Comments on: Windows 7 – The Good, Bad & Ugly http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/ Bring your PC back to life Sat, 20 Mar 2010 19:39:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Sue McD http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-8595 Sue McD Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:03:59 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-8595 I installed Windows 7 RC on a new laptop, it was an easy process and I am totally impressed with the results apart from one MAJOR problem - this time not of Microsoft's making. Apologies in advance if I have got the fine details wrong but, as I understand it, the EC have declared that MS cannot bundle Explorer with Windows 7 within the European community (anti monopoly type stuff). Obviously it can be downloaded at a later date. Fair enough you might think except this means that you cannot do an update install - it has to be a clean install. As a result every program on the computer has to be re-installed after installing Windows 7. This was certainly the case for my installation. Just think of the millions of people/businesses this affects - time to explain to the EC some of the fundamentals of computing methinks. I installed Windows 7 RC on a new laptop, it was an easy process and I am totally impressed with the results apart from one MAJOR problem – this time not of Microsoft's making.

Apologies in advance if I have got the fine details wrong but, as I understand it, the EC have declared that MS cannot bundle Explorer with Windows 7 within the European community (anti monopoly type stuff). Obviously it can be downloaded at a later date.

Fair enough you might think except this means that you cannot do an update install – it has to be a clean install. As a result every program on the computer has to be re-installed after installing Windows 7. This was certainly the case for my installation.

Just think of the millions of people/businesses this affects – time to explain to the EC some of the fundamentals of computing methinks.

]]> By: Mrs.A http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-8138 Mrs.A Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:36:01 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-8138 Loving Windows 7!! I ended up having to install the 32-bit version, but it runs almost flawlessly now! At first I couldn't get it to recognize my video card. It wouldn't do the aero 3d flip thing and a few of the other video enhancements. I read a bunch of forums and fixes that didn't work so I waited. About 4 days after I installed it, I discovered I had about 50 updates waiting for me. One of them was for my video card and now I can take advantage of all the video enhancements. I said almost flawlessly, the video playback sucks right now. It's really jumpy and I've researched like I did with my video problem. I suspect Microsoft will come up with a fix for that too. It's just a matter of time. I have a dual boot system with XP Pro so when W7 starts its shut down thing, I'll go back to XP until the price of W7 gets to an affordable level. But in the meantime, it's Windows 7 all the way!! Loving Windows 7!! I ended up having to install the 32-bit version, but it runs almost flawlessly now! At first I couldn't get it to recognize my video card. It wouldn't do the aero 3d flip thing and a few of the other video enhancements. I read a bunch of forums and fixes that didn't work so I waited. About 4 days after I installed it, I discovered I had about 50 updates waiting for me. One of them was for my video card and now I can take advantage of all the video enhancements. I said almost flawlessly, the video playback sucks right now. It's really jumpy and I've researched like I did with my video problem. I suspect Microsoft will come up with a fix for that too. It's just a matter of time. I have a dual boot system with XP Pro so when W7 starts its shut down thing, I'll go back to XP until the price of W7 gets to an affordable level. But in the meantime, it's Windows 7 all the way!!

]]> By: Jim R. http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7745 Jim R. Wed, 27 May 2009 02:53:36 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7745 I tried an experiment with Win 7. I installed Win 7 on an old HP laptop that originally came with Win XP SP2. An upgrade to Vista is NOT supported on this laptop. The laptop is an HP zv5010, and you know what? It runs Win 7 RC1 great! It only has 1.25 GB of memory, and an older ATI Radeon 9000 IGP internal video chip. Win7 detected everything but the video and audio devices. (Yep, even the built-in wireless worked!) I struggled to find video and audio drivers, but since Win 7 uses Vista drivers, I found device compatible Vista drivers and used them on my now Win 7 HP laptop. I literally cheered when the audio kicked in! :-) Seems to me that Microsoft is pulling off one miracle after another with Windows 7. Apple has it easy with proprietary hardware and software on a Mac. No wonder a MAC PC costs hundreds more than a faster Intel PC. (Yes, I know it's possible to run OS X on x86 hardware (with a hacked Mac OS I believe?), but from what I can tell it is a chore only a high-end tech would want to try.) So, Microsoft makes Windows 7 work with thousands of different types of hardware and software, from different manufactures and vendors. Sure there are some issues, but it is only a release candidate. So far, I'm very impressed with Win 7. WAY TO GO, Microsoft! I tried an experiment with Win 7. I installed Win 7 on an old HP laptop that originally came with Win XP SP2. An upgrade to Vista is NOT supported on this laptop. The laptop is an HP zv5010, and you know what? It runs Win 7 RC1 great! It only has 1.25 GB of memory, and an older ATI Radeon 9000 IGP internal video chip. Win7 detected everything but the video and audio devices. (Yep, even the built-in wireless worked!) I struggled to find video and audio drivers, but since Win 7 uses Vista drivers, I found device compatible Vista drivers and used them on my now Win 7 HP laptop. I literally cheered when the audio kicked in! :-)

