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Windows Microsoft IT

Windows 8.1 Support Ends January 10 (pcworld.com) 80

Posted by msmash from the good-riddance dept.
Mark Hachman, writing for PCWorld: Windows 8 stunk. It might have helped cost chief executive Steve Ballmer his job. Windows 8.1 was a bit better -- but if you love it, you have only a month or so left to enjoy it. Microsoft will kill off Windows 8.1 support on January 10, 2023. There's no out: Microsoft will not be offering an extended support package for Windows 8.1. At that point, you'll have a choice: buy a new Windows PC, or officially pay to upgrade to either Windows 10 or Windows 11. What does the end of support mean? Until January 10, Microsoft will offer security patches and other fixes for any security issues that crop up. Afterwards, you're on your own. If any exploit or malware surfaces, you'll have to depend on any antivirus software you have running -- Microsoft won't be issuing any more patches after Jan. 10, and your PC will absolutely be at risk.
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Windows 8.1 Support Ends January 10 More

Windows 8.1 Support Ends January 10

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  • Anyway...

    • Re:Oh no! (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Darinbob ( 1142669 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @04:25PM (#63069320)

      Windows 8.1 wasn't all that terrible, once you get past the start screen. 8.1 fixed a bunch of the obvious failures, yet they 8.1 and 8 get lumped into the same category. On the same computer 8 was faster than 7 and used less memory. Microsoft has a split personality, clearly there are people who want everything to be a phone or tablet, but there are also a lot of people vainly trying to improve the products. Between 8.1, 10, and 11, possibly 8.1 is the least offensive in terms of UI; Rounded corners in 11 just look silly, sillier than in OSX that it was copied from, and the task bar has problems (can't shrink it except with the registry, and when you do the two line time/date won't fit, focusing on touch screens even if you don't have one, and too much crap on the start menu. 8.1 and 10 are similar but 10 has gone down the oversimplification route a bit too much.

      I was never a big fan of Windows 7 Aero look, too much needless gloss and the start button curve sticking up from task bar was silly. I like the flatter look in 8.1

      • Re: (Score:2)

        by Scoth ( 879800 )

        The single main issue I had with both 8.0 and 8.1 was it forcing me to run Metro/8/Modern/Windows Store/Universal/Windows/whatever they're calling them now apps full screen with no option to windowize them or have them co-exist remotely well with standard desktop apps without hacks or mods (or even themselves if you ran more than one). Trying to multitask with one was an exercise in frustration and there was more than once I actively uninstalled the fancy version and found a Desktop version of whatever prog

        • Re:Oh no! (Score:4, Insightful)

          by Darinbob ( 1142669 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @05:27PM (#63069464)

          I never used any metro app. None of them seemed particularly useful, and those that might have been slightly useful required a Microsoft Account. The majority of the ones built-in with Windows 8 on release were just repackaged web apps, and the real web apps were better (ie, Bing in a browser was better than the Bing app!). On release those apps really feel like they were done by the summer interns in a hackathon rather than being polished applications for paying customers.

          • You should try Streaming services. An unfortunate reality is that Streaming services offer you a higher quality video / audio feed than you do when you visit the website and stream through the browser. While they were all a bucket of shit in the Windows 8 era, these days the story is somewhat different. The WhatsApp app is far superior to opening up WhatsApp web, and integrates into the windows notifications as well, Spotify offers far more options in the app than online. Netflix, Prime Video, etc I've alre

      • Comment removed based on user account deletion

      • What was the difference between Windows 8 and Windows 8.1? They both seemed identically awful as far as I could tell.

        And commenting on TFA's Windows 8 stunk., that should be:

        Windows 8 stunk.

        Windows 8.1 stunk.

        Windows 10 stunk.

        Windows 11 stinks.

        Windows 12 will stink when it arrives.

        It's a whole regular-verbs tutorial encapsulated in one operating system. The only real thing up for debate between the various types of stink is which one is the curry-dinner shit, which one is the vegetarian-dinner shit, which

        • Windows 8.1 allowed you to boot directly to desktop, what 99.9% of enterprise users wanted. Windows 8 required you to use a registry setting for that. It added a start "button" (not just an invisible spot to hover your mouse over). Some faster righ click shortcuts on the start button. So it did help with usability I felt. The other new stuff in it I didn't care about, like SkyDrive (presumbly the predecessor to the demon possessed OneDrive) better store something or other which I don't use, etc.

