The ‘Freemium’ cost to ISV’s

March 18, 2013 Leave a comment


Most of you reading this will no doubt at some point have tried a ‘Free’ service or online product offering from a vendor website.

Free in most cases means ‘Freemium‘ = a limited service offering designed as a ‘Hook’ to get users to consume a service or product. The ‘Free’ service or product offering just enough features and or resources to make it useful for users. The ultimate goal of course being to get subscribers to the ‘Free’ versions to upgrade to a premium or professional paid-for version of the product or service that gives more functionality and or resources.

For new Cloud Start-ups and ISV’s looking to create market this sounds like a great way of attracting a user base and the techie business start-ups flock to this model with little real awareness of the poor returns this can offer. The challenge lies in the conversion rate of subscribers from ‘Freemium’ to ‘Premium’ paid-for usage. The conversion rate is not encouraging. Compare high user volume applications with low and you get to see the hard facts:

  • 560 million user base – Skype = 8%
  • 300 thousand user base – Ning 5%
  • Pandora, Dropbox and Evernote conversion rates are in the range 0.5% to 4%.

What is clear is there is these are not impressive and no ‘Average’ can be used as a rule of thumb, it largely relates to the value proposition for the users and that is the quandary for ISV’s looking at this model.

A full understanding of the Freemium dilemma for ISV’s going online is well laid out in the article by Kim Joar Bekkelund ‘Understanding User Acquisition in Freemium’ Kim interviewed 10 companies that use Freemium and provides an insightful analysis of the success of this model.

To achieve even the ‘Freemium’ subscription rate from which you hope to convert users there are some clear rules that are appearing to maximise this potential. Some top tips that are not rocket science but aim to lower the bar of entry to get users to sign-up and convert:

  1. Remove as much ‘Threat’ and friction as possible:
    1. DO NOT demand a Credit Card or other payment method upfront for a Freemium or Trial. This will immediately reduce your sign-up rate to a trickle. Handing over payment details is the biggest decision for the users, so make sure you get them right to the wire first.
    2. Do use a third party authentication channel such as Microsoft Account (Former Live ID) or LinkedIn, Twitter etc This reduces time to sign-up and through association makes the process less threatening. Great for doing user marketing research as you will get more perspective from these login resources which often expose more information about users across other systems helping you to build up your customer knowledge.
    3. Automatically sign-users up to receipt of customer support and training as part of the quid pro quo for the ‘Freemium’ offering.
    4. Have a clear Privacy Policy statement that make sit clear what you do with users supplied data.
    5. IF you solution stores data in The Cloud, state clearly where and the nature of the security of that storage. Is it encrypted (ideally).
    6. If your service application stores data, have a European data location option. This is not expensive in the new Cloud world and will be a green light for offerings into a Professional user base who will be more data compliance aware.
    7. Provide a Contact form on the website for users. You don’t have to respond, its good to, but it is critical you provide a means of connection.
  2. Conversion MUST DO’s:
    1. Get to know your market so you can communicate to users and gain mindshare.
    2. Follow-up by reaching out to your new subscribers within a week of sign-up. If users do not engage the resource in this timescale they are unlikely to, so stimulate action.
    3. Use training tips and videos to encourage user adoption of the ‘Freemium’, a great method of increasing the traction of your offering and to dangle Premium features.
    4. Use your ‘Freemium’ audience as voluntary testers of BETA ‘Premium’ features. Remember Google apps etc for years had BETA stamped all over them.
    5. Use support as a channel into ‘Premium’ if you have a business audience. According to David Skok, business users want professional customer support and are willing to pay for it, consumer users are less likely to pay for support.
    6. Make it easy and simple for users to get to ‘Premium’, some tricks include:
      1. In app free 30 days activation of premium features. Can be re-activated again IF user signs up to BETA test for example.
      2. Delay payment prompts till the last moment. I repeat, handing over payment details is the biggest decision for the users, so make sure you get them right to the wire first.
      3. Provide 7 days free email support. Be proactive if they call on it, you can charge for this afterwards so make it appealing. As existing Freemium users they are unlikely to need it but it’s a comfort factor that plays to the Professionals more than consumers.
  3. Evolve and adapt:
    1. LISTEN to your users, let them show you the way forward and drive features. Just because you think you know what they want does not mean it’s right!
    2. Use surveys to reach out to users. Many users like to provide feedback and feel they can influence a toolset they are adopting.
    3. Adapt your Freemium offering to maximise adoption. Existing users will see this as a bonus (they either retain functionality or gain), new users may need this to get them on the Freemium conveyor belt and or into Premium.
    4. Do be a good data citizen. Secure your user data online PROPERLY, and don’t sell contact details. If you get compromised or found out you have just killed your credibility.
    5. PARTNER – The new world of Cloud Computing allows you to extend functionality quickly and cost effectively. API’s (Application Programming Interfaces) allow you to tie in niche features from third parties quickly and in so doing add value and give yourself a Premium revenue option. Yes you will have to share revenue with the partner but then you do not have the development costs but hopefully will get the marriage value incremental gain with your offering.

This is by no means exhaustive in detail or exclusive. Make sure you manage a detailed conversion pipeline, a finger on the pulse of your cost of conversion will save you from any unpleasant surprises and keep you firmly rooted in the realms of reality.

Good luck!

Filed under Cloud Computing, Computers and Internet, Small Medium Enterprise (SME)

EU Cyber Strategy – A Risk of Overkill!

February 11, 2013 Leave a comment


Last Thursday the European Commission of the European Union (EU) released their much leaked and awaited Cybersecurity plan to protect open internet and online freedom and opportunity – ‘Cyber Security strategy and Proposal for a Directive’

The challenge that faces all Nations and individuals alike is the increased impact of Cyber Thread. This is fundamentally what the European Commission is attempting to address for the whole of the European Union (EU) by encompassing an eye watering range of disciplines and jurisdictions from law enforcement, defence, the digital agenda, security, and foreign policy. On the face of it the format fits the EU objectives of greater integration and harmony, but under the surface it has all the hall marks of an exercise in herding cats. The rubber will not really hit the road till we see the action plans, and the monitoring process to qualify results, that are going to be fundamental to exercising and delivering on this ambitious strategy. This latter point being the Achilles heal of the exercise in tight economic times when the EU budget has to reflect the austerity measures of its members with NO exceptions.

