Windows 8 The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly Presented by Peter Schepers, IST Last updated December 3, 2012

Seminar Introduction Major changes and features from Win7 Windows 8 in a business setting Tour the ModernUI #watitis2012

What is Windows 8 A single unified OS for tablet and desktop Focus on touch, a radical shift in UI Targeted at the mobile & home user Integration with Microsoft cloud services Trying to compete in the mobile market against Google Android and Apple iOS Longer battery life #watitis2012

Windows 8 Design Goals Always connected, content in the cloud People, not files, are the center of activity Live tiles, actively updated PC works like a device, not a computer #watitis2012

Experience with Windows 8? How many use or have used Windows 8? How many on proper multi-touch devices? First use reactions? #watitis2012

Typical First Reactions What do I do now (once logged in) Where is the desktop Where is the start button How do I shutdown or restart #watitis2012

Hardware Requirements Almost the same as Windows 7… CPU: needs PAE, SSE2 and NX (XD) bit* RAM: 1Gb for 32-bit, 2Gb for 64-bit HD: 16Gb for 32-bit, 20Gb for 64-bit Video: DirectX 9 Hyper-V: Intel i series or higher #watitis2012

Upgrade Path From XP: only user files From Vista: user files and settings From 7: programs, user files and settings #watitis2012

Compatibility Kernal is now 6.2 Microsoft claims all Win7 programs & drivers will work in Win8 Practically thats not the case, but close #watitis2012

Opening Quote I love what were doing with Windows 8, and its a bold bet. Were re-imagining our number one product. Thats cool. But its not for the fainthearted. It takes a certain boldness and a certain persistence. Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO in a Forbes interview #watitis2012

Counter-quote Windows 8 is the most controversial release of Windows ever, eclipsing previous perceived disasters like Windows Vista and Windows ME. Windows 8 is the biggest and most confusing upgrade that Microsoft has ever wrought on its most core of platforms. It is, as I wrote... a mess. A glorious, wonderful mess. Paul Thurrott, WinSuperSite #watitis2012

Windows 8 Test Drive Lets see what it looks like! Lock screen Login options ModernUI Desktop #watitis2012

Features & Options #watitis2012

Future: ModernUI New Start Screen Formerly known as Metro Influenced from Zune and Windows Phone RT apps, live tiles, Microsoft Store No way to avoid using it First generation UI Poor integration with desktop #watitis2012

Feature: Windows-To-Go Configures a deployment image on a key or USB drive (32Gb min, USB3 preferred) System needs to be configured to allow USB booting Boots on other hardware, device detection USB drive should be cooled Cant use MAK activation Microsoft Store access disabled Local hard disks offline Possibly useful for data recovery scenarios #watitis2012

Feature: Client Hyper-V No more Virtual PC or Windows XP mode Now a layer 1 (bare metal) implementation Need to enable it Fully functional only on a 64-bit OS Needs virtualization enabled in BIOS (no TxT) Requires a CPU with SLAT (i series+) #watitis2012

Feature: Refresh/Reset Your PC Under Charms/PC Settings/General Both required the DVD on imaged systems Refresh retains user RT apps and data, but programs need to be re-installed Reset restores system to factory #watitis2012

Improved: Task Manager Simple view is a task switcher/killer Full view is powerful Heat sensitive view User apps and system tasks are separated #watitis2012

Improved: Fast Boot/Restart About 50% faster Kernal/drivers are hibernated during shutdown F8 boot options menu no longer functions #watitis2012

Feature: ISO & VHD Support Both mount as a virtual device Can install software from ISO Mount VHD and move data in/out #watitis2012

Improved: File Copy All copy/move/delete operations are combined on this new window Can pause an operation Bar graph showing transfer speed #watitis2012

File Copy #watitis2012

Improved: Security Includes AV & malware UEFI booting for OS signing and boot file verification (to prevent rootkits) UEFI enabled prevents XP and Linux booting RT apps are sandboxed DLLs load at random locations Uses the CPU NX setting to prevent malware execution IE has Do-Not-Track enabled #watitis2012

Feature: USB3, 3G/4G Support Has native USB3 drivers, faster Native support and drivers for mobile broadband Airplane mode Metered connections #watitis2012

Feature: Storage Spaces Basically a software RAID system Combine many different drives into 1 large Thin provisioning #watitis2012

Feature: File History Saves to a different drive (USB, network, other hard disk) Replaces Previous versions Not enabled by default #watitis2012

Removed: Aero Most of the desktop eye candy is gone Removed due to power requirements Does make the windows seem bland #watitis2012

Goal: Battery Life Tickless and streamlined kernal Aero removed Going for long battery life on mobile #watitis2012

Removed: Start Button Now a power menu and the Start Screen icon Shutdown/Restart now in different places Most things it contained exist elsewhere Many third party replacements available: –Start 8 –ViStart –Classic Shell –Start Menu X, Pokki, Win8Start Button, StartMenu #watitis2012

Troubleshooting F8 boot menu gone, so how do we fix a system that wont boot? Blue screens are less informative Improved Task Manager Windows-to-Go offlines local hard disks #watitis2012

Blue Screen Error #watitis2012

Personal Usability Notes No IE 10 Favorites redirection Didnt get my desktop back Default file associations are mostly to ModernUI apps.NET 2.0/3.0 not enabled/installed Hyper-V not enabled/installed SMB required registry hack #watitis2012

Conclusions: The Good (1) Fast & stable Should work good on the right touch hardware Greater battery life Hyper-V is great! VHD and ISO mounting Multiple screen support Security improvements Power menu #watitis2012

Conclusions: The Good (2) Most programs and drivers from Win7 work fine Boot & login speed RT movie player Microsoft store Deployment similar to Win7 –Updated WinPE4 (+USB3) using DISM #watitis2012

Conclusions: The Bad (1) No must have feature except Hyper-V No way to avoid ModernUI (Start Screen) Many file associations to RT apps Will require much training and patience IE 10 unreliable Window status bar dumbed down #watitis2012

Conclusions: The Bad (2) No local UW RT app to show off Cant use the MS integration here Refresh/Reset not useful, imaging better #watitis2012

Conclusions: The Ugly SMB defaults to strict for our SMB DVD playback removed No Start Button for desktop users F8 troubleshooting boot option gone Cant easily boot straight to desktop Forcibly switched between desktop, ModernUI apps and Start Screen Business (desktop) systems are non-touch #watitis2012

Conclusions for UW So whats the point of deploying? Windows 7 still has many years ahead of it Maybe Microsoft will see the light, the error of their ways… #watitis2012

Closing Quotes Windows 8 is not a productivity OS. It is lots of eye candy and has no place in the business world. That will become evident quickly. Using it for business will be like trying to pound a square peg into a round hole. You may succeed, but it will be hard, messy, and cause a lot of damage. online user #watitis2012