Windows 8 Dev Preview is Out

[timpattinson]

The pre-alpha of the new Windows is out:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/br229516
To run it you need 1G of ram, and a 1ghz x86 or x64 processor.
If you don't have a free PC to install on (and you have 2+gb RAM), useVirtualBox
http://www.virtualbox.org/
Edit: VirtualBox isn't playing nice with Win8

[mightor]

I can't get the 32 bit or 64 bit installation to work with VMWare Workstation 7, either.

- Xander

[jojoguy14]

I can't get the 32 bit or 64 bit installation to work with VMWare Workstation 7, either.

- Xander

I guess it's time to learn dual-booting then?

jojoguy10

[mightor]

I'm not -that- curious. It either works in a VM or I am not using it

- Xander

[jojoguy14]

I wonder if it'll work on VMware 8?

jojoguy10

[linusa]

This guide seems to explain how to install Win8 into Virtual Box -- I haven't tried it though: http://www.sysprobs.com/guide-install-w ... virtualbox

[timpattinson]

Virtualbox crashes with repeated blackscreens
as Windows disintegrates because there is no power button.
Then it makes virtualbox go in Guru Meditation Mode.

VMware Player has a bluescreen: HAL_INITIALIZATION_FAILED
I'll look at that link, it might help

[jojoguy14]

I'm doing it on VirtualBox using this tutorial. So far, it's installing just fine (haven't finished yet). All you have to do is in VB, use Windows 7 (64-bit) as the OS.

I also dual-booted Windows 8 too (that was before I found out it worked in VB, lol!)

jojoguy10

[bungeshea]

What? I thought Win7 had enough bugs as it is!

[sidneys1]

I'm more of a risk-taker.. I upgraded my standard windows 7 installation to 8. Runs without a synch now. All drivers are working and not a single BSOD yet. (though really, the redesigned BSOD wants to make me call it a FSOB) One system freeze (froze up trying to load tweet@rama for sharing a screenshot of the desktop (wonderbar>share>screenshot>tweet@rama))

So far very enjoyable. Took a while to realize the Start menu isn't there, but you can access anything (in my experience faster than using the traditional start menu anyways) by hitting the windows key (bringing up the new start screen) and just start typing; does the same things as a start menu search in Vista or 7, but waaaay faster.

So far the only Win32 app that wouldn't run was Skype, but a update to it was all that was needed to get it going again. Other than that, A-O-K! (Ok so maybe Minecraft lags a little, but I can't expect Java to run on a new OS without an updated VM perfectly anyways. Setting it to Windows 7 compatibility mode improved the performance a lot.)

Also discovered that the classic task manager still exists. Hit up Win+R, type in "taskmgr.exe" without quotes, and hit enter.

Have a nice day,
~Sidneys1

EDIT: In other news, booting and sleep/resume is sooo much faster than Win7, and it is sooo cool that the traditional Windows Desktop is now more of an App than a Shell. It's crazy I think the built-in Metro apps are a bit lacking in functionality (I can't post a picture to FB with Socialite.. Really? Come on.) And some of the built-in games lag. Also the fullscreen video background in the Weather app lags a bit, but that's just my video card. Everything else from animation to app launching is fast, smooth, and easy. Also liking the new Desktop Aero window chrome.. So much cleaner than Win7/Vista. IE10 is blowing my mind with spellcheck and even more HTML5 compatablility, although the lack of Flash/other plugins in the Metro IE is something of a bummer, but I understand where MS is coming from. Strangely, YouTube's HTML5 beta isn't working for me either.. Say's I'm included, but is still prompting me to install Flash. Either way, there's a handy "Use Desktop View" button that switched seamlessly to the Windows Desktop and opens up IE10 with the offending page.