Weekend Open Forum: Have you upgraded to Windows 7 yet? What is there to like/not?

Likes:

1) More stable than XP, by a long shot.

2) If you search the net you can find many kool tweaks for win7.

3) Win7 looks.... well, prettier.......

4) Aero shake. Though not really useful for me, It is kinda humorous.

5) Cheaper than Vista.


Dislikes:

1) Context Menu (Right-Click Menu) Problem: Options for VideoLan and WinAmp do not appear in file context menu. Media Palyer 11 does not share this issue. And yes, I am using the latest versions of my media players.

2) I really do not like the "over sized" start menu.

3) Some of my old favorate 3rd party utilities do not offer x64 support, yet.

4) Longer Boot time. To be fare, part of the problem is hardware. My core i7 920 system takes longer to initalize than my previous systems but even with factoring out the hardware, my Pentium M laptop running XP-Home boots up in about half the time.

Haven't upgraded to 7 yet, though I've had the license for a while, thanks to being a beta tester. I didn't stay with the RC because it had enough issue, and was a less complete system than my Vista install.

I then didn't install 7 because I couldn't get it to network with Vista on my Wife's PC. Not 7's fault probably, since I didn't have any luck networking Vista and XP, either. Only Vista-Vista works.

Finally solved that by buying a wireless printer (printing was the major networking issue), but still, upgrading is always a hassle, and Vista is working fine for me. When I used the 7 RC it still had some problems, and though I'm sure the RTM solved most of them, I don't really care to waste a day or two of my limited time to upgrade, configure everything to my liking, and then iron out the incompatibilities.

For companies Windows 7 is not at all essential. Windows XP still has the most compatibility with software and also hardware. Windows 7 has some graphical enhancements that are not needed in companies, like Windows Aero, and other graphic intensive features. They need a plain-looking OS like Windows XP had when themed to Windows Classic.

I've upgraded to windows7 on a older notebook, Toshiba L20, by using a Starter edition trial, just to see if the old hardware can keep up with the new software, and i'm amazed... The notebook, is not far from the fairly standard netbook configuration from today. It has a 1.73Ghz Pentium M4, 1.5GB DDR2 memory, and an Intel 915 chipset. i had some trouble to find a suitable driver for the sound, but the XP driver worked as a charm!!!, yes the XP version from 2006!!! also i've used the vista 32bit version for the graphic chipset, and worked just fine. Now the old thing runs as a dream, very speedy in internet browsing, office work, file browsing, it feels rejuvenated, that i'm really considering to buy the cheapest version of 7 to install it on the old machine.
On the main PC I have a Vista Business license on which I spent a big amount of money a year and a half ago, and i'm not considering to upgrade it, at least for now.

What there is to like?: better hardware support out of the box (automatic driver searches via Windows Update), faster in all common tasks (menu's, etc.), libraries are nice (saves you some work on creating your music/movie/photo collections...

Really what Vista should have been, but that's easy said for me off course...

I like Windows 7 64-bit coming from XP 32-bit, I loaded the Win7 32bit first, but I decided to try the 64-bit after hearing it was faster and mainly to use 6gigs instead of 3.5. (had 2 1gig sticks of same make as the other 2 to use and have had Win7 itself test them all)
Hard drive speed IS MUCH MUCH faster! (this alone will prevent going back to 32-bit on this PC)

The bad? Incompatible software, 64-bit issue only:

Avanquest's System Suite Pro 9.0 is basically Fix It Utils now, its firewall I liked so much, is toast.
Win7's firewall sucks, I'm using Comodo's now, their Internet Security is free, includes AV, very extensive Firewall, pain in *** while first using, due to all the approval popups, but I can handle it, I made it even more anal then it defaulted to, you can adjusted it to make it easier, but then I believe you lose some of it's advantages.

Thankfully Auslogics Boost Speed is fully Win7 compat and surprised me with a lot of valuable Win7 config settings. (try the trial, lasts 15 days I think, $29.95 for 3 PC license, bargin!) I'd been using it for about 6 months in XP, made up for SSP9 functionality death.
[version 10 of which I ran across mention of, but not sold by them atm]

Casual games I had loaded are a mixed bag, even using troubleshooting compatibility within Win7 I got immediately BLACK SCREEN OF DEATH on many of them.

Peggle Nights (Peggle's sequel) black screens no matter what, Peggle works but only if I load it within the troubleshooting compat feature (but don't close it during 'the testing' phase, that's bizarre!
The TC says it's not compatible at the end, but I just played it, sir!
So I made a folder on my desktop called: Games req'n TC.

EQ2, Vanguard, Legends of Norrath, Dream 3D Pinball, all work fine.
Just tested Painkiller Black Edition, and it works, loads 25x faster than before!

All eGames products got BSOD (Black) and I had bought a lot of those cheap over time. 8(
16-bit Windows games? Forgetaboutit!

Definitely check this thread out for tested Win7 freeware: www.sevenforums.com/software/92-free-great-programs-windows-7-a.html
Good place to discuss Win7, many people having issues, that BSOD thing is really the only major gripe atm. I suppose XP Mode might run more of those games, if I had it? (I have Home Premium, which doesn't, haven't heard XP Mode mentioned much, read beforehand that is was mainly for companies that need compatibility with old specialty apps)

Learning curve/adjustment time, I do have XP still on another hard drive that I can just load with a few changes in my BIOS, when needed.