Most worryingly cost of delivery is in the timescales this whole process is going to take to implement. In the meantime Cyber Crime becomes more creative maturing as fast as, if not faster, than the creative innovation engine that drives the digital landscape, itself moving at a faster and faster rate of evolution.

In summary the politicians and unelected cohorts of bureaucrats will forever be playing catch up. The fear is that in their haste they will be riding rough shod over some of our core democratic rights. As the Dutch Member of the European Parliament, Sophie in ‘t Veld was quoted saying “The lines are being blurred and we need to safeguard the fundamental rights we expect in a democracy and not cede disproportionate powers to law enforcement”.

The rolling up of all these powers does have a very dark side. One that is open to abuse. The danger here is that once in place the temptation / convenience can become too compelling for any elected governing entity to leverage, and the European Commission has inadequately addressed historical challenges to its own Trust and Credibility record across too many areas to be endowed with this level of centralised power.

This exercise the EU is going through is communicating a need for a new approach. Instead of a Big Brother flavour about it, an approach that can reflect the nature of the changing environs that are being addressed. The problem is it is easier said than done to teach an old dog new tricks, especially when we are talking about what goes on largely behind the closed doors from behind which unelected bureaucrats influence our elected politicians and launch sallies of conditions on our lives.

Actions speak louder than words and one thing the new digital economy is good at is making things happen, and happen FAST.

Estonia and their implementation of X-Road and individual digital certificate usage demonstrates where there is a will there is a way, and leveraging the technology (not having to reinvent anything) can be an effective remedy. It is encouraging to see that Thomas Hendrik Ilves, the President of Estonia, has been elected as Chairman for the European Cloud Partnership governance Steering Board. But more needs to be done faster.

As I wrote just before Christmas ‘Data Security – It’s in the Name!’ We should perhaps be taking a fresh perspective on the problem. Protecting the DATA itself and less worrying about the actual environments that data exists in (networks/cables, computers/serves/PC’s, smart devices, datacenters/offices etc). Why? It’s actually about managing the risk of the loss of DATA availability, and this is an EDUCATIONAL issue more than a regulatory and legislative requirement. Risk management is an acceptance that there will be failures, and that is REAL WORLD.

Take for example:

  1. The internet – It was designed to withstand nuclear impact! It is largely self-healing and can route around network failures or even whole geographical regional blackouts. If so much of the Internet goes down that it ceases to function then no EU strategy is going to help. Furthermore Cyber Terrorists are unlikely to see much gain in the digital equivalent of triggering an extinction event by killing the Internet!
  2. Datacentres – Deigned for failure, or perhaps you should be re-evaluating your datacentre provider ;-)
  3. Computers – These are commodities today and with the exception of a few specialist systems, disposable with affordable options for data resilience through external backup storage media or cloud computing empowering even the most economically distressed with scalable backup. Or for the more paranoid both!
  4. Smart Devices – It’s in the name. If they are doing their job they should be replicating core data and configuration settings to resilient external storage options which will allow a new device to be provisioned conveniently.
  5. Data – Use of Information Rights management (similar or that used by the music Industry) encrypts data objects such as a digital document (Microsoft Office files) so they can only be read by those the creator has intended the document to be shared with. Theft of these files then becomes futile, remove the attraction, the threat is expunged. The same principles apply to an automated function of databases and exported record sets.
  6. Digital Certificates – A means for individuals to identify themselves consistently so that access to Data can be reliably managed and TRUSTED.

The demands of society are actually on mandatory digital education and should be taught like learning how to tie up your shoe laces. To cover the following areas amongst others:

  • Backup (and restore).
  • Encryption.
  • Digital Certificates.

At the moment society is learning by osmosis and Urban Myth. Times have changed, so must needs, and the EU Cybersecurity plan may have a place at a National response level but quite possibly there are more practical and immediate means of addressing needs further down the social hierarchy that will not have the cost burden on Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s) that the current strategy would impose.

Remove the ease with which data can be breached and the requirement for security and data breach notification regimes start to look somewhat dated controls.

Filed under Cloud Computing, Computers and Internet, Legal, Privacy, Security, Small Medium Enterprise (SME)

Free Windows RT – A Future or not?

January 28, 2013 Leave a comment


Windows RT officially launched alongside Windows 8 on October 26, 2012 with the Microsoft Surface device leading the pack of several Windows RT-powered devices from OEM partners.

Despite the lack of clarity around the Windows RT v. Windows 8 versions, Windows RT has established a solid user base. It delivers to the mobile demands of users in key areas of a stylish aesthetic design and critically excellent battery life. More on that discussion in my earlier blogs:

Microsoft’s decision to release an OS build for the ARM CPU was largely driven by the capability this architecture gave the design teams to forge a svelte cutting edge design. Systems on a Chip reduced the bulk and cooling demands as well as increased the battery efficiency allowing for thin devices.

With the announcements by both Intel and AMD that they have their own x86 ‘Systems on a Chip’ CPU’s in the pipeline raises the question that has started entering debate as to the future of Windows RT. Couple this with the new Atom class CPU’s that are now driving fully fledged Windows 8 OS’s and narrowing the gap in critical areas of compactness and battery life.

If the hardware continuous evolve allowing a fully-fledged Windows 8 OS to be delivered on tablet devices without compromising battery and design then what does the future hold for Windows RT? The reality is very little. After all who would invest in a Windows RT device over a fully-fledged Windows 8 device? It is an election into a closed ecosystem with a derisory ecosystem of desktop applications and despite a 4 fold increase in Windows New UI applications they represent a poor compete against Android and iOS libraries of apps.

The decision maker in this saga is the application ecosystem and third party product and vendor attachment. iPad has enjoyed a momentum that appears to demonstrate that OS grade functionality is not a critical factor in the Tablet class as long as app and vendor add on product are compelling. That was in an environment that lacked such fully-fledged OS power, Android being no better than iOS. With Windows RT the started to change, but for the lack of application ecosystem. Now with Windows 8 appearing on iPad tablet design class devices there is going to be some interesting times ahead as the full momentum of the Windows application ecosystem and Partner 650,000+ commercial developer organisations get up to speed. Throw in the next generation of Office 365 due out soon and things get even more interesting.

Back to the debate on Windows RT’s future, there are many permutations but to consolidate these under a few common headline options we are left with:

  1. Status-Quo

No change, however it lacks real viable evidence that it is not going to just wither on the vine. OEM’s have not only cancelled RT initiatives they are largely cold on the whole project and driving their hardware architectures to a full Windows 8 which is clearly their agenda further eroding the current device class RT is pitched at fast. There is a price and battery advantage that RT offers as a differentiator but that is modest, and for everyone I have spoken to Windows RT is not worth it.