Seems to me that Microsoft is pulling off one miracle after another with Windows 7. Apple has it easy with proprietary hardware and software on a Mac. No wonder a MAC PC costs hundreds more than a faster Intel PC. (Yes, I know it's possible to run OS X on x86 hardware (with a hacked Mac OS I believe?), but from what I can tell it is a chore only a high-end tech would want to try.) So, Microsoft makes Windows 7 work with thousands of different types of hardware and software, from different manufactures and vendors. Sure there are some issues, but it is only a release candidate. So far, I'm very impressed with Win 7. WAY TO GO, Microsoft!

]]> By: Storm http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7725 Storm Sun, 24 May 2009 14:41:40 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7725 Just install Windows 7 RC and to be honest I liked Windows 7 better, so far I had hardware issues with the RC client, for some reason it does not recognize the battery on my laptop, on the Windows 7 Beta this was not an issue. I am trying a few fixes to see if I can resolve this problem...I will take any suggestions you guys have. Just install Windows 7 RC and to be honest I liked Windows 7 better, so far I had hardware issues with the RC client, for some reason it does not recognize the battery on my laptop, on the Windows 7 Beta this was not an issue. I am trying a few fixes to see if I can resolve this problem…I will take any suggestions you guys have.

]]> By: Richard http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7718 Richard Sat, 23 May 2009 13:19:14 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7718 One further comment: Time and circumstances determine one's success or failure. What if Steve Jobs had been as astute a businessman as Bill Gates when IBM needed an OS?? One further comment:
Time and circumstances determine one's success or failure. What if Steve Jobs had been as astute a businessman as Bill Gates when IBM needed an OS??

]]> By: Richard http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7717 Richard Sat, 23 May 2009 13:17:04 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7717 ....one more comment: If Steve Jobs had been as astute a business man as Bill Gates, Apple would be the major player in personal computers. IBM needed an OS, and sharp Bill had it and put IBM over a barrel....so we have what we have, for better or for worse. ….one more comment: If Steve Jobs had been as astute a business man as Bill Gates, Apple would be the major player in personal computers.

IBM needed an OS, and sharp Bill had it and put IBM over a barrel….so we have what we have, for better or for worse.

]]> By: Richard http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7716 Richard Sat, 23 May 2009 13:12:34 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7716 I have XP Pro SP3 on one PC and XP Home on another. With the XP Pro machine is a dual-boot to Ubuntu 9.04....all of them have been stable and reliable for a long time, so why change from good horses so far down the trail....particularly to a ride that is not yet saddle-broken? Vista has never appealed to me primarily due to horror stories told by so many users....so I have "suffered" with the "old-fashioned systems" and saved a lot of money and grief. I have XP Pro SP3 on one PC and XP Home on another. With the XP Pro machine is a dual-boot to Ubuntu 9.04….all of them
have been stable and reliable for a long time, so why change from good horses so far down the trail….particularly to a ride that is not yet saddle-broken?

Vista has never appealed to me primarily due to horror stories told by so many users….so I have "suffered" with the "old-fashioned systems" and saved a lot of money and grief.

]]> By: Sue Mc http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7706 Sue Mc Thu, 21 May 2009 07:42:51 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7706 I was force fed Vista and have been throwing up ever since. It is slow, patronising and difficult to navigate if you want to do anything other than open and close files and programs. I want the ability to turn features on/off without asking permission (which may or may not be granted of course). It is an operating system dumbed down to its lowest common denominator and does not work efficiently or effectively. Installing Apache/PHP took me a week of trial and error even with advice and tips. It took less than half an hour on XP. I want an operating system that does just that, not decide for me whether or not I really want to do want I think I want to do or tell me I've added too many extras. It is my PC and if I mess things up then it is my problem/right. Microsoft marketing is nothing short of genius. Windows users have been brainwashed into accepting a product that is at best only partially tested/complete, expecting the user to identify problems/loopholes and paying for the privilege! The ONLY acceptable updates should be for security purposes not because Microsoft got it wrong in the first place. Better that Microsoft finish developing XP - a much more versatile and friendly system (for both ordinary user and developer), rather than put the poor PC user through the same angst time after time. Spleen vented! I was force fed Vista and have been throwing up ever since. It is slow, patronising and difficult to navigate if you want to do anything other than open and close files and programs. I want the ability to turn features on/off without asking permission (which may or may not be granted of course). It is an operating system dumbed down to its lowest common denominator and does not work efficiently or effectively.

