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The introduction of Windows 8 in 2012 will change the way that users install their operating system with Telcos set to benefit from a Microsoft move to web based downloads.Currently Windows 7 is over 1GB in size with the new Windows 8 tipped to be larger. The move by Microsoft to a download model will eliminate the cost of manufacturing discs and packaging while simplifying the install process.
Retailers will simply sell an unlock code pack, a move that saves valuable floor space. Users will also be able to buy the unlock code from an online retail store.
Overnight Microsoft revealed several which they claim will make it easier for users of existing PCs to upgrade.
Writing in the Building Windows 8 blog, Christa St Pierre of Microsoft’s Setup and Deployment team outlined how there will be two setup user experiences; streamlined and advanced.
V3 in the UK said that streamlined setup is kicked off when a user starts the process from their old version of Windows and includes a web delivery option, while advanced setup is for users who want to do a clean install or custom configuration, and is entered by booting from a DVD or USB Flash drive.
“Most customers who buy a Windows upgrade from a retailer just want it to be fast and easy, but a few also want to be able to do some more complex things, such as setting up in a multi-boot configuration,” St Pierre wrote.
The web-based setup experience will first check the PC for compatibility issues, before an integrated download manager pulls down the setup files, according to Microsoft.
During the checks, setup will look for applications and devices known to work in Windows 8 and those that will not, and produces a report allowing the user to decide whether or not to purchase and install Windows 8 at that point.
Microsoft even claims that users will be able to uninstall a problem application, free up disk space or make configuration changes without having to quit the Windows installer.
