View Full Version : Windows 7: Who's got it?
Finally got my "free" Win7 from Dell and installed it. Holy cow and I'm glad I got it. I have...HAD...Vista on my oldest's Dell laptop (I know, I know why still using a PC) and it appears to have "fixed" many of the problems encountered with Vista. The feel is a little different but it SEEMS more stable than Vista (have only had Win7 48 hours).
Here's the "getting started (http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help/getting-started)" link.
Overall, my initial impressions are good but I would have preferred a hammer & chisel to Vista. I think most of the "improvements" are underlying and invisible to the typical user.
Anyone else have other experience with 7?
Lindy
Red Flag 1
11-22-2009, 09:18
lindy,
Did you get an upgrade or the full?
Still working off XP here; is that upgradeable?
Thanks!
RF 1
I got the Premium 64BIT upgrade. I also have to other laptops on my LAN that are running XP, which I still love. All my external components always worked very well with XP and it wasn't until I introduced Vista into the network did things start messing up.
I don't see why you wouldn't be able to upgrade from XP except that Win7 requires the following (from MS web (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/system-requirements.aspx)):
1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit) <------ COMMENT: I'm the most impatient person in the world so I like at least 6 GB.
16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
HTH,
Lindy
BigJimCalhoun
11-22-2009, 10:08
I was using the beta and release candidates at work for 6 months without issue.
At the house we have two Dell laptops that came with Windows 7 Home Premium. I also upgraded my machine at the house to Windows 7 Ultimate. My home machine is from 2003 and uses the Intel D865 chipest, so it is a relatively old machine in computer years. The upgrade from Vista took several hours and worked perfect. I know many people don't want to upgrade but instead want to install new, but the upgrades are different than they were from going from win95 to 98.
The new upgrades essentially back up the whole OS, install a clean new OS and then copy your settings over. The only thing I needed to do after the upgrade was a windows update for a SB Audigy driver and share my printer.
Earlier in the year I tried to do an upgrade of Vista to Windows 7 Beta and that upgrade did not complete due lack of a sound driver for my older sound card. The upgrade failed and the system restored itself back to Windows Vista and I just went on with life.
The only reason I have Windows 7 Ultimate is that is what MS gave us as a gift. I think most people only need Home Premium. Windows 7 Ultimate does have the BitLocker feature though.
There is no upgrade path from Windows XP to 7 - it needs to be a clean install, but as I alluded to above, the upgrade from Vista to 7 is awesome. I just upgraded the mother-in-law's machine yesterday from Vista to 7 and that also went off without a glitch.
If you want to go greater than 4 GIG ram, you need to use the 64 bit version, which most computers are being sold with now anyway. I did 32bit because my processor is only 32 bit.
Red Flag 1
11-22-2009, 10:34
This knuckle dragger thanks you both!!
RF 1
Remington Raidr
11-22-2009, 11:33
I signed up for Win 7 in July. They said they wouldn't bill my card until then. Long story short, I got it and up in the corner in the little blue triangle, it said "for upgrade from Vista". When I purchased my current computer I paid EXTRA just to have XP Professional instead of Vista. I called and was told the only way to go from XP to Win 7 is to purchase the full package. There has been some discussion about a possible work-around, but I am shipping Win 7 back. It seems to me that Vista user should get the Win 7 upgrade for free.
Peregrino
11-22-2009, 11:49
I lost my hard drive last week (something ate the FAT) so I went ahead and bought 7 Ultimate for the new HD. Wound up with the upgrade so I had to install my old XP Pro then upgrage to 7. So far it's been painless. Took some time because of the double load but I was going to have to re-install everything anyway so it was a window of opportunity. So far, I'm happy. Restarting my email was painless. Now it's a matter of rebuilding all my addresses and bookmarks. Anybody need a 250 GB paperweight? :(
Kyobanim
11-22-2009, 11:57
Still working off XP here; is that upgradeable?
