I have the opportunity to buy a new laptop through work. The one I wanted is all sold out, but I can get another model with Windows 7.
What’s the word on that one? Is it any good?
Most people really like it especially compared to Windows Vista. The reviews and user opinions of Windows 7 are pretty good.
The one I wanted came with Vista, and a chance to upgrade to Windows 7 for really cheap.
Thing is, I am really attached to Windows XP, but I don’t have the original installment-cd’s. So I pretty much have to take what OS the new 'puter has on it.
You are going to have to migrate away from XP at some point in the future so you might as well do it now. Most people don’t have much problem at all making the switch directly from XP to Windows 7.
I know, I know. Ah well, I’ll bite the bullet then. Better than trying to use Vista, because that seems such a nightmare at times.
Don’t be so sure. I still have a computer with DOS/Win3.1 on it.
Windows 7 is basically Vista with all of the stuff that everyone was complaining about in it fixed (plus a slightly tweaked user interface). If the choice is between Vista and 7, definitely go with 7. If the choice is between XP and 7, then it’s not so clear and depends on what software you plan on running. If all of your software will run on 7, then go for it.
How are you able to buy it now with Windows 7 already installed? I thought non-beta versions of it weren’t available to the public until late October. (I’m waiting until then to buy a new computer, hoping my current one can limp along that long.)
I’ve been using the Release Candidate (it’s not Beta, almost exactly like while the final version will be like) since Jule, and I love it. It takes a while to get used to jumping from XP (I used Vista for all of one hour), but once you figure the control panel out, everything falls into place.
I want to like Windows 7, I really do. There’s lots of little annoyances though.
When you right click on the taskbar to close a window, “close” has been moved up a little higher so if I click where I’m used to clicking it does nothing.
The “classic” start menu is gone altogether and if you want to de-clutter your start menu good luck because you’ll get “access denied” when you try to move shortcuts around.
The “show desktop” button has been moved over to the other side of the screen altogether. I go for this button all the time and I hate where it is now.
The quick launch has been merged with a new dock-style system. So when you open a window, the quick launch icon disappears. So if you want to open another window of the same program… (it didn’t take me long to figure out how but it’s not obvious in any way)
Windows 7 also broke my monitor’s best features. It used to automatically adjust old games so that they would use the entire screen. But with Windows 7, the monitor adjusting software is broken for no apparent reason whatsoever. Compatibility mode does nothing. Administrator rights do nothing. The software installs and runs just fine but has lost all function. When I emailed LG about this they said updated software would be released when 7 is released… or sometime later. So until then, any old games that can’t be set to 1920x1080 resolution are pillar boxed.
On the other hand, Windows 7 is wicked fast. I found this out by installing it on a friend’s computer that hadn’t been upgraded for years. RAM and a good video card are all you need to make 7 perform.
All in all, I’m probably going back to Vista soon. I never had any of the problems with it that so many people describe.
I sort of hinted around this question in another thread, but considering I have an older laptop, with XP, exactly how much memory are we talking here to upgrade to Windows 7?
I assume it will automatically delete my XP, but was curious before I would ever start this process, only to have it freeze due to lack of storage?
I went from XP Pro to 7 Pro. Actually , from my time at college I got an MSDNAA account, in which Microsoft gives free programs to students (but they can’t use them to make any money). Anyway, I was able to get Vista Business and 7 Pro, so since you can’t upgrade from XP to 7* I had to upgrade to Vista, and then from Vista to 7.
For me it takes some getting use to. I had to go on-line to figure out how to turn on the quick launch, which is now on the right side, and icons on the task bar for running programs are now on the left side.
Also, my Scanjet5300c scanner isn’t supported, Nero 6 isn’t supported, and Zone Alarm doesn’t seem to be supported yet. And I had to download several drivers and other programs to get my Soundblaster 24 Bit controls working again.
Oh, and those of you reading may already know, but Here’s a chart that tells you which versions of Vista can be upgraded to 7, and which ones will require clean installs.
*Although it gives you the options to store your programs elsewhere, install Windows 7, and then reinstall the programs afterwords.
I’m currently using Windows 7 and I really like it. It’s got some nice eye candy like Vista, but it has lots of new features that make it really functional. In particular, the new taskbar is great.
My one really big complaint, however, is the search capabilities. So far as I can tell, the XP-style Advanced Search has been completely neutered. You can only search by typing in your query in a box at the top right of the window when browsing through your hard drive. You can only apply rudimentary filters, such as “filename:” (search query is to be found only in the filename). I’m really disappointed that there doesn’t seem to be a way to search simultaneously by location, file name, file size, etc.
I really don’t understand why they made the search so unbearably awful.
I like it. I’ve been using the the “Released To Manufacturing” version for a month or so, and I’ve only had two problems:
- Crysis crashes occasionally
- I can’t run the Pandora sidebar gadget (which is really a problem with Flash not being able to run in 64 bit). I can run the sidebar as 32 bit as a workaround. No doubt this would be an issue with any 64 bit Windows version, since it’s a Flash deficiency, and not a Windows deficiency.
Actually, the Crysis issue might also be related to me running 64bit, as well.
I should live so long!
I’m running it on a work computer with no issues, and I’ve recommended it to an XP friend who likes it so far. It doesn’t have the smell of failure like Vista and ME did.
What kind of RAM does 7 require? (IME, XP will run fine on 512K, whereas Vista needs 2 GB to not be jerky.)
1 GB for 32-bit, 2 GB for 64-bit.
Hey! I still have ME on a computer! (Not this one though).