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Win8 CP - Interesting findings

win8 windows 8 consumer preview

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#76 paraglider

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Posted 28 March 2012 - 11:49 AM

Alt+F4 also works and is quicker.

#77 paraglider

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Posted 28 March 2012 - 11:54 AM

More I use win8 cp more I find I don't miss the start menu. What I do miss is the ability to set program properties directly via right click on the metro start screen. Instead you have to open the file location from right click and then right click on the file in the explorer that is shown.

#78 Wonko the Sane

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Posted 01 April 2012 - 05:03 PM

This might be of interest for those wanting the good ol' way of Windows 7:
http://www.msfn.org/...u-windows-8-dp/

http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/

:cheers:
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#79 breaker

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Posted 25 April 2012 - 08:13 AM

What I found out about W8CP;

1) Regarding BOOTNXT, it has something to do with allowing the older Windows 7 BCD menu to show up when using the new bootmgr.

When I installed W8CP, I did it off a UFD with the boot order changed in BIOS which resulted in my Windows System drive (W7) to not have the new bootmgr copied to it even though the BCD is there, but also W8 didn't have a BCD either. So, long story short I created a new BCD on the W7 volume by burning a W8CP disk and using bootrec to rebuild the BCD because after I reinstalled GRUB2 (my boot manager of choice) to my MBR W7 was looping at boot. However, after that, when GRUB2 chainloaded the Windows VBR, and thus bootmgr, it showed the BCD menu items (W7, W8, XP), but wouldn't boot W8 becuase the old W7 bootmgr saw a bad signature on the W8 winload.exe. So I copied the new bootmgr to the W7 root, but upon reboot it went straight to W8 after chainloading from GRUB2.

Then I copied BOOTNXT from W8 to the W7 root and I got back the old boot menu and everything worked.

2) In W8CP, bootsect.exe is available in %systemroot%system32

3) You can add shortcuts to the All Applications part of the Start Menu here; "%AppData%MicrosoftWindowsStart MenuPrograms" then add to the main start screen as needed (maybe this isn't new, sorry if not).

4) The upper left of the Start Screen lets you right-click to close Metro apps (hover then right-click), or focus on the desktop again.

5) System Restore was off by default.

breaker

Edited by breaker, 25 April 2012 - 08:15 AM.


#80 breaker

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Posted 26 April 2012 - 02:14 AM

There is native support for mounting iso images.

#81 breaker

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Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:29 AM

I found that

The ImageX tool is deprecated in Windows® 8 and has been replaced with DISM for image management.


but DISM comes with Windows 8 CP.

#82 homes32

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Posted 01 May 2012 - 02:59 PM

I found that


but DISM comes with Windows 8 CP.

does DISM do image creation now?

#83 cdob

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Posted 01 May 2012 - 07:16 PM

does DISM do image creation now?


Yes, dism create and apply images http://reboot.pro/16..._50#entry151250

Image Management Command-Line Options
http://technet.micro...y/hh825258.aspx


Install Windows 8 CP to USB using native tools:
Boot from Windows 8 DVD or another USB drive.
Press shift F10 to open command line
Prepare USB drive f:\ with diskpart.
Next Run
cd \

x:\>DISM.exe /Apply-Image /ImageFile:d:\sources\install.wim /Index:1 /ApplyDir:f:\

x:\>bcdboot.exe f:\windows /s f:
Adjust drives d: and f: to local used letters.

#84 breaker

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Posted 05 May 2012 - 10:36 PM

Yes, dism create and apply images http://reboot.pro/16..._50#entry151250

Image Management Command-Line Options
http://technet.micro...y/hh825258.aspx


Install Windows 8 CP to USB using native tools:
Boot from Windows 8 DVD or another USB drive.
Press shift F10 to open command line
Prepare USB drive f: with diskpart.
Next Run

cd 

x:>DISM.exe /Apply-Image /ImageFile:d:sourcesinstall.wim /Index:1 /ApplyDir:f:

x:>bcdboot.exe f:windows /s f:
Adjust drives d: and f: to local used letters.


I tried this with a 4Gib UFD, but alas, I guess you really do need a 32+ UFD!

Anyway, after the preparation with diskpart (I used exfat also, btw), I decided to use bootsect.exe to put a boot loader on the UFD. Is this not needed, in other words does bcdboot.exe do this, I really didn't think it did.

Also, inside a Win8 install, diskpart, bootsect, bcdboot, and dism are all available without having to boot from a disk/UFD, furthermore, Win8 supports mounting of ISOs natively. So, after installing Win8 normally to a HDD, I did this (but ran out of disk space on my UFD);

1) Mount Win8 CP ISO using Windows Explorer

2) put UFD n in system, used diskpart, bootsect, dism, and (would have) bcdboot;

DISKPART

SELECT DISK n

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

SELECT PARTITION 1

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=exfat QUICK

ASSIGN

EXIT



x:>bootsect /nt60 f:

x:>DISM.exe /Apply-Image /ImageFile:d:sourcesinstall.wim /Index:1 /ApplyDir:f:

x:>bcdboot.exe f:windows /s f:


Yes, no?

Also, I wonder if there is anything that can be deleted from the WIM and still have it apply. I tried deleting all the metro apps, but I failed at the bcdboot part.

:cheers:

breaker

#85 cdob

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Posted 06 May 2012 - 06:02 AM

I tried this with a 4Gib UFD, but alas, I guess you really do need a 32+ UFD!

No, you can't apply to a 4Gib drive. Maybe a 8Gib drive.
A USB SSD drive is recommended.

