How large is a Windows 8 download?

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We are planning to upgrade my wife’s PC from Vista to Win8, and I have time to do so over the next few days. However, we only have just under 4GB of download available between now and Wednesday evening, and over recent weeks have used 400 – 800 MB over the Sun – Wednesday period.

I could download this evening providing it is not much more than 2 GB, and then install the updates after midnight, which isn’t included in the download allowance. My wife would have to make do with the laptop tomorrow, and then install an email client and decent antimalware tomorrow night. Everything else could wait until the new monthly period on Thursday.

My fear is that the Win 8 download is 4GB or more, thus using up the allowance, incurring the extra charge and, as it would be the third time this had happened in recent months, make me liable to be moved on to the higher tariff.

Therefore, if anyone can recall how large the download is, I would be very grateful.

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The ISO image I’ve got here (ripped it from one of my Windows 8 DVDs) is 2,165,309,440 bytes, or roughly 2.02GB (divide by 1024 three times to get from bytes to GB).

I can’t remember if it’s the 32-bit or 64-bit version, but I don’t expect there to be a significant difference between the two.

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Thanks for the prompt reply Alex. It looks as though I can go ahead, but will probably put it off until tomorrow, so that my wife has one day less with only partial use of her PC – I don’t fancy staying up all night to get most of it done.

The only fly in the ointment would be if Windows started to install all the patches immediately after it finished the installation, but I do not recall that ever happening.

George

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64-bit version is significantly larger than the 32-bit edition. Listed size is 2.5 gigs for 32-bit and 3.4 gigs for the 64-bit version. Safely under the 4 GB limit in either case though.

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The download is a 32 bit upgrade, purchased during the offer period last January, but 2.5 GB changes the situation completely.

I will wait until Wednesday and see how much we have used by then, and if necessary wait until the following day. A shame, as Thursday is the beginning of another busy period for me, and it would have been nice to use almost all the allowance for this period, so as not to run into the same situation next month.

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I’m surprised that you have such a small allowance. I’ve got unlimited allowance (with all the caveats about fair usage) and it wasn’t much more expensive than a limited one (which was 40Gb). Have you looked at getting a better deal from your (or another) ISP?

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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I’m with Plusnet, who seem to be the cheapest ISP and offer a good service. Their help line is an 0800 number, and they are there 24/7, unlike so many ohers, so they suit me just fine.

Normally only half the 10 GB allowance gets used, but occasionally I have a heavy month, such as now when there has been the new PC to load up with apps, plus Macrium Pro and Emsisoft Antimalware installed on 3 PCs and Online Armor on two of them. The occasional £5 for exceeding the limit is no bother, but they retain the right to upgrade anyone to 15 GB if it happens often, without specifying how they determine what constitutes ‘often’. Next time I ring them I must try and remember to ask that.

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I’m with Plusnet as well. Joined them from O2 after O2 sold out to the devil, sorry, Sky. Had unlimited with both and it’s not expensive. And it looks like they have an offer where unlimited is way cheaper than 10Gb! I agree they are good.

Eliminate spare time: start programming PowerShell

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I checked out their website…if the service is good I’d take any of the packages in a heartbeat. Looks like a 12 month unlimited up to 16 megabit starting offer that’s very inexpensive. Just to give you a reference, where I am in the upper Midwest USA, starting level unlimited 1.5 megabit is $40 a month (about 25 Pounds?) and that does not include phone service. We are rural and there are no other providers of broadband so they have us over a barrel and they know it (dial up and satellite reek in comparison).

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