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Get Hands-On With The Next Version Of Windows

If you’re the type of person who likes to test drive several models before you settle on a new car or walk around the store wearing a new pair of shoes before you decide to buy, then you probably want to see what Windows 8 will be like before you install it. Well, you’re in luck. The Windows 8 CP (Consumer Preview) is Microsoft’s way of giving us a taste of what’s to come in the retail version of Windows 8. (At press time, Microsoft announced that the Windows 8 Release Preview— formerly known as the Release Candidate—would be available the first week of June; the Release Preview is typically the last test version before the retail version is released.) Read on for our step-by-step instructions on how to download and install the Windows 8 CP.

Step 1

The first step in getting an early look at Windows 8 is to visit Microsoft’s download site. 

Click the Get It Now button and then click the Download Windows 8 Consumer Preview button on the following page. (If you’d like, you can input your email address and region and click the privacy terms agreement checkbox to subscribe to Microsoft’s Windows 8-specific newsletter.)

Step 2

When the installer finishes downloading, launch it and click Run when you see the Open File Security Warning. The software proceeds to check your computer’s compatibility with the Windows 8 CP and displays a report of the number of installed programs that will work fine and the number that won’t.

Step 3

To view the report, click See The Compatibility Report and take note of any items in the Need Your Attention category. These applications won’t work natively in the Windows 8 CP. You may have to reinstall these applications after the Windows 8 setup completes or find versions that support Windows 8. In our test, the only application that was a problem was the software that accompanies our AMD Radeon HD graphics card, but AMD offers a Windows 8 CP-compatible version of the driver. To print or save this page for later reference, click the appropriate buttons at the bottom of the screen. Click Close when you’re ready to proceed and then click Next in the

setup wizard.

Step 4

When you see the Windows 8 CP product key, write it down and then click Next to initiate the download. When the download completes, the utility will spend a few moments checking the download and getting files ready.

Step 5

Next, you’ll see a screen that gives you the option to Install Now, Install On Another Partition, or Install Later.

Click the radio button for your preferred option and then click Next. For the remainder of this tutorial, we’ll follow the Install On Another Partition procedure. This way, you don’t risk overwriting your current Windows with one that will expire shortly. If you select Install Later, the setup wizard will close. You can relaunch it anytime by double-clicking the Install Windows shortcut on your Desktop.

Step 6

To install the Windows 8 CP on another partition, you’ll need to burn the ISO (International Organization for Standardization) file to a DVD or use a USB flash drive that is 3GB or larger. Click the radio button adjacent to the option you want and then click Next. We chose to use a flash drive, so the rest of this tutorial will follow that procedure.

Step 7

Plug a 3GB or larger USB flash drive into an available USB port and the setup wizard will detect it. If more than one flash drive is detected, make sure you click the appropriate one and then click Next. A pop-up dialog box will warn you that all data on the flash drive will be deleted if you proceed. Click Yes to continue.

The setup wizard will then create a bootable USB Flash drive that will install the Windows 8 CP on your PC. Once complete, you’ll get another glimpse of the product key.

Step 8

Now, restart your PC and get ready to access your BIOS (Basic Input/Output System) Setup Menu by pressing the designated key during boot. The navigation and option titles in the BIOS Setup Utility differ greatly among PCs, so the following steps will also vary. Pressing DELETE, F1, or F2 will typically get you into the BIOS, but the correct keystroke will often appear on-screen during boot. Once in the BIOS Setup Utility, you need to make the USB flash drive your first boot device, so look for a menu option such as Boot Sequence, Boot Priority, or Boot Menu. Frequently, the BIOS Setup Utility displays how to change the boot priority once you’ve accessed the correct menu; common ways to change boot sequence include highlighting the USB flash drive option and pressing the Plus key (+) or PAGE UP key to move it to the top of the list. Save changes and reset, typically by pressing F12.

Step 9

As the system boots from the USB flash drive, the Windows 8 beta fish logo appears on-screen followed by the Windows Setup language and locale options screen. Click Next to proceed.

Click Install Now on the following screen and then input your Windows 8 CP product key on the next screen.

Click Next to review the license terms, click I Accept, and then click Next.

Step 10

On the Which Type Of Installation Do You Want screen, click Custom (unless you plan to overwrite your current Windows installation). Click the storage partition upon which you plan to install the Windows 8 CP and then click Next to complete the install. It may take 20 minutes or more depending on your hardware specs, but when the installation finishes, you’ll be able to personalize your new Windows 8 system, configure security and updating settings, and link your installation to a Microsoft account.

What The Future Holds

The procedure for installing the Windows 8 CP is a lot like installing any new operating system. When you’re finished, however, you’ll get a real feel for the direction Microsoft plans to take the personal computer later this year and beyond.

When Will Microsoft Release The Retail Version Of Windows 8?

Windows 8 is slated to launch in October 2012.

When Will The Windows 8 Consumer Preview Expire?

Start by pressing the Windows Key and the R keys simultaneously to open the Run dialog box. Next, type winver and press the ENTER key. According to our system, the Windows 8 CP will expire Jan. 16, 2013.

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