Starting Windows 8.1

When Windows 8.1 starts, you will see the lock screen. This displays the time and date and can also show extra information, including how many emails you have and what your next calendar appointment is. You can also use this lock screen as a digital photo frame.

You open the lock screen by swiping upward on the screen with your finger if you have a touch display, or by pressing any key on the computer’s keyboard.

When you first started using your computer, you may have set a pass‐ word for your user account. If you did, you will be asked for this before you can unlock the computer. You can also create a numerical (PIN) password for Windows 8.1 or use a picture password.

To switch between using a standard password, PIN, or picture if you have one set, click/touch sign-in- options at the sign-in screen when asked for your password. 

Hardware Requirements for Installing Windows 8

0. Windows 8 takes advantage of new and powerful computing hardware. It also supports the latest innovative devices for an uncompromising user experience. However, Windows 8 also is capable of running on earlier configurations of computers, and many computers in enterprises today meet the minimum hardware requirements easily.

   The following sections list the minimum
   recommended hardware requirements for
   Windows 8. Windows 8 will install if some of these
   requirements are not met, but user experience and
   operating system performance may be
   compromised if the computer does not meet or exceed the following specifications:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster processor

• 1 GB RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)

• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

• DirectX® 9 graphics device with a Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 1.0 or newer driver

The Windows 8 kernel has been refined and improved from Windows 7 and, in many cases, you may see improvements in general performance on the same computer in several different areas.

Hardware Requirements for Important Features

In addition to the requirements listed in the preceding section, Windows 8 contains several features that require a specific hardware configuration before they will install or run correctly:

• The Windows 8 secured boot process requires a BIOS based on Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI). The secured boot process takes advantage of UEFI to prevent the launching of unknown or potentially unwanted operating-system boot loaders between the system’s BIOS starting and the Windows 8 operating system start.

  While the secure boot process is not mandatory for Window 8, it greatly increases the integrity of the boot process.

• Client Hyper-V requires a 64-bit processor architecture that supports second level address translation (SLAT). SLAT reduces the overhead incurred during the virtual-to-physical address mapping process performed for virtual machines.

• The BitLocker feature requires a computer that supports Trusted Platform Module (TPM) to provide the most seamless and secure BitLocker experience. TPM allows the storage of BitLocker encryption keys within a microcontroller on a computer’s motherboard. 

 

New Features in Windows 8

   

0. Windows 8 represents Microsoft’s most significant change in operating system design since the introduction of the Microsoft Windows® 95 operating system. Therefore, Windows 8 contains more than 300 new features. The following section highlights some of the most important features and changes:

• Start screen. The Start screen represents a significant shift in the way users find and interact with applications and information in Windows 8. The Start Screen is tile-based, and its configurable tiles can display live information and provide an interactive hub experience for users. With its touch- friendly layout, it is significantly different from the Start button interface that has been implemented in Windows since Windows 95.

• Cloud integration. Windows 8 provides increased integration with cloud-based services and information. Users signing in to a Windows 8 desktop computer can connect to the information and settings instantly that are important to them. Windows 8 ensures a consistent user experience across any computer, regardless of the computer’s location. 

                      • Reset and refresh your PC. By using Reset and Refresh, users and IT staff can return a computer to a specific default state, or recover

                         Windows 8 from errors or corrupt operating system files:

           o Reset your PC removes all personal data, apps, and settings from the PC, and reinstalls Windows.

           o Refresh your PC keeps all personal data, desktop-style apps, and other important settings, and reinstalls Windows, retaining the

                      user experience and user data.

• Windows To Go. Windows To Go enables you to supply a fully functioning copy of Windows 8 that can start and run from a universal serial bus (USB) storage device. When users boot from a Windows To Go-enabled USB device, they get a complete Windows 8 experience, along with all of their applications, files, and settings.

• Remote Desktop Services. Windows 8 now includes Remote Desktop Services (RDS) capability, which enables multiple users to connect remotely to the same computing infrastructure, each in an isolated session. You can use Windows 8 in Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) scenarios to provide robust and universal access to Windows 8 desktops.