You'd be better off wiping the drive and starting clean rather than trying the upgrade. Which is exactly how it was going Xp to Vista.
The Reaper
11-22-2009, 12:05
You'd be better off wiping the drive and starting clean rather than trying the upgrade. Which is exactly how it was going Xp to Vista.
Kyo:
Will most of the XP aps still run under 7?
Wouldn't an upgrade migrate my documents, pics, videos, music more easily than trying to transfer them manually?
TR
Kyobanim
11-22-2009, 14:11
Outside of a few games, I haven't found any common apps that won't run under 7.
An upgrade from Vista to 7 will work good. Every test we've run to upgrade from XP 32 and 64 have failed miserably to the point of thanking the deities that we ghosted the old system prior to upgrade. I've had the same problems upgrading from XP to Vista.
@ all,
Did you ever wonder why 7 came out so fast? It wasn't because they've been working on it for years. 7 is Vista SP4 with all the security shit stripped out, driver incompatabilities fixed, etc. Essentially, fixing all the crap that people hated about Vista. 7 and Vista are essentially the same OS. Which is similar to the architecture that they used for Server 08. Vista is a stable OS that works well, if you can submit to living withing the restrictions it places on the user.
Remington Raidr
11-22-2009, 20:25
7 is Vista SP4 with all the security shit stripped out, driver incompatabilities fixed, etc. Essentially, fixing all the crap that people hated about Vista.
I just KNEW it. :mad:
Basenshukai
11-22-2009, 21:59
I have it and it rocks!
Kyobanim
11-23-2009, 05:50
Yes, it is a very stable platform.
Remington Raidr, if they called it "SP4 with all the crap taken out" and released it as an update, everyone would complain about "another update", there'd be lots of negative news reports, blah, blah, blah. This way they avoid the complaints, get a nifty new marketing campaign, and get to charge us again for something that should have been the original release.
What a plan!
longrange1947
11-23-2009, 07:29
Hell, that plan has been working since MS-DOS!!! :munchin :D
Remington Raidr
11-23-2009, 19:26
Yes, it is a very stable platform.
Remington Raidr, if they called it "SP4 with all the crap taken out" and released it as an update, everyone would complain about "another update", there'd be lots of negative news reports, blah, blah, blah. This way they avoid the complaints, get a nifty new marketing campaign, and get to charge us again for something that should have been the original release.
What a plan!
in one of my favorite movies, "Tremors", "you gotta have a plan":D
JessicaD
12-02-2009, 13:17
Red Flag 1,
Please note that when migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 you will not have an "in place upgrade" option. You will however have the option to select "custom" install when prompted. The Windows 7 install process will then copy all of your data in "My Documents" over to a Windows.old folder within Windows 7 itself. All applications and documents stored in other locations will have to be reinstalled / transferred manually.
For more information on the Windows 7 Upgrade, please go here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7
For additional assistance with the migration of Windows XP to Windows 7, please go here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee150430.aspx
Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team
Red Flag 1
12-02-2009, 13:32
JessicaD,
Thank you for the info!
Over the years, I have learned that there are two laws in using computers:
1. You can do anything with a computer.
2. You can not afford law number one.
Not to be an ingrate, but if you would take a moment and fill in your bio/profile, we would appreciate it.
"Signature block" noted.
RF 1
Bill Harsey
12-06-2009, 13:47
Red Flag 1,
Please note that when migrating from Windows XP to Windows 7 you will not have an "in place upgrade" option. You will however have the option to select "custom" install when prompted. The Windows 7 install process will then copy all of your data in "My Documents" over to a Windows.old folder within Windows 7 itself. All applications and documents stored in other locations will have to be reinstalled / transferred manually.
For more information on the Windows 7 Upgrade, please go here: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/Installing-and-reinstalling-Windows-7
For additional assistance with the migration of Windows XP to Windows 7, please go here: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ee150430.aspx
Jessica
Microsoft Windows Client Team
Jessica,
Nice of you to check in here.
