Complete Windows 8 Guide

Windows 8 has proved that its better than its predecessors windows 7 ,XP and Vista.In this article we will list out all the Tutorials and How to Guides related to Windows 8 Operating System.

Downloading Windows 8:

Microsoft first released the preview editions of windows 8 then finally released the Professional Edition on August 1st 2012.Since its release it has got a great hype.

• If you want to try windows 8 then you can try Pro Edition for free for 90 days.
• You can also buy full version of Windows 8 Professional Pack from Here.

Installation:

You can install windows 8 on your computer in different ways based on your need and convenience.

• Install Windows 8 on virtual box to test its features.
• You can mount ISO image of downloaded windows 8 edition and format your PC with usual bootable CD method.
• In case if you dont want to go ahead with Bootable CD method then you can also install windows 8 via usb/pendrive.
• You can also run Windows 8 in parallel to the existing OS on your PC.All you have to do is to format your PC using the same traditional bootable method but here you have to choose a different hard drive i.e Other than C Drive which is already loaded with the existing Operating system.So you have to choose drive other than C while formatting your personal computer.

Windows 8 Activation and Keys:

Almost all the editions of windows 8 comes with trial period.Windows 8 pro edition comes with a 90 days trial.

• If in case you want to extend the trial edition of Windows 8 Pro then you can Rearm Windows 8 to extend its trial period.
• If you are using any of the old editions of Windows 8 then you can also try these official serial keys to activate your windows product.

Windows 8 Customization:

Windows 8 itself is a very colourful and attractive operating system.It also offers many features to customize windows 8 based upon your interest.

• Here is a complete guide on Customizing Windows 8 Start Screen.
• Get Gadgets back in Windows 8.
• Customize the number of Rows of Tiles on Windows 8 Start Screen.

Some More Windows 8 Tips and Tricks:

• Add Shutdown and Reboot Buttons.
• Useful Windows 8 Tweaks and Keyboard Shortcuts.
• How to Edit Hosts file in Windows 8.

Windows 8 Video Tutorials:

Final Words:

Here we have listed all the basic guides to get started with Windows 8.If you want any more guides let us know in your comments we will update the article with what you want.

Rearm Windows 8 Enterprise Evaluation to Extend 90 Days Trial for Free

Microsoft has officially released evaluation edition for free for 90 days.It comes with all the features of Windows 8 Pro Edition.In this post we will discuss how to extend 90 days trial of Windows 8 pro and use it for 90 more days.So in total 90+90=180 Days.

If you don't know Rearm is a inbuilt feature of windows 8 which will extend the trial period of all editions of Windows 8.This methods isn’t anything cracking or illegal method to activate Windows 8.If you want to continue trial version for some more days, re-arm Windows 8 Evaluation version.

How to Extend Windows 8 90 Days Trial: 

• If you have not yet downloaded windows 8 edition then you can Download Windows 8 PRO Edition for Free from here.
• Once you download the Enterprise Edition and install it on your PC you can use it for trial for 90 days for free.
• A watermark will be visible on the bottom right corner of the desktop background showing the number of days remaining for activation.
• Once the trial period is over you will be demanded to buy windows 8 pro edition.If you don't want to buy and use it for trial for some more days then follow the below steps.
• Once the trial period is over you need to re-arm your windows 8 edition to extend the trial.This feature was available for windows 7 and Microsoft office as well.

Follow below steps to Re-arm Windows 8 Edition:

• Once you notice the trial period is over or about to complete you need to re-arm to use it for 90 more days for free.

Windows 8 trial edition before running the command

• First open Command Prompt(CMD).The most important thing to execute this operation is to Run command prompt as Administrator.

• Once command prompt pops out run the following command.

Run this command:  slmgr /rearm

• As soon as you run the command you will get a pop up notification to restart your PC.

• Once you restart your PC it will set to 90 days trial again.

It is recommended to run this command on the 89th day so that you will get more 90 days from that day.

