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Windows 8 to store personal settings across PCs

Windows 8 is aiming to take away the hassle of the traditional Windows operating system. Re-installs and new computers are no obstacle to having a personalised experience available instantly. By associating settings for Windows 8 with a Windows Live profile the user can seamlessly access their own personalised Windows 8 operating system on any computer with Windows 8 installed and with Internet Access. Syncing commonly used settings with the Windows Live cloud store service users can take their settings from home, to work, to internet cafes or to a friend’s house easily. Users can:

Associate the most commonly used Windows settings with your user account. Saved settings are available when you sign in to your account on any Windows 8 PC. Your PC will be set up just the way you are used to!
Easily reacquire your Metro style apps on multiple Windows 8 PCs. The app’s settings and last-used state persist across all your Windows 8 PCs.
Save sign-in credentials for the different apps and websites you use and easily get back into them without having to enter credentials every time.
Automatically sign in to apps and services that use Windows Live ID for authentication.

Security may appear to be an issue but Microsoft has taken steps to ensure the service works securely. Firstly you must have a secure password with a certain level of strength from different combinations: no blank passwords can be used. In addition to the password there will be a secondary proof system such as an alternative email or secret question in the event a password is forgotten or wrongly entered several times. In the event of a Windows Live ID being stolen Microsoft claims it can recover your account using the appropriate secondary proofs whilst limiting your account to a “compromised” state which means no personal data, settings or programs can be accessed. There is a work offline mode for when a Windows Live ID is not available to use. And if all this is too much or too complicated for you, you can operate Windows 8 without a Windows Live ID using the normal system of storing settings locally but it is nice to know Microsoft is giving the choice of both methods.