Microsoft announced the finalization of its Windows 8.1 update today which made it to USENET newsgroups, and after several hours the final build has made its way online. Several file sharing sites have copies of the Windows 8.1 update nearly two months before Microsoft plans to release it to the public. The leaked build incorporates the final changes made to Windows 8.1 from its preview earlier this year.
The official release date for Windows 8.1 RTM is October 17. It’s been heralded as a solution to the problems many have had with Windows 8 since launch, but some early reports seem unconvinced. Still, if you’re absolutely in love with having a Start Button, or if you simply must have the latest version of Windows as soon as possible, Microsoft does not seem to be discouraging early adoption.
A delay in rolling out the Windows 8.1 RTM to IT professionals and MSND and TechNet subscribers is a departure from how Microsoft has rolled out previous Windows RTM versions, according to Microsoft Newsgroups. Given the high stakes surrounding the Windows 8.1 rollout, Microsoft is reportedly playing it safe and working with device makers to squash bugs and fix last-minute problems before the public gets its hands on the final code.
The Preview, valid till the 15th of January 2014 allows users to sign out, reboot and shutdown the computer trough the start tip. By right-clicking this start menu replacement in the left bottom corner a menu will appear which this functionality. Till now signing out, rebooting and powering off could only be done through the charms bar.
One issue raised quickly after the release of Windows 8.1 Preview was that it was not possible to change the location of the Skydrive folder, which many USENET newsgroup subscribers are using more frequently for USENET downloads. The developers have listened and this leaked build has the option to change the folder location.