  1. Trim

Reduce the OS to the Windows New UI side of its personality, allowing it to live on lighter and cheaper hardware. As Windows 8 drives a new fully featured OS class of tablet, it will not supplant the cheaper, more compact, lighter and battery efficient Android and iOS class of device which we have become used to as consumption devices. RT has a future in the iOS and Android ‘Consumption device’ class. To do so it needs to drop its split personality (desktop side) and deliver just the new Widows UI. This would allow RT to be stripped back as an OS which could allow it to be delivered on reduced capacity device design’s that would slash cost and battery usage. This still does not identify what will stimulate the redressing of the small application ecosystem, as this is just another low end user volume platform competing against two well established platforms in iOS and Android.

  1. Kill

Discontinue the ARM experiment in light of the point made above over hardware evolution supporting full Windows 8. This is the current consolidated view IF it continues in its current form and lacklustre redressing of blatant short fallings such as no offline SkyDrive storage which makes a mockery of the device as a mobile platform when you think you need to be always network attached!

  1. Free

One thing is clear something has to happen to allow RT to compete in a class of devices that will not see it being thumped by its big brother Windows 8 as Atom Tablet architectures are already seeing happen. This will probably come over as a heretical idea and likely to be more than out of bounds for Microsoft culture to adapt to BUT there is a real and viable case for releasing Windows RT as an Open Source community effort.

Amongst many viable reasons:

  • Removes license costs from production placing it toe to toe with Android and giving OEM’s a choice they currently do not have. It’s Android or nothing in that class of device.
  • Make a friend with the OEM’s.
  • Opening up the closed RT architecture would immediately get the attention of the largest programmer audience in the world.
  • Put a cat amongst the pigeons with the regulators who have always enjoyed having a snipe at Microsoft.
  • Microsoft has an established Trusting audience and loyal user base.
  • Windows 8 UI familiarity on the Desktop will drive adoption.
  • Free platform does not mean NO revenue. This has the potential of driving explosive growth in applications that will stimulate significant reviews through the Microsoft store.
  • Community goodwill.
  • Takes the fight to Google on territory it arrogantly believes it owns.

There would be significant challenges, headline ones including:

  • Microsoft cultural readiness.
  • It is unclear how much opening up the RT code would reveal cross platform x86 insights that Microsoft would rather were not.
  • It will eat away at the bottom end of the Windows 8 market, BUT this is just the user tier that is adopting Android and iOS devices accepting the restrictions as they do not need power features and functions.

Most of the challenges could be dealt with either in the Open License Agreement and or limitations placed on opening up certain parts of the OS code, whilst providing them ‘black boxed’.

Looking at the bigger picture, services and application store revenues are increasingly becoming the new revenue generators. Would ‘giving away’ a lightweight OS iteration on a constrained hardware architecture really impact bottom line? I challenge that the ecosystem revenues would out weight that furthermore the momentum it would build behind the new generation of Windows OS’s in this class would be an accelerator into taking chunks out of the competitions market share for Microsoft.

It is just this type of bold and decisive action that would shake up this class of devices and place Microsoft very much into the tier of innovators again.

Casual discussions with some of Microsoft OEM hardware partners has seen this received with significant interest. Maybe a lunch with them all in the same room could forge a friendly meeting with the power that be at Microsoft?

Filed under Computers and Internet, Home Computing, Microsoft Partners, Mobile, Small Medium Enterprise (SME), Windows 8

Oracle puts JAVA users at risk

January 14, 2013 Leave a comment


Recently there have been multiple very severe security problems found in Oracle Java.

For additional background there are a range of posts online addressing specific details of the exploits and vulnerabilities:

This is not just another extremely dextrous hacker trick that would be limited in its impact. It is a fundamental failure by Oracle the new owners of JAVA to address fundamental security flaws in JAVA that have led to widespread exploitation.

The worst part of this is Oracle have failed the JAVA community by skirting around the reality of the situation, Quote Java security expert Adam Gowdiak, ‘the update from Oracle leaves unfixed several critical security flaws’.

Because of the severity of this issue and the poor job Oracle has done, it is critical awareness amongst users is proactively promoted with the recommendation that appropriate action is taken to protect themselves and their companies.

The advice is to Uninstall JAVA if you don’t have a need for JAVA, and if you are unsure that you need it uninstall it to be safe. If in the future users find it is needed, then at least the latest version can be downloaded and easily installed and hopefully by then the problems resolved so the version of JAVA will be secure.

You can uninstall JAVA from the Windows Control Panel ‘Programs and Features’ (Vista, Windows 7 and 8) or the ‘Add / Remove Programs’ in Windows XP.

If JAVA is perceived to be needed for some reason, firstly check if there is an alternative method of accessing the content. If not and JAVA has to be installed then the advice is to make sure you are running the latest version which can be easily downloaded from JAVA.com this does not guarantee security, in fact the current version IS NOT SECURE.

The understanding is therefore even after updating to the latest version, you and your company are still exposed. To mitigate this disable JAVA web browser support when it is not explicitly required, only enabling it for sites you explicitly trust, then immediately disable Java support again once you are finished. To disable web browser support for Java on a Windows PC do this:

  1. Start – Control Panel – Open the Java icon
  2. Click on the security panel and uncheck the box for “enable Java content in the browser.”
  3. This will disable Java in your web browsers. You can manually re-enable it if you need it on a specific site.

Once Oracle addresses the current security holes in JAVA, it should be safe to re-enable Java support IF you require JAVA. That having been said it would be advisable for organisations to consider alternative technologies to JAVA that are better supported and in today’s modern multi-device world offer greater flexibility.

Perhaps this will see some sanity come back into decisions by the likes of HP, Dell and Cisco to continue building client management interfaces in JAVA.

Filed under Cloud Computing, Computers and Internet, Privacy, Security, Small Medium Enterprise (SME)

Data Security – It’s in the Name!

December 20, 2012 2 Comments


I have just come out of my last meeting before Christmas in which security has been forefront (again) on both business and IT principles minds, and tongues…

The bizarre thing is that despite the obvious, the prevalence of IT security systems protect the ‘Environment Boundary’ in which data resides or is transmitted, whilst understandable form a certain perspective, it is somewhat medieval in its approach to the core ‘Data Security’ problems facing organisations and individuals today.

