Windows 8 Release Candidate

Went to try the Windows 8 release candidate on my machine, and it said my CPU isn't compatible for Windows 8 :/

I suppose the preview version is 32-bit, whilst I'm using 64-bit Windows 7...

Apparently BIOS settings need to be changed, so why not detail it on the download section, rather than having to trawl through the Microsoft forums to find a solution !?

Edited by deleted (Fri 01-Jun-12 15:39:57)

Is this by any chance the the Intel VT or Amd-V related settings? That is quite common knowledge.

Its more to do with :

To install Windows 8 Release Preview on your PC, the processor (CPU) must support the following features: Physical Address Extension (PAE), NX, and SSE2. Most CPUs have support for these features, so if you receive this error, it is likely because the NX feature is not enabled on your system.

To resolve this error, follow manufacturer guidelines to enable NX (�No eXecute bit�), or the equivalent XD (�eXecute Disabled�) feature, within the BIOS security settings.

Although why the earlier candidate worked without BIOS changes...

In reply to a post by MrTAToad2:

I suppose the preview version is 32-bit, whilst I'm using 64-bit Windows 7...

There is a 64bit and a 32bit version of Windows 8 released today.

Yes, there is...

It should be common knowledge for a Windows systemadmin (That, and the Intel VT and Amd-V setting are the two BIOS prerequisites for running Hyper-V and related technologies), but indeed, why on earth the installer doesn't tell you that I don't know. Maybe it's an oversight. Certainly any home user or non-Windows techie wouldn't have a clue.

Edited by Pipexer (Fri 01-Jun-12 21:15:40)

Especially as previous Windows 8 candidates didn't need anything modifying...

Certainly any home user or non-Windows techie wouldn't have a clue.

They shouldn't be installing pre-release software IMO.

Why not ? Might want to see what all the fuss is about.

Because I think that, as the example you have given shows, you really need to think carefully about what you are doing when installing beta or pre-release software, particularly on a computer that is important to you. I do it all the time either in VMs or on a spare computer; if someone doesn't have the resources, or the technical knowledge, to do this then they are asking for trouble.