OSNews: http://www.osnews.com/story/25989/Windows_8_s_new_startup_repair_options_detailed Exploring the Future of Computing en-us Copyright 2001-2013, David Adams adam+nospam@osnews.com Thu, 20 Jun 2013 06:49:14 GMT http://www.osnews.com/images/osnews.gif OSNews.com http://www.osnews.com What about the other keys? http://www.osnews.com/thread?519210 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519210 Only semi-related to the matter but I want to ask about it anyway... What happened to the spacebar and meta-key ("windows"-key for you others)? Vista's solution for not being able to detect F8 was to use spacebar since it's detection was much more reliable on wider range of systems. And Microsoft boasted the meta-key for Windows 8 even few months ago still. Now they're doing that menu thing which has it's good sides and probably a welcome change in itself for many.

http://blogs.msdn.com/b/windowsvistanow/archive/2008/12/05/the-spac... Thu, 24 May 2012 00:12:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (AnXa) Comments Nice language, dickheads. http://www.osnews.com/thread?519213 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519213 From the boot option screen pictured in TFA:
Use another operating system:
Continue with another installed version of Windows.

I see Microsoft still wants you to think that *they* produce the only operating systems in the world. Thu, 24 May 2012 00:51:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (UltraZelda64) Comments RE: Nice language, dickheads. http://www.osnews.com/thread?519227 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519227 It is the majority (and supported) case, and their loader only detects other Windows installations. Non-Windows OSes would need to be added manually to BCD.Edited 2012-05-24 04:46 UTC Thu, 24 May 2012 04:45:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (n4cer) Comments Superfast boot - until... http://www.osnews.com/thread?519234 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519234 your favourite OEM adds all the crapware to the install. Then it will take an age (relatively) to boot. Ample time to hit a few keys to interrupt it.

But really, in the grand scheme of things, what is a few seconds(say 5) where a message on the screen says 'Press F8 to interrupt this boot'.

This is the wrong answer to a question that has yet to be asked (IMHO) Thu, 24 May 2012 05:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (shotsman) Comments RE: Superfast boot - until... http://www.osnews.com/thread?519236 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519236 That still assumes that things will go wrong in a sufficiently high number. In the majority or use cases that is not or will no longer be the case, because of many self-healing improvements in Windows 8 and an improvement in general stability.

Still, there will be use cases â€" albeit a very, very small minority â€" that do need the boot menu, and for those there is still this possibility.

On the topic of OEMs adding slow programs, it wouldn't surprise me if Microsoft were to be disallowing this, for the sake of speed. But that is a speculation. Thu, 24 May 2012 06:25:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (harmhilvers) Comments press on startup http://www.osnews.com/thread?519241 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519241 I get that the startup process is so quick that there's not much to be gained from flashing up a press F8 to blah blah, but i would have thought an extra handy option might be to press and hold a button on startup / switch on, they are already working with the BIOS/UFEI operators . Thu, 24 May 2012 08:19:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (REM2000) Comments RE: press on startup http://www.osnews.com/thread?519252 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519252 and with a 8 second bootup there is enough time to tell the user to press whatever key during startup

but i guess an animated windows-logo is more important... Thu, 24 May 2012 09:53:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (smashIt) Comments RE: Nice language, dickheads. http://www.osnews.com/thread?519259 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519259 With 90+ % I don't see a reason why not. Considering Linux sits well under 1% and MacBooks being different beast.... Thu, 24 May 2012 10:39:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (Wafflez) Comments Comment by nutt http://www.osnews.com/thread?519260 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519260 How can this be a problem? Just hold something down while powering on. It's worked on Amigas and Macs for decades, why shouldn't a PC be able to do the same trick? Thu, 24 May 2012 10:41:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (nutt) Comments RE: Comment by nutt http://www.osnews.com/thread?519295 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519295 Some keyboards are too stupid to detect if a key is pressed when they're powered on. I verified this myself years ago in an electronics project, but they were all AT/PS2 keyboards (12+ years ago). Perhaps USB keyboards are smarter, who knows... Thu, 24 May 2012 16:38:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (biffuz) Comments RE: What about the other keys? http://www.osnews.com/thread?519301 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519301
What happened to the spacebar and meta-key ("windows"-key for you others)?


Meta = Alt, Super = Windows.

I can't really see why they are not detecting a pressed key while booting (modifier keys). It doesn't slow anything.

Edit: probably has to do with the fact that Windows 8 is targeting non keyboard devices, like tablets.Edited 2012-05-24 17:24 UTC Thu, 24 May 2012 17:22:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (sbenitezb) Comments RE[2]: Nice language, dickheads. http://www.osnews.com/thread?519323 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519323 The language used will make people *think* that the only other operating systems out there are... Windows. As if most people didn't already think that. And, of course, there is only ONE official provider/licensor of Windows operating systems. Just an extension of their monopoly, which apparently even they believe they have according to their wording. Well, I guess the wording really *will* be true on all ARM machines that come with Windows 8... since to be certified for Windows 8, they must disallow the computer itself from ever booting any other OS, even if the computer owner wants to, unless it is blessed by Thy Almighty Microsoft's Sacred Key. Linux? BSD? Solaris? Haiku? MINIX? ReactOS? Syllable? Nope, move along--only Windows can play within these walled playgrounds.

Windows 8 is reeking more of vendor lock-in than any version of Windows before it.Edited 2012-05-24 22:15 UTC Thu, 24 May 2012 22:08:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (UltraZelda64) Comments RE[2]: What about the other keys? http://www.osnews.com/thread?519390 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519390 Holding something pressed on powerup should work fine on tablets as well, just place your thumb firmly on one of the four corners and power it on. Each corner could have a different function. Fri, 25 May 2012 09:56:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (nutt) Comments RE[3]: Nice language, dickheads. http://www.osnews.com/thread?519562 http://www.osnews.com/thread?519562 As well-known as Mac OS/iOS, and Android are, anybody interested in booting another OS (and many who aren't) know there are more OSes than Windows available.

It's a niche use case for which most consumers have no interest. For those that need the capability, they already know there are more options than Windows, and as far as MS' role, they are only going to officially support their OSes. Sat, 26 May 2012 11:21:00 GMT donotreply@osnews.com (n4cer) Comments