Database Users

[Q] Newbie questions about W8

Hello everyone,
I hope with your knowledge of the system you will be able to help me with some of my questions.
I would like to make sure that I know what I am doing before swapping to a new system.
Here we go than...
1. I am currently using Netflix and Hulu services via VPN (and Windows 7 + Chrome), will I be able to use them with Windows 8 without any problems?
2. I understand that there is no option to side load apps for the Modern Interface other than from MS Store... is there any way to go round it? Reason for this question is connected to Q1. If I would want to use Netflix/Hulu app instead of browser will I be able to get it? (I suspect that there will be a market geolocalization thing... as it is with WP. In iOS or Android it is not a big problem though...
3. I got my original Windows Vista HP (32b) in my desk, purchased as an OEM... should I install it on my PC before buying an upgrade to WIn 8 Pro? What other options than "upgrade W8Pro" will there be for ppl. to purchase new system...
4. If I get a tablet/hybrid to replace iPad with more versatile device (x86 architecture) will I have to get 2 browsers...2 mail clients, etc... in order to be able to work in both modes desktop/modern? Considering that such a device will have limited disk space it seems like a problem. As far as I know modern interface is not really an interface but it is more like a second separate and quite independent system. This means that if I open Word/browser/mail in one mode and move on to continue to work in second I will have to start those app again and data between them will not be synchronised? Yes?
Like... all those program started in Modern Interface will no be visible and accessible on my task bar in desktop mode...
5. Along with changing system on my desktop and getting replacement for my iPAd I am thinking about swapping my phone. I use Lumia 710 and as much as I like the general feel of WP I hate that it is even more "closed" than iOS. Will I loose or gain functionality if I'll get Android device instead of WP8?

1, yes not a prob at all its the same as windows 7
2, I am 99% sure this will be hacked soon but you could also go for Enterprise edition or get a dev license (if you can get an edu email then you don't even need to pay)
3, not to sure myself sorry I have software assurance and so didn't look this up.
4, Windows 8 has a built in mail app (can be removed), you shouldn't think of it as 2 interfaces but more that you have some metro apps some x86 apps the desktop and the modern interface are as one. This whole hula balu about 2 diff interfaces is rubbish. Also the main browser is the one used in metro so you don't download a second one you just set it as your main one and you have both interfaces.
5, depends on what you mean by functionality, both os's have there strong and weak points it really Is down to how you use it and whatyou want from the phone.

lumpaywk said:
2, I am 99% sure this will be hacked soon but you could also go for Enterprise edition or get a dev license (if you can get an edu email then you don't even need to pay)
4, Windows 8 has a built in mail app (can be removed), you shouldn't think of it as 2 interfaces but more that you have some metro apps some x86 apps the desktop and the modern interface are as one. This whole hula balu about 2 diff interfaces is rubbish. Also the main browser is the one used in metro so you don't download a second one you just set it as your main one and you have both interfaces.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi,
thanks for your answer.
2. Can you give me more details about it? What is Enterprise edition and about this edu e-mail address...How does it all work...
4. Can I start desktop apps in Metro (can they be pinned?) or vice versa? IE10 is default in Metro - if I use default Metro mail app... can I change default browser to Chrome (btw: how does it work in Win8...as in Win7? Or are there any differences).
IE10... does it sync between devices like Chrome?

I install enterprise edition but I get no sound it may be the drivers but I am not sure realtek has drivers for windows 8 yet
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I727 using xda premium

galtom said:
Hi,
thanks for your answer.
2. Can you give me more details about it? What is Enterprise edition and about this edu e-mail address...How does it all work...
4. Can I start desktop apps in Metro (can they be pinned?) or vice versa? IE10 is default in Metro - if I use default Metro mail app... can I change default browser to Chrome (btw: how does it work in Win8...as in Win7? Or are there any differences).
IE10... does it sync between devices like Chrome?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2. As with other versions of Windows you get multiple versions depending on your needs budget etc. Windows 8 come in Windows RT (ARM version (does not support old style x86 software, this is for cheap tablets etc and will only be sold preinstalled)), Windows 8 (basic version), Windows 8 Pro and then Windows 8 Enterprise. Enterprise has a few extra features for big business and own of them is the ability to side load metro apps meaning a company can write custom metro software.
The thing with the edu email is that .edu is for educational institutions schools university's etc. So that MS can get students using its products they let you have a dev license free for the time your in study. All you need to do is find someone who has an email from a school college etc and sign up with there email. I used my dads he is a lecturer. With a dev license you can unlock a couple of devices.
4. There is no 2 separate things here metro and desktop are NOT 2 diff working spaces. Try to think of the start screen as the same thing as the start menu from the old windows except instead of just a list it fills the screen. You can put any app software etc on this screen the same as you could before with the start menu. Older software does have ugly icon squares but there is a thread here with software to make your own metro style icons. The one thing to note though is that you can only open metro apps on 1 monitor ie you cant pin your mail app to one screen and then open cut the rope on another. This is not true for the desktop. Metro apps also open in there own sandbox environment, this means they can not interact with anything outside of themselves, they can share info etc but they cant change anything and so on.

