Windows 7

[Jari]

Tried it? Like it?

I can see from the posts in 'Tweaking that some of you indeed are using it.

IMNSHO, it's the best Windoze to date, and very, very good.

I've been using it since the RC came out, and it hasn't crashed on me yet. It's fast, and I think the GUI is an improvement, although I'd vastly prefer LiteStepped GUI, but sadly I'm preeeeeetty sure that 'Step and 7 wouldn't get along.

Also, I was most impressed when I saw it installing new set of drivers for my 8800GT without rebooting.

[ChaosControl]

Haven't tried it yet. Doing lot's of Windows Server 2008 thingies though..

[Hellbringer616]

Using Win7 RC (7100) x64, and was using Win7 Beta (7000) x86 until the RC came out.

Love it, Best windows made so far. RAM footprint is smaller then Vista, Runs a hell of a lot smoother, no bugs cept one. When i boot it up sometimes (very rarely) my internet won't connect and either a reboot, or a disable then reenable of my network connection will do the trick.

Plan on buying it when i build my new PC

EDIT: @ El ammo bandito. Whats this litestepped GUI? does it use less RAM and processing power then the default XP gui? Cause i have an old XP machine that my friends use when they are over, and i'd like to improve it anyway i can.

[Jari]

LiteStep is an alternative shell for Windows 9x and up... currently up to Vista, although the support for it still considered buggy.

As for using less resources... well, yes. But. If you use Windows Explorer for file management, you pretty much lose most (not all, but most) of that advantage when the Explorer starts up. It has some other considerable advantages, like very efficient VWM (several alternatives, actually) and almost total customizability.

The development is very slow these days, but it's not quite dead yet. It however will take some serious effort make it look like and do exactly what you want; there's no pretty configuration tool (well, there is, but it's not too good), so it's done by editing configuration files by hand.

I guess it's pretty good, I've been using it constantly for the last 12 years - far longer than any version of Windows - except for the brief time with Vista x64 when there wasn't compatibly build. And now with 7 x64, for the same reason.


EDIT: Hmmm, the dev notes seem to indicate at least some degree of functionality on 7. I have to try that, I'd like to have my virtual desktops, thank you very much.

[Hellbringer616]

Ah, well i guess i'll use my default WM then, since my friends aren't to techy haha (i am more then most, but not the best.. not by far XD)

[obesebear]

Using Windows 7 x64 build 7201 and I love it.  I bought a desktop with Vista a while back and immediately downgraded. 

Windows 7 is so f'in wonderful.  When I first installed it, it immediately noticed what drivers needed to be added and downloaded / installed them.  There were a handful of things I had to do manually, but totally worth it in the end.

@Hellbringer, search around for "windows 7 wireless".  I'm not sure where I found the solution to the internet not working, but after trying a few things, it's finally decided to stop disconnecting. 

My single complaint is I haven't yet figure out how to run Project 64 1.7 on it     But that's why God made dual-booting 

[Hellbringer616]

Yeah but i run a wired connection haha

[Prince Lex]

Y'know, I've been thinking of upgrading to 7.

I have a desktop and a laptop, but I mainly just use the laptop and dual-screen it on my big LCD 

I installed 7 a while ago on the desktop... haven't really messed around with it since then. But I remember it put me off installing it on my Laptop because I couldn't get any drivers working for it. Like, ANY. I have a disc I got with my laptop though, it has all the drivers I'd need. Would it be worth my while just installing it? The main thing that scared me was that I couldn't connect to the internet... so looking for a solution became a problem. Then boredom kicked in 

I'm using Vista just now but it's resource hogging is pissin me off. It always has.

[obesebear]

I'll tell you, I read up before installing it on my brand new laptop.  So I searched and searched then printed all the info I could find on getting the wireless to work.  Not to mention, if push comes to shove you can always hook it up w/ a wire (then hope hellbringer616's problem doesn't happen to you ) and try to find another solution.