SO overall: B+ (would have been A if it at least gave me recoverable error instead of BSOD on the games)

Peace and good luck!

Haven't upgraded but I want too, still the price is too high for me, it's my paycheck for a month.

I'm running it on 3 machines now .. its brilliant . One computer is an older laptop 12" with only 768MB RAM (its max on that one) and a celeron processor ... Windows 7 still runs smooth as Xp, even a bit faster so far. Only issue i had on that laptop was the drivers that W7 added for the soundcard could not find the speakers and only worked on external speakers. Easy to fix with new drivers from realtek. so no biggie . Microsoft have really made a great product here ... no issues what so ever yet ... simply love it.

I'm currently downloading Win 7 PRO x46 from MSDNAA (win products for free for students). After i reinstall windows later today maybe i'll leave a comment again. (currently on vista)

I am very cautious about Microsoft. Way back when and even now, they do in fact draw information from your system via the internet, even when you do not authorize it. Of course they deny this and have "almost" always.

Microsoft is if anything, one of the best marketing companies out there. I'm not very happy with the OS product however. The course has been one beta OS after another and they charge you for 'the privilege' of an unstable, bug ridden software?

I have been a quality assurance person for many years now as well as a service tech most of my life. I can tell you that it has cost companies far more than imagined. The Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) statements of Microsoft that I shredded in my public response years ago, hold true to this day. Savings? No... in fact it serves to bring business to the I.T. staff around the globe. Think of the business lost in I.T. if Microsoft maintenance and support was not an issue. I kept myself employed most of my working life thanks to the MS operating system and other MS software like MS Office.

Its no wonder people with nothing more to loose have been migrating away from Microsoft products. I wonder if MS and the Federal Reserve elite have a common agenda. To spirit your money away from you any way they can.

We upgrade from one Microsoft OS after another trying to get what we were promised with each previous version. Trying to get out from under the problems, the frustrations, and the bravado incompetence which sold us on the last version. When you spend years of your own money to staff up against Microsoft issues which stifle productivity and idle workers, you begin to question your loyalties for such a product.

So at the moment, Windows 7 may be better than XP, perhaps what they promised in Vista but didn't deliver. No doubt, the next Microsoft OS will be there to bring what was intended in Windows 7 but didn't deliver.

But then again, Microsoft didn't promise that much this time around, so maybe its another marketing strategy in the making.

I you haven;t try win7 you just can't say that. I have tried both Vista and 7 and can assure you the difference in performance is sustancial. Use the student offer and get it.

looks like all the fan boys are posting again instead of working on the bugs. truth be told, stick with XP it`s still faster than W7 so no need to upgrade. all programs still work fine. maybe they get W* right and yit`s actually worth spending $$ to upgrade but for now stick with what you got

I just installed Win7 last Friday. I bought a new Dell laptop last August so I had the free upgrade option from Vista to 7. Actually when I received the laptop, I removed Vista because it sucks and installed the RC version of Win7 Ultimate. Worked flawlessly for 3 months until my final Win7 discs arrived. I really like the new taskbar, the Aero features are cool although I don't use them that much, just the Aero peek every once in a while. The installation went on for about an hour, hour and a half tops and everything ran smoothly, no need to get extra drivers. I think this is a great advance in OS, finally MS came out with a good product. I recommend upgrading either way from Vista or XP by making a clean install. I loved XP but Vista was a major pain, so this new OS has hit right in the spot.

Oh I forgot. I'm running Win7 Home Premium 64 bit

I just got my copy of win7 pro but have not yet to install windows. it's always a big job to do the new installation.

Future 1,

One thing your post seems to overlook is what people do to their computers that make them bug or glitch. I download a program and don't realize that it changes x in my system making y uncompatible. My opinion is that the biggest reason people have issues with their systems is that companies like microsoft make computers "easier to use" which means that the low IQ user down the street can pick up a computer and surf the web downloading whatever virus ridden files that take their fancy. It also leaves the OS open for legitimately good programmers to release their pet programs and get known to the general public more easily. And then there are the hackers who just love to bleep with other people and think of it as a challenge. On the other hand I do agree with you about the drawing info of your computer use without your knowledge. It just takes someone with a high level of computer know how to figure something like that out and how to try to circumvent it as best as possible.

I had access to windows 7 ultimate RC a long time before everyone thanks to MSDN alliance and my university, then a couple months ago I had access to windows 7 professional, before the oficial release and have loved it ever since!

It's version 6.1(goto computer, hit alt, click help then about it's not truely windows 7) but it id the 7th installment, so yeah it's a vista update. I love it though as it's blown the doors off of Vista big time in my opinion.

I prefer to run Linux so I am probably not the best person to ask about Windows. BUT given that I work in the IT industry I am more or less forced to use Windows so I will probably upgrade after SP1. Windows has proven over the years that it can't release a working OS in its first release. Even though this release is more a patched version of Vista I still have a lack of trust relating to their ability to develop working software. Having said that, I am also finding that Ubuntu is following their lead, and releasing software before it is ready. People who want the latest and potentially buggy software can try the beta versions but when software is released it should work.

Installed Windows 7 Professional 32 bit with a custom install from an upgrade over a Vista Home notebook. It all went smoothly with Windows 7 having most of the necessary drivers already in place.After deleting the file "Windows.old" realized how little HD memory the new OS takes up.