Windows 7..... Interested?

Tapio Dmitriyevich · October 31, 2009, 09:24:43 AM

This Tool may be of interest. Creates a bootable USB stick from the .iso file.
http://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool?err=t2#at2

drogulus · October 31, 2009, 10:42:19 AM

I tried USB and I got "no bootable partition". DVD works, though. So the ISO file is good.

Quote from: Wurstwasser on October 31, 2009, 09:24:43 AM
This Tool may be of interest. Creates a bootable USB stick from the .iso file.
http://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool?err=t2#at2

Aahh! Very nice. I tested the DVD earlier today by inserting it and the install screen came up. Then I aborted the install so I could do a little prep work (collect all the drivers, etc). Now that I can boot from USB I'll use that. It's supposed to be a little faster, though 7 installations are usually pretty quick. One thing, though, is that upgrading from XP might take a little longer.

drogulus · November 01, 2009, 07:51:34 AM

I deleted EVERYTHING on my HD while installing 7 from USB and it wouldn't let me install, saying it couldn't find the primary partition. Uh oh, I did something wrong! You are supposed to be able to delete all the partitions when doing the clean install. I was just about to go into panic mode when I loaded the disc instead of the flash drive and Viola!, as Pinchas Zukerman might say, it worked. So far 7 has found drivers for everything, all my drives work, my graphics and chipset drivers are installed, sound is working. Now I'll spend a couple of hours loading programs and optimizing settings (single click, remove shortcut arrows, convert to classic desktop, and numerous other little tweaks).

Coopmv · November 01, 2009, 04:19:09 PM

Quote from: Brian on October 29, 2009, 08:46:48 AM
Still slow starting up, but otherwise I'm liking this so far. Everything's basically the same. My laptop came with Vista and I upgraded.

for $30 ...

drogulus · November 01, 2009, 07:18:44 PM

Quote from: Brian on October 29, 2009, 08:46:48 AM
Still slow starting up, but otherwise I'm liking this so far. Everything's basically the same. My laptop came with Vista and I upgraded.

This is probably due to the way you upgraded. From Vista you can keep everything or you can do a clean install which is more work (I did an extreme version of a clean install). The advantage of the upgrade in place is it's minimally disruptive and easy to do. Since most drivers and programs will just work for both OSes this is the way to go if you don't want to make a big project out of it.

I took advantage of a kind of loophole that installed the full version on an empty drive using the upgrade. The much cheaper upgrade version isn't supposed to go on an empty drive, but it can be made to do so by deleting all the partitions including the primary (Windows) partition. The advantage is a totally clean system with no junk programs and even better a clean registry. The result is your PC performs up to its potential. My 3 year old computer is like new again. Of course this won't last, but in a few months I might just do it again.

Tapio Dmitriyevich · November 02, 2009, 07:26:06 AM

Rocks and works, easier to setup as in previous Windows OSes: Windows 7 to officially support logon UI background customization. Read carefully. Especially images must be below 256 kbyte, otherwise it doesn't work.

I love it!

Fëanor · November 02, 2009, 09:04:54 AM

In case anyone is unaware, you can get a full version of Win7 for less than the cost the Upgrade.

I'm talking about OEM versions, for example, from TigerDirect. You can buy them without buying any hardware at the same time. With these versions you get no "support" and, of course, no fancy plastic box.

drogulus · November 02, 2009, 01:47:49 PM

Quote from: Feanor on November 02, 2009, 09:04:54 AM
In case anyone is unaware, you can get a full version of Win7 for less than the cost the Upgrade.

I'm talking about OEM versions, for example, from TigerDirect. You can buy them without buying any hardware at the same time. With these versions you get no "support" and, of course, no fancy plastic box.

They're selling these for a few dollars less than the upgrade (upgrade is $119.00). I'd go for the upgrade and get the support just in case. These OEM versions are for system builders who are expected to provide support for what they sell. I got one of these when I had a PC built by the local shop. If you don't mind solving your own problems its a good deal.

My biggest problem now is iTunes. I saved my music but I have to recreate all my folders and playlists.

Uh Oh......it looks like some people are having problems with the upgrade option:

Windows 7 - Upgrade Unsuccessful -Reboot Loop

Fëanor · November 03, 2009, 06:57:22 AM

Quote from: drogulus on November 02, 2009, 01:47:49 PM
They're selling these for a few dollars less than the upgrade (upgrade is $119.00). I'd go for the upgrade and get the support just in case. These OEM versions are for system builders who are expected to provide support for what they sell. I got one of these when I had a PC built by the local shop. If you don't mind solving your own problems its a good deal.

...

Cautious advice, drogulus.

Nothing wrong with that.

I've installed various versions of Windows on blank systems on many occassions without requiring any "support", consequently I really don't know what support consists of or how good it is. Most recently I installed Windows Home Server on a machine I built myself from parts.

drogulus · November 03, 2009, 07:53:16 PM

Quote from: Feanor on November 03, 2009, 06:57:22 AM
Cautious advice, drogulus. Nothing wrong with that.

