Last Updated: March 9, 2012 4:15 PM

First published: Feb 29, 2012

Windows 8 Consumer Preview

OOBE

• cannot find 802.1x APs during setup, have to connect after finish?
• no driver for nVidia, 1920x1080 LCD, Intel Management Engine, Synatpics Thinkpad UltraNav out of box, need to go through Windows Update

Boot

33.7 seconds - event viewer diagnostic-performace on W520 with Seagate 1st gen XT ST93205620AS 320GB hybrid drive

Metro

no non-full screen mode Metro app? only snap left/right as narrow window. not very appealing for multitasking, have to use multiple windows scenerio

charms bars going to be confusing for new users, power (shutdown, restart) is hidden inside settings, not top level

cannot have multiple apps on different monitors?

name group only in small view

no semantic zoom with keyboard and mice without scroll wheel? only click on lower right to show small icons?

can only name group in small view?

group gap not adjustable?

property from bottom can be confusing. only metro app can be smaller/larger

close by dragging from top to bottom or in task switcher, right click and close

Mouse/Keyboard

Win+Z - app bar

Win+I - settings charm

Win+C - charms

etc.

http://www.windows8news.com/2011/09/16/windows-8-keyboard-shortcuts/

http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-windows-key-keyboard-shortcuts-142358

Win++ - magnifier not listed

didn't get Win+J Swaps foreground between the snapped and filled apps?

didn't get Win+., Win+>. didn't snap to left/right, but cycle through those instead

Store

• 78 apps at launch. 94 on 3/9
  click for full size image
• got error saying vimeo no longer available once, next second, you can install again
  
• updating apps on top of windows for multiple apps, no change in icon in list of apps, what's new?
  
• installing shown in single app page
• no visual clue which app(s) already installed

Internet Explorer

no plugins

Mail

• close add google/exchange, how to open again besides right side charms bar?
• how to add custom @xyz to google, setting doesn't have servers address, only shows the first time if failed?
• cannot delete 1st account (live). even uninstall, reinstall, still have that account. (you can delete 2nd google account)
• app crashed several times
• Mail, Calendar, People, and Messaging all lumped into one app?

Calendar

• cannot delete 1st account (live)
• no offline viewing?
• got it crashed once so far

Windows Reader

Multimedia

• no Live Movie Maker
• Photos, Music, Video wants you to switch local account to Windows online account

Weather

• got it crashed once so far
• dimmed button on main?
• back icon in main even at root level
  
• property bar on top?
  

Finance

• back icon in main even at root level (why bother with Bing branding? what's the point? just confusing, why not keep bing just as search)
  

Remote Desktop

how to set desktop size before start?

t

SkyDrive

needs switch from local to Windows (live) login

Camera

options, settings wording usage not consistent

Messaging

needs Windows (live) login

People

needs Windows (live) login?

Maps

bing brand?

Games

• Pinball FX2 (Xbox LIVE)
• Solitaire (Xbox LIVE)
• Xbox Companion
• Xbox LIVE Games

accessories not Metro

• Calculator
• Character Map
• Math Input Panel
• Notepad
• Paint
• Snipping Tool
• Sound Recorder
• Sticky Notes
• Windows Fax and Scan
• Windows Journal
• Windows Media Center
• Windows Media Player
• Word Pad
• XPS Viewer

Tools/Utilities not Metro

• Help
• (File) Explorer (much improved, like copy files), how to copy/rename/delete files in Metro side?
  
  
• Task Manager much nicer, still not Metro
• MMC management console - e.g. secpol.msc, disk management, device manager, computer management
• Event Viewer
• Windows Defender

Common Tasks

• how to safe eject USB drives?
• how to change screen resolution?
• how to mount network drive?
• how to add printer?
• recent used apps and docs?
• how to burn CD/DVD? DVD Maker?
• Security Essentials (Metro even better) not bundled
• TabletPC Input Panel?
• remote assistance?
• no Windows 8, only Windows 7 File Recovery (aka Backup), create system repair disc? (has refresh, and reset and start over. not sure why it is under general settings)
  
  

Search

search for settings?

