# *Official * Windows 7 Thread



## Respital

Judging by the amount of threads being created to do with Windows 7, i'm making an official thread to make it less congested. 

*Windows 7 Will Not Sway XP Users*

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/37956

*Hands-On with Windows 7*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/features/handson_with_windows_7

*
Windows 7 Public Beta Released*

Source: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/windows_7_public_beta_released



> Here's some breaking news: At the Microsoft CES Keynote, Steve Ballmer has just announced the launch of the Windows 7 Public beta. Customers of Technet and MSDN can get the beta right away (if you hadn't already been tempted by the various leaks) while the rest of us will have to wait until 2 days from now to snag the trial OS.
> 
> In his keynote address, Ballmer stressed that Windows 7 will provide faster performance, longer battery life, faster boot times, and a less obnoxious security alert system. Early reports from people who have tried the beta seem to back these claims up, and we're very excited to see how the public will react to this beta.
> 
> More as it happens.



*What's New in Windows 7? A Sneak Peek at the Pre-Beta Reveals Some Surprises*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/ne...7_a_sneak_peek_prebeta_reveals_some_surprises



> Officially, Microsoft pulls the drapes off the Windows 7 pre-beta tomorrow (October 28) at the Professional Developer's Conference. So, what's new and different? ZDNet blogger Mary Jo Foley's received the inside scoop on what's coming tomorrow. Look for:
> 
> * A new peripheral management interface called Device Stage (more info about this is coming in the Windows 7 Partner Showcase at November's WinHEC 2008 conference)
> * A new self-diagnosis feature called Action Center
> * A new A/V control method called StreamOn
> * A new animation framework
> * New task bar and shell integration features
> * Multi-touch and gesture recognition
> * Improved Bluetooth support
> * Ribbon UI akin to Office 2007 for Windows 7's applets
> 
> The version PDC attendees will be seeing appears to be build 6801 M3 (Milestone 3), which was finalized on October 20. You can find screen shots of an earlier version of this build at the WinFuture.de website (the site's in German, but the screen shots are in English).
> 
> Stay tuned to Maximum PC for more Windows 7 coverage.



Vista is done for. 





Ethan3.14159 said:


> Yesterday CNET showed a few screenshots and some of the new features of Windows 7. From what I can see it looks like it should be called "Vista 1.1 with a new Paint!"
> 
> There are some changes in the UAC, bluetooth file transfer, and now a *new version of paint*. I don't think I like where Microsoft is placing their priorities
> 
> It doesn't look like they are making any big changes or anything... it looks disappointing.
> 
> CNET Screenshots of Windows 7




*Even More Windows 7 Features Revealed in Privacy Statement*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/even_more_windows_7_features_revealed_privacy_statement



> Yesterday we got a first look at some of Windows 7’s new features, care of a pre-beta sneak peek. Today, based on the privacy statement released with that same pre-beta, istartedsomething.com has puzzled out a new batch of upcoming Windows features.
> 
> They include:
> 
> •    BitLocker Drive Encryption – encrypts your data, preventing an offline software attacks if your computer is stolen.
> •    Driver Protection – Prevents the OS from starting drivers with known stability problems.
> •    Dynamic Update – Allows the OS to automatically download the latest updates during installation.
> •    Gadgets – Programs that run on the desktop, likely similar to the likes of Rainlender
> •    Games Folder – Adds a right-click option for certain game icons which allows you automatically search for and download updates for the game.
> •    Homegroup – “Allows you to easily link Windows 7 computers on your home network so that you can share pictures, music, videos, documents and devices. It also makes them ready to stream media to devices on your home network such as a media extender.”
> 
> So what do you think of the new features? Tell us after the jump.



*Check Out How Windows 7 Will Look on Tablet PCs*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/check_out_how_windows_7_will_look_tablet_pcs



> Leaked screenshots of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 OS are nothing new, and we expect even more frequent peeks with beta releases floating around the web. That's the case with GottaBeMobile.com, who is currently participating in the Windows 7 beta and is showing off several screenies of the new OS running on a Tablet PC.
> 
> As would be expected, much of the focus remains on the Tablet Input Panel (TIP) and how the TIP tab operates. This includes how-to animations that display when clicked and show how to correct a word, how to delete, split a word, how to join, and an option to hide the videos. And in a departure from Vista, handwriting to the TIP is auto recognized inline instead of displaying the recognition results in a bubble below the word.
> 
> GottaBeMobile promises that there are more screenshots to come, so if this is your bag of tea, consider adding the site to your favorites.



*Is Windows 7 M3 Build 6801 Really "Vista R2?"*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/is_windows_7_m3_build_6801_really_vista_r2



> InfoWorld's Randall C. Kennedy has put Windows 7's Milestone 3 pre-beta build 6801, a freebie from last month's Microsoft Professional Developer's Conference, through a variety of benchmark tests, and isn't all that impressed:
> 
> As I reported on my Enterprise Desktop blog, the more I dug into Windows 7, the more I saw an OS that looked and felt like a slightly tweaked version of Windows Vista.
> 
> At his blog, Kennedy complains that Windows 7 is:
> 
> Just as slow as Vista...Just as consumer-focused as Vista...Just as confusing as Vista...
> 
> Kennedy cites these similarities:
> 
> * The number of execution threads in key subsystems is almost the same in Windows 7 as in Vista
> * Benchmarks of Windows 7 and Vista Ultimate SP1 using the DMS Clarity Studio tools suite show almost identical results
> * Similar amounts of RAM are used by Windows 7 and Windows Vista
> 
> From these facts and visual similarities between Windows 7 and Vista, Kennedy concludes:
> 
> Bottom line: So far, Windows 7 looks and behaves almost exactly like Windows Vista. It performs almost exactly like Vista. And it breaks all sorts of things that used to work just fine under Vista. In other words, Microsoft's follow-up to its most unpopular OS release since Windows Me threatens to deliver zero measurable performance benefits while introducing new and potentially crippling compatibility issues.
> 
> Is Kennedy right? Here's what I think is the problem with Kennedy's performance analysis: he's comparing a pre-beta with a finished product that already has one service pack under its hood, and he's complaining that the pre-beta he tested isn't any faster than its mature predecessor. In my experience, this is actually outstanding performance for a pre-beta.
> 
> I'm the author of two books on Windows Vista and I have contributed to several others, and as a consequence I was using various beta versions of Windows Vista from early 2006 on. Those releases of Vista were almost unbearably slow on my HP dv5000-series laptop, but the same computer running Vista Ultimate SP1 is now much faster when performing the same or even more complex tasks. Day 1 performance of Windows Vista was way better than with the early betas, and it's even better now with SP1, and yet a pre-beta of Windows 7 is already reaching comparable performance levels. I'd have been thrilled with this level of performance on the betas of Windows Vista I ran, and we're still many months away from a production release of Windows 7.
> 
> Although I haven't had a chance to try Windows 7 yet, many reviewers online and MaximumPC.com readers have tried the pre-beta of Windows 7 and like it, reporting better speed than with Vista and high overall satisfaction, whether running it as a native OS or within the limitations of a virtualized environment.
> 
> So, what should you believe? Hopefully, by the end of 2008 or in early 2009, you'll be able to make up your own mind by installing the public beta of Windows 7. In the meantime, hit Comment and tell us your experiences with Windows 7 (good, bad, and ugly).



*Windows 7's Pre-Beta is "Safe, Solid - Exciting?"*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/windows_7s_prebeta_safe_solid_exciting



> As a counterpoint to InfoWorld blogger Randall Kennedy's controversial review of the Windows 7 pre-beta , we bring you a contrasting view from The Register's Tim Anderson:
> 
> During the press briefing for Windows 7 at Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference (PDC), corporate vice president for Windows product management Mike Nash insisted Microsoft had learned from the Vista experience.
> 
> Judging by early Windows 7 code released at PDC, the signs are that it really has....Windows 7 feels more polished than Vista, even in the preview, and performance is good.
> 
> Some of the high points Anderson noted include:
> 
> * A revamped taskbar featuring jump lists and recently opened documents
> * A customize option for the system tray area
> * Adjustable UAC options
> * Better window management
> * Sidebar's gone, but gadgets remain (now on the desktop)
> * Libraries, which collect multiple physical locations into a single logical folder for searching
> * Multi-touch display support (though Anderson says some icons are too small for finger control)
> * Device Stage control center
> * Improved Paint, WordPad (both with ribbon UI)
> * Souped-up Calculator
> * Windows Media Player's been updated with new codecs and support for DNLA media streaming
> * BitLocker to Go encryption for removable media drives
> * Direct Access for easy IPSec access to internal network shares on a Windows Sever 2008 R2 system
> * Action Center replacement for Security Center
> 
> Anderson praises Windows 7 head honcho Steven Sinofsky (senior VP of the Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group) for what he calls "a methodical and disciplined approach" to developing Windows 7. Anderson doubts that there will be "a repeat of the Vista debacle, in terms of slippage, bugs and massive code rewrites."
> 
> Have you tried Windows 7 pre-beta? Hit Comment and tell us your favorite features - or features Microsoft still needs to fix.




*A Deeper Look at Disk Space Usage in Windows 7 (and Windows Vista)*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/a_deeper_look_disk_space_usage_windows_7_and_windows_vista



> A recent posting to the Engineering Windows 7 blog (one of our favorite sites for Windows 7 news, by the way) has some very useful information about the mysterious WinSxS directory in Windows 7 (and Vista), and how Microsoft is trying to curb Windows' appetite for disk space in Windows 7.
> 
> The C:\Windows\WinSxS folder (first introduced in Vista) looks as if it is a huge gobbler of disk space, (it uses 3.5GB of disk space on a new system, and can use 10GB or more as a system is used) but what does it do, and is that space really being "used up?"
> 
> As it turns out, both Windows Vista and Windows 7 use the WinSxS folder to point to files that are actually found elsewhere in Windows; in other words, the amount of space that the WinSxS properties sheet says is in use isn't accurate. So, what's the folder for?
> 
> By using the WinSxS folder to store what the blog calls the "installation and servicing state" of all system components, Microsoft makes it easier to roll out Vista installations with imaging technology and to patch the image offline (Windows XP and earlier versions aren't image-friendly, and require third-party tools and clunky workarounds to permit image-based deployment). Also, if you get rid of the WinSxS folder, you make it difficult to keep Windows running reliably. So, the word on the street is, "keep the WinSxS folder." To remove old files replaced by Windows Vista SP1, the blog entry provides a link to information about the command-line VSP1CLN.exe tool.
> 
> So, if the WinSxS folder is going to get bigger over time as a logical consequence of installing updates and patches, is there any way to save space in Windows 7? Some of the approaches being considered include:
> 
> * Reducing the number of drivers installed in a standard installation (Windows Vista installs around 1GB of driver files)
> * Automatically removing Windows components that have been replaced by a Service Pack or hotfix
> * Reducing the size of the hibernation file (hiberfil.sys)
> * Providing user configuration of the number of system restore snapshots stored by Windows
> 
> Although hard disks have never been cheaper on a cost per GB basis, Microsoft is working very hard to make sure that the disk space you paid for is used as efficiently as possible in Windows 7, especially on systems that have limited disk space.



*A Closer Look at Windows 7's Taskbar*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/a_closer_look_windows_7s_taskbar



> After a brief look back at the original taskbar in Windows 1.0 (Windows turned 20 this month), the Engineering Windows 7 blog dug deep into the enhanced features of the Windows 7 taskbar in its most recent entry.
> 
> A More Visual Taskbar
> 
> The Windows 7 taskbar now features large icons, support for Aero Glass, and no text, and when a window is maximized, the taskbar and the window's title bar no longer turn opaque and dark.
> 
> Smarter Program Launch Options
> 
> Windows 7 no longer has separate taskbar and Quick Launch buttons for applications, avoiding duplications. Right-click a button on the taskbar, and you can open recently-used documents associated with the program. How can you tell which button represents a program that's already running? A new feature called Color Hot-track changes the color of a running program's taskbar icon when you move your mouse over it.
> 
> Smarter Thumbnails
> 
> When you hover over a taskbar button, a live thumbnail appears, but in Windows 7, you can click on the thumbnail to switch to the program it represents. Thumbnails representing multiple windows of the same program are automatically grouped together, and when you hover over an icon representing multiple windows, each thumbnail is displayed separately (you still have the option to have a separate button for each program window if you prefer the older method). Hover over a thumbnail, and a new feature called Aero Peek displays the window on your desktop and fades other windows to clear 'glass' panes.
> 
> More Manageable Notification Area
> 
> The Notification Area can now be easily customized: drag icons from an optional icon menu into the standard menu.
> 
> All in all, it looks as if the changes in the Windows 7 taskbar are the most substantial in a long time. So, what do you think? Are they genuine improvements, or just more "churn?" Hit Comment and tell us. And, by the way, Happy Thanksgiving!



*Windows 7 Beta 1 Leaked*

http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/windows_7_beta_1_leaked



> Windows Vista never did manage to win over an enthusiast following, leaving many eagerly awaiting the release of Windows 7. But while Microsoft's next OS is still a year (or less) from release, you can already get your paws on the beta 1 version (build 7000). Windows 7 beta 1 isn't supposed to make its way into the public sector for another couple of weeks, but leaked copies have already started appearing on BitTorrent, and initial reactions is that it's pretty good.
> 
> "This beta is of excellent quality," ZDNet wrote. "This is the kind of code that you could roll out and live with. Even the pre-betas were solid, but finally this beta feels like it’s “done.” This beta exceeds the quality of any other Microsoft OS beta that I’ve handled"
> 
> ZDNet noted "exceptional" performance while playing with the beta code, saying it feels faster and more responsive than is typical of beta builds. But what the site didn't find were any new features compared to earlier builds.
> 
> BlogsDNA lists several torrent links for the DVD ISO image, which should make installation a breeze for anyone wanting to chance pre-release software.



If you have anymore news stories please PM me them so i can add them.


----------



## Respital

*Windows 7 Milestone 3 Screenshot Gallery
Part 1: Desktop, Taskbar, and Start Menu*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_m3_screens.asp


* 
Windows 7 Preview
Part 1: Let's Just Pretend Vista Never Happened, Shall We?*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_preview.asp


*Windows 7 Preview
Part 2: Desktop Enhancements*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_preview_02.asp

* 
Windows 7 Preview
Part 3: Explorer and Networking*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_preview_03.asp

* 
Windows 7 Preview
Part 4: Apps, Internet and Devices*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_preview_04.asp

*Windows 7 Preview
Part 5: Business and IT Pro Features*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_preview_05.asp

*Windows 7 M3 Interactive Install Screenshot Gallery*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_m3_install.asp

* 
Windows 7 Feature Focus*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/ff.asp

*Windows 7: Simple vs. Easy*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_simple.asp

*Windows 7 Build 69xx Screenshots*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_m3_69xx.asp

*Windows 7 Feature Focus: Aero Peek*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/ff_aero_peek.asp

*Windows 7 Feature Focus:Aero Snaps*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/ff_aero_snaps.asp

*Windows 7 Build 6956 Screenshots*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_m3_6956.asp

*Shipping Seven, Part 5: From M3 to Beta*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_shipping_05.asp

*Windows 7 Beta Screenshots*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta_screens_01.asp

*Windows 7 Beta Review*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta.asp

*Windows 7 Beta Notes and Observations*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta_notes.asp

*Windows 7 Beta Compatibility*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta_compat.asp

* 
Windows 7 Beta Availability*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta_available.asp

*Evaluating the Windows 7 Beta for Business*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/win7_beta_bus.asp

* 
Windows 7 Feature Focus:Aero Shake*

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/ff_aero_shake.asp

*Windows Live Essentials 2009 Review*

http://www.winsupersite.com/live/essentials_2009.asp
If you have anymore news stories please PM me them so i can add them.


----------



## mep916

Thank you, thank you for creating this thread. I was getting around to doing it myself, but...well...


----------



## mep916

http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/

Paul Thurrott updates his Windows site on a regular basis, so I think it's a good place to get the latest info on Windows 7 developments.


----------



## Respital

mep916 said:


> http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/
> 
> Paul Thurrott updates his Windows site on a regular basis, so I think it's a good place to get the latest info on Windows 7 developments.



Thanks Mike! 

Edit: Mike do you think we should lock this thread? I'm thinking i mite need more space.


----------



## mep916

Respital said:


> Edit: Mike do you think we should lock this thread? I'm thinking i mite need more space.



I'd recommend posting links to the articles without the long excerpts. If you want, paraphrase each article into two or three sentences. You could paraphrase the previews from the WinSuperSite, or just post the link and remove the excerpts.


----------



## Respital

mep916 said:


> I'd recommend posting links to the articles without the long excerpts. If you want, paraphrase each article into two or three sentences. You could paraphrase the previews from the WinSuperSite, or just post the link and remove the excerpts.



I'm going to edit out the excerpts, just keep the links. Thanks.


----------



## mep916

Respital said:


> I'm going to edit out the excerpts, just keep the links. Thanks.



Lookin good.


----------



## dmw2692004

just read the article in my maximum PC, interesttinng.


----------



## Respital

mep916 said:


> Lookin good.



Thanks.

Also thanks for making it a sticky. 



dmw2692004 said:


> just read the article in my maximum PC, interesttinng.



Yeah, i think i'm going to stick with XP though.

Hmm maybe i should make a poll....