I've installed various versions of Windows on blank systems on many occassions without requiring any "support", consequently I really don't know what support consists of or how good it is. Most recently I installed Windows Home Server on a machine I built myself from parts.

Clean installs are best. And I really like having a Windows disc and not the damn recovery partition that puts all the crap that came with your PC right back on your desktop. I only have MY stuff on it. _0:)

Lethevich · November 04, 2009, 10:45:58 AM

Just installed W7 on my first scratch-built PC (the horror! On the plus side, the heatsink makes the mobo look like a cityscape from Blade Runner) - liking it so far, once the annoying taskbar group-by-theme thing is turned off. The start menu is rather nice. I ignored the Vista one, going for classic style, but as W7 lacks such an option, I explored a little further. It seems to function as an extension of Quick Launch, with the full list tabbed. It frees up taskbar space to do away with Quick Launch and works really nicely - no more My Computer on desktop either: feels tidy.

Also, a far more useful thing: for the first time on a Windows OS, Folder Options has actually worked when I set "all folders using these settings" so that I can convert the file display from details to list. I don't know whether my PCs were just too bad to handle it, but this feature had never worked for me on XP or Vista.

Scarpia · November 04, 2009, 11:11:16 AM

Still waiting for Lenovo to send me my free Windows 7 upgrade...

drogulus · November 04, 2009, 07:29:05 PM

Quote from: Lethe on November 04, 2009, 10:45:58 AM
The start menu is rather nice. I ignored the Vista one, going for classic style, but as W7 lacks such an option, I explored a little further. It seems to function as an extension of Quick Launch, with the full list tabbed. It frees up taskbar space to do away with Quick Launch and works really nicely - no more My Computer on desktop either: feels tidy.

Also, a far more useful thing: for the first time on a Windows OS, Folder Options has actually worked when I set "all folders using these settings" so that I can convert the file display from details to list. I don't know whether my PCs were just too bad to handle it, but this feature had never worked for me on XP or Vista.

There is an app that allows you to run the full classic menu within the Aero look.

It aint pretty but I prefer this to what 7 does. Also, you can run both at once or hide the original.

CSMenu

Tapio Dmitriyevich · November 04, 2009, 08:01:04 PM

Quote from: drogulus on November 04, 2009, 07:29:05 PMIt aint pretty but I prefer this to what 7 does. Also, you can run both at once or hide the original.

I wouldn't need that. Since Vista, I was convinced of the search field within the Start Menu. I don't need the search within Outlook Mails and complete user file system etc... But as a Start Menu extension. Typical workflow for accessing applications is, "Press Windows key on keyboard - type 2 or 3 letters - ENTER"

drogulus · November 04, 2009, 08:34:24 PM

Yeah, it's the 2 or 3 letters that get me....after the first one I'm ready to give up.

I like looking at a list because I don't always know what I'm going to do next, or which program I'm going to use.

drogulus · November 10, 2009, 07:34:44 PM

In other news....I found a very good Windows 7 Forum here. It's a good place to go for installation problems or anything else you might need help with. They also have some nice speed up optimizations you can download and turn into a .reg file, which I installed. I registered using the deep cover name Drogulus.

Opus106 · November 10, 2009, 10:34:36 PM

Quote from: Wurstwasser on October 31, 2009, 09:24:43 AM
This Tool may be of interest. Creates a bootable USB stick from the .iso file.
http://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool?err=t2#at2

Quote from: drogulus on October 31, 2009, 10:42:19 AM
I tried USB and I got "no bootable partition". DVD works, though. So the ISO file is good.

Aahh! Very nice. I tested the DVD earlier today by inserting it and the install screen came up. Then I aborted the install so I could do a little prep work (collect all the drivers, etc). Now that I can boot from USB I'll use that. It's supposed to be a little faster, though 7 installations are usually pretty quick. One thing, though, is that upgrading from XP might take a little longer.

Microsoft pulls Windows 7 tool after GPL violation claims

Opus106 · November 13, 2009, 11:59:50 PM

Quote from: opus106 on November 10, 2009, 10:34:36 PM
Microsoft pulls Windows 7 tool after GPL violation claims

UPDATE: The tool will be available again next week, but now also with the source code to anyone who may want it.

http://port25.technet.com/archive/2009/11/13/update-on-the-windows-7-download-tool-or-microsoft-to-open-source-the-windows-7-download-tool.aspx

Coopmv · November 14, 2009, 04:32:09 AM

Apple iPhone violated a number of Nokia's key patents since day1. It will probably have to cough up billions of dollars of profits to settle. Good for them, I never like Apple. I would never get their way overpriced Mac.

Opus106 · November 14, 2009, 04:45:13 AM

Quote from: Coopmv on November 14, 2009, 04:32:09 AM
Apple iPhone violated a number of Nokia's key patents since day1. It will probably have to cough up billions of dollars of profits to settle. Good for them, I never like Apple. I would never get their way overpriced Mac.

But the nice thing about using open source code in almost every case is that you don't need to pay any denomination to anyone.

Windows 7..... Interested?

Scarpia