Get Windows 8 Pro for $39.99 or get Surface

Microsoft is set to release Windows 8 to consumers and apart from shocking people with the announcement of its tablet: Microsoft Surface, it is also set to sell Windows 8 at a competitive price of only $39.99 – in comparison to the near $250 CAD for Windows 7 Professional or more for Ultimate. The upgrade process is set to be easy, and Surface looks hot.

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Mainstream Vista Support ends Today

Today marks a milestone in Vista life. Today is the official date where Microsoft has agreed to cut off all main stream updates. Users will continue to recieve updates, but not on a found and fix basis. Like Windows XP, updates for Vista will be pushed on the first monday of every month.

That is all.

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Triple Booting Windows, Mac OS X and Ubuntu

Ever wanted to have all three different worlds on your computer at your fingertips? Or did you ever want to have a computer that only has Mac OS X and Ubuntu? Don’t hold your breath, it’s possible! Here’s how.

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Resizing Partitions in Windows Vista and Later

Resizing partitions in Windows became simpler when partitioning tools became part of the operating system with Windows Vista. This tutorial will show you how to resize partitions in Windows Vista and later. If you are using Windows XP, your best bet is Easus Partition Manager (download link included in article) which is free and fairly simple.

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Creating and Deleting Partitions in Windows Vista and Later

Creating and Deleting partitions in Windows became simpler when partitioning tools became part of the operating system with Windows Vista. This tutorial will show you how to create and remove partitions in Windows Vista and later. If you are using Windows XP, your best bet is Easus Partition Manager (download link included in article) which is free and fairly simple.

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How To Install Windows 8 Developer Preview

Windows 8 Developer Preview is available for download and is easy to install in a virtual machine or on a test machine – or if you are bold enough, your everyday machine. The installation process is similar to that of Windows 7 and Vista so this method can be applied to those install scenarios as well.

 

First, you will need the Windows 8 install isos. If you are a developer, there is one with developer tools for you to use. Otherwise, choose the 32 bit or 64 bit version based on preference or current machine. If you are running Windows Vista or Windows 7, you can find out if you’re running 32 or 64 bit by going to Computer and then System Settings. Scroll down and it will give you all the information that you need to know.

 

Download Windows 8 Developer Preview ISO

Windows 8 Developer Preview

 

Now you will need to burn it to a DVD using Windows Image burner in Windows 7 or your favorite app in any operating system or copy the bits over to a USB drive.

 

 

I have provided a video with the explanation that you can watch above, but for specifics:

1. Boot off the Windows Install Media
2. You will be greeted with a language selection, click next.
3. You will be given a window with an Install Now button, click on it.
4. The screen will say Setup is Starting and load for a minute or two.
5. You will then be prompted to agree to Microsoft’s terms. Click the checkbox and click next.
6. Now you will be asked to either do an Upgrade Install or a Custom Install. You should always do a clean install of Windows and hence choose Custom.
7. Choose the Partition that you want to install on or click Advanced Tools to create or format a partition and hit next. Note: You cannot shrink a partition in the installer so if you don’ want to lose another partition’s files, partition your hard drive before doing the installation using the manager in Windows Vista or Windows 7 (type partition in the start menu) or Easus Partition Manager, a free download.
8. The Windows Install when then automate and install by itself, restart and continue the installation – unless you changed a bios setting, you should be fine to leave the room for 15 to 25 minutes – depending on the speed of your computer.
9. It will do some configuring and possible restart a few times and then you will be prompted with the first real questions that you will need to fill in.
1. In Windows 7 and Vista. these questions are easy, straight forward, and are directly related to your account (Name, Password, Time, Date, Network Settings, Update Settings).
2. Windows 8 presents its second phase a bit differently from Vista and 7. It cuts out a lot of the questions. You will be asked to enter your name and then choose between express settings and custom settings. Express settings places all the default options that don’t require your attention, if you click custom, you will get the opportunity to tweak update settings, security settings, and other very technical settings that the average user wouldn’t have to worry about. In the video I choose Custom just to give you a tour – I ended up changing nothing.
10. Among the few questions that you will be asked in Windows 8 is to enter your Windows Live ID and its password, there is a link on the bottom to opt out and create a normal offline account. This essentially makes life easier if you install Windows 8 on multiple machines as it syncs certain settings.
11. In the offline mode, you may be prompted with a chance to take a picture from your webcam but the questions are very straight forward.
12. It will then Prepare your Desktop as every Windows system does at the first log in and you will be greeted to a new Start menu which is a full screen menu based on the Metro UI. In previous versions of Windows, you will be greeted by the desktop.

Installing Windows 8 is similar to installing Windows Vista and Windows 7 and is very easy to do as the bulk of the installation is automated and the second half asks you easy questions that aren’t technical, but rather based on your preferences for account name and time and that.

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K-Lite Codec Pack: Your solution to the unplayables

From time to time, I'm sure anyone and everyone finds a video or audio file that cannot be played. Whether it's an FLV(Flash Video) file or an m4a file, they usually can't be played by default on a Windows machine. K-lite Codec Pack fixes all this and more.

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Mac OS X Lion is Apple’s Equivalent to Microsoft’s Vista Disaster

If you are a Windows user, or a former Windows user, chances are you remember the scars of pre SP1 Vista. From the driver problems, to the crashes, to the snail-like crawl, Vista took a perfectly running machine and essentially took it on a long and hard ride. Vista became the weight and anchor to Microsoft, that it was to every Machine that tried to take it.

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