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plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

1 recommendation

plencnerb to Gem

Premium Member

to Gem

Re: [WIN8] what is the W8 startup iType program?

Click for full size
Picture #1
Click for full size
Picture #2
Well, I went ahead and swapped out my hard drives, and did a clean install of Windows 8 Pro x64. Again, I want to point out that during the install process, you are asked the question if you want to choose "Express Settings" or "Custom Settings". I selected as I always do "Custom Settings". The modifications I made from the default options during the "Custom" selections are noted below

•Turn on Sharing and Connect to Devices (selected)

•Windows Update
My selected option: Don't Setup Windows Update

•Automatically get device drivers, apps, and info for new devices
My Selected Option: Off

• Sign on using a local account, not a Microsoft Account

Once the OS was installed, I was of course put into the new start screen. I then clicked the desktop icon, and pressed the volume buttons on my keyboard. The result is shown in the first picture.

As you can see, that little graphic is displayed. While the colors are different (I think that has to do with whatever bitmap image you have selected), it does appear that by default, on-screen functionally is present inside the OS.

As I mentioned, I changed the option "Automatically get device drivers, apps, and info for new devices" during the custom install process from the default "On" to "Off". If you look at Picture #2, you will see that no items are running on Startup, as no software, device drivers, or device software was installed automatically by Windows.

I did go ahead and install the Microsoft Mouse and Keyboard software. Doing so did not change the behavior of the on-screen volume indicator. It still worked and looked the same even with the keyboard software installed.

So, based on my testing, and the reports of others in this thread, I would say that Windows 8 does include the functionally of "On Screen Display" as a built-in function of the OS.

What I do not know yet (forgot to test before I installed the software) is if my "special keys" on my keyboard would have worked without installing the software. Since it is a Microsoft keyboard, some of them may have worked, but I'm not sure as I did not test that. Really don't want to re-install the OS again to see if that is the case or not, but that would be something else to test out at a later date.

--Brian
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

said by plencnerb:

During the [Windows 8] install process, you are asked the question if you want to choose "Express Settings" or "Custom Settings". The modifications I made from the default options during the "Custom" selections are noted below

...

• Sign on using a local account, not a Microsoft Account

--Brian

What is the difference between signing on with a local account vs an MSFT account?

What's the advantage of using the local account option?

What's the disadvantage of using the MSFT account?

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

said by Gem:

What is the difference between signing on with a local account vs an MSFT account?

I know that if I use a local account, I cannot directly purchase any items from the Microsoft Store. Right now, that's not a bad thing for me, as I have no use for those applications. With a local account, you don't have the ability to synch things between devices.
said by Gem:

What's the advantage of using the local account option?

Security comes to mind. Since its local, all of my data is then local, and won't be uploaded to the cloud when I log off my system. The disadvantage here is that if I do have multiple machines, I would have to find another way to get the data between them. Personally, I don't see that as a big deal. When I was employed, I would either e-mail myself information or documents between my home account, and my work account. The other option I had (if a file was to big) would be to just VPN into my PC in the office, and copy it across the network. It also could be that I'm a bit "Old School" so to speak and don't feel the need to have 24x7 access to all of my data regardless of where I'm at. This could be why I still have a desktop and not a laptop, tablet, or smartphone.
said by Gem:

What's the disadvantage of using the MSFT account?

Again I'll say Security. Sure its nice that I can access my data and settings and all that from any device that I log on to, but what happens if that "cloud" storage gets hacked, the server(s) my data is on crashes, or ? With my data local, its my responsibility to make sure I have whatever backup solution in place that fits my needs.

I think the bottom line is that there is no such thing as a "wrong" choice when it comes to this. It really is up to each user, and how they will be using Windows 8. For some, a MSFT account would be a wonderful addition for them. For others, a local account is all they need.

--Brian
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

I agree with you about the security issues. I personally prefer "silos" for our different computers and now that you describe it, we would have no use for a MSFT account either.

So, on our two Windows 8 installs, how can we tell if I selected local user accounts or microsoft accounts when I did the installs of Windwos 8.

Sadly, I can't remember which way we went on that issue on either computer.

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

Click for full size
If you open the charms bar, and then click on Settings, and then go under users, you should get to the screen that I'm showing above.

There it will show you what account you are currently logged in with, and if its a local account, or a Microsoft one. In my case, I'm using a local account, and it says that under my name.

If you are currently using a Microsoft one, and want to add a local account instead, you may be able to do it from the same screen. I'm not sure which is why I say that. I always go into Control Panel, then administrative tools, and finally Computer Management. From then, if you go under Local Users and Groups, and then users, you can create a new local account from there (just like you would in Windows 7).

--Brian
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to Gem

Premium Member

to Gem
said by Gem:

I agree with you about the security issues. I personally prefer "silos" for our different computers and now that you describe it, we would have no use for a MSFT account either.

So, on our two Windows 8 installs, how can we tell if I selected local user accounts or microsoft accounts when I did the installs of Windwos 8.

Sadly, I can't remember which way we went on that issue on either computer.

