Comments on the new Windows 7

[mike3rdof5]

Greetings All!

I installed Win7 Pro 64 about 2 months ago and have been learning about it ever since, still am.
First, my PC specs:
Asus Motherboard: M4A78-E
CPU: AMD Phenom II X4 965BE Rev3 @ 3.4 GHz
Ram: 4 X 1 Gig Crucial PC8500
HD: 2 X 500 Gig seagates in Raid 2+0 SATA
1 IDE DVD-ROM
1 SATA DVD-RW DL
Using the included onboard Radeon HD3300 Graphics for now (sideport UMA disabled, shared Ram at 512Mb)
Onboard Gigabit Lan connected (wired) to a Telus wireless modem/router combo @ 100Mbs.

Now, I do not have anything overclocked, CPU and Ram are running stock speeds at 3.4 GHz and 1066 MHz respectively.

I had this same system running Win XP 32 and it was very fast.
Win7 Pro 64 is even faster (never ran Vista) on this system.

I just want to say, I'm very impressed with Microsoft's new OS. It's stable (finally, although XP never gave me issues) it's fast, and it's so much more user friendly.
The new Aero display is very cool and never ceases to impress me.
The screen gadgets are also very cool. I'm most impressed with the improved media center!!!!

Im looking forward to the evolution to more and more 64 bit apps from various reputable software companies, as well as the new internet TV (FREE!!!!) included with the new Media Center, to be used more fully. The people at Microsoft had some foresight when creating this new OS. Its way ahead of its time, even now....

Anyone out there wondering if they should upgrade to windows 7?

Trust me, you will not only not ever regret it, you will be more impresssed than you can imagine.

Money VERY VERY Well spent!!!!!!!

Regards to you all,

Mike Latta,
Edm, AB, CANADA

 

[catilley1092]

I see you didn't run Vista (at least on the computer above), I only used it a couple of times at my sister's place to check email on. I was not impressed then (two years ago), I have tried my best to get her to upgrade to 7, but I understand her reason. Money's tight, and with 4 kids to care for, it's tough. I may surprise her, either for her birthday (in October), or Christmas. But by year's end, she won't have Vista no longer. That's a nice rig you have there, I upgraded this laptop to 7, but I don't have the Aero, or many of the features you have. It tri boots, Win 2K, XP Pro and Win 7 (home). But I do have a desktop that I got in November, it does well, I've done some upgrading to it, and getting ready to do more, I'm replacing a 320GB drive with a 750GB one. I would like a better video card, it's on my wish list. So has that TV panned out for you yet? I heard that we would have it, but really haven't looked. But I did want to let you know that's a nice rig you have, and if ever you need help, always feel free to come back. There's a great bunch of people here, and most are willing to help, if we can. Best wishes to you, and welcome to the forum.

 

[Nibiru2012]

Cat - with your upcoming TechNet subscription you'll be able to give her Windows 7, in whatever flavor she wants.

Oh, one thing I wanted to mention. Have you ever thought of taking the guts (ie. parts) out of that slimline desktop and put them in a conventional Mid-tower desktop case? That is the motherboard, CPU, hard drive, DVD-RW, etc.

It certainly would give you more options then to add additional hard drives, cooling, etc.

 

[mike3rdof5]

Thanks Cat for your comments.
To clarify abit, I have never ran Vista on any system, don't own it, never wanted it.
I have seen it on other systems and it looks similiar to Win7.
The TV in the Media center seems centered around U.S. channels, most notably CBS, and whenever I try to open one of those channels it says not available in your country/region.
The channels that do come in, come in clean and crisp with no lag.
I suspect this app/technology will be the next craze for advertisers on TV.
Yes, I know there are other internet TV apps on the market, but I'm very impressed at how the new Media center seemlessly combines all your media into one place.
Multimedia is the reason I built this rig, I'm not a hard core gamer (other than Blizzard games, love em), I use my PC as a big part of my entertainment system, and I wanted it to be fast and stable. And it is, I no longer wait for apps to open, its just click click click, go go go. The Raid config helps alot with HD access times and the CPU? Well, it's no Intel chip, but it's the fastest AMD chip that was available at build time, and 1/4 of the price of the latest Intel chip.
On the video card side of things:
If you are going with ATI, I recommend staying away from crossfire, it's a fine technology, but the newer 5000 based cards are so fast they simply do not need to be doubled up (plus they draw alot of power).
Also the 5000 series cards support direct X 11, as does Win7.
I'm still waiting for the right deal on a 5000 based ATI card, as of right now, the onboard 3300HD graphics performs excellent.
I hope you do surprise your sis with Win7. She will be most thankful!

 

[Nibiru2012]

mike3rdof5

Nice system you have there! I used to be a big AMD fan, still am, but this time around with my new build I decided to go with Intel. Mostly because I do a lot of video processing and Intel I have found works better for that.

My E8400 3.0GHz Dual Core CPU I have OC'd to 3.6GHz and it is stable and very fast.

Have you looked at the lower end Radeon 5000 series?