apps - the list show all metro apps? can become quite long

files

Misc

• really, really - 9 different editions eventually?
• cannot full shutdown on W520. During reboot, no press Blue button message. more like standby
• spell checker?
• picture password?
• virtual keyboard?
• Windows Key + PrtSC (volume down?) save PNG to pictures as screenshot (2) (3) etc.
• location recently accessed in Classic system tray instead as toast?
• task switcher on left is confusing
• toasts like new associations, volume, and autorun can be confusing for users, hard to tell they are popups or background
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• some tray icon meant to be shown all the time - Lenovo Active Protection System, alternative? (wireless/audio/battery may be nice if always visible in some case, now requires more clicks)
• no gadget (widgets?)
• no multiple screens?
• no nested apps (group/folders)?
• VPN?
• Wireless - Intel 6300, really slow? <7Mbps on 11g
• no Skype?
• no Live Family Safety
• no Live Mesh
• no Live Writer
• no Virtual PC/XP Mode
• no WebMatrix
• no Silverlight
• AppLocale still works?
• settings, add device very different
  
• developer preview interns written apps not available anymore?

external monitor(s)

- now called second display, under right side, device, at least Windows P still opens the charms bar

- task bar on both screens now

- 1920x1080 internal + 1920x1020 external - default duplicate mode keep setting to 1680x1050, why?

Windows To Go

- no simple tools to make Windows To Go USB boot drive? no Portable Workspace creator? only in Enterprise? still have to go throug Windows 7 WAIK ImageX, BCDBOOT?

• diskpart
• select disk #
• clean
• create partition primary
• format fs=ntfs quick
• active
• imagex.exe /apply install.wim 1 g:\
• bcdboot.exe g:\windows /s g:

52 minutes 29 seconds for 64 bit to image on W520/USB 3, 68 minutes 30 seconds for 32 bit to image on T410/USB 2 using 32G B Corsair Voyager GT USB 3.0

- product key (To Go), after entered wrong digits, even after correction, error message didn't refresh

- 64-bit Windows To Go failed to configure during preparing stage on W520. "Windows Setup could not configure Windows to run on this computer's hardware"

need to scan and repair when trying on T420s, and then failed with different error "Windows could not complete the installation. To install Windows on this computer, restart the installation" also.

- 32-bit starts ok on T420s, quite slow. takes a long time on Getting devices ready stage, over an hour?

no Sleep option

Third Party

Cut the Rope

settings charm different color background?

Vimeo

crashed once

wordpress.com

cannot actually post to blog, only re-blog, follow and read the ones listed

Classics

start

only right click with few items, no start menu

only work in corner, hard to get to if have three monitors and start page in middle?

explorer

• my computer
  
  
• view | list, icons etc. no shortcut keys?
• file|new, no new folder, text file etc?
  
  
  
  
• disk, share, library, music, picture, video tools
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• does not confirm file delete

Task Manager

• details tab for ?
  
  
• app history is interesting
  
  
• reverted to old style at one point

Control Panel

system

Windows Experience Index (WEI) rating goes to 9.9 now. instead of not available, refresh now before run WinSAT, just said unavailable.

file history

windows 7 file recovery

(aka Windows backup)

Language

add languages control panel completely new

No handwriting input method IME, Microsoft Quick (traditional chinese) or Microsoft Pinyin SimpleFast (simplified chinese)?

Microsoft Pinyin SimpleFast 2012 15.0.8250.0 (Harbin Institute of Technology), help still says 2010

Help

much less color

Themes

panorama wallpapers?

http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/6/2849766/microsoft-windows-8-themes-new-features

Windows Update

3/8 NVIDIA driver update crashed on install, won't install again and then disappeared fromlist.

Misc

• Safari slows to a crawl in some HTML5 video/audio pages

Tools

- Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool (to build bootable USB setup drive), needs .NET 2.0, which needs .NET 3.5 framework (2.0+3.0 via WU) (64-bit bootsec cannot be created from 32-bit)

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

- ISO setup needs SN from FAQ http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/faq

References

• http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/consumer-preview
• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/
• http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hh771457
• technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/hh771458.aspx
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/apps/default
• http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_8
• http://social.technet.microsoft.com/Forums/en-US/category/w8itpro
• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/compatibility/en-US/CompatCenter/Home

