List of Features Removed in Windows 8

• The Start button has been removed, although it is still accessible as a hotspot in the lower left corner of the screen, via the Windows key, and on the charms menu
• Aero Flip 3D has been removed. Win+Tab now activates an app switcher only for Metro-style apps.
• The Start menu has been removed in favour of a full screen interface called the Start screen
  • Start screen lacks the global "Recent Documents" menu.
  • Start screen lacks the automatically filling by usage tracking "Most Frequently Used" (MFU) programs list, each with its "Recent Documents" menu
• The Aero Glass theme, which has been featured in Windows Vista and Windows 7 has been removed from Windows 8 in favour of a Metro-style theme
• Windows Desktop Gadgets which has been featured in Windows Vista and Windows 7 has been removed from Windows 8.
• The User Log on/Log off sounds have been removed. The startup sound remains but is disabled by default.

File Explorer

• The command bar is no longer present, and has been replaced by a new Ribbon UI

Games

• Games such as Chess Titans have been removed. However some of them are now available on the Windows Store.

Networking

• For dial-up connection (DUN), some of the options under Redialing options such as "Redial attempts" and "Redial if line is dropped" is no longer available. Although dial-up using PSTN telephone line is becoming increasingly rare, this could affect users that still use DUN to connect to 2G/3G/3.5G mobile network and also DSL subscribers that use Windows' PPPoE dialer
• The Manage wireless networks under Network and Sharing Center is no longer available, although a similar function is still available through netsh command (netsh wlan).
• Similarly, creating an ad-hoc wireless connection ("Set up a new connection or network" > "Set up a wireless ad hoc") is no longer available through the GUI; users need to use the same netsh command or third-party utility such as Connectify.

Media features

• Windows Media Center will no longer be included by default in any version of Windows 8, but will be available as an add-on for Windows 8 Pro.
• Windows Media Player will no longer include codecs to play DVDs but DVDs will be playable if the Windows Media Center add-on is purchased
• Windows Media Center cannot run on start up or on top of other windows because of “new Windows OS requirements and behaviors”
• Windows DVD Maker has been removed.

Other

• Backup and Restore has been renamed Windows 7 File Recovery in favor of the new feature called File History
• The Blue Screen of Death no longer shows as much technical information about the error that caused the computer to stop
• Windows CardSpace has been removed in favour of the new feature U-Prove.
• The Parental Controls feature present in earlier versions of Windows has been removed and replaced by the Family Safety feature
• Chkdsk only shows a percentage when running at start up.
• ImageX has been deprecated and will be removed in favor of DISM in the future.