----------



## Kewl Munky

I was informed by a friend that Steve Ballmer announced that Windows 7 is basically Vista, but better.

So he basically just put himself in the position where when they do release Windows 7 and those who wasted money on Vista (includes myself) can officially say Microsoft is ****ing us out of our money, just like they have been the past few years where they create a new OS from scratch, then release a better version and make you pay for it still, when they could, and SHOULD release an update for us.


----------



## TMGL&L

That makes me mad too. Calling windows 7, Vista-like is bad publicity. I don't feel like spending all that cash for *another* vista. I mean... whats next, another *another* Vista to pay for a year after that?


----------



## speedyink

Whats the big deal?  If it's similar to the point that you wouldn't want to buy it again whats wrong with staying with Vista?  It's not like they have a gun up to your head demanding you to buy it


----------



## TMGL&L

TMGL&L said:


> Its the fact that in order to stay with the latest os i shouldn't have to buy a new one every other year...idk it bugs me. I'm gonna probably have to stick with vista (which I am very happy with by the way).
> 
> And apple is gonna have a hay day with their commercials if and when 7 comes out.
> 
> *Apple-* "watcha doin there PC?"
> *PC-* "Oh, just tryin to come up with some new operating systems so windows users will forget about Vista and all the problems everyone has been having with it."
> *Apple-* "so you are throwing in the towel and admitting Vista was a flop?"
> *PC-* "Well its all part of my plan to make new operating systems monthly so Windows users get to keep buying new operating systems over and over again. That way everything is always outdated and incompatible"
> *Apple- *"Wouldn't it be easier just to come up with one operating system that works in the first place?"
> 
> ...Poor PC


.


----------



## Humveeluvr

This really get me  Two months ago I bought vista and about a week ago I convinced my mom to pick up a copy. Oh well I guess I will wait about a year or so and pick up a copy of Windows 8 (once they fix the bugs in windows 7)!!! I should look into this stuff before I by it I guess! so much for buying the latest software.


----------



## Caminokid

The exact reason why I dont go right out and buy any OS for a few years. Yeah I might be behind. But I didnt start using XP till about 04.


----------



## speedyink

TMGL&L said:


> .



...

Err, you have to purchase the new Apple operating systems too... Does that mean you have to be pissed off when Snow leopard comes out, when Leopard is still quite new?  And don't even get me started on the iPod lineup.

Besides, Windows 95, 98, 98SE, 2000, ME, XP...This has been happening for years, why get pissed at it now?

And I don't believe Vista was a flop.  It's still an admiral upgrade to XP.  So what it took 6 years to come out, if anything that should make you happy in breaking the tradition for a while.


----------



## Calibretto

*Windows 7 Leaked*

I bet Microsoft is PISSED...

http://translate.google.com/transla...kket_til_piratene/&hl=no&ie=UTF-8&sl=no&tl=en


----------



## tlarkin

You mean they just now saw that torrent file that has been  out for quite some time now?


----------



## Calibretto

The torrent file has only been out for a few days.

????


----------



## tlarkin

I've seen a few floating around on private trackers.  If you have an MSDN subscription you typically get closed beta software and have to sign a NDA.  It has been available for over a month from what I have seen online.

Of course I haven't bothered to download and try it because I know that any sort of beta MS operating system is going to really suck and be a waste of time.


----------



## teamhex

Sounds awesome. Is it real though? I mean, it could just be fake with a load of crap in it.


----------



## Calibretto

teamhex said:


> Sounds awesome. Is it real though? I mean, it could just be fake with a load of crap in it.



We'll see. A friend of mine is trying it out.


----------



## mep916

Calibretto said:


> A friend of mine is trying it out.



A _friend_, eh?


----------



## mac550

Calibretto said:


> I bet Microsoft is PISSED...



lol yeah i bet too if its real.
*off topic but how would that have got on the net, hacker or a leak?


----------



## Twist86

Windows 7 has been leaked for like 3 months now. They sure are slow just to notice it now. I don't even use torrent and I have heard about it like 2 weeks after it happened.


----------



## NaughtyMonkey

We just installed it on a computer in my ROC class but its nothing special. It's just a beta and has ALOT of bugs.


----------



## Shane

teamhex said:


> Sounds awesome. Is it real though? I mean, it could just be fake with a load of crap in it.



yeah probs fake but who knows you can get basicly anything on these illegal download sites.

i bet its full of trojans and spyware lol.


----------



## laznz1

i bet mircosoft is pissed


----------



## tlarkin

noobs, ever hear of private torrent trackers?  Lots and lots of crap can be found on this trackers and they aren't open for the public.

jk about the noobs part


----------



## Shane

NaughtyMonkey said:


> We just installed it on a computer in my ROC class but its nothing special. It's just a beta and has ALOT of bugs.



from what iev seen of it,it looks crap!!!

just looks like another Vista with some crappy looking thing at the bottom.

MICROSOFT need to get their act together and make another decent OS not just eye candy that doesnt work right.

if i was Bill,I would compleatly scraped Vista,not base windows 7 off it.


----------



## tlarkin

Vista sucks, Windows 7 right now sucks, every Windows OS I have used in beta has sucked.  It is beta for a reason.


----------



## Shane

tlarkin said:


> Vista sucks, Windows 7 right now sucks, every Windows OS I have used in beta has sucked.  It is beta for a reason.



Vista isnt a Beta no more,its been out ages now and even after updates,patches etc its still crap.

im realy not expecting much from 7 at all,especialy with it been based of Vista.

Bill knows vista is crap,yet he bases another new Os off of it?


----------



## laznz1

why do you think Bill Gates left


----------



## tlarkin

Nevakonaza said:


> Vista isnt a Beta no more,its been out ages now and even after updates,patches etc its still crap.
> 
> im realy not expecting much from 7 at all,especialy with it been based of Vista.
> 
> Bill knows vista is crap,yet he bases another new Os off of it?



Vista isn't still in beta form?  Damn could have fooled me.

Actually Windows 7 is based on the new kernel and will supposedly have the lost features from Vista and will cut out the backwards compatibility bloat and will also encompass better more Unix-like permission.


----------



## Shane

tlarkin said:


> Vista isn't still in beta form?  Damn could have fooled me.
> 
> Actually Windows 7 is based on the new kernel and will supposedly have the lost features from Vista and will cut out the backwards compatibility bloat and will also encompass better more Unix-like permission.



a new Kernel eh? hmmm

theyre going to do it again,you watch DX11 will come out and microsoft will be greedy again and will not release it for Vista. just like they done with Xp and no DX10.


----------



## laznz1

XPs good  it seems good now


----------



## Shane

laznz1 said:


> XPs good  it seems good now



Xp is good i wanted to stay with Xp but because DX10 was only made for Vista i have no choice.

there is DX10 for Xp however its not official and is not 100% fully working like it would on Vista.


----------



## tlarkin

Nevakonaza said:


> Xp is good i wanted to stay with Xp but because DX10 was only made for Vista i have no choice.
> 
> there is DX10 for Xp however its not official and is not 100% fully working like it would on Vista.



You'd lose 64bit support too.  Another reason why Microsoft OSes suck a big one, they feature limit the crap out of everything.


----------



## laznz1

im sure after a few patches and it will be alright


----------



## chibicitiberiu

laznz1 said:


> im sure after a few patches and it will be alright



I wonder... why microsoft isn't testing their products first?! They should first test it and fix it if there are issues, then release it. Microsoft does it exactly the opposite: first releases the operating system, then release many patches and fixes... it's very annoying.


----------



## Shane

chibicitiberiu said:


> I wonder... why microsoft isn't testing their products first?! They should first test it and fix it if there are issues, then release it. Microsoft does it exactly the opposite: first releases the operating system, then release many patches and fixes... it's very annoying.



its all money,theyre more than happy to sell 1000 copys at release and then realise theres problems and say "ohh we need to fix these problems" now 

but they will still charge way over the top for their new Os.

buy ya i can guarentee you that they will release windows 7 and wont release the latest DX for Vista


----------



## PunterCam

To be fair, there are thousands upon thousands of hardware combinations that m/s has to program for, and I reckon it's unrealistic to expect them to build every possible combination of parts on the planet and test it to death.

But I don't really care, I just wait 3 or 4 years until it's fixed, no big deal.


----------



## Calibretto

tlarkin said:


> noobs, ever hear of private torrent trackers?  Lots and lots of crap can be found on this trackers and they aren't open for the public.
> 
> jk about the noobs part



I used to be on one for a while but kind of lost interest. Then after heading off to school, I couldn't download much anymore so I'm way out of the loop as far as torrents go 

Update: My friend showed me the installation window of Windows 7. So we'll see how the install goes.


----------



## chibicitiberiu

PunterCam said:


> To be fair, there are thousands upon thousands of hardware combinations that m/s has to program for, and I reckon it's unrealistic to expect them to build every possible combination of parts on the planet and test it to death.
> 
> But I don't really care, I just wait 3 or 4 years until it's fixed, no big deal.



In 3-4 years a new version will come 

2006 - Vista
2009 - Windows 7

2009-2006 = 3 years


----------



## mac550

chibicitiberiu said:


> In 3-4 years a new version will come
> 
> 2006 - Vista
> 2009 - Windows 7
> 
> 2009-2006 = 3 years



you really think windows 7 will be out before 2010, lol yeah right, microsoft hardly ever release stuff on time


----------



## Calibretto

They won't release Windows 7 before 2010. Microsoft can't afford to. They need to take the time to get it right.


----------



## chibicitiberiu

Calibretto said:


> They won't release Windows 7 before 2010. Microsoft can't afford to. They need to take the time to get it right.



Not sure, but the beta is released to the testing guys already, isn't it? This means that it's not long before it will be released. Of course, the bugs need to be fixed.... unless microsoft forgets that and releases the OS then creates many patches.


----------



## Geoff

chibicitiberiu said:


> Not sure, but the beta is released to the testing guys already, isn't it? This means that it's not long before it will be released. Of course, the bugs need to be fixed.... unless microsoft forgets that and releases the OS then creates many patches.


Wasn't Longhorn released to testers like 1-2 years before the release in November of 2007?


----------



## tlarkin

If you are a big time developer you get the alpha version.  You sign hefty NDAs and such, and they will sue you to hell and back if you get caught leaking information.


----------



## Kill Bill

Why does that menu bar almost act like a dock in os x


----------



## mep916

Kill Bill said:


> Why does that menu bar almost act like a dock in os x



Microsoft has a habit of taking Apple ideas and perfecting them.


----------



## Ramodkk

You tell 'em Mike!


----------



## cybereclipse

mep916 said:


> Microsoft has a habit of taking Apple ideas and perfecting them.


or just plain out mimicking them
i still prefer osx to any windows OS out


----------



## mep916

cybereclipse said:


> or just plain out mimicking them
> i still prefer osx to any windows OS out



Yes, a bit of sarcasm in my statement.


----------



## mep916

Windows 7 Calculator looks neat.

http://en.hardspell.com/doc/showcont.asp?news_id=4395

Among many other functions, it'll calculate gas mileage, mortgage and lease payments.


----------



## Calibretto

Anybody know a Windows 7 theme for Vista? I found a few but they didn't have any installation instructions.


----------



## tlarkin

mep916 said:


> Microsoft has a habit of taking Apple ideas and <strike>perfecting</strike> copying them.



Fixed it for you

**EDIT

Ug, doesn't support HTML, lame


----------



## mep916

tlarkin said:


> Fixed it for you
> 
> **EDIT
> 
> Ug, doesn't support HTML, lame



Yeah, the board code is suppose to be 
	
	




		PHP:
	

[s] *text* [/s]

 but it doesn't work here for some reason.


----------



## speedyink

They both copy, we all know it.

That new calculator looks nifty.  It'll take more than that to go through the effort of upgrading though


----------



## Cpetrie

Any cost estimates?


----------



## scottvsaunders

why does windows 7 not give me access to my IDE hard drive?


----------



## mep916

Cpetrie said:


> Any cost estimates?



None that I've seen. Awhile back, I read that M$ was working on a subscription price point, as opposed to selling the full license for a one time fee as they do now. I'm not sure if they'll do this with this version.


----------



## Kill Bill

mep916 said:


> Windows 7 Calculator looks neat.
> 
> http://en.hardspell.com/doc/showcont.asp?news_id=4395
> 
> Among many other functions, it'll calculate gas mileage, mortgage and lease payments.



That calculator is in iphone lol.


----------



## mep916

Kill Bill said:


> That calculator is in iphone lol.



lmao


----------



## speedyink

Cool things I've found so far in Windows 7:

WMP 12: -New, cleaner interface
             -Exit button on full screen mode

New Taskbar: -Actually useful in practice (surprised me )
                   -New no notification balloon settings for specific programs
                   -Access wireless networks within taskbar

New personalize menu, as with seperate display settings (from within right click desktop)

Libraries; Like virtual folders, but actually used.  This is very useful as well

IE8 seems to have more options, though none that I would use(finds websites you might like??)

Shake thing is cool, though about as useful as 3d flip (ok, a bit more useful than 3d flip )

Sensitive edges (forgot the actual name, lol).  The left and right aren't all that useful for me, though the top action (maximize window) is actually very useful in practice

NO MORE DOWNLOADING VIDEO CODECS!!!!


Thats all I can think of for now..

Edit: Battery life!!


----------



## Kornowski

Sounds like a few new features, would you pay for it if you already had Vista though?

Does it have DX10.1 or DX11?


----------



## tlarkin

speedyink said:


> Cool things I've found so far in Windows 7:
> 
> WMP 12: -New, cleaner interface
> -Exit button on full screen mode



I have hated WMP since the beginning, I doubt this will change my mind.  Does it actually support every format out of the box yet?  If not I will stick with VLC.  



> New Taskbar: -Actually useful in practice (surprised me )
> -New no notification balloon settings for specific programs
> -Access wireless networks within taskbar



To be honest, for me to consider interface a very good feature it has to be efficient in my mind.  I think that interfaces can indeed be a deal breaker with certain technologies.  I don't like a start menu and haven't since I discovered docks.  I know there are third party docks with Windows, but I don't like putting third party apps like that on my system, to have them be exploited and turned into spyware or malware.




> New personalize menu, as with seperate display settings (from within right click desktop)



So, everything can be accessed from a right click menu now?



> Libraries; Like virtual folders, but actually used.  This is very useful as well



You mean like symbolic links to the actual resources?



> IE8 seems to have more options, though none that I would use(finds websites you might like??)



Firefox for the win, sorry IE is not even considered a feature by me any more.


> Shake thing is cool, though about as useful as 3d flip (ok, a bit more useful than 3d flip )



Again, interface features can be deal breakers if they are done right, what exactly is shake?



> Sensitive edges (forgot the actual name, lol).  The left and right aren't all that useful for me, though the top action (maximize window) is actually very useful in practice



Sounds like expose' for OS X.



> NO MORE DOWNLOADING VIDEO CODECS!!!!



So, WMP does play everything out of the box now?


----------



## speedyink

Kornowski said:


> Sounds like a few new features, would you pay for it if you already had Vista though?
> 
> Does it have DX10.1 or DX11?



It looks like just directx 10 so far




tlarkin said:


> I have hated WMP since the beginning, I doubt this will change my mind.  Does it actually support every format out of the box yet?  If not I will stick with VLC.



I have to yet to find something that hasn't played (though so far I've only tried various videos and mp3's)



tlarkin said:


> To be honest, for me to consider interface a very good feature it has to be efficient in my mind.  I think that interfaces can indeed be a deal breaker with certain technologies.  I don't like a start menu and haven't since I discovered docks.  I know there are third party docks with Windows, but I don't like putting third party apps like that on my system, to have them be exploited and turned into spyware or malware.



Well I guess that part is a matter of personal preference, I like the start menu.  I don't know how efficient the new taskbar would be for you specifically, but I can gaurantee it would be just as efficient, if not more so than the old taskbar.  




tlarkin said:


> So, everything can be accessed from a right click menu now?



This is right click on desktop









tlarkin said:


> You mean like symbolic links to the actual resources?



No, you choose which folders you want to participate in the different categories (music, pictures, etc.) and they will all appear in the libraries, where you can do what you want to them.  It's kinda like shortcuts, but instead of links to the files, it shows you the actual files.



tlarkin said:


> Firefox for the win, sorry IE is not even considered a feature by me any more.



I use firefox as well, though I figured it was worth mentioning




tlarkin said:


> Again, interface features can be deal breakers if they are done right, what exactly is shake?



Grab a window and shake it, and all the open windows will minimize, except for the one you just shook.  It's actually pretty useful.




tlarkin said:


> Sounds like expose' for OS X.



Nope, not at all.  Drag a window to the left and it will resize to the left half of the screen.  Same thing for the right.  
When you drag to the top, it maximizes the windows.  This also works the opposite way, effectively allowing you to drag things out of a maximized state, which is damn useful.



tlarkin said:


> So, WMP does play everything out of the box now?



I don't believe this has anything to do with wmp, but the actual codecs built into windows.  wmp just benefits from it I guess.  But yeah, so far I have yet to find something that doesn't play.  Granted I need to test this further.

EDIT:  Tested with MPEG-4 files now, they work just fine.  flac however does not play, though I'm not too surprised.


----------



## speedyink

More things:

Album art shows on individual mp3 file icons (It did this on Vista too, but for some reason it would only show up on a couple of my files.)

