Download Windows 8 Free Developer Preview
Today Microsoft is showing preview of Windows 8 at BUILD conference and here is a great news for all people who are eagerly waiting to try their hands on Windows 8.
Microsoft has released Windows 8 Developer Preview build to public which can be downloaded using following link:
Download Windows 8 Developer Preview Build
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The Developer Preview of Windows 8 will expire on March 11th, 2012 so you can enjoy it for approx. 6 months.
According to Microsoft:
Windows 8 Developer Preview is a pre-beta version of Windows 8 for developers. These downloads include pre-release software that may change without notice. The software is provided as is, and you bear the risk of using it. It may not be stable, operate correctly or work the way the final version of the software will. It should not be used in a production environment. The features and functionality in the pre-release software may not appear in the final version. Some product features and functionality may require advanced or additional hardware, or installation of other software.
You can download both 32-bit and 64-bit editions. The download also includes a 64-bit (x64) build with development tools to build apps. The download also includes a suite of sample applications which are merely illustrations of potential apps, not apps that Microsoft intends to ship with Windows 8.
Please note that “Windows 8 Developer Preview with Developer Tools” doesn’t support upgrade from Windows XP, Vista or 7. You’ll need to do a clean install.
If you want to upgrade existing Windows version to Windows 8, you’ll need to use either 32-bit or 64-bit edition of Windows 8 Developer Preview without Developer Tools. One more thing to keep in mind! If you upgrade from Windows Vista or 7, Windows 8 will keep your accounts, files and settings but if you upgrade from Windows XP, Windows 8 will only keep your accounts and files but not settings.
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This is a developer preview release and is not meant for production. It is not even a beta release. Microsoft confirms that they’ll be updating the release with various quality updates and drivers over the coming weeks / months to test their overall update and telemetry mechanisms.
You can learn more about new features in Windows 8 using official Windows 8 Fact sheet and guide released by Microsoft:
Download Windows 8 Developer Preview Guide (PDF)
Download Windows 8 Developer Preview Guide (XPS)
Update: The PDF and XPS guides have been removed by Microsoft.
I am trying to install windows 8, and then it needs activation key…So far, I’ve tried all the posted product keys on the block but it doesn’t want to be resolved.
^^ Windows 8 final version has been released and now you’ll need to purchase the license key from Microsoft.
Iv heard of People useing Windows 7 Explorer in Windows 8 Explorer to get the effect of no metro, but it has a few flaws.
Iv read more around and seen topics about useing Windows 8 Explorer from the Developer preview that allows disabling the metro and useing a functional start menu.
Does anyone have any good ideas about how to do this or know anyone else makeing a Automatic installer.
^^ Thats not recommended as you may face several dependency problems. Better to use software like Classic Shell to disable Metro stuff.
My Lenovo laptop Win8 English is from last year’s United States brought back, friends helped put in Office 20,071 time, Excel prompts the need to report soon, Lenovo repair shop not long ago to help recover your system, say into Win7 to 399 Yuan, such as loading Office subject to payment. Which Office software for my mobile? Please help
VG is right. Dependency issues may occur.
That said, Ex7forW8 is a great utility & if you have Windows 8.0, it seems nice to see Windows 7 Start Menu back in 8.
If you are using Win 8.1, you are out of luck, it won’t work (not even with compatibility mode).
There is definitely an interest in Win 8 DP, because of the ability to utilize the RPEnabled key to enable start menu, but this doesn’t work in CP or final release because they took out this ability.
Whether it is the result of registry keys they removed, changing explorer.exe, or both, it is hard to know for certain.
Perhaps the only way to know for sure, is if someone installed 8 DP, then exported HKCU + HKLM branches (In sections, IE: Software, classes, etc)…
Then, also export the system files area & import gradually to a normal Win 8 to see when it allows the start menu RP Enabled key to be used again.
Alternatively, I suppose they could test importing Win 8 files into 8 DP till they find which keys/files imported cause RP Enabled to disable via Replacer or some other utility to replace locked system files.
Theoretically, since someone has already discovered how to import XP image viewer into x32/64 Vista/7/8/10, this would work (Should they figure which keys & files are necessary) though it would take time to research.
Alternatively, you could also switch to Xubuntu, Linux Mint, Elementary OS, or some other Linux OS.