It is all good and well using SSL (Secure Socket Layers ) to ensure your communications (data exchanges in transit) are secure. BUT a waste of time if the communicating entities do not apply similar levels of security when the data is stored (data at rest). Even the most inept hacker knows that the easiest point to attack in any data exchange is the client (workstation, notebook, mobile device). The server end of the chain is likely to be more secure environment (not necessarily) than the end users. Hence the prevalence of end user vectored attacks, email being the weakest and most convenient conduit to perpetrate a hack. Once a Hacker can get some malware on a user’s PC they can just about do what they want with it, and that includes all the data unless the documents and or data is encrypted.

Thus we get to the headline of the article. DATA SECURITY. If all data adopted the same protective measures as the entertainment industry tries to do with their music and movies then less of our private lives would become public, and organised crime feeding off corporate systems selling inside secrets or blackmail would be poorer overnight. Organisations should be securing their CONTENT as well as their IT environments. Currently most organisations actually do ‘Environment Security‘ NOT ‘Data Security’.

Information Rights Management (IRM) has been around for decades in various guises.. ISV’s (Independent Software Vendors) are largely ignoring a HUGE market opportunity to tap this capability. Some understand it and build their business on this core feature, but most ignore it and defer security to the IT department’s ability to secure a whole environment. IRM has never been easier today to implement, without even needing to deploy a service it is possible to tap Windows Azure AD Rights Management and have this capability on tap. For organisations using the Microsoft Office 365 Online Software as a Service (SaaS) suite it is possible to enable this with ease:

Microsoft Office 365 with Windows Azure AD Rights Management enabled represents one of the most secure and feature complete collaboration environments available on the market today. I would challenge some enterprises to prove a more secure data environment, and this is available to the smallest of organisations for less than £15/mth per user. This default functionality in Microsoft Office 365 is just a baseline, for the more security conscious this can be enhanced exponentially with third party products.

IRM is not full proof, nothing can stop someone re-typing a document or photographing a screen. BUT it represents a significant convenience barrier to those perpetrating corporate espionage and removes any ‘accidental’ disclosures.

I suspect though there will be a few more fruitful Christmas seasons for the corporate espionage crime syndicates to roam deserted corporate systems before the penny drops.

Filed under Cloud Computing, Computers and Internet, Home Computing, Legal, Mobile, Office 365 and Azure, Privacy, Security, Small Medium Enterprise (SME)

Still paying for eMail & Website Hosting? Think again…

December 1, 2012 Leave a comment


If you are a sole operator and still paying for email and website hosting then you are throwing money away. It may not be a lot, but then I guarantee there are richer featured options that you can benefit from. Read on.

For many the reasoning is practical. You have your own Domain and you believe this requires you to pay for an email service that supports this. For others it is simply evolutionary, you have had an email and website packaged service many years with Vendor ‘X’ and have never evaluated your options so you are still paying for something you don’t need to.

For many of you in this scenario you may also find the interfaces for mobile connectivity and browser access are retro, as for website management solution (if at all), some websites are still limited to FTP (File Transfer Protocol) management access to a bare directory on the vendors servers, forcing you into the hands of a commercial agency to get any half decent site built and maintained at more cost.

The solution is simple:

  1. For eMail = Outlook.com
  2. For WebSite = Windows Azure Websites (See a follow-on blog for details on this)

If you want to see why and fancy a punt at other options such as ‘Google’ apart for the privacy issues that you may not be aware of with Google’s terms and Conditions, have a look at a straight Outlook.com v. GMail Feature Comparison which tells you why Outlook.com is the

If you are still not convince, just one feature should make it for you in this new mobile world we live in and that is Exchange ActiveSync (EAS)

For those who like a 3rd party opinion then head over to:

The following is a summary guide as to how to set-up your eMail and domain on Outlook.com, a separate Blog will cover the Free Website feature in Windows Azure and the rich content management options this can include.

A PDF version of this Guide is available for download – ‘Outlook.com Admin Configuration Guide‘ (PDF 428kb):

Outlook.com Configuration & Admin Overview Guide

Step 1.

First off you need a ‘Microsoft Account’, formerly known as Live ID/Hotmail ID/ Passport amongst others. If you already have one then that’s easy, just jump straight to the Outlook.com Webmail Login  and voila, you are now running ‘Outlook.com’. If as an existing Microsoft Account holder you get the old Hotmail interface, it is simple to click on the ‘Options’ then ‘Upgrade to Outlook.com’ link and that is you upgraded, per the image below:

That’s you set-up with free Outlook.com email on your Microsoft Account. This is not yet active on your own domain or domains. To get your email on your own domains working you need to continue to Step 2.

It is advisable to be ready to move ALL our email accounts to Outlook.com BEFORE you commence Step 2. This should include being clear who controls your domain(s) DNS settings. If in doubt contact your hosting provider AFTER reading through the rest of this guide so you are clear on what is involved.

Step2.

Configure your domain and get access to Multiple User accounts on your own domain FOR FREE.

  1. Head over to the ‘Windows Live Admin Center‘ at http://domains.live.com
  2. Click on the ‘Get Started’ link’ Assuming you’re already logged in!

  3. Enter your domain name. Don’t get confused by the ‘www’ prefix, it is perhaps not the most intuitive way of simply requesting a domain name! Then Click ‘Continue‘
  4. Next you will have to go through a formality, check the setting s are correct and assuming your OK with the Terms & Conditions click ‘ I Accept’

  5. The next screen is a little overwhelming for the non-techies. If you have access to your domain’s DNS or DNS management page then I assume you know what yru doing, if not you will be emailing a copy of this page to your Domains Registrar or Hosting provider who controls your domains DNS.

    In summary this page update your DNS records so that email etc will start getting pointed to your new Outlook.com profile.

    DO NOT initiate this till you’re ready for email to STOP arriving at your old email service, and you are ready to set-up all your email accounts on Outlook.com.

    You can pre-configure this and leave it as is, note the ‘Prove Ownership’ box highlighted in Blue. Until you have either made the changes or instructed someone else to and this box is replaced with a ‘Your Service is Active’ statement your email routing is unaltered.

  6. Assuming were good to go with Outlook.com and you have made the changes noted above in DNS instead of the yellow ‘Prove Ownership’ box, you should now see an ‘Your Service is Active’ message box as illustrated below:

Now you can configure a variety of features from the left hand Admin menu:

Custom Addresses – This allows you to create additional Domain URL prefix’s for your mail domain ie:’mail.yourdomain.com‘ :

User / Members Accounts – user mailbox’s (Up to 500!!)