Could you please make an intro in the intro thread and fill out your profile?
I've been running Windows 7 for 15 minutes now. No glitches yet.
Kyobanim
12-06-2009, 16:02
I've been running Windows 7 for 15 minutes now. No glitches yet.
Bill, drinking a beer and looking at the screen does not qualify as "using it". You have to move the mouse around every once in a while.
sonofranger
12-06-2009, 17:03
I've been running Win7 since July or so. Originally, I was going to dual-boot it and XP, until I got a feel for 7. After about 48 hours, I'd deleted the XP side and now run exclusively Windows 7 Professional. I've been in IT for 9 years, it thrills me to see that Microsoft has finally made a rock solid desktop OS.
So far, all of the applications I used in XP, have worked flawlessly in 7. I am running the 64-bit version, so I doubled my RAM to 4GB. It's just so...fast.
Bill Harsey
12-06-2009, 18:57
Bill, drinking a beer and looking at the screen does not qualify as "using it". You have to move the mouse around every once in a while.
Oh. :eek:
Oh. :eek:
Hey Bill- glad you got your new computer up and running. Did you get the drool protector for your new keyboard? :D
I've been running Windows 7 for 15 minutes now. No glitches yet.:D
Stay safe.
Bill Harsey
12-07-2009, 10:09
Hey Bill- glad you got your new computer up and running. Did you get the drool protector for your new keyboard? :D
Yes,
just Duck taped some freezer bags over the top. ;)
My new Inspiron from Dell came with Windows 7 - been running it since September with no issues whatsoever.
Richard
Mr Furious
01-04-2010, 22:00
Absolutely impressed with Windows 7. Have the 64-bit version on all of our laptops and only encountered two issues, both related to "64-bit" and not exclusive to Windows 7.
File sharing workspaces in MS Groove 2007 are not supported in the 64-bit version. Understand that MS is not planning to fix either as Office 2010 is set to release in July and the new version of MS Groove, renamed MS Sharepoint Workspace, will take care of the issue.
The only other issue has been for our HP Office Jet All-in-One software; it is also not compatible with 64-bit. The driver that comes with Windows 7 allows us to print from the machine, but we are waiting patiently for HP to release the 64-bit version of the software so we can scan/fax/copy and use the rest of the functionality.
So far, I highly recommend the 64-bit version of Windows 7.
dr. mabuse
01-04-2010, 22:16
Running dual boot Win2k SP4 and Linux. They both do everthing I need.
Both OS's are behaving themselves.
Why go to Win 7?:D
AngelsSix
01-12-2010, 20:35
I just loaded 7 on my XP desktop. It went well, except that I had to reload EVERYTHING. I did not like that. It was, however, my first upgrade experience and I would definitely do some things different next time.
I never had a single issue with Vista, it's been running on my laptop for three years now, never had a blip. I was wondering what all the fuss is about with Vista, to be honest.....
cszakolczai
01-14-2010, 13:55
I just loaded 7 on my XP desktop. It went well, except that I had to reload EVERYTHING. I did not like that. It was, however, my first upgrade experience and I would definitely do some things different next time.
I never had a single issue with Vista, it's been running on my laptop for three years now, never had a blip. I was wondering what all the fuss is about with Vista, to be honest.....
Not sure what you do with your laptop, but I use mine for a lot of multimedia type of things. Such as editing photographs, video, etc.
Photoshop works fine, Adobe Premiere does not. I cannot edit any video and cannot run the editing program I could on XP. Now, the nice little feature adobe has, is that I can adjust the format to run the program. I can make the adjustment and make it run on an XP type of format, making the program work properly... but then this is where Vista kicks in. Vista then refuses to open the program and looses my work. Not to mention the hundreds of glitches I've encountered this has been the most frustrating thing. I'm about a month behind on editing this video and its due to Vista not working properly.
I'm going to be doing the Dell upgrade to 7 ASAP, but I'm not sure how it will go.
Hopefully it goes smoothly and I do not have to reinstall all of my programs.
