[Free] Windows 8 Developer Build

[glorify]

Just saw this:

Much like when Windows 7 RC was released nearly a year before Windows 7 came out, MS is now offering Windows 8 for free download to anyone.

The download will be made available tonight at 8pm PT.

Relevant links:

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/1...-download/

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/home/

32- or 64-bit x86 machines only - no ARM build, which means no Touchpad hack is going to come from this build.

More:

It will stop working after a year. (prepare yourselves for a slew of Win8 expiration questions and MS bashing a year from now)

How does Windows 8 compare to Windows 7?

• All Windows 7 applications will run natively on Windows 8
• Security update notifications have been minimized to the lower right of the log-in screen
• Refreshed Windows Task Manager suspends apps when they're not running on-screen
• New "Reset and Refresh PC" functions enable simplified system wipe and restore
• HyperV virtualization software comes pre-loaded on Windows 8
• Multi-monitor support now enables a single background across screens, as well as monitor-specific task bars
• Multi-touch support enabled for Internet Explorer 10
• Magnifier function enhanced for desktop manipulation
• Optional thumb-by-thumb input mode
• SkyDrive storage support integrated into all cloud-based apps
• Metro-style refresh for Mail, Photos, Calendar and People apps with Windows Live ID
• Settings roam allows for preferences to sync across a user's Windows 8 devices
• Continued update support for Windows 8 Developer Preview Beta
• Even a Lenovo S10 (first-gen Atom + 1GB of RAM) can "run" Windows 8
• There's "no overlays" with Windows 8; Metro-style goodness is baked into the core
• Both Metro-style and conventional Win32 apps will be sold in the Windows Store
• Windows 8 devices equipped with an NFC chip will be able to use a tap-to-share feature to either send content from one device to another, or simply receive content from something like an NFC-equipped card.
• Logins will use a photo-based system
• Apps will be able to natively connect and understand one another (if written as such)
• Built-in antivirus software will ship in Windows 8
• There will not be a different edition of Windows 8 for tablets, and presumably, not for Media Centers either
• It's unclear how many "editions" (Home, Professional, Ultimate, etc.) of Windows 8 there will be
• ARM devices will be supported, but not in the developer preview

http://www.engadget.com/2011/09/1...verything/

If you want to try it out, but want to preserve your Vista or Win7 for use after the expiration without dual booting, then I suggest reading how to use a system Image from the link below. Make sure you also create a system repair disc. The repair disc is the bootable disc that makes reading the image possible. Typical images on a fresh machine consist of 10-30GB. you'll find out the space required before it starts.
http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/42...windows-7/

An alternative method for installation is to create a partition in Windows 7 and then install Windows 8 on it. By doing this, you can choose to boot into either Windows 7 or 8. None of your personal files will be changed and removing Windows 8 is as easy as removing the partition. You can see steps here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-U...-partition

 

[Shamil]

Yes.

I think will be getting build 8102, built on 30th August 2011.

 

[Shelley]

I'm downloading it now, 58 minutes left from a 4.8 gig download.

 

[Shamil]

Downloading at 1.5MBps :/

31 mins left.

 

[Shamil]

Ok, I just installed this in under 10 mins....

In Parallels, with 2 cores, 1.5GB RAM and an SSD on my MacBook Air Late 2010. Wow.

 

[Dark Sage]

It has taken me an hour just to get to the log in screen after installing it in VirtualBox. >>

 

[Dragapult]

Cool, will give it a try later once I get my virtual machine set up.

 

[Pope Viper]

Cool, thanks for sharing!

 

[Shamil]

A first look at Windows 8 (pics)

 

[Forsaken]

It has taken me an hour just to get to the log in screen after installing it in VirtualBox. >>

VirtualBox isn't exactly the speediest of virtual machines.

 

[IanC]

It has taken me an hour just to get to the log in screen after installing it in VirtualBox. >>

How much RAM did you dedicate to the virtual instance and what spec is your PC? It should be much faster than that?

Cool, will give it a try later once I get my virtual machine set up.

You'll need to use VirtualBox as VirtualPC won't cut it (ironic!), I wrote a guide on it a few moments ago to test out my first article in XenForo:

http://www.win8forums.com/threads/install-windows-8-in-virtualbox.80/

 

[bambua]

How much RAM did you dedicate to the virtual instance and what spec is your PC? It should be much faster than that?

You'll need to use VirtualBox as VirtualPC won't cut it (ironic!), I wrote a guide on it a few moments ago to test out my first article in XenForo:

http://www.win8forums.com/threads/install-windows-8-in-virtualbox.80/

Completely offtopic to this discussion but I love your forum design Ian.

 

[kkm323]

worst nightmare in my life when i upgraded windows to vista and my forum to vbulletin 4
i am going be the last person on earth to do this upgrade

 

[Dragapult]

I'm actually having no issues at all running Win8 on VMware Fusion 4, which was just released earlier today. Both that and Parallels Desktop 7 are optimized for Lion, but the latter won't work with Win8 for some reason.

Overall, I like it. I really like the Metro design language, and that Aero Glass is using squares, rather than rounded corners. (One of the reasons why I always liked the Windows Classic UI.)

 

[Shamil]

What do you mean it won't work with Windows 8?

I still can't find out about the upgrade path from VMware:

Upgrade Entitlements TimingUpgrades for the following products: View 5, Fusion 4, Workstation 8, Site Recovery Manager 5, and vFabric will be available on the licensing portal by the week of 9/19. If you have questions, please contact License support.

 

[Dragapult]

What I mean is exactly what I posted: For whatever reason, I couldn't get Win8 to boot up at all under Parallels. Maybe I did something wrong, but in general, I've always had more luck with VMware Fusion than Parallels.

 

[Slavik]

I find those hidden slickdeals links very distasteful...

 

[Shamil]

I find those hidden slickdeals links very distasteful...

What slick deals links?

 

[Fred Sherman]

I'm actually having no issues at all running Win8 on VMware Fusion 4, which was just released earlier today. Both that and Parallels Desktop 7 are optimized for Lion, but the latter won't work with Win8 for some reason.

Overall, I like it. I really like the Metro design language, and that Aero Glass is using squares, rather than rounded corners. (One of the reasons why I always liked the Windows Classic UI.)

Does Unity work with Windows 8?

 

[Fred Sherman]

What do you mean it won't work with Windows 8?

I still can't find out about the upgrade path from VMware:

Upgrade Entitlements TimingUpgrades for the following products: View 5, Fusion 4, Workstation 8, Site Recovery Manager 5, and vFabric will be available on the licensing portal by the week of 9/19. If you have questions, please contact License support.

Fusion 4.0 is a paid upgrade. You can get it for $49.99 right now. Use the promo code FUSION20 and get another $10 off.