Loading bars for copying etc. show in the taskbar (I digg this one)

Permanent show desktop button on the right end of the taskbar(no need for the quick launch button anymore, yes!)

WMP controls built into the taskbar preview

How the search in the start menu now automatically fills up the start menu when you start typing.  I guess this would be a hit more miss with different people.  I like it, I found the Vista one crowded for longer file names

For being in pre-beta state, it's incredibly stable.  Haven't had any crashes or errors yet.  Applications install just fine so far (even my modified ati drivers worked just fine!)

I'm loving wmp 12.  Compact design for now playing mode, light on ram usage, and just generally how it works.  Nothing groundbreaking, but intuitive, easy, and even in it's state works quite well.

Many more options in "All control panel items" view than Vista had.

In 'Computer' removable disks now have the free space bar that was reserved for hard drives and CD's in Vista.


----------



## PC eye

The latest unofficial information I got was that prebuilds will see a new boot partition making life easier if Windows 7 needs to be reinstalled or you what to run different versions or another OS along with the next version. But everything at this point is still in the prebeta stages. 

The SP2 beta for Vista meanwhile is currently being tested since news on that was just seen last week. That alone will still take some time for the finished version to be released. Likewise nothing is ready for the first beta of 7 at this point. Another look at the prebeta stages is seen at http://www.maximumpc.com/article/ne...7_a_sneak_peek_prebeta_reveals_some_surprises

The MS page on 7 requires you sign up to see what the development teams are working on at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/


----------



## Respital

New updates.


----------



## ronster667

when is this comming out, have they posted, will it be same price as vista??
and will it be worth buying over vista?


----------



## PC eye

As far as prices for the retail packages besides simply being the single disk seen with all previous versions MS included or provided a coupon for the 64bit version of the same edition when seeing the $399.99 tag for Ultimate 32bit for example. I think everybody was a little stunned when first seeing those prices without a full explaination being widely known.

On that I had originally thought the coupon was a promotion for 64bit until someone pointed out seeing both included. The original retail price many years back for 98SE was $180 then for a single disk when looking back showing they didn't actually go up much on prices when you only average that out to a little over $20 in all the years inbetween.

Windows 7 won't see any finalized full retail or OEM version until 2010. The most to expect in the next year is like what was seen during the fall of 2007 with the beta releases of Vista(RC1, RC2) since the developers are still in the early prebeta stages and will be for some time.


----------



## newguy5

did they even give vista 2 years?  that's nuts.  they shoulda never come out with that crap OS.  this whole time i've had xp and never even considered the switch.  windows 7 looks like it might be solid, though.


----------



## PC eye

They gave Vista far more then 2yrs. there! XP came out fast following the ME flop of 2000 back in 2001 with a fast service pack(SP1) seen in 2002 due to rapid change in hard drive capacities being realized. The 137gb barrier for XP without SP 1, 2, or 3 on is one item. Vista or "Longhorn" kept seeing one supposed delay after another taking 6yrs. to come out.

As far as 7 as well as any other version when first out who has drivers or apps that will run? The common complaint about upgrading from one version to the next has always been rebuying the softwares all over again for each version. Games have fared a little better however with more seeing use on different versions unless specifically written for one alone there.


----------



## Mecal

PC eye said:


> Windows 7 won't see any finalized full retail or OEM version until 2010.



any idea when in 2010?  Im building a new computer in the last quarter of '09... lol.  I was hoping I could put Windows 7 in.


----------



## speedyink

newguy5 said:


> did they even give vista 2 years?  that's nuts.  they shoulda never come out with that crap OS.  this whole time i've had xp and never even considered the switch.  windows 7 looks like it might be solid, though.



If you hate Vista still, you might as well not even look at windows 7


----------



## mac550

Mecal said:


> any idea when in 2010?  Im building a new computer in the last quarter of '09... lol.  I was hoping I could put Windows 7 in.



lol you'll be lucky, it wont be out in 2010, microsoft never release there OS's on time, 2012 at the earliest.


----------



## PC eye

Mecal said:


> any idea when in 2010?  Im building a new computer in the last quarter of '09... lol.  I was hoping I could put Windows 7 in.



None at this point. The next version is still only in the early stages at this time with primarily only main Vista elements present until the final preparation is reached for the first beta stage. Any unconfirmed by Microsoft information at this time is still wild guesing and not any official MS release.



mac550 said:


> lol you'll be lucky, it wont be out in 2010, microsoft never release there OS's on time, 2012 at the earliest.



Considering Long Horn's countless delays...  it could turn out to be another 6yrs. who knows! I'm sure it will be sooner then that however since MS realizes the competition being seen now with Linux, Mac, and SUN Microsystems own OS Solaris, and others.


----------



## Shane

speedyink said:


> If you hate Vista still, you might as well not even look at windows 7



im  98% sure that 7 will just be another Vista though aswell,with some diffrent start menu that nobody will realy take advantage off and doesnt realy help us.

take that task switch for Vista thingt,i never use it.


----------



## laznz1

Why bother putting out anthoer OS when there still finishing off Vista!!!


----------



## PC eye

Why bother with XP then when it took roughly 7yrs. to see over 1,000 bugs fixed with SP3? That could be applied in the same analogy. It boils down to what you need in an OS more then which version or which particular OS itself to go with.


----------



## Vizy

I'm actually going to pick up a copy of Vista on newegg if they have a blackf riday sale. I plan to buy a few stuff actually. I was planning to pirate Vista, but then i was like,"not worth the hassle".


----------



## FatalityTech

So i was just wondering what was all of this talk about subscriptions???

I suppose its actually all about what you will be using your OS for? I think that everyone who says that they will not upgrade should at least check it out, whether on anothers pc or what. You could take everyones word for it or you could form your own opinion. 

Just my thoughts hope i didnt make anyone mad.


----------



## PC eye

Practical first hand experience with any newer version or OS is the one fast way to find out if it will work for you. If drivers were available for 98SE at this time for the board and all hardwares I would likely have that setup in multiboot here just to be able to run some old games and apps. But I can usually get more done using updated softwares.


----------



## speedyink

Nevakonaza said:


> im  98% sure that 7 will just be another Vista though aswell,with some diffrent start menu that nobody will realy take advantage off and doesnt realy help us.
> 
> take that task switch for Vista thingt,i never use it.



No, you get me wrong, trust me, 7 is a nice upgrade, and Vista was great to begin with, it's just at it's core 7 is still like Vista.  They say the resources will be a lot more lenient, but until I see it in a build that reflects this (they're only marginally better now) I will always be skeptical.  Mind you it's still just 2008, so there is much time to meet my expectations.


----------



## jashsayani

I just got my hands on a Win 7 DVD. The PDC 2008 version.
Checkout my video here: http://vimeo.com/2249478

The video shows all new features of Windows 7. If you want to try it out, then just leave a comment on the video and I'll mail a link to the OS to you.


----------



## Mecal

mac550 said:


> lol you'll be lucky, it wont be out in 2010, microsoft never release there OS's on time, 2012 at the earliest.





PC eye said:


> None at this point. The next version is still only in the early stages at this time with primarily only main Vista elements present until the final preparation is reached for the first beta stage. Any unconfirmed by Microsoft information at this time is still wild guesing and not any official MS release.



lol, alright.

Guess I'll use Vista-64  then


----------



## Shane

Does anyone think that Microsoft will only release a 64 Bit version of Windows 7?

i think they will because there realy is no point releasing a 32 bit one,afterall all new cpus on the market today are 64bit.

also to note the 32 bit memory limit so nobody would buy it anyway.


----------



## mep916

Nevakonaza said:


> Does anyone think that Microsoft will only release a 64 Bit version of Windows 7?
> 
> i think they will because there realy is no point releasing a 32 bit one,afterall all new cpus on the market today are 64bit.
> 
> also to note the 32 bit memory limit so nobody would buy it anyway.



They're releasing a 32 and 64 bit version.


----------



## Ethan3.14159

I remember reading back when windows 7 was in the minimalist stages they mentioned they would still release a 32-bit version. Which doesn't make sense to me. Prebuilt computers will have more than 4gb of RAM... so I don't see the point.


----------



## Mecal

edit, already said


----------



## mep916

The current beta build is 32 bit. If they intended on releasing only a 64 bit OS, I'm guessing the beta would be 64 bit.


----------



## vista4334

chibicitiberiu said:


> I wonder... why microsoft isn't testing their products first?! They should first test it and fix it if there are issues, then release it. Microsoft does it exactly the opposite: first releases the operating system, then release many patches and fixes... it's very annoying.



ever heard of a release candidate?


----------



## speedyink

Oooh, just found out you can modify, move, and even delete files in use.  

Let me see...what else...

Pictures saved in paint in jpeg format don't look like ass anymore
New features in Paint kick ass, makes up for the missing features in photo viewer

Did I mention Libraries?  Damn they're handy

Windows Power shell.  I have no idea how to work it, as I wouldn't generally use something like this, but looks interesting.  Here's the Explanation:

"Windows PowerShell is a new Windows command-line shell designed especially for system administrators. The shell includes an interactive prompt and a scripting environment that can be used independently or in combination. 
Unlike most shells, which accept and return text, Windows PowerShell is built on top of the .NET common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework, and accepts and returns .NET objects. This fundamental change in the environment brings entirely new tools and methods to the management and configuration of Windows.
Windows PowerShell introduces the concept of a cmdlet (pronounced "command-let"), a simple, single-function command-line tool built into the shell. You can use each cmdlet separately, but their power is realized when you use these simple tools in combination to perform complex tasks. Windows PowerShell includes more than one hundred basic core cmdlets, and you can write your own cmdlets and share them with other users.
Like many shells, Windows PowerShell gives you access to the file system on the computer. In addition, Windows PowerShell providers enable you to access other data stores, such as the registry and the digital signature certificate stores, as easily as you access the file system.
This Getting Started guide provides an introduction to Windows PowerShell: the language, the cmdlets, the providers, and the use of objects."


On a debatable issue, windows can now tell where your geographical location is, provided you have the hardware to do so.  I guess the purpose of this is for things like google maps and weather websites can see where you are to get a personalized experience.  I would be one of the people concerned with privacy, but I don't have the hardware in my laptop so I really don't care.  Even if I did, I'd be able to turn it off though.

Thats it for now


----------



## PC eye

mep916 said:


> The current beta build is 32 bit. If they intended on releasing only a 64 bit OS, I'm guessing the beta would be 64 bit.


 
Some early information I ran into some months ago indicated that 7 would be the last version seeing any 32bit editions released. They need to focus on newer hardware capacities that exceed the 32bit kernel. 

The current problem if they simply dump 32bit entirely too soon is the market still saturated with 32bit games and apps. You still don't see hardly any 64bit softwares being marketed as well as still seeing the need for increased 3rd party driver support which will likely be improved over what was seen for Vista.


----------



## anth11

Respital said:


> Judging by the amount of threads being created to do with Windows 7, i'm making an official thread to make it less congested.
> 
> *What's New in Windows 7? A Sneak Peek at the Pre-Beta Reveals Some Surprises*
> 
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/ne...7_a_sneak_peek_prebeta_reveals_some_surprises
> 
> 
> 
> Vista is done for.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *Even More Windows 7 Features Revealed in Privacy Statement*
> 
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/even_more_windows_7_features_revealed_privacy_statement
> 
> 
> 
> *Check Out How Windows 7 Will Look on Tablet PCs*
> 
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/check_out_how_windows_7_will_look_tablet_pcs
> 
> 
> 
> *Is Windows 7 M3 Build 6801 Really "Vista R2?"*
> 
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/is_windows_7_m3_build_6801_really_vista_r2
> 
> 
> 
> *Windows 7's Pre-Beta is "Safe, Solid - Exciting?"*
> 
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/windows_7s_prebeta_safe_solid_exciting
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *A Deeper Look at Disk Space Usage in Windows 7 (and Windows Vista)*
> 
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/a_deeper_look_disk_space_usage_windows_7_and_windows_vista
> 
> 
> 
> *A Closer Look at Windows 7's Taskbar*
> 
> http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/a_closer_look_windows_7s_taskbar
> 
> 
> 
> If you have anymore news stories please PM me them so i can add them.



It's Vista with a new hat!


----------



## PC eye

anth11 said:


> It's Vista with a new hat!


 
At this time it still is being that each part is worked on separately by different development teams. When going to work on the Longhorn project code name for Vista the early stages simply started on what was already available in XP and then went on from there.

Windows 7 will see a new type of file indexing system based on content according to some reliable sources while not being specific. The next version will also see a new look for the Windows taskbar as well. There's a few surprizes still in store once they get far enough along.


----------



## Ambushed

Looks good.


----------



## PC eye

It does appear to be a large move up from the quick launch option typically seen on the taskbar. The idea there is having more items right in plain view to choose from. Some may tend to complain about that however like many were with Vista's sidebar and gadgets. Everything at once?!


----------



## Pheonix iz pro

I can't wait for this! I have the PreBeta and cant wait for the Beta1


----------



## Pheonix iz pro

Thanks for this thread!


----------



## Dystopia

If you ask me, the start menu looks like vista, well similar. But other then that i like the way it works, now lets just hope its not another vista


----------



## PC eye

Well there's one big makeover you count on namely the calculator in 7. That can be seen in a slide show someone made up at  http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157608452379413/show/


----------



## speedyink

Theres a lot of cool new things in 7, though I expect there shall be many more ahead


----------



## PC eye

There's another thing to know about the next version to come. While some XP drivers may work well for certain addon devices if no Vista drivers were written for them the next version(7) will make them ? rather useless! Keep this in mind since 7 will be the upgrade of Vista not any previous version of Windows.


----------



## Moocher

What I really want to know is if this new OS is going to run faster/better/more efficiently than Vista? Not so much on aesthetics for me (bc imho Vista is gorgeous), as much as working well... and not being a resource hog


----------



## PC eye

Vista itself is not a resource hog but a newer version that is intended for the much newer hardwares seen now then when XP first came out. The requirements are higher on memory like XP is over previous versions like 98. 

People that haven't been running their own systems too long and have not worked with the older versions are generally unaware of the large changes seen across the board not just with only the new version. I went right after Vista here when it first came out in order to more or less take notes on how different it would be. 

More stable in many ways over XP, improved crash control when a game or app locks, a small increase of ram needed as expected since 98 was 16mb compared to XP's recommended 128mb minimum to Vista's 512mb. It's incremental compared to now seeing memory capacities like 8gb, 16gb, and even just being seen now 32gb for a desktop board.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Sabrinna, just as a warning, I recommend that you delete that post... downloading a Windows 7 torrent file is illegal and hence can't be discussed here. 

Read the rules: http://www.computerforum.com/52038-forum-rules.html


----------



## mep916

Irishwhistle said:


> Sabrinna, just as a warning, I recommend that you delete that post... downloading a Windows 7 torrent file is illegal and hence can't be discussed here.
> 
> Read the rules: http://www.computerforum.com/52038-forum-rules.html



I deleted the post.


----------



## tlarkin

I hope it is better than Vista for sure.


----------



## PC eye

Get used to the Vista kernel since that will still be seen there in the next version. The bulk of the changes will be seen with the main gui itself. You will likely be seeing one other new standard as well namely USB 3.0 being put into effect there since that just came out in August.


----------



## sabrinna

Irishwhistle said:


> Sabrinna, just as a warning, I recommend that you delete that post... downloading a Windows 7 torrent file is illegal and hence can't be discussed here.
> 
> Read the rules: http://www.computerforum.com/52038-forum-rules.html


ups i'm sorry, my bad 
i'll read the rules after this post  

@mep916 : thanks


----------



## Twist86

PC eye said:


> Well there's one big makeover you count on namely the calculator in 7. That can be seen in a slide show someone made up at  http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157608452379413/show/



Nice...good to see a slide show...shows me all the stuff I gotta remove when I get a copy in a few years 

Only thing am looking forward to on 7 is the CPU-GPU for better gaming...if they don't screw that up I will get the OS after the reviews come in.


----------



## PC eye

Someone else lately started another thread on the WARP feature that suppliments older video cards by creating a form of virtual vpu rather then a need for a high end card. MS is looking what sells more pcs there. How many never have any games installed? While many simply browse and check the mail MS is looking at what will draw people to the next version and anything that follows 7 later.


----------



## Kewl Munky

I've seen it being mentioned a lot that this won't be released until 2010. I was told that it was originally planned for 2011, then they wanted it in 2009 because of how bad vista was, and possibly even late 2008. Though we know we won't be seing it in 2008 now.

I'm really hoping that They fix vista to the point where I don't have to worry about upgrading to windows 7 or else microsoft decides to have some moral and release an update for vista owners, but we all know that won't happen.


----------



## PC eye

MS is on a regular time schedule since the original release announced was 2010 not 2011. The first Release Candidate beta version is due out in June of 2009. At this time everything is still in the relatively early prebeta stages. 

SP2 beta is already on the system here with the final release soon to be seen early next year. That right now is simply a roll up of several updates.


----------



## fritzj92

I'm trying to install Windows 7 but the hard drive i want to use had linux on it already, (i don't want it anymore), so how do i go about uninstalling ubuntu?


----------



## speedyink

Format the partitions and then delete all the partitions that Ubuntu created.  It's a pain in the ass.

Woot for Beta 1 BTW


----------



## massahwahl

wait, how are people getting it already to install?


