I just took the bold (foolish?) step of replacing my 3-year-old stable Windows XP install with a brand spanking new install of Windows 7 Ultimate.
Despite my nForce 4 RAID setup, Win7 installed without a hitch. I didn't need to load any drivers, it detected 98% of my devices and installed the appropriate drivers immediately. It boots fast, and it runs smoothly and quickly too.
Windows Explorer differs a bit from the WinXP equivalent, and it takes a bit of getting used to. Also, most of the options and utilities that you're used to are in different places, so they take a while to find and familiarise yourself with. Microsoft has upgraded MSPaint, which is now more fully featured.
Those that are familiar with Windows Vista will already know about all the "bling" features - the Aero interface that makes window title bars and borders translucent, the 3D preview of windows that you get when you tab through open applications by pressing [WindowsKey]+Tab, the mini-preview of open windows that you get when you hover your mouse of the toolbar buttons, etc. There are a few additional features, like dragging a window to the top or the sides of the screen produces different effects, allowing you to maximise it or make it fit to half the screen size automatically. Overall, programs run faster and are more stable. The built-in Desktop Gadgets are also useful, providing you with realtime weather updates, etc.
So far so good, right?
Yes. And no.
Win7 could not automatically install or detect my Creative Sound Blaster Live! audio card drivers. Additionally, it warned me that the nVidia WDM driver (that I use in WinXP to allow me to watch TV on my PC via the VIVO capabilities of my nVidia 7800 GTX graphics card) was not compatible with Win7. Also, I noticed that some videos that are very high quality suffer some loss of fidelity when being played on Win7, using both Windows Media Player and KMPlayer (my player of choice). On top of this, when I start any torrents in uTorrent, my internet connection grinds to a halt. And Win7 warned me that Daemon Tools 4.30 Lite (which supports Win7 according to their website) is incompatible with Win7.
So, to sum up: My video playback is screwed, my audio playback is screwed, I can't watch TV, I can't download anything, and I can't mount images.
GREAT! Job well done Microshaft! Round of applause please!
OK, so I'm exaggerating :) My video is only mildly messed up, my audio isn't working but I can bypass the problem, my TV viewing isn't working - yet, I can download, but not with my current torrent client unless I tinker under the hood of Win7, and Daemon Tools works despite the warning.
I will create separate threads for each of these problems. But I just wanted to post this thread as a discussion area for the various issues with Win7 (specific problems should get their own threads).
My overall analysis of Win7 so far, after having it installed for only 4 days: It's FANTASTIC for average users that want to use it for day-to-day ordinary functions. And it SUCKS for advanced users that want to use it to do interesting things. I'm sure that will change over time as Microsoft's latest operating system matures, but why should I have to wait? I want it working the way I want it - NOW!
:)
OK, my windows 7 experience has been the opposite of yours. It's been much better then XP and Vista for me. I have had so many challenges with Vista it's a breath of fresh air to start installing windows 7, pop out to play a footie match and come back to find that it's installed and updated all the drivers off the web iteself and working like a charm!
I've had only minor issues with Win7, and I suspect that those issues I would of had regardless of the OS. So, from my side I give win7 an emphatic 10 out of 10 thus far.
I have had the same experience as Enigma. Only time when i had issues was way back when Daemon tools wasn't supported yet. Other than that brief time (where I had another app as a workaround anyway) i can't say there's anything I dislike about Windows 7.
Haha, I see my experience has already been touched on... ;)
Well I also rank Win7 as one of my all time favourite OSs of the Windows family... So far the ease of use, stability and speed have been major plus factors...
It isn't without its share of niggles on my side either...
For one, getting correct versions of application software is sometimes a pain (Daemon Tools and Nero spring to mind)
And come to mention of it, I have noticed some minor loss of quality issues with video playback, but that might just be my crappy screen packing up =(
Other than that, most of my time with it has gone swimmingly!
Oh btw, @Morgue: I'm not sure if I told you but uninstalling and reinstalling Firefox solved the problem with FlashGot... =)
Morgue, not to be a dick or anything. But was it really nessassary to create +-6 different threads for every Win7 problem you have?
Just a thought.
LOL, that's quite difficult to do! I haven't managed that yet!
I formatted my media PC last night and re-isntalled Win7, what a breeze! Wow! Did a quick format and standard install, it asked me 2/3 screens of info (time/date settings, username and password, and accepting the EULA) and then viola! It sorted out EVERYTHING itself, seriously, it's unreal!
After the install, windows booted and everything worked forst time, no CD's of driver files required, nothing special at all. I then let windows do all it's updates (150mb worth) for all my drivers and stuff to get to the lastest, it did it all with no challenges what-so-ever. I can't believe that M$ actually got something right for once!
![Morgue[FLB]](/thumb.php?src=%7Be_AVATAR%7Dupload%2Fap_59_morgueflb.png&aw=100&ah=100)