I think I also remember reading that if you upgrading (instead of doing a clean install) that 90% of your drivers will remain just fine.  Like I said, my only complaint(s) blender x64 has occasional problems, and Project 64 1.7 won't work

[Otokoshi]

Well if you....

• Are really digging Windows 7 RC
• Have a PC you know you are going to torch Vista and upgrade to 7
• Like saving money
• Live in the US

You can preorder Win 7 Home Premium Upgrade for $50 (down from $120) or Professional Upgrade for $100 (down from $200).  The offer ends July 11th.  Apparently the upgrade editions will work with Windows XP and Vista.

I think I'll pull the trigger on this purchase, because my laptop came with Shitsta and Win7 is such an improvement in my opinion.  I'll probably go with the Professional edition because Home Premium lacks the WinXP mode.  The BitLocker feature appears to be the only tangible feature to upgrade from Pro to Ultimate.  Seeing as how Ultimate is not a part of this upgrade preorder deal and the Ultimate upgrade is gonna run $220... meh

Any thoughts?  Is BitLocker that important?  Or is it just more BS that Microsoft did with feature padding Vista Ultimate? I'm pretty sure TrueCrypt should suffice.

[Jari]

But I remember it put me off installing it on my Laptop because I couldn't get any drivers working for it. Like, ANY. I have a disc I got with my laptop though, it has all the drivers I'd need. Would it be worth my while just installing it?

I'd say that it's worth some effort, it is that much better than Vista (or any other Windows, for that matter). If the worst happens, you'll have the desktop to connect to the intertubes, and you can haul drivers via USB stick, if nothing else works.

For that matter, I'm running 7 x64 that used to be Vista x64 - upgrade, that is - and I don't recall having to install any drivers, at all. Either it used the Vista drivers, or installed MS drivers.

The BitLocker feature appears to be the only tangible feature to upgrade from Pro to Ultimate.  Seeing as how Ultimate is not a part of this upgrade preorder deal and the Ultimate upgrade is gonna run $220... meh

Any thoughts?  Is BitLocker that important?  Or is it just more BS that Microsoft did with feature padding Vista Ultimate? I'm pretty sure TrueCrypt should suffice.

I'm not really qualified to answer, as I have never used BitLocker, and very rarely use TrueCrypt (my bigger laptop has one hidden partition encrypted with TrueCrypt - mostly for KeepAss... sorry KeePass files, that hold important passwords). But this article seems to have a comparison of the two. If the differences are worth the extra, then go for the Ultimate upgrade, otherwise I'd think that Pro would suffice.

Of course, I only have XP on the lappy, so dunno whether I'd have used BitLocker if it was running Vista - it's not much of an option with XP.

[ChaosControl]

and I don't recall having to install any drivers, at all. Either it used the Vista drivers, or installed MS drivers.

Could you check for me please?

(btw, is your avatar dynamic?)

[Jari]

Well, I'm not absolutely sure about these, but I think only one I upgraded since installing the 7 was the display adapter driver...

• 8800GT got a MS driver during install
• MX518 kept Logitech Vista driver
• Motorola USB modem (phone, actually) kept Motorola Vista driver
• HP w2408h kept HP Vista 'driver'
• Realtek NIC kept Realtek Vista driver
• Audigy kept Creative Labs Vista driver

...all of them work, too.

(btw, is your avatar dynamic?)

Yes, yes it is. Powered by the SUPAH AWESOME LOLCAT SERVER.

[Hellbringer616]

I was going to get the Windows 7 upgrade for $50 (what a steal!) But i saw no option for x64 (which my OEM vista is x86) and when i get 7 i planed on putting it on my new PC i'm gonna build. So i'm screwed out of the cheap upgrade

Also, i love your avatars El ammo

[Prince Lex]

Well I have a beta build of 7 on disc but I can't remember which one it is. I'll install it tomorrow after work, that way I can spend some time tweaking if I need to spend hours finding drivers. I remember upgrading to XP MCE 2005 and it couldn't find any drivers, I spent about 2 hours trying to install the driver for my modem and in the end had to tweak it myself (at the time, it was wired) though I'm not entirely certain how I pulled it off.

