Small business IT administrators are angry at Microsoft for making them update each Windows 8 machine individually to Windows 8.1, a tedious task that requires them to point each device at the Windows Store and download a 3GB file.

One of the most common questions Thursday during a Reddit "Ask Me Anything" (AMA) session hosted by several of Microsoft's Windows developers and product managers was why the Redmond, Wash. company made it so difficult for customers to update multiple machines.

"It looks like people who install Windows 8 Enterprise or Windows 8 Pro (if using a KMS key) can't upgrade to 8.1 in place," said darthgooey during the AMA yesterday. "I don't particularly want to re-image my workstation or all the tablets we deployed last spring. Will 8.1 be available as a Windows Update like prior OS' service packs?"

  Small biz admins squawk over Windows 8.1 updates