Extended Trial after running the command

Few more Commands: 

There are few more commands to check the activation details of your windows Operating system.

To check the current license information of Windows 8:    slmgr /dli
To check the detailed information of the current license type:  slmgr /dlv
To check the expiration date of the current license:  slmgr /xpr

Conclusion:

Instead of using cracked or pirated versions of windows 8 editions it is wise to use genuine techniques to use full windows 8 features for free.In my upcoming articles I will be sharing more articles on Windows 8.

• Also Check:Windows 8 Serial Keys(Product Key).

If you are having any trouble with windows 8 activation let us know through your comments.

How to Edit Hosts File in Windows 8 ,7

• Are you looking for how to edit host file in Windows 8,then you are at the right place.Editing host file in Windows 8 is almost similar as editing host file in Windows 7.

What is a Hosts File?

Just in case if you don't know ,a Host file is where you can manually enter a Hostname and IP to manually bypass a DNS Server.Generally to block a website.

• Also Read:How to Access Blocked Websites at Work.

Steps to Edit Hosts File in Windows 7:

1.In windows 7 click on start and then search for Notepad.

2.Now you need to right click and then choose Run as Administrator.

3.Now in Notepad click on File -> Open.

4.Now a new windows will pop-up.In this windows follow the below navigation.

Local Disk C:>Windows>System 32>Drivers>Etc.Change the File Type from .txt file to All files.Then the Hosts File Will Show Up.

5.Now select the hosts file and edit as you want.

Steps to Edit Hosts File in Windows 8:

1.In windows 8 start button is absent so here you need to hover to right and wait for the Charms Bar to appear.

2.Choose the option Search in Charms Bar and now search for Notepad.

3.After Notepad tile shows up ,Right click on it and then choose Run as Administrator at the bottom.

4.Now a windows will popup for confirmation.Choose yes.

5.After this all the steps are similar as in Windows 7.

6.Now in Notepad click on File -> Open.

7.Now a new windows will pop-up.In this windows follow the below navigation.

Local Disk C:>Windows>System 32>Drivers>Etc.Change the File Type from .txt file to All files.Then the Hosts File Will Show Up.

8.Now select the hosts file and edit as you want.

If you have any trouble in editing hosts file, let us know in your comments.

• Must Read:Complete guide to customize windows 8 start screen.

How To Get Gadgets Back in Windows 8

Gadgets are like mini widgets which offer information at a glance and provide easy access to frequently used tools. Microsoft introduced Gadgets for the first time in Windows Vista, however there was a big improvement in the usability and functionality of Gadgets in Windows 7.

Unfortunately, Microsoft decided to remove the gadgets from their latest operating system i.e. Windows 8. This was a shocking news for all the users who loved gadgets and used them frequently.

But here is some good news for them. We are here with a freeware which will help you to get your awesome gadgets back in Windows 8. 

The freeware is named Windows 8 Desktop Gadgets and comes from WinAero, who are one of the leading names in Windows Customization software's. 

• You can download the app directly from here.

Here's how to get back Gadgets in Windows 8:

(1) Once the app has been downloaded to your computer, extract the ZIP file to get the installer. 

(2) Then go ahead and run the installer named DesktopGadgets.N.

(3) Here select your desired language and click OK. 

(4) Now click on Next and and let the installer complete installation.

(5) Once the installation has completed, right click on the desktop and Voila you will see Gadgets option in the right click menu, just like Windows 7.

Now you can add the gadgets the same way you were used to do in Windows 7. 

• Complete Guide to Customize Windows 8 Start Screen.

Complete guide for Customizing Windows 8 Start Screen

Windows 8, the latest operating system from Microsoft, features a brand new Start screen as a replacement for the Start button. The new Start screen acts as a dashboard where one can pin the apps and files they want. The tiles of these new metro apps are live and update themselves in real time which makes the Start Screen act as a live dashboard reflecting all the latest info.

