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You Can't Bypass the UI Formerly Known As Metro On Windows 8

colinneagle writes with this excerpt from Network World: "The final build of Windows 8 has already leaked to torrent sites, which is giving the propellerheads a chance to dig through the code. One revelation will probably not sit well with enterprise customers: you can't bypass the don't-call-it-Metro UI. Normally, you have to boot Windows 8 and when the tiled desktop UI (formerly known as Metro) came up, you had to click on one of the boxes to launch Explorer. Prior builds of Windows 8 allowed the user to create a shortcut so you bypass Metro and go straight to the Explorer desktop. Rafael Rivera, co-author of the forthcoming Windows 8 Secrets, confirmed to Mary Jo Foley at ZDNet that Microsoft does indeed block the boot bypass routine from prior builds. He also believes that Microsoft has blocked the ability for administrators to use Group Policy to allow users to bypass the tiled startup screen. There had been hope that Microsoft would at least relent and let corporate users have a bypass, if only for compatibility's sake."

11 of 444 comments (clear)

  1. That's fine because I plan to bypass... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...Windows 8.

    1. Re:That's fine because I plan to bypass... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...Windows 8.

      There's UEFI for that! I mean, err, it's for your security. Of course.

    2. Re:That's fine because I plan to bypass... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

      YEEEEAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!

    3. Re:That's fine because I plan to bypass... by Fuzzums · · Score: 5, Funny

      ...Windows 8.

      Rumour has it that Windows 9 can only be installed on top of Windows 8 to ensure all users will at least once experience the delight of a gaming console operating system.

      --
      Privacy is terrorism.
    4. Re:That's fine because I plan to bypass... by oakgrove · · Score: 4, Funny

      but for a desktop, I gotta know WHAT the hell they're smoking in Redmond...

      A custom blend of imported "your app store moneyz gives them to us" with the domestically produced "if they're forced to use it at work they'll use it at home" and "What competition?"

      It's some pretty good shit so I'm led to believe.

      --
      The soylentnews experiment has been a dismal failure.
  2. Re:and now we watch the titan burn... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's not horrid

    A sentiment I find often associated with various versions of Windows. Just yesterday I was speaking with a former Vietnam POW who'd had his fingernails pulled out with pliers, and he commented that the time he bought a mid-range laptop in the early days of Vista was 'pretty fucking awful but not the worst thing that has ever happened to me'.

    So good job Microsoft!

  3. Re:Prediction by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    it will turn out that the final build of Windows 8 does have such restrictions.

    But you will be able to remove said restrictions if you buy the Pro Gold Game of the Year Ultimate edition for $389 instead of the regular $89 "Vanilla" edition.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  4. Re:Screwed Again by Dunbal · · Score: 4, Funny

    Your first hint should have been his reaction when asked "take a seat over there" and threw a chair across a stage.

    --
    Seven puppies were harmed during the making of this post.
  5. Windows 8 destined to become Zune of the Desktop by CuteSteveJobs · · Score: 4, Funny

    I feel like a police negotiator desperately trying to talk a man out of shooting his foot off.

    Repeat after me Microsoft: The desktop market is not the smartphone market, and any attempt to ram it down reluctant consumers throats will turn it destroy what is still your biggest cash cow. http://waysofteaandfailure.blogspot.com.au/2012/08/the-many-problems-of-windows-8.html

  6. Re:Prediction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    oh come on AC. Show us your true feelings. Even M$ shows everyone that yes you cant boot to a legacy desktop but using KB shortcuts you can remove the new desk for the legacy one.

    That's a nice double standard. If that were Linux people would say "yes but if you have to follow cryptic steps from the knowledge base then clearly Linux isn't ready for the desktop. Users just want to get their work done not relearn a new interface!".

    Maybe next year will be the Year of the Windows Desktop?

  7. Re:and now we watch the titan burn... by arth1 · · Score: 4, Funny

    DOING IT THE WINDOWS ME WAY!

    Now, now. Let's be honest here. It's not like Windows 8 has a ~20% risk of booting into a blue screen of death like Windows Me.
    Instead, there's a near 100% risk of booting into a light blue screen of productivity killing, +4 against workers.