Open Membership – Great commercial angle to allow you to share your Domain with subscribers to a service or your website:

Co-Branding – Allow you to brand your email experience, ideal if you are using Open membership features:

Domain Reports – All important management tool to monitor activity on your email usage, a summary list of available reports below:

You should not be set-up with your Outlook.com service. You can add additional domains to this all managed by your principle Microsoft Account, or any other Microsoft Account you may wish to designate.

Other features you may wish to explore will include the Microsoft Live SkyDrive and Office Web application linkage that you get for collaboration with Outlook.com, you can access this from the Outlook.com mail interface at http://mail.live.com, top left click the down arrow next to the Outlook banner, see image below:

This will open up a link menu to other rich interface features and SkyDrive for document sharing and Office Web Apps integration:

Filed under Cloud Computing, Computers and Internet, Home Computing, Small Medium Enterprise (SME)

Windows 8 To Go Workspace Creation Guide

November 24, 2012 Leave a comment


The following guide will allow you to configure a USB device that is Windows 8 To Go ‘Ready’.

This guide is designed for users who are not yet running Windows 8, and whilst it can be followed if you are running Windows 8 IF you have Windows 8 Enterprise then a much simpler option is to use the ‘Windows To Go Creator Wizard’ (accessible from the Windows 8 Enterprise Control Panel or search) which automates:

  • USB Device provisioning process,
  • Windows 8 Instalment (you still need to have the Windows 8 Enterprise install media for this)
  • Bitlocker enablement options that can activate Bitlocker automatically during the Windows To Go creation process.

As you are creating a portable instance of your Windows 8 Operating System which is likely to contain private data we strongly recommend you activate the built in bitlocker drive encryption technology.

The process below does not allow you to enable Bitlocker during creation, it requires you to enabled bitlocker drive encryption AFTER creating your ‘Windows To Go Drive’ from within the Windows To Go workspace.

You can download a PDF version of this guide for ease of reference from here: Windows To Go Creation Guide (220 KB PDF)

This process requires Windows 8 Enterprise install media and does not work with other versions.

For a Windows To Go Feature Overview and more information please visit the Microsoft TechNet site.

Preparation Phase:

Step 1. Get the imagex.exe from the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK):

  1. Download the Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK) for Windows 7 (1.7GB) http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&id=5753
  2. Download WinRAR, then uncompress the AIK ISO file that you downloaded, browse and extract the Neutral.cab file.
  3. Uncompressed the Neutral.cab with WinRAR, and extract the file name F1_imagex.
  4. Rename the file F1_imagex to imagex.exe.

Step 2. Get the install.wim Windows 8 Enterprise Install File:

  1. Download or get your copy of Windows 8 Enterprise
  2. If you have this is ISO format (if you downloaded from MSDN for example) use WinRAR to uncompress the Windows 8 Enterprise ISO file.
  3. Browse the uncompressed Windows 8 Enterprise files going to the \sources\ folder, extract the install.wim file that it should be in there.

Copy both the imagex.exe and the install.wim files to a separate directory.

USB To Go Creation Phase:

Step 1. Configure your USB drive:

  1. Open a Command Prompt (in Administrator Mode)
  2. Run the following Commands allow each to finish before proceeding to the next:
    1. DISKPART
    2. LIST DISK (Note down the Disk number of your USB Device, ie: Disk 1 in my example below)


    3. SELECT DISK 1 (Replace 1 with the number of your USB Device from the step before)
    4. CLEAN
    5. CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
    6. SELECT PARTITION 1
    7. ACTIVE
    8. FORMAT FS=NTFS QUICK (Format process may take few seconds, longer if you opt to do a full format by leaving off the ‘QUICK’ option)
    9. ASSIGN
    10. EXIT

Step 2. Install Windows 8 Enterprise onto the USB:

  1. Open a Command Prompt (in Administrator Mode)
  2. Browse to the folder that has the Imagex.exe and now the install.wim
  3. Run the following command: imagex.exe /apply install.wim 1 D:\
    (Replace D with your USB drive letter)
  4. This write process will take a bit of time, progress is displayed.
  5. Once the write process has completed configure the boot record in the Windows To Go USB drive. Type the following command: bcdboot.exe D:\windows /s D: /f ALL
    (Replace D with your USB drive letter)

Volia!

Now you should be able to boot to your external Windows 8 Enterprise USB To Go device and complete your installation. Some helpful hints on how to configure the traditional desktop Start Button etc available at Windows 8 Desktop Prioritisation Guide


Filed under Computers and Internet, Home Computing, Small Medium Enterprise (SME), Windows 8

Windows 8 Desktop Prioritisation Guide

November 20, 2012 1 Comment


As promised a guide to how you priorities the boot order to your conventional Windows desktop and return certain critical efficiency assets most notably the Start menu. Remembering that we don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater so the following maintains 100% the Windows Modern UI in all its tiling glory.

You can download a PDF version of this guide for ease of reference from here: Windows 8 – Desktop Prioritisation Guide (234 KB PDF)

Why is this needed? As I said in my earlier blog ‘Microsoft leave the Control Freekery for the Fruitcakes‘ the Windows 8 Modern UI is ill-suited to workstation environments. The uncharacteristic step by Microsoft to throw users uncaringly into a whole new world of their Windows 8 Modern UI (User Interface) and at the same time cut them off from the comfort of a the Conventional Desktop is the most ill thought through and poorly thought through marketing faux pas since their Vista launch horror. Why throw away the trust and familiarity of the Conventional Desktop, when those characteristics actually represent the gateway to adoption of the Modern UI is beyond me. But then I guess that is why Steve Sinofsky was seen making such a fast exit, and good riddance to his Steve Jobs attitude to bullying consumers through product changes. What would have been more engaging is the Modern UI and the Conventional Desktop introduced as distinct principle software environments for different device formats.

  1. The Conventional Desktop should never have had its start menu removed, it alienated users immediately from any sense of a familiar introduction to Windows 8 where they would inevitably explore end up exploring and getting familiar with the Modern UI on their own terms.
  2. The boot order should have been set as an elective as part of the install wizard, and in the same way allow users the flexibility and choice to safely adopt Windows 8 without the fear of being forced into the unknown and steep learning curve of change which we humans are inherently wary of.

So this Blog redresses this by giving you back that familiar and reliable fully empower conventional desktop environment from where in time you can build out your skills into the new world of the Modern UI.

