Windows 8 Consumer Preview download links

[Witcher1979]

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

32bit 2.5Gb Hash E91ED665B01A46F4344C36D9D88C8BF78E9A1B39

64bit 3.3Gb Hash 1288519C5035BCAC83CBFA23A33038CCF5522749

CD KEY
DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J


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Install from USB

Here's a link to the tool that will put the ISO onto a USB stick in the quickest time.

Rufus

Simple to use, change the 'create a bootable disk using' drop down to ISO, then point it at your download and click Start.


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Install from DVD

To burn the ISO to disc, download IMGBurn and select 'Write Image File to Disc' then point it down the download and click Burn

If you want to dual boot, run setup.exe from the \sources folder. make sure your spare drive/partition is already formatted as ntfs and has a drive letter attched to it and then choose it during setup. job done. You can mount the iso to do this.


Copy and paste from elsewhere, but someone here might find it useful or want to try it.

 

[scrappysphinx]

Downloaded this morning. Will give it a try tonight.

 

[ekholve]

Installed yesterday on my MacBook Pro via Bootcamp and I must say that this has improved a lot since the Developer Preview. Feels very complete already now.

I would love to have this OS on nice tablet hw like the one in iPad.

 

[Witcher1979]

Ahh awesome, can you guys explain the "launch xbox games" feature? Does this just turn your xbox on and launch the disc in the tray? I find this pointless lol.

 

[keropi]

one question to those that tried it: can you switch off that terrible gui and return to the old-style windows one?

 

[scrappysphinx]

There's an article here on engadget tht details the xbox integration.

 

[Witcher1979]

There's an article here on engadget tht details the xbox integration.

I am dumb I still don't get the whole launching thing. You can launch the games from your console but where does the display appear? On your PC screen or on the TV your xbox is rigged upto. I mean the games can't appear on your PC screen via ethernet can they. :huh:

 

[scrappysphinx]

not sure, will check it tonight when i install the preview and let you know if you don't get an answer before.

 

[Witcher1979]

not sure, will check it tonight when i install the preview and let you know if you don't get an answer before.

Thanks chap

 

[Ed.D]

I tried the Windows 8 Pre Beta and I'm not keen on the Metro style apps as they take away the multi-tasking feel, just MHO, but I think those are more for tablets and touch screens anyway, I have neither of those.

 

[mjnurney]

Careful ...

Start downloading this and Microsoft may become popular ... Then where would we be!

 

[Ed.D]

one question to those that tried it: can you switch off that terrible gui and return to the old-style windows one?

In the Pre Beta I tried, yes you could do this, but it's not that different from Win 7 afaik. I think it's detailed on the support docs somewhere how to switch between. Apparently you can't run the metro apps from within the standard desktop or desktop programs from the Metro GUI.

 

[keropi]

nice, I have no problem at all with the win7 desktop but this new "metro" style is just... awfull for me

 

[Witcher1979]

I guess now you can login to xbox live this means GFWL is dead and GFWL games will just use the xbox live part now?

So many questions

Started my own download now hehe

 

[Ed.D]

Oh yeah that's another feature. You can use your Windows Live account to access Windows 8 as a log in so everything on 'Live' can be integrated(I think there are choices as to what you want to link up), or keep to the traditional local login.

There's going to be an App store as well for the Metro front end.

 

[Witcher1979]

From what I can make out from other websites you can only launch an xbox game from the PC, you won't see it on your screen. I kind of figured this anyway as I don't see how else it would work.

But wth??? I can goto my PC, launch a game on my xbox then walk into the room my xbox is in. Why don't I just go into that room and do it the old fashioned way lol. I also have no idea how this turns the console on, unless I walk into console room, press power then walk into pc room and launch the game, then walk back into console room.

Must be the most pointless feature ever.

 

[ekholve]

one question to those that tried it: can you switch off that terrible gui and return to the old-style windows one?

Not explored that part yet but I am pretty sure that you are able to switch permanently to Windows 7 style UI in similar way as "Windows Classic" -theme in current releases.

Meanwhile, you may quickly switch from Metro UI (Start screen) to Windows 7 style and back simply using Windows key.

 

[tokyoracer]

I guess my idea of what an OS is dieing in replace of widget style icons and app intergration like what's found on smart devices and iThing's. Makes Lion look positively dated! I much prefer the days of XP SP2 but as time goes we all got to move on...

 

[ad-rs1600i]

Nice one - going to download now and install in a VM

...................some things never change - me excited about new MS OS's:shhh:

 

[ekholve]

I tried the Windows 8 Pre Beta and I'm not keen on the Metro style apps as they take away the multi-tasking feel, just MHO, but I think those are more for tablets and touch screens anyway, I have neither of those.

Partially share your opinion but as I have been using Windows Phone for quite some time now I have learned to love the UI. At first it does not feel that appealing but as soon as you start using it more it kind of awakes and begins to look very personal and unique.

Alt+Tab application switcher is still there for you so you can switch between applications as you have used to in the past versions of Windows.

Anyways, totally agree that this is not necessarily the UI that you would expect to see in the server rooms currently. I just hope that W8 ends up in the tablet hardware as sexy as iPad. That would make iPad look like really ancient to me. (matter of personal taste of course)

I am also quite impressed about the IE10 and how it has been enhanced.

---------- Post added at 20:10 ---------- Previous post was at 20:07 ----------

Careful ...

Start downloading this and Microsoft may become popular ... Then where would we be!

I think we still share the love for Amiga and even though I love AmigaOS a lot I do not see too much realistical chances that AmigaOS would break (again) as a mainstream OS anymore.