lumpaywk said:
2. As with other versions of Windows you get multiple versions depending on your needs budget etc. [...]
4. There is no 2 separate things here metro and desktop are NOT 2 diff working spaces. [...].
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2. Ok.. I guess I'll have to wait and see what is out there and for how much.
Are you sure that with dev licence I will be able to use US Store/UK Store/etc... as I please?
4. Do I read you correctly (I do work with 2 screens) that I will not be able to have Chrome (I believe it does not support Metro yet) on both screens (to get data and to write in the second). One would thought that I should be able to have any combination of software/apps I want on both screens - Metro x Metro; Desktop x Metro; Metro x Desktop; Desktop x Desktop.
Truly strange and quite disturbing...
New questions :
Are there apps for Metro from Hulu, Netflix, BBC (iPlayer)?
Will they be OK to use with VPN tunnelling or I will have to use browser any way...
Will Hulu work on tablet/hybrid with x86 Windows 8 or will it say I am using mobile device (as it is with iOS/Android) and will not work in its Free version.

galtom said:
2. Ok.. I guess I'll have to wait and see what is out there and for how much.
Are you sure that with dev licence I will be able to use US Store/UK Store/etc... as I please?
4. Do I read you correctly (I do work with 2 screens) that I will not be able to have Chrome (I believe it does not support Metro yet) on both screens (to get data and to write in the second). One would thought that I should be able to have any combination of software/apps I want on both screens - Metro x Metro; Desktop x Metro; Metro x Desktop; Desktop x Desktop.
Truly strange and quite disturbing...
New questions :
Are there apps for Metro from Hulu, Netflix, BBC (iPlayer)?
Will they be OK to use with VPN tunnelling or I will have to use browser any way...
Will Hulu work on tablet/hybrid with x86 Windows 8 or will it say I am using mobile device (as it is with iOS/Android) and will not work in its Free version.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Chrome does now support Metro you just have to have it set as your default browser. The 2 screens is only Metro style apps so yes you cant have 2 metro style chromes but you can still open as many desktop/old style chromes as you want just as you did in windows 7. With dual screen one screen will always display its half of the desktop the metro start screen only goes onto 1 monitor. It is that one monitor that metro apps will run. It is a huge blunder in my opinion but what can you do.
If you are running a desktop pc esp with multi monitors then you wont notice to much diff in looks and feel. You will notice a huge jump in speed though but a loss of transparent windows . It is also worth putting a start link on the taskbar as sometimes getting the corner between screens is tricky (well not tricky but faster if you have a bigger target), just google "show start.exe".
As for the marketplace from diff country that I don't think would be possible I thought you where talking about side loading apps. You may be able to with the use of vpn but I cant confirm this.

Ok, thanks for the info.
I guess the best would be to simply try Win8 before I buy it.
3 (new) questions than:
What is the latest ver. of Win 8 I should download?
I do not own any VM software - is there (an easy) way to test Win* under Win7 (I dont mind that system will not be as fast, etc... but I would be able to see how it works...)
If I would have to make a proper install of Win8 on my PC... how hard will it be to go back to my current Win7?
As I keep 90% of ma data either in the cloud or on a on a different partitions on my drives formatting C: is not a problem... but I have read that once Win 8 is installed Win7 does not want to format this drive and install itself on it.... true?