----------



## speedyink

Honestly..I have no idea...but I gots it   Now just to wait for the actual release to get my key.

If you wait a little while the public beta is out soon.


----------



## GSAV55

Yeah, I think I'm going to hold on to XP until this is released


----------



## Intel_man

GSAV55 said:


> Yeah, I think I'm going to hold on to XP until this is released



+1


No point in upgrading to Vista as of now...


----------



## massahwahl

How do you test the public beta or get in on it?


----------



## GSAV55

well when the public beta is released, it will be available to the public, so you could prolly just get it off their website, which I think is in jan or feb, but I saw somewhere that its gonna be in june.  You could also do it in an illegal way which is how everyone that didnt get it from microsoft (like the press, etc., did) but I can't tell you how within the rules of the forum though its fairly obvious.


----------



## speedyink

They'll release a download (probably somewhat hidden) on their website on about January 14th.  I got it from less than legal ways, but I couldn't way, I'm  way too excited for this   I think i'll buy it for all my computers when it comes out


----------



## Respital

Guys, lets get back on topic!


----------



## shoehorned

I got a chance to try the 64bit version, and there seems to be driver problems. It looks exactly like vista but after playing with it for a while in detail, I noticed that it's a lot faster.


----------



## N3crosis

shoehorned said:


> I got a chance to try the 64bit version, and there seems to be driver problems. It looks exactly like vista but after playing with it for a while in detail, I noticed that it's a lot faster.



Does it hog up system resources like vista, and is it stable? (Besides the driver issues).


----------



## Deamos

Flar0n said:


> Does it hog up system resources like vista, and is it stable? (Besides the driver issues).



Nope.. I'd say the resources used are about 25%-50% less. Its being made to run on low end Netbooks so they are making use less resources.


----------



## speedyink

It manages RAM completely differently.  Instead of taking 25-30% of available RAM like Vista, it pretty much just uses 400-500 mb at idle


----------



## Respital

Original post updated.


----------



## KevinKevin

I broke my Vista disk AFTER formatting my damn computer. 80 quid that was. I'm going to keep XP until 7. Can't believe it.


----------



## reddevil6

*Windows 7*

hey all just a coupple questions bout Windows 7

1) does it use directX 10(.1)?
2) does it use less CPU an ram than Vista? (cos i fould vista used alot more then XP)
3) will all my games an software work?
4) is it stable?
5) will my hard ware an keyboard an mouse drivers work? or will i have to download new ones?


----------



## MichaelPC

hmm...from my experience with windows 7, it does run a "bit" faster than vista. it feels almost complete...a little unstable I should say. Hmm..i'm not sure about the drivers. but you should always have a backup driver in cd/dvd/usb just in case. that's all i know.


----------



## speedyink

reddevil6 said:


> hey all just a coupple questions bout Windows 7
> 
> 1) does it use directX 10(.1)?
> 2) does it use less CPU an ram than Vista? (cos i fould vista used alot more then XP)
> 3) will all my games an software work?
> 4) is it stable?
> 5) will my hard ware an keyboard an mouse drivers work? or will i have to download new ones?



1) It uses Directx 11
2) Yes
3) Pretty much if it works with Vista it'll work on 7
4) It's very stable
5) keyboard and mouse will work fine.  for other hardware just download the vista drivers


----------



## reddevil6

speedyink said:


> 1) It uses Directx 11
> 2) Yes
> 3) Pretty much if it works with Vista it'll work on 7
> 4) It's very stable
> 5) keyboard and mouse will work fine.  for other hardware just download the vista drivers



Thank u
so vista drivers work fine for it?


----------



## Deamos

reddevil6 said:


> Thank u
> so vista drivers work fine for it?



For the most part, Vista drivers will work in Windows 7.


----------



## massahwahl

When does the upgrade version of 7 come out?


----------



## gamerman4

ukulele_ninja said:


> When does the upgrade version of 7 come out?



It seems May or June will be the release date for 7 since the Beta expires around August.


----------



## Respital

Update:

*Windows 7 Public Beta Released*


----------



## speedyink

Link?  It's not on the windows 7 MS page..


----------



## Michael

speedyink said:


> Link?  It's not on the windows 7 MS page..



I was under the impression that the Public Beta was set to launch on the 9th, not today..

-Michael


----------



## speedyink

I just read that too.  Supposed to be here on the 9th

http://www.microsoft.com/windows7


----------



## Calibretto

Yup, it will be released to the public world-wide starting Friday.

http://tech-olive.com/2009/01/steve-ballmers-keynote-recap.html

There's a Recap of Steve Ballmer's Keynote earlier this evening 

What I would do to be at CES


----------



## Kesava

Yeah the beta will be realeased on the 9th. Thats today for me. Unfortunately its not the 9th in the US yet...  I still have to wait haha


----------



## Shane

well its 9th here in the uk,nearly 10th and i dont see any release links from MS.

ive got Windows 7 BETA from another source which i wont mention,but i can tell you its ALOT and i mean ALOT better than Vista already and its still in beta stages.


----------



## pies

Same here I have the not mentional version and am also looking for the Microsoft link.


----------



## Kesava

They were having heavy traffic to the website so they decided to add more servers and stuff to be able to handle all the downloads. They did release the links at one point in time, however now the link redirects to the windows 7 website. So you can't use them anymore.

Guess we'll just have to wait until they have everything ready. Shouldn't be too long.


----------



## pies

Yeah from what I've tried of it I liked it.
I know I had trouble getting on the site in the morning and saw some info on them adding more servers and what not.


----------



## Sir Travis D

I'm getting the beta dvd on jan 22, msdn developer conference, I will post on it then :]


----------



## hells3000

where are the keys at?


----------



## pies

They'll be on the microsoft site shortly.
And also I'm going to delete the link above because it will be on the microsoft site soon.


----------



## Briguy

Wouldn't you think Microsoft would of thought that there would be a huge demand?


----------



## SIMP

I'm installing the 64-bit version right now.  Hope it's worth it!


----------



## N3crosis

Calibretto said:


> Yup, it will be released to the public world-wide starting Friday.
> 
> http://tech-olive.com/2009/01/steve-ballmers-keynote-recap.html
> 
> There's a Recap of Steve Ballmer's Keynote earlier this evening
> 
> What I would do to be at CES



I'll just let everyone be the guinea pigs, and then buy it retail after I read a couple of reviews .

P.S. Is there a way to watch CES online?


----------



## voyagerfan99

Rawr. I can't find the DL link. Can someone direct me to it?


----------



## pies

Try this one
http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/01/09/windows-7-public-beta-released-remember-to-patch
You'll need to watch microsoft for the key I need to get mine as well.


----------



## Michael

voyagerfan99 said:


> Rawr. I can't find the DL link. Can someone direct me to it?



Direct from Microsoft servers:

Windows 7 Beta 1 - 32bit

Windows 7 Beta 1 - 64bit


You'll still need to check back at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ if you want to get one of the 2.5 million keys available, when they're released.. otherwise, you can extend the 30 day trial three times, the same way as Vista - _After 29 days of use, Open a Command Prompt session (Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> Command Prompt), type slmgr -rearm and hit enter_.

I'll be waiting for a key... but I'm already downloading the x86 version of Windows 7 from the link above 

-Michael


----------



## N3crosis

Michael said:


> Direct from Microsoft servers:
> 
> Windows 7 Beta 1 - 32bit
> 
> Windows 7 Beta 1 - 64bit
> 
> 
> You'll still need to check back at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ if you want to get one of the 2.5 million keys available, when they're released.. otherwise, you can extend the 30 day trial three times, the same way as Vista - _After 29 days of use, Open a Command Prompt session (Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> Command Prompt), type slmgr -rearm and hit enter_.
> 
> I'll be waiting for a key... but I'm already downloading the x86 version of Windows 7 from the link above
> 
> -Michael



You have to tell me how the 64 bit one is . I've never had a 64 bit OS, and I was thinking that maybe I'd try windows 7 64-Bit.


----------



## SIMP

Okay, just finished installing Win7 x64 Ultimate on my laptop.  Not too bad thus far.  I like the task bar.

Now I'll do some testing on it's functionality.


----------



## voyagerfan99

Michael said:


> Direct from Microsoft servers:
> 
> Windows 7 Beta 1 - 32bit
> 
> Windows 7 Beta 1 - 64bit
> 
> 
> You'll still need to check back at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/ if you want to get one of the 2.5 million keys available, when they're released.. otherwise, you can extend the 30 day trial three times, the same way as Vista - _After 29 days of use, Open a Command Prompt session (Start >> All Programs >> Accessories >> Command Prompt), type slmgr -rearm and hit enter_.
> 
> I'll be waiting for a key... but I'm already downloading the x86 version of Windows 7 from the link above
> 
> -Michael



It's only 238MB? (That's all I'm getting before it says the download is finished)  The download says 2.4 GB.


----------



## Michael

voyagerfan99 said:


> It's only 238MB? (That's all I'm getting before it says the download is finished)  The download says 2.4 GB.



It does that in random spots.. it's because of how many people are downloading it. 

It's 2.4GB, just restart the download. Sadly, that's the only option at this point if you want it from Microsoft.

-Michael


----------



## mep916

Michael said:


> Direct from Microsoft servers:
> 
> Windows 7 Beta 1 - 32bit
> 
> Windows 7 Beta 1 - 64bit



Thanks man. Downloading atm.


----------



## Michael

mep916 said:


> Thanks man. Downloading atm.



I'm glad to help 

-Michael


----------



## Mitch?

http://xkcd.com/528/


----------



## mep916

lol


----------



## laznz1

mr. Johanssen said:


> http://xkcd.com/528/




lmao funny


----------



## Geoff

Thanks for the link, the Microsoft website says the servers are not currently available, I guess they are if I'm downloading it though. 

Now I just need a CD Key.


----------



## mep916

[-0MEGA-];1158454 said:
			
		

> Now I just need a CD Key.



http://blog.hznet.nl/2009/01/10/how-to-receive-a-valid-windows-7-key

Use the 64 bit link. I got my key 5 minutes ago on my first attempt.


----------



## bomberboysk

Ok, i got 2 keys from the site now(friend of mine isnt gonna be able to get on comp today, so i got a key for them incase they run out beforehand). Downloading now, gonna toss it onto a 2nd hard drive when its downloaded.


----------



## Irishwhistle

mep916 said:


> http://blog.hznet.nl/2009/01/10/how-to-receive-a-valid-windows-7-key
> 
> Use the 64 bit link. I got my key 5 minutes ago on my first attempt.



So since you're a mod I'm assuming the beta is legally free? It'll stop working in August, right?


----------



## pies

It's up on the microsoft windows site go go go.


----------



## mep916

Irishwhistle said:


> So since you're a mod I'm assuming the beta is legally free? It'll stop working in August, right?



Yeah, it's all legal. In August the product key expires, that's right.


----------



## Irishwhistle

mep916 said:


> Yeah, it's all legal. In August the product key expires, that's right.



Cool... now I'm trying to decide between 32-Bit and 64-bit... I need 64-bit to run on a virtual machine, but I need 32-bit to work with my WiFi card.


----------



## hells3000

Got my keys 

I used a different guide

And only followed 1st and 3rd step


----------



## hells3000

just log in to live.com and go straight to the key pages

https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/productkeys/win7-32/enus/default.aspx
or 
https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/productkeys/win7-64/enus/default.aspx


You can get maximum of 5 keys per each version


----------



## Geoff

mep916 said:


> http://blog.hznet.nl/2009/01/10/how-to-receive-a-valid-windows-7-key
> 
> Use the 64 bit link. I got my key 5 minutes ago on my first attempt.



Thanks!  I got both a 32 and 64 bit key.


----------



## mep916

[-0MEGA-];1158590 said:
			
		

> Thanks!  I got both a 32 and 64 bit key.



Yeah, I just got a 32 bit key.


----------



## hells3000

Running this in a vm will still risk your mp3's?


----------



## jashsayani

Windows 7 with XP/Vista, Dual-boot tutorial: http://www.jashsayani.com/dual-boot-windows-7-with-current-windows/

Hope its helpful!


----------



## Shane

omega i dont think you will need key to instal,i didnt have one and just skipped that bit like you can in Vista and it just goes to the 30 day eval.


----------



## mep916

Nevakonaza said:


> omega i dont think you will need key to instal,i didnt have one and just skipped that bit like you can in Vista and it just goes to the 30 day eval.



You can install without a key and re arm the eval period, but since it's so easy to get a key, you may as well activate it.


----------



## Irishwhistle

mep916 said:


> You can install without a key and re arm the eval period, but since it's so easy to get a key, you may as well activate it.



Agreed... it makes it good till August, so why not?


----------



## Shane

Irishwhistle said:


> Agreed... it makes it good till August, so why not?



is it till august? i didnt know that,but its not going to be good for daily use yet though because theres no drivers out for GFX or chipset drivers so games wont play very well.

thats why ive dual booted with Xp pro.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Nevakonaza said:


> is it till august? i didnt know that,but its not going to be good for daily use yet though because theres no drivers out for GFX or chipset drivers so games wont play very well.
> 
> thats why ive dual booted with Xp pro.



Yeah... the vista drivers won't work?


----------



## mep916

Nevakonaza said:


> is it till august? i didnt know that,but its not going to be good for daily use yet though because theres no drivers out for GFX or chipset drivers so games wont play very well.



Windows 7 automatically recognized my 9800GT and installed a set of Nvidia drivers. I'm not sure if they're the latest though. In fact, I didn't have to install any hardware drivers. Not even my printer.


----------



## oregon

It seems like wifi drivers don't work either... I managed to get a driver installed for my PCI wireless card, it now recognizes it, but will not connect to networks. And it lags horribly for no reason. If I hook it up via Ethernet, will it find drivers online and start working? 

Is it even worth all the troubleshooting to get it running? Anyone have it operational yet?


----------



## mep916

My network drivers were installed automatically, but I'm not running wireless. Try to run the package in compatibility mode.


----------



## Michael

oregon said:


> It seems like wifi drivers don't work either... I managed to get a driver installed for my PCI wireless card, it now recognizes it, but will not connect to networks. And it lags horribly for no reason. If I hook it up via Ethernet, will it find drivers online and start working?
> 
> Is it even worth all the troubleshooting to get it running? Anyone have it operational yet?



It's a Beta, not a fully operational replacement for your current OS.

That said, of course it's worth it to get it running, how else would you figure out what needs to be done for it to work on your specific machine and report that back to Microsoft??

----------------------

On another note, I went directly to the Windows 7 homepage, clicked the download link, signed in and it gave me a key 

-Michael


----------



## oregon

Michael said:


> It's a Beta, not a fully operational replacement for your current OS.
> 
> That said, of course it's worth it to get it running, how else would you figure out what needs to be done for it to work on your specific machine and report that back to Microsoft??
> 
> ----------------------
> 
> On another note, I went directly to the Windows 7 homepage, clicked the download link, signed in and it gave me a key
> 
> -Michael



I had to verify my email first, but yeah, getting a key is easy. 

Its a major pain to hook my computer up via ethernet because I have to unplug everything, move it to the office, replug, hope it works with the monitor in the office, if not, bring in mine, etc. 

BEFORE I do this, has anyone gotten it fully operational (w/ wifi), and without any major issues?

@Mep: how do I do compatibility mode?


----------



## mep916

oregon said:


> @Mep: how do I do compatibility mode?



Right click on the INF or EXE file and select "Troubleshoot Compatibility." From there, you should be able to figure it out.


----------



## SIMP

I installed it on my Toshiba laptop and it contained all drivers for the hardware.  It did grab a few updates for them when I ran the Windows Update.

I changed my date to 8/1/09 to see what happened and a water mark appeared under the beta build number saying that the version of windows was not genuine.


----------



## Michael

oregon said:


> I had to verify my email first, but yeah, getting a key is easy.
> 
> Its a major pain to hook my computer up via ethernet because I have to unplug everything, move it to the office, replug, hope it works with the monitor in the office, if not, bring in mine, etc.
> 
> BEFORE I do this, has anyone gotten it fully operational (w/ wifi), and without any major issues?
> 
> @Mep: how do I do compatibility mode?



It's working with my Toshiba L305D's built-in wifi

-Michael


----------



## fritzj92

Can anyone help me, i had xp on an old laptop, and formated the HD, and then installed windows 7, but when i set it to start i recieve bootmgr is missing, and it won't installd, and if i start from cd the HD looks as if no install has taken place...


----------



## fritzj92

i tried bootrec /fixmbr no go


----------



## Geoff

fritzj92 said:


> Can anyone help me, i had xp on an old laptop, and formated the HD, and then installed windows 7, but when i set it to start i recieve bootmgr is missing, and it won't installd, and if i start from cd the HD looks as if no install has taken place...


Try reformatting the hard drive, then boot from the Windows 7 DVD again and make sure that you are installing it on the freshly formatted partition, since some laptops come with extra partitions for restore purposes and such.

I installed the 64 bit version just now and it found my network and bluetooth devices and installed the drivers, Windows Update also had drivers for my video card so I could actually use it at the native resolution.


----------



## oregon

I ended up hooking up ethernet, and it found all my drivers online AUTOMATICALLY. It was pretty awesome. Now its working perfectly.


----------



## fritzj92

okay i did what you said, and then i recieve bootmgr issue still, but now i notice the windows installation...


----------



## fritzj92

i tried to make it automatically repair the issue, but i recieved and error while it's trying to repair the issue...


