Archive
Windows 8 Release Preview is now available
Windows 8 Release Preview is now available. Product Key is required for installation. Located just beneath the ISO images.
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/iso
Have Fun!
Install W8RP using USB Stick: https://cameronmergel.wordpress.com/2012/03/18/install-w8cp-using-usb-stick/
Windows 8 Release Preview maybe available tomorrow 5/31
Looks like Microsoft may have leaked the release of Windows 8 Release Preview for May 31st on their Windows 8 Hardware and Driver blog. It has since been pulled. Ooops…
I will be checking it out tomorrow morning…
Installing Windows 8 CP on Asus B121 Part 2
In my previous post I installed Windows 8 Consumer Preview on the Asus B121. Now I am going to continue where we left off and install any missing drivers.
Open Device Manager to see what is missing.
1. From the new Windows 8 Start Screen, click on the Desktop icon.
2. Right click on the desktop and select Personalize.
3. Click the link in the upper left named “Change desktop icons”
4. Put a check under Control Panel and click Apply and then OK.
5. Double click Control Panel
6. Click on the the Hardware and Sound link.
7. Under Devices and Printers click on Device Manager.
This is a list of the drivers that Windows is unable to find.
Download all the Asus B121 Drivers from here.
Missing: Bluetooth Peripheral Device
Resolve: Download the Bluetooth Driver under Utilities. Extract and Install.
Missing: PCI Simple Communications Controller
Resolve: Connect to Windows Updates and install additional hardware. You should see two main hardware updates. This resolves your missing hardware.
Please note:
Screen Rotation is still not working.
The Keyboard Button (Hardware)
The Keyboard input
In Part 3 I will go over configuring the Volume button.
Other Tips and Tricks:
Be sure to disable Defrag here.
New Windows 8 Shortcut Keys here.
Who needs a Start Button here.
ASUS EP121 and B121 have the same exact SanDisk SSD
I was hoping to see an improvement in the SSD but the B121 is really the EP121 with a different Wireless/Bluetooth card and the TPM Chip. Other than that they look to be the same hardware.
SANDISK 64GB SSD P4
mSATA 50mm
SDSA4D4-064G
EP121 Specifications here.
B121 Specifications here.
I have upgraded to an Intel 310 80GB which has increased the performance drastically. You can buy here. A decent upgrade, but may not be worth the cost.
SANDISK 64GB SSD
Intel 310 80GB SSD
Windows Experience Index increased from a 5.9 to a 7.6
EP121
B121
Installing Windows 8 CP on Asus B121 Part 1
I had previously installed Windows 8 Consumer Preview on Asus EP121 here. Now putting it on the B121. I recently got my hands on the B121 model. It is very similar to the EP121 with the main difference the TPM Chip, Windows 7 Pro/Ult, along with some other paid features like LoJack, and a Asus cloud storage. Basically Asus is targeting this as a built for business. Pretty much identical to the EP121 so it will look the same.
Pre-Steps:
1. Download the Windows 8 Consumer Preview 64-bit here (3.3GB)
*Note: Be sure to grab the Product Key from the download page. Key is required for installation.
2. Create a bootable USB Stick. Download Windows 7 USB/DVD download tool here. This allows you to create a bootable USB stick with the downloaded iso file. This makes the process so easy. Click, click, walk away and boom, you have a bootable Windows 8 USB drive. I used a 8 GB USB stick that you can get for $10 at Walmart. Note: A 4 GB will work for both 32-bit and 64-bit.
Backup
1. Run Windows Image Backup and take a backup of your Windows 7 system so you can restore back if you want.
Install Process
1. Plug USB into Slate and start. The Slate will automatically recognize the USB stick and boot from it. No need to get into BIOS. I am also using a USB hub so I can run USB Mouse, Keyboard, and USB Stick.
2. Go through the usual installation options. I selected fresh Install (not an upgrade).
3. Once complete this is the lock screen. Love the blue…
This is the new start screen.
In my next post (Part 2) will go through and get drivers installed and configured.
Windows 8 Release Preview in June
The next release candidate update of Windows 8 was recently announced at the Technology Conference in Tokyo in April. Microsoft’s Steven Sinofsky announced Release Preview would be available the first week of June.
Current Release Dates
Windows 8 Developers Preview (September 2011)
Windows 8 Consumer Preview (February 2012)
Windows 8 Release Preview (June 2012)
Windows 8 RTM (October 2012?) Maybe…
Cameron Mergel 