Windows RT 8.1 Update Pulled From Windows Store

UnknowingFool writes "After reports of update problems including bricking of some devices, Microsoft has pulled the 8.1 update for RT from their store while they investigate. 'Microsoft is investigating a situation affecting a limited number of users updating their Windows RT devices to Windows RT 8.1. As a result, we have temporarily removed the Windows RT 8.1 update from the Windows Store. We are working to resolve the situation as quickly as possible and apologize for any inconvenience. We will provide updates as they become available.' While update problems are not new to software, could this be a consequence of Microsoft not releasing 8.1 RTM to developers? Developers may have experienced problems earlier and alerted Microsoft before it went live."

Comments

Microsoft needs to stop fucking up the PC

[Anonymous Coward]

Seriously, the PC is important, and Microsoft is killing the platform. The universal computer is what drives innovation, not the consumer machines that Apple and Google are selling.

Re:They Just Can't Catch a Break

[justthinkit]

Yes, sure, it is all about not catching a break.
.

How about this? No one wants to use an RT, even to test it. Sure it gets tested by QA people, but no one wants to use it all day every day, trying to get useful work done. So an update is sent out the door with little to no real world testing.

RT is clearly a brand of dog food no dog wants to eat.

Bricking?

[cyberjock1980]

It's bricking when it cannot be fixed. This can, hence the article summary is wrong. Wake up editors!

Re:Bricking?

[Mondor]

Ordinary users can't revive the dead tablet, even if it only fails to load the touchscreen drivers. Tablet becomes the photo frame, showing the log in screen. Unless other drivers failed as well, or tablet is asking to navigate to skydrive to get the bitlocker key, but you don't have any other computer. Besides, the on-screen keyboard doesn't function, so you can't enter it.

Yes, you can get over some problems with Windows 8 tablet if you have USB hub, flash drive, ISO image of Windows 8, USB keyboard and mouse... But I am talking about ordinary users, not geeks.

Re:They Just Can't Catch a Break

[man_of_mr_e]

Yeah, especially since MS *DID* in fact release 8.1 RTM to developers early. So the question posed in the article is based on a false premise.

no beta test?

[v1]

could this be a consequence of Microsoft not releasing 8.1 RTM to developers?

Seriously? They didn't seed that to the devs for a week or two? That's just plain stupid. Only reason I can see for pulling that is if there was a serious problem they needed to get fixed quickly.

Also raises the question of how much they really care about the performance and stability of RT on other manufacturers' boxes?

Re:serves them right

[asmkm22]

This should be modded "Insightful" not "Funny."

Re:On the other hand

[icebike]

I love that feature on Android, though.

Me too. I use it ALL the time.
But I refuse to participate in that duchebaggery of being seen in public holding up a tablet to take pictures. :-O

Re:They Just Can't Catch a Break

[RMingin]

Not forced, no. I recall Ballmer throwing a minor shitfit a few years back when he walked around the MS office campus and noticed that EVERYONE was using an iPhone.

Of course, right after that he bought Nokia and forced WinPho8 down the world's collective throats, so it may have changed since, but it's likely that it's encouraged but not required.

Re:They Just Can't Catch a Break

[RMingin]

I have. It reminded me a lot of my first generation iPad when I got it. Potential maybe, but stifled by lack of non-basic apps that people want to use. Apple got through that stage by being the only serious players in the market. MS is going up against two deeply-entrenched and not-deeply-retarded adversaries, I don't see it working out as smoothly.

Re:They Just Can't Catch a Break

[hairyfeet]

This is something I've argued for years, every MSFT victory? Was preceded by "and then the other guy did something REALLY dumb", from the owner of CP/M blowing off IBM to go flying to BeOS choosing to start out on an ultra nice AT&T "Hobbit" CPU it has ALWAYS been "and then the other guy did something REALLY dumb. What happens when the other guy doesn't politely shoot themselves in the face? Zune, Kin,Sidekick, WinRT, one bad move after another.