----------



## fritzj92




----------



## fritzj92

SOrry i didn't know it'd be this big... how do i resize, i took the picrue w/ my phone


----------



## SIMP

LOL fritz.  Let me stand back from my PC about 20 feet!  Just kidding.

I hope you get problems work out.

I really like what I see on this new OS thus far.  Looking forward to seeing the final retail version.  How about everyone else? Your thoughts?


----------



## salman

just got my key and DLing the 64bit version now


----------



## voyagerfan99

Well I got the 64-bit downlaoded and burned to a disk (Just lightscribing the name on the disk) but I still can't get all of the 32-bit. It's still cutting off, so I'm trying the direct download from the site.


----------



## oregon

voyagerfan99 said:


> Well I got the 64-bit downlaoded and burned to a disk (Just lightscribing the name on the disk) but I still can't get all of the 32-bit. It's still cutting off, so I'm trying the direct download from the site.



The direct download worked perfectly for me. And you don't need to burn a disk, you can use CloneDrive or any other mounting software to create a virtual disk.


----------



## voyagerfan99

oregon said:


> The direct download worked perfectly for me. And you don't need to burn a disk, you can use CloneDrive or any other mounting software to create a virtual disk.



I'm aware of that. I use DaemonTools for my games. The reason I'm burning it to a disk is because I'm going to try it on more than just this computer, so a DVD works better for me.

And I'm using the download from the website. I was having problems with the links provided on page 17.


----------



## mep916

fritzj92 said:


> okay i did what you said, and then i recieve bootmgr issue still, but now i notice the windows installation...



Earlier today, I had startup issues. 7 failed to automatically fix the problem, so I decided to boot into Vista. Vista ran chkdsk, deleted a bunch of files, and now 7 is working properly again. If you have Vista or XP installed, you may want to open a command window and run chkdsk on the Windows 7 partition.


----------



## voyagerfan99

Well I just finished installing 7 on my laptop (Dell Latitude D600 - 1.6 Ghz Pentium M, 2GB RAM, ATI Mobility Radeon 9000) and I must say I'm quite impressed. I had a spare laptop HDD in a caddy already so I just popped them out. The setup took a little longer than expected, but hey, it is a beta after all.

First off, I'm impressed that it automatically loaded a driver for my internal wireless card. I was able to connect to the internet right away and install some updates. I also like the new way the connection manager is set up when your not connected - it opens upwards instead of opening a whole new window. Haven't done too much more, so I'm gonna poke around some more.


----------



## oregon

Glad its working voyager, didn't mean to be haughty in my previous post, sorry about that.


----------



## FatalityTech

I want to duel boot the beta and xp. Do you think that would be ok?


----------



## voyagerfan99

oregon said:


> Glad its working voyager, didn't mean to be haughty in my previous post, sorry about that.



Don't worry about it. 

I just installed the XP driver for my touchpad and it worked!

I think I'll be using this beta for some time while I can!


----------



## Briguy

I just installed it. I like what I'm seeing! It works great on a intel 3.0ghz 800mhz fsb single core 2gb memory.


I haven't noticed any problems yet. I noticed that they did clean up a lot of the garbage that would be in on the desktop in vista. 

It looks a lot like vista but seems more streamlined and doesn't have so many distracting icons to figure out that vista had.

What do you guys fel about it?

Hey how do you make a virtual cd of windows 7?


----------



## Respital

Does anyone know if it would be safe to install it on a VM and if microsoft would be okay with that? I heard somewhere that your MP3 or some type of file gets messed up or something.


----------



## Irishwhistle

w00t! I've got it running natively... it's awesome! SOOOOOOOO much better than Vista... and since I upgraded from Vista all my hardware worked the first time I booted it up.


----------



## voyagerfan99

Respital said:


> Does anyone know if it would be safe to install it on a VM and if microsoft would be okay with that? I heard somewhere that your MP3 or some type of file gets messed up or something.



I started it on a virtual machine and it's been fine.

I left it sitting for a little while when I got a snack. I had just installed my printer through the network and I came back to find my screen black and the HDD activity light flashing. I had to do a hard reboot.

I agree about it being more streamlined. I don't really like the appearance of the task bar, so I auto-hide it.


----------



## mep916

I like it so far.


----------



## Irishwhistle

mep916 said:


> I like it so far.



You kiddin'?! It's wicked awesome!


----------



## mep916

Irishwhistle said:


> You kiddin'?! It's wicked awesome!



Yeah that too.


----------



## Irishwhistle

mep916 said:


> Yeah that too.



I have absolutely zero complaints.


----------



## DMGrier

*Windows 7 beta error issue.*

So I downloaded windows 7 beta from the microsoft.com, and I tried to install it then it gave me a error code of error code: 0x80070241. This happen's when it's trying to copy data either when I try to upgrade or partition my hard drive. Help or do you know where to get help? Thanks.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DMGrier said:


> So I downloaded windows 7 beta from the microsoft.com, and I tried to install it then it gave me a error code of error code: 0x80070241. This happen's when it's trying to copy data either when I try to upgrade or partition my hard drive. Help or do you know where to get help? Thanks.



Probably a bad DVD, it happened to me too. I had to install Vista and then upgrade (using the downloaded ISO file in daemon tools) to get it working.


----------



## DMGrier

So are you saying that I should re-install vista then do it? And I am not very familiar with using daemon tools? Thanks for any help guys.


----------



## Respital

mep916 said:


> I like it so far.



Woah mep when did you become super mod?

Congrats.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DMGrier said:


> So are you saying that I should re-install vista then do it? And I am not very familiar with using daemon tools? Thanks for any help guys.



At this point it's probably too late... unless you've backed up the Windows 7 ISO somewhere...

Basically you mount the ISO to daemon tools and it sets up a virtual CD drive that you can update Windows with.



Respital said:


> Woah mep when did you become super mod?
> 
> Congrats.



What he said.


----------



## reddevil6

Ok i have installed windows 7.
i thourt it was spost to be faster than vista. i have lower FPS lower 3DMARK score buy 1000.
i have tryed old an l8est drivers dont make a diffrence the 177.79 driver seems to be the best preformance.
but it still SLOWER any one know why?


----------



## DMGrier

I took the software and burnt it with a isoburner, so I have it on disk, So what should I do?


----------



## voyagerfan99

DMGrier said:


> I took the software and burnt it with a isoburner, so I have it on disk, So what should I do?



Is that a serious question? 

If you have another computer with nothing on it, you can experiment with that. If you have a spare hard drive, pop that in and use that. If you have nothing else, download a virtual machine program and install it as such.


----------



## Kesava

I am using Windows 7 now, and I love it.
Before this my laptop was unbearably slow running Vista Basic. Now there is no slowness at all. I can't believe that it would run this fast on my laptop.

My laptop is:
1.86Ghz
1Gb Ram

and it is running it perfectly.


----------



## DMGrier

Well I got it loaded and it's nice. A few questions though, Are the cpu and ram gadget accurate? Because I had read that 7 was suppose to be faster than vista but those gadges show it to be faster than I expected. And I understand that a beta version is to show people there new product but what is the difference between the beta version and the one they are going to release? Thanks.


----------



## Shane

got my x64 key very fast!


----------



## PabloTeK

Very nice, it's improved since the version I tried a while back!


----------



## reddevil6

what build do the rest of yous have?


----------



## PabloTeK

I have build 7000 for x64. On it now and it's much nicer to use than Vista, minor niggles have been changed which shows MS may actually be listening for once.


----------



## reddevil6

ok i have 7000 x86 an im getting lower FPS in games an a lower 3DMARK SCORE does anyone know why this is cos i thourt it was spost to be faster than vista


----------



## PabloTeK

Well there aren't any official drivers for Seven. I'm using the Vista x64 drivers for my hardware and I get about the same performance however so it's not all bad.


----------



## Kornowski

It's just a trial, right? It'll run out sometime this year?


----------



## Geoff

Kornowski said:


> It's just a trial, right? It'll run out sometime this year?


I heard it will expire in August, but Windows might just create a new public beta by then and let that run for several more months.


----------



## Kornowski

Ah right. I'm not going to bother... thanks.

EDIT: How do you think it would run on a laptop with a 1.3Ghz Celeron and (I think) 512MB RAM?


----------



## Shane

Kornowski said:


> Ah right. I'm not going to bother... thanks.
> 
> EDIT: How do you think it would run on a laptop with a 1.3Ghz Celeron and (I think) 512MB RAM?



danny you should try it out,its alot better than Vista...i actualy think it would run quite nice on that laptop because its not as resource hungry as greedy Vista.


----------



## SIMP

I really like how they don't try and stuff things down your throat with the Windows 7.  I mean, the first thing I noticed was that the sidebar wasn't defaulted to start up.  At least they give you the option to run it at first or not.

What are people seeing regarding memory usage at idle?  Thanks.


----------



## mep916

SIMP said:


> I really like how they don't try and stuff things down your throat with the Windows 7.  I mean, the first thing I noticed was that the sidebar wasn't defaulted to start up.  At least they give you the option to run it at first or not.



Yeah, I like the new sidebar. 



SIMP said:


> What are people seeing regarding memory usage at idle?



Around 1GB for me. Same as Vista.


----------



## Geoff

What I really like is the much improved UAC, no longer does it prompt you when you just want to open something in the control panel!  (You can set it that way if you want though).


----------



## Shane

SIMP said:


> What are people seeing regarding memory usage at idle?  Thanks.



it was around 887mb something idle for me.


----------



## pies

Its amazing so far my buddy and I were trying it last night.
Paint is more advanced, visuals are better, and so many more things.
It now has a rating system out of 7.9 instead of 5.9.


----------



## mep916

pies said:


> It now has a rating system out of 7.9 instead of 5.9.



My rating dropped down to 2.3 due to low disk transfer speed. 

Every time I reboot, Windows runs chkdsk on my 7 partition. If I skip the check, I can boot into 7 and there doesn't appear to be any problems. Is this happening to anyone else?


----------



## DarkTears

i'm about to build my new computer soon. would it be stupid to buy vista 64 right now when windows 7 is like right around the corner?


----------



## oregon

Yup, I'm now at 3.0 performance, also due to disk transfer speed. My desktop graphics jumped to 7.9, and everything else stayed the same at around 5.9ish. 

And yeah, I would definitely not buy Vista right now, because you can download Windows 7 now and use it until it actually comes out. Be quick though, because they are only allowing 2.5 million people to do this.


----------



## DarkTears

oregon said:


> And yeah, I would definitely not buy Vista right now, because you can download Windows 7 now and use it until it actually comes out. Be quick though, because they are only allowing 2.5 million people to do this.



so basically i can get a free OS right now?


----------



## Irishwhistle

SIMP said:


> What are people seeing regarding memory usage at idle?  Thanks.




525MB here.


----------



## Irishwhistle

mep916 said:


> Every time I reboot, Windows runs chkdsk on my 7 partition. If I skip the check, I can boot into 7 and there doesn't appear to be any problems. Is this happening to anyone else?



Not getting that here...



DarkTears said:


> so basically i can get a free OS right now?



Basically... it'll stop working in August though.


----------



## pies

I'm playing around on it now I never got the chkdsk thing either.
 It looks similar to vista in some ways but it runs alot better.


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> Basically... it'll stop working in August though.



So what do you guys suggest i do. i wouldnt know what to do if my OS just stopped working lol.


----------



## Respital

So is anyone running Windows 7 in VMWare? I really want to try it but i don't want to risk my files.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> So what do you guys suggest i do. i wouldnt know what to do if my OS just stopped working lol.



Microsoft says that it will be deactivated in August. You would have to back up your files before the deactivation date and migrate to another OS... if the final version of Windows 7 is out by then get it, if not use Ubuntu or XP (if you have XP.)


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> So is anyone running Windows 7 in VMWare? I really want to try it but i don't want to risk my files.



What files? It's a VM...


----------



## Respital

Irishwhistle said:


> What files? It's a VM...



Like MP3s i heard/read somewhere that someone ran windows 7 on a VM and their MP3s got messed up.

Also, i just started to download it and it stopped at 448MB should a restart the download or is this it?


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> What files? It's a VM...



So i should order my system without purchasing a OS and just use the windows 7 beta?
https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=5720189

grabbed the wrong quote.


----------



## oregon

DarkTears said:


> So i should order my system without purchasing a OS and just use the windows 7 beta?
> https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=5720189
> 
> grabbed the wrong quote.



I would definitely use Windows 7, its the best. And free. Plus, once the beta ends, I would think the official version would be released, and you would be able to "upgrade" to it.


----------



## DarkTears

ok so i download the windows7 and just put it on a disk right?

Sorry, I hate asking all these questions but i just honestly dont know.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> ok so i download the windows7 and just put it on a disk right?
> 
> Sorry, I hate asking all these questions but i just honestly dont know.



Yeah, burn at a slow speed and back up the iso file if possible.

You have to burn the image though... if you don't know what I mean ask.


----------



## Respital

Respital said:


> Like MP3s i heard/read somewhere that someone ran windows 7 on a VM and their MP3s got messed up.
> 
> Also, i just started to download it and it stopped at 448MB should a restart the download or is this it?



It just stopped again at 512MB.  Anyone know how to fix this?


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> Yeah, burn at a slow speed and back up the iso file if possible.
> 
> You have to burn the image though... if you don't know what I mean ask.



um what do you mean lol


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> It just stopped again at 512MB.  Anyone know how to fix this?



Are you using the Microsoft download manager or the links that Michael posted?

Also, just curious, why is everyone talking about waiting for their key? I got my keys right away, no wait.


----------



## Respital

Irishwhistle said:


> Are you using the Microsoft download manager or the links that Michael posted?
> 
> Also, just curious, why is everyone talking about waiting for their key? I got my keys right away, no wait.



I used the link Michael posted for the 32 bit version.

Ya i got my key as soon as the page loaded.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> um what do you mean lol



Try using this software... should do the trick.  http://www.imgburn.com/

You have to change the source file to the Windows 7 file you downloaded. Make the write speed as slow as you can and then burn it. Make a backup of the file if you can in case you end up with a bad DVD, it can happen.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> I used the link Michael posted for the 32 bit version.



OK, that one should work fine, but if not you could try the MS download.


----------



## Shane

DarkTears said:


> so basically i can get a free OS right now?



theres still no drivers out for windows 7,So its not going to make a very good main os just yet.


----------



## SIMP

mep916 said:


> Every time I reboot, Windows runs chkdsk on my 7 partition. If I skip the check, I can boot into 7 and there doesn't appear to be any problems. Is this happening to anyone else?



I've not had a problem with this.  Ever figure it out?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Nevakonaza said:


> theres still no drivers out for windows 7,So its not going to make a very good main os just yet.



depends on the hardware... my vista drivers worked fine.


----------



## voyagerfan99

I've fixed all my issues. It's gonna be my main OS on my laptop for at least a little while.


----------



## DarkTears

Nevakonaza said:


> theres still no drivers out for windows 7,So its not going to make a very good main os just yet.



aww i knew it was too good to be true. but i dont want to buy vista when this new thing is out. well not out but still. /sigh


----------



## voyagerfan99

Vista was short-lived. It's like the newer version of ME, but on,y a bit better.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> aww i knew it was too good to be true. but i dont want to buy vista when this new thing is out. well not out but still. /sigh



what's your hardware? in the sig?


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> what's your hardware? in the sig?



This is what i have so far.

https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=5720189


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> This is what i have so far.
> 
> https://secure.newegg.com/WishList/MySavedWishDetail.aspx?ID=5720189



Nice! GPU should be fine... are you gonna use a wifi card?


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> Nice! GPU should be fine... are you gonna use a wifi card?



wifi card? if you mean for internet then no. gonna use the ethernet coord. I hear wireless is not too good.

What do you think i should do about my OS, someone said 7 isnt stable enough to use it as my main OS.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> wifi card? if you mean for internet then no. gonna use the ethernet coord. I hear wireless is not too good.
> 
> What do you think i should do about my OS, someone said 7 isnt stable enough to use it as my main OS.



Well, since it's free and there's nothing on the HD you'll be using I say try it!


----------



## Respital

Respital said:


> It just stopped again at 512MB.  Anyone know how to fix this?



Seriously does anyone have a problem with the link? I got to 530 MB with a download manager add on for Firefox and it just stops.


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> Well, since it's free and there's nothing on the HD you'll be using I say try it!



So hold off on the vista correct.


----------



## DMGrier

Since this a beta is it permenatly installed or is it more like a trial version? Thanks.


----------



## DarkTears

DMGrier said:


> Since this a beta is it permenatly installed or is it more like a trial version? Thanks.



It ends in august i believe.


----------



## DMGrier

So what will happen with my computer when it comes to a end? Will the OS just dissapear?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> Seriously does anyone have a problem with the link? I got to 530 MB with a download manager add on for Firefox and it just stops.



Oh... that might explain it. I can't stand download managers.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> So hold off on the vista correct.



Right, I mean, if it doesn't work, then you can buy Vista.


----------



## Respital

Irishwhistle said:


> Oh... that might explain it. I can't stand download managers.



Even without the download manager it stops around that point. 

Does it work for anyone else?


----------



## Kesava

DMGrier said:


> So what will happen with my computer when it comes to a end? Will the OS just dissapear?



I think it will be deactivated. But by then the final release will probably be out.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> Even without the download manager it stops around that point.
> 
> Does it work for anyone else?



