From the moment I heard Microsoft would be licensing Windows 7 to netbook manufacturers, I questioned just how paltry of a hardware setup the OS would run on. Granted, netbooks are nifty devices which have their niche. But between Intel’s Atom CPU and the lack of graphics processing power, the pint-sized package isn’t what I’d imagine to be ideal for Windows 7. As it turns out, my curiosity is far from unique.

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I installed Win 7 RC on a Pentium III 850 MHz notebook with 512 MB RAM and 100 MHz FSB in slightly less than 1 hour and it works exceptionally well. There were a couple of hardware with missing drivers. The network card, the sound card, and an unidentified card. I fed Win XP drivers for the missing ones and they are accepted.

Regards

Oh boy! Is this a XP killer? (Vista is already dead btw lol)

Why upgrade at all?
The only reason I see for me, is if games I want to play, go Direct X 11 only.

Impressive patience, how much do they pay you xD.

Solve the whole Vista, XP, 7, etc. issue by getting a Mac. Best salesman for the Mac OS is Microsoft itself. MSFT is a dinosaur.

Microsoft rules. No, that is not a joke, they own the world and they wipe their asses with money after crapping all over mac. Gotta love em

I have MSFT stock, so I hope Windows 7 succeeds. But Vista is such a mess that Microsoft should be ashamed of itself. Would have been better not to have offered that POS at all considering Vista's problems. All Microsoft did was damage its reputation and turn people toward Macs which still have a tiny market share by comparison........but the Mac's share is GROWING.

Microsoft reminds me of IBM in the 1970s and '80s: Everybody HAD to own IBM even though it was has-been, poor performer. Microsoft is like that now.

Spent the weekend running Warhammer Age of Reckoning on Windows 7 RC inside Bootcamp on a 2Ghz Core 2 Duo white macbook with 4GB of Ram.

Considering its running at 1280*800 on integrated graphics, It runs very nicely thanks very much. As far as dropping Windows for Mac? Could do as I can easily run all the Windows Apps inside OSX using Parallels or VMware fusion. Then again if I could run Mac apps in Windows, why would I ever buy a Mac..

Gets me wondering who is out of order, since I am not forced to buy overpriced hardware to get Windows 7 to run but Apple wont let me run their OS on anything except their flashy "stylish" overpriced hardware.

That's because Apple is primarily a HARDWARE company more than a software company like Microsoft. Also, could be that having the hardware and the OS made by the same company creates a smoother experience for the user.

If Apple sold its OS to run in cheap hardware, it would compete directly with Microsoft and surely expand the use of the Mac OS, but the company's profits would fall because it needs income from its hardware. It was take years, if ever, to penetrate MSFT's OS domination now.

Was a mistake for Apple not to license its OS a couple of decades ago--if so, it might have the OS market share that Microsoft has now..........and the wealth that MSFT has, too.

The hardware really isn't *that* overpriced. With concern to price, the problem is Apple doesn't have a *value* line of computers and they DO gouge on the higher-end systems... But considering what you get with most of lower to midrange Apple computers, the price is actually pretty fair.

For example, look for anything that resembles an aluminum PC laptop under an inch thick with a slot loading DVD-RW, LED lit keys, dedicated video with a C2D... nevermind the kind of U.S warranty service and support that Apple offers... You'll see $1000 is pretty reasonable.

Apple is not a primarily hardware company, they only make the mainboards and cases for their computers, which even most of that is outsourced to intel or foxconn.

The parts used in apple are of the same manufacturers of pc's, AcBel power supplies, seagate/WD hard drives, Nvidia and intel graphics cards, intel processors, micron ram (a.k.a crucial) sony and phillips cd/dvd/BR drives. They just overprice their computers, arguing that they are better looking, more functional, make from better parts, etc...

I can tell you, there are a lot better motherboard manufacturers for pc's than intel or foxconn, Asus's are very good, Supermicros, GIgabytes, etc... Hard drive are the same, power supplies, well, AcBel are not all that good. Any PC power and cooling, Corsair, Delta, Antec, etc... is much better.

They're the same hardware, just overpriced.

Well, don't forget about iPods, iPhones etc... They are also in the portable electronics business.

Also, would you not consider Dell, HP and such to be a hardware company? I ask because they do the exact same thing. Apple isn't a global manufacturing conglomerate like Samsung, Fujitsu and Sony... But that doesn't really make them less of a 'hardware' company, IMO.

Your source? I don't want anectodtal evidence either, I want real data that shows Asus, Supermicro and Gigabytes are 'very good'. For extra credit, I'd like statistics that prove Intel and Foxconn make crappy boards.

Again, more sources? Do you have statistics that show higher AcBel failure rates or something? Do you have proof that companies like Antec make a "better" PSU? Do Antec PSUs deliver more consistent voltage than AcBel PSUs? Do they have higher MTBFs? Are all Delta PSUs made with higher quality caps than AcBels? Maybe they have more features for less money? -- If you have any of that information, I'd love to see it.

Your point that Apple uses commodity hardware is valid, but these broad, sweeping judgments that "X Brand is better than Y brand" is part of a brand-preference group-think culture that's bad for your health.

I guess my point is: Don't believe others so easily, don't prejudge brands based on a small sample of personal experiences and don't spread said information unless you have meaningful facts.

After reading this, was thinking about installing Windows 7 on my old Pentium III Dell laptop. I just bought one of the newer Acer netbooks yesterday. Came with 2 gigs ram, 250 gig hard drive, and a 11.6" screen. I decided to replace Vista with Windows 7 and what a difference it made. Was even able to use Vista drivers with Windows 7 without any issues. I am hoping the battery efficiency on the netbook will be better with Windows 7.

I only came here to comment and say that I loved that the computer was called Dinosaur!

But I also love the fact that anything can be turned into a MS vs Apple argument.

Awesome. :-)

I think the shame here is the 'maximum requirements' MS has set for Windows 7 on Netbooks. Sure, you can buy any version of Win7 you want and install it, but the "special price" OEMs get wouldn't apply to your 'Netbook' -- It has too much RAM and too large of a screen.

MS really needs to lighten up these restrictions so OEMs can ship decent Netbooks at better prices.

cool!

I'm starting windows Vista on pentium 1 computer, 100 Mhz and slow.
screenshot:
http://www.retro-pc.net/docs/vp1/p0.jpg
and video:
http://www.gbu.ho.ua/temp/vista/vista133.flv

I think windows 7 starting on this motherboard too, but i'm don't try this.

I'm sorry, but you can get the same hardware from their 1000 macbook in a cheaper notebook around 600ish, give or take a 100 depend on what company you go with.

Actually there are huge differences in some of the power supplies he mentioned, I think just about anyone here could almost agree that The general design of most power supplies are similar, but most of the psu's he named above do have more quality put in, especially psu's from pc P and C, some Antec series, and even Delta. I'll argue that you get charged a premium price for crap parts( comparatively speaking to what you can get if you knew enough to build yourself.) Come on now, foxconn and intel has an argument here of being compared to Asus, Gigabyte, and similar companies? Not a chance in hell with cold ice water in a blizzard. Yes you cant see a difference in most low end systems from all companies, but you get what you pay for...except when you buy a pc from apple. I bet they make around 30-40% profit on each sale.

I'm sorry, I said pc and apple in the same sentence. Anywho

Win 7 being installed on this old machine is a great thing. I'm hoping I can get a cheap upgrade since I paid 350 for vista ultimate.