galtom said:
Ok, thanks for the info.
I guess the best would be to simply try Win8 before I buy it.
3 (new) questions than:
What is the latest ver. of Win 8 I should download?
I do not own any VM software - is there (an easy) way to test Win* under Win7 (I dont mind that system will not be as fast, etc... but I would be able to see how it works...)
If I would have to make a proper install of Win8 on my PC... how hard will it be to go back to my current Win7?
As I keep 90% of ma data either in the cloud or on a on a different partitions on my drives formatting C: is not a problem... but I have read that once Win 8 is installed Win7 does not want to format this drive and install itself on it.... true?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your best bet is to use a diff hard drive that way you can dual boot into windows 7 and windows 8 then when your done unplug the hard drive test you can boot into 7 still then format. This is the best way though I have heard of issues going back I have never had any, you boot to a disk then format the drive when you install 7 so I don't see how it could be, maybe they are trying to keep there files etc ie downgrade instead of a new install.
you can get a 90 day trial of rtm (the final build as it will be sold) here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/jj554510.aspx But note you will need to uninstall it and reinstall if you want to keep using windows 8 after the 90 days.

Last thing,
I plan to install Win8 (today) on my external 160GB disk.
It will be connected to my PC via e-Sata... any advice before I proceed?
I dont want to put it on disk where is my current Win7 as I need it daily to work... so this should work... right? (motherboard is old; Abit Ab9Pro)

If this hasn't already been answered, I use tor for Netflix and it doesn't work will on windows 8. I can load the home but then it goes back to the UK version. It works fine on 7.
X10man
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x10man said:
If this hasn't already been answered, I use tor for Netflix and it doesn't work will on windows 8. I can load the home but then it goes back to the UK version. It works fine on 7.
X10man
Sent from my U20i using xda premium
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I got bit confused...
Where do you use it (UK or USA)?
You try to access Netflix via VPN and Metro app or browser?

I'm in the UK and I use tor to access the US version with desktop chrome and proxy switchy to act as a Tor button.
X10man
Sent from my U20i using xda premium

Perhaps it is a TOR (and selected exit node) problem...
Try this 3h trial of VPN (free) and see if it is working - http://www.hideipvpn.com/freetrial/
Do you use Chrome under desktop or Modern UI mode?

Can you recommend a good (free) set of video codecs? I cant play mkv at the moment

[Q]Samsung apps in Windows 8

Hi !
Can someone public apps )or source where i can find) which Samsung adds to their Windows 8 "PC's" ? "metro" apps and software like "Samsung S Launcher" which adding start menu button into windows 8 desktop mode.

pawlakpl said:
Hi !
Can someone public apps )or source where i can find) which Samsung adds to their Windows 8 "PC's" ? "metro" apps and software like "Samsung S Launcher" which adding start menu button into windows 8 desktop mode.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have a series 7 Slate and I will upload it. I want the S-Note and other Metro apps. I'm pretty irked that they didn't release them for me. My digitizer has the same level of pressure sense if not more, it being Wacom.

This is a problem with how the store is set up. It is happening on lenovo computers too. Currently the lenovo metro apps are only available on oem installs, so upgrades and clean installs won't have any. Lenovo is currently trying to fix the problem with Microsoft so hopefully they can get it for all oems.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2

Sorry, I looked and I can't find the setup file for it anymore. I also can't find it in SW Update (which I DID attach). SW Update is where you can download apps and drivers for Samsung hardware. Choose "Find Model" in the bottom left corner of the window (if SW Update even works on non-Samsung).
SW Update
FWIW, S Launcher is not very good. It only sort of half-asses the start menu and it doesn't even give it a Metro look, in fact, it looks more like XP than anything. I love the ripping off of Apple's Dock (Samsung is so shameless I can't help but love them) but it is only a launcher and not a taskbar replacement.
Do what you should have been doing in Windows 7: pin your most-used apps to the taskbar. I have my Caps Lock key remapped as a search key and it is one keyboard stroke for search wherever I am (I used RandyRants SharpKeys to do the regedit business of key remapping for me) start to type the infrequently-used program name and off you go.
MS has GREATLY increased keyboard shortcuts in Win 8 and all the talk about it being more for tablets is just asinine. I use my 7 Slate most of the time docked to my Samsung 55" plasma and a Logitech K400.
---------- Post added at 06:27 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:37 PM ----------
JihadSquad said:
This is a problem with how the store is set up. It is happening on lenovo computers too. Currently the lenovo metro apps are only available on oem installs, so upgrades and clean installs won't have any. Lenovo is currently trying to fix the problem with Microsoft so hopefully they can get it for all oems.
Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't understand why they just don't do it like they do on Windows Phone. There should just be a spot in the store for "*OEM* Recommended".

