Windows 7 - What Do You Guys Think Of It?

[KR4-GTR]

I am so pissed.

I installed Windows 7 ultimate (64 bit) on my laptop tonight.

The simplicity has disappeared. The small things (for one - the quick launch bar) are gone and ive got the CPU and RAM meters up and it still appears to be just as power hungry as vista, even a clean install (with no other programs) on idle is using 27% of my 4GB ram. Although you can work around some of these missing features and add them with a bit of code, would the standard user know how to do this?

The standard tasks i knew how to do before have now all changed - i.e. - organising my items in the start menu. I dont want to have to re learn shit - I can see the whole change of numerous processes and procedures pissing alot of people off. Its not 'better' its all just 'different', not user friendly.

The bug count is f**ked. Even Windows Live Messenger doesnt work properly - and its a microsoft program. It opens the program in 2 seperate windows you have to run it in compatibility mode for Vista to get it to work. You'd think it would be someones job to test this shit!

I know some initial teething issues are expected with the release of a new OS, but I was expecting a great operating system after microsofts last vista disappointment, and things are not looking bright.

Anyway, looks like im heading back into the vista waters tomorrow anyway as it wont even let me install my sound and modem drivers just because they are not digitally signed. Microsoft wont even let me choose which drivers i want to install now.. whats next? I bet in their next service pack they'll remove functionality to be able to type the word 'Apple' or any word starting with 'i' on a PC.

I've spent 3 hours trying to make this right and talking shit to myself saying its better than vista, but im only lying to myself. What a f**king failure of an operating system.

Just a rant at 2am.

What do you guys think of it?

I can see what the replies to this thread will be. So i'll say it now - no, im not going to get a mac!

Edited October 24, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[R31Nismoid]

Mate while it is 'similar' to Vista, it is a new OS. Same as XP to Vista and past years.

Not everything is going to be the same.

Im upgrading tomorrow, downloaded off technet the other day, but i haven't had time to do it all yet.

I know HEAPS of people using it in varying applications (like a dedicated media centre, normal Pc style stuff, video editing), all reports are it is fantastic

[KR4-GTR]

Sounds good mate, look forward to your feedback! Please post results

[WYTSKY]

I'd be interested to see when/if the working world decide to change over to it, as most preferred to stay with the reliable, easy to use and highly COMPATIBLE xp when vista arrived.

I wanna have a play with it, but IMO after all the disappointments with vista, they should have had another version to add to their range... windows 7 lite/fast.... so essentially the newer interface but cut out the visual rubbish and background driver validators and user warnings and make it fast.... U don't want to have to upgrade your hardware just to keep it at the SAME level of performance as it was with the older OS and older H/ware.

and KR4-GTR dont stress,im all for windows and dont like macs, apart from their exterior design. if I had to, id be going for unix before mac neway....

[RBwhatever]

I'm keen to see how it is too, but for now i've been dabbling into Linux distributions. Mac is poop

[ARTZ]

Been running rc on my main pc and laptop since may, both are 2.5g dual core with 2-3 gig of ram and both run brilliantly...and i have had vista and xp sp3 run on both b4 and never liked it..xp run good, but was boring as batshit, there is so many cool new features ...

any problems i found turn out to be pc related and not os.. so unless the actual release is way different from the rc...i dont see many probs...yes all the fancy graphics always slow it down but you can revert these all back to windows classic anyway, iif you really need to...

But i was having the same problems as you KR when trying to install drivers..Trick is ..DONT TRY...lol...let the internet work its magic..works for me anyway

You will find a lot of programs and drivers need to be run in vista compatible modes atm until the world catches up.. and i dont bother trying to use driver cds as none of them are compatible. But unlike Vista when i installed 7 all drivers were immediately up 2 date, it was great..When i recently installed a new Graphics card, i turned it on and it worked straight away..But thinking i had to install the driver cd i did, and it went spaz..nothing worked..Trick was not to install anything, 7 had done it for me

if its for a strictly business/bookwork pc there is probably no real need for anything better than xp...but for home win7 its great...although it wont play your blurays oh and that cool little WMP gadget for the launch bar is gone..

. just my opinions anyways

FTR...i never had much luck running 7 on a seperate partition, some things just wouldnt work (MC mainly), only fresh install with no other os or partitions worked seamlessly.

Edited October 25, 2009 by doozooby

[kessian]

I am using the beta test still, applied for a CD key and got it. It asks for activation, put in the key, says its not a valid key...

Not a very good start.

[elrodeo666]

Buy a Mac and you'll never look back!!

[ARTZ]

Buy a Mac and you'll never look back!!

Unitl a couple of years later when you find the only way to update anything is ...buy a new computer...

[99 GTT]

Bahhh used Mac they suck and not compatible with so much stuff (e.g. Games like NFS).

Anyway back on subject i have also been using the 7 RC for a long time now and even though it had a few problems at first but with the updates it

has improved beyond XP and lightyears infront of Vista!!!!

