Author Topic: Windoze 7 (Read 9990 times)

Ben · « **on:** October 21, 2009, 08:29:45 PM »

So now that Windows 7 is releasing, I'm spec'ing out my new desktop. A question for anyone that's been working with the Win7 beta:

The Ultimate package includes several features that sound interesting that Pro doesn't have, including Bitlocker drive encryption, and a virtual disk. Has anyone used these that can give pros and cons? For instance is the virtual disk as good as Virtualbox (which I currently use)? Is Bitlocker worth it over free 3rd party apps (I'm assuming it does whole drive encryption as well as folder/file)?

I was looking at the differences via the chart here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions

Physics · « **Reply #1 on:** October 21, 2009, 08:47:54 PM »

If anyone is interested, you can get a copy of windows 7 home premium for $30 with a student email.

PM me for details.

Vodka7 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2009, 05:19:47 AM »

Disclaimer: I haven't used Windows 7 for more than a few hours in a VM.

That said, as I understand the technology:

VHD is already use in VirtualBox. It's just a file format for your hard disk images. Windows 7 adds one big feature that Linux doesn't have (that I know of)--without modifying your MBR, it lets you boot off of a VHD. So let's say you've got Windows 7 as your only OS, but you've been messing around with Ubuntu 9.10 in a VM. You can boot from the VHD, and it works like a normal OS instead of running in a window. It saves you repartitioning, installing Ubuntu from scratch on the new partition, reinstalling your programs, and migrating your settings. Windows 7 can also mount VHDs, which is a nicer way to move files between the guest and host.

You should read the wiki on BitLocker before you make a purchasing decision based on it. I personally prefer the way TrueCrypt does things, but if you've decided to go with full disk encryption, BitLocker is going to be one of the more transparent options available. You're limited to 128bit AES, though--no choosing your key strength or chaining algorithms.

I'm very happy with Arch Linux, but if I were buying Windows 7 and paying for it with my own money, I'd go with Home Premium. The only tempting features in Pro are the RDH and XP mode, both of which I can easily replace with freeware. If my company were paying, Pro.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2009, 08:47:32 AM »

Moving to Windows 7 Pro here, but only when my XP Pro is no longer supportable.

Ben · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2009, 10:51:00 AM »

Thanks for that info Vodka -- very interesting on the virtual disk.

G98 -- I would actually rather be keeping my XP Pro for a while too, but my desktop is about to bite the dust and it's old enough now that I'd rather get new components than repair, so figured I might as well go whole hog and migrate to 7 since I'll be doing fresh installs anyway.

zahc · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:22:43 AM »

Quote

Windows 7 adds one big feature that Linux doesn't have (that I know of)--without modifying your MBR, it lets you boot off of a VHD. So let's say you've got Windows 7 as your only OS, but you've been messing around with Ubuntu 9.10 in a VM. You can boot from the VHD, and it works like a normal OS instead of running in a window. It saves you repartitioning, installing Ubuntu from scratch on the new partition, reinstalling your programs, and migrating your settings.

Sounds a lot like Wubi

http://wubi-installer.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wubi_(Ubuntu_installer)

Nightfall · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:30:40 AM »

Unless something goes wrong, I should end up with Windows 7 Pro in both x86 and x64 for free, thanks to being in the CS program at my college.

...I don't know what that has to do with the OP, I'm just happy to be saving ~$300 bucks over buying two new OEM copies.

AZRedhawk44 · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:46:09 AM »

I'm building VM environments for my co-workers right now. Windows 7 ultimate for all of 'em since we play with foreign languages in our product. I like MSDN subscriptions. :-)

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:02:56 PM »

Roger that, Ben.

Once Fistful makes me a sweetheart deal on that HP ProLiant server he got for free, I'll go directly to Windows 7 Pro 64-bit on that, too.

Perd Hapley · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2009, 05:46:48 PM »

I'm accepting offers.

MillCreek · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2009, 06:15:14 PM »

I have one desktop and one laptop running Vista (flawlessly, I might add) and four laptops running XP flawlessly. I see no pressing reason to spend the money to upgrade to Win7.

Tallpine · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2009, 09:19:28 PM »

Heck, I'm still running Win2K on this PC

My work computer has XP, which is what the company installed on it. I don't think they want to mess around with anything else yet. :rolleyes:

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #12 on:** October 27, 2009, 10:19:47 AM »

Anybody bite the bullet yet?

Brad, I'm expecting a report from you anyday now. (Well, that, and a signal for me to purchase a used Dell w/RDRAM...)

Looks like I'll be buying Windows 7 Professional, at a minimum, but I'd like to hold out for a Family Pack multiple user license deal or at least Service Pack 1.

I can't use DirectX 10 until I go with Vista or Windows 7. Since I'll never go to Vista...

