33 replies to this topic

[Broni]

I just installed pre-beta Windows 7 Ultimate, build 6801, and I'm ready to play with it tonight.
I installed it on virtual partition, using VMware Workstation.

Here is a screenshot:



The huge taskbar is caused by default setting to use large icons. Why large icons are default, beats me.
After switching to small icons, all looks normal:

[JohnT]

Have fun and I hope it is better than Vista.

[Broni]

I'll play with it more over the weekend. So far, I don't see any huge changes from Vista (which I like, btw).

[Broni]

First few impressions...
1. It installed incredibly fast - under 30 minutes.
At first, I struggled for couple of nights, because installation was getting stuck, asking me for hard drive drivers (I installed Win 7 on virtual partition through VMware). Finally after some reading, I formatted partition as IDE (not SCSI as I tried for couple of nights), and installation went through.
2. Installation went flawlessly.
3. General look, and feel = Vista.
4. User Account Control (UAC) looks different. It has a slider, which you can set to maximum control, all the way down to "don't bother me".
5. It didn't detect my sound card, or it couldn't find any driver for it. I have a yellow mark in Device Manager.
6. I tried to install Comodo, but installation failed, probably due to incompability.
7. For some reason, I can't copy, and paste anything between Vista, and Win 7 on virtual partition. I'll have to work on it.

I'll try to post more, when I use it more.

[Broni]

Update.
I activated Win 7, it listed 3 updates, which I installed, and after that my sound driver was found, and copy/paste issue was solved, as well.
So far, so good.

[Rearl]

Windows 7 Build 6956 VHD has been released. http://www.smartestc...tyle_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif

[Broni]

Microsoft Virtual Hard Disk?
It doesn't show through updates.

[Rearl]

You have to download the bitorrent file.
http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/12/07/d...-image-torrent/ http://www.smartestc...tyle_emoticons/default/clinton.gif

[Broni]

Interesting, but, basically, it seems to be same build as 6801:

Quote

DVD installation ISO image for Win7 build 6956 is created based on build 6801 DVD image

[Broni]

Systray

It looks little bit different, than Vista. It has two extra icons:
- system messages (very convenient)
- show desktop - I'm not sure why it's there, since there is one in QuickLaunch area already.

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[Broni]

Taskbar

Items in taskbar are displayed as icons only, which I don't like. Surely, it takes less space, but I like it to show an icon, and a text.

Another new feature is an option to pin a program to the taskbar, which results with pinned program to be ready to go, when you start Windows. I like this.

EDIT: Actually, I just discovered, that "icons only" are displayed, when the program is pinned to taskbar, but not open. When the program is open, and minimized, it displays an icon, and text.

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[Broni]

Start menu

Looks very similar as in Vista, but the nice addition is a hard link to Administrative Tools.
Also minor wording change. Instead of "Start search" above the Start button, it says "Search programs, and files".

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[Broni]

Backup

Windows 7 Ultimate offers:
- creating an image of a whole drive
- creating recovery disk

I performed backup last night, and since I don't have much installed here, it did fit 1 DVD.
It went flawlessly/

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[Broni]

Windows Explorer

General view is little bit different, and it offers "Open with" from regular menu.
All other commands are same.

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[Broni]

Windows Media Player is at version 12, and it offers burning CDs, and DVs, plus ripping CDs.
I don't use WMP, so I'm not sure how different it's from ver. 11

Internet Explorer, obviously at ver. 8

[Broni]

I don't like Control Panel, since you have to make an extra click to see all items (in my next reply), and I don't see any way to change it.

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[Broni]

This is full Control Panel, but I didn't investigate it, yet

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[Broni]

Accessories offer couple of new (I hope) things...

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[Broni]

Wordpad is totally new, and finally has some nice look, and features...

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[Rearl]

Nice job Broni