Windows 7, would you switch?

[Vexx]

Back to Win7 RC1 ... well that was short and unpleasant.

The instant I agreed to the terms of use in the first installation screen and hit NEXT,

Windows has encountered an unexpected error. Please insure the installation sources are available...

Tried it 3 or 4 times, no change. Hmmm, when I burned the disk, I verified the data burn. Any hash method of verifying my download from Microsoft to ensure I got a working image file?

Anyone encounter this?

(edit: after blundering around on the Win7 MS forum.... going to try burning the DVD at the slowest speed and see if that solves this... the other possibility is that it doesn't understand my SATA controller even though I am not RAIDing)

(edit: looks like it is a Good Idea to burn the ISO at the slowest burn speed... seems to be installing now)

(edit3: everything *seems* to have been smoothly, now beginning to install avast, firefox, my fave tools, etc... will see what pukes. hp6100 prints with MS drivers, need to check scan function -- it'd be nice if I could blow off the HP tool suite as it is quite dorky)

(edit4: still installing apps but just noting it feels like a cleaned up Vista and I mean that in a good way, definitely doesn't seem to be a 'tech-wonk' UI though. Tried to add japanese language support and the stupid thing keeps sending me to Windows Update where that claims I'm all done with updates)

(edit5: looks like Avast and Win7 work okay together. FF and TB a-ok. The UI gadgets and theme stuff (custom themse) look fairly usable.) Dinner and then onward...

[felix]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Dinner and then onward...

You're going to remove it?

[Epyon9283]

Originally Posted by Vexx

Tried to add japanese language support and the stupid thing keeps sending me to Windows Update where that claims I'm all done with updates)

There aren't any MUI packs available via windows update. I think you need to grab the language pack DVD from technet if you're a subscriber.

[Vexx]

@cats: no, dinner and then I continue installing apps.

If I can't install japanese language support, this turns into "not a test" ... why on earth would they not provide that at the RC1 stage? Will check the forums ... I do have a buddy who's an MSDN/TechNet subscriber but sheesh.

edit: Meh, no language support pack files on the basic-install ISO.... ok, that's a flame point. Seeking the MUI packs.

edit2: discovered that language support that I need is really already onboard --- its just evilly twisted misleading -- hiding under "change keyboards" part of the controlpanel/regionlanguage section and I didn't need to use the misleading "install display language" button at all O.O

Once I added the MS IME japanese keyboard, I could input in japanese *and* also amazon.co.jp displayed correctly as well.
http://social.technet.microsoft.com/...-ee7934ec68b8/

Has me wondering what the "Install Display Language" button is about now :P

しょがない。。。

edit3: last update for a while... so far everything I've thrown at it has worked fine. I didn't need to install the HP printer tools either. Even PuTTy (ssh term client suite) and irfanview (image tool) work. CCCP loaded a-ok. Aegisub, no problem.

The only oddity so far is that twice Windows file explorer hung and I finally killed the process each time (which didn't bother the other file explorer windows open).

Overall, not much to whine about (two annoyances during installation) and it took me a minute to realize that "homegroup" does not equal "workgroup". Three more systems to check (my cellphone software tools, digital camera, and my Sansadisk mp3 player).

[Renegade334]

@Vexx: it's always highly advised to burn bootable ISOs (especially OS CDs) at the lowest speeds possible. For that task, I normally use ImgBurn and the 2x speed - it can take some time but safety comes first.

As for the image itself, you can use HashTab (integrated into the right-click > file properties window) or HashCalc to verify the image's integrity.

7100.0.090421-1700_x86fre_client_en-us_retail_ultimate-grc1culfrer_en_dvd.iso (DDLed from MS)

Official hashes:

• MD5: 8867c13330f56a93944bcd46dcd73590
• SHA1: 7d1f486ca569effffb719cfb48355bb7bf499712
• CRC32: e8a1c394

I don't have the SHA512 and more exotic outputs with me, but these should already dispel your suspicions - should you get the same readings, of course.

[Vexx]

thanks... yeah the hashes checked out. I just wasn't paying much attention on my first burn. The slow-speed burn worked fine.

Since I'm posting anyway - my Sony Ericsson cellphone tools worked fine. I'll see how my Sansadisk mp3 player handles tomorrow and my camera.

