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Reasons for choosing Windows 8.0?


greenhillmaniac

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Is there any reason to choose Windows 8.0 in favor of 8.1, in terms of kernel, performance, tools and/or user experience?

AFAIK Windows 8.1 introduced quite a few improvements to the Modern Start Screen and the /resetbase switch in Dism to better cleanup WinSxS.

One point I found better in 8.0 is resource usage, where it had less processes running out of the box compared to 8.1... Other than that, I can't tell if any other things that are better. I've read that DWM performance is better???

Please, the members that know this kind of thing better, elaborate on what advantages does 8.0 have over 8.1. I'm interested in hearing them.

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For me I posted my findings in my "2012 updates" thread sometime back, but here goes:

If you aren't using Metro/Modern apps or the new UI, basically all of the Windows 8.1 improvements are for nigh.  Aside from some extra parameters in the DISM command used to clean the Component Store, there isn't much change to the Explorer-based section of Windows.  I can run all of the same applications in Windows 8 as I can for Windows 8.1.

Classic Shell allows me the same benefits in Windows 8 of booting directly to the desktop with a Start Menu.  And even if I were to use Windows 8.1, I'd still be installing Classic Shell.  Plus I can conceal all of the Metro-esque stuff quite nicely.

No Telemetry: since Windows 8 is not eligible for the Windows 10 upgrade.  Even though GWX woes have passed, I didn't get bombarded with that nonsense either.

I can run Windows 8 x64 builds on older, but still reasonably fast processors, like my twin P4-style Xeons.  My system cannot run the x64 builds of Windows 8.1.  There are oh-so slight extra security requirements.

:)  Hope that helps Arnold!  :P

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16 hours ago, JodyT said:

No Telemetry: since Windows 8 is not eligible for the Windows 10 upgrade.  Even though GWX woes have passed, I didn't get bombarded with that nonsense either.

No Telemetry updates basically, this is the most important. Let me add some stuff:

- Compatibility mode for Oses older than Windows Vista

- Windows Experience Index

- GUI option not only to make backups of your system but also to restore from them (though I use Macrium Reflect Free for this job)

- No Libraries in the My Computer folder

- Option to monitor the network traffic amount in Charms>Networks

- Other details that make Windows 8 feel more complete aesthetically and functionally than Windows 8.1

Not to mention the countless bugs of Windows 8.1 that were corrected with Update 1. I think that Windows 8.1 was in fact a hasty and nervous release in anticipation to the reactions against Windows 8. That's my opinion at least.

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30 minutes ago, HarryTri said:

No Telemetry updates basically, this is the most important. Let me add some stuff:

- Compatibility mode for Oses older than Windows Vista

- Windows Experience Index

- GUI option not only to make backups of your system but also to restore from them (though I use Macrium Reflect Free for this job)

- No Libraries in the My Computer folder

- Option to monitor the network traffic amount in Charms>Networks

- Other details that make Windows 8 feel more complete aesthetically and functionally than Windows 8.1

Not to mention the countless bugs of Windows 8.1 that were corrected with Update 1. I think that Windows 8.1 was in fact a hasty and nervous release in anticipation to the reactions against Windows 8. That's my opinion at least.

Didn't know about the network traffic monitor on the Charms bar, and I used Windows 8.0 from release, up until the 8.1 upgrade :lol:

Anyway, those are some tangible points. Thanks for posting.

Also, just remembered of a few more plus points for Windows 8.0:

- You can use the Release Preview theme as is, without mods

- You can use the Windows 7 Explorer with a wrapper, eliminating the Metro portion of the OS entirely

Keep em coming... I'm trying to use this thread to have some arguments, when I say that Windows 8.0 is a viable alternative to 8.1 and 7.

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  • 3 weeks later...
On 2.09.2016 at 4:57 AM, JodyT said:

No Telemetry: since Windows 8 is not eligible for the Windows 10 upgrade.  Even though GWX woes have passed, I didn't get bombarded with that nonsense either.

I know that it is not a topic to such a question but what with the telemetry, spying on Windows Server 2012? 

Edited by spookymulder90
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It you use the Windows Server 2012 updates for your Windows 8 system I guess you must check which non security-updates have to do with telemetry and avoid them - it they really exist, I don't know since I don't use this method ( to much for me).

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I don't believe ANY telemetry updates are available on Windows Server 2012 (initial version).  There were none on Windows 8.  Now I'm curious as to what will happen on Patch Tuesday in October.  Will I only be able to download rollups?  Will they be reworked so that they will ONLY install on Windows Server 2012?

In a couple weeks I'll find out.

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  • 2 weeks later...

In my case, a valid reason for choosing Windows 8 over 8.1 is to have a system ready for use from the beginning.

Every driver is built-in in Windows 8 (audio/video/wireless/LAN).

The driver for Intel GMA 3150 was removed in Windows 8.1. :rolleyes:

Not bad for an OS that was supposed to be a Service Pack for Windows 8. :lol:

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1 hour ago, Agorima said:

In my case, a valid reason for choosing Windows 8 over 8.1 is to have a system ready for use from the beginning.

Every driver is built-in in Windows 8 (audio/video/wireless/LAN).

The driver for Intel GMA 3150 was removed in Windows 8.1. :rolleyes:

Not bad for an OS that was supposed to be a Service Pack for Windows 8. :lol:

Yeah, I noticed that on my laptop with an Intel 4 Series Graphics. Too bad the inbox drivers are s***, with no OpenGL support.

Still... I guess it's a plus point for 8.0: more inbox drivers!

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I'm a bit late to reply here, but the thing I most remember is measuring a BIG degradation in File Explorer performance between 8.0 and 8.1.

Basically, if you select all files/folder in the root of C: and choose Properties, they will count up MUCH faster on 8.0 (and 7) than 8.1.

In my case I chose to go ahead with 8.1 anyway (having skipped 8.0), since I have a pretty rompin stompin system (my C: volume is a RAID 0 array of SSDs) and the slowdown didn't cut noticeably into usability.

I believe Microsoft explained the slowdown back then as NTFS having been given some self-healing capabilities.  Interestingly, other operations - such as searching the entire volume for file data with a 3rd party program like grepWin - didn't seem to slow down equivalently.

For what it's worth I never had any file system problems before or after the change.

-Noel

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On 12/10/2016 at 3:35 PM, NoelC said:

I'm a bit late to reply here, but the thing I most remember is measuring a BIG degradation in File Explorer performance between 8.0 and 8.1.

Basically, if you select all files/folder in the root of C: and choose Properties, they will count up MUCH faster on 8.0 (and 7) than 8.1.

In my case I chose to go ahead with 8.1 anyway (having skipped 8.0), since I have a pretty rompin stompin system (my C: volume is a RAID 0 array of SSDs) and the slowdown didn't cut noticeably into usability.

I believe Microsoft explained the slowdown back then as NTFS having been given some self-healing capabilities.  Interestingly, other operations - such as searching the entire volume for file data with a 3rd party program like grepWin - didn't seem to slow down equivalently.

For what it's worth I never had any file system problems before or after the change.

-Noel

And do you know if 8.0 is faster in Explorer performance compared to 7?

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