Stupid question - If I choose the upgrade option, will I have to reinstall all my games and such? For cleanliness' sake I usually reinstall Windows every few months or so (I'm weird, I know) but thats (again) on my desktop. The only reason I felt comfortable doing that was because it had 3 seperate drives from which I could choose. I shudder at the thought of having to reinstall everything I have on this, considering I've had it for 7 months without reinstall. Sigh. That would mean reinstalling FF7 (shouldn't take long this time round, it's only the 100th time), FF8, The Sims 2 and all its expansion packs (like 5 hours (only a slight exaggeration)... although I could just leave it considering I now have - ) The Sims 3 (an annoying amount of time). Sigh sigh sigh! This is the problem with having only 1 400GB drive - there's nowhere to put anything when you want to format it!

Sorry for the long spiel. My posts are usually a tad more structured than this but it's 3am and I'm having bother sleeping because of the heat/humidity. I hate Scottish weather.

EDIT: Another really stupid question - what's the difference between x32 and x64? I've googled this and came up with a few annoying explanations. What I got from these were that they were coded differently and in one report stated that higher spec systems benefit from using x64. Is that BS?

I have an Intel Dual-Core, 400gb HD, Mobility Radeon HD X3500 and 4gig RAM. Should I use x64?

[Jari]

Stupid question - If I choose the upgrade option, will I have to reinstall all my games and such? For cleanliness' sake I usually reinstall Windows every few months or so (I'm weird, I know) but thats (again) on my desktop. The only reason I felt comfortable doing that was because it had 3 seperate drives from which I could choose. I shudder at the thought of having to reinstall everything I have on this, considering I've had it for 7 months without reinstall. Sigh. That would mean reinstalling FF7 (shouldn't take long this time round, it's only the 100th time), FF8, The Sims 2 and all its expansion packs (like 5 hours (only a slight exaggeration)... although I could just leave it considering I now have - ) The Sims 3 (an annoying amount of time). Sigh sigh sigh! This is the problem with having only 1 400GB drive - there's nowhere to put anything when you want to format it!

You shouldn't have to. Everything worked for me without reinstall. Except VMware's Workstation - which does not work with reinstall, either - and Daemon Tools. 7 actually warns you that those are not going to work, and recommends you to uninstall them. I'm not sure, it might have even said that the upgrade won't run from virtual disk (i.e. Daemon Tools), but it does.

Couple of things, though. First, I'm not sure how well the upgrade-option worked in earlier betas. I'd recommend at least the RC. Even so, I'm pretty sure that MS has said that the functionality is not supported. It does work, regardless.

Secondly, the way 7 does the upgrade is that it copies your personal stuff to another drive, installs itself and then restores the said stuff. This might turn out to be a problem with only one drive, and a somewhat small one, at that.

EDIT: Another really stupid question - what's the difference between x32 and x64? I've googled this and came up with a few annoying explanations. What I got from these were that they were coded differently and in one report stated that higher spec systems benefit from using x64. Is that BS?

I have an Intel Dual-Core, 400gb HD, Mobility Radeon HD X3500 and 4gig RAM. Should I use x64?

Really simplified; x64 can address more than 4GB of memory. Well, for practical purposes x86 (or x32, if you prefer) XP will top out somewhere between 3 GB and 3.5 GB. That's because it actually needs a chunk of the RAM to address the display memory. A chunk of equal size. Or, so I've been told.

Basically; do you do image editing? DTP? Anything with considerable memory requirements? If yes, then you'd want the x64 and more memory to go with it.