After that it is into drm land with rips burns, channels and whatnot to see if anything interferes with my usual or unusual activities.

After the college quarter is over, I'll try various programming kits and development during the summer (Java, Python, etc).

I'm just docu-blogging this from a somewhat hostile perspective (i.e. if I'm going to use Windows, why move up from XP?). So far it has been remarkably uneventful. The UI changes are "interesting but I don't see any *reason* to have changed that" (e.g task bar and control panel). This seems to be somewhat like the NT->2000 jump conceptually.

[KiNA]

Would you share your docu blogging with us?

I'm still waiting for a final verdict as well.. if its an ok, I'm jumping ship from XP as well

I have enough headache from my younger sister and brother in law both running Vista..

[nadare]

I especially love that everytime you format it. It automatically installs the drivers <3. Or if it isnt in Windows 7 package. Live Updated will just do it for you <3.

I once went back to XP. But I missed Windows 7 and I'm back on windows 7 RC1 this time <3.

[Luminisk]

I am dual booting the 64 bit version along with Vista.

It is quite good so far, but I don't think I'll switch unless I'm buying or putting together a new computer.

I don't know about you guys, but needing to reinstall all your applications is a HUGE turn-off.

[felix]

Reinstalling is not that big of a deal, the problem is configuration; almost nothing works as I want it to work out of the box. I guess stock settings are just not for me.

[chikorita157]

Installed Windows 7 on a Virtual Machine on VMWare Fusion. I did notice a few things.
- Windows 7 installed alot slower than on a regular machine
- Windows 7 is a bit responsive than Vista on a Virtual Machine, but still slower than Windows XP
- Windows 7 did not detect the sound card, but after installing the VMWare Tools, the sound works.
- Windows 7 works great only if the theme is turned off (using the Classic Theme), and VMWare doesn't provide any Aero support due to lack of WDDM drivers. Also, there is no option to use the classic start menu.

Application Compatibility
- Google Chrome seems (current version) to refuse to load any page
- Safari 4 works.
- Bonjour does not work (cannot connect to network printer using Bonjour)
- Firefox 3.5 Beta 4 works.
- SMPlayer 0.6.5 works, but freezes when playing a video (could be a VMWare issue).
- Attempted to install Expression Web 2, but setup crashed during installation, but went through the second time and works.
- Opera 10 Alpha works


This is with the 64-bit version of Windows 7 RC1... Overall, the compatibility with Windows 7 is pretty good.

[Craymel]

chikorita157 I have to say your first graph made me laugh. This is because I'm in data management this year and we did this big lesson on how people can skew data to send a visual message that implies something different or exaggerates what the data is actually conveying and you so totally did that. Oh people and their pretty power point graphs. I don't know much about W7's performance VS vista SP2 so all I'm gonna say about that. I understand the point you were trying to make by the way not trying to refute it.

I'm actually using windows 7 right now I would be using ubuntu but windows 7 bare bones default driver supports my intel gma 950 integrated graphics card much better. There are also serious performances issues with the latest flash in ubuntu. Neither are open source so I'm not bothering to wait around for fixes which may never come... Anyway I haven't had any major issues with windows 7 yet but there is some thing that bugs me... WHERE IS THE QUICK LAUNCH BAR! I can't find anything resembling it. What does Microsoft have against it? Pinning large icons to the super bar that may eventually cover it doesn't cut it. It was a very useful feature that did not need to go. If anyone knows how to get some quick launch bar like feature I'd love you (but not really).

[chikorita157]

Originally Posted by Craymel

chikorita157 I have to say your first graph made me laugh. This is because I'm in data management this year and we did this big lesson on how people can skew data to send a visual message that implies something different or exaggerates what the data is actually conveying and you so totally did that. Oh people and their pretty power point graphs. I don't know much about W7's performance VS vista SP2 so all I'm gonna say about that. I understand the point you were trying to make by the way not trying to refute it.

I'm actually using windows 7 right now I would be using ubuntu but windows 7 bare bones default driver supports my intel gma 950 integrated graphics card much better. There are also serious performances issues with the latest flash in ubuntu. Neither are open source so I'm not bothering to wait around for fixes which may never come... Anyway I haven't had any major issues with windows 7 yet but there is some thing that bugs me... WHERE IS THE QUICK LAUNCH BAR! I can't find anything resembling it. What does Microsoft have against it? Pinning large icons to the super bar that may eventually cover it doesn't cut it. It was a very useful feature that did not need to go. If anyone knows how to get some quick launch bar like feature I'd love you (but not really).

