Hi All:

Currently in and with my W7 64 bit operating system I have multiple copies of many executables in that there is a 32 bit version and a 64 bit version. Some examples are:

CMD.EXE
DLLHOST.EXE
EXPLORER.EXE
IEXPLORE.EXE
Keyscrambler.exe
MMC.EXE
MSIEXEC.EXE
Notepad.exe
etc etc

My question is in W8 will users have only 1 copy of these or still be burdened with 2 for 32 and 64 bit?

If you are running a 64 bit version of Windows 8, you will still have files in both flavors to support 32 bit legacy apps. Some of the files in your list appear to be duplicate, but they are different files.
"burdened?" These duplicated files really don't take up all that much space...
I do believe, but haven't looked into it, that they've eliminated some of the footprint of Windows 8, so that would suggest that those files that are true duplicates have likely been eliminated.

-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Hi steve:

Thanks for responding.

The list I produced came from my firewall rule set which gives me a list of executables. If some are duplicates then the firewall doesn't seem to know that. That's fine (for now)

My view of the PC world is "tilted" by my security work. Thus the word "burdened" for me was not so much about space in memory or space for that matter.

I have learned that "less is best" when it comes to the existance of executable code.
Smaller list of targets for the bad guys. So I said "burdened".

But enough of this, can anybody expand a bit on what the W8 user will gain over a W7 user?

I suspect that they are indeed truly duplicates. For example, notepad.exe -- I am pretty sure that there's no 64 bit version, though there is a copy of that exe in the wow64 folder and also \windows.

I don't know that I can give a good answer to what one gains, but the simple answer is that it is an evolved operating system. Windows 8 builds on Windows 7. Is that better? In same ways, yes. In others, perhaps not. The Metro interface takes getting used to, but is great on a tablet or touch device. I've not run it on a large screen. I have no problems using the desktop on Windows 8 for every day use and don't much miss the start menu.

There have been more security improvements in Windows 8, not the least of which is the inclusion of a full antivirus program that steps out of the way if a 3rd party product is installed. This is an older blog post about the security enhancements in Windows 8: http://blogs.msdn.com/b/b8/archive/2011/09/15/protecting-you-from-malware.aspx and a more recent 3rd party view of the enhancements: http://www.infoworld.com/d/security/windows-8-takes-security-the-next-level-200554

-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

As everyone is different with different needs I cannot really speak of advantages or disadvantages for any one person as that would depend on the individual.

In general I would assume that the security is probably a bit tighter than previous versions of Windows as tends to be the normal case. If I did not work on systems would I bother with Windows 8? Probably not. I will however say that I am running a dual boot with Windows 7 and Windows 8 and have found that I hardly ever boot to Windows 7 anymore. At first the lack of a Start Button bothered me but after about a week I didn't miss it and there are at least 2 decent applications to bring back the Start Button.

Here comes the hard part... Would I recommend that someone upgrade their system and run Windows 8 instead of Windows 7? Probably not. I would recommend that they go ahead and get Windows 8 on a new system.

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I am with you on this recommendation. That has been my advice for all of the Windows upgrades in the past years.

-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

I generally agree, but haven't decided if I will upgrade here or not. I need to find out 1) will I lose the ability to play DVDs on an upgrade? and 2) will I lose Media Center on an upgrade. I know I will have neither of these on a clean install.

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Patty, you will still be able to play DVDs on a clean install. You just won't be able to play them via Windows Media Player, you will need to install another player. I use Media Player Classic Home Cinema. It installs with Windows Essential Codec Pack which I always install anyway.

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You will lose Media Center on an upgrade. Media Center will be available as an add-on for the Pro version -- supposedly for free.
-steve

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stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

Thanks Jay and Steve. Oh yeah, that brings up another question. I've currently got Win 7 Ultimate. I suppose I need to upgrade to Win 8 Ultimate or is there such a beast?

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

My two cents..........I don't see any real advantage to install Windows 8 when it becomes available. Like Jay, I miss the start button but now have one from a 3rd party and it has made navigation for me much easier. I have had numerous problems with Win 8 and still do. I don't use the Apps at all so my problems have all been with the Desktop. At the moment I have a red flag on the tool bar telling me that I have to do something or other....it keeps coming back no matter what I do. I deleted all of my "web site icons" on the desktop because they were too small to read and I put them on line and linked to them. I really think it's pretty sad to have the need for a 3rd party fix for a brand new system that has yet to be released.

The operative phrase is, "Has yet to be released."

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Yep........and you can be sure it will be released before Christmas but I have a friend out in California who won't be the first in line. He is still using Windows 98. I have Windows 8 on my XP Pro machine so I will be glad to pull the Win 8 drive and put XP back because I really miss the original Windows Movie Maker. I'm sure Windows 8 will run ok when they finally get done with it but right now it wont play anything on Youtube without it being all pixily. If you have Windows 8 running, maybe you can take a look at a youtube video I made and let me know if it's pixily. It's very fast and displays 260 pictures in 1-1/2 minutes....I'm the guy in the baseball and cowboy hats.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj9UqNedUwM&feature=plcp

Oh, by the way, I made my own start button for Windows 8. Just came back to edit a line cause you can see the red x on the flag at the bottom

But I think that I said that I missed the Start Button for about a week and no longer do.

