[cerbie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx /img/forum/go_quote.gif I don't know anything about 64bit OS so I can't help you there, but if you plan to use more than 4gb of ram it may be a consideration. I'm not 100%, but isn't 64bit Windows OS only accept signed drivers? That would be pointless for me. (...)

Yes, but you can, with vigilance, get around that.

Driver Signature Enforcement Overrider Downloads
Even with it, I have to use the boot menu option to not need signed drivers on each boot, but it makes it possible[size=xx-small] (without it, I can't use unsigned drivers even when using the boot menu option for it)[/size]. There are apparently other ways around it, but that's the only one that worked for me. I do think it should be easier, and that it does represent Microsoft's general desire to remove control from users, as well. A permanent toggle requiring a UAC prompt would be enough to handle 99% of the security reasons for requiring signed drivers. Or, even a prompt each time an unsigned driver wishes to load, to handle that other 1%. Absolute refusal should only be able to be applied in a managed business setting, IMO.

Also, for music playback, I would recommend disabling CPU power management[size=x-small] (or at make the min and max the same in the performance profile)[/size]. It randomly skips all the time, otherwise[size=xx-small] (less so using WASAPI, but it still will do it)[/size], though I'm sure playing everything back over a network doesn't help.

For 32 v. 64: running 32-bit software in the 64-bit OS can be up to around 10% slower, and most software will run the same speed as in the 32-bit OS. I've yet to find a 32-bit Windows app that wouldn't run just fine, though some have needed Vista or XP compatibility modes set. Also, I love running in 8GB w/o swap.

As you might guess, Windows 7 is not replacing Linux for my main desktop--even PulseAudio is pretty reliable, if a CPU hog, and a config PITA, thanks to ALSA[size=xx-small] (Vista's WM features still can't touch my customized Compiz, too)[/size]. I don't really hate running it, though.

 

[terrymx]

Thanks for the tip, since I don't really use 64bit I'm not too informed about it, but that is good to know. I also prefer no pagefile, but I will do as you said about the CPU usage as well.

Right now I simply uninstalled PulseAudio and installed ALSA to make my E-MU1212m work. Ubuntu 9.1 alpha isn't in usable state yet, but I tried installing it the other day and the entire process took 2.5minutes, on a platter harddrive. With that said I think Win7 install pretty quickly too, if you do a little stripping off the extras, it takes about 7-10minutes.

For anyone looking to buy a new computer or labtop, its probably good idea to wait for Windows 7 to be out so you get it along with the computer.

 

[Solid Snake]

Any college students out there, you can get a very nice discount for W7 until next year. If you need professional, you will see a link to it eventually. Don't be thrown off by the Home Premium picture.

Windows 7 US Online Store - Student Registration

Enjoy!

 

[cerbie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx /img/forum/go_quote.gif Thanks for the tip, since I don't really use 64bit I'm not too informed about it, but that is good to know. I also prefer no pagefile, but I will do as you said about the CPU usage as well.

It may not happen, but if you get skips with CPU spikes, it's a good bet the CPU power management is causing it.

Quote:

Right now I simply uninstalled PulseAudio and installed ALSA to make my E-MU1212m work. Ubuntu 9.1 alpha isn't in usable state yet, but I tried installing it the other day and the entire process took 2.5minutes, on a platter harddrive.

Pulse in Ubuntu has been a problem for awhile, due to defaults. I use Arch, with a manual configuration of it. For my onboard, if any player not using Xine or Gstreamer crashes[size=xx-small] (smplayer or VLC, basically, neither of which are known for their stability)[/size], and it's using ALSA, nothing else can be played w/o a reboot[size=xx-small] (rmmod -f even fails, to try to reload the sound modules)[/size], but I like S3 sleep[size=xx-small] (a problem area for OSS4)[/size]. I hate ALSA

. Pulse prevents that. Even PulseAudio is very much a, "choosing lesser evil," kind of thing, but until OSS4 gets full compatibility with power options, it seems to work.

 

[terrymx]

I am not using Compiz right now due to my integrated graphic card, actaully I've never used it. Can you confirm if it has the feature similar to Windows 7's Aero snap, where you drag a window to the edge of the screen?

 

[Arainach]

Quote:

Win7 is even more annoying than Vista in the aspect that I have to open like 4 windows just to be able to change my power saving configurations.

Huh? Windows Key -> "Power" and select "Power Options". Done. Quote:

Sometimes I'm confused what version of Windows I use because Windows 7 called itself 6.1. So I guess Windows 8 would be called 6.2.