This guide will step you through what I have now found as a robust process to re-establish a Windows 8 conventional desktop for power users and real multitaskers. I am hopeful that this will become somewhat redundant if Microsoft redress some of the Steven Sinofsky aberrations. Some of this will work with Windows 8 RT, but find that Windows 8 RT is largely on Tablet style devices that it suites very nicely so the priority is very much the Modern UI over the Conventional Desktop.

So let’s get started.

This assumes we are starting from a clean installation of Windows 8 Pro or Enterprise.

  1. Reinstate the Start menu – Download Classic Shell (http://classicshell.sourceforge.net/features.html) Full details and alternatives summarized in my earlier blog ‘Windows 8 – Boot to Basics’
  2. Download the attached file which I have had to give a .DOC extension so you can download it (NRG Menu Settings.xml.DOC) but it is in fact an XML file with XML script of the configuration I use in the Classic Shell that will help you get going. Right click on the link and save the file to your hard drive then remove the .DOC file extension to leave a native XML file you can then import it into Classic Shell from the Backup option in the settings menu. This will:
    1. Configure your Start menu with a Windows 8 look and feel.
    2. Automatically set your OS to boot to the Desktop. (You can always return to the Modern UI by hitting the Windows key on your keyboard).

So now you have a Conventional Desktop with a core asset returned to its usual location, reducing the laborious screen switching to the Tiled interface or heavy-handed use of search.

For some that will be enough and you will be capable of doing your own Conventional Desktop modifications from hereon.

Those of you who would like some more tips I can recommend casting your eye over the following that will ensure your desktop experience does not regress into Frankenstein moments by popping into Modern UI applications not best suited for large non touch screen environments.

Re-set Default Programs – One of the issues with Windows 8 is you will find many file types are automatically set to launch with Modern UI applications. The following steps will allow you to ensure you will priorities your desktop applications.

    1. Install desktop applications so that you can re-assign file types to use the Conventional Desktop programs over the Modern UI apps. Some applications you may find useful will include:
    2. From your re-instated Start menu go to ‘Control Panel\Programs\Default Programs\Set Default Programs’ and click through your newly installed programs to prioritise them. Some key ones I would suggest include:
      • Those listed above
      • Windows Media Player – Playing & managing music
      • Paint – Image viewer and basic editor.
      • Windows Photo Viewer – To view and print images instead of the Modern UI Photo Viewer.
    3. The other big one is Internet Explorer – make sure the dropdown election is set in the ‘Internet Options > Programs’ to always use IE on the Conventional Desktop. I also tick the ‘Open IE tiles on the Conventional Desktop as well so even if I am in the Modern UI I will prioritise a desktop instance of IE.

    4. An alternative way is to use File Explorer and right click on the individual files want to assign to a specific program and click ‘Properties’. On the general tab will be an option to ‘Open With:’ and a ‘Change’ button. This is a little more long winded than the earlier step but gives more control.
    5. A clean way to reduce conflict with Modern UI apps and also save a bit of disk space is to uninstall the Modern UI variants. (The reality is I have removed all my Windows Modern UI apps as they serve no purpose and only add to network congestion in the background. All the news and other functionality apps I bypass as the websites are richer using the Conventional Desktop IE v.10 as our counterpart Conventional Desktop programs).  This is likely to include as a minimum:
      • Video Player
      • Photo Viewer
      • Mail (this will also remove Calendar, Messaging and peoples hub) but assuming you are running Microsoft Office as a power users these are fripperies you will not need and only serve to duplicate content on your hard drive and increase network activity if you do.
      • SkyDrive (Modern UI version only)
      • Skype SkyDrive (Modern UI version only)

       WARNING – Do not install the same apps both in the Modern UI and on your Conventional Desktop, this can cause conflicts such as with Skype also you will find you end up duplicating data and network activity. Windows 8 is chatty enough on the network without adding to it!

‘Free’ Media Pack for Windows 8 Pro
A time limited offer you can take advantage of at – http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/feature-packs

Optional free or Shareware utilities

I also find useful that you can take or leave include:

Desktop Gadgets

This is something I have been asked by just about every user I have helped convert to Windows 8, they miss the convenience of having some of those core gadgets ‘just there’. Key favourites include the Calendar, currency conversion, weather. Post it’s and power monitor. You are in luck head over to 8Gadgetpack at http://8gadgetpack.bplaced.net/ . It’s not quite a full Windows 7 gadget style experience more Vista with the sidebar limit, but you can remove the sidebar and have just the gadgets on the Conventional Desktop.

Conclusion

What you should now have is a fully tuned up conventional desktop environment (with a few utilities if you elected for them) that will allow you to leverage the full potential of Windows 8 whilst maintaining the luxury of the Modern UI tile environment 100% intact. The key difference being you have prioritised the Conventional Desktop experience over a touch screen experience with no compromise.

Filed under Computers and Internet, Home Computing, Small Medium Enterprise (SME), Windows 8

Microsoft leave the Control Freekery for the Fruitcakes

November 18, 2012 1 Comment


Demonstrating unwavering leadership, whether driven by necessity or not, Steve Ballmer has created a unique window of opportunity to redress some issues with Windows 8 reception into the marketplace.

Steven Sinofsky President, Windows Division has gone from headline grabbing darling to departed http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/news/exec/ssinofsky/

Conspiracy theorists abound need little imagination as to why. As a Microsoft Partner at the consumer and enterprise coal face it has been black and white since the latter preview releases of Windows 8 that there was a temperature change in the Windows Division that was blowing the good ship Windows into dangerous waters, and it appears the Captain had decided to ignore the feedback from his instruments. It appears Captain Sinofsky had been ardently fighting a one man war against the traditional choice characteristics of the Windows OS and had achieved internal persuasive success at Microsoft, with resistance and reservation, for his drastic surgery on the traditional Windows desktop. This was also in the face of a full blown gale of online, Partner channel and general technical audience commentary against the removal of the Start menu and promotion of the Modern UI previewed in early iterations of the Windows 8 OS.