Installing Apache/PHP took me a week of trial and error even with advice and tips. It took less than half an hour on XP.

I want an operating system that does just that, not decide for me whether or not I really want to do want I think I want to do or tell me I've added too many extras.

It is my PC and if I mess things up then it is my problem/right.

Microsoft marketing is nothing short of genius. Windows users have been brainwashed into accepting a product that is at best only partially tested/complete, expecting the user to identify problems/loopholes and paying for the privilege! The ONLY acceptable updates should be for security purposes not because Microsoft got it wrong in the first place.

Better that Microsoft finish developing XP – a much more versatile and friendly system (for both ordinary user and developer), rather than put the poor PC user through the same angst time after time.

Spleen vented!

]]> By: Jerry http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7701 Jerry Wed, 20 May 2009 13:08:05 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7701 I have been a beta tester for MS7 and it has been great, and i am a XP lover, didn't like Vista at all. MS7 has been stable clean and much faster than XP. With a new look. Now main problem I have with MS7 is navagation, but once I got Useing MS7 that problem went away. I am still not sure i like the Windows Medea play yet. as far as adding music and video, because it makes add the diffrent medea types seprately. Witch means you add music, then go back and add video, and so on. the older WMP added all medea at the same time. Witch I liked. All and all MS7 has been great I will give it an 9 on a scale from 1 to 10. I have been a beta tester for MS7 and it has been great, and i am a XP lover, didn't like Vista at all. MS7 has been stable clean and much faster than XP. With a new look. Now main problem I have with MS7 is navagation, but once I got Useing MS7 that problem went away. I am still not sure i like the Windows Medea play yet. as far as adding music and video, because it makes add the diffrent medea types seprately. Witch means you add music, then go back and add video, and so on. the older WMP added all medea at the same time. Witch I liked. All and all MS7 has been great I will give it an 9 on a scale from 1 to 10.

]]> By: James King http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/2009/05/08/windows-7-the-good-bad-ugly/#comment-7700 James King Wed, 20 May 2009 08:04:23 +0000 http://techtalk.pcpitstop.com/?p=7708#comment-7700 I paid for it too, got it the very day it was released officially. But it just hasn't been the same since SP3. I've even heard there was a Fixpak for SP3! But it came too late. I lost all access to a WD ethernet 1TB drive right after installing SP3. I am usually very cautious, but like a fool, I just went with it. The frustrations that caused led me to jump at the opportunity to run the beta. Other than software confusion when it didn't detect 'Vista' or 'XP', I have thoroughly enjoyed it and have my ethernet drive back onboard. Just in case I didn't, I bought ANOTHER TB drive, internal. I have a lot of pics and music, thus the space. In fact, one of the drives is already 1/3+ full. The other is a backup. So for me, it was about Microsoft having to patch XP one time too many, after all, it IS older than dirt, from the perspective of operating systems. I loved XP Pro while it worked. I'm gonna love Windows 7 every bit as much. And I'm a guy who LOVED and still swear by OS2 being light years ahead of what MSFT was offering at the time. I paid for it too, got it the very day it was released officially. But it just hasn't been the same since SP3. I've even heard there was a Fixpak for SP3! But it came too late. I lost all access to a WD ethernet 1TB drive right after installing SP3. I am usually very cautious, but like a fool, I just went with it. The frustrations that caused led me to jump at the opportunity to run the beta. Other than software confusion when it didn't detect 'Vista' or 'XP', I have thoroughly enjoyed it and have my ethernet drive back onboard. Just in case I didn't, I bought ANOTHER TB drive, internal. I have a lot of pics and music, thus the space. In fact, one of the drives is already 1/3+ full. The other is a backup. So for me, it was about Microsoft having to patch XP one time too many, after all, it IS older than dirt, from the perspective of operating systems. I loved XP Pro while it worked. I'm gonna love Windows 7 every bit as much. And I'm a guy who LOVED and still swear by OS2 being light years ahead of what MSFT was offering at the time.

]]>