Hi. I just bought my cubase 7 and also upgraded my xp to windows 8. I installed the program from the disk and followed the steps like normally. and everything seemed to go as it should. the installation completed and now it was time to start the program, but i couldn’t figure out how. there was no shortcut no icon no folder no nothing, I searched and searched but it wasn’t there. what could have gone wrong? or where could it be ? can anybody help please? 
Personally I’m sceptical about UPDATING a newer OS from am older one. Might be ok for browsing the net and buying shaving cream on eBay but I’m not so sure about deeper software like Cubase.
In the unlikely event that I were to update to Windows 8 from Windows 7 I would do what I always do: download all all my latest drivers and create what I call a rescue disk, wipe the drive and do a fresh install. After manipulating the new system to behave the way i want I would then install Cubase followed by my plug-ins, followed by my favourite programs. I would probably buy a new hard drive for this just in case seeing as they’re quite cheap. Though in 18 years I’ve never gone back.
Each time trying to not bloat my system as I did before. But that’s another matter.
This is known bug of first version of Cubase. Download Complete installationof Cubase 7.0.2, please. Then update to the 7.0.3.
While I don’t see a problem from my numerous years of updates and upgrades, I also CURRENTLY don’t push the limits of Cubase. I have frequently considered doing exactly that , instead of waiting potentially for the " other shoe to drop"
Each week I am getting more involved in connections and VST’s. There will come at day when i could be jamming things up with all kinds of plugins. Having read so many topics I think it might be prudent. Of course it’s pessimism vs. optimism …I never win that battle.
I used cubase on W8 but back to W7.