Upgrading to Windows 8.1

Upgrading Windows 8.1 pro Preview to the final released Windows 8.1 pro.

Should be easy, just go to the store, download it and follow the instructions.

So, I do a search in the store, but can't find it. I resort to a well known internet search site, and find some instructions. It's already not that simple, the Microsoft site wants to know how I installed it. I don't remember, but eventually I find a DVD labelled “Windows Blue 64 bit”, so I choose the instructions for “installed from iso”.

It wants me to buy it again. No, I already paid for Windows 8. The 8.1 upgrade should be free.

I need to start IE, and go to ms-windows-store:WindowsUpgrade and click download.

First it wants my password, but then it wants me to sign up to a Microsoft account. I already have one, but there's no option for that. I try all sorts, but eventually decide that you simply can't do this while logged into Windows with a local login. I need to log into my own pc with a Microsoft account.

Start again.

Boot up PC, log in using my Microsoft account and make sure all the updates for the current version are done.

Open the store and leave it running. This takes several goes, as it claims to not see the store.

Open IE and go to ms-windows-store:WindowsUpgrade

Then I can click download and the download starts, followed immediately by the upgrade installing without any pause to ask if I really want to do this.

It claims to preserve your files, but throw away all your installed programs, which it annoyingly calls “apps”. Then will need re-installing.

It takes an age, and does several restarts. During this, it wants some options choosing.

I choose custom, not express, because I want to see what it does.

I was right to be suspicious. I accept most of the defaults, but come to a page where it wants to share all my info with Microsoft. No thanks! I click all the switches to OFF.

I log in again using my Microsoft account, but for no apparent reason, it sends a security code to the secondary email address of my Microsoft account. Just as well I have another PC running, so I can retrieve this and enter it in the box.

And that's it. All I have to do now, is put my settings back to what they were, and re-install all my programs. (The default settings are seriously bad).

Before I shut down for the day (yes, it took all day), I notice the time is wrong. The TZ is set to Pacific time. (Seattle, presumably). I set it back to London, which is conveniently labelled UTC.

That's definitely it for today. No wonder business users are avoiding Windows 8!