You can blame app/driver writers for that; they apparently don't know how to do a "greater than or equal to" comparison and insist on continually doing "major version equal to 6" checks. Quote:

I do think it should be easier, and that it does represent Microsoft's general desire to remove control from users, as well.

I forget the number, but it's been reported that some ungodly huge portion of Windows crashes (as in 90% or above) are due to failures in 3rd-party drivers. It makes sense for MS to want to restrict their drivers to those that meet their standards of quality for their user experience. Otherwise you end up with Linux, where my computer blows up any time I try to enable my second monitor.

 

[cerbie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arainach /img/forum/go_quote.gif Huh? Windows Key -> "Power" and select "Power Options". Done.

Start button[size=xx-small] (my keybaord has empty space between control and alt, like there should be)[/size] -> Control panel -> Power Options -> Change plan settings -> Change advanced power settings -> 1-4 more clicks browsing the profiles and tree, possibly several more to change the options. Then you get out of it (another 3 clicks), and hope it did what you want.
Quote:

I forget the number, but it's been reported that some ungodly huge portion of Windows crashes (as in 90% or above) are due to failures in 3rd-party drivers. It makes sense for MS to want to restrict their drivers to those that meet their standards of quality for their user experience. Otherwise you end up with Linux, where my computer blows up any time I try to enable my second monitor.

That's why I mentioned a toggle setting, off by default, or even a prompt on each driver load. The latter would mean a prompt after you log in each time. Instead, they want it nearly impossible.

Don't think I don't dislike Xorg in various ways, too

. They blame applications for their own bugs[size=xx-small] (if an app can crash the whole server instance, it's a server bug)[/size], and still seem to want fancy prettiness over robustness[size=xx-small] (IE, creating a way to do the same as current Windows systems, where a driver-level crash, at worst, crashes games and video players)[/size].

 

[PYROphonez]

Everyone I know who has installed it has loved it so far, greatly preferring it to Vista. I plan to install Windows 7 Pro on my Thinkpad tonight, hopefully followed by my desktop in a week or so.

 

[fraseyboy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by terrymx /img/forum/go_quote.gif I am not using Compiz right now due to my integrated graphic card, actaully I've never used it. Can you confirm if it has the feature similar to Windows 7's Aero snap, where you drag a window to the edge of the screen?

Yes, Compiz does that, although the best and most useful feature of Compiz by far is wobbly windows.

 

[PYROphonez]

I installed Windows 7 about an hour ago. So far everything is running smoothly. I installed the Lenovo Power Manager and their Switchable Graphics driver (from their Windows 7 Beta drivers and utilities page) and it's functioning perfectly. So far so good.

 

[Dublo7]

Does anyone know a good VPN client for Windows 7?

 

[guyx1992]

I installed win7 ultimate x64 yesterday. Great OS! Because I saved my iTunes library file and all my necessary installs on a separate HDD I formatted for Vista to Win7 with all my necessary software in less than an hour.
I just need to install an Anti Virus.

 

[intoflatlines]

Quote:

Originally Posted by PYROphonez /img/forum/go_quote.gif I installed Windows 7 about an hour ago. So far everything is running smoothly. I installed the Lenovo Power Manager and their Switchable Graphics driver (from their Windows 7 Beta drivers and utilities page) and it's functioning perfectly. So far so good.

What Lenovo setup do you have? I have a T400 with integrated graphics and I'm hoping my install goes as smoothly as yours.

 

[MikoLayer]

Try kmplayer for media playback. I still like foobar's multiple playlist switching interface, but kmplayer can be used with reclock plugin to sound every bit just as good for music playback. It is by far the best video player for windows I have seen/used (way better than VLC, somewhat better than gom), plays swf and acts as a TV app as well.

 

[MikoLayer]

I like 7 so far, the new interface is nice and I keep reaching for the lower bottom corner for show desktop shortcut whenever I go back to vista on my secondary machine. Last time I checked Daemon tools does not work in 7, so I had to switch to virtual clonedrive - works just as well for everything btw. All other usual apps I consider essential (avira personal, anti-malware, xnview, kmplayer, foobar, foxitreader, virtualbox, thunderbird, ukagaka, etc) worked fine without an issue.

Other than that, I don't see anything particularly better or worse than the vista machine. To a point, I think people give too much credit to it at the expense of vista, which is and has been an excellent OS in its own light all along. I tend to trust anandtech, and they say not a whole lot has been changed internally: http://www.anandtech.com/systems/sho...spx?i=3557&p=4 Go figure.