Improvements are great, but I certainly can't use Win 8 here.

• MOTU PCI424 drivers crash in Win 8
• No driver support for Roland MIDI interfaces at all
• Much more susceptible to DPCs than Windows 7

On the same hardware, I found I could use USB peripherals in Windows 7 with no problem.  Those same devices seem to generate DPCs in Windows 8 that cause audio glitches I simply cannot solve.  This is even with updated drivers.

So none of those Win 8 improvements are of any use to me.

I find the new start menu to be mostly stupid compared to a properly organized start menu.

And I have to search for a bunch of arbitrarily moved settings.

And such stupid stuff as 2 different power settings dialogs.

And: I want to use adobe reader, not the metro APP.

But, the touch screen interface works fine for touch screens, sorta.

Except installing a bunch of programs results in dozens of tiles. And another dozens of hidden shortcuts, without a way to organize them.
 
And when the windows explorer is used to organize with new folders, some of the tiles icons are replaced with the default windows icon.

But I am really liking the total lack of 3D gui crap.

I have a sizeable amount of hardware so it is unlikely i will be rushing onto win8..

I suggest to all: create a new partition for w8.

Install essential drivers and programs.

update at least weekly and test

UPDATE...

I got jBridge working with Windows 8.  Essentially, Windows 8 creates a load of permissions issues for applications, plugins, etc.  I was able to fix this by doing the following:

1.  For all executables in the jBridge program folder --> Properties --> Run as Administrator

2.  Sonar X2 exe --> Properties --> Run as Administrator

3.  Run the jBridger.exe app.  Choose to store bridged plugins in a designated folder.  I put this folder just off of the Program Files\Cakewalk\ directory and called it MyBridgedPlugins.  I also made sure that the folder had Read/Write permissions (The /vstplugins directory is read-only but can be changed)

4.  Go back into Sonar and FOR ALL plugins that use jBridge, click plugin properties, uncheck "load with jBridge wrapper" and save.  Now, go back in an check "load with jBridge wrapper" and save.  This places the .jbridge files for each plugin in this new little folder you created in step 3. 

I know that some of this may be overkill, but it works!  I you have no permissions issues, you can probably skip steps 3 and 4.

cheers,
IanM

It was asked how FF800 works with Windows 8... someone already answered, but I can echo the fact it is working PERFECTLY for me on Windows 8.  I've never had to work about my RME equipment.  ROCK SOLID!

soundtweaker

Swiller


What exactly is the benefit of windows 8 over windows 7.
Having been buggered with a transition from xp to windows 7, with a Yamaha 01x and mlan becoming redundant , once bitten ...
But win 7 offered more than 4gb rAm and 64 bit so kinda worth it.
I don't see windows 8 offering anything like that milestone.
Kinda wondering whether it is real daft to upgrade to win 8. I mean why are people bothering??

Some Win 8 improvements.

Native USB 3.0 stack, reduced boot time, Significantly lower memory footprint, ability to boot from USB Flash drives, Storage Spaces (virtualized storage pools), a new files system (ReFS), improved SSD support and performance, Touchscreen support, built-in antivirus and spyware protection, improved automatic updating system (less frequent reboot required updates), built in support for creating system images and full system restore, Improved multi-monitor support, built-in ISO mounting, Instant-On and Improved Power Settings, built-in VHD mounting, built-in PDF support, automatic cloud based backup of system settings, personal files, and Metro applications, a new Apple Time Capsule like interface for Shadow Copy, drastically improved task manager, drastically improved file management allowing you to pause file copying jobs and finish them later, Secure Boot rootkit proof when combined with UEFI, Hyper-V, various reviews of the beta candidate builds confirm noticeably improved performance over Windows 7 SP1. And that's just a small sample of the various desktop related improvements.