Here's a nice one from Sapphire for under $100 at Newegg.
SAPPHIRE 100293DP Radeon HD 5570 1GB 128-bit DDR3

I currently use a Sapphire Radeon HD3850, it works well for me since I'm not a huge gamer person. It does work very well for video, movies, TV, etc. though.

In a couple of weeks I'm going to get an OCZ Vertex Limited Edition 50GB SSD. $209 @ Newegg.

Uncle Sam decided my tax refund was too small so they upped it by another $400 !! :top:

I think it had something to do with the Gray Aliens being part of the tax return review process this year. I think maybe the upcoming "Disclosure" may be involved too. :listen:

As you can see from the photo below, they're discussing my return and the one on the left is holding my return
while the other on the right is preparing to phone the regional IRS office on Austin.

 

[mike3rdof5]

LOL at you Nibiru!
Nice pic!!!
Just curious, what was the price tag on that intel cpu of yours?
I have always been an AMD fan too, my last system was an asus board with an Athlon XP 2200+ CPU. Still have it actually, my daughter uses it.
I must say though that I only became an AMD fan out of cost necessity.
I always loved the stability that just seems inherent in all Intel chips.
Im staying away from sapphire boards, had one and it was ok but in depth research and comparison of ATI/ASUS based video cards VS Sapphire show the Sapphire boards usually are slighty clocked down, with less features, and slighter inferior cooling to the ATI mainstream boards. I agree they are a great value, but this next purchase on a 5000 based board will not be solely based on budget. I have not scrimped on any hardware for this build yet.
My research is still ongoing and I may yet go with a Sapphire board, don't mistake my comments as being negative toward Sapphire Tech. I just want to make sure (as much as is possible with computer hardware that is continually evolving) that I get a video card that will keep up with the future for as long as i can foresee.

Regards,
Mike.

 

[Veedaz]

You will love the SSD Drive Nibiru2012, as you know Windows 7 is optimised for then and you will be more then happy with your new boot and access times

 

[Nibiru2012]

The E8400 CPU DuaI-Core I paid $169.99 for it a year ago at Newegg. It's only dropped a $2 since then.

Like you, I have discovered that the Intel chipsets and associated drivers are the "bomb" compared to AMD drivers.

Glad you liked the pic... pretty good eh?

ASUS and Sappphire are the two top Radeon graphics card makers. The only issue I have with the Sapphire card is the quality of their GPU heatsinks. Mine is all-aluminum and has machining marks the depth of the Grand Canyon!

I am going to replace the heatsink with an all-copper one sometime soon. Probably the ARCTIC COOLING Accelero S1 Rev.2 VGA Cooler.

To provide passive cooling for high-end graphic cards, Accelero S1 Rev. 2 is a high performance passive cooler featuring 4 heatpipes connected with extra large surface area. It effectively removes a great deal of heat from the graphic cards keeping the components cool. Thanks to the elegant design, Accelero S1 Rev. 2 outperforms active cooling solutions. Accelero S1 Rev. 2 creates a true industry leading zero noise cooling solution for all enthusiast gamers.

• Noiseless Cooling
• 4 Heat Pipes
• Special Heat Spreader for Voltage Regulator Cooling
• Memory Cooling
• High Reliability
• Low Weight
• 6 Years Warranty

The cold air is drawn from outside to cool the fins directly:

Passive cooling, no fan and extremely efficient!

 

[catilley1092]

Cat - with your upcoming TechNet subscription you'll be able to give her Windows 7, in whatever flavor she wants.

Oh, one thing I wanted to mention. Have you ever thought of taking the guts (ie. parts) out of that slimline desktop and put them in a conventional Mid-tower desktop case? That is the motherboard, CPU, hard drive, DVD-RW, etc.

It certainly would give you more options then to add additional hard drives, cooling, etc.

I thought about it, but it's under warranty for four years, I doubt they will honor it if I do that. But after the hard drive, I may do a video card, and that's it. My next computer will be home built, I'm already putting $25 a month in an envelope for the cause, I figure it will take a lot of cash when the time comes, mabye one of those 128 bit processors will be out by then. AMD will probably have one. BTW, does higher rated video cards generate a lot of heat? I know the high performance drive that I'm adding throws off a little more. If upgrading the video chip generates a lot more heat, I'm not fooling with it.

 

[supan]

Hello !!

You have used AMD , what about the intel core-i3?
Can anybody tell me about this? Whether core-i3 is not able to install windows xp?

thanks

 

[johndept1]

nice window and work beautiful and fast.

 

[w7pro]

We are so happy to hear that your experience with Windows 7 Professional has been so positive. Make sure you know everything it is capable of. For more information on features, case studies and videos, please go to bit.ly/W7Pro

 

[catilley1092]

Windows 7 Pro has been a good experience for me, too. I acquired it through the Anytime Upgrade option in the Start Menu. At first, I obtained it for XP Mode, which has allowed me to learn more about VM's, and how they work. Not that I need it for myself, but it's allowed me to help others on this forum. I got that in March.