      • Windows 8.1 wasn't all that terrible, once you get past the start screen.

        Yes, I would even say that Windows 8.1 was the best windows version.

        It uses less memory than both Windows 7 & Windows 10. You had instant app cycle with a single click (in the topleft corner) or a single swipe.

        I actually liked the start screen. The live tiles gave instant information whether necessary.

        I might not be a typical windows user though. I use linux for about 20 years. I'm really disappointing Microsoft didn't stick with windows 8's UI. And with the windows phone - it was much better t

    • It might have helped cost chief executive Steve Ballmer his job

      Poor Steve Ballmer, only has a net worth of 11 Billion Dollars.

  • 8.1 was actually pretty good - got most of the needed UI fixes that you see in Win10/11. What it does not have nearly as much BS in terms of uninvited reboots to install updates, telemetry that defies being turned off, and ads.

    I keep a Windows VM and Windows Office around for things that crop up at work from time to time. I tried Windows 10 I really did and went back to 8.1 where I have been happy. I'll be side to be finally forced off; which won't be in January but will be when Office moves on significan

      • linuxmint.com now

        Unfortunately, in my case there's a reason I keep around the Win 8.1 VM: Linux (Wine / PlayOnLinux / Proton / etc.) cannot run some of my older 32bit games. (Yes, I do play them often. Thanks for asking.) Any attempt at running some of those games will just flat out crash, while others (Like Total War Shogun 2) will crash intermittently, or not run at all depending on the installed hardware. Due to that, my options for playing them are as follows:

        1) Keep around an older PC with an older copy of Windows.

  • Windows 8.1 was released 9 years ago. Time to move on.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

      I have a decade old laptop that I'm still using, and it ran Windows 8 when it was new. Fortunately it will run Windows 10 now.

      I bought the key from one of those online key shops for about 3 quid. It's a Pro licence too. Activated and all good so far.

      • I have a decade old laptop that I'm still using, and it ran Windows 8 when it was new. Fortunately it will run Windows 10 now.

        I bought the key from one of those online key shops for about 3 quid. It's a Pro licence too. Activated and all good so far.

        I'm still using my Vista license I got as part of my Uni degree.

      • I have a decade old laptop that I'm still using, and it ran Windows 8 when it was new. Fortunately it will run Windows 10 now.

        I bought the key from one of those online key shops for about 3 quid. It's a Pro licence too. Activated and all good so far.

        My desktop is also 10 years old, also upgraded to Windows 10 Home (free upgrade).
        Works fine, I have no complaints. I'm happy they provided a new OS version for such an old device.

        • Mid 2000s Althon II 3Ghz.
          XP -> 7 -> 8 -> 10 (skipped Vista), all free upgrades.
          Its amazing what RAM and video card upgrades can do. This box is still credible with its current 8GB RAM. At least outside of gaming, it may have peaked wrt video card upgrades.

          • I got noticeable FPS improvements with a 1070 when going from a fx8350 to a 1600af ... probably more due to doubling the bus bandwidth than anything though

            • Re: (Score:2)

              by drnb ( 2434720 )

              I got noticeable FPS improvements with a 1070 when going from a fx8350 to a 1600af ... probably more due to doubling the bus bandwidth than anything though

              Motherboard has a newer PCIe version?

        • Re: (Score:2)

          by AmiMoJo ( 196126 )

          Pondering if I should do the same. I'll see if there are any good laptop deals this week. I could replace two machines with a high end laptop with Thunderbolt now.

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by antdude ( 79039 )

      I still prefer 7, over 8, that works well.

