Shed Unwanted Windows 8.* Apps

There are many ways to clean up unwanted software on Windows PC using either built-in utilities such as the "Programs and Features" element in Control Panel (formerly known as "Add/Remove Programs"), or by using third-party tools such as the proverbial "
Great Tool: NirSoft WifiInfoView

Anybody who's been reading this blog for awhile knows I'm a great fan of master utility builder Nir Sofer, the Israeli software development dynamo who's behind the terrific
Script Browser Makes 10K-plus PowerShell Scripts Immediately Available

This interesting post last week on the Windows PowerShell Blog is entitled "
MS Relents on Win8.1 Update Application Timing

When I reported here on April 8 that the "Windows 8.1 Update 1 is NOT Optional," I was working from the then-current...
Refresh Adventures Show It’s NOT the “Same as Backup”

As I've observed many times in this blog over the years, I'm a hopeless tinkerer. This even applies to my production system when the whim strikes and time permits. My current production machine features the following collection of components (among others): an Asus P8X68-V Pro Gen3 motherboard, an...
WIMBoot Is the Secret to Leaner Win8.1 Update Installs

In spelunking around on TechNet, I've come across an interesting element in the latest Windows Assessment and Deployment Kit (ADK). It's called WIMBoot and it appears to explain quite nicely how it is that Microsoft has been able to trim down the size of Windows 8.1 Update 1 installations. In fact...
Windows 8.1 Update 1 Is NOT Optional

Here's an interesting note from Michael Hildebrand's April 7 post to the Ask Premier Field Engineering (PFE) Platforms blog entitled "
Windows XP “Retires” Tomorrow — or Does It?

A couple of interesting stories in the news of late have challenged the conventional understanding that Windows XP will finally, finally shuffle off the stage on April 8, just as the latest Windows 8.1 Update is pushed out via Windows Update. Recent reports indicate that some governments are taking...
Installing MSDN’s Windows 8.1 Update 1

When you download the update from MSDN, the first odd thing you'll notice is that what shows up as a result is a ZIP file. Upon expansion, this is what the 64-bit version unpacks into:
Win8.1 Spring Update on MSDN

[Update: 1:40 PM CST after Nadella's Keynote at BUILD ends]
The Windows 8.1 Update downloads are now available via MSDN. Here's a screenshot of what's up there, straight from the lastest "New Subscriber Downloads" list: