Windows 7 Beta

[Hyden121]

Microsoft just opened up Windows 7.... Just when Vista is even more screwed up. Either way it looks cool.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-videos.aspx

Check it out.

[Mikulec]

What about compatibility with programs and games? Did u try it?

[hidden_hunter]

I never really had any issues with Vista but from what i've played with in Windows 7 it's fantastic.

[liamhere]

Microsoft just opened up Windows Mbile 7.... Just when Vista is even more screwed up. Either way it looks cool.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-videos.aspx

Check it out.

i take you really mean just windows 7....as your links states and not mobile

i have windows 7 x64 and i must say its really impressed me :)

[duncstar]

Im on Windows 7 x64 too and its the dogs, really loving it.

All those still on Vista, I suggest you burn your hard drive and get Windows 7, its everything Vista should of been:)

On a side note - anyone know when HTC devices are going to be supported on Device Stage???

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/devices.aspx

[hidden_hunter]

Im on Windows 7 x64 too and its the dogs, really loving it.

All those still on Vista, I suggest you burn your hard drive and get Windows 7, its everything Vista should of been:)

On a side note - anyone know when HTC devices are going to be supported on Device Stage???

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/devices.aspx

I suspect we'll at the very least see the Diamond, Touch Pro and maybe the Blackstone (depending if the guys at MS have one I guess), I'm also not seeing any PPC powered devices on this list so they could still be seperate?

Do you know if this includes devices connected via a network share? On one of my networks I have a brother MFC that's connected to one of my switches and it's a bit of a PITA to manage.

[kooolchief]

i really like the new interface of windows 7 especially the new task bar....and its works like a charm....:D

[duncstar]

I suspect we'll at the very least see the Diamond, Touch Pro and maybe the Blackstone (depending if the guys at MS have one I guess), I'm also not seeing any PPC powered devices on this list so they could still be seperate?

Do you know if this includes devices connected via a network share? On one of my networks I have a brother MFC that's connected to one of my switches and it's a bit of a PITA to manage.

I dont mate sorry

[Hyden121]

I just downloaded it finally but will try it when I get home close to my restoral CD's. ;) I am interesting in the newer device center. Other than that my major questions were pertaining to games and graphics. We all know how the majority of us got jacked over with Vista when it was released with KNOWN graphics problems. If Microsoft ignores the gaming community they will find that many loyal fans who have not left yet will go towards Linux or Apple. I have always loved Linux over MS anyway but have gained a newer resect for apple.... Well kind of. ;)

[BlueAnt1958]

Original post indicates it is win mob 7. WRONG!!!:mad:

It is actually Windows 7 OS beta release which is probably what Vista should have been.

[ND4SPD]

4 days of 7 x64...it's amazing. About Device Stage, I think there was something on MSDN about that. I'll go dig it up, I guess. In the end, it's all XML and *should* be pretty easy to do.

[codesplice]

I've been running Win7 x64 since Sunday with no issues whatsoever. So far, I love it. It's great. The redesigned taskbar is very intuitive and easy to use. I love the new network manager applet; it behaves like network-manager in Linux. That is, a single click shows a menu-style list of available networks, and another click will get you connected. Win7 also (finally) includes native support for burning ISO images, which makes me thrilled.

I'm not so thrilled that it inherited UAC (running UAC is like always wearing a condom in case you trip, slip, and fall on a prostitute in the shady back room of a hotel in a bad neighborhood), but it's at least got better controls for it via msconfig. Still, I straight-up disable that crap.

Also, the Action Center does a great job alerting the user about potential hardware issues, and it gave me direct download links for getting the proper drivers for my HP dv6700 notebook's card and fingerprint readers.

Additionally, it seems much snappier than Vista. I'm sure that will change in the final release, especially once OEMs get to bog it down with their bloatware, but it's nice for now.

Only complaint is that Chrome won't run on Win7 :(

Other than that, way to go MS!

[AndyCr15]

I've had Win 7 of my laptop for a few months, the only issue I have is it doesn't really work when browsing my network.

I installed the leaked build 6801 back then, since the public release I ran windows update and nothing happened. Does that mean I need to clean install the new release?

[orb3000]

I´ll wait for a stable version, just geting used to vista and I´m not an expert so I prefer to wait a few months

[AndyCr15]

What do you mean? This version is stable?

Many people are saying they think really it's past beta and about ready to be launched...

[codesplice]

I´ll wait for a stable version, just geting used to vista and I´m not an expert so I prefer to wait a few months

What do you mean? This version is stable?

Many people are saying they think really it's past beta and about ready to be launched...

It is EXTREMELY stable. I haven't been able to crash it yet, and believe me, I've been trying.

And it dual (or triple, in my case) boots quite well, so you've got nothing to lose if you want to give it a 20GB partition just to play with it. The current licenses are only good til 1 August anyway, so I'm not looking to use it as a permanent solution.

And it's really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, easy to use. So dive in :)

[Hyden121]

[quote=liamhere;3161467]i take you really mean just windows 7....as your links states and not mobile

Yes, Windows 7 was the correct title of the thread but I did catch that I states windows 7 mobile in opening thread box. Sorry about that everyone. I was rading articles on Windows Mobile 7 and looking at Windows 7 at the same time. ;) I have high expectations for both. I will be installing Windows 7 tonight and I will let you know how it runs on my laptop. Hopefully it better manages video memory than Vista does...

[lennie]

Only complaint is that Chrome won't run on Win7 :(

Other than that, way to go MS!

crome doesn't (I don't use it though, because their security is abysmal it's on the same level as safari on windows. but to every man his own) but it does work, you have to run the exe with a certain argument. search at live.com or google.com to find it. I saw it today in my RSS reader.

I'll try to find it for you.

EDIT: here you go http://i.gizmodo.com/5130150/how-to-run-chrome-on-64+bit-windows-7

[codesplice]

crome doesn't (I don't use it though) but it does work, you have to run the exe with a certain argument. search at live.com or google.com to find it. I saw it today in my RSS reader.

I'll try to find it for you.

Found it!

Thanks for letting me know there is a fix :)

For the rest of yous, you need to add –in-process-plugins to the shortcut launcher command.

Off to go try it.

EDIT: IT WORKS!

Source: http://www.blogsdna.com/1900/how-to-run-google-chrome-on-windows-7-64-bit-version.htm

[lennie]

I didn't check to see if this was in Vista but I just seen in 7 that I can set my background to change in intervals. I set my windows color to clear, so when my backgournd changes its like the window color changes too. I'm gonna check if its in Vista.

[AndyCr15]

I'm trying to decide whether to switch my main PC over to Windows 7. I've been thinking I need to do a re-install, not had a fresh start for a long while. Most Vista drivers seem to work on W7, so I'm not too worried there, I just wonder would I want to then go back to Vista in August? :?

[AndyCr15]

**EDIT** Ooops, dbl post. Sorry.

[codesplice]

I'm trying to decide whether to switch my main PC over to Windows 7. I've been thinking I need to do a re-install, not had a fresh start for a long while. Most Vista drivers seem to work on W7, so I'm not too worried there, I just wonder would I want to then go back to Vista in August? :?

Why not set up a dual-boot installation?

Just partition your drive to resize your current ntfs partition, and create a new ~20GB partition at the end of your drive using the gparted live cd (http://gparted.sourceforge.net/index.php). Tell Win7 to install there, and you'll be good to go. And you can share files back and forth between the systems to make switching back in August a snap :)

[codesplice]

I didn't check to see if this was in Vista but I just seen in 7 that I can set my background to change in intervals. I set my windows color to clear, so when my backgournd changes its like the window color changes too. I'm gonna check if its in Vista.

I don't think it is, though if you're running Ultimate you can get the same effect using Dreamscenes. Use Windows Movie Maker (or whatever it is) to create a video slideshow in the right resolution for your monitor, and set that as your background via Dreamscenes.

[AndyCr15]

Why not set up a dual-boot installation?

Just partition your drive to resize your current ntfs partition, and create a new ~20GB partition at the end of your drive using the gparted live cd (http://gparted.sourceforge.net/index.php). Tell Win7 to install there, and you'll be good to go. And you can share files back and forth between the systems to make switching back in August a snap :)

A reasonable plan, except I only have about 8 gig of the 50 gig I use on my Raptor for the OS...

[codesplice]

A reasonable plan, except I only have about 8 gig of the 50 gig I use on my Raptor for the OS...


Ah, that would be a problem.

I believe the MS-recommended minimum is 16GB.

[niyazidk]

i think you should try it with a virtual pc...

[orb3000]

It is EXTREMELY stable. I haven't been able to crash it yet, and believe me, I've been trying.

And it dual (or triple, in my case) boots quite well, so you've got nothing to lose if you want to give it a 20GB partition just to play with it. The current licenses are only good til 1 August anyway, so I'm not looking to use it as a permanent solution.

And it's really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, really, easy to use. So dive in :)

Thanks a lot for your comments, you cheer me up to test it!!

[aikman808]

I've been using Windows 7 since Sunday and its extremely stable. I went the dual boot route on a vista ultimate machine. I may have been one of the few people who really like/liked Vista. Never had any serious problems with it. When the official release of Windows 7 comes out, i'll be picking it up.:cool:

[AllTheWay]

Only complaint is that Chrome won't run on Win7 :(

Other than that, way to go MS!

I agree. Chrome won't work. I am loving Windows 7 as well.

crome doesn't (I don't use it though, because their security is abysmal it's on the same level as safari on windows. but to every man his own) but it does work, you have to run the exe with a certain argument. search at live.com or google.com to find it. I saw it today in my RSS reader.

I'll try to find it for you.

EDIT: here you go http://i.gizmodo.com/5130150/how-to-run-chrome-on-64+bit-windows-7

thanks for posting the fix. Works for me as well.

I've been using Windows 7 since Sunday and its extremely stable. I went the dual boot route on a vista ultimate machine. I may have been one of the few people who really like/liked Vista. Never had any serious problems with it. When the official release of Windows 7 comes out, i'll be picking it up.:cool:

Neither have I. I still have x64 6801 build as well running in conjunction with build 7000. I completely ditched vista instead of Windows 7. Now I have just have Windows 7 and Windows XP.

It's very easy to have Dual / Tri boot with Windows 7 as well. No issues switching between builds and Windows XP.

[sdlopez83]

Just rigged my system with windows 7 last night... Verdict... Its the tits, very stable... Some compatibility issues with old xp programs. Nice interface nonetheless.

[codesplice]

i think you should try it with a virtual pc...

I had issues trying to get it to run with VirtualBox. I'm pretty sure that had to do with trying to install the x64 version though.

I tried both on Ubuntu (x64) and Vista SP2 (x64) with no luck.

That said, I'm REALLY happy with the harddisk install of it. I see no reason to go back to Vista once this release is final.

And I'm with aikman - I'm rather pleased with Vista. Sure, it's a little more of a resource hog than it needs to be, but MS brought the desktop OS quite far from XP to Vista. Lots of new features, lots of improved ways of doing things. Win7 just seems to polish those changes up even more. :)

[niyazidk]

I had issues trying to get it to run with VirtualBox. I'm pretty sure that had to do with trying to install the x64 version though.

I tried both on Ubuntu (x64) and Vista SP2 (x64) with no luck.

That said, I'm REALLY happy with the harddisk install of it. I see no reason to go back to Vista once this release is final.

And I'm with aikman - I'm rather pleased with Vista. Sure, it's a little more of a resource hog than it needs to be, but MS brought the desktop OS quite far from XP to Vista. Lots of new features, lots of improved ways of doing things. Win7 just seems to polish those changes up even more. :)

Try Microsoft virtual pc 2007 and try adjust ram to a higher level if you have enough...

[codesplice]

Meh, not that big of a deal since I did have the hdd space (and multi-boot know-how) to pull it off. Good hint on MS Virtual PC though, I'll have to look into it.

I'm not sure, but I think that VirtualBox might run as a 32-bit application, which would definitely explain the "not 64-bit compatible hardware" message that I was getting. :-/

[tomoooo]

I tried ms virt pc 2007 /on Vista home premium/ and W7 on my notebook (Core2duo, 3GB Ram, X4500 Graph.) and running it as a virtual machine was kind a slow.
Today I made it a dual boot on my MSI WIND and I am really surprised. It runs perfect. Even the speed is great (log of, start, almost everything)

[lasterato]

i love it, running it on my laptop and big PC atm...buggy at times but wins all the same :) better than vista imo

[addicus]

When was the last time MS recieved such glowing reviews of a product? I love it. Not that I'm particular to MS but hearing fan boys of other OS's talk like it sucks when most of the world runs on Windows is annoying.

I'm in no position to try Windows 7, but I will watch it's progress and growth. Thanks for all the feedback.

[Rudegar]

I once tried to run Ubuntu64bit on xp32 bit with virtualpc2007 and it didn't
work had to turn to wmware to run the 64bit os on an 32bit os

[cris_rowlands]

I think this is both ironic and a testament to windows 7:

Im running Vista on my pc, and i also have 7 on a virtual pc.
Im regularly using windows 7 for programs which arent compatible
with vista. I find it rather funny. :D

I think they have done a great job. Its not perfect, but it would be boring if it was. lol

[_fm]

Windows 7 looks very cool,. :)

I'll have to try it someday,. :D

[codesplice]

Also, I'm sure most of you have already done it, but there's an update for the issue with Windows Media Player corrupting MP3 files when it tries to update the metadata for those files.

Read about it and get the update at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/961367

[Mr. Zach]

I've been using win7 as a primary OS at work since beta 6801 and have loved it. Now i'm on beta 1 x64 and couldn't imagine going back to anything else. Hopefully nvidia is a little more on the ball with drivers this time around though, they were responsible for the majority of the crashes :(

http://gizmodo.com/373076/nvidia-responsible-for-nearly-30-of-vista-crashes-in-2007

[andrewloh]

i have been using the Windows 7 Build 7000 x64 for a few days.
unexpectedly the performance is better than Vista.

although it's no much difference than Vista. the UI effect is very important. the successful of iPhone proved it.

[Maedhros]

Can someone just tell me if any computer running XP can run7?

[AndyCr15]

I wouldn't imagine that is a rule you can use. Any computer running something from 8 years ago can cope with the latest incarnation? I've read it will be safe with anything that can run Vista, but I've also heard it will actually be a little less system intensive. I have it on my 1gig laptop for example, runs very nice.

[9khil]

Can someone just tell me if any computer running XP can run7?

It runs nice on older computers. But if your computer BARELY can run xp, then win7 won't cut. If you ron xp smooth, win7 will probably run smooth..

[SKYPIRAT]

Did anyone meet the problem with connecting PPC and Windows 7 operating computer?My device won't connect. The message like "No PocketPC USB Driver found" appears and there's no result to use "Fix this"... Who knows sth 'bout that?

[syncopath]

About the minimum system requirements, Microsoft says:

"Minimum recommended specs call for:
- 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor
- 1 GB of system memory
- 16 GB of available disk space
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme)
- DVD-R/W Drive
- Internet access (to download the Beta and get updates)
And yes, like anything tech-related, these specs could change."

I downloaded it, but the memory and CPU are way above the box I was planning to run it on. Has anyone found it to run OK on less?
...(and multi-boot know-how)... As far as multi-boot installation is concerned, a word of warning based on my experience with Windows NT 4.0 from back when I was doing my MCSE. The Windows 7 beta is a limited-time edition (stops working August 1st 2009). We were given a limited-time edition of NT 4 for study purposes back then too. However, after the time limit had expired, the full version of NT 4 which I had by then installed, also stopped working. It transpired that the time limit worked by writing itself into the master boot record of the disc it was installed on and applied to any Windows OS installed there. The disc had to be zero-filled before a full version of Windows would work on it. So it could be no fun if you happen to have another OS on that disc!

[codesplice]

Did anyone meet the problem with connecting PPC and Windows 7 operating computer?My device won't connect. The message like "No PocketPC USB Driver found" appears and there's no result to use "Fix this"... Who knows sth 'bout that?

Hmm.

I've been syncing via Bluetooth sync with no problems. I'll try USB sync later today and see how that goes.

[codesplice]

As far as multi-boot installation is concerned, a word of warning based on my experience with Windows NT 4.0 from back when I was doing my MCSE. The Windows 7 beta is a limited-time edition (stops working August 1st 2009). We were given a limited-time edition of NT 4 for study purposes back then too. However, after the time limit had expired, the full version of NT 4 which I had by then installed, also stopped working. It transpired that the time limit worked by writing itself into the master boot record of the disc it was installed on and applied to any Windows OS installed there. The disc had to be zero-filled before a full version of Windows would work on it. So it could be no fun if you happen to have another OS on that disc!