  • Chromium alredy dropped support. (Score:3)

    by xack ( 5304745 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @04:17PM (#63069296)
    Run the latest versuon and it crashes. I keep a number of "old" Windows around on both virtual and real hardware to monitor software compatibility. With the Chromium monopoly out of support versions of Windows die quicker these days. Meanwhile I remember being able to run modern websites thanks to Firefox 1.5 on Windows 95 back in the mid 2000s.
    • You can still use Edge, which is Chromium-based and thus fully compatible with Chrome. Right now, Edge not only supports Windows 8, but it even still supports Windows 7...

  • Still on Win7 (Score:5, Interesting)

    by ewhac ( 5844 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @04:19PM (#63069310) Homepage Journal

    Still running WIn7 here. Well, I say "running;" I haven't booted it in months. I'm pretty much All Linux All The Time.

    "But ewhac!" I hear you cry. "How do you play our PC games?" Well, you have three choices there. You can either release a Linux binary, you can run well under WINE, or your game won't get purchased. The ability to run shiny games is not an acceptable trade-off for the massive security and infosec risks of running Windows.

  • At this point (Score:1)

    by Anonymous Coward

    It might be more cost-effective to throw money and/or developers at reactos until all required applications run properly and then help maintain it. If you're a large shop and unwilling to keep throwing money at microsoft for an increasingly inferior product.

    In fact, the userbase not having to re-learn the interface every so often might help against drops in productivity, and so on.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by tlhIngan ( 30335 )

      It might be more cost-effective to throw money and/or developers at reactos until all required applications run properly and then help maintain it.

      If all you want are applications, WINE is actually really good at a ton of apps. For games, Proton (which uses WINE internally) is really good.

      ReactOS is more of a Windows kernel substitute able to run all sorts of Windows drivers, services and other things more kernel mode related.

  • Poor Windows Media Center folks (Score:5, Interesting)

    by Guyle ( 79593 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @04:47PM (#63069372)

    Since this is the last version to support WMC, I guess it means that platform is officially dead dead. Still the only system that worked well and consistently with DRM protected channels on cable TV.

    Yeah, yeah, I know cable TV is dying, but even though I myself quit using it a couple of years ago, I will mourn the last great platform for DIY paid-for TV service. I loved having an HTPC with a bigass hard drive for recordings and Xbox 360s as set top boxes. MCEBuddy would cut commercials in the background. Passed the wife test and I didn't have to pay DVR or STB fees, just $4/month for 2 CableCARDs and the annual fee for Schedules Direct to get around Windows listings becoming buggy.

    Even though HDHomeRun has been working on their DVR platform for YEARS the UI sucks. Hardware support is erratic. Remote control sucks. Just was never as good or as friendly as WMC. There are other options but no DRM support. All these years later and there's still a community keeping WMC going.

    End of an era.

    • Since this is the last version to support WMC, I guess it means that platform is officially dead dead. Still the only system that worked well and consistently with DRM protected channels on cable TV.

      In fairness (and speaking as someone who liked it, wrote software to work with it and still run it today) even though it's been running in a supported operating system, WMC has been dead-dead for many years now. Here in the UK you cannot get OTA EPG data without having to resort to using something like EPG Colle [sourceforge.net]

  • Windows 10 is the new 7, support ends in 2025 (Score:3)

    by metrix007 ( 200091 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @04:59PM (#63069402)

    Hopefully they do what they did with 7 and extend security updates because of the sheer amount of people using it.

    I installed it a few months ago as I had to take a remotely proctored test which required a supported version of Windows, was happy with 7 up until then, although I wish I had put 10 on sooner as there are big performance improvements since it understands people have SSDs now.

    The problem is the forced anti-virus crap, and there is no easy way to pick and choose which updates you want to install, let alone a feature like telling it only to install security updates.

    I've been taking notes on all the customizations I've had to make to disable shit, all the policy settings, services that need to be disabled, replacement programs like Open-Shell etc, and eventually I plan on rolling a custom ISO with NTLite to strip out all the unnecessary shit.

    Unfortunately, this is likely the last version of Windows I will actually be able to use. 11 is forcing Microsoft accounts on everyone, and forcing advertising into the OS (it's bad enough 10 has a 'search with bing' thing in Notepad but I don't use Notepad so I can live with it) which is just a no no, not to mention the fucking telemetry which at least can still be disabled in 10.

