Install Windows 7 On Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet
Is it possible to install Win 8 on a asus transformer.As Swipe has indicated, Windows 8 is not available for general installation on ARM. Specifically, only the RT version of Windows 8 can work on ARM but MS will only provide that version to OEMs for direct pre-install. No retail version will be sold for the RT version and the regular Windows 8/Pro will not run on ARM!So you won't see a port until someone hacks a RT model and provides it as a installable ROM, which you'll need a system compatible. So of similar spec as from which the original was taken from. Not exactly legal btw, since Windows is pay for software. Its not ever going to work as windows not have the needed drivers.Windows RT is being released on a few ARM based systems, including the Tegra 3 as can be noted by the MS Surface and Asus Vivo Tab RT. Main issue would be a driver for what's different, like the WiFi but that's never stopped people porting OS before and given time those drives will be provided.
While most of the OS should work as is, older systems will mainly just have half the RAM and maybe not enough drive capacity if smaller than 32GB. Don't know why you'd want to anyways, the arm version not run any legacy software, so all you get is an ugly, inefficient ui and the need to buy all your apps over.Whether it's ugly is just your opinion, not everyone shares that opinion and besides it has nothing to do with usability.The OS has some quirks but it's new and those will get ironed out eventually. Both MS and 3rd parties will be working on it. Despite the quirks though it's still a superior OS to what's offered with either Android or iOS.Hardware support is way better right off the bat, you can actually use most printers without needing to get a special app and also expect it to work with most apps without issue. Most USB devices will just work when connected, Android has really improved in this regard over the past year but there are still many devices not supported.Provided there's a compatible player, you can even connect a Blu Ray player to a RT device and play Blu Rays directly. Something that's impossible to do with Android or iOS.Then there's things like Multi-tasking, which hands down RT will do better.
Aside from some exceptions like Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1, you can't run side by side apps at the same time on most mobile devices.Neither Android or iOS offer as much functionality out of the box as RT systems will offer, with the MS Office and Student 2013 RT, desktop IE 10 browser, desktop utilities and minor apps like MS Paint, etc.While the apps may be limited, they're starting to add up more quickly with over 7000 apps now and a lot more before end of the year. Netflix, Kindle, and a few other known apps are already available.Mind also MS is leveraging their other services, you get XBox Live, XBox Music, Skydrive, and optional services like Office 365, etc. Btw, getting one of the pay for services or pay for version of Office also lets you use the free Office you get with RT commercially, otherwise it's only for personal use.So suffice it to say there are reasons why some people would want to get it. Just like some people would like to run a desktop Linux distro.Mobile OS are nice and can be useful but they're limited by design and legacy. Like the lowest common denominator for either iOS or Android is apps made specifically for phones instead of tablets. However, for RT devices the lowest common denominator will be tablets on up to full desktops as even the full Windows 8/Pro runs the Modern UI and apps made specifically for it will run on all devices.I would advise against too much enthusiasm for the idea though, ARM systems have only fairly recently developed enough performance to properly run a desktop OS.
So mainly those with the latest high end models should really consider the possibility right now. I am really just stating an opinion.
In the end that is all any of it is. In my opinion, I can't for the life of me understand why Windows is the largest operating system on the market this day in age. I can't stand to use it whether W7, XP or Vista, just isn't productive to me, Linux is very productive for me. I would love to see a Linux arm version on the transformer, but even that is barely possible simply because of the bootloaders.
Install Windows 7 On Asus Eee Pad Transformer Tablet Reviews
Porting a closed source proprietary OS is going to be very difficult. In my opinion, I can't for the life of me understand why Windows is the largest operating system on the market this day in age.It's pretty simple in principle, Windows is the OS designed for the masses!No linux distro is really designed for everyone in mind. Thus why there are over 600 distros and none really dominate, just a few are just more popular than the others is about as close as it gets and even then support is usually split among different variants.Linux is great and just about perfect for technical applications, thus why they pretty much completely dominate the server and embedded markets.
However, when it comes to people there has yet to be any version that is really set up to appeal to the masses.The insistence on open source has also been a hindrance in many respects as it has prevented some high end software from becoming available for Linux users. Like there's no real replacement for Photoshop, high end video and audio editors, etc.Issues like driver support are also not always as good as you can get with Windows systems. The latest graphic cards can take a year or more before proper Linux drivers are available for example.Basically, Linux has it's own share of issues and things that still need to improve.Windows of course has its issues but while it isn't as flexible and customizable as Linux, it's also not as locked down as OSX and also people are just more used to it and it generally has a smaller learning curve than Linux.Remember, people aren't machines. So sometimes the flawed solution works for the most people and the apparently perfect solution works for the fewest. I would love to see a Linux arm version on the transformer, but even that is barely possible simply because of the bootloaders.I think you mean GNU/Linux (aka desktop Linux) because technically Android is based on Linux too.