Well, that would suck. I'll take a look at the MBR later today and see if I notice anything strange. I'm hoping that just the license key expires after 1 August. But just in case, I always image my disk before partitioning for new multiboots, so I can re-image to Vista+Ubuntu in a matter of hours if it comes down to that.

[slovoflud]

I absolutely love 7! use it as my main OS, everything works as it should, it couldn't find Fingerprint sensor drivers when I first installed it, but a couple of days back it automatically found them and installed successfully...

[lennie]

my vista installation is crying because it hasn't seen me in a good amount of days now. everytime I boot up, it calls out to me, but I never answer, I pretend I heard nothing. it'll probably hate me when I go back to it on aug. 1st, 2009. it's a high possibility that I might not go back because W7 beta 2 might be out by then....

[sheennick123456]

has anyone tried vlited windows 7

[codesplice]

slovo: yeah, had the same thing with mind. I used the Action Center to check on it, and it gave me a direct download link from the manufacturer. Great experience with that :)

lennie: I'm with you for sure. I've got Ubuntu calling out to me first, and then Vista, but I always walk right past them both and to 7. I can't believe how much I like it. I've been historically disapproving of MS, but I think they've done a really good job with this beta.

[newone757]

Did anyone meet the problem with connecting PPC and Windows 7 operating computer?My device won't connect. The message like "No PocketPC USB Driver found" appears and there's no result to use "Fix this"... Who knows sth 'bout that?




1. Uninstall from Programs and Features both the Windows Mobile Device Center and Windows Mobile Device Center Update if present.

2. Download and install this patch:
http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/thankyou.aspx?familyId=a754008b-d574-4e39-b4ba-67b859a242b7&displayLang=en then restart your computer

3. Download Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 from here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/en-us/help/synchronize/device-c​enter.mspx#download (I am using English 32bit) SAVE the program and then right click, Run as Administrator. Restart your computer.

4. The program should now be opening up without any issue.

[SKYPIRAT]

Thanks for your support. Everything runs well now after I installed WMDC 6.1. Now I like 7 more than XP even and will wait for final release!

[AllTheWay]

I am having installation issues with Windows 7 x64 7000

I am unable to install Office 2007 or Adobe Reader 9

When I try to install them I ran them both regularly and they both failed.

Microsoft advised me to run them as administrator so I did that. They still failed. So I changed the compatibility of them to Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista. Still both of them failed in a error state.

[codesplice]

I am having installation issues with Windows 7 x64 7000

I am unable to install Office 2007 or Adobe Reader 9

When I try to install them I ran them both regularly and they both failed.

Microsoft advised me to run them as administrator so I did that. They still failed. So I changed the compatibility of them to Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista. Still both of them failed in a error state.

Do they throw any sort of error codes?

I've got both of those programs installed on my x64 7000 with no problems at all. Have you disabled UAC yet? Might be worth doing.

Control Panel --> All Control Panel Items --> User Accounts --> Change User Account Control Settings

[theclueless]

i absolute love the longhorn beta, but look at vista...
not that i dont like vista, i still prefer it over xp, but ms is known for drastic changes from beta to final product...

[l3it3r]

I am having installation issues with Windows 7 x64 7000

I am unable to install Office 2007 or Adobe Reader 9

When I try to install them I ran them both regularly and they both failed.

Microsoft advised me to run them as administrator so I did that. They still failed. So I changed the compatibility of them to Windows XP SP2 and Windows Vista. Still both of them failed in a error state.

I've heard that there are some serious issues with Win7 x64 yet. I've been running the 32Bit version for a few weeks now though and I absolutely love it. I will gladly purchase Windows 7 when it's "gold". :D

[codesplice]

Still no issues with x64 yet.

Did have to disable the signed driver check to install a usb to 232 adapter, but that's fine by me. Otherwise stable as a rock. And I've been TRYING to break it.

[sguerra923]

hmm.. sounds like windows 7 might be a winner for Microsoft.. I mean its only beta and everyone has good things to say about it.. anymore updates from anyone?