That would be the fault of my graphing program because it automatically skews the data and I can't turn it off unless I add more data, but I don't think the graph would make more difference... but I have used Vista SP2 for awhile and it's faster than Service Pack 1 and have the same speed as Windows 7 (except graphics performance which Windows 7 have trouble in due to the new driver model) besides bootup and shutdown time.

Also, the large icons can be turned off in Start Menu/Taskbar settings and you can also restore the text on the icons... but with the text on makes the icons look weird in the taskbar since they don't have text.

[Craymel]

Originally Posted by chikorita157

That would be the fault of my graphing program because it automatically skews the data and I can't turn it off unless I add more data, but I don't think the graph would make more difference... but I have used Vista SP2 for awhile and it's faster than Service Pack 1 and have the same speed as Windows 7 (except graphics performance which Windows 7 have trouble in due to the new driver model) besides bootup and shutdown time.

Also, the large icons can be turned off in Start Menu/Taskbar settings and you can also restore the text on the icons... but with the text on makes the icons look weird in the taskbar since they don't have text.

I know about all that but again it doesn't make up for the lack of quick launch bar. Making the Icons smaller makes the taskbar look ugly and disabling combining only makes the bar more over crowded because of the pinned icons I also have on it. Thanks for trying.

[Vexx]

d'oh edit --- when sharing a printer from a Win7 box to other systems, each user apparently *has* to have a user account&password on the win7 box that matches the account on their own box, simply belonging to the same workgroup isn't enough.

Also I need to look up how a homegroup is different from a workgroup (or is it?).

Note: I did notice that the product key they give us allows installation onto three separate computers (from the Win7 FAQ). Good to know because I was wondering how to acquire more product keys without having to create multiple LiveIDs or having to redownload the ISO.

[Craymel]

Okay I got it! http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...e-disable.html That is more work then it ever had to be...

[Vexx]

Yay for Quick Launch fans (heh, nothing like reaching inside the access panel and using a screwdriver to jump the circuits).

[IRJustman]

Originally Posted by Vexx

d'oh edit --- when sharing a printer from a Win7 box to other systems, each user apparently *has* to have a user account&password on the win7 box that matches the account on their own box, simply belonging to the same workgroup isn't enough.

As I recall, when you use a Windows shared resource, unless you explicitly set it otherwise, you do need an account and matching password on the machine you're trying to contact.

Originally Posted by Craymel

Okay I got it! http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials...e-disable.html That is more work then it ever had to be...

Totally agreed. Though I never had a chance to figure this one out after I tried Windows 7; I found this one out only after I removed it from all the running stock I had it on. I totally hated the pinned buttons on the taskbar and would have loved to have my quicklaunch bar back. Now, for FULL classic, that would take some doing...

--Ian.

[Vexx]

aye, (on the shared resource) ... I just haven't had time to figure out how to set the printer to accept requests from "anyone in the workgroup" (assuming that is still possible).

As far as Quicklaunch... I love quicklaunch but since I see how the 'mutant taskbar one button' approach works now - I'm ambivalent (meh whatever).

[Renegade334]

The Superbar (as MS calls it) is a-okay, not too much trouble adjusting to it - I'm particularly fond of the 'peek' feature, to be honest - but on the other hand, I always keep forgetting that the 'show desktop' button is now on the far right, and not next to the start icon, where the quick launch zone once stood...*sigh*

*Shrugs* Alt+Tab >> Desktop still does the trick, anyway...

The only prog that failed to correctly install and launch so far was VMware ThinApp (which I use to make certain progs portable): the pop-up splash screen shows up as expected but that's where the activity ends. A quick and quiet death, although in the end it's no big disappointment (anyway, I have yet to test it with the much-debated XP mode, which I haven't acquired and tested). Aside from that, even a couple old games a little over half a decade old deigned working without any complaints, much to my delight; there were, however, a few UbiSoft names that refused to fly because the protection system couldn't identify the OS as being either XP or Vista and remained so intolerant I had to bid it farewell.