Microsoft tries very hard to get you to set up a Microsoft account instead of user account. If you did not know this and were not very alert when setting up your Win 8 computer, you would probably have done a Microsoft account. Microsoft hides user account in small font at the bottom and even if you know to look for it you can still miss it. It makes creating a Microsoft account very prominent, at the top of the page, in easy to read font and lauds all the "advantages" to setting up that way.I knew ahead of time to look carefully for the option for local user account but it was at the bottom of the page almost hidden, and when I chose it, Microsoft still tried to convince me to use a Microsoft account instead. Did you give Microsoft an email address? If so, then you set up a Microsoft account.

To me, the privacy concern is just as strong as the security concern. I have a Microsoft account and have had it for many years. But I do not want my Windows 8 tied to that account and the email address I use for my Microsoft account. I want that separate. As plencnerb See Profile said you can easily change to local user account. Plus, if you do want to access Microsoft Store you can always later set up a Microsoft account to use to access it if you don't already have one (that is assuming you don't do what I did, I had to eventually disable UAC in the registry as Windows 8 does not understand admin account, whereas, Vista/Win 7 do. If you disable UAC in the registry, you cannot use Windows store even if you set up Windows 8 with a Microsoft account instead of a local user account). The synching thing could be a potential problem...but luckily I don't need to synch devices. I also don't need the cloud to get stuff from one computer to another as emailing or USB flash drive works fine for that. Of course, flash drivewould work better if USB 3 but I hear those are very expensive presently and I have never seen one here anywhere.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

1 edit

Gem

Premium Member

Mele, I'm going over to the W8 computer in a bit to check on the type of account it has.

Before doing that I want to agree with you about using USB drives to move files and data from one computer to another. I do the same thing and have done so for quite a while.

Early last month Newegg had 32gb USB-3 drives on sale for under $20. I got one for $18. It works fine even on boards that have only USB-2 ports. And it is much faster than my older USB-2 drives even when both are running on USB-2 ports.

Here's the one I purchased. It has been very good to me, although some other buyers have said the ones they got did not work or did not work for long.

»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· 20141595

There are many other USB flash drives on this page that have higher user ratings and are still reasonably priced.

»www.newegg.com/Product/P ··· eSize=20

One thing to watch out for is the size and width of the USB drives. The small ones (like mine) are nice in that they aren't so wide that they take up the space of two USB ports.

The downside to the smaller drives is that they might be easier to lose or misplace.

The larger drives are harder to lose. I have a few of those in the USB-2 variety, but it is a pain when one drive is two large to fit in a front panel port and is so large that it covers two USB ports on the back of your computer.

===========================================

P.S. to Brian and Mele.

Just checked our user accounts. They are both local accounts.

Must have gotten lucky when setting up Windows 8. Or perhaps it was because both windows 8 installs were "upgrades" from previous windows operating systems that had only local user accounts on them.

plencnerb
Premium Member
join:2000-09-25
53403-1242

plencnerb

Premium Member

Glad you were able to verify what account type you have.

While we both agree that local accounts work best right now, I think we also both know that, if in the future, either one of us wanted to switch to using a Microsoft account, that process appears to be easy to do.

Again, I really don't have a problem with either one. I'm actually glad Microsoft has put the functionally of a "Roaming Profile" so to speak from Active Directly into the hands of "normal users". There are lots of people out there that will have multiple devices (Tablets, Laptops, Desktops, Windows Phones) and they will love the fact that each time they login using their Microsoft account, the look and feel of their device is the same, they can access all of their data regardless of which device it was created on, and so on.

Yet, for those of us that are OK with using a local account, and have no problems sending e-mails to ourselves (its when we answer our own e-mails is when we need to worry! ) or use flash drives to copy files from one device to another.

And for that, I actually give Microsoft kudos. They gave the end user a choice. Which, I think is what a lot of people on here wish they would have done with the Metro / Start Screen and Start menu.

--Brian
Mele20
Premium Member
join:2001-06-05
Hilo, HI

Mele20 to Gem

Premium Member

to Gem
I'm glad to see you have local accounts.

Thanks for the links for USB 3 flash drives. I bought a USB 2 flash drive on sale for $6 at Office Max yesterday. It is a beautiful HOT PINK color. It is only USB 2 but from Verbatim with a lifetime warranty and data guaranteed to remain usable for 10 years. It is 8GB. Just what I need to make a copy of the USB flash drive Delll sent me that has Win 8 Pro Reinstallation files on it. I'm thinking I should have bought two. For something like this, USB 2 is fine.

I will watch for USB 3 drives on sale here or on the internet somewhere that doesn't charge an arm and a leg to ship it to Hawaii.
Gem
Premium Member
join:2005-09-10

Gem

Premium Member

I may be wrong, Melee, but Newegg might ship free to Hawaii when the item is listed as a Free Shipping item.

Then again, perhaps the free shipping only applies to the lower 48 states. You'd have to ask them to be sure.

I have a couple of older verbatim drives from Office Max. They are still going strong.