I really don't understand all the issues you have had with Windows 8, I have had none at all. I can't remember how old your system is but possibly it just does not have the hardware to run it. To be honest I hardly ever boot to Windows 7 any more.

What does the red flag say you need to do?

What third party fix are you referring to, the Start Button? If so that is not a fix, it is an added application that you chose to install, not a fix. The exclusion of the Start Button in Windows 8 is not an error that needs corrected, it is missing by design.

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Must have inherited this ability from my father. In his heyday (1940,50's) he would throw a comment out in a crowd of friends and relatives (controversial) and then sit back and smoke (not good) and watch all the excitement. Took me 20 years to figure out what he was up to. His comment was well it took you long enough to figure it out.

I did this with my first post.

Anyway, having read all the posts and thought about them it seems to me there is no real gain for me to change from windows 7 ulitimate 64 bit notebook with many fixes already in it to "xxgrade" to W8. W8 seems to want to be a notepad Apple etc. That seems like an identity crissis of some sort.

So like Vista I plan to skip W8 completley and let others debug it for M$.

If I didn't work on systems I would probably pass on Windows 8 also. Not because there seems to be anything wrong with it, just because I would have no need. LOL! If I had waited a few months to get my laptop I'd be able to get Windows 8 for $14.00.

Actually the only issue I have with Windows 8 is its not having a setting to boot directly to the classic desktop instead of Metro. I have that halfway solved using some script in Task Scheduler but it has the side affect of leaving Windows Explorer open. One click to close Windows Explorer, one click to get to the classic desktop from Metro... no difference so really my script is useless. Haven't figured out how to end the script by closing Windows Explorer. Really its not a big deal, just one of those things I want to see if I can do.

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Ok, lets call it a poor design for my needs that I was able to correct by installing 3rd party stuff. You said everyone is different with different needs and my needs require a start button, otherwise, Without it, it's like going to the grocery store and there is no entrance.

OK here's my take on this. First, it is pre-release. Second, you are running it in Virtual Box (if I'm reading things correctly from your other post). There are always hardware issues in virtual machines.

But the real issue is, if you are trying to make Windows 8 look and run like Windows 7 because you don't like Windows 8 - then just run Windows 7. I don't see why one would do otherwise. I see nothing that Windows 8 gives you that Windows 7 does not - and indeed Windows 8 takes a number of things away.

I haven't decided if I will upgrade or not. Were it just me and my computer, I would not. For my business, I will need to support the OS and the only way I know of to learn it, is to use it. Honestly, I'm not looking forward to it. I am running Win 7 Ultimate, so I don't know if I can upgrade at all. If I have to buy a full version and do a clean install, I will have to get Professional and the add-on pack in order to get Media Center. I already have Media Center and it doesn't cost me anything.

If I do go to Windows 8, I will learn to use Windows 8 - and not try to make it look and act like Windows 7. The only way to find out if you like something is to use it the way it is - for as long as it takes until you are totally comfortable with it. Most of us don't like change and often what we object to is not the new system itself, but the changes. Nothing wrong with that; but if you don't like change, why change?

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Exactly so Patty! Like everybody I resist change, BUT I like learning new IT features that gain me some functionality I can see a use for. With what we are hearning here I don't see any. Maybe it will show later. If my business depended on knowing W8 well then that is a need I would have to earn my daily bread. That is entirely different.

Thank you, Escalader.

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Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

Hi Ms MacDuffie.......I agree with most of what you have said. Windows 8 is not on a Virtual Box anymore though. I dumped that and downloaded it from MS and installed it on another computer. I think more than anything, I like messing with this stuff and trying to solve problems that come up. For me, this is not about whether I want to buy it or keep Windows 7..........

Right now I have this pixily problem when viewing videos and I found out this afternoon that the videos on Windows 8 are only pixily when I use the Video App. They play fine when I go the desktop and then directly to Youtube and view the video so that should rule out the hardware possibility. I also found out that there is a new version of the video app and it says "download it now" but there is no link? Can you tell me where I can go to download this new APP.

I didn't see anything that stood out as bad with the video.

I see from your screen shot that you are using a Metro App to view. You might want to view in Media Player or your Browser.

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Got it, Chad. Far be it from me to deny any of you boys your fun!

_________________
Patty MacDuffie
Computer Haven Administrator

Live Long and Prosper
Mr. Spock

The Store app is the most likely place if the "download it now" link isn't live.
-steve

_________________
stephen boots
Microsoft MVP 2004 - 2020
"Life's always an adventure with computers!"

The Store app is the most likely place if the "download it now" link isn't live.
-steve[/quote]

I went to the Store and it says that This Version of Windows is no longer supported by Windows Strore. Get the newest version of Windows. When I click on that link I end up at the Windows 8 Release Preview. So do I click on "get it now"?