Who has Windows 7?

jqp · « **on:** 26 Oct 2009, 11:08 pm »

[ moved from the pub ]

I have 3 copies of Windows 7 that expire in March I think, obtained during the "beta" period via download. These go on 3 PCs while I figure out the best deal to purchase the new licenses. I also have a copy coming from Dell, as I recently purchased a new travel laptop eligible for Win7 upgrade. (I broke my Toshiba laptop screen

when I picked it up by the screen)

Hopefully I will be posting exclusively from Win7 after this evening when I install on my default PC at home. My media workstation already has it, and I will reposition it in the mancave tonight. I spent last night preparing for my migration from XP - formatting an underused disk to be my C drive, and moving lots of data to another drive that will be a data disk.

I want to optimize these machines and there is already lots of info on my favorite tech sites.

Anyone have any good tips and tricks?

Mag · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 Oct 2009, 11:21 pm »

I was trying to get my other computer working last night. I loaded an older version of XP over top a newer version and I can't activate Windows no how.

So I'm thinking of stripping the parts from another computer which has two hard drives and buy Windows 7 and load that, and hopefully it will work again. But it's like $280, ouch!

WGH · « **Reply #2 on:** 26 Oct 2009, 11:33 pm »

I would run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor before spending that kind of money.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

Wayne

jqp · « **Reply #3 on:** 26 Oct 2009, 11:44 pm »

You probably want Windows 7 Home Premium. I think you can get 3 licenses for $150 (Family Pack) and I though I read you can get 1 for $50? Not sure about that.

gary · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 12:58 am »

I got a copy of 7 ultimate for my macbook pro free with the whole house party thing, it's nice although I find myself still booting into mac most of the time. The OS is super quick, drivers for most everything are there or easily available, and best of all (for me anyway) battery life is far better than it was with the last release candidate. For security I'm using Microsoft Security Essentials and so far so good... it's light weight and doesn't slow things down at all, hopefully it still provides adequate protection from viruses/spyware. Anyway IMO it's the best MS operating system ever, by far.

Gary

flintstone · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 02:22 am »

I do, Windows 7RC on two PC's, and Vista on another. I'm going to buy the Family pack pretty soon for $150 (it's good for three upgrades). It's going to be a lot of work switching them all over though

....I'll probably do one system a week.

Dave

Pez · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 02:27 am »

Windows is good for one thing as far as I'm concerned. Running .exe Everything else I'll stick Snow Leopard. Honestly I use a partition on my HD from win XP for just that.

Levi · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 02:33 am »

I already started a thread several weeks ago about Windows 7 RTM in Discless circle.

I have been running the RTM (Release To Manufacturers) final edition available to MSDN subscribers. I can only say good things about it.

Cheers,
--Levi

Quote from: jqp on 26 Oct 2009, 11:08 pm

[someone please facilitate a Windows/PC circle, until then posting this here]

I have 3 copies of Windows 7 that expire in March I think, obtained during the "beta" period via download. These go on 3 PCs while I figure out the best deal to purchase the new licenses. I also have a copy coming from Dell, as I recently purchased a new travel laptop eligible for Win7 upgrade. (I broke my Toshiba laptop screen when I picked it up by the screen)

Hopefully I will be posting exclusively from Win7 after this evening when I install on my default PC at home. My media workstation already has it, and I will reposition it in the mancave tonight. I spent last night preparing for my migration from XP - formatting an underused disk to be my C drive, and moving lots of data to another drive that will be a data disk.

I want to optimize these machines and there is already lots of info on my favorite tech sites.

Anyone have any good tips and tricks?

MerlinWerks · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 02:59 pm »

Quote from: jqp on 26 Oct 2009, 11:44 pm

You probably want Windows 7 Home Premium. I think you can get 3 licenses for $150 (Family Pack) and I though I read you can get 1 for $50? Not sure about that.

I believe the $50 single price for the Home Premium Upgrade was for the preorder back in June. I bought three copies, but like you mentioned the 3-pack (Home Premium Upgrade) is available for $150 right now...

ctviggen · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 03:53 pm »

Quote from: WGH on 26 Oct 2009, 11:33 pm

I would run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor before spending that kind of money.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

Wayne

The upgrade advisor seems to be a bit wacky. For instance, it tells me I should use the 32 bit version, even though I have 4GB of RAM. Also, it says my video card isn't won't perform the fanciest graphics scheme, but it's a very fast, 256MB gaming card. I can't see it not being able to support anything that Windows 7 can throw at it. (Maybe the drivers aren't supported?)

I haven't delved more into whether these are errors that can be fixed.

ctviggen · « **Reply #10 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 04:02 pm »

Anyone know if you can dual boot XP and Windows 7? I'd have to buy quite a few programs to run under Windows 7 (I know, you can get the XP mode to run under the Professiona; version, but I already purchased the home premium version).

By the way, does anyone else get confused by all the different varieties of windows? Why are there "premium", "professional", and "ultimate" editions? It's too confusing for someone who just wants to upgrade home computers, especially when the family pack seems to be limited to "premium" and not "professional" editions.