    Thankfully, all my software runs fine under Linux, TexStudio, LibreOffice, Chrome, torrent stuff etc. Even Counter-Strike runs fine. It would be nice if there was a true alternative to Notepad++ but I've taken it upon myself to write something myself, since NPP is based on Scintilla anyway. I can write most of the added functionality I want, or if I look around harder maybe someone already has.

    Windows 11 is making itself irrelevant and it's hard to understand why. I guess they are trying to compete with OS X and ChromeOS and have everything as managed as possible while spying on users and forcing ads on them because most will take it.

    When 10 stops working, I may have a pirated version for games or Windows only software if I really need it, but I can't see myself ever really using it again. Which is a shame, because I'm sure I'm in the minority on this site, but I actually like Windows when it's at its best. More than OSX anyway.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      I wish I could get by w/o Windows -- but there are two critical apps that keep me w/Windows.

      One is tax prep software.

      The other is Quicken. Quicken itself is a horrible, buggy, and amateurish product but it has no competition (which is why it can be so horrible and buggy and not go under). Options such as GnuCash don't provide for downloads from most, if any, of my financial institutions.

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by jonadab ( 583620 )
      I mean, if wishes were horses, they should dust off the Seven branch of the NT codebase, port WSL over to it (the only worthwhile feature that 8/10/11 have going for them), create a public API that application developers can use to inform the automatic update system where to find updates for their app (and what public key to use to check their signatures), add a tab to the automatic updates section of the control panel with checkboxes for whether to install updates for each such application, and release the

      • The ext filesystems don't support all of the metadata Windows relies on and stores in NTFS, things like extended ACLs etc.

        Besides, I'm not sure if it's true that NTFS couldn't be used to apply updated without rebooting, I remember seeing an article from someone on the Windows team saying they could do that but force a reboot anyway to ensure stability with third party apps or something.

  • I liked Windows 8. Why exactly - did everyone hate it? THEY CHANGED THINGS! Touch screen abiltiy?! BALDERDASH! Perhaps the biggest move away from skeuomorphism in OS history (probably)?! That's crazy! The problem with Windows 8 was the human inability to accept change. Let's take the Start Screen from Windows 8. You arrange those things which you access most in tiles. Then... you press the windows key, and click on an apps icon. ONE key, ONE click, DONE. Now? With Windows 11. Bring up the start menu. Is yo

    • Re: (Score:3)

      by Tablizer ( 95088 )

      They could have added tiles as an option without dicking up everything else. A problem with tiles is there there's no such thing as alphabetical order, or filtered listing (without oddities).

      > We don't WANT touch screen ability!"

      Desktop users don't, period. So why shove touch screen shit into their face? Maybe have a master mode switch, desktop OR mobile. User picks one up on PC set up, and it stays until changed. A franken-hybrid for both sucks. Don't get mobile peanut butter in my desktop chocolate!

  • The Windows 10 upgrade is STILL FREE. (Score:5, Informative)

    by GotNoRice ( 7207988 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @05:25PM (#63069460)
    The article implies that you have to pay to upgrade. That's false. The "Free upgrade" to Windows 10 never ended. In fact, you don't even need to do an "upgrade", because the keys are compatible. Just do a fresh install of Windows 10 or Windows 11 and input your Windows 8/8.1 key. It will recognize it and proceed. It's sad that people make false statements when they obviously have no clue what they are talking about. But I guess fearmongering and claiming that you will have to pay to upgrade makes for better click-bait...

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward
      I was skeptical but this site [pureinfotech.com] seems to show you how.

  • You can still upgrade to W10 (Score:5, Informative)

    by dwywit ( 1109409 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @05:28PM (#63069468)

    Unless it's been changed in the last month or two, Microsoft will still activate an upgrade from Win 7 or 8.1 to Win 10, as long as your current OS is legally licenced.

    I've upgraded almost a dozen ageing laptops and desktops in the last couple of years. Couldn't convince the owners to upgrade hardware, but at least they're not running an unsupported OS any more,

    • Re: (Score:1)

      by Anonymous Coward

      Unless it's been changed in the last month or two, Microsoft will still activate an upgrade from Win 7 or 8.1 to Win 10, as long as your current OS is legally licenced.

