[Babyhead4127]

As some of you are aware there is a devs copy of windows 8 on both 32 bit and 64 bit

Link to article: http://www.addictivetips.com/windows...-startup-menu/

The Windows Advanced Boot Options menu, also known as Windows Startup Menu, includes various system repair and troubleshooting modes which help users fix system startup problems, access command line interpreter, and run Windows in safe mode, along with Windows boot debugging option to initiate step-by-step identification of Windows boot process issues. Like previous Windows versions, Windows 8 Startup Menu can be accessed by pressing F8 key before Windows starts loading. Along with the changes in Windows Desktop, Start Menu, Start Search, Control Panel, and Task Manager, the Windows 8 Startup Menu has also been revamped with new metro look.



The Windows 8 Startup Menu user interface includes two useful Windows repair options, namely, Windows Reset and Windows Refresh, while all the other essential advance system repair options are also available, such as, Automatic repair, System Image Recovery, System Restore, and Command Prompt. In this post, we will discuss latest additions to Windows 8 Startup Menu and how to access the classic troubleshooting utilities.

To open the menu, reboot or turn on your PC and press F8 function key repeatedly repeatedly) to enter into Windows 8 Startup Menu. In case you’ve dual-booted Windows 8 with Windows 7, you will see Use another operating system along with 3 default Windows 8 Startup Menu options, namely, Continue, Turn off your PC, and Troubleshoot.



The Use another operating system lets you choose operating system you want to boot. It also shows the source path where the operating system is currently residing. In order to change the default operating system, click Change defaults. A new window will open where you can select the operating system that you want to load each time the system starts. Apart from changing default OS, it lets you specify the amount of time before default operating system runs automatically; you can select 5 minutes, 30 seconds, or 5 seconds boot delay options.

Clicking Advance option will reveal all Windows 8 repair tools, including, System Restore, System Image Recover, Automatic repair, and Command prompt.

The System Restore option shows all previously saved System Restore Points.You can choose restore point with last stable configuration to revert all the changes made to system back to selected restore point. The System Image Recovery option allows recovering Windows using system image file. When you attempt to restore your system through this option, it will ask you to attach an external storage device or optical disk having recovery image to begin the process. The Re-image your Computer wizard will guide you through the process.

The next utility in Advanced Options is Automatic Repair. In comparison with other provided options, this options is relatively less useful, as it is capable of identifying only basic Windows startup problem. When you select Automatic Repair, it will start finding problems with your PC. On finding issues with your PC, it will ask you to select fixes amongst the list to repair your system.

The Command Line Interpreter utility is accessible through Command Prompt option. You can use the CMD console to find, copy, move, remove files, replace files with newer versions, run other command line utilities to fix the problems with your PC and so on.

Although Windows 8 Startup Menu looks like a simplified version of the good-old Startup Menu that we’ve grown used to, we did face some issues while recovering our system from Startup Menu. As of now, we can’t say whether it is due to limitations of Windows 8 Developer Build or because of some internal unaddressed bugs. We will keep this post updated with upcoming improvements and additions to Windows 8 Start up Menu.

Windows Logo Key + Spacebar – Switch input language and keyboard layout
Windows Logo Key + Y – Temporarily peek at the desktop
Windows Logo Key + O – Locks device orientation
Windows Logo Key + V – Cycles through toasts
Windows Logo Key + Shift + V – Cycles through toasts in reverse order
Windows Logo Key + Enter – Launches Narrator
Windows Logo Key + PgUp – Moves tiles to the left
Windows Logo Key + PgDown – Moves tiles to the right
Windows Logo Key + Shift + . – Moves the split to the left
Windows Logo Key + . – Moves the split to the right
Windows Logo Key + F – Opens File Search App
Windows Logo Key + C – Opens Charms Bar
Windows Logo Key + I – Opens Settings charm
Windows Logo Key + K – Opens Connect charm
Windows Logo Key + H – Opens Share charm


I Have a rig which is meant for Xp and runs well on it i have also noticed a little more effects in the FPS +10 on avg in most cases also it comes build with DX11 my view is that if you don't like the new start menu and you know your way around this windows system and you have a spare space on hard drive to stick on give it go yes i know there are few if not some bugs but it is in the alpha stage and if you ever tested out beta games or programs like myself you know it comes with the risk of trying it out

[mihajlo]

cool

[Babyhead4127]

As from today ATI users have now got engineering driver for DX11 which again has improved some FPS in some games , there still a few bugy issues with the flash and sometimes your windows disappears but all in all i am impressed with the whole win8

[Mora]

As it sits right now, I am dreading Win 8. I'm someone who always turns off category view for the control panel, because what Microsoft considers an advanced hidden option tossed 10 menus deep is always the thing I use day in and day out. So as the tile interface sits right now, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to either find a way to keep the tile screen out of my way and stay on the desktop, or skip this version and hope they don't do it again. Every time they try to make Windows easier to use, all they seem to do to me is make it harder to work with.

