Windows 7 Review

[Jeff Chandler]

I've been using Windows 7 for a couple of months now and thought I'd give you my thoughts.

I started with build 7000 32 bit and I've upgraded(actually did clean installs)to 7048, 7057, 7068, 7077 and now I'm using 7100 Ultimate x64 RC.
Never using Vista and coming from XP Pro to this been shocking. It installs and boots so much quicker than XP, I mean it's night and day comparing these 2 OS's.
Total time to load W7 was 11 minutes and it boots in 20 seconds.

One of my favorite feature is the search option in the start menu, whenever I have trouble locating something the search has been amazing. The automatic updates is pretty darn sweet to, it's nice not having to manually install your video and sound card drivers.

Gadgets!!! Lot's to choose from. I don't like a cluttered up desktop but I had to add a nice little digital clock and a small local weather box. You can change the opacity of the gadgets so their not intrusive.

Sticky Notes!!! Now you can have them on your desktop and not on and around your monitor

This is so much nicer than XP and I'm learning more about the system everyday so what I plan on doing is adding to this thread as I find different programs that I use or think someone might be interested in as I go along.

BTW, it runs rfactor just fine.

Stay tuned

[Jeff Chandler]

Windows 7 Info:

Windows 7 Secrets

Game Booster 1.0
While this was not built for W7 it does work with it.

There are plenty of hardware-free solutions for squeezing a little bit more gaming performance out of your Windows system. Heck, there are even a number of tools built right in to Windows that you can use to cut down on background performance drains before you fire up your favorite game - like services.msc, for example.

Still, it's kind of pain to go in there and selectively turn off unwanted services all the time. Game Booster makes the process totally painless. It's similar to AMD's Fusion tool: when activated, Game Booster will turn off any unnecessary Windows services, do a quick RAM sweep, and offer to close any other programs that are currently running.

Game Booster is useful in non-gaming situations as well - keep it handy to quiet background process noise whenever you're firing up any processor-hungry application.

Game Booster is a free download, and it's compatible with Windows XP, Vista, and even Windows 7 - good news for those of you who are beta testing and looking for compatible tweaking apps.

Tweaks Log-In Changer

Wallpaper and Icons(really cool icons)



List of Supported apps in Windows 7

Legend
NF = Not free
FSA = Free Software/ Free Version Available
TR = Trial available
UNS =unsupported software/outdated software
NVA = New Version Available
SSF = Supported Software
R = Registration Required
(R) = Registration Required for Download from the Authors Website but the the link is to a trusted mirror which does not require registration

Works

* Adobe Creative Suite 4 Master Collection (NF/SSF/TR)
* Adobe 9 lite (FS/SSF)
* Aimersoft DVD Studio Pack (NF/TR/SSF)
* Avast (FS/SSF/R)
* Avira AntiVir (Personal Tested) (FS/SSF/R)
* Ccleaner (FS/SSF)
* ConvertXtoDVD 3
* Core temp 0.99.3
* Cpu-z (FS/SSF)
* DAMN NFO Viewer 2.10
* Digital Persona 3.x (NF/UNS)
* DriverMax (FS/SSF/R)
* Elaborate Bytes CloneDVD
* ESET Smart Security
* Everest Ultimate Edition (NF/SSF/T)
* Expression (NF/SSF/TR/R)
* Filezilla (FS/SSF)
* Firefox (FS/SSF)
* Gpu-z (FS/SSF)
* Izarc (FS/SSF)
* Kaspersky Antivirus 2009
* Kaspersky Internet Security 2009
* Live Mesh (FS/SSF/R(Windows live ID)) Website
* -----(note: installing this addon/Application will disable Aero when the application is Active)
* MagicISO (version 5.7 tested)
* MapPoint NA 2009 (NF/SSF/T)
* MathCAD LINK (version 14 tested)
* Microsoft Math 3.0
* mIRC 6.35 (FSA/SSF)
* MS Project Pro (NF/SSF/TR/R)
* Nero Ultra 8.3.6.0 (NF/TR/NVA/SSF)
* NetMeter 1.1.3
* Norton Internet security 2009
* Office 2007 (NF/TR/R)
* OpenVPN 2.1.0rc15 (installer must be set to Vista compatibility mode)
* Paragon Partition Manager 9.0
* PowerISO (NF/TR/SSF)
* PTC Pro/Engineer Wildfire 3.0 M1
* PuTTY
* Quicken 2007 Deluxe (NVA)
* Rainmeter
* RealPlayer Ver 11
* Revo Uninstaller
* Sharepoint (NF/SSF/TR/R)
* Skype
* Slysoft CloneCD Ver 5.3
* Slysoft Virtual CloneDrive (FSA)
* Spybot Search & Destroy
* Stardock ObjectDock
* Steam
* TeamSpeak
* TI Connect (version 1.6 tested) (Texas Instruments)
* Trucrypt (FS/SSF)
* TuneUp Utilities 2009 (NF/SSF/(R))
* -----(note: do not use the registry cleaner as it will delete your desktop and other items...)
* UltraMon Download (works but give the old style task bar in secondary monitors)
* UltraVnc (NF/SSF)
* Utorrent (FS/SSF)
* Ventrilo Download
* Visio Pro (NF/SSF/TR/R)
* Vista Firewall Control (FS/SSF)
* VLC Media Player
* Vmware player (FS/SSF)
* Vmware workstation(NF/TR/SSF)
* Winamp Pro 5.541 (NF/FSA/SSF)
* WindirStat (FS/SSF)
* Windows Movie Maker 2.6
* WinRaR 3.8 (TR/FSA/SSF)
* Windows Live beta (FS/SSF)
* Wolfram Mathematica