Since then, I've became a TechNet Plus member, and have Ultimate alongside Pro as a dual boot. The BitLocker option is great, there's many who feels it's overpriced (the OS), but BitLocker in itself is worth it for security. Just remember to print your passkeys, as the password you key in only turns on & off the feature, it won't allow you in, once you're logged off.

Now, I've got to make some choices about some courses to take, you get three with the initial subscription, and three more with each renewal. I'm soon going to decide, hopefully there's some hardware courses to assist me in learning.

Cat

 

[Mychael]

Hello !!

You have used AMD , what about the intel core-i3?
Can anybody tell me about this? Whether core-i3 is not able to install windows xp?

thanks

I can see no reason why an i3 would not be able to run XP, higher spec processors then that run XP fine. An i3 would also be fine for Win7, it's an lower spec model in the intel series but no reason for it not to be up to the job for the average home user.

 

[catilley1092]

If Celeron and Pentium 4's & M's can run XP, the i3 ought to make it smoke. If Windows 7 can run on it, most anything else (except Vista, which seems like shackles around your legs) should run fine.

Where the problem lies with running XP on newer systems isn't completely clear to me. There is something about a 137GB hard drive limit. I don't have all of the answers to this, but it would be a great discussion in another thread of it's own.

I run XP (home & pro) in various VM's, and it runs better in a VM with a modern processor than it does with older ones. And looks better, too.

 

[mike3rdof5]

As you know Cat, I originally had XP running on this newly built system first, before Win7 and I agree with ur comments on why running XP on newer systems is an issue. Never had any problem with XP, in my opinion it was the best OS Microsoft came out with, for that time period, but a very stable and secure OS at any age. Win7 was and is the same step up in OS levels as XP was from Win98se.
Vista? A learning experience for both Microsoft and us users, just as 95, ME, Win2K were as well.
It's been an educational and worthwhile growing period hardware and software wise.
Windows 7 is slick, fast, stable, and so visually appealing that it's just a pleasure to use and learn about.
Can't wait to see what else MS has in store for the world.

 

[TrainableMan]

If everything works well when you convert then sure you believe 7 is great. If you convert and find out some of your hardware manufacturers have left your ancient device behind, you would not be as thrilled.

I would say 7 is good. It's growing on me ... like athlete's foot

But it's not perfect, I do believe there is something wrong with the way they implimented the mouse movement. Sometimes it seems to stutter when other processes bog the system down. I believe the mouse should have elevated priviledges so it's always first priority. One tip: connecting via ps2 rather than usb helps greatly but not completely.

 

[catilley1092]

As you know Cat, I originally had XP running on this newly built system first, before Win7 and I agree with ur comments on why running XP on newer systems is an issue. Never had any problem with XP, in my opinion it was the best OS Microsoft came out with, for that time period, but a very stable and secure OS at any age. Win7 was and is the same step up in OS levels as XP was from Win98se.
Vista? A learning experience for both Microsoft and us users, just as 95, ME, Win2K were as well.
It's been an educational and worthwhile growing period hardware and software wise.
Windows 7 is slick, fast, stable, and so visually appealing that it's just a pleasure to use and learn about.
Can't wait to see what else MS has in store for the world.

Me too! I can't wait either. It will be hard for MS to outdo 7. As popular as it's getting (with most), unless there are major improvements (such as with IE), the next Windows version may be a hard sell.

There's still plenty of hardware on the market that's perfectly fine that's not supported in 7, XP Mode and other VM's makes it possible for a lot of hardware/software to work, where otherwise it won't. It took many months for some users to find answers to their issues, and some still haven't been solved, although a part of that may be lack of follow up on the user's end. I have pushed virtualization on this forum for months now, even came off of nearly $100 to prove a point to another member, and was right. But I gained from it too, I converted 7 Home Premium (64 bit) to 7 Pro, and am happy with it.

With this said, and the economy still a wreck (although some says it's over, I don't see it that way), the next Windows version will have to offer a lot to succeed. There's still a few clinging to the hope that it will be offered in 32 bit, I don't believe so, and I also hope not. Why do I say that? Because we cannot move forward by making everything work on computers built to run Win 2K & XP. Windows 7 will run on many of these systems, and in my opinion, that's plenty good enough. 7, like all other MS products, has a life cycle, and I seriously doubt many computers built between 1999-2005 will still be around by the time the support for 7 ends. So there's no need to make it backwards compatible with antiquated hardware.

And lastly, MS is in a battle with competition who is very much hard at work to compete with them. In today's markets, there is innovation at work around the clock. Older technology, some of which is still useful, just won't cut the mustard much longer. In order for MS to thrive, not just survive, they have to constantly make changes in an ever changing tech world. And we, as users, will have to change with them, whether we want to or not.

Cat

 

[mike3rdof5]

Very well said Cat.

 

[ortegmig]

Very happy

I have been usinf windows 7 64 bits for some weeks now. A part from canon considering my scanner too old to bother to deliver proper drivers everything works grate...