It looks like the Admiral was on board and he has placed a trusted hand on the tiller, could we be heading back into calmer waters? ….. I am by no means alone in hoping so since it has made headlines in USA Today ‘Will Microsoft restore Start Menu to Windows 8?‘, to think a Start menu could cause such headlines, and ‘With Sinofsky Gone, Start Menu Could Return to Windows 8′ , we could never have guessed ;-)

The detail surrounding the relevance of 2 features such as the Start menu and the default Modern UI I cover in my earlier blog ‘Windows 8 – A desktop demotion?‘

That was almost three months ago. I have now lived and breathed Windows 8 can firmly state that on a dual monitor (27inch) desktop environment that can see me running multiple Virtual Machines, Visual Studio amongst the usual cascade of Internet Explorer windows and instances of Microsoft Word, Outlook and Excel there is only one existence – THE DESKTOP. In fact the use of Modern UI applications on a 27inch monitor is very poor where most are designed for tablet sized screens. Having reviewed my Modern UI usage I can state that since making a few tweaks to return the Start menu and not straight to my Windows 8 desktop (and a few others that I will cover in a blog shortly) I have not had to revert to the Modern UI.

That does not mean it is redundant. I have my Surface which I live in the Modern UI. That is the spin here. For all Steven Sinofsky’s engineering and project management competence he has missed the ball completely on the critical issue of communication and management of end user expectation. As a result we have a Kick Ass Operating System in Windows 8 hobbled by the lack of FLEXIBILITY to allow users to CHOOSE.

  • Flexibility because Windows is trying to hit a much bigger target end user device based than just tablets, so to all but Sinofsky, it was fundamental that the desktop was maintained as a first class citizen.
  • Choice – The consumer and enterprises friend. Where there is doubt and engineering capability, budget and time permits, put in options. DO NOT taken them out!

Microsoft has always been about Flexibility and choice, to the point of criticism. How many of us have gasped at the number of ways we have been able to do things in the UI when confronted with support requests for end user guidance. It has been a hidden grace, that has made the platform INCLUSIVE.

Windows 8 is a fantastic platform with unique dual facets unlike any other. Power on the tablet and prospectively Power on desktop, IF the Admiral encourages his new captain (whomever he or she will be) to reflect overwhelming demand.

I recall the horror that was the Vista launch, which completely missed the Enterprise messaging of the script. This time it has been the control arrogance around the traditional desktop demotion AND on the consumer front the poorly communicated messaging around Windows 8 RT as a distinctly separate experience for users. As a result we are currently staring out across a Vista of troubled waters instead of the plain sailing that the Windows 8 desktop truly deserves.

If I could as Steve Ballmer to do anything, it would be win back the Choice Moniker for Microsoft leave the Control Freekery for the fruitcakes by:

  1. Desktop Start menu.
  2. Option for direct boot election into Desktop v. New UI.

Windows 8 should be an absolute no brainer for Enterprises, but for the lack of this flexibility and choice.

Amongst some much needed communication clarification around Windows 8 and Windows 8 RT.

PS -Oh yes, maybe stand up when you do your bit at the next WPC, Steve you are shear effervescence speaking on your feet!

Filed under Computers and Internet, Home Computing, Mobile, Small Medium Enterprise (SME), Windows 8

Windows 8 – ‘Virtually’ a Painless Transition

November 14, 2012 2 Comments


The advertising will have you believe it is the advent of a brave new world with the (not quiet all new) Windows 8 Operating System, the biggest change in desktop ‘Yardy, yady, ya’….

What follows is by no means exhaustive in detail, and assume a modest degree of comfort configuring PC’s. There are more detailed tutorials covering many of the discrete steps summarised below that you can reference online ie: Full Windows 8 install screen by screen, or YouTube videos that can help give insight into what you can expect. Please ensure you have taken whatever steps you need to feel comfortable proceeding with the steps summarised below.

You can download a PDF version of this guide for ease of reference from here: Windows 8 – ‘Virtually’ a Painless Transition Guide (825KB PDF)

What most users I have come across want to know is:

  1. Do I upgrade?
  2. Do I do a fresh install?

Well Option B is the answer which for many throws them out of a comfort zone. The thought of running an in situ upgrade and Voila is all too tempting BUT as IT aficionado will tell you, Operating System (OS) upgrades carry with them baggage. Baggage being artefacts and a bloated hard drive full of highly fragmented files that undermine future performance and stability. Read on and find out how simple and secure it is to get the best of BOTH worlds.

NB: This is ONLY applicable to users with PC’s running CPU’s that support SLAT. (Please see my earlier blog Windows 8 Client Hyper-V – Why SLAT? for information on this)

Assuming you have SLAT support, proceed….

Ingredients:

  1. Printed copy of this Blog (Your PC is going to be offline so you may need a copy of the following steps), or if you have your Windows Surface Tablet to hand bookmark this for reference as you install Windows 8 for yourself. Yes this can be viewed on an iPad but that somehow doesn’t quiet feel so good and lacks the convenience of a kickstand ;-)
  2. Windows 8 Operating System installation disc, serial number to hand.
  3. Download onto the PC you wish to replace with Windows 8 a copy of Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell AWSOME Disk2vhd utility that creates Virtual Hard Disks (VHD’s – Microsoft’s Virtual Machine disk format) of physical disks (PC’s or Servers) for use in Microsoft Hyper-V virtual machines (VMs). http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/ee656415.aspx
  4. x1 external USB hard drive (USB v3 not the old USBv2). Suggested size is 1Terrabyte (TB) you can pick them up from PC World or online for under £100 and they work well as a backup device for future peace of mind.

    (If your PC has a Hard Drive LARGER than 1TB then you will need an external Hard Drive of 2TB+, a bit more expensive but necessary).

  5. PATIENCE, read the instructions through BEFORE starting so you know what is coming. Forewarned is to be forearmed, we like NO surprises.

Recipe:

This is a 4 phase process that builds in a belt and braces step 1, followed by a dynamic second step that I suggest you do overnight so you do not end up losing patience and interrupt the process as it takes time. Phase 2 allows you to safely move to Phase 3, to install Windows 8 and finally Phase 4 the set-up of your Windows 8 environment with your old PC running in a virtual instance on your Windows 8 desktop using Client Hyper-V so you can migrate settings and reference your old PC at your leisure :-)