Visual Studio 11 beta

• http://www.microsoft.com/visualstudio/11/en-us

Windows 8 server beta

• http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/v8-default.aspx

reviews

• http://www.theverge.com/2012/2/10/2788927/windows-8-consumer-preview
• http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/1/2835346/windows-8-vs-ipad-feature-comparison
• http://www.theverge.com/2012/3/1/2835586/windows-8-keyboard-shortcuts-video
• http://www.slashgear.com/windows-8-previewed-on-a-bevy-of-consumer-pcs-29216282/
• http://www.slashgear.com/windows-8-makes-desktop-computing-fun-again-02216654/
• http://techland.time.com/2012/02/29/windows-8-consumer-preview-one-step-closer-to-the-pcs-future/
• http://techland.time.com/2012/03/02/windows-8-consumer-preview-a-power-users-perspective/
• http://www.engadget.com/2012/02/29/microsoft-windows-8-consumer-preview-detailed-impressions/
• http://gizmodo.com/5889357/windows-8
• http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2012/02/getting-started-with-the-windows-8-consumer-preview.ars
• http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2012/03/microsofts-ambitious-step-into-the-future-the-windows-8-consumer-preview.ars
• http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2392889,00.asp
• http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2393005,00.asp
• http://www.extremetech.com/computing/121217-dr-sinofsky-or-how-i-learned-to-stop-worrying-and-love-windows-8
• http://www.extremetech.com/computing/121015-windows-8-may-drive-me-to-linux
• http://lifehacker.com/5839777/first-look-at-whats-new-in-windows-8
• http://tech.slashdot.org/story/12/02/29/185247/microsoft-launches-windows-8-consumer-preview
• http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/daily-report-early-opinions-on-microsoft-windows-8/
• http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/29/a-review-of-the-windows-8-beta/
• http://download.cnet.com/8301-2007_4-57388847-12/windows-8-could-leapfrog-android-to-be-the-true-ipad-competitor/
• http://gigaom.com/2012/02/28/why-windows-8-is-microsofts-most-vital-launch-in-years/
• http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-03-01/six-features-that-make-windows-8-a-tablet-contender (gigaom)
• http://www.zdnet.com/blog/microsoft/its-windows-8-download-day-heres-what-we-know/12058
• http://www.zdnet.com/blog/bott/windows-8-consumer-preview-a-fresh-start-for-microsoft/4540?pg=1
• http://mashable.com/2012/02/29/windows-8-consumer-preview-review/
• http://allthingsd.com/20120229/windows-8-on-arm-wont-offer-all-of-the-same-business-features/
• http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2012/02/windows-8-consumer-preview/all/1
• http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/windows-consumer-preview-microsofts-operating-system/story?id=15812303
• http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/technology/windows-8-consumer-preview-a-melding-of-the-experience-of-laptops-mobile-devices/2012/03/02/gIQAI6pvmR_gallery.html
• http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970203753704577253552284493954.html
• http://www.informationweek.com/news/galleries/software/operating_systems/232601852
• http://www.informationweek.com/news/windows/operatingsystems/232601956
• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/03/02/win_8_consumer_technology_preview_review/
• http://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/03/03/andrew_does_windows8/
• http://www.gadgetbox.msnbc.msn.com/technology/gadgetbox/10-ways-windows-8-beats-ipad-299445
• http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/news/windows/3341001/win8-consumer-preview-windows-8-launches-today/
• http://www.winsupersite.com/article/windows8/windows-8-consumer-preview-user-experience-fit-finish-improvements-14233
• http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9224785/Windows_8_What_you_need_to_get_started
• http://blogs.computerworld.com/19808/windows_8_shows_the_desktop_will_go_the_way_of_the_dodo_windows_8_shows_the_desktop_will_go_the_way_of_the_dodo
• http://www.usatoday.com/tech/columnist/edwardbaig/story/2012-02-29/windows-8-consumer-preview/53298882/1
• http://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/story/2012-03-02/tecca-windows-8-versus-windows-7/53332064/1
• http://www.scottlogic.co.uk/blog/colin/2011/11/an-introduction-to-semantic-zoom-in-windows-8-metro/
• http://www.windows8geek.com/
• http://www.windows8news.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_8

• http://pcedu.pconline.com.cn/pingce/pingcesystem/1203/2689576.html (chinese siimplified)