Weird... I didn't use that link so I don't know.



Kesava said:


> I think it will be deactivated. But by then the final release will probably be out.



Yeah, something like that.


----------



## Kesava

Respital said:


> Even without the download manager it stops around that point.
> 
> Does it work for anyone else?



I didn't have any problems with the download. Sounds like your internet is randomly disconnecting or something.


----------



## Respital

Kesava said:


> I didn't have any problems with the download. Sounds like your internet is randomly disconnecting or something.



My internet is fine it's not disconnecting i think it's the site. What's the build number?


----------



## Kesava

7000 i think.


----------



## Respital

Kesava said:


> 7000 i think.



Thanks, i guess i'll look for an untouched torrent. Fricking windows 7 already wasted 2GB of bandwidth. -.-

Also it seems to be due to a timeout according to the download manager at least.


----------



## DMGrier

How do I get rid of the boxes that pop up that always asking for my permission?


----------



## voyagerfan99

Respital said:


> Seriously does anyone have a problem with the link? I got to 530 MB with a download manager add on for Firefox and it just stops.



Go to the Windows 7 page and use the software Microsoft provides to download it. Then you won't have any issues. The links on page 17 are what keep dropping the download.

Go here to download it (at the bottom of the page)
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/dd353205.aspx


----------



## Respital

voyagerfan99 said:


> Go to the Windows 7 page and use the software Microsoft provides to download it. Then you won't have any issues. The links on page 17 are what keep dropping the download.
> 
> Go here to download it (at the bottom of the page)
> http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/dd353205.aspx



I looked on the windows 7 page but i can't find it, could you provide a link?

Thanks for your help.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> I looked on the windows 7 page but i can't find it, could you provide a link?
> 
> Thanks for your help.



Go here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx


----------



## PabloTeK

Nevakonaza said:


> theres still no drivers out for windows 7,So its not going to make a very good main os just yet.


 
Actually Shane my Vista drivers installed fine for me. Nvidia may be an issue but ATi's drivers certianly work! As do Realtek's and Ralink's.


----------



## SIMP

DMGrier said:


> How do I get rid of the boxes that pop up that always asking for my permission?



Disable UAC from the User Account Settings.  

Actually, Windows 7 has added a feature that allows you to dictate how sensitive the UAC is.  That's a nice touch.


----------



## FatalityTech

Every time i click the download link it does nothing. The pages loads and does not change at all. Any ideas??


----------



## Respital

Irishwhistle said:


> Go here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx



EDIT: Nevermind i used IE and fixed the problem the download should finish soon. Thanks for your help everyone!


----------



## DMGrier

Windows 7 is great, there are a few things I have had issues with it, the one I'm trying to work out is with my WMP, it will look up the album songs and it will find the album art but it will only apply the songs and not the art. It drives me up a wall when my music collection is missing the art.


----------



## voyagerfan99

Anyone else having an issue with Media Center or playing DVD's?


----------



## Bob Jeffery

Has anyone tried to game? If so what kind of fps do you get?


----------



## Irishwhistle

voyagerfan99 said:


> Anyone else having an issue with Media Center or playing DVD's?



Works fine here. 



Bob Jeffery said:


> Has anyone tried to game? If so what kind of fps do you get?



Pretty poor FPS... like 5-10... on Sauerbraten I get  70-90 FPS in Linux, but not so in Windows 7... Trying to reinstall the graphics driver... maybe that'll do it.


----------



## voyagerfan99

Irishwhistle said:


> Works fine here.



It may just be my laptop (haven't tried it on my desktop yet), but I can't see anything when it's in full screen - it's black. Second, if I have it restored down, it freezes when I select "play DVD". And even when I try to play a DVD in media player, it freezes.

I have to keep reminding myself that it is a beta after all.


----------



## Irishwhistle

voyagerfan99 said:


> I have to keep reminding myself that it is a beta after all.



Besides the gaming issue I haven't had one problem.


----------



## Respital

Is anyone running it on a VM? Or is everyone just replacing their OS?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Irishwhistle said:


> Pretty poor FPS... like 5-10... on Sauerbraten I get  70-90 FPS in Linux, but not so in Windows 7... Trying to reinstall the graphics driver... maybe that'll do it.



Got it fixed now... like 100FPS on high settings. Just had to use the new driver from the ATI website.


----------



## Bob Jeffery

So fps = WIN! Hmmm sounds like a good upgrade from my 1 year old bloated xp.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Bob Jeffery said:


> So fps = WIN! Hmmm sounds like a good upgrade from my 1 year old bloated xp.



Yeah, but remember that nVidia cards might not fare as well.


----------



## Bob Jeffery

Irishwhistle said:


> Yeah, but remember that nVidia cards might not fare as well.


They will get it worked out


----------



## FatalityTech

Download should finish soon cant wait, i have heard alot of good about it.


----------



## gamerman4

Well after having used Windows 7 on my laptop for the past 3 hours here is my take on it.
1. the "Superbar" exceeded my expectations. I was expecting it to be what amounted to a taskbar merged with an OSX dock but it was far from it. A huge reason I stay with Windows is that I can see everything I have opened and all my stats (battery, network status, time, date) all with one glance down. The superbar does not hinder this, it actually is nice. At the moment I am copying about 9GBs of music from my PC to this Laptop and it actually shows the progress bar inside the icon so I don't even have to keep an eye of the "Copying..." window. Also, I find myself using things that I normally just disabled in Vista, like the windows preview.

2. As for eye candy and visuals, it is basically a re-vamped Vista style. I love the built-in ability to have an image slideshow as your wallpaper, very nice. When searching using the start menu, the right hand side gets out of your way to allow room for long titles. 

3. All the features that are supposed to make things easier actually perform their duties well. Dragging windows to the top maximizes (you can also drag the window while maximized). Dragging to the sides lets to organize windows (great for transferring files). Peek works great.

4. All my drivers from Vista installed fine with no trouble. Performance has been great, very snappy but I will test its limits in the coming weeks when I install all of the programs I previously had on this laptop, yeah, I reformatted my laptop to use a Beta OS, I intend on using it correctly by submitting feedback, I have already made about 5 feedback reports for suggestions that could make little things easier (so far just minor nit-picks).

As for some little things I've only seen and haven't toyed around with, I can see loads of uses for the Libraries feature. I think these Libraries was actually what was supposed to be in Vista as the "virtual folders" thing. Pinning bookmarks or frequently visited places to your app icons in the superbar is an excellent idea that I haven't seen before.


----------



## Kornowski

Anybody want to send me it on a DVD?  lol


----------



## Irishwhistle

Kornowski said:


> Anybody want to send me it on a DVD?  lol



Just download it.


----------



## Kornowski

I have a DL limit, between 4 people.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Kornowski said:


> I have a DL limit, between 4 people.



That stinks... I might consider sending you a DVD if my burner weren't utterly useless. 

Go beg a friend to download it for you. 

EDIT! Get Angus interested in it and steal the file from him! Then you can get your own key.


----------



## Kornowski

Haha, I guess I could ask him.  Don't you get a key by clicking one of the links in this thread, or something, lol.


----------



## chibicitiberiu

I have trouble downloading: it stops after downloading about 200 mb and there's no way I can make it continue the download. Firefox says that it's complete, but it's not. How can I download it?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Kornowski said:


> Haha, I guess I could ask him.  Don't you get a key by clicking one of the links in this thread, or something, lol.



Get the key here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx

Decide if you want 32-bit or 64-bit... 32 is probably better as far as compatibility goes.


----------



## Irishwhistle

chibicitiberiu said:


> I have trouble downloading: it stops after downloading about 200 mb and there's no way I can make it continue the download. Firefox says that it's complete, but it's not. How can I download it?



Do it the microsoft way.


----------



## Respital

chibicitiberiu said:


> I have trouble downloading: it stops after downloading about 200 mb and there's no way I can make it continue the download. Firefox says that it's complete, but it's not. How can I download it?



It's Microsoft, they only let you use IE. I tired it like 5 times with Firefox first try with IE and it works. 

So is anyone running this on a VM?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> So is anyone running this on a VM?



Still concerned about this?


----------



## Respital

chibicitiberiu said:


> I have trouble downloading: it stops after downloading about 200 mb and there's no way I can make it continue the download. Firefox says that it's complete, but it's not. How can I download it?





Irishwhistle said:


> Still concerned about this?



Yeah.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Respital said:


> Yeah.



lol  How exactly will it touch your mp3s when it's in a VM? Also, I've copied all my mp3s over to 7 and the play back fine.


----------



## Shane

Hey danny i alerady have it on cd here,i can burn you a copy if you like and all you have to do is get your cd key from MS.

its the x64 bit though,its better because youl have all4gb of your ram then 

if you want a copy pm me your addy il send it you.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Nevakonaza said:


> its the x64 bit though,its better because youl have all4gb of your ram then



What about drivers though?


----------



## Shane

Irishwhistle said:


> What about drivers though?



well thats the reason im not using 7 atm,i just downloaded it and requested my serial just incase in a few weeks theres any beta drivers released or something but i doubt it.

how are you finding 7 so far,ive only used it once for about 20 mins


----------



## Kesava

I didn't have to install any drivers for this laptop. Everything just worked. However on my desktop I would have had to install my graphics card drivers. Any drivers of software made for Vista seem to work fine on 7.


----------



## Shane

Kesava said:


> I didn't have to install any drivers for this laptop. Everything just worked. However on my desktop I would have had to install my graphics card drivers. Any drivers of software made for Vista seem to work fine on 7.



realy? i heard people were having trouble installing Vista drivers on 7 saying that its not the right OS?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Nevakonaza said:


> well thats the reason im not using 7 atm,i just downloaded it and requested my serial just incase in a few weeks theres any beta drivers released or something but i doubt it.
> 
> how are you finding 7 so far,ive only used it once for about 20 mins



I'm using 32-bit so... anyway, I'm finding it to be awesome! Better than Vista, better than OS X, and better than Linux. Best OS I've ever used in fact... I kinda hope Ubuntu Jaunty is better, but I doubt they'll fix the graphics and if it isn't nice and polished out of the box it's no good... I'm really hoping that some day Ubuntu will get more widely used than Windows... that'll really take a HUGE change of mind for the Ubuntu team though... it just seems like they're working on all the wrong things. What of heard about Jaunty is good so far, but I haven't heard a thing about a new default theme!  Rant, rant, rant...


----------



## Irishwhistle

Nevakonaza said:


> realy? i heard people were having trouble installing Vista drivers on 7 saying that its not the right OS?



You heard wrong!


----------



## Kesava

Well when I installed it on the desktop here I didn't have any problems. But its quite likely that people would have had some. I haven't come across anything I don't like or have trouble with yet. Except that there isn't a delete option in the context menu for the recycling bin. You can still remove it by going into personalization, but i'd rather the old way haha. Other then that everything has been fine for me.

It's gonna be ages before people start having windows 7 specific apps and drivers isn't it? Like would they only start appearing once the final version is released?


----------



## Shane

Irishwhistle said:


> better than OS X, and better than Linux.



Are you serius?

OSX?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Nevakonaza said:


> Are you serius?
> 
> OSX?



Umm..... did I say that? 

Other than security, yeah.


----------



## ellanky

I just hope Windows 7 isnt such a resources hog [system hog.. w/e] that Vista is.. because that's my main reason why Im still with XP


----------



## Interested

i have a problem. i dont know what to do, should i install it on another hard drive and dual-boot or upgrade from my vista installation? i dont want to have any glitches, but i know i can expect some since this is a beta.


----------



## Kornowski

Nevakonaza said:


> Hey danny i alerady have it on cd here,i can burn you a copy if you like and all you have to do is get your cd key from MS.
> 
> its the x64 bit though,its better because youl have all4gb of your ram then
> 
> if you want a copy pm me your addy il send it you.



Hey Shane. That'd be awesome if you could!  Itd be the old laptop though, how do you think it'd run?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Kornowski said:


> Itd be the old laptop though, how do you think it'd run?



What's the old laptop?


----------



## Kornowski

I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's a 1.3Ghz Celeron, 512MB of RAM and inboard graphics.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Kornowski said:


> I'm not entirely sure, but I think it's a 1.3Ghz Celeron, 512MB of RAM and inboard graphics.



So probably no 64-bit?

Anyway, it won't be super fast or anything... and no aero. You'd probably be better off running it in a VM on your main rig.


----------



## Kornowski

I just wanted a change from XP on the laptop


----------



## Irishwhistle

Kornowski said:


> I just wanted a change from XP on the laptop



Ah! Well, since system idle on my rig is currently 400MB, generally a bit over 500 it wouldn't be as fast as XP, but worth a shot. MS recommends 1GB RAM.


----------



## voyagerfan99

Irishwhistle said:


> So probably no 64-bit?
> 
> Anyway, it won't be super fast or anything... and no aero. You'd probably be better off running it in a VM on your main rig.



It runs good on my Latitude - 1.6 Pentium M 2GB ram - I don't have any aero though 

Anyway, the only driver I had to install was my touchpad (and my wireless after I pulled out my smartcard bay - long story). Other than that, I like it. I showed it to my boss today and he's got good hopes for it. So do I.


----------



## Irishwhistle

voyagerfan99 said:


> It runs good on my Latitude - 1.6 Pentium M 2GB ram - I don't have any aero though
> 
> Anyway, the only driver I had to install was my touchpad (and my wireless after I pulled out my smartcard bay - long story). Other than that, I like it. I showed it to my boss today and he's got good hopes for it. So do I.




Yeah, but the thing is the RAM... I've got it running great here... so far no reason for more RAM or a better CPU, but Danny's 512MB of RAM might not be adequate.


----------



## voyagerfan99

Irishwhistle said:


> Yeah, but the thing is the RAM... I've got it running great here... so far no reason for more RAM or a better CPU, but Danny's 512MB of RAM might not be adequate.



It'll chug. The minimum is 1GB.


Although I've seen a P4 1.5 ghz and 512MB (maybe less) of RAM run Vista Ultimate, so I'm optimistic


----------



## Irishwhistle

voyagerfan99 said:


> It'll chug. The minimum is 1GB.
> 
> 
> Although I've seen a P4 1.5 ghz and 512MB (maybe less) of RAM run Vista Ultimate, so I'm optimistic



It could work... 1GB is minimum recommended, but who knows.


----------



## Irishwhistle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKojsshyaKY&feature=related

Methinks it's time to try Windows 7 on the ol' PIII.


----------



## gamerman4

Well my 3DMark05 score jumped 550 points with Windows 7. sweet. RAM usage is definitely cut down. Windows 7 is definitely off on the right foot. I love that they gave us a public beta, this pretty much lets all these people figure out the problems so we essentially have what amounts to Windows 7 SP1 upon release, with as many bugs as possible removed.


----------



## SIMP

Kornowski said:


> I just wanted a change from XP on the laptop



Hey Korn, what are your thoughts vs. XP?


----------



## Irishwhistle

SIMP said:


> Hey Korn, what are your thoughts vs. XP?



He doesn't have it yet. 

I, however; much prefer it over XP.


----------



## Shane

Kornowski said:


> Hey Shane. That'd be awesome if you could!  Itd be the old laptop though, how do you think it'd run?




well i would have to download the 32 bit for you,but that wouldnt be a problem if you want it danny.
its easier for me because i dont have download limit,and i have 50mb broadband 

Pm me your Address if you still want it,and il let you know when i send it out.

512mb ram is a bit tight though ,7 used  just over 880 something mb idle when i first booted.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Nevakonaza said:


> 512mb ram is a bit tight though ,7 used  just over 880 something mb idle when i first booted.



I got 525MB idle on first boot, then it dropped to around 400MB idle.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Starting to run into some "Vista-ish" issues... especially with running VirtualBox... it opened the first time, crashed, and never opened again.


----------



## Interested

is it worthy of using as a main os?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Interested said:


> is it worthy of using as a main os?



I'd say so! The issues I was having turned out to be my problem. 

Just take note that it'll stop working in August.


----------



## Interested

Irishwhistle said:


> I'd say so! The issues I was having turned out to be my problem.
> 
> Just take note that it'll stop working in August.



but by then wont there be another beta out? and if not, i have a work around for the timer.


----------



## Irishwhistle

Interested said:


> but by then wont there be another beta out? and if not, i have a work around for the timer.




Another beta? For what?  Windows 7 should be around soon after that though.


----------



## Interested

well more updates and fixes. no?


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> I'd say so! The issues I was having turned out to be my problem.
> 
> Just take note that it'll stop working in August.



I understand that it will stop working in August, but what exactly will happen to my pc if it is the only OS that was installed? Will i be locked out of my computer because i dont have a valid OS?


----------



## Irishwhistle

Interested said:


> well more updates and fixes. no?



There will be updates, but only during the beta period (the public beta release till August), once that period is over, so is your OS.


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> I understand that it will stop working in August, but what exactly will happen to my pc if it is the only OS that was installed? Will i be locked out of my computer because i dont have a valid OS?



I'm pretty sure you'll still be able to access your files, you just won't be able to use the OS.


----------



## DarkTears

Irishwhistle said:


> I'm pretty sure you'll still be able to access your files, you just won't be able to use the OS.



So how can you even access files when there is no operating system?


----------



## Irishwhistle

DarkTears said:


> So how can you even access files when there is no operating system?



With another operating system or another computer that uses the same HD interface.