GHM · « **Reply #11 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 04:28 pm »

Seems like you should be able to this. I'm dual booting Ultimate Beta and Home Premium fully activated on one PC. I also dual booted Vista and Win 7. You have several options, here's the first http://blog.taragana.com/index.php/archive/how-to-dual-boot-windows-7/.
The easiest for me was to just install Windows 7 on another HD in my PC. IF you don't want to add a second drive the first option could be the ticket.

srb · « **Reply #12 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 04:29 pm »

Quote from: ctviggen on 27 Oct 2009, 04:02 pm

Why are there "premium", "professional", and "ultimate" editions? It's too confusing for someone who just wants to upgrade home computers, especially when the family pack seems to be limited to "premium" and not "professional" editions.

To make and charge more money, I guess. I think there should be one operating system with all features available ("Ultimate"), just like Apple has one OSX 10.x.

That being said, Microsoft has reduced the 4 versions of Windows Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate) to 3 in Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate).

- All versions now have Windows Media Center

- Professional and Ultimate add the ability to
Join a Domain (like logging on to your workplace network)
Backup your computer to Home or Business network locations
Run in Windows XP mode

- Ultimate adds
BitLocker Data Encryption
35 Language Support

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/compare/default.aspx

Steve

TomS · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 04:48 pm »

Quote from: srb on 27 Oct 2009, 04:29 pm

Quote from: ctviggen on 27 Oct 2009, 04:02 pm
Why are there "premium", "professional", and "ultimate" editions? It's too confusing for someone who just wants to upgrade home computers, especially when the family pack seems to be limited to "premium" and not "professional" editions.

To make and charge more money, I guess. I think there should be one operating system with all features available ("Ultimate"), just like Apple has one OSX 10.x.

That being said, Microsoft has reduced the 4 versions of Windows Vista (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business and Ultimate) to 3 in Windows 7 (Home Premium, Professional and Ultimate).

- All versions now have Windows Media Center

- Professional and Ultimate add the ability to
Join a Domain (like logging on to your workplace network)
Backup your computer to Home or Business network locations
Run in Windows XP mode

- Ultimate adds
BitLocker Data Encryption
35 Language Support

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/compare/default.aspx

Steve

This tier strategy is all about money. What home user (supposedly Home Premium buyer) with multiple XP computers and lots of older software investments doesn't want to "Get all the benefits of Windows 7 and continue to leverage your investments in older business and productivity programs that require a PC running Windows XP" which is only included in Professional+? Like I want to buy/upgrade all that software for 7?

I guess I'll keep replacing all of them with Macs... The hardware is a bit more, but they don't break and I don't have to spend nearly as much on software and upgrades all the time. $25 for Snow Leopard, yup. $99 for a family pack of iWork, their Office type suite. No special virus, registry cleaners, spyware hunters, etc. to buy either.

Sorry, having to pay MS yet again just makes me want to rant (or worse).

srb · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 04:59 pm »

Quote from: TomS on 27 Oct 2009, 04:48 pm

Sorry, having to pay MS yet again just makes me want to rant (or worse).

Come on Tom, don't hold it in. Tell us how you really feel.

I have Windows Vista Ultimate. The upgrade strategy won't let me upgrade to a lesser edition, like Professional.

So even though I bought the most expensive Vista edition, I still have to pay $220 to upgrade to 7.

Steve

TomS · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 05:35 pm »

So I wonder... will the Office 2007 Ultimate Suite ($$$) I just installed on my home XP machine last weekend run on W7 Home Premium or do I have to buy an upgrade? Looks like I need to do a lot more research before I jump in.

srb · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 Oct 2009, 05:42 pm »

Quote from: TomS on 27 Oct 2009, 05:35 pm

So I wonder... will the Office 2007 Ultimate Suite ($$$) I just installed on my home XP machine last weekend run on W7 Home Premium or do I have to buy an upgrade? Looks like I need to do a lot more research before I jump in.

Yes, Office 2007 will run on Windows 7, but you will need to download and install Service Pack 2 for Office 2007.

Steve

ctviggen · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 Oct 2009, 10:30 am »

Quote from: ctviggen on 27 Oct 2009, 03:53 pm

Quote from: WGH on 26 Oct 2009, 11:33 pm
I would run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor before spending that kind of money.
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

Wayne

The upgrade advisor seems to be a bit wacky. For instance, it tells me I should use the 32 bit version, even though I have 4GB of RAM. Also, it says my video card isn't won't perform the fanciest graphics scheme, but it's a very fast, 256MB gaming card. I can't see it not being able to support anything that Windows 7 can throw at it. (Maybe the drivers aren't supported?)

I haven't delved more into whether these are errors that can be fixed.

Here's my video card:

http://reviews.cnet.com/graphics-cards/asus-eax1600pro-silent-td/1707-8902_7-32330081.html

I went to the ASUS site, and they don't appear to have windows 7 drivers yet from my card. Perhaps that's the problem.

ctviggen · « **Reply #18 on:** 28 Oct 2009, 10:35 am »

And what really sucks is that my video interface is PCI Express 16, of which there are very few video cards any more. And I bought the computer really not that long ago. The manufacturers continue to "upgrade" the hardware, leaving no option for some of us other than to upgrade (meaning, buy a new motherboard).

MaxCast · « **Reply #19 on:** 28 Oct 2009, 11:12 am »

Does anyone know if office 2000 will work on win7?

I have win2000 which I really haven't had any problems with but new versions of quick books will not work with 2000.

Thanks