Unlike previous versions of Windows, Windows 8 features a lot of customization options. Not only Windows 8 features a lot of customization options, but the best part is that the steps to customize Windows 8 are very easy and aren't complicated at all. The same is true for Start Screen as well. You can customize the start screen to look like the way you want. You can customize Start screen to every bit. From changing the background color to re-arranging tiles and all this can be done without any hassle.

There are several guides available on the net which help you to customize your Windows 8 Start screen but we decided to come up with a mega guide that will provide you all the info you want at one place. So, let's get started.

How to change the Background color of Start Screen:

To change the background Color of Start Screen follow the below mentioned steps:

(1) First of all take your mouse pointer to top right corner and wait for the charms bar to arrive.

(2) Once the charm bar appears, select Settings charm.

(3) Then select Change PC Settings Option.

(4) This will take you to the new Control Panel. Here in the Personalize tab, click on Start Screen option.

(5) At the bottom, you can see a bar representing several colors. You can select any color of your choice from the bar and that color will instantly become your Start screen's color.

How To change the Start screen accent:

In Windows 8, you can easily change the accent/pattern of Start screen to make it look entirely different. Here's how you can do it:

(1) First of all take your mouse pointer to top right corner and wait for the charms bar to arrive.

(2) Once the charm bar appears, select Settings charm.

(3) Then select Change PC Settings Option.

(4) This will take you to the new Control Panel. Here in the Personalize tab, click on Start Screen option.

(5) At the bottom, you can see a bar representing all patterns. You can select any pattern of your choice from the bar and that pattern will instantly become your Start screen's accent.

How to make the tile of any application smaller:

You can make the size of the pinned tile of an app smaller as per your wish. Here's how that can be done.

(1) First of all switch to the start screen and right click on the tile you wish to make smaller.

(2) Once you right click, a bar will appear from the bottom. Just select the smaller option from the menu and the tile will become small instantly.

How to make the tile of any application larger:

You can make the size of the pinned tile of an app larger as per your wish. Here's how that can be done.

(1) First of all switch to the start screen and right click on the tile you wish to make larger.

(2) Once you right click, a bar will appear from the bottom. Just select the larger option from the menu and the tile will become large instantly.

• Must Check:How to add Shutdown and Reboot buttons to Start Menu
• Customize The Number of Rows of Tiles on Start Screen

How to Add a Shutdown,Reboot Buttons to Windows 8 Start Screen

Windows 8, the latest operating stem from Microsoft has tried to unify the experience from Tablets to laptops and to desktops. This Operating system is way more touch friendly than its predecessors and has with its sleek approach to simplify all the day to day tasks.

However, there is one point where this Operating System didn't performed as per the expectations of the users. And that point is the ease with which one can Shutdown or restart the system. In earlier versions of Windows, user just need to click on the Start button and select the Shutdown option to shutdown the system. However that is not the case with Windows 8 as Windows 8 does not feature any Start button. In fact the Start button has been replaced by the Start screen. So, to Shutdown the system, one has to Go to the Power option under the Settings charm and then select the Shutdown option. Lengthy, isn't it?

So, today we are here with a tutorial following which you can add a Shutdown and Reboot tile to your Windows 8 Start Screen so that the whole process becomes simple and you get to shutdown or restart your system just with one click. So lets get started.

Check out the video tutorial on adding Shutdown and Reboot buttons to Windows 8 Start Screen:

Follow the steps to Add Shutdown and Restart Buttons:

(1) First of all launch Notepad. This can be done by pressing Win Key+R which will call up the run dialogue box and then type notepad and hit enter. Or you can even search for notepad from the start screen and then launch it.