Ok rant off. Sorry about that. I needed to get it off my chest.

[Sharpkiller]

As it sits right now, I am dreading Win 8. I'm someone who always turns off category view for the control panel, because what Microsoft considers an advanced hidden option tossed 10 menus deep is always the thing I use day in and day out. So as the tile interface sits right now, I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to either find a way to keep the tile screen out of my way and stay on the desktop, or skip this version and hope they don't do it again. Every time they try to make Windows easier to use, all they seem to do to me is make it harder to work with.

Ok rant off. Sorry about that. I needed to get it off my chest.

I think they've already stated that you will be able to change it back to a classic view - which I most certainly will be doing.

[LynxMukka]

For the advanced users, I can see why the usual view would seem more convinient than the new UI Microsoft are working on, however I think for the standard audience, this may or may not be a game changer for Microsoft in the OS market. There will come a time when we need to move the focus away from the mouse and keyboard, despite the fact that it's what we're used to, and move to something which is more fluid with our daily lives.

As tough as it is to come to terms with, this is the way that computing will go, and Windows 8 is a step in that direction, where we'll no doubt see more of in the coming decade.

[Jon Thomas]

I think that new UI would be awesome if you had a Touch screen but I think I'll stick with win 7 for a while more. I only just got upgraded from XP to Win 7 so I think a new OS would be hard to adapt to so fast considerig I only just got the settings to where I like them as well as knowing where everything is.

[tomroseuk]

seems immaterial since i'm still on vista on my pc

[Terrell]

I wouldn't mind if the windows computers with touch screens were actually good! The ones Ive tried have been absolutely GOD AWFUL. If they were as responsive as some of the Apple made touch screens I wouldn't mind so much.

[Mora]

The problem being, that 95% or more of the computers Win 8 is going to be installed on are not going to be touch screens. The tile interface is not going to be mouse friendly it doesn't look like. And even if they where, no one wants to hold there arms up working a touch screen for long periods of time. It's fine for the quick search or skimming something on a tablet, but when I sit down to a computer I'm usually there awhile. So until or unless the system builders pull out a new hardware design, I'm going to assume Win 8 is going to be about as successful as the last time Microsoft pushed tablets.

[LynxMukka]

The tile interface is in fact touch friendly, and in some demonstration videos, it has been seen to work quite well. When you look at other programs in the past which have used a similar design of spanning information across the screen, Windows 8 uses similar touch styles to that. Plus, with the release of Windows 8, Microsoft are going to be pushing for more touch enabled devices, whether they're tablets or desktops. HP have in the past trialled releasing touch sensitive computers, and now many other manufacturers have joined them in the production of said computers. A trend has to start somewhere.

Additionally, please remember this is a developer, pre-beta build, which means a lot of the features have yet to show up fully. It is already known that Windows 8 will contain a dual mode, between the classic desktop and the new interface. I agree they still have some challenges in terms of practical usage but I believe they may try to smooth things out between the two modes to suit everyone.

[Twisted]

I Don't think i be buying Windows 8. It looks good but don't believe it be my cup of tea when using it :/

[Terrell]

The other thing I was talking with one of the guys from my uni's IT office, and he said that because a lot of the data will be stored on the cloud. Microsoft will technically OWN your files, which I don't like one bit. I upload as little as I can online. Even my Facebook profile only has a few dozen photo's on there, unlike some of my friends (real friends not just a number lol) who have hundreds of photos at least uploaded online.

It's an interesting concept I'll give them that... but I've never liked their "metro" thing with the tiles. I'm sure if Apple ever made a UI similar to that they would trump it lol. Hey never know, they might be working on "Mac OSXI" behind closed doors. It's inevitable to be honest, I don't use a mouse on my Macbook and even if I got an iMac I'd choose the trackpad instead of a mouse. Touch is the way to go, the trick is figuring out how to make it work most effectively.

[Rhetorical]

I have this!

[Summit]

I'm excited for the Xbox Live integration. Could really add something to PC gaming, especially if you can chat and coop with Xbox players. I don't think they will allow for cross-platform multiplayer, but maybe a cross-platform coop like in Portal 2.