Windows 8 Developer Preview
Loading the Windows 8 Developer Preview
After downloading the Windows 8 Developer preview and attempting to install the OS on both the VMWare Player and Oracle VM, I soon found out that this was not going to be an easy option. Oracle VM got me the closest and at least looked like it was installing Windows 8, but in the end, neither worked.
My next option was to install the preview OS on my old desktop PC, which originally had Windows XP Media Centre, but had been dual boot with Windows 7 since I added a second hard-drive.
After going through the steps to make a bootable USB using the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool, I fired up my 5-year old AMD powered PC and selected the appropriate USB drive in the BIOS.
The OS installed very quickly, although it did restart a couple of times. On one restart it asked me to choose between the original Windows 7 installation or a new Windows 8, which I happily accepted.
After the initial installation, I selected the default 'Use express settings' option from the Settings screen and entered my windows live email address in the next screen.
On the 'Keep your account safer' screen I was surprised to find that Microsoft think they know my mobile phone number better than I do and after entering the correct , full number several times, only to be told that it was not correct for my country/region, I thought I might have been getting it wrong all these years. Turns out, MS wanted me to drop the leading zero(0) from the number. It also pulled me up on the secret question answer when I only entered 4 characters – I guess I will have to rename my first pet (may they rest in peace). I eventually decided not to bother with the secret question and I was able to proceed without a hitch.
So after a fairly brief installation process, I was logged into my Windows 8 developer preview, which it said was customised just for me based on my Windows Live account details. First button I tried was the weather button, only to find that it displayed Anaheim, CA – quite a few thousand miles from my home in Brisbane.
My next challenge was finding out how to exit from the weather app and go back to the main start screen. After trying every key on the keyboard, I discovered that the Windows Key is the answer – I guess I am used to the dedicated back button on Windows Phone 7.
Next app that looked interesting was the tweet@rama app – but it didn't want to play, so I headed back to the start screen for something better. Jumping into NearMe, I was again frustrated by the fact that the closest matches were in California, but I guess that must just be a sign to relocate.
After a restart, what startled me most was the speed at which that login screen came up. I mean this PC is old and not all that fast, so when I showed the login screen after only 15 seconds, I was completed unprepared.
Cold boot to 'Choose an operating system' screen 34.8 sec, login screen to start screen 16.1 sec. So even on my old clunker, I am fully online in less than a minute.