(2) Then copy and paste the below given text to notepad.

set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
strStartMenu = WshShell.SpecialFolders("StartMenu")
set oShellLink = WshShell.CreateShortcut(strStartMenu & "\Shutdown.lnk")
oShellLink.TargetPath = "%systemroot%\System32\shutdown.exe"
oShellLink.Arguments = "-s -t 0"
oShellLink.WindowStyle = 1
oShellLink.IconLocation = "%systemroot%\System32\shell32.dll,27"
oShellLink.Description = "Shutdown Computer (Power Off)"
oShellLink.WorkingDirectory = "%systemroot%\System32\"
oShellLink.Save
Set oShellLink = Nothing
set oShellLink = WshShell.CreateShortcut(strStartMenu & "\Log Off.lnk")
oShellLink.TargetPath = "%systemroot%\System32\shutdown.exe"
oShellLink.Arguments = "-l"
oShellLink.WindowStyle = 1
oShellLink.IconLocation = "%systemroot%\System32\shell32.dll,44"
oShellLink.Description = "Log Off (Switch User)"
oShellLink.WorkingDirectory = "%systemroot%\System32\"
oShellLink.Save
Set oShellLink = Nothing
set oShellLink = WshShell.CreateShortcut(strStartMenu & "\Restart.lnk")
oShellLink.TargetPath = "%systemroot%\System32\shutdown.exe"
oShellLink.Arguments = "-r -t 0"
oShellLink.WindowStyle = 1
oShellLink.IconLocation = "%systemroot%\System32\shell32.dll,176"
oShellLink.Description = "Restart Computer (Reboot)"
oShellLink.WorkingDirectory = "%systemroot%\System32\"
oShellLink.Save
Set oShellLink = Nothing
Wscript.Echo "Created Shutdown, Restart and Log Off buttons"

(3) Now click on the Save As option in the File menu and in the File name enter Shutdown.vbs Don't forget to enter .vbs

(4) Next in the file type, select All files and click on the Save option.

(5) Then switch to the location where you saved the file and run the file once. The file will open for a second and then will automatically disappear.

(6) Now switch to the Start Screen and Voilla. You will see that the Tiles of Shutdown, Restart and Log Off have been automatically pinned there and now with one click you can Shutdown or restart your system.

• Also Check:Customize The Number of Rows of Tiles on Windows 8 Start Screen

Windows 8: Customize The Number of Rows of Tiles on Start Screen

Windows 8, one of the most innovative project of Microsoft, features a new Start screen instead of the traditional Start button. This new Start screen acts as a Dashboard and connects you with the stuffs you need.

Along with that, the Start screen provides a very easy and efficient way to launch Metro as well as desktop apps. One can pin the tile of any app to the start screen and can launch it from there. The Start screen automatically arranges the Tiles in a row, depending on the resolution of your computer. However if you are a person who likes to customize stuffs, you will be glad to know that there is a workaround to customize the number of rows of tiles, making it look as per your wish.

Sounds good?So, let's get started. Just follow the below mentioned steps.to get the work done.

Steps to Customize The Number of Rows of Tiles on Start Screen:

(1) Search for Regedit on the Start screen and launch the Registry editor.

(2) When the registry editor launches, Switch to

HKEY_CURRENT_USER / Software / Microsoft / Windows / CurrentVersion / ImmersiveShell / Grid

(3) In the Grid folder, right click and select create a new DWORD(32-bit) Value option.

(4) Rename the DWORD value to Layout_MaximumRowCount 

P.S: Just copy and paste the above value to avoid errors.

(5) Now, double click the DWORD value and here you can enter any number between 2 to 5. The number here represents the number of rows of tiles you want, for instance entering 3 here will make the number of rows 3.

When you are done with this, just restart the system for the update to take place. 

• Also Check:Windows 8 Tweaks and Keyboard Shortcuts.

Problems Encountered During and After Installation of Windows 8

Windows 8 is a new OS from Microsoft that is designed for offering gestural experiences to the users of computers and Smartphone. Just like in the Smartphone's or tablets, the operating system allow one to do almost everything from their start screens viz. checking news and weather updates, sharing photos and videos, capturing video and images, downloading applications, listening and/or downloading music, instant messaging, emails, updating Facebook, twitter and other social sites, running a disk de-fragmentation etc.