[Q] Modern UI & 2 screens

Hi,
I can have two different desktop app on my two screens but not modern ui apps.
WHY?
Is there a way to change it? Or is it due to res. (1280 x 1024) of one of my screens and I will have no issue if I get a higher res. one?

You should be able to show different Modern apps on each screen... you can drag apps between screens, use the keyboard shortcuts (CTRL+WIN+Arrow keys, if I recall correctly), or open Start on different screens and the app you pick will launch there.
12x10 is too low for snapping apps the side of a screen, but is enough to display an app.

GoodDayToDie said:
You should be able to show different Modern apps on each screen... you can drag apps between screens, use the keyboard shortcuts (CTRL+WIN+Arrow keys, if I recall correctly), or open Start on different screens and the app you pick will launch there.
12x10 is too low for snapping apps the side of a screen, but is enough to display an app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, this doesn't seem to be programmed in.
Essentially you designated one monitor as the "modernUI monitor". You can't have an app running on the left and have the start menu on the right- the app on the left just minimizes as soon as you press start. Very annoying- it means you cannot multitask in the metro environment with multiple monitors. I love the idea of apps but this needs to be fixed... as is I can't even launch programs without killing the app I'm using. If I want to watch netflix on one monitor and work on the other, I can't use the netflix app because I'll stop the video every time I try to start a program.

link68759 said:
No, this doesn't seem to be programmed in.
[...] Very annoying- it means you cannot multitask in the metro environment with multiple monitors. I love the idea of apps but this needs to be fixed...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My point (and problem) exactly!
Inconsistencies are killing Windows 8 . Small, annoying things like that are why people are saying this system is bad. Essentialy, it is not.. it is just inconsistent .

I asked some people in the dev group and their answer was
"We are aware of this issue and are looking into it. We were not able to implement this in v1 of Windows 8, however we cannot comment, yet, on up and coming updates at this time."
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

Talderon said:
I asked some people in the dev group and their answer was
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since it looks like you are in touch with ppl. "who can" ask them (nicely) about these as well (if you can):
- why IE can not (in both modes) use the same resources to act as 1 browser not 2 (or at least if they plan to offer sync between them) - just as Chrome is doing it today. This duality on W8 is killing IE 10 for me (for you as well?)
- since I do not have 2 W8 there is no way for me to check this but I doubt it is working like this - is IE 10 synchronizing between devices?
If I will finish my work on desktop and fire up laptop/hybrid with W8 will I get instantly the same tabs/pages/history/passwords/etc?
- sync of system between devices - I do not mean sync of desktop mode here that is impossible but since Modern UI has always access to all the same software resources will it sync all setting and programs (and their settings) I already have on ma PC once I get second device? (I show some triggers about sync in settings/setup - don't know if they are working)
- W8 should allow for designating 1 local (lan NAS) folder for sync between devices (but with offline access) so files on NAS are also synced on W8 device - this
- Mail - as IE it should use the same resources - W8 Mail & Live Mail should be 1 program with just 2 interfaces - not two separate programs - it is CRAZY!!!
- I have put Modern UI program on 1 side of my screen (size 2/3 or 3/4) on this smaller strip I wanted to have Skype window (strip as well) in desktop mode - not possible - as it tries to show overview of whole desktop (like 1 screen, part of it covered with IE10 rest is desktop skype or other communicator)
I only got W8 for about week now son nothing more bugs me so far

Multiple metro splitting / customizable metro splitting

I didn't find any topic about this. Excuse me if a topic already exists.
Name it as you want, but windows 8 allow us to split the screen and see two metro apps at the same time. I miss the windows' windows ( windows without windows is quite stupid for me ), but I like metro. Is there any way to split the screen many times, horizontally and with different ratios? ( not only 80:20 )
Many thanks.
Inviato dal mio HTC Desire con Tapatalk 2

It's been asked before, but nothing found. The official reason is that using a fixed-width sidebar mode allows developers to optimize their app interfaces for the width of that sidebar, but it would be nice to, for example, have two apps side-by-side in portrait mode on a 1920x1080 monitor (giving about 950x1080 each). I'm sure if such ahack is found, it'll be posted here...