Anyway, people have already started working on getting desktop Linux to run on ARM devices like the Asus Tranformer.Ex:ARM devices aren't always the easiest to deal with but like the wide range of Linux communities that support the various distros, there are people who work hard on making such ports possible. Porting a closed source proprietary OS is going to be very difficult.Maybe, depends on what needs to be modified and whether it's locked down to the hardware ID or similar. However, Windows is just one OS. So work on it would be more coherent than the fragmented support Linux tends to get because of how support is spread over the hundreds of different distros. Also, there's a lot of Windows users who would be interested in getting it to work.So there could be more resources pushed into the effort than there ever has been before for any previous attempts to get desktop Linux to run on ARM. Well, the present Android Kernel has been re-merged with the Linux Kernel since 3.3 (3.6.3 being the latest Stable). However, Android isn't a GNU/Linux distro.
So there's still a lot of differences between them.Kinda like how Windows is now, they're using the NT Kernel on all devices. Even WP8 has the NT Kernel but that doesn't mean they're all that compatible. Differences in hardware and UI/app optimization similar factor.For the Transformer, a desktop Linux port makes more sense as you've got the Keyboard dock to provide a similar laptop experience using it.
It's just for pure tablet usage that no GNU/Linux is really ready for yet but who knows, maybe someone will create a properly optimized distro that'll also work for traditional desktop apps.While a good alternative is dual boot, Canonical is actually working on getting Ubuntu to run on top of Android for a desktop mode that'll be far superior to what the Motorola Atrix once offered with it's VM webtop solution.
We've had the pleasure of test driving the for the last couple of weeks, and for a $400 Windows 8 machine, it's impressive to say the least.Now don't get me wrong, a Surface Pro this is not. But unless you plan on heavily gaming or doing other processor-intensive activities such as photo and video editing, the Transformer will more than adequately meet your needs. And with season in full effect, the all-inclusive $400 Transformer is a bargain when compared to the $800 Surface Pro (base model), which will need a $150 keyboard in addition.
The only differentiating factor among the various versions of this product is the amount of storage available out of the box. You can choose between 32GB, 32GB Plus a 500GB hard drive dock, and 64GB.
All options come with a year of cloud storage (1,000GB) and, of course, you can always stick in a MicroSD card for additional geebeez.There's a lot of love about this little guy, so let's get down to it. What We Love: It's Super PortableIf you didn't pick up on it above, I'll say it again: this thing is light. In fact, it makes my Surface Pro seem like a cinder block by comparison. Holding it with one hand while using it with my other is no problem—no need to lay it or pry it up against anything—which is definitely not something I can say about my SP2. What We Love: The Docking Keyboard Is GreatThe included dock is really great.
The keys are slightly raised, which makes typing a breeze. Using the function key, you can get full functionality out of the keyboard, and the touchpad is unbelievably responsive.
To be honest, while not as thin as the Surface Pro's, this dock is far-and-away better. While the connection takes a little getting used to, the keyboard and mouse are a joy to use. Double-clicking and dragging-and-dropping feel like they would on a normal laptop—two things that are the bane of my existence with my SP2.The dock also includes a USB 3.0 port, which makes hooking up your own external drive, printers, and other peripherals a cinch. Along with gestures that can be performed on the touchpad, similar to the ones you would perform on the screen, I gotta give my kudos to ASUS for really getting this right. What We Love: You Can Add Any PeripheralDon't let the lack of massive amount of storage space deter you.
You've got the year of cloud storage, plus a ton of other cloud options, but you also have a slot for, so throwing in another 64GB is pain-free. You'll be hard pressed to find a better deal, especially if you're looking for something as thin and portable as the Transformer Book.However, as with all electronics, the Transformer does have a few drawbacks, but really nothing major when all factors (price, size, etc.) are taken into account. What Could Be Better: Connecting with the DockThe connection to and from the dock wasn't as flawless as I would have liked it to be. Sometimes a little fidgeting was involved to get the tablet back into its dock, but this certainly isn't a deal breaker.