file server + backup replacement, at least for smaller businesses.
Yes, Windows 8.1 is FREE. As it should be! After all, it is a revision, similar to a Service Pack.
http://blogs.windows.com/windows/b/bloggingwindows/archive/2013/05/30/continuing-the-windows-8-vision-with-windows-8-1.aspx
June 2, 2013
Windows 8.1 Update Overview
Here is an excerpt from the New York Times on the recent release of Windows 8.1
It is a nice, simple overview of the major changes in Windows 8.1, a free update to the Windows 8 Operating System. In other words, the Start menu is covered ;>
After Bumpy Start, Microsoft Rethinks Windows 8
" ... Windows 8.1 looks virtually indistinguishable from Windows 8 in many respects. People who dislike its colorful mosaic of tiles will not find much in the new software to change their minds.
That’s because it is unlikely, as a practical matter, that people will be able to entirely escape the tile-based interface in Windows 8.1, even though Microsoft is making it easier to avoid it. As expected, the new operating system will allow people to configure the software so that they start in desktop mode — the “classic” Windows interface with a taskbar at the bottom of the screen, a background image and applications with traditional menus — whenever they boot up their PCs.
Microsoft didn’t allow this with Windows 8. Even if their destination was desktop mode, where Office and millions of legacy Windows applications run, Windows 8 users had to pass through the tile screen, an inconvenience to many. It’s noteworthy that Microsoft will still put users in the tile interface by default when they start up their machines.
Microsoft is also reincarnating the Start button with Windows 8.1, though it won’t behave exactly like the Windows Start buttons of yore, the primary way Windows users found and launched applications for decades.
There will be a Windows flag icon in the bottom left corner of the taskbar in the Windows 8.1 desktop. But clicking — or, if you have a touch device, tapping — the button will simply return you to the tile-based interface, from which you can launch apps. People can get to a more traditional looking menu of applications from the Start button, but they have to configure the system to do that.
What these changes mean is that someone who makes the effort to reconfigure the operating system will be able to spend most of their time in the classic desktop interface. In practice, Microsoft will keep nudging them in the direction of the tile-based interface at every opportunity because it believes that is the future of Windows."
NY Times Tech Blog
It is a nice, simple overview of the major changes in Windows 8.1, a free update to the Windows 8 Operating System. In other words, the Start menu is covered ;>
After Bumpy Start, Microsoft Rethinks Windows 8
" ... Windows 8.1 looks virtually indistinguishable from Windows 8 in many respects. People who dislike its colorful mosaic of tiles will not find much in the new software to change their minds.
That’s because it is unlikely, as a practical matter, that people will be able to entirely escape the tile-based interface in Windows 8.1, even though Microsoft is making it easier to avoid it. As expected, the new operating system will allow people to configure the software so that they start in desktop mode — the “classic” Windows interface with a taskbar at the bottom of the screen, a background image and applications with traditional menus — whenever they boot up their PCs.
Microsoft didn’t allow this with Windows 8. Even if their destination was desktop mode, where Office and millions of legacy Windows applications run, Windows 8 users had to pass through the tile screen, an inconvenience to many. It’s noteworthy that Microsoft will still put users in the tile interface by default when they start up their machines.
Microsoft is also reincarnating the Start button with Windows 8.1, though it won’t behave exactly like the Windows Start buttons of yore, the primary way Windows users found and launched applications for decades.
There will be a Windows flag icon in the bottom left corner of the taskbar in the Windows 8.1 desktop. But clicking — or, if you have a touch device, tapping — the button will simply return you to the tile-based interface, from which you can launch apps. People can get to a more traditional looking menu of applications from the Start button, but they have to configure the system to do that.
What these changes mean is that someone who makes the effort to reconfigure the operating system will be able to spend most of their time in the classic desktop interface. In practice, Microsoft will keep nudging them in the direction of the tile-based interface at every opportunity because it believes that is the future of Windows."