The second thing is that x64-software will run only on x64 OS. Whether this is important to you, I do not know, but certain types of software are slowly migrating towards 64 bits, it will take ages before they abandon 32, though. CS4 was the first version of Photoshop to have x64 build, Lightroom has one, PTGui has one... and so forth. If the software needs lots of memory, it will probably migrate to 64 bits, one day.

[Prince Lex]

Currently writing the Windows 7 ISO to disc.

I hope the upgrade option works properly without a secondary drive. I'll update with results.

EDIT: Install went without a hitch. 3 Things that were incompatible (and the ONLY 3 things, as far as I can tell) - Daemon Tools, ATI CCC & Dell Webcam Central (which I don't care about). I'll need to replace Daemon Tools though, I rely on that a lot. Just getting used to it ATM, loving the new WMP.

[Jari]

Glad to hear it's working.

New Daemon Tools builds seem to support 7, and apparently some other drive emulators work as well. As for CCC; perhaps some 3rd party tweaking tool could replace it? Would probably be lot less bloated as well (unless CCC has gotten considerably smaller since... late 2007 - at least I think that was the last time I had an ATi card).

[Prince Lex]

New Daemon Tools builds seem to support 7, and apparently some other drive emulators work as well. As for CCC; perhaps some 3rd party tweaking tool could replace it? Would probably be lot less bloated as well (unless CCC has gotten considerably smaller since... late 2007 - at least I think that was the last time I had an ATi card).

The installer said I could reinstall CCC after 7 setup was complete, I may look into using a 3rd party tweaking tool anyway as I hate CCC with a burning fiery passion. Good to hear the newest build of Daemon Tools works! This makes me very happy indeed - It also means that (technically) nothing was affected at all during installation as I planned to get rid of the webcam thing anyway.

Loving 7 so far. Not had any problems whatsoever!


EDIT: UH-oh - Spoke too soon. When I tried to start FF7Music it gave me this -

initializing sound...

DIRECT SOUND ERROR

   ERROR: No sound driver is available for use. in FILE C:\lib\src\sound\dx_snd.cpp LINE 68

I'm gonna have a look around the forums and see if anyone else has had this problem. In the meantime, help, anyone?

[Jari]

Sowwy, haven't tried FF7 on 7.

[Prince Lex]

I'll attempt a fresh re-install at some point later today when I'm back in the flat. It's not just FF7Music, the game itself won't start. Gives me the old black screen then says that.

Not to worry, I'll fix it 

[Hellbringer616]

You need to run the game as admin in win98 compatibility, And you need to run FF7 music as admin in WinXP SP2 compatibility. I had the same issue, But when i did the above FF7 and FF7Music worked like a charm

[Prince Lex]

You need to run the game as admin in win98 compatibility, And you need to run FF7 music as admin in WinXP SP2 compatibility. I had the same issue, But when i did the above FF7 and FF7Music worked like a charm

I tried this, it gave the same error but now I also get an error box saying "No useful indirect path found, check app.log for more information"

App.log says this -

INITIALIZE DD/D3D START
INFO: Auto-detected version: 1.02 US English
INFO: No OpenGL 2.0 support detected, shaders won't be available
INFO: No swap_control extension, cannot control framerate
INFO: Original resolution 640x480, window size 1280x800, output resolution 1280x800, internal resolution 1280x480
INFO: No NPOT texture support
ERROR: init_indirect failed, scaling and postprocessing will be disabled
INFO: internal resolution clamped to 1280x800
LOCK UNLOCK TEST
MATRIX INITIALIZE
INITIALIZE DD/D3D END
initializing sound...

[Aali]

You just got dropped to software emulated OpenGL 1.2

Not good.

[Prince Lex]

You just got dropped to software emulated OpenGL 1.2

Not good.

Any ideas how to fix it? Reinstalling my graphics drivers?

Also the game now loads, it just goes really really slow when set at custom resolutions.

EDIT: I also get a message now saying "Your graphics driver does not support NPOT textures"