      The formal end-date for the free (easy to use) upgrade via Microsoft's upgrade tool was in 2016, and the accessibility update bypass ended in 2018. However, as you say, as long as you have a valid key, and recent install media, you can use your Windows 7, 8, or 8.1 license to activate Windows 10.

      On the other hand, it may be time to upgrade the hardware, or if one is using the system for web based apps, one can consider installing ChromeOS Flex to support that old hardware.

  • Glad I upgraded to Windows 9. (Score:3)

    by jfdavis668 ( 1414919 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @05:33PM (#63069478)
    Got a few copies cheap off of Wish.com.

  • In closets, if not landfills (Score:3)

    by uncoveror ( 570620 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @05:35PM (#63069492) Homepage
    Windows 8 led to so many people swearing off home computers that few who gave up even saw 8.1. Computers that had 8 were shoved in to closets and forgotten or were thrown away to end up in landfills. It was the worst thing that ever happened to computing.
    • Nothing like exaggerated unprovable claims to support your sensationalist bullshit.

    • LOL. Nice story. Sadly it's filed in the fiction section right where it belongs.

      Here's a hint: People don't give a shit about their operating system. Anyone who left the PC did so not because of Windows 8 but because of an alternative coming to the market which suited what they wanted to do.

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by Wolfrider ( 856 )

      --You're not far off. I've been using computers my whole life, and the first time I tried to use Win8 I basically swore off Windows and went whole-on Linux.

      --Win8 has the absolute Worst start menu interface I've ever had the displeasure of trying to navigate, much less try to fix issues with the OS for small business / friends. I absolutely refused to try and work on them.

  • The reason why there is no "extended support" (Score:4, Informative)

    by GotNoRice ( 7207988 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @05:39PM (#63069500)
    The reason why there is no "extended support" for Windows 8 and 8.1 is because the initial version of Windows 10 that was released in 2015 was basically Windows 8.2. Everything since then has been a slow evolutionary upgrade via occasional "feature updates". Older versions of Windows 10 are also out of support now: https://learn.microsoft.com/en... [microsoft.com] But you don't hear about that because it would be silly to not upgrade to the latest version. The same applies to those still using 8.1. Upgrade to 10 or 11, it's FREE (despite the incorrect information in the article that suggests you would have to pay).

    • Re: (Score:2)

      by jbengt ( 874751 )

      Older versions of Windows 10 are also out of support now: https://learn.microsoft.com/en [microsoft.com]... [microsoft.com] But you don't hear about that because it would be silly to not upgrade to the latest version.

      Well, the last couple of upgrades failed for my 4 year old work laptop, so maybe we should hear about it.

      • If feature updates are not installing via Windows Update for some reason, you still have the option of downloading the latest version of the OS (via ISO or otherwise) and doing an in-place upgrade.

    • "the initial version of Windows 10 that was released in 2015 was basically Windows 8.2"

      Windows 8 was version 6.2.
      Windows 10 is version 10.0.
      Windows 11 is also version 10.0.

  • I'm still using 8.1 (Score:3)

    by VAElynx ( 2001046 ) on Monday November 21, 2022 @06:17PM (#63069586)
    as one of my OSes, and frankly, it's also the last version I'll use. I've been forced to troubleshoot 10 a couple times and no thanks, anything from driver support to configuration is already worse than Debian desktop was a few years back. Once/if enough software stops working, I'll just drop Windows entirely.

  • Remember Windows Embedded POSReady 7 [microsoft.com]? Well say hello to Windows 8.1 Embedded Industry Pro [microsoft.com], readily available at a TPB mirror near you.

  • Or at least Windows Me

  • A lot of folks (including me initially) hated win 8 / 8/1

    The whole "metro" thing did suck but you could force it to always start to desktop and just never use those darn full screen apps.

    I have an old surface Pro 3 and it had 8.1 on it - I managed to tame it with that and with ClassicShell (now OpenShell)

    For what I use this for (to run a couple things I need for when I'm working but away from my desk) it's fine even though it'd be way underpowered for many tasks...

    with the case design I don't even want to t

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