NY Times Tech Blog
May 29, 2013
Windows Server 2008 running SLOW
Server Manager Tool Locking Up My Server
I have had this recent issue with some Windows Server 2008 R2 (s). The server is slowing down tremendously, administrator log ins can take a very long time, and overall performance is terrible. It seems like it has happened all at once, so maybe a recent Windows Update is to blame. I have not had time to figure out exactly what may be the cause, but I use WSUS (update services) on a scheduled basis, so all my servers are updated together. My main concern was stopping the pain.
Although I don't always use the built in Server Manager tool, I determined that in fact this tool is the culprit. I opened it on one of the servers and it locked up terribly - and brought everything else to a standstill. CPU and RAM usage spiked for lengthy periods. On one server I was even getting an error within the Server Manager tool, even after multiple refresh tries.
Remember that as the Server Manager is customized, changes are actually saved in the profile (usually the Administrator profile). So, we have to essentially clear some temp files to clean out some stale cache. Sound familiar?
Solution? Open Server Manager, but be sure to give it ample time to fully open. If you force close it then the situation is even worse. Once opened, go to File/Options and then click "DELETE FILES". Restart the Server Manager Tools (NOT the whole server). It is not going to save large amounts of space. In fact, it has nothing to do with this (may range from 500 KB - 3 Megabytes). But it looks like if Roles and Features are edited a few times, i.e. added/removed from the server, then the old settings hang around and cause trouble.
The above worked instantly for me. Hope it helps!
I have had this recent issue with some Windows Server 2008 R2 (s). The server is slowing down tremendously, administrator log ins can take a very long time, and overall performance is terrible. It seems like it has happened all at once, so maybe a recent Windows Update is to blame. I have not had time to figure out exactly what may be the cause, but I use WSUS (update services) on a scheduled basis, so all my servers are updated together. My main concern was stopping the pain.
Although I don't always use the built in Server Manager tool, I determined that in fact this tool is the culprit. I opened it on one of the servers and it locked up terribly - and brought everything else to a standstill. CPU and RAM usage spiked for lengthy periods. On one server I was even getting an error within the Server Manager tool, even after multiple refresh tries.
Remember that as the Server Manager is customized, changes are actually saved in the profile (usually the Administrator profile). So, we have to essentially clear some temp files to clean out some stale cache. Sound familiar?
Solution? Open Server Manager, but be sure to give it ample time to fully open. If you force close it then the situation is even worse. Once opened, go to File/Options and then click "DELETE FILES". Restart the Server Manager Tools (NOT the whole server). It is not going to save large amounts of space. In fact, it has nothing to do with this (may range from 500 KB - 3 Megabytes). But it looks like if Roles and Features are edited a few times, i.e. added/removed from the server, then the old settings hang around and cause trouble.
The above worked instantly for me. Hope it helps!
May 21, 2013
Lenovo Windows 8 for $279.99
Don't look now, but ...an IdeaPad for $279.99. Again, I don't work at BestBuy (no offense to anyone who does, but THANK GOD, because they work work very hard ;>) ...but this is a 'phat' deal!
"Lenovo - IdeaPad 15.6" Laptop - 4GB Memory - 320GB Hard Drive - Black"
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Lenovo+-+IdeaPad+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+320GB+Hard+Drive/8814652.p?id=1218902554441&skuId=8814652
"Lenovo - IdeaPad 15.6" Laptop - 4GB Memory - 320GB Hard Drive - Black"
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Lenovo+-+IdeaPad+15.6%26%2334%3B+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+320GB+Hard+Drive/8814652.p?id=1218902554441&skuId=8814652
Xbox One is Coming
It looks really fancy, and Xbox One will surely try to maintain its dominace over all competitors. It should be a true "all in one entertainment system".