I just bought a new laptop with Windows 7. I forgot what a PITA it was to load up AKO, DTS, CAC, etc. Everything works great now, and I'm enjoying it.
It seems to be great once all the drivers and programs are working. Sort of typical Microsoft. Don't worry the upgrade will fix it and and the good thing is, it will only cost you half as much as the original. ;)
MackallResident
01-15-2010, 05:55
just finished the upgrade install this morning. So far, this OS is leaps and bounds more efficient than Vista, I love it.
We did two clean installs, PIA, in that programs had to be re-loaded and drivers found. On one machine we did not have to do a clean install, went very very well. Far better experience than when I installed vista over XP, crashes were too common place at the beginning.
It seems to be great once all the drivers and programs are working. Sort of typical Microsoft. Don't worry the upgrade will fix it and and the good thing is, it will only cost you half as much as the original. ;)
A while back there were two camps in Redmond. The "every version of Windows will be 100% backwards compatible" camp and the "screw those guys" camp. You now know which camp won out, but in Windows 95 there was code to check specifically if SimCity was running to preempt a buggy SimCity memory leak. That kind of thinking was passed over because there is no way in hell they can keep up with every driver and program in the universe. Typical Microsoft? I guess, but what is the alternative? Getting new functionality once every decade and having a closed hardware/software model like Apple.
On the four computers (two towers, two laptops) that I have installed Windows 7 on, I have had ZERO problems. I haven't even had to install a printer driver yet, everything was automagical. I'm a pretty heavy hitter, Photoshop CS4, Visual Studio 2008, games, and 3 bajillion network security and forensics tools.
FWIW, you are better off reinstalling all of your programs anyway. It's sorta like spring cleaning. :D
Mr Furious
01-17-2010, 08:39
On the four computers (two towers, two laptops) that I have installed Windows 7 on, I have had ZERO problems.
Not saying I don't like Windows 7 64-bit, I absolutely do...but I think it's pretty screwed up that MS realeses an OS that doesn't even fully support it's own current software suites. Read my earlier post regarding MS Office Groove and file sharing workspaces...not supported under Win7 64. I do have heartburn with the fact that the "screw them" folks won't fix this and are relying on the new version of Office as a solution. I would have at least liked to have seen a patch developed for the problem. In summary I will have no choice but to upgrade to MS Office 2010 to regain the functionality that I once had. Probably the intent of MS anyway.
cszakolczai
01-22-2010, 11:56
Not saying I don't like Windows 7 64-bit, I absolutely do...but I think it's pretty screwed up that MS realeses an OS that doesn't even fully support it's own current software suites. Read my earlier post regarding MS Office Groove and file sharing workspaces...not supported under Win7 64. I do have heartburn with the fact that the "screw them" folks won't fix this and are relying on the new version of Office as a solution. I would have at least liked to have seen a patch developed for the problem. In summary I will have no choice but to upgrade to MS Office 2010 to regain the functionality that I once had. Probably the intent of MS anyway.
You said it at the end... its MS being nice and tricky making everyone use the "newest and greatest" the same thing they did when Vista came out. I had the option to purchase XP with my laptop, but it ended up being 250 dollars extra.
Took the plunge a few weeks ago and wiped my XP equipped Thinkpad and installed Windows 7. I like it. This is my school/work computer, so it's only used for email, web and MS Office...nothing too demanding. I had a few blue screen of death episodes last week, otherwise 7 runs well.
I still prefer OS X on my home Mac, but Windows 7 is a big step in the right direction for Microsoft. ;)
Sacamuelas
02-18-2010, 17:16
I run XP Pro workstations on a server with 2003 small business server OS. For my soon to be bought workstations, I have been told that the Windows 7 can be run in a "XP Pro mode" for some of my dental software that specifies XP Pro only.
I am about to buy two more workstations, so any advice or experience with this "XP pro mode" on windows 7 would be appreciated. I am leaning toward getting the downgrade to plain jane XP Pro operating system from Dell which is what I did the last time instead of Vista.
