Vista’s successor arrives this October 22. Discover what you should know before installing it in your PC or being enable to resist for a new computer preinstalled with Windows 7.
The big day for Microsoft. As of October 22, Windows 7 will be officially available boxed and pre-installed on the PCs of manufacturers, both for businesses and for individuals.
No way for the publisher to renew the error with a launch in two phases, as was the case for Windows Vista, with an offset for marketing professionals and the general public. Today, the new Windows is there for everybody at the same time. And in time to avoid disrupting the year-end family PC sales.
Windows 7 to succeed so controversial Windows Vista. On the menu, interface improvements and a lot of new functions. Unsurprisingly, the change takes place in continuity with, however, a major innovation: the new Windows does not require more powerful hardware than the previous version. That in itself is a small revolution.
For use, Windows 7 is a nice evolution of Vista, stable and efficient. Deference to critics of Windows: it is a version that you feel worked well! Read the Web user feedback testers of the release candidate (released by Microsoft for free between May and August 2009), this favorable opinion seems to be shared by many. The host promised to Windows 7 will probably significantly better than that to Vista in its time.
Does this mean the adoption? Soon, many users will probably have no choice when buying a new computer, Windows 7 will be preinstalled. For others, who must weigh the pros, our case provides evidence to fuel their thinking.
1. This is not a revolution
Without changing the interface and the functional aspect of Vista, Windows 7 is enriched with improvements rather successful.
If you expect that Windows 7 stare with an avalanche of new graphical and functional, you’ll be disappointed. In surface and depth, this operating system very similar to Windows Vista. Some will grouse, but most users will surely appreciate to keep intact their habits. Improvements to the interface are visible immediately and require a short adjustment period.
The new taskbar includes such icons more visible, including an overview displays miniature new generation very successful. Also good for window management, which is enriched with functions of placement and automatic sizing, and gadgets that now only focus on Windows desktop.
In the functional side, also a new version of Windows Media Player clearer and richer (especially capable of playing video in DivX format), note that Windows 7 is now compatible with touch screens.
2. Windows is not more greedy
Windows 7 is not requiring more resources than Vista. In one configuration, it is as fast or more.
Each new version of Windows requires a more powerful PC and, therefore, was slower than the previous one on the same hardware. Good news, it is no longer the case with Windows 7. According to our tests, the system shows as well as fast as Vista in most daily tasks, or more.
This improved responsiveness of the new system must however be subjected to the test of time. With any version of Windows, a PC is always refreshed immediately after the first installation or after reinstalling. What is certain is that if your PC is sized to work properly with Windows Vista, you will not receive the boost to Windows 7.
3. Updating or full version, the choice is not trivial
To upgrade to Windows 7, the purchase of the update version, cheaper is not always the right solution.
Whatever the edition of Windows 7 (Home Premium, Business or Ultimate, with or without N) marketed as a box or download from the Microsoft Store, there are two versions: full and update.
The first, more expensive, allows the installation of Windows 7 without any restrictions. The second requires the presence on the hard drive, one of the two previous versions of Windows are eligible for the update, XP or Vista (Read the instructions from Microsoft).
Reinstalling can be a problem
With a update version, the subsequent relocation of Windows 7 will be possible only if we have retained a copy of the old system (an option during installation), or that we have the disks (original or backup) in order to reinstall XP or Vista before you start reinstalling Windows 7. It is a thorny problem for many users, including laptops users, which have not necessarily retained the means to reinstall the original configuration of their computer or made the approach to get it.
If this method fails and that the installation of Windows 7, the choice was made to make an upgrade (unfortunately, the easier choice and more logical!), it will be impossible to reinstall Windows 7! Caution is therefore needed before opting for the update version, the safest solution is to acquire a full version. Or buy a new PC preinstalled with Windows 7.
4. An installation not always easy
It is not so easy to install Windows 7 on a PC that already has XP or Vista. Explanations.
In all editions and versions, Windows 7 offers two installation options: Upgrade and Custom (advanced). The first keeps the software installed and their settings, the second makes a “clean” installation (Read our instructions). In the latter case, we must reinstall all softwares and copy or move files in the appropriate data and personal files previously saved.
For most users the option to upgrade is the most interesting and fastest. It helps to have after the installation of a working environment immediately operational. Unfortunately, it is not available in all cases!
XP to Vista: no simplified installation
With Windows Vista, the upgrade is only possible from an edition or a comparable version of Windows 7. To switch between 32-bit version of Vista to a 64-bit version of Windows 7, only the Custom option is offered, thereby increasing the migration process. This applies also to install Windows 7 Professional Edition from Windows Vista Home Premium. In addition, it will in all cases that the system be updated with Service Pack 2 for Vista.
From Windows XP, users have no choice. Only a full installation of Windows 7 is possible. This is true also from the release candidate (RC) of Windows 7. Note that it is not possible to install Windows 7 from the RC with an update version.
5. Missing softwares
Some softwares built into Vista are no longer included with Windows 7. They must be installed separately.
Do not look in the menus of Windows 7 shortcuts to Windows Mail, Windows Photo Gallery or Windows Movie Maker: the softwares, which were part of Windows Vista, are not integrated. This is a “novelty” a little confusing for the user: we would expect to find in the new improved versions of the software, at least the previous version. Well no!
The explanation is simple: now integrated with Windows Live offers these three programs are no longer part of Windows. However, they may be downloaded for free. The upside of this extra step is that it can receive the latest version of the software when you decide to install.
6. Compatibility issues, it’s not over
A logo certifies the compatibility of new hardware and software with Windows 7. But problems remain.
They complained that Windows Vista compatibility problems with hardware and software of the trade? Microsoft claims to have done everything to this being a bad memory once you downgrade to Windows 7.
A new logo “Compatible with Windows 7″ made its appearance, it certifies that the hardware and software that are fully compatible with the OS. Otherwise, we can only hope that some exotic hardware or software sharp pose no problem.
The game is not won, because even before its release, Microsoft was already providing updates for compatibility. And it may be that some hardware does not work at all with Windows 7 as the Fingerprint Reader of … Microsoft!
7. An XP mode reserved for pros
The XP mode integrated in Windows 7 can be used without risk of crashing old applications. But not for everyone!
Full compatibility of Windows 7 with software originally designed for Windows XP was a critical issue for Microsoft. If it did not suffer the same failure of migration with Windows Vista in professional circles, it had to multiply arguments to convince businesses using business applications designed for XP to upgrade to Windows 7.
That’s why it filled its new system of a virtual environment that simulates an XP system: the XP mode. This feature is optional, however, and reserved for Ultimate, Professional and Enterprise editions of Windows 7. It also requires a PC with a processor with a virtualization technology (Intel or AMD). One point that interested companies should check carefully.
Tags: Microsoft, OS, Softwares, Windows, Windows 7
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