You have to check out the preview video:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xboxone/meet-xbox-one?xr=shellnav
You have to check out the preview video:
http://www.xbox.com/en-US/xboxone/meet-xbox-one?xr=shellnav
April 23, 2013
Windows 8 Phone Storage Check
I have discovered the awesome Windows 8 "storage check" on my Lumia 920. The new tool is available in the latest software update. It is really, really good. Storage Check gives an overview of disk usage on the phone and allows for viewing a break down of the Apps installed, and for some Temp files clean up.
It is a good looking graphical overview of how much space is in use, and of how much is free or available. For example, my phone has 29 Gigabytes of storage (likely it's 30 GB total, with 1 GB going to the OS). 16 GB is in use. You can see the breakdown below. The Details section shows specifics, like how much space is taken by Photos, Email+contacts, Office Documents, Ringtones etc.
It is a good looking graphical overview of how much space is in use, and of how much is free or available. For example, my phone has 29 Gigabytes of storage (likely it's 30 GB total, with 1 GB going to the OS). 16 GB is in use. You can see the breakdown below. The Details section shows specifics, like how much space is taken by Photos, Email+contacts, Office Documents, Ringtones etc.
You can also go into Details and clear Temporary files manually, although the OS does this periodically for you theoretically. I had 630 Megabytes of Temp files so I cleared them manually.[I did not screen shot this]. Note that some level of Temp files are normal and cannot be cleared.
Windows 8 Phone Update
I installed the latest Windows 8 Phone (Nokia Lumia 920) software update successfully. It went well. The firmware revision numbers do vary slightly. I like comparing before and after to verify the install went well. Again, this is in Settings/About/More Info
Before:
Before:
After:
Windows 8 Phone Screen Shot
One neat little feature of the Lumia 920 Windows 8 phone is the screen shot. On the surface, it is easy as pie. You have to press and hold the Start button and also the Power button at the same time for a quick second or two. But you have to do it just right. It may take a few tries.
When done right, you will a loud camera picture taking sound sound ("c-l-i-c-k"!). This is a good sign and means success. The screen shot goes into your Photo Albums.
It may be useful for troubleshooting or app comparisons or to show off your colorful Windows screen to your iPhone friends, who are still stuck with the drab Apple backgrounds and app logos.
When done right, you will a loud camera picture taking sound sound ("c-l-i-c-k"!). This is a good sign and means success. The screen shot goes into your Photo Albums.
It may be useful for troubleshooting or app comparisons or to show off your colorful Windows screen to your iPhone friends, who are still stuck with the drab Apple backgrounds and app logos.
Lumia 920 Windows Software Update
I recently got a notice that there was a software update available for my Windows phone. Since I was about to head out for some camping with the family, I was not able to do it. In fact, I only wanted to enjoy some nature so I didn't use any technology ;>
The notification disappeared. I believe it will periodically notify, but I am not sure of the schedule. So, I had to manually force the update by going into the Settings, then "phone update". I selected both options already - "Tell me when updates are available for my phone" and "Automatically download updates if my settings allow it" [in other words, you likely need to be on WiFi].
I went into Show Details, read the notice and hit Install.
Piece of cake!
The notification disappeared. I believe it will periodically notify, but I am not sure of the schedule. So, I had to manually force the update by going into the Settings, then "phone update". I selected both options already - "Tell me when updates are available for my phone" and "Automatically download updates if my settings allow it" [in other words, you likely need to be on WiFi].
I went into Show Details, read the notice and hit Install.
Piece of cake!
April 17, 2013
Intel and Windows to Slash PC Prices?
Windows and Intel may work together to bring down Windows 8 pricing.
Suggestion: INCLUDE FREE MS OFFICE SOFTWARE (AT LEAST STANDARD). I know there is cloud based available but ... so too is Google Docs available in cloud...
"The chip giant is planning to work with hardware makers and Microsoft to bring to market cheap, touch-enabled Windows 8 notebooks powered by the companies upcoming Bay Trail Atom silicon.