Anyway, after the preparation with diskpart (I used exfat also, btw),

Bootmgr won't work at exfat.
Use NTFS, there are a lot of hard links used by default.

I decided to use bootsect.exe to put a boot loader on the UFD.

Diskpart format adds boot loader already.

So, after installing Win8 normally to a HDD

1) Mount Win8 CP ISO using Windows Explorer

Which drive letter do you get at mounted DVD?

FORMAT FS=exfat QUICK

Use NTFS.

Which drive letter do you get at USB drive?

#86 wimb

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Posted 06 May 2012 - 06:20 AM

Also, I wonder if there is anything that can be deleted from the WIM and still have it apply. I tried deleting all the metro apps, but I failed at the bcdboot part.


VHD_W8_Compact 5.0 can Make Portable Windows 8 - Size 1.3 GB in 1.8 GB VHD on USB

http://www.911cd.net...ndpost&p=171208

:cheers:

#87 ericgl

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Posted 06 May 2012 - 07:06 AM

It looks like Win8 won't have DVD playback support built-in due to licensing/royalties issues.
Microsoft doesn't want to pay for something that is available freely using 3rd party software.
They are offering a Media Center Pack for a small fee, but that's not really necessary.

Just install something like the K-lite Mega Codec Pack (which includes MPC-HC) and be done with it.
VLC is also a good option.

#88 breaker

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Posted 07 May 2012 - 09:29 PM

No, you can't apply to a 4Gib drive. Maybe a 8Gib drive.
A USB SSD drive is recommended.

Bootmgr won't work at exfat.
Use NTFS, there are a lot of hard links used by default.

Diskpart format adds boot loader already.


Which drive letter do you get at mounted DVD?

Use NTFS.

Which drive letter do you get at USB drive?


I got new bootmgr to work with exfat, see here; http://reboot.pro/16829/

When I tried before, my UFD was Q:, and my mounted Windows 8 CP ISO was O:, therefore


x:>DISM.exe /Apply-Image /ImageFile:O:sourcesinstall.wim /ApplyDir:Q: /Index:1

x:>bcdboot.exe Q:windows /s Q:


I do realize (if I had a UFD large enough).

:cheers:

breaker

#89 breaker

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Posted 07 May 2012 - 09:29 PM

VHD_W8_Compact 5.0 can Make Portable Windows 8 - Size 1.3 GB in 1.8 GB VHD on USB

http://www.911cd.net...ndpost&p=171208

:cheers:


Great thanks! I will try this when I have a chance!

#90 ericgl

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Posted 08 May 2012 - 02:07 PM

There's a new option for SSDs in the defrag window, only instead of de-fragmenting hard-drives, it offers TRIM optimization for SSDs.
When Win8 detects an SSD, it offers TRIM optimization, either on a certain schedule or manually pressing the optimize button.
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#91 ericgl

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Posted 13 May 2012 - 11:17 AM

In the Windows Embedded Standard 8 CTP there is a new Write Filter called Unified Write Filter (UWF).
In previous versions there were EWF and FBWF. UWF replaces both of these filters.

#92 ericgl

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Posted 23 May 2012 - 08:57 AM

Very interesting info regarding the new boot menu options of Windows 8:
http://blogs.msdn.co...ver-before.aspx

quick tip from this article:
There's a new switch to the shutdown command which allows to restart into the boot menu from CMD:
shutdown.exe /r /o /f
  • Brito likes this

#93 Brito

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Posted 23 May 2012 - 09:00 AM

That is surely a nice one. :)

#94 Meyer!

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Posted 09 June 2012 - 10:53 PM

If you hold the Shift key and click the "Shut down" button, Windows shuts down without hibernate the kernel. I've got a problem where the audio from my PC is bugged when I turn on my PC with the hibernating kernel, and this tip solves my problem.

#95 steve6375

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Posted 09 June 2012 - 11:22 PM

If you hold the Shift key and click the "Shut down" button, Windows shuts down without hibernate the kernel. I've got a problem where the audio from my PC is bugged when I turn on my PC with the hibernating kernel, and this tip solves my problem.

How do I do this on my slate/Tablet PC?

#96 ericgl

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Posted 10 June 2012 - 06:58 AM

If you hold the Shift key and click the "Shut down" button, Windows shuts down without hibernate the kernel. I've got a problem where the audio from my PC is bugged when I turn on my PC with the hibernating kernel, and this tip solves my problem.

Have you checked whether this problem is resolved in Win8 Release Preview?

#97 Meyer!

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Posted 10 June 2012 - 05:26 PM

How do I do this on my slate/Tablet PC?

You can use the virtual keyboard, which can be opened by the Desktop control panel. With it open:
Open the "Charms" bar, click "Settings" charm, click on "Power," press "Shift" on the virtual keyboard, and click "Shutdown".

Have you checked whether this problem is resolved in Win8 Release Preview?

I am using Windows 8 RP, and audio card problem persists. The tip also works in Win8 RP...
EDIT:

Based on the tip I posted above, if you hold the "Shift" key before clicking "Restart", the Windows will at the same screen that is accessed with the command "shutdown /r /o /t xx"

Edited by Meyer!, 10 June 2012 - 05:46 PM.


#98 Tripredacus

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Posted 11 June 2012 - 04:47 PM

When using a two-monitor setup, you can now have a single wide wallpaper span across them.
Posted Image
More info here: http://windowsteambl...r-and-more.aspx


This function isn't new, you could do it even in Windows XP. You just needed the appropriately sized wallpaper and set it to Tile.





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