Microsoft Pushes Streamlined Online Distribution for Windows 8

You'll now only need the central installer to migrate files and utilities, plus its faster to boot

Microsoft Corp.'s (MSFT) next generation operating system, Windows 8 has some big shoes to fill, as the successor to the fastest-selling operating system in Microsoft's history. It is currently in Developer Preview (publicly available) and is set to launch late next year.

Microsoft has already showed off improved features, like a less painful Windows Update process, faster boots, decreased OS resource consumption, and improved file transfers. Its latest demo showcases how it hopes to streamline the setup/upgrade process in Windows 8.

In Windows 8, Microsoft has folded Windows Upgrade Advisor and Easy Transfer into the central installer. The finished installer spits out a neat compatibility report as the first step in an upgrade process. The report tells you which apps and devices will work with Windows 8 -- and which ones won't.

Windows 8
Windows 8 takes Windows 7's installation utilities and merges them into a single streamlined multifunctional installer. [Image Source: Microsoft]

Assuming the user okays the upgrade, the installation process then begins. Much like Apple, Inc. (AAPL), Microsoft has moved its distribution primarily online. While it will still offer boxed DVDs, for Windows 8 is primarily pushing a downloadable purchase. That download has your product key already activated, so it's all set to install without interruption. The download arrives via a robust built-in download manager. The download manager automatically detects the upgrader's language and the applicable upgrade version (32-bit or 64-bit).

The download has also been chopped down. A Windows 7 x86 ISO takes up 2.32 GB of space. By removing redundant files and folders, Windows 8 chops this down greatly. For example, for the x86 installer it is now reduced to 2.10 GB. Using specialized compression it then further crunches this down -- in the x86 case to 1.51 GB. The result is a smaller file that downloads quicker and takes up less hard drive space.

Once downloaded, you now have the chance to install on a secondary partition, with the Setup program helping burn an ISO or make a bootable Flash copy of the Windows installer to carry out the rest of the process. Regardless of your choice, you get to choose what kinds of files you carry over from your previous version of Windows.
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