9 Legend

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16.1K Posts

June 25th, 2015 02:00

Windows 8.1 isn't a bad update but Microsoft's distribution of it via the Windows Store leads to reduced performance in many cases. Clean install Windows 8.1 with update 1, take care that create the USB as instructed in my guides and not via the tool. Take care that you select the correct edition also:

http://dellwindowsreinstallationguide.com/download-microsoft-windows-and-office/download-microsoft-windows/download-windows-8-1-retail-and-oem-iso/

Note Windows 8 systems don't have a COA affixed to them. If you have a faded COA your system likely came with Windows 7 and you purchased a retail upgrade.

4 Operator

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11.1K Posts

June 26th, 2015 19:00

Windows 8.1 isn't a bad update but Microsoft's distribution of it via the Windows Store leads to reduced performance in many cases.

Is there documentation of this assertion?

9 Legend

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16.1K Posts

June 27th, 2015 04:00

Take a look here - Windows 8 market share...

http://www.netmarketshare.com/report.aspx?qprid=11&qpaf=&qpcustom=Windows+8&qpcustomb=0

In November 2014 the Windows 8.1 Media Creation Tool was released which allowed clean installation of Windows 8.1. These were all customers who had issues with the Store and hence resisted the upgrade.

I can also give you some statistics from my own guides. My guides in the past were quite popular when Windows 8.1 was released as I was one of the first one to document Windows 8.1 clean installation with a Windows 8 product key using three workarounds because of Microsoft's mistakes with the original deployment of Windows 8.1:

  • Launch Windows 8 downloader
  • Input your product key
  • Cancel the setup
  • Launch the Windows 8.1 downloader → bypasses the fact that it doesn't accept Windows 8 keys
  • Download the .iso and make a bootable USB
  • Begin setup input a generic key → bypasses the fact that it doesn't accept Windows 8 product keys
  • Change key to your Windows 8 key → Allows for product activation

This is an extremely complicated workaround for a clean install and I can say thousands attempted It from my guide 2014 statistics...

Then in 2015:

And from click data, these are people who definitely clicked the links to download Windows 8.1:

Clicks for 2014 - in 2 months the media creation tool:

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