GoodDayToDie said:
It's been asked before, but nothing found. The official reason is that using a fixed-width sidebar mode allows developers to optimize their app interfaces for the width of that sidebar, but it would be nice to, for example, have two apps side-by-side in portrait mode on a 1920x1080 monitor (giving about 950x1080 each). I'm sure if such ahack is found, it'll be posted here...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, many thanks for answering. I'll pantientiently wait. So sorry for useless topic.
Optimization or not, in Win7 I could have A LOT of windows on the screen at the same time. Falling back to 2 in the new version is very disappointing. Samsung smartphones have visual multitasking and my 1920x1080 PC can't have more than two windows? If it wasn't for performances of Win8, I would be on Win7 right now.

Win8 is capable of having an arbitrary number of windows open at once... I get almost no use out of the Metro apps and just do everything on the desktop.

GoodDayToDie said:
Win8 is capable of having an arbitrary number of windows open at once... I get almost no use out of the Metro apps and just do everything on the desktop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, desktop is just like win7 desktop, so you can get unlimited windows. But Metro apps are quite integrated with everything and living without them is hard. And I can't see a youtube video while writing a document.

You can't? Word and a browser pointing at YouTube works fine for me...
Seriously, aside from mail (which I only use because it'll connect from outside work's firewall) and Skype (which works great snapped to one side), the only "Metro" apps I use are games (which I would have full-screened anyhow). The music, pictures, and messenger apps are crap. I manage my calendar from the phone and only "use" it on the PC to see and dismiss notifications. I prefer the desktop control panel and OneNote. The built-in PDF reader app is... not great, so I have Foxit. Metro IE is worthless next to the desktop version. Metro remote desktop is OK, but the desktop version is powerful and familiar. Start and the Store are both "metro" but aren't really apps in the usual sense. SSH and such are available on the desktop (I use Interix).
If anything, I'd say Metro apps are the opposite of "integrated with everything". They can't change system settings, and often can't even check them. They have very limited ability to talk to other programs, whereas almost everything on the desktop supports drag&drop, for example. They can't do anything requiring high privileges. They're terrible for browsing the filesystem. They suck for multitasking in general. They can't (officially) launch other programs. They might not be an evolutionary dead end, but they aren't an evolution I'm happy to see. Give me sandboxes, and maybe even a store, but let *me* control the sandbox and let me apply them to desktop software. Give me synced app state, but let everything use it not just the stuff from your store. Give me Vista's Windows Mail instead of this crap. Touch-friendly is great, but even on my Surface I don't so much except games with touch; give me traditional UIs too.

Android: are there limitations on available apps?

So that's an Intel processor inside, I wonder if there are limitations on available apps from the store, or if I will be able to continue using all my preferred apps from my previous Tab.
That would be a reason to buy it or not!
This

Very few limitations. I just scrolled through "my library" on the play store and found only the following without an "install" button (implying incompatibility):
- Starbucks (I think more because of screen issues than processor -- which doesn't really matter for Madrid in any case!)
- MyScript NEBO
- Fast Finder
- Quick Settings for Android
- Do It Later
- MS Office Mobile (a screen-size issue, because Word, Excel, & Powerpoint apps work OK)
- Voice Search
- Adobe Flash Player 11

I can use NEBO.
Getting it set up is reasonably easy.
On my phone I installed it BUT did not activate it because it asked me to write on the screen – I have no stylus for it to recognize.
I then extracted the apk file with one of the free apk extractors
I then copied the apk over to the Yoga book and ran it (make sure you have developer mode set up).
When you run it for the first time a box will pop up asking you to write on the screen with your stylus. With our Yoga Books we have to switch over to “stylus” mode to do that then scribble on the pad. That’s it …. Done and good to go.
I had to do this each time a new update happened. Still doing it actually.
Hope that helps.

Thanks, guys, I've bought it and seems to run every app I need!!

I am unable to run "sandblast protect" on the Yoga Book I recently purchased. It's running the latest 7.1.1 software. It goes through the install process and then I get the dreaded "Protect has stopped" error when I attempt to launch it. Can someone try to install and run this app and let me know if works for them?
My IT department requires sandblast mobile to be running on any android devices that access our corporate email so this is an important app for me... Thanks.