My point exactly. Ie not worth the risk if you have kit with no win 8 drivers, or early ones just released. I am talking sonar, soundcards,vstis,editors etc. 
All of the above are not reasons to upgrade if you have a stable win 7 system. Most of the above are easily accommodated with third party software or spending the dollar on hardware upgrades such as ram. Lots you can totally live without, like instant on for example. Mine boots up in about 8 seconds, just enough time to scratch my bollox before I write the next multi million selling album. FireWire seems severely lacking and no USB 3 soundcards on the market yet to replace them. I suppose my point is, it's a bit silly to dive in at a cost, when the benefits simply are in no way tangible yet, in fact you could argue it is more liklely to be detrimental to an existing studio setup. For me there is nothing beneficial yet for owners of a daw.
:)

Hi there,ALL knowing ones,
I have absolutely NO intention of moving/$pending more money,to move to W8[Windows 7 on 2 machines,1x H.Premium x64,1xProfessional x64],after the last few months of internet "impulse" buying of Waves plugins,even though I apparently got $2,200 of plugs/bundles,for a total of $660,by using the $200 "voucher" offer's,and other "1 off" deals,all through the Waves online store.

Of course,I also upgraded to X2[an absolute bargain at $99]and bought yet another Audio Interface-a cheap[for here]$279,inc. shipping-N.I. Komplete Audio 6 USB 2.0,which I have to say,is performing excellently,especially for the price,and can track with THD/Amplitube/Guitar Rig,plus other plugs,in "real time" NO problem[without resorting to "direct monitoring,which was impossible with my UA-25EX USB 1.1,on my laptop].

Anyway,before going even more wildly"off topic",I'm asuming I can continue with Windows 7 for the forseeable future?[W7 is my FIRST EVER foray into computing,albeit a couple months on a P3/XP machine,before entering DAW/SONAR land at my join date]

So although it's 18 months with X1 Studio,X1d Producer Exp.,and now X2 PE.,I'm still,pretty much a newby to computing in general,and don't need/want,to move to Windows 8,and as with those who are still clinging to "XP",I'm [desperately]hoping,I won't be forced to change,for quite a while,is "this"going to be possible?? 
Cheeries
Bob

Swiller

soundtweaker

Swiller


What exactly is the benefit of windows 8 over windows 7.
Having been buggered with a transition from xp to windows 7, with a Yamaha 01x and mlan becoming redundant , once bitten ...
But win 7 offered more than 4gb rAm and 64 bit so kinda worth it.
I don't see windows 8 offering anything like that milestone.
Kinda wondering whether it is real daft to upgrade to win 8. I mean why are people bothering??

Some Win 8 improvements.

Native USB 3.0 stack, reduced boot time, Significantly lower memory footprint, ability to boot from USB Flash drives, Storage Spaces (virtualized storage pools), a new files system (ReFS), improved SSD support and performance, Touchscreen support, built-in antivirus and spyware protection, improved automatic updating system (less frequent reboot required updates), built in support for creating system images and full system restore, Improved multi-monitor support, built-in ISO mounting, Instant-On and Improved Power Settings, built-in VHD mounting, built-in PDF support, automatic cloud based backup of system settings, personal files, and Metro applications, a new Apple Time Capsule like interface for Shadow Copy, drastically improved task manager, drastically improved file management allowing you to pause file copying jobs and finish them later, Secure Boot rootkit proof when combined with UEFI, Hyper-V, various reviews of the beta candidate builds confirm noticeably improved performance over Windows 7 SP1. And that's just a small sample of the various desktop related improvements.

My point exactly. Ie not worth the risk if you have kit with no win 8 drivers, or early ones just released. I am talking sonar, soundcards,vstis,editors etc. 
All of the above are not reasons to upgrade if you have a stable win 7 system. Most of the above are easily accommodated with third party software or spending the dollar on hardware upgrades such as ram. Lots you can totally live without, like instant on for example. Mine boots up in about 8 seconds, just enough time to scratch my bollox before I write the next multi million selling album. FireWire seems severely lacking and no USB 3 soundcards on the market yet to replace them. I suppose my point is, it's a bit silly to dive in at a cost, when the benefits simply are in no way tangible yet, in fact you could argue it is more liklely to be detrimental to an existing studio setup. For me there is nothing beneficial yet for owners of a daw.
:)

Yea if you dont want better performance Windows 8 is not for you.