  1. Safety Backup Phase – Take x1 USB hard drive purchased according to the requirements above and the PC you wish to upgrade to Windows 8:
    1. Insert the USB cable so that the USB drive appears in your ‘Windows File Explorer’ on your PC.
    2. Open up the USB ‘Windows File Explorer’ and Create a new folder, give it a memorable name I use the format date+name ie:’20121105 Backup Files‘. It makes it easy to list and also reference.
    3. Manually copy ALL the data files you have created and hold so dear from your PC onto the USB hard drive into the folder you have just created.
    4. Make a record of ALL your installed programs and check you have installation media to reinstall them if desirable. Do this from either the Start > Programs menu or Start > Settings > Control Panel > Programs and Features or use the ‘MSINFO32.exe’ utility from your start menu or command line to list and print out details.
  2. PC Virtualisation Phase – (Recommended you do this so you can leave it running overnight) With your USB still plugged in and having downloaded the Disk2vhd utility:
    1. Re-boot your PC.
    2. Make sure it is connected to a power supply.
    3. Ensure your PC’s power settings are NOT set to allow the PC to sleep or hibernate. From your Start Button go Settings > Control Panel > Power Options and tick the ‘High Performance’ option to be safe.
    4. If you know how, disable ANY applications that Auto start to reduce activity.
    5. Disconnect any network cables and WiFi.
    6. Run the Disk2vhd utility you downloaded.
    7. In the top dialogue box select where you wish to create a VHD (Virtual Hard Drive) of your PC. This should be your USB hard drive.
    8. In the lower half of the Disk2vhd utility screen tick the box’s against ALL the hard drives EXCEPT the USB external hard drive (this is often the last in the list, but CHECK).
    9. Click the ‘Create’ button.
    10. Go to bed….
    11. Fingers crossed when you wake up you should see a ‘Completed’ message on the Disk2vhd utility.
    12. Boot down your PC.
    13. Disconnect your USB drive.
    14. Place USB drive somewhere SAFE.
  3. Windows 8 Install Phase – Not a whole lot to this. Insert your Windows 8 DVD and re-boot your PC, following the prompts to install Windows 8. Critical choice is to do a Clean Install NOT an upgrade.
    1. What you should see after some pre-amble screens is the following, you want to select the second option as highlighted below:

    2. If you see the following dialogue box at any point then you have an Upgrade install version of Windows 8 (you cannot do a Fresh install with this disc):

    3. Assuming you get to the screen in a. above you want to select the Advanced Drive option:

    4. From the next screen you proceed to DELETE each of the partitions on the hard drive:
      1. Highlight the partition and select DELETE:

    1. As we have already both copied our files to the USB and created an image of the original drives we should be safe that all our data is recoverable (this is not a guarantee, but has always worked for me!), proceed and select ‘OK’ :

    2. Repeat the steps above till you have deleted ALL the partitions and are left with a screen similar to the following, then click ‘Next’:

    1. The installation phase now commences:

    1. The rest of the steps are quiet self-explanatory, just follow the prompts.
    2. When you get to the ‘Sign Into your PC’ screen you have the option to use a Microsoft Account (formerly known as a Live ID / Passport /Hotmail amongst others). This has its advantages, but also commits you to a single identity for certain other Microsoft services. You can always elect to do this later if you are not sure and select to create a ‘Local PC Account’. See my blog on the implications of using a Microsoft Account on Windows 8.
    1. By the end of this process you should have a nice clean install of Windows 8.
    1. Congratulations J
  4. Co-existence Phase – You will now configure Windows 8 so it can instantiate a Virtual instance of your former PC using the new Windows 8 Client Hyper-V:
    1. Enable the Client Hyper-V feature on Window’s 8:
      1. From the main Windows Tile Home Screen ‘Charms’ menu:
        1. select ‘Search’
        2. Highlight Settings (highlighted in red below)
        3. Type in ‘Programs’ in the dialogue box (highlighted in Green below)
        4. Click on ‘Programs and Features’ in the search returns (highlighted in Yellow below)

      2. This will open up a dialogue box, click on the ‘Turn Windows features on or off’ in the left hand menu (highlighted in red below):

      3. You will get another dialogue box, make sure ALL the options are selected in the Client Hyper-V section (highlighted in red below), it is useful to also do the items in the yellow box as so many applications require these today you will have to do this at some point, but it is not essential.

        (If you do not get the option to run the ‘Hyper-V Platform’ then your PC does not support virtualisation or SLAT and you have overlooked the notice at the start of this blog. Drop me an email and I will try and get back with alternatives, but I hope at least you can proceed with the manual file backup noted above).

      4. You will now see the following screen and your PC will re-boot at least twice, let it finish doing its re-boots:

    2. Attach your USB Hard drive that contains the VHD you created in Phase 2 above.
    3. Configure Client Hyper-V with your VHD:
    1. Open Hyper-V manager. (Do a search from the Search option from the ‘Charms bar’, or if you have followed my guide ‘Boot to Basic’
      http://blog.nigelgibbons.com/2012/09/20/windows-8-boot-to-basics to reinstate a Start Button then you can more easily access it that way).
    2. Click ‘New’ in the right hand menu as highlighted in Green Below and this will pop out a menu from which you should click on ‘Virtual Machine’ highlighted in Blue:

    3. The ‘New Virtual machine Wizard’ will start, click ‘Next‘ till you see the screen below and then fill in the form field to give your Virtual Machine a name.
    4. At the next Screen ‘Assign Memory’ you will be asked to assign RAM. A minimum I would recommend for any Windows VM is 1024.
    1. At the next Screen ‘Configure Networking’ by default unless you have configured a Virtual Switch you will only have the ‘Not Connected’ option. It is probably a good idea to select this to start with, you can always attach the VM to a network later by creating a Virtual Switch form the ‘Virtual Switch Manager’ option in the Hyper-V Manager right hand window.
    1. At the next Screen ‘Connect Virtual Hard Disk’ you should select the second option to ‘Use an Existing Hard Disk’ and browse to where the Virtual hard Disk (VHD) file is located that you created in the earlier steps.
    1. The final screen confirms you settings, click ‘Finish‘ and you will be taken back to the main Hyper-V Manager screen where you should see your PC listed, in the image above I have redacted the names of my VM’s but this is where you should see your VM.
    1. If you highlight your VM and click ‘Start‘ highlighted in Orange in the left hand window of the Hyper-V Manager it will start your VM.
    1. Click on the image of the booting VM in the lower window (Highlighted Yellow above) of the Hyper-V Manager will open that window up as a Console Session and allow you to access you old PC.

By now I hope you will be enjoying a clean Windows 8 PC environment WITH your old PC fully functional so you can temporarily still operate (albeit in a reduce screen size) as you proceed to install your applications and configure your new Windows 8 environment. Of course you also have all the files you manually copied over for quick and easy re-population of your new Windows 8 environment with your personal files.

Filed under Computers and Internet, Home Computing, Small Medium Enterprise (SME), Windows 8

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