Nightfall · « **Reply #13 on:** October 27, 2009, 11:25:02 AM »

Quote from: Gewehr98 on October 27, 2009, 10:19:47 AM

Looks like I'll be buying Windows 7 Professional, at a minimum...

Windows Professional is what I've been using on the laptop for the past couple days. By 'using', I mean light stuff like internet browsing and burning some CDs. Native ISO burning is nice, didn't know about that little change. You guys were right, it's not hard to see the improvement from Vista (though I didn't have near the troubles or frustrations that many had).

Unfortunately, one of the HDDs in my desktop decided you can never have enough bad sectors, and it's going back to Western Digital tomorrow. 6 month life span... not good. :| So much for getting x64 Win7 on here anytime soon.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #14 on:** October 27, 2009, 11:31:15 AM »

Quote from: Gewehr98 on October 27, 2009, 10:19:47 AM

Anybody bite the bullet yet?

Brad, I'm expecting a report from you anyday now. (Well, that, and a signal for me to purchase a used Dell w/RDRAM...)

Still waiting on the software to arrive. They said the upgrade was free. What they didn't say was when it would get here. I suspect it will be one of those week-to-ten-days things at a bare minimum. Sure do wish they would hurry up, though. I'm still limping along on the old machine and dealing with the work-arounds is really getting on my nerves.

Brad

AZRedhawk44 · « **Reply #15 on:** October 27, 2009, 11:41:38 AM »

I have a VM running it.

All the Vista GUI "mac-ness" without the slowing and bloat.

I guess I'm old-fashioned when it comes to the start menu and task bar. I want it Win98 style, with no adaptive guessing as to what app I want, no segregation between the start menu entries on the user profile versus the machine profile (they should all just be the machine profile) and I don't want my open apps to stack on the task bar. And I want all my system tray icons visible.

Win8 that ships with it sucks and has the "forum reply window" bug. If you type enough to fill the provided reply text box so that the scroll bars pop up... the screen jumps around and makes you think you have astigmatism.

Aside from that... since it's in a VM I haven't played with CD burning or any DX10 stuff.

zahc · « **Reply #16 on:** October 27, 2009, 11:47:17 AM »

Windows has native ISO burning capabilities now? Wow, it's really approaching modernity.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #17 on:** October 27, 2009, 11:49:01 AM »

Quote from: AZRedhawk44 on October 27, 2009, 11:41:38 AM

Win8 that ships with it sucks and has the "forum reply window" bug. If you type enough to fill the provided reply text box so that the scroll bars pop up... the screen jumps around and makes you think you have astigmatism.

I've noticed that on the machine I have at home. Is there a fix?

Brad

AZRedhawk44 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:03:34 PM »

Quote from: Brad Johnson on October 27, 2009, 11:49:01 AM

I've noticed that on the machine I have at home. Is there a fix?

Brad

Yep. On pre-Win7 machines, uninstall IE8 and run IE7. On win7 machines, install Firefox.

Brad Johnson · « **Reply #19 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:05:42 PM »

I just asked another computer-savvy guy here in the office if there was a fix. His reply? Don't be some damned wordy.

Brad

Nitrogen · « **Reply #20 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:22:31 PM »

I just redid my "windows" VM with a windows 7 one, and so far I'm digging it.

roo_ster · « **Reply #21 on:** October 27, 2009, 12:26:35 PM »

Quote from: zahc on October 27, 2009, 11:47:17 AM

Windows has native ISO burning capabilities now? Wow, it's really approaching modernity.

Only 9 years behind Redhat6.0! (IIRC, it came with xcdroast)

tyme · « **Reply #22 on:** October 27, 2009, 05:48:24 PM »

Quote

Yep. On pre-Win7 machines, uninstall IE8 and run IE7.

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT Eleventy!!1!

Tell ie8 to render the site in ie7 compatibility mode (Page menu -> Compatibility view). Or install firefox. Downgrading from IE8 to IE7 is pathological.

Also, I cannot reproduce this jumping-scrollbar behavior in IE8 by filling up an APS reply textbox, unless I reach the max character limit (which is more than just filling the vertical space of the textbox). That's annoying, but it takes a lot of typing to get there, and if you recognize it you know what it means. Is that what you're talking about? Does it only happen on some textboxes? Any examples? As much as I'd like to heap hate on IE, it sounds more like a javascript bug.

Unisaw · « **Reply #23 on:** November 10, 2009, 07:11:18 PM »

I just upgraded from Vista to Windows 7 Ultimate on my Toshiba M750 tablet PC. Even though the Vista to 7 upgrade is supposed to be relatively easy, it still took most of the day. So far, I like 7 and it doesn't seem to have any of the instability problems I had recently experienced with Vista.

Gowen · « **Reply #24 on:** November 10, 2009, 08:06:15 PM »

Really, mine only took a 3 or 4 hours. Most of it was passive on my part.

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Author Topic: Windoze 7 (Read 9990 times)