I have 7 installed with partitions on my ASUS Gaming laptop(using now) and dual boot on my Main Games machine and it runs faster then XP on both. I even installed it on a older machine that under XP would not run Test Drive Unlimated over medium settings smothly but with 7 it runs on high with out a problem. and i am yest to find a program or game that does't work Even BF2 works great and we all knowhow it feelt about Vista... Not to mention the XP Mode that they have included with Ultimate>>

Just wondering what Ram u are running to with 64Bit you need atleast 4GB to take advantage if its memory managment and yes somehings at first will not have drivers yet thats how it is with 64Bit operating systems in the past. But in saying that i have not had a problem yet but i put 32bit back on laptop due to only 4gb of ram so no need to go to 64bit unlike desktop that has more.

Just my two cents...

Edited October 25, 2009 by 99 GTT

[ARTZ]

i have only been using 32 bit...and my pc is a bit slower than lappy..(due to many more programs)

Is there any advantages with 64 bit 99..

[R31Nismoid]

I am using the beta test still, applied for a CD key and got it. It asks for activation, put in the key, says its not a valid key...

Not a very good start.

That is because the Beta is closed.

The RC is still OK until i think March before it expires.

I'd be interested to see when/if the working world decide to change over to it, as most preferred to stay with the reliable, easy to use and highly COMPATIBLE xp when vista arrived.

I wanna have a play with it, but IMO after all the disappointments with vista, they should have had another version to add to their range... windows 7 lite/fast.... so essentially the newer interface but cut out the visual rubbish and background driver validators and user warnings and make it fast.... U don't want to have to upgrade your hardware just to keep it at the SAME level of performance as it was with the older OS and older H/ware.

and KR4-GTR dont stress,im all for windows and dont like macs, apart from their exterior design. if I had to, id be going for unix before mac neway....

The bonus is the Windows Virtual Machine in Win7.

Letting you run XP whilst in Win7 in "Windows XP Mode". So any compatibility issues from XP to Win7 are all but GONE. That is something Vista never had or got right.

[R31Nismoid]

anyway ... time to jam my drives in, setup RAID and install... back in a few hours to report

[99 GTT]

i have only been using 32 bit...and my pc is a bit slower than lappy..(due to many more programs)

Is there any advantages with 64 bit 99..

Yes but only if you are running atleast 4 GB of ram and your cpu is not more then a couple of years old etc.. It is especially good if you wan to run multiple programs at one time..

64bit is great but as you will see not everything will be comptible with it just yet as most things are optimized for 32 bit at the moment..

I Did a quick search and these two links will give you a good question to answer run down.

Pros and cons of 64Bit

FAQ 32bit and 64Bit

Hope that helps.

[ARTZ]

Thanx mate...think ill stick with 32b (until rc runs out anyway), its meeting all my needs easily...

[KR4-GTR]

Look at my last post. What a winger! hahaha Thats what you get at 2am!

Anyway, I will be blasting the new install today and putting vista back on.

I think the main source of my problems was the fact that HP havent updated their site yet with the new drivers for windows 7. I was using the vista ones and majority of them were okay though.

When I closed programs, i found that the majority of them would tell me that they 'did not shut down correctly'.

Will wait a few weeks and then reconsider installing again!

Edited October 25, 2009 by KR4-GTR

[ARTZ]

Yeah i had problems with my HP scanner/copier too,...still do..just transer stuff by usb now and i dont use it much the missus does so its her problem...

And i will tell you another power drainer is those stupid facebook games...just went in the lounge and shes got farmville, mafia wars, cafe , all running at once and it was running at 75%...60% ram...

[R31Nismoid]

Ok totally cleaned out my PC case, installed drives etc etc.

Took a bit of fiddling around to get my RAID array setup and a few other things unrelated done.

However Windows 7 - installed, up and running in less than ONE HOUR

Thats including installing:

Firefox

Adobe Flash/Shock/Reader

MSN

Java

Logitech for my mouse/keyboard

The ONLY issue i had was Windows update decided it needed to update the Realtek LAN driver, which didn't work to i lost internet for all of 5mins until i rollback the driver.

The just downloaded the proper one off my mobo's website

I've got other programs, games etc etc to install over the next day or so and clean up Win7/optimise to my liking, however to be up and 100% running in 1hr = WIN!

So KR4-GTR, honestly NFI what you are on about with MSN, works fine here, infact overall this is MUCH nicer than Vista. My Vista install took me 5 fken hours... i remember it clearly. All sorts of dramas, issues & problems.

[R31Nismoid]

I currently have 55 processes running as well, i'll update on the total count after all installs.

And then once i trim it down

[blackrex]

No issues here with Windows 7 either, I have it running in 64bit on my main desktop and 32bit on my netbook, no issues at all there. With my desktop, I have had AutoCAD Mechanical, EdgeCAM, Itunes, Media Centre, Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop and Illustrator, Word, Outlook and about 1000 tabs in Firefox open at the same time with no issues, and not using more than 50% of system resources (HP Media centre PC, Intel Core2 Duo E6750 @ 2.66GHz, 4Gb RAM)

With the quick launch toolbar, they have replaced it with the ability to "pin" applications to the task bar, if you right click on the open program icon on the task bar, it gives you the option to pin it there, once this is done, the application stays there even if it is closed.