Create a partition on the current C: drive. Install w8 clean and new.

Do all the windows updates.

Start tweaking: stop the WMP sharing service,.... and the auto stuff: updates, defrag, performance testing,...

And then add the hardware, and then the software. Learn about how to get around.

Soon, I'm gonna do some in-place upgrades on other boxes to know what does and does not get through the metal detector.

============

Get at least 1 external disk for images and backups. Use often.

And: when using MS win imager: after it is finished, find the folder and rename it with the day's date. Otherwise the next image write over it.

j

I have a coupon for a 15 or 20 dollar win 8 upgrade. Been curious to how its working for people. I have been following these threads as of late. 

JSkeen


I have a coupon for a 15 or 20 dollar win 8 upgrade. Been curious to how its working for people. I have been following these threads as of late. 

You can't buy it yet. It hasn't been released. End of October is the target date. You can download and install the preview version, but I would only do that if you have a spare computer to use.  


I've used the Release Preview and its very different from Windows 7. There is definitely a learning curve involved. At this point, I'm undecided as to whether I like it or not although I've only used it a few times and it does take some getting used to. Its like when Vista came out and they moved everything around so that no matter how well you knew Windows XP, you had a lot to learn to use Vista. 

Do you have the latest Win8 release that doesn't allow you to boot to the desktop? If so how are you making out with metro? I think that's going to be a big issue for me. The interface formerly known as Metro may be ok for hand and lap held devices, but I want a traditional set up on my desktop. Good old MS being arrogant as hell again...

I start the computer
after a bit the OS boot menu is displayed
5 seconds and w8 boots
the LOCK screen is displayed
I click the mouse, or press escape
The login screen is displayed
I type the user name and press enter
THe TILE view is displayed
I click the "desktop" pad
The "desktop" is displayed
I click on the sonar shortcut and smile with joy

Or: at the tiles I click what ever I wanna, and the "desktop" is (usually) displayed and the program is started with a link placed on the taskbar.

The TILE screen ("metro) is the START-MENU. It can be bypassed by starting a program/notepad from the startup folder.

The TILE view is a 1-click menu, showing too many choices, and does not play well with moving shortcuts to folders.

Right click, click ALL and watch in horror as ALL shortcuts to ALL programs, ALL utilites, ALL accessories,,,, are displayed. Prolly like Hundreds, fur shur, for a reasonably loaded audio box.

$40 buys you the option to create a partition, install w8 and sonar,... and learn stuff you never wanted ta.

Is that so wrong???

j

So, this post really doesn't matter, but I found it interesting. Something has changed in Win 8 with the colors etc.  From this image you can see that some enabled text boxes have a disabled gray color to them and some have the enabled white color to them. It seems a bit arbitrary. I don't have an old version to check against, but I'm guessing in Win 7 the text boxes all have an enabled color if they are enabled.

Put a new mother board and ram in the music computer. And been configuring win8 with new drivers, having crashes, using utilities to identify the culprits (korg nano drivers are not ready), and I figger the video card/drivers are being petulent. Might need to replace the card.

For the UI, Lots of light grey on white.  Way stupid.

Most interesting:::  the color schemes are primarily pastel, NO 3D crap for windows,... No transparency. Except for the task bar which cannot be disabled. WTF?

But mostly, just the way I usually configure all my computers.

But the light colors on light colors is no doubt from letting graphic designers make final decisions. This is never to be allowed. They only care about "what it looks like" not "is the information easily and correctly conveyed."

Same with Sonar X1: the selected console strip is a slightly lighter grey, really annoying.

Sonar X1De is working fine. Except when the video driver restarts the computer.

jm24,

I was able to auto hide the bar at the bottom (task bar)... are we talking about the same thing? In windows 8, if you hover bottom left you can go to the start screen for apps... if you hover bottom right you see a big time date on the left and on the right you get access to settings (used to reach control panel and shutdown et al) devices, start, share and search. 

You can drag that bar from the bottom to the sides to the top to try to keep it out of your way... or in a place where realestate is less critically needed. I can see how it would be a bummer to have it popping up on you when you don't want it to.  

There are some window keys I find useful... Windows Key+f allows you to search files... Windows key plus type enters search for programs and files alike, but it requires an extra click to filter for what you are after. Windows Key + X can take you to device manager (disable wifi/video/web cams etc before recording), also mobility center which has a 'presenting' setting that will change your computers power settings so your screen doesn't sleep... I sometimes disable Microsoft ACPI Compliant Control Method Battery before recording. If you do this, the option for presenting mode goes away because it doesn't regard your computer as a laptop. I sometimes set the presenting mode, then disable the battery thingy. I usually also disable the NVidia GEForce Display Adapter on the laptop. The native display driver has less issues with DPC calls.

TMI?

I find transparency within Sonar (shift X to make floating windows transparent so you can use items beneath the floating window and still retrieve the floating window quickly using shift x again) works for plug ins that do not require the bit bridge. For example, it does not work for perfect space, but it does work for Channel tools. Doesn't work for Vintage Channel (32 bit) does work for TL64 Tube Leveler. This is only on x64, I'll bet, where you've installed the 64 bit version of Sonar.

I have the task bar on the left, and auto hide.

The transparancy cannot be disabled, so it is annoying to almost see the icons beneath. No transparancy anywhere else.

Thanks for the key tips.  Been using win+r to get at the run box.

And created 2 scripts for restart and shutdown. Way useful for remote access.

Am way annoyed about not being able to get to safe mode without first booting to regular mode.  Way stupid. Not useful.

Had 3 crash/reboots today. One when existing sonar, and one when attempting to start sonar.

I still figger it is the vid card. But????

Running some diags and tests now.