Windows 8.1 Update not available in the Windows Store

If you are facing an issue where you cannot find the Windows 8.1 update in the Windows Store, it can be for several reasons

1. You might be running an edition of Windows 8 that doesn’t support the free update from the Store

• Some editions of Windows 8 don’t support the free update to Windows 8.1. These include:
• Windows 8 Enterprise
• Editions of Windows 8 Pro that are installed by enterprises using KMS activation
• Editions of Windows 8 that are installed using an MSDN ISO, and activated using multiple activation keys
• If you’re running one of these editions, you can’t install the free update to Windows 8.1 or Windows RT 8.1 from the Store.
• If you installed Windows 8 using an MSDN ISO, you might be able to install Windows 8.1 using a similar ISO from MSDN.

1. Windows is not up to date
2. Clear the Windows Store cache by typing wsreset.exe in RUN

Upgrading to Windows 8.1

The long wait is over! The Windows 8.1 update for Windows 8 users is publicly available from today!

One can get this update from the Windows Store app, regardless of the device they use. Let it be a desktop, laptop, Surface Pro or a Surface RT you just need to open the Windows Store App to find the update. if the update is not appearing in the Windows Store

1) open Internet Explorer

2) type ms-windows-store:WindowsUpgrade in the address bar

This should open the Windows 8.1 Update from the store directly

Once you open the store and click on the Windows 8.1 Upgrade it will take you to the download screen

 

Upon clicking download, the download begins and it will upgrade automatically. once the installation completes it will require you to reboot a couple of times and Windows will update with the relevant patches.

Note: It is recommended and a best practice to take a backup of all your files before you begin the upgrade to Windows 8.1

SkyDrive and Windows 8.1

WITH the increased usage of computers, tablet, mobiles phones, and cameras, the number of important data and files are growing significantly. Along with this growth, the need for more storage space and requirements to access these data and files across multiple devices at any time and place are being put forward. 

Microsoft Windows is one of the most popular client operating system in the world and used by millions of people. With Windows 8.1, Microsoft has deeply integrated SkyDrive to achieve the aforementioned goal. 

With the integration of SkyDrive, users are able to save files directly to the cloud as easily as saving to their hard drive, making that file available across all connected devices.

However, one of the major concerns in using a cloud-based storage solution like SkyDrive across multiple devices with relatively small storage space is how to gain access to all the data without downloading.

SkyDrive on Windows 8.1 comes with a feature called "Placeholder Files", which looks and feels like normal files and folders, and contains a thumbnail image along with some basic properties and content of the file folders, which enables users to cut, copy, delete, rename or move a placeholder file just like any other files and folders. It will only download the full file when you access it. 

Another important feature is that even if you lose Internet connectivity while you are working on a document, the moment Internet connectivity resumes all modifications will be synchronised automatically to SkyDrive.

Furthermore, you can also make selected files and folders be available offline to you always. This will download the file in to your local hard drive and modifications to the file through any device will be synchronised so that you will always be working with the latest file.

If one installs Windows 8.1 and Microsoft Office 2013 and configures it with a Microsoft account (previously known as a Windows Live ID), SkyDrive becomes the default "Save As" location within Microsoft Office. 

This enables users to save their documents in a cloud storage and make it accessible from anywhere, anytime.

Source: Brunei Times