• Hyper-V. Hyper-V® on Windows 8 provides a flexible and high-performing client virtualization environment. You can take advantage of this environment to test applications and IT scenarios in multiple operating system configurations, by using a single computer. By using Hyper-V, IT departments can provide a consolidated and efficient virtual environment through virtual machine compatibility with Windows Server 2012.

• Support for multiple form factors. Windows 8 is the first Windows operating system to provide support for both the x86 and the ARM platform. Windows 8 runs on PCs, as well as tablets and similar devices, providing more ubiquitous access to the Windows 8 environment for users. 

What is Windows Azure?

Windows Azure can be anything you want it to be.

As a cloud platform from Microsoft that provides a wide range of different services, Windows Azure lets you build, deploy, and manage solutions for almost any purpose you can imagine. In other words, Windows Azure is a world of unlimited possibilities. Whether you’re a large enterprise spanning several continents that needs to run server workloads, or a small business that wants a website that has a global presence, Windows Azure can provide a platform for building applications that can leverage the cloud to meet the needs of your business. 

Limitations of the 64-Bit Versions

The 64-bit editions of Windows 8 do not support the 16-bit Windows on Windows (WOW) environment. If your organization requires earlier versions of 16-bit applications, they will not run natively in Windows 8. One solution is to run the application within a virtual environment by using Client Hyper-V. 

Choosing Windows 8 Versions for Installation

0. In most cases, a computer will run the version of Windows 8 that corresponds to its processor architecture. A computer with a 32-bit processor will run the 32-bit version of Windows 8, and a computer with a 64-bit processor will run the 64-bit version of Windows 8. You can use the following list to determine which version of Windows 8 should be installed on a computer.

• You can install 64-bit versions of Windows 8 only on computers with 64-bit processor architecture.

• You can install 32-bit versions of Windows 8 on computers with 32-bit or 64-bit processor architecture. When you install a 32-bit version of Windows 8 on a 32-bit processor architecture, the operating system does not take advantage of any 64-bit processor architecture features or functionality.

• 32-bit drivers will not work in 64-bit versions of Windows 8. If you have hardware that is supported by 32-bit drivers only, you must use a 32-bit version of Windows 8, regardless of the computer’s processor architecture.

• You can install 32-bit versions of Windows 8 on 64-bit architecture computers to support earlier versions of applications or for testing purposes. 

Advantages of 64-bit Windows 8 Versions

Each licensed edition of Windows 8, which includes Windows 8, Windows 8 Pro, and Windows 8 Enterprise, is available in both 32-bit and 64-bit versions. The 64-bit versions of Windows 8 are designed to work with computers that utilize the 64-bit processor architecture.

While the 64-bit versions are similar in features to their 32-bit counterparts, there are several advantages of using a 64-bit edition of
Windows 8, including:

• Improved performance. The 64-bit processors can process more data for each clock cycle, enabling you to scale your applications to run faster or support more users. However, to benefit from this improved processor capacity, you must install a 64-bit edition of the operating system.

• Enhanced memory. A 64-bit operating system can make more efficient use of random access memory (RAM), and it can address memory above 4 gigabytes (GB). This is unlike all 32-bit operating systems, including all 32-bit editions of Windows 8, which are limited to 4 GB of addressable memory.

• Improved device support. Although 64-bit processors have been available for some time, in the past it was difficult to obtain third-party drivers for commonly used devices, such as printers, scanners, and other common office equipment.

  Since the release of the 64-bit versions of Windows Vista® and Windows 7, the availability of drivers for these devices has improved greatly. Because Windows 8 is built on the same kernel as Windows 7, most of the drivers that work with Windows 7 also work with Windows 8.

• Improved security. The architecture of 64-bit processors enables a more secure operating system environment through Kernel Patch Protection (KPP), mandatory kernel-mode driver signing, and Data Execution Prevention (DEP).

• Support for the Client Hyper-V feature. This feature is only supported in the 64-bit versions of Windows 8. Hyper-V requires 64-bit processor architecture that supports second level address translation.