Windows 8

Windows 8The Good, the Bad, and the UglyPresented by Peter Schepers, ISTLast updated December 3, 2012

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

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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

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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

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

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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

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Hardware RequirementsAlmost 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

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

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Compatibility• Kernal is now 6.2• Microsoft claims all Win7 programs &

drivers will work in Win8• Practically that’s not the case, but close

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Opening Quote“I love what we’re doing with Windows 8, and it’s a bold bet. We’re re-imagining our number one product. That’s cool. But it’s not for the fainthearted. It takes a certain boldness and a certain persistence.”Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO in a Forbes interview

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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

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Windows 8 Test DriveLet’s see what it looks like!• Lock screen• Login options• ModernUI• Desktop

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Features & Options

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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

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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• Can’t use MAK activation• Microsoft Store access disabled• Local hard disks offline• Possibly useful for data recovery scenarios

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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+)

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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

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Improved: Task Manager• Simple view is a task switcher/killer• Full view is powerful• “Heat sensitive” view• User apps and system tasks are

separated

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Improved: Fast Boot/Restart• About 50% faster• Kernal/drivers are “hibernated” during

shutdown• F8 “boot options” menu no longer

functions

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

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Improved: File Copy• All copy/move/delete operations are

combined on this new window• Can pause an operation• Bar graph showing transfer speed

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File Copy

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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• DLL’s load at random locations• Uses the CPU NX setting to prevent malware

execution• IE has Do-Not-Track enabled

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Feature: USB3, 3G/4G Support

• Has native USB3 drivers, faster• Native support and drivers for mobile

broadband• Airplane mode• Metered connections

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

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Feature: File History• Saves to a different drive (USB, network,

other hard disk)• Replaces “Previous versions”• Not enabled by default

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

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

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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

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Troubleshooting• F8 boot menu gone, so how do we fix a

system that won’t boot?• Blue screens are less informative• Improved Task Manager• Windows-to-Go offlines local hard disks

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Blue Screen Error

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Personal Usability Notes• No IE 10 Favorites redirection• Didn’t 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

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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

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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

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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

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

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Conclusions: The Ugly• SMB defaults to strict for our SMB• DVD playback removed• No Start Button for desktop users• F8 troubleshooting boot option gone• Can’t easily boot straight to desktop• Forcibly switched between desktop, ModernUI

apps and Start Screen• Business (desktop) systems are non-touch

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Conclusions for UW• So what’s the point of deploying?

• Windows 7 still has many years ahead of it• Maybe Microsoft will see the light, the

error of their ways…

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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

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