I installed Windows 8.1 on my Surface Pro and 8.1 RT on my Surface RT. There are several differences I've noted in how that process went. First I gave the RT a 10 minute head start on the download and install and the Pro still beat it by nearly another 10 minutes. No big deal there. After the install, I had the same problem that several others have reported here that some of my apps on the RT did not install correctly and showed error messages on the live tiles. Some would try to install on their own after each restart, but none were successful. I did a refresh of the RT and this did not change the situation; many apps still indicated errors and some but not all were listed in the Store as having failed to download. Finally, I did a full remove and reinstall. I knew doing this wouldn't remove 8.1 and return me to 8.0 but this process worked and all of my apps were there, properly installed and ready to go. Not one error indicator. I did not have anything similar installing 8.1 on the Surface Pro except that the new 8.1 apps- Sound Recorder, Calculator, Movie Moments and Reading List needed to be uninstalled and then manually reinstalled after the update before they showed on the Start Screen without error indicators. The bit of fussing required with the Pro wasn't an issue for me as this is Beta software after all, but I thought the hassles I went through with the RT were a bit much.
And I've noticed another problem with the RT since the install of 8.1 that is far more serious. I haven't seen any other posts about this in the places I've checked, so maybe it is just my unit. My battery life has declined markedly. Prior to 8.1, my Surface RT would could stay on standby for several days. On those days I was carrying the Pro to work and the RT stayed home, I just didn't worry about the RT if I had forgotten to plug it in over night or while at work. After the upgrade process that I described above, I set the RT aside for a few days and worked with the Pro. When I grabbed the RT two days later I was stunned to find it wouldn't turn on because the battery had discharged so far. I plugged it in and it started up right away. I thought this was odd but wondered if maybe it had been on battery for longer than I had thought. I charged it fully over night and then tested it again. Unplugging it fully charged before work in the morning on July 3, I returned home to check it and found it at about 60 percent battery life. On July 5, at the end of a full 48 hours since being unplugged, the RT would not start up on battery but did so immediately on being plugged in. This is a serious degradation in the standby time of the RT. I haven't checked its operational time, but I have to assume that has also degraded.
I am not seeing any similar degradations on the Surface Pro with 8.1. Anyone else seeing battery issues with 8.1 RT?
And I've noticed another problem with the RT since the install of 8.1 that is far more serious. I haven't seen any other posts about this in the places I've checked, so maybe it is just my unit. My battery life has declined markedly. Prior to 8.1, my Surface RT would could stay on standby for several days. On those days I was carrying the Pro to work and the RT stayed home, I just didn't worry about the RT if I had forgotten to plug it in over night or while at work. After the upgrade process that I described above, I set the RT aside for a few days and worked with the Pro. When I grabbed the RT two days later I was stunned to find it wouldn't turn on because the battery had discharged so far. I plugged it in and it started up right away. I thought this was odd but wondered if maybe it had been on battery for longer than I had thought. I charged it fully over night and then tested it again. Unplugging it fully charged before work in the morning on July 3, I returned home to check it and found it at about 60 percent battery life. On July 5, at the end of a full 48 hours since being unplugged, the RT would not start up on battery but did so immediately on being plugged in. This is a serious degradation in the standby time of the RT. I haven't checked its operational time, but I have to assume that has also degraded.
I am not seeing any similar degradations on the Surface Pro with 8.1. Anyone else seeing battery issues with 8.1 RT?