CEO Paul Otellini hopes that "touch-enabled Intel based notebooks that are ultrathin and light using non-core processors" could come to market "as low as $200 probably."
http://www.zdnet.com/how-intel-could-give-windows-8-the-break-it-has-been-waiting-for-7000014153/
Suggestion: INCLUDE FREE MS OFFICE SOFTWARE (AT LEAST STANDARD). I know there is cloud based available but ... so too is Google Docs available in cloud...
"The chip giant is planning to work with hardware makers and Microsoft to bring to market cheap, touch-enabled Windows 8 notebooks powered by the companies upcoming Bay Trail Atom silicon.
CEO Paul Otellini hopes that "touch-enabled Intel based notebooks that are ultrathin and light using non-core processors" could come to market "as low as $200 probably."
http://www.zdnet.com/how-intel-could-give-windows-8-the-break-it-has-been-waiting-for-7000014153/
New HP Windows 8 Laptop for $289.99
Wha wha wha what?! A brand spanking new HP Windows 8 Laptop for $289.99 at Bestbuy??
Most of the details:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+15.6%22+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+320GB+Hard+Drive/8808193.p?id=1218897640426&skuId=8808193&st=hottest_deals_2013&cp=1&lp=1
Most of the details:
AMD E-300 Accelerated Processor with AMD Radeon HD 6310 discrete-class graphics
Offers enhanced performance.4GB DDR3 SDRAM
For multitasking power, expandable to 8GB.Multiformat DVD±RW/CD-RW drive
Create custom DVDs and CDs.15.6" LED-backlit high-definition widescreen display
With BrightView technology and 1366 x 768 resolution showcases movies and games in stunning clarity.320GB hard drive (5400 rpm)
Offers spacious storage and fast read/write times.AMD Radeon HD 6310 discrete-class graphics
Feature up to 1972MB total video memory for lush images with vivid detail. HDMI output for connection to an HDTV.http://www.bestbuy.com/site/HP+-+15.6%22+Laptop+-+4GB+Memory+-+320GB+Hard+Drive/8808193.p?id=1218897640426&skuId=8808193&st=hottest_deals_2013&cp=1&lp=1
ASUS Wireless Unit rocks!
I just got a brand new Wireless device at Bestbuy. I think I am in love. It is an RT-N66R, Dual-band Wireless-N900 Gigabit Router. I have been stuck on NetGears for the past 5 years. Although they are generally reliable, I have noticed they 'burn out' faster (1-2 years) and also the web management interfaces are not very good. For example, on my last Netgear wireless router, I changed the SSID passcode or key, and the unit would not allow me back in after applying. I had to pull the plug after 10 minutes. It also got the latest firmware from me. My reward? Signal strength dropped by 80%. It has not been the same since. A complete factory reset did not help. So I took it offline.
Enter ASUS. My company has been using ASUS laptops now for past year. They are reliable and cost-effective. So, I decided to try the wireless router. This is not meant to be an official nor all-encompassing review.
All I can tell you is this:
The ASUS RT-N66R Gigabit Router's range is stellar and the web interface is magical. It is straight to the point, does not waste space on little used bells and whistles, and more importantly, after applying LAN, WAN or security edits, it goes into effect within seconds. The firmware updating is smooth as well.
So far so good!
http://usa.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Routers/RTN66R/
Enter ASUS. My company has been using ASUS laptops now for past year. They are reliable and cost-effective. So, I decided to try the wireless router. This is not meant to be an official nor all-encompassing review.
All I can tell you is this:
The ASUS RT-N66R Gigabit Router's range is stellar and the web interface is magical. It is straight to the point, does not waste space on little used bells and whistles, and more importantly, after applying LAN, WAN or security edits, it goes into effect within seconds. The firmware updating is smooth as well.
So far so good!
http://usa.asus.com/Networks/Wireless_Routers/RTN66R/
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