----------



## mac550

well i gave windows 7 a go, i though id take advantige of MS giving a beta away from free. less than 24 after i installed it i put vista back on. reason being it has no software in it along with other reasons. i dont understand why its taking MS so long to change a few things in it, it just vista with a couple of okish thing added and alot taken out. IMO if the final it like the beta, then ill be sticking with vista untill MS bring out there new OS after 7.


----------



## massahwahl

Im downloading the beta right now...

Are there any features that really stand out at this point as being way better than vista?


----------



## mac550

ukulele_ninja said:


> Im downloading the beta right now...
> 
> Are there any features that really stand out at this point as being way better than vista?



only a couple, cross fading wallpapers, new taskbar, and by the looks of things the hardware index thing now goes to 10 (MS saw logic for once )
other than that its vista with aero overkill


----------



## gamerman4

ukulele_ninja said:


> Im downloading the beta right now...
> 
> Are there any features that really stand out at this point as being way better than vista?



Libraries, Jump Lists, Peek, Monitor Calibration, Cleaner task tray, Window docking, Shake, faster, better memory management, HomeGroup, easy to use Remote Access. It's basically Vista but with a lot of improvements to window handling, makes having multiple things open much easier to manage.


I haven't booted into Vista all week, I like the beta.


----------



## oregon

Has anyone been able to install adobe reader for pdf's? I keep on getting a windows installer error.


----------



## Goose

So I've been playing around with this for a while, and I gotta say I'm very very impressed. 

I installed the 64 bit version of my system in my sig. Install time was just 26 minutes on a 100GB partition. When it booted up, it detected all my hardware and had every necessary driver ready to go. And once it connected to the net, it had the latest updates for those drivers. I didn't have to do a thing. I can honestly say I've never had a smoother first install of a new OS before.

The OS is quick. Quicker than XP and much quicker than Vista. I've had zero crashes so far, so stability is nice.

I did not like the new taskbar at first. But after playing around with it, I've completely changed my mind, it is awesome. A large improvement over the standard quick lauch(which can be used too if you want). The system tray has also gotten a much needed upgrade and is very clean.

Libraries are the only thing I'm still kinda getting used too. I'm not sure I like how things are organized yet. We'll see.

And of course it looks fantastic. The "slideshow" desktop was a nice touch.

Compatibility is also impressive for a beta. The following is a list of programs that are confirmed to work:

Firefox 3
Thunderbird
UTorrent
Photoshop CS2
Nero 8
Microsoft Office 2003
AVG 8
Power ISO
VLC Player
WinRAR
BitPim
PC Wizard 2008
Pidgin
DVD Shrink
RivaTuner
FLV to MP3 Converter
Old game system emulators
Adobe Reader 9
Winamp Pro 5.54

Programs that do not work:
Zone Alarm Pro
Peer Guardian 2
Daemon Tools
Alcohol 120%
DVD2one
Asus Suite

Kinda sucks that Zone Alarm doesn't work, so I'm out looking for a decent 64 bit firewall.

I haven't tried any games on it yet, maybe later today.

Overall if this were the final product I don't think I'd have much problem making the switch. The fact that this is just a beta says alot about how good this OS could be.


----------



## Abkrino

mac550 said:


> only a couple, cross fading wallpapers, new taskbar, and by the looks of things the hardware index thing now goes to 10 (MS saw logic for once )
> other than that its vista with aero overkill



not really up to 7.9 mentioned in the Performance Information and Tools


----------



## StrangleHold

I,ve heard that if you buy Vista after a certain time period, like June or July you can upgrade to 7 for free.(not confirmed by microsoft) The funny thing is, we will have to pay for this OS and its nothing more than a Vista Service Pack. To me calling it Windows 7 just to sell it is almost a slap in the face. When it should be called (Sorry we screwed up, here is your semi Fix)


----------



## Irishwhistle

StrangleHold said:


> I,ve heard that if you buy Vista after a certain time period, like June or July you can upgrade to 7 for free.(not confirmed by microsoft) The funny thing is, we will have to pay for this OS and its nothing more than a Vista Service Pack. To me calling it Windows 7 just to sell it is almost a slap in the face. When it should be called (Sorry we screwed up, here is your semi Fix)



lol Have you tried the beta? It's really actually pretty awesome, but I do agree that it's what Vista should of been.


----------



## StrangleHold

Irishwhistle said:


> lol Have you tried the beta? It's really actually pretty awesome,


 
Yeah thats what I,m on now. Good improvement.


----------



## Irishwhistle

StrangleHold said:


> Yeah thats what I,m on now. Good improvement.



Cool, how's your 8800GT working? I know some folks were having issues...


----------



## StrangleHold

Forget the preinstalled driver. Just download Nvidia latest Vista/64 driver. When its installing it changes from saying its a Vista to a Windows 7 install. Updates the driver and installs PhysX. Havent had any problems since.


----------



## Kewl Munky

I've installed it and during the first boot I lose picture when it tries to go passed the loading screen. I've tried safe mode, but it won't work since it can't finish installing in safe mode. Is my 9800GX2 not supported yet?


----------



## EGS

Is Windows 7 free? Or do you have to pay for the beta?
If you have the beta and it's free will it be upgraded to free version?..

Please explain, thank you.


----------



## Redbull{wings}

EGS said:


> Is Windows 7 free? Or do you have to pay for the beta?
> If you have the beta and it's free will it be upgraded to free version?..
> 
> Please explain, thank you.



You register for the beta for free and are basically on your own as far as installing and troubleshooting. If you need help then you have to come to a forum like this.

The beta ends August of this year. After that you will no longer be able to use it. Hopefully the retail version will release shortly after and then you will have to purchase it.


----------



## Briguy

I've got it running on a Slot A 1ghz 1gb ram machine and it works great!

Yes I said Slot A.


----------



## massahwahl

Going to install the beta tonight, has anyone heard what thr pricing tiers will be for 7 when its officially released?


----------



## gamerman4

ukulele_ninja said:


> Going to install the beta tonight, has anyone heard what thr pricing tiers will be for 7 when its officially released?



It would be nice if the rumors are true, I'd like a free upgrade from Vista. I think at the very least if you splurged on Vista Ultimate, you should be allowed to have 7 for free.


----------



## massahwahl

I agree gamerman! I've got ultimate and I'm hoping 7 is really going to make some vast improvements.


----------



## tlarkin

Briguy said:


> I've got it running on a Slot A 1ghz 1gb ram machine and it works great!
> 
> Yes I said Slot A.



First gen AMD Athlon then?  I remember when I upgraded my Celeron 300A to an AMD Athlon 650Mhz, man that was killer back then.  Slot processors were such a pain and more expensive glad they scrapped them.


----------



## Irishwhistle

tlarkin said:


> First gen AMD Athlon then?  I remember when I upgraded my Celeron 300A to an AMD Athlon 650Mhz, man that was killer back then.  Slot processors were such a pain and more expensive glad they scrapped them.



I've got a PIII slot rig.


----------



## reddevil6

Can any1 tell me why i get lower FPS an 3dmark score with 7 than i do with vista i thourt 7 was faster


----------



## Kewl Munky

I threw in an older video card to setup 7, then downloaded a driver for my GX2, it said the driver was successfully installed and was up to date and everything. But in device manager it had the caution sign for it and said there was an error, though they wouldn't tell me what the **** the error is. So I shutdown, took out the older card, rebooted and I lost picture again.

So far vista is still better. At least the drivers work properly on it.


----------



## massahwahl

I will say that i am very happy with the fact that Windows 7 immediatly found all of my device drivers upon install as that saved a lot of time. Thus far the interface is basically the same as Vista with a few extras. 

I like that theres no more annoying side bar to deal with and that UAC is significantly less annoying (Still turned it off, but out of the box it was not as intrusive) 

Now to start installing all of my software!

I did want to ask though, when the beta ends in August, will there be a way to recover all of my data off of W7?


----------



## Kesava

Mine ends on the 2nd of July haha.
Everyone just be careful as it might end sooner then you think.


----------



## reddevil6

Kesava said:


> Mine ends on the 2nd of July haha.
> Everyone just be careful as it might end sooner then you think.



how do i find out when mine runs out?


----------



## gamerman4

Just installed 7 on my friends AMD Duron 750Mhz with 512MB RAM. sadly the gfx card (FireGL 8800) in it was not DirectX 9 compatible so no Aero. It ran slower than XP (as I had anticipated) but it ran better than I expected. IE didn't take forever to load, websites loaded fine, watched a couple youtube vids, no skipping.


----------



## Kesava

reddevil6 said:


> how do i find out when mine runs out?



click on start and type in "winver"


----------



## Irishwhistle

Kesava said:


> click on start and type in "winver"



Great... then it only goes to July.


----------



## Michael

Irishwhistle said:


> Great... then it only goes to July.



Just confirming the above info 







-Michael


----------



## FatalityTech

Looks good, glad that the beta is a nice long testing period. Im really enjoying it so far.


----------



## Bob Jeffery

Wow I cant wait till they release it. My Windows XP has got very very bloated and extremely slow over the year I've been using it and needs a reinstall. I went to reinstall it and stupid emachines recovery installed xp on my old 40 gig hard drive. I said whatever and reformatted the old hard drive and installed windows 7 on it just to see how it runs. It is super fast! I love it! The only problem I have is not all games work but most I've tried do . It detected my monitor and my 8600gt and installed 4 month old drivers lol.


----------



## Respital

I finally finished installing it on my VM and i must say I'm impressed! 

Also the first page has been updated.


----------



## Invisible Man

I love W7 but I don't know why MS was so in a hurry to bring out Vista.  They should have waited and incorporate W7 with vista so I don't have to buy W7.  That what tick me off.  W7 is the same as Vista feature wise but its more stable and use less resource.


----------



## voyagerfan99

I had a spare 30GB HDD laying around, so I tossed it in my computer and installed the beta. Runs like a dream!  Too bad I can't keep it. 30GB is not enough space for me and I don't want to dual-boot.


----------



## gamerman4

Amazing that so far this has seen more praise than damning, even XP received a lot of critical attention before its release. Maybe MS will take the hint and make their future OSs have a public Beta.


----------



## Kewl Munky

I finally got windows 7 to work with my gx2 and now I am going to install some games and see if those run. So far I am pretty impressed with how things are working, though I haven't done much yet.

A major issue I've heard complaints about is when people try to make backup files and have to copy files one by one.

UPDATE: Once I finally had to reboot for some other drivers and stuff I took the opportunity to take out the older card, and once again, my GX2 doesn't work. Does anyone know why I need the 5500FX for my GX2 to work?


----------



## bcoffee20

just finished installing it and it seems pretty awesome. just like vista but i like the bottom bar alot better. havent had to get rid of anything either except one program which i rarely used


----------



## FatalityTech

bcoffee20 said:


> just finished installing it and it seems pretty awesome. just like vista but i like the bottom bar alot better. havent had to get rid of anything either except one program which i rarely used



I really like that bar as well, from what i understand they call it the super bar now, instead of a task bar. Well thats what Microsoft's site said anyways. Great improvement over XP


----------



## KPC84

Release date for retail version?


----------



## DirtyD86

could i create a separate partition on a hard drive and install windows 7 to that partition? how would that work, would i have to select which OS to boot when i turn the computer on?


----------



## Cleric7x9

just installed on an hp laptop with an AMD turion and 1gb RAM. it is very responsive and very intuitive, i really like it so far


----------



## mep916

DirtyD86 said:


> could i create a separate partition on a hard drive and install windows 7 to that partition? how would that work, would i have to select which OS to boot when i turn the computer on?



Yeah, you can do that. Create a separate partition (at least 30 gigs), install Windows 7 and 7 will create a boot menu.


----------



## kenwood

pretty cool, except for some minor glitches(so far) such as the blue screen of death when i installed kaspersky internet security, so i just put free avg on. I bench marked with xp and than windows 7 with 3dmark06 and i only lost around 100 points but that could be, because i didn't have the card tuned since catalyst wont install, keep in mind i have 3 gb of ram, Seems promising though


----------



## 3uL

Eventhought still beta, 7 really impressed me.


----------



## shenry

I just installed it on a virtual machine with 1 GB of ram, it runs fairly smoothly.


----------



## Intel_man

This got unstickied??


Anyways, I'm having trouble getting my networking card to work. 

Using my XP atm.


----------



## tlarkin

Interesting article

http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/37956


----------



## Dystopia

never got to download it. From what I read, it should be Vista: Comeback 

Lets hope everything is NOT like vista started...


----------



## pikeman

Hi all,
Just decided to download it and give it a go,
On XP at the moment works fine.
Ian.


----------



## jashsayani

*Reminder: Tomorrow is the last day to download the beta and fetch the product key.
*


----------



## gamerman4

XD I just had a realization of the reason behind the default wallpaper in Win7... wow I'm slow....


----------



## Irishwhistle

gamerman4 said:


> XD I just had a realization of the reason behind the default wallpaper in Win7... wow I'm slow....



What reason?


----------



## SRcobra

I know it finishes tomorrow, but what time like 23:59? or something
Im 34% through download, It should be dl'd by then anyways!

Atleast you can activate it anytime before august 09, just you gotta get your product key before then 


-Sach


----------



## Respital

tlarkin said:


> Interesting article
> 
> http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/37956



Thanks, added.


----------



## Kewl Munky

I still can't get my GX2 working. I can now "successfully" install the driver from windows update, but I still lose video signal upon restart.

Does anyone know anything on the issue?


----------



## Okedokey

yes, its beta


----------



## gamerman4

Irishwhistle said:


> What reason?



The wallpaper is an image of a Betta fish, and it is a Beta OS.


----------



## Irishwhistle

gamerman4 said:


> The wallpaper is an image of a Betta fish, and it is a Beta OS.



Oh, right, meaning they'll probably have a new wallpaper for the final, I just kinda assumed they'd stick with the same one.


----------



## Shane

Irishwhistle said:


> Oh, right, meaning they'll probably have a new wallpaper for the final, I just kinda assumed they'd stick with the same one.



They will i think, I was reading an issue of Micro mart and they mentioned that The wallpaper is an image of a Beta fish which obviously represents a Beta stage and in the final RTM version there will be a new default background and colour scheme.

Where they got their sources from though im not sure, it didn’t mention where.


----------



## laznz1

sorry to say but im sick of  windows 7 bin trailing the beta version on my Dell Laptop (in sig)
and i hate it sorry to say M$ but i dont think it will replace XP


----------



## Dystopia

just got a dvd with windows 7 beta, so ill be trying it out soon.

1k posts! yeah!


----------



## foekr

A question for the people who installed and are running Windows 7 now, what do you think are the pros and cons of it?


----------



## PabloTeK

foekr said:


> A question for the people who installed and are running Windows 7 now, what do you think are the pros and cons of it?



Pro's:


Quicker;
New Superbar;
Gadgets are free-roaming;
Con's:


Most complicated variant system, EVER!
Stupid software that checks versions doesn't work;
Windows Mail isn't included?!


----------



## speedyink

laznz1 said:


> sorry to say but im sick of  windows 7 bin trailing the beta version on my Dell Laptop (in sig)
> and i hate it sorry to say M$ but i dont think it will replace XP



XP is on it's last legs...There are still a few that cling to it, but the general public consensus (at least where I am) is that Vista is now accepted.  Only the people with crap computers or legacy hardware bitch about Vista still.  The other ones just hate having to learn new things(which honestly if you grasp windows at all is insanely easy).  Just an observation from working in an electronics/computer store.  

Oh, and windows 7 owns the shit out of XP.  XP is so basic and lacks so many  useful features that I use pretty much every day, all of which make computing more of a joy.  If you really like XP, that's fine, stick with it, thats your preference, but don't deny that it won't be replaced.



PabloTeK said:


> [*]Windows Mail isn't included?!



I actually like it, some people (like me) don't use Windows Mail.  Why have something you don't use?  Especially when those programs can't be uninstalled.  Besides, it's a free download.

There's too many tiny pro's to mention, like the fact that games using a lower res than your desktop don't screw up the location of your icons or gadgets, or the fact that thumbnails in explorer work better, or the ability to burn iso's without any 3rd party program.


----------



## /\E

I looked at an article posted by the OP... How can you pull the drapes off of something that already exists? And I want to rip it apart whilst thinking out loud.



> * A new peripheral management interface called Device Stage (more info about this is coming in the Windows 7 Partner Showcase at November's WinHEC 2008 conference)



Would something like this involve a registry?



> * A new self-diagnosis feature called Action Center



Does it do more than Windows Defender? Microsoft's yet to make a product that can take care of itself without the need for 3rd party apps, which makes them respect the 3rd parties but doesn't say much for Microsoft.



> * A new A/V control method called StreamOn



Probably running amok with DRM...  



> * A new animation framework



I will place a wager that it's very similar to Apple's Quartz, if not a knock-off product.



> * New task bar and shell integration features



I wouldn't go that far because it looks a lot Vista...



> * Multi-touch and gesture recognition



It would've been a sin for them to put this in Vista SP1, because people are not paying for SP1. This is another one of their padded reasons to get customers to buy 7.



> * Improved Bluetooth support



Not a new feature and I cannot see how it's improved. But it's another padded sales booster.



> * Ribbon UI akin to Office 2007 for Windows 7's applets



Yuck! Do you know how many people hate Office 2007? My high school installed it last year, I put OpenOffice on a flash drive or I will use Google Docs. The faculty hates Office 2007, they cannot find anything.