Window 8 has become very popular within the very few days of release. More than 5 millions of upgrades that have been sold a few days after the release. Even though it might take time for some of the customers to get acquainted to the features of window 8, it is expected to be very easy to use and understand when installed in their computer once they understand it.

Just like windows 7, this windows it offer the user the option of having a clean installation or upgrading from the previous version.It allows one to choose the desired option. It all begins with happiness after upgrading the personal computer to windows 8, but later one may start experiencing some problems during the installation or after completion of installation.

Black/Blank Screen after Installation:

Among major problems faced by computer users after installation of windows 8 is the blank screen. Many of them are left wondering what might have gone wrong since the installation was successful. It has been noted that the installation of Windows 8 goes well without a problem and the blank screen only appear afterwards. The computer user might not have an idea of the procedure they have skipped. When one is faced with the problem of the blank screen, they could get assistance from windows 8 support. One can also apply the following steps to fix this problem. The problem can be solved by creating a bootable DVD or USB and then try installing it. In case it does not fix the problem, make changes to the settings of the computer BIOS by making it play and plug operating system enabled. Ensure that the security software like the firewall and antivirus are disabled.

Missing Important Driver or Files:

It is common to receive an error message of being the installation process being unable to take place because there are missing drivers and the error requests the BIOS to be entered during or after the installation process. The problem is mainly during the selection of the disk to install the OS. The problem can be solved by holding on the Alt key on hearing a beep when the computer is rebooting. The key should be held until a whirling gear is seen and then the OS is selected as the start up drive. The method is only applicable when installing windows 8 on MacBook air.

Failed Upgrade

The problem of failed upgrade is usually attributed to several things. The user should ensure that their computer meets minimum requirement for their system to hold windows 8. The antivirus and firewall should be disabled to allow the upgrade to go smoothly. The Internet connection should be strong enough to complete the installation process. A valid license key of the OS should also be available. When using the touch functionality, one should ensure that their computer is able to support the multi-touch.
When facing problems with upgrading windows 8, it is advisable to have a clean installation. If the problem persists, the user can seek expert help from the windows 8 support. After solving the above problems, Windows 8 will allow you to explore your computer world.

Some more windows 8 Guides:

• Install Windows 8 Via USB/Pendrive.
• Test Windows 8 on Virtual Box.

About the Author:Fahad Junaid Khattak writes about everything from technology to gaming. He found out about mobile games to try it on and enjoy.

How to Install Windows 8 from USB Drive

Windows 8 has made a grand and promising entry in the market as increasing number of users are going to benefit with this operating system. The highly sophisticated way of installing the operating system is by taking the assistance of bootable USB drive.

• If you have not yet downloaded then download windows 8 now.

Motherboards these days support boot options and hence, it is necessary to arm our esteemed users the correct method to make one. Although, market is flooded with free softwares which people can use to make these drives, but hardly any one is able to function properly. Hence, it necessitates to tell you an effective, hassle free and effective method so that USB is easily created.

There are many ways to make a bootable USB/Pendrive.Here we will be discussing an easy way and also the old traditional way which is a little complicated method to create a Bootable Pendrive.After making a bootable drive then the process to install windows 8 is very simple.

1.Installing Windows 8 Using WinToBootic:

WinToBootic indeed works amazingly well as it creates pen drive bootable by which windows 8 can be installed without any sort of problems or worries.

Following are the ways to install it:

• It is important to download WinToBootic and get the program installed
• Now, as you run the program, there will be a window which will pop similar to what has been show in the figure below

This is the time when the software is going to detect the thumb drive. If in case it does not, then you need to go to drop down and select your source by clicking on arrow . One thing you need to make sure is that your thumb drive is formatted in NTFS format. It can be easily done at the start of computer (START+E). Thereby, click right on thumb drive. After all, you need to click on format and choose NTFS mode and finally by clicking on “OK” you will format the drive very easily and convincingly as well.

