Update Windows 8 to Windows 8.1

2014-01-08


(This article was copied from our sister website here )

When you buy a new computer from store recently, the Windows system on the computer might not the newest version, it might be Windows 8, but the newest version is Windows 8.1, which was released on Oct 17 2013. Microsoft accepted lots of feedbacks and suggestions from users since they released Windows 8, they improved lots of features and add new features in Windows 8.1, such as: a start button which is similar in old Windows system. Please read more in here.

So if you find your Windows version on your new computer is Windows 8 but not Windows 8.1, you’d better to upgrade it, the upgrade from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1 is free, but Windows 7 users have to pay starting at $119.99.

Download Windows 8.1 from Microsoft official site here.

Now we have a new laptop which pre-installed Windows 8.

How to check your Windows system information in Windows 8 ?

Move the mouse point to left bottom corner and right click, there is a menu popup. select System, then you will see your system information:

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The following is our Windows 8 information before we upgraded to Windows 8.1:

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OK, let us upgrade. We lost the first link which we started the upgrade, but if your Windows is still Windows 8, you will get the upgrade link and screen easily. We searched out a link here maybe you can try, the upgrade will automatically check your current system and access you to a right download or online upgrade webpage. The following was our first webpage when we started our upgrade, we just clicked that button "Get the free update":

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Then we were accessed to download page, the download file size is not small, it is 3.62 GB.

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The downloading process was long but quiet, the following was the downloading:

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During the installation, it told your computer would restart several times, and you have to save your works.

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The updating was a long procedure. we waited about 2 hours. we do not why the update was taken so long time, but finally we got the updating successfully. the following was the new screen which we saw right after we updated. seems there was not big difference with the previous Windows 8 version ? We were not sure, but maybe there was really differences, such as: more apps.

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But we knew there was really a real difference with previous Windows 8: A Start button !

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Microsoft has a guide about updating from Windows 8 to Windows 8.1.