Several friends and I took an information systems class my freshman year. We all went to a testing center to take all of our Office 2003 exams to get the Microsoft Specialist Certs. Not one of us can even stand to use 2007... I see more people using OpenOffice than ever before.


----------



## speedyink

/\E said:


> I looked at an article posted by the OP... How can you pull the drapes off of something that already exists? And I want to rip it apart whilst thinking out loud....



It sounds like you've never tried the OS.  Don't listen to the crap they say on the interwebs, or go by just screenshots, you actually have to use it to get a valid opinion.  Theres so many little changes here and there not many people would mention


----------



## /\E

speedyink said:


> It sounds like you've never tried the OS.  Don't listen to the crap they say on the interwebs, or go by just screenshots, you actually have to use it to get a valid opinion.  Theres so many little changes here and there not many people would mention



As far as the interface goes, no I haven't messed with 7 enough to see it well. But the other stuff is fair game...

I popped the 7 build I had into a VM just to see if it would run. It installed and ran quickly but I don't see myself on another Microsoft OS. I wish the open source community would work on Wine a bit more so I could get all of my Windows apps to run under it. If I could actually find some halfway decent Linux development tools(C++ IDEs, Interface Builders, etc.) then I would make a full move to it. Code::blocks is garbage, I hate that IDE and Turbo C, too.


----------



## tlarkin

/\E said:


> As far as the interface goes, no I haven't messed with 7 enough to see it well. But the other stuff is fair game...
> 
> I popped the 7 build I had into a VM just to see if it would run. It installed and ran quickly but I don't see myself on another Microsoft OS. I wish the open source community would work on Wine a bit more so I could get all of my Windows apps to run under it. If I could actually find some halfway decent Linux development tools(C++ IDEs, Interface Builders, etc.) then I would make a full move to it. Code::blocks is garbage, I hate that IDE and Turbo C, too.



It is kind of hard to reverse engineer Windows Applications when developers and Microsoft don't supply source code.

Really, what you probably meant to say is; "It is a shame that more developers don't port their applications to Linux."


----------



## speedyink

/\E said:


> As far as the interface goes, no I haven't messed with 7 enough to see it well. But the other stuff is fair game...
> 
> I popped the 7 build I had into a VM just to see if it would run. It installed and ran quickly but I don't see myself on another Microsoft OS. I wish the open source community would work on Wine a bit more so I could get all of my Windows apps to run under it. If I could actually find some halfway decent Linux development tools(C++ IDEs, Interface Builders, etc.) then I would make a full move to it. Code::blocks is garbage, I hate that IDE and Turbo C, too.



Gotcha, well we all have our preferences.

But none of the 'features' you quoted are actual improvements that I have seen or noticed.  It looks like you just got them from a sales pitch, which in all honesty never should be used to get any useful information.  Like you said, they're pretty much all things already built into previous windows.  Besides the new taskbar, which although it looks the same as Vista it works much better.


----------



## billygt

Hey /\E, you clearly haven't used windows 7; you say that the new taskbar is like vista, your so wrong (I hope I misunderstood and that wasn't what you meant). The new windows taskbar is simply revolutionary, so much more efficient in use of space and ease of access !!!


----------



## mep916

billygt said:


> The new windows taskbar is *simply revolutionary*, so much more efficient in use of space and ease of access !!!



Actually, they borrowed it from OS X, but I do like it.


----------



## Dystopia

Well, so far, I like it. But i have to see if I can get drivers for my mobo cuz no sound sucks with games. I did game on crysis, but that's it so far.

Also i like the interface. Its really easy to get around.

Can someone tell me why sometimes its sticky? Like, if i want to open something, sometimes it takes longer then usual.

Bottom line: If I can get drivers for my mobo and everythign else, and all the games I want running on it run, I will probably keep it for a while.


----------



## mep916

Elimin8or said:


> Can someone tell me why sometimes its sticky? Like, if i want to open something, sometimes it takes longer then usual.



I stickied this for awhile, then the sticky was removed. Long story, but hopefully we can start placing more stickies in the forums in the future.


----------



## Dystopia

mep916 said:


> I stickied this for awhile, then the sticky was removed. Long story, but hopefully we can start placing more stickies in the forums in the future.



lol, thats not what I meant. I meant in windows 7, sometimes things are sticking.


----------



## speedyink

Elimin8or said:


> lol, thats not what I meant. I meant in windows 7, sometimes things are sticking.



If your talking about Explorer, I find it happens after I wake it up from sleep or hibernation.


----------



## Shane

Since some of us have been using 7 for a bit, doesn't it just make you think that all Microsoft have really done is got Vista....fix what they should have fixed in it...give it a fancy new desktop and a new name?

I mean for example we had Windows 2000 which itself was a fantastic reliable workhorse and which Xp was based off so Xp was a great os too.

but they're basing Windows 7 off of Vista which was a failure at launch and is still an irritant to many of us today.

I do agree that 7 runs allot better than Vista but I think Microsoft are just screwing us all over again in terms of making us buy 7 instead of giving those of us who purchased screw-up vista an update to Windows 7 for free!

I suppose i will have people disagree with what i sad above but im a person who says what i think or should i say in this case "Types" what i think  :good:


----------



## /\E

I put 7 on my laptop again just now and it resulted in me downloading and burning Ubuntu 64-bit.

I really can't use it, I don't like the new taskbar, icons! Are you kidding me? Okay, just for argument's sake, what happens if I run an app that doesn't have an icon or am debugging several apps with no icons? Do I have to click through each one? Leave the text alone Microsoft, most computers users are literate.

Action Center? What kind of stupid name is that(for Microsoft)? I figured it would have been "Computer Maintenance Control Terminal." 

Microsoft needs to stop trying to rub off a Mac UI and start taking pointers from Linux. Linux is going to eat their lunch if they don't watch out. And another rant I have about Microsoft, trying to sell something new and "improved" every time one operating system settles. Microsoft doesn't make their money from ideas, engineering, or looks. They make it by selling software...


----------



## gamerman4

Windows 98 = updated Win95
Windows XP = updated 2000
Windows 7 = updated Vista

Windows 7 is definitely better and I applaud MS for going for performance rather than throw in a ton of features, which is why Vista had such a big footprint, lot of new features (or just re-made features) and not enough quality control. The Superbar is well worth it IMO if for that feature alone.


----------



## Irishwhistle

gamerman4 said:


> Windows 98 = updated Win95
> Windows XP = updated 2000
> Windows 7 = updated Vista



And then there was the Windows 98 SE, so this isn't in any way out of the ordinary.


----------



## speedyink

Nevakonaza said:


> but they're basing Windows 7 off of Vista which was a failure at launch and is still an irritant to many of us today.



Thats not fair, a lot of the improvements are under the hood in Vista.  Yes, it used a lot of resources, but it also added a lot of technical improvements that average joe doesn't use.  It irritates people cause it's different.  They're gonna bitch no matter what, usually about stupid things that are user error more than anything.  I work with the public..I see what goes down.



/\E said:


> I put 7 on my laptop again just now and it resulted in me downloading and burning Ubuntu 64-bit.
> 
> I really can't use it, I don't like the new taskbar, icons! Are you kidding me? Okay, just for argument's sake, what happens if I run an app that doesn't have an icon or am debugging several apps with no icons? Do I have to click through each one? Leave the text alone Microsoft, most computers users are literate.



Way to not customize it at all.  I think it's a stupid default option but it takes few clicks to get it the way you want it.  It's not like Ubuntu comes pre-done the way you want it either.


----------



## /\E

speedyink said:


> Way to not customize it at all.  I think it's a stupid default option but it takes few clicks to get it the way you want it.  It's not like Ubuntu comes pre-done the way you want it either.



If I had to customize everything(on a conscious level), I would be extremely unhappy. Right, I am just saying that it's stupid to default... Ubuntu doesn't come made to my liking but at least I can pick it up, open the Package Manager, find my IDE or Wine to start plugging away. I can get done what I need with little frustration. But look at it from this perspective, a nonprofit organization is beating a company whose CEO has a net worth of $58 billion. Really all I am saying is that they need to step it up and quit relying on their market share so they can exist. Making stupid shiny icons doesn't impress me, being able to see what is going on in a matter of seconds impresses me, it's all about speed, simplicity, and usability not looks. Looks may be a plus but it's not the top priority.

And I know your thinking "Oh, but you're a Mac user heh." At least Apple can do it with a good speed:interface ratio, their visual effects don't take all the CPU cycles.


----------



## epidemik

Im really not having any issues with 7. I've been running it since it came out and other than the occasional hickup, it tends to work nicely. Games have been working fine so far and everything.

That isnt to say I'd replace old faithful XP with it...but its good enough that its not worth the hassle of reinstalling XP (until i have a major issue with 7)


----------



## speedyink

/\E said:


> If I had to customize everything(on a conscious level), I would be extremely unhappy. Right, I am just saying that it's stupid to default... Ubuntu doesn't come made to my liking but at least I can pick it up, open the Package Manager, find my IDE or Wine to start plugging away. I can get done what I need with little frustration. But look at it from this perspective, a nonprofit organization is beating a company whose CEO has a net worth of $58 billion. Really all I am saying is that they need to step it up and quit relying on their market share so they can exist. Making stupid shiny icons doesn't impress me, being able to see what is going on in a matter of seconds impresses me, it's all about speed, simplicity, and usability not looks. Looks may be a plus but it's not the top priority.
> 
> And I know your thinking "Oh, but you're a Mac user heh." At least Apple can do it with a good speed:interface ratio, their visual effects don't take all the CPU cycles.



I've used macs (more than you think), and to be honest the speed isn't all that much greater.  At least not compared with windows 7.

Looking at your specs i dont think you need to have any worry about cpu cycles.  Windows 7 even runs speedy on my EEE PC.


----------



## mep916

Microsoft plans to make the first release candidate available April 10th.

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/09/02/20/exclusive-windows-7-rc-set-for-april-10th-2009


----------



## Shane

Still no mentions of how much the theyre going to charge for a copy windows 7 

why wont microsoft tell us yet how much its going to be? surely they have a figure in mind? usualy a big one.


----------



## mep916

Nevakonaza said:


> Still no mentions of how much the theyre going to charge for a copy windows 7
> 
> why wont microsoft tell us yet how much its going to be? surely they have a figure in mind? usualy a big one.



It would be cool if they give beta testers a discount to upgrade.


----------



## Shane

mep916 said:


> It would be cool if they give beta testers a discount to upgrade.



Yeah i agree,especialy since we are helping them out finding bugs,problems etc.

But this is microsoft were talking about,Its all about the money not its customers.


----------



## mep916

Nevakonaza said:


> Yeah i agree,especialy since we are helping them out finding bugs,problems etc.
> 
> But this is microsoft were talking about,Its all about the money not its customers.



Yup. Many technology writers are referring to Vista as a cash grab. Basically, release an unfinished OS, shove it down our throats, make a ton of money, then quickly release a "better" version...then make more money. I dunno. I'll be unhappy if they charge Vista prices, but I wouldn't be surprised if they did.


----------



## Sir Travis D

Beta DVD

http://travisdanielson.com/images/beta.png


----------



## Invisible Man

*Did you all enroll or got this email from windows 7 beta team?*

Did you all enroll or got this email from windows 7 beta team?

Dear Beta Participant: 

Hello again from the Windows® 7 Beta team. Be sure to check out the list of resources at the right. In particular, you might enjoy the new Windows Live QnA community for Windows 7. 

If you've installed the Beta and gotten familiar with the basics, here are a couple things to try: 


- HomeGroup: See how it's easier to connect to other computers, your home printer, or other devices over your wireless home network. To use HomeGroup, you'll need to have at least two PCs running Windows 7. If you set up a second PC, don't worry about getting another product key. You can use the key you got for your Beta on up to five PCs. 
- DeviceStage: Device Stage is a new way to work with cameras, printers, phones, and other products. When you connect a Device Stage-compatible product, you'll see a picture of the device and a list of things you can do with it right on one screen. Here's a list of products that take advantage of Device Stage. We update the list regularly, so check back if you're curious about a specific product. 



Looking for other things to try? Browse through the What's New page. 


Sign up for the Windows Feedback Program 

Touch the future. Join the Windows Feedback Program so we can learn more about how you use Windows every day. We'll use your feedback to design upcoming versions of Windows. If you send us automated feedback for at least three months and participate in surveys, you will receive a free version of Windows Vista or Office Ultimate 2007. To sign up, please send email to [email protected] with the subject line: "Request to sign up for Windows Feedback Program on Windows 7." We'll send you a registration link. Enrollment is limited to the first 500 participants. 


Stay informed 

You've got lots of ways to learn about Windows 7 and get answers to your questions. Take a look at the upper right corner of this mail for links to blogs and a QnA site. Those are great for specific and one-to-one discussion. One other thing you might want to do is subscribe to the Exploring Windows Newsletter. It's a monthly e-mail with general Windows news, how-to tips, special offers, and download suggestions. Think of it as a little light reading after a busy day of testing Windows 7. 


Thanks again for helping us finish Windows 7 

Sincerely, 
The Windows 7 Beta Team

Coz I did and testing since then.


----------



## Shane

*Microsoft may release Windows 7 in September*

http://www.custompc.co.uk/news/605451/microsoft-may-release-windows-7-in-september.html?CMP=NLC-Newsletters


----------



## hells3000

does the beta version of windows 7 update?


----------



## mep916

This thread needs a bump and a big update from respital. 

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13860_3-10258259-56.html


----------



## gamerman4

$50 for a Home Premium upgrade? That's decent, I at least hope they keep the full retail under $200. I doubt it will happen, good thing newegg sells OEM disks which are much cheaper.


----------



## speedyink

Cool, thats good news


----------



## 604action

Wow


----------



## mep916

Sixty Percent of Companies Not Moving to Windows 7

I guess the eye candy still isn't enough for enterprise costumers.


----------



## speedyink

mep916 said:


> Sixty Percent of Companies Not Moving to Windows 7
> 
> I guess the eye candy still isn't enough for enterprise costumers.



Honestly, the reason I think that is is because business consumers don't take advantage of the multimedia features that are heavily improved in 7.  Why the hell would a business need any of that stuff right?  In this case it is a case of Windows XP is 'good enough'.


----------



## Jamin43

mep916 said:


> Sixty Percent of Companies Not Moving to Windows 7
> 
> I guess the eye candy still isn't enough for enterprise costumers.



I think it's pretty customary for Companies to wait a while on New O/S releases.  They need a stable environment for their business platforms - so they wait for the guinea pigs to work out the kinks first.  

Companies need a stable / reliable PC much more than an individual PC owner.


----------



## Shane

mep916 said:


> Sixty Percent of Companies Not Moving to Windows 7
> 
> I guess the eye candy still isn't enough for enterprise costumers.




Not suprised about that,it was the same with Vista....Xp does what they want it to do so why would they waste company funds on something they dont need?

Not only that...Windows Vista and 7 isnt exactly.....reliable.


----------



## speedyink

Nevakonaza said:


> Not suprised about that,it was the same with Vista....Xp does what they want it to do so why would they waste company funds on something they dont need?
> 
> Not only that...Windows Vista and 7 isnt exactly.....reliable.



How are they not stable?


----------



## Shane

Well Vista....thet peed me off so much,i kept getting Explorer.exe isnt responding.....its happned to me a few times in 7 too.

This never happens in Xp and i never had any problems in Ubuntu either so its not my system.

I know everyones gonna say...ohh hes one of those die hard Xp fanboys,yes i like Xp but i know its time to move on.

Im just saying that,Vista imo isnt very good...7 is better but still needs improvements but its still RC so we will wait and see what the RTM is like.

But 7 has been okay these past few weeks i have not had the problem,maybe an update or something fixed it?...we will see


----------



## Vizy

Hey, so what happened when like in 2000 when companies were all using 98 or 95 (i honestly don't know). What made them switch to XP? 

just curious


----------



## Ethan3.14159

mep916 said:


> Sixty Percent of Companies Not Moving to Windows 7
> 
> I guess the eye candy still isn't enough for enterprise costumers.



But look at it like this. 40% of companies out there plan to switch to Windows 7 in the first year. Most companies wait until at least the first service pack to make a switch. This is something Microsoft should be proud of. That's a huge commitment. The adoption rate for XP was 12-14% and Vista was even less within the first year.

It's also easy to see how news titles can be twisted to say anything.


----------



## speedyink

Nevakonaza said:


> Well Vista....thet peed me off so much,i kept getting Explorer.exe isnt responding.....its happned to me a few times in 7 too.
> 
> This never happens in Xp and i never had any problems in Ubuntu either so its not my system.
> 
> I know everyones gonna say...ohh hes one of those die hard Xp fanboys,yes i like Xp but i know its time to move on.
> 
> Im just saying that,Vista imo isnt very good...7 is better but still needs improvements but its still RC so we will wait and see what the RTM is like.
> 
> But 7 has been okay these past few weeks i have not had the problem,maybe an update or something fixed it?...we will see




Hmm, guess all I can say is sucks to be you.  Solid stability here.  In the beginning of Vista I used to get a couple explorer errors, but after a few updates it was rock solid.  7 has been rock solid for me even before beta 2 was out

Exciting stuff in the windows 7 world ^_^  No more reinstalling, woot!


----------