As you drag iso file onto it, it  will look similar to the figure below

Now, the moment you click “Do it”, there will be a pop up which is shown below. You have to be quite sure that your drive is correct and that every thing is in order as well. 

Now, after you click “OK”, the process will start and the software is going to copy Windows 8 to the pen drive.

There are more installing pictures in order to help you understand in a clear and concise way as well.

Hence, you will be able to install windows 8 from the bootable usb drive.

Traditional old Method to create a bootable USB Drive:

You need the following things

4 GB+ USB flash drive

Windows 8 ISO file or DVD

A PC with Vista, Windows 7, or Windows 8 OS

1. Now, as all the items are available, you need to access your drive and ensure backup of those files which were previously on the drive
2. Secondly, you need to Navigate to Start> All Programs> Accessories, thereby click on Command Prompt and finally select Run as administrator. Click on “Yes” if you receive UAC prompt.

3. This specific task can be accomplished as you type “cmd” in the start menu search box along with pressing Ctrl+ Shift + Enter
4. As soon as the command prompt is up and running in the following way, press enter

Windows 8 DISKPART

5. The next step is to type in LIST DISK and for checking disk number for your connected USB, you need to hit Enter. In order to help you understand a bit more clearly, I have used my USB drive as “1”. You can crosscheck for the correct drive against their sizes”

You need to make utmost sure that DISKPART in any case has detected USB flash drive. However, if it has not been detected or you are facing any sort of problem, then the best thing you can do is to reconnect your USB by following the aforesaid steps once again.

Space

Following are the list of commands which you have to run and hit “Enter” after each of them so that it can easily be able to run:

SELECT DISK 1 (your USB disk number might vary)

CLEAN

CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY

SELECT PARTITION 1

ACTIVE

FORMAT FS=NTFS

(The time varies as it depends on the size of the drive)

 ASSIGN

EXIT

Now, you need to proceed towards the next step. You do not have to close the command prompt window.

6. In order to access the windows 8 ISO file, you have to mount it to virtual drive

As soon as the ISO is mounted, you need to take note of the drive letter for the virtual drive

If in case you have a bootable windows 8 disk, then insert it in cd tray and write down the letter for the drive it leads onto

7. Now, type in the following after re opening the command prompt window

G: CD BOOT and click on enter. (“G” stands out for your DVD drive letter or mounted virtual drive letter)

CD BOOT and click enter.

8. It is almost completed. Now simply type in BOOTSECT.EXE /NT60 J: (“J” stands for you USB flash drive letter and it is easily found in explorer) and now simply hit Enter Key

9. Now the time has come for you to open Windows 8 cd and you have to copy the content to root folder of your boot USB

It is to be noted that in order to boot from a USB, you have to make this option active by going to BIOS settings which is there on the target system.

There is also the second method which will ease you even further.

• Firstly get the backup of your data to a removable media
• As it is done, next step for you is to download and run it as administrator.
• It is the time for you to choose the flash drive which you are looking to make bootable. All you have to do is to select your file system FAT32 or NTFS,  do not forget to “check format box” and also take a note of the “create a bootable disk using Ms-dos”. Finally, you need to also check “create extend label and icon files”.

• Now, you have to click on DBD drive logo which is next to option of “create a bootable disk using” and browse 8 ISO file.
• Finally, as you click on start button, you will get to see a warning window, click ok and windows will automatically start the transfer of ISO files to USB

All you need to do is to configure your Boot options in your BIOS settings and the set up is going to start as you select the Boot first priority to USB HDD.

Finally, these stand out to be the easy and simply methods of installing windows 8 from pen drive. Hopefully, you will not have any sort of problems while installing it. You need to read it again, if in case you happen to find any sort of problems. Finally, you get the fruits of your patience and hard work and your bootable USB is created. Great isn’t it?
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