NoRoadtrippin
02-19-2010, 03:01
I'm not familiar with a full on "XP mode," but I have installed a number of applications using "compatibility mode." Basically when you go to install something that is written for XP you right click on the setup file and choose "run in compatibility mode" and Win 7 does the rest. I think the most recent thing I did it with was Magellan's Topo program for my GPS. It works pretty well. Your XP programs should run fine.
I think you can also skin Win 7 with an XP look just as you could with Vista for people that don't want to learn the new interface. I am still running the release candidate though so some things could of course have changed.
As far as being once bitten, twice shy from the Vista abortion of an OS, I have been running Win 7 in beta and then RC for well over a year and it is generally a great OS. There are a number of features in it that I wish I still had from it now that Snow Leopard is my primary OS.
Last hard class
02-22-2010, 17:09
I run XP Pro workstations on a server with 2003 small business server OS. For my soon to be bought workstations, I have been told that the Windows 7 can be run in a "XP Pro mode" for some of my dental software that specifies XP Pro only.
I am about to buy two more workstations, so any advice or experience with this "XP pro mode" on windows 7 would be appreciated. I am leaning toward getting the downgrade to plain jane XP Pro operating system from Dell which is what I did the last time instead of Vista.
I have been running a couple of our computers in XP mode while waiting for a 7 software upgrade. It is a fairly easy process that requires a small change in the net bios system. The main problem is with the printing. When you change from 7 to XP and back, the computer does not automatically recognize the printer. You cannot just minimize back and forth. You have to completely disengage from XP before you can print anything in 7. If you are going to keep it 100% in XP mode then this should not be a problem.
Sacamuelas
02-22-2010, 17:18
I have been running a couple of our computers in XP mode while waiting for a 7 software upgrade. It is a fairly easy process that requires a small change in the net bios system. The main problem is with the printing. When you change from 7 to XP and back, the computer does not automatically recognize the printer. You cannot just minimize back and forth. You have to completely disengage from XP before you can print anything in 7. If you are going to keep it 100% in XP mode then this should not be a problem.
Thank you. That is the experience I was hoping to hear. I will be running it in XP only mode. No need to switch back and forth. :cool:
Last hard class
02-22-2010, 17:39
Thank you. That is the experience I was hoping to hear. I will be running it in XP only mode. No need to switch back and forth. :cool:
Just remember, not all computers with windows 7 will work. Before you purchase the new ones be sure to google "microsoft windows 7 XP compatibility mode"
This is the site: www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx
Follow the instructions: Once you know your new computer will work download the software. Good luck!
Just remember, not all computers with windows 7 will work. Before you purchase the new ones be sure to google "microsoft windows 7 XP compatibility mode"
This is the site: www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx
Follow the instructions: Once you know your new computer will work download the software. Good luck!
Very good advice -- I was surprised to find out the bios on my reasonably new Dell quad core machine does not support it; if I had bought the PC with that in mind I would have been out of luck.
Regarding the above post on compatibility mode: setting a program to run in XP compatibility mode and running it in actual XP mode are actually 2 different things. Compatibility mode just changes the behavior of Windows 7 to be more like Windows XP (or whatever OS version you select, there are a bunch in the menu). XP mode is actually running a complete copy of Windows XP inside a virtual machine. You have to install the copy of XP into the virtual machine just like you would on a physical PC.
I have also been running Win 7 since the betas; I just upgraded to the actual release version. It's the first time I have ever paid for a Microsoft OS, I like it that much (excepting the MS tax on all of my PCs of course).
Also, keep in mind if XP mode doesn't work for you, you can always install something like Sun's VirtualBox (http://www.virtualbox.org/) to create a VM and run XP inside of it as well. VirtualBox is open source/free to use, I have been using it on Windows and Linux hosts for ages and it works flawlessly. Long gone are the days of having to dual-boot to run multiple operating systems.