Doesn't Work

* Alcohol 120% (Version ???)
* -----Does NOT install. Exact same issues as Daemon tools it asks you to reboot to continue and you begin a endless cycle of rebooting. Must be something that has changed in the registry that has to do with the virtual drive setup. However i dont understand why Power ISO works.
* Cisco Systems VPN Client Ver 5
* Daemon Tools Pro Advanced 4.10.0218
* Norton 360 V2
* Norton Corp Antivirus 10 or 11
* RssReader 1.0.88.0

[davidan]

Great stuff Jeff, thanks for taking the time to share your experience!

[TimCollier]

Thanks for the info Jeff....have been considering building a new machine and putting W7 on it as a test box for the OS and see what proggys work with it...sounds like it's a great OS already. Can't wait to grab the Public Release Candidate this week and give it a shot.

[Packerjim2001]

Thanks for the info Jeff....have been considering building a new machine and putting W7 on it as a test box for the OS and see what proggys work with it...sounds like it's a great OS already. Can't wait to grab the Public Release Candidate this week and give it a shot.

I had heard they closed the beta and you couldn't get it anymore. Is the Public Release something different?

[TimCollier]

Yes, Microsoft is releasing a Release Candidate version to the public this week, everyone can download and use. I believe it's set to be released tomorrow (May 5th), but haven't seen anything definitive. Maybe our Microsoft insider could tell us what he's heard...

[davidan]

Yes, Microsoft is releasing a Release Candidate version to the public this week, everyone can download and use. I believe it's set to be released tomorrow (May 5th), but haven't seen anything definitive. Maybe our Microsoft insider could tell us what he's heard...

You summed it up well Tim!!! Everyone should download the Release Candidate and give it a try!

David

[davidan]

Also today the BETA for Windows XP mode for Windows 7 was released, very cool technology that allows you to run older apps in a virtualization environment on Windows 7

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...6-173f032f5159

[Troy Dalton]

Years ago I jumped all over the OS/2 Warp bandwagon and that pretty much ruined me as an early adopter. However, I certainly can appreciate the effort that you guys are making. It'll save guys like me a ton of time and effort in the future.

Thanks for your efforts!

Cheers,
Troy

[Onita]

Also today the BETA for Windows XP mode for Windows 7 was released, very cool technology that allows you to run older apps in a virtualization environment on Windows 7

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...6-173f032f5159

The virtualization mode isn't going to be the best, though. Of course, you need to have a processor that supports virtualization, as well, you won't be able to take advantage of GPUs, some multimedia x86 extensions, and other things that generally make applications or games speedier. Basically, virtualization mode if for people that have an application that is SO old and they are refusing to move onto something new that they need to keep running XP JUST to be able to run that program.