What is your experience with Linux? Which version should be more appetible for people who don't know many things about operating systems and who don't want to buy Windows 7?

I'm not sure why Microsoft has a listed requirement of 20GB for Windows 7 64 bit and 16GB for the 32 bit version. My install of Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit is around 5GB in size.

About the same here with the 64 bit I DLed.

 

I like this OS so far. I really hope it lives up to the hype because I need to move past XP.

I'm not sure why Microsoft has a listed requirement of 20GB for Windows 7 64 bit and 16GB for the 32 bit version. My install of Windows 7 Ultimate 32 bit is around 5GB in size.

About the same here with the 64 bit I DLed.

 

I like this OS so far. I really hope it lives up to the hype because I need to move past XP.

 

My 64bit installation is around 12GB, half of which is taken up by the WinSXS folder.

Hopefully I'll be abled to get drivers for all my of hardware on the 64bit version. I've got 4 gigs of ram so half of it is wasted with 32b XP.

ATI and Creative had beta drivers for my video cards and Sound Blaster X-Fi sound card. Looks like some of the companies are staying up to date with their drivers for the new OS.

Everytime I read up on Windows 7, I hear all these superlatives being thrown around how it's so amazingly fast and much, much better than anything Microsoft has ever done. But as soon as you try to get the details, exactly WHAT is so much better and faster, they can't specify. And then I run into videos like these:

 

 

I really want to believe in a new OS (because of the RAM limitations in 32-bit XP) but WIndows 7 still sounds like a moderately tweaked version of Vista.

It's Vista 1.5, but seems a lot more stable.

It's Vista 1.5, but seems a lot more stable.

Like Vista wasn't stable, silly.

Everytime I read up on Windows 7, I hear all these superlatives being thrown around how it's so amazingly fast and much, much better than anything Microsoft has ever done. But as soon as you try to get the details, exactly WHAT is so much better and faster, they can't specify. And then I run into videos like these:

 

 

I really want to believe in a new OS (because of the RAM limitations in 32-bit XP) but WIndows 7 still sounds like a moderately tweaked version of Vista.

 

You are seriously worried that a beta build shows black when you resize windows???

It's Vista 1.5, but seems a lot more stable.

Like Vista wasn't stable, silly.

Vista seems easily corruptible by applications crashing, while W7 seems better protected, at least based on my experiences so far.

http://www.betanews.com/article/Windows-XP...-RTM/1249687071

 

Sigh.

you should read the comments... there are some that are not only relevant, but quite accurate. all hope is not lost.

 

taks

Anyone have an opinion about 32/64 bit migration with 7?

certainly a relevant question since 64-bit is ultimately the way to go. will it be a pain in the beginning, or is 7 expected to be better with 64-bit out of the gate? i still haven't tried to install my beta. oh well.

 

taks

Might as well go for 64 bit, not that it'll do any good as all developers will be limited by having to support 32 bit for years to come.

that's the rub, ain't it? sigh... the switch to 32-bit seemed relatively painless. so painless, in fact, that i scarfed win32 up as soon as it came out and never had a problem. of course, the permeation of the home computer, nay, computers in general, into our lives was not nearly as great in the early 90s as now.

 

taks

If Vista was a success, and came in 64 bit only, it wouldn't be an issue right now.

Another review of Windows 7:

 

http://www.engadget.com/2009/08/12/windows-7-review/

 

This one's pretty positive, but AGAIN, it seems as if all they ever do is sit around in the OS itself and only open generic windows (not applications) and has a hassle finding the right one after a while. This is where Windows 7 seems to shine. Not a word on speed, how much resources it takes, how it handles more specialized applications (yes, it runs Word.. great..). I work with Samplitude and drivers that haven't been updated since Windows 2000 was brand new. Works perfectly under XP Pro, returns a blue screen of death under Vista. How about Windows 7?

 

And of course, gaming. I can play Daggerfall under XP. Vista can't even start the installer. How about Windows 7? I get 40-60 fps in STALKER: Clear Sky under XP and 20-30 fps in the same game, same settings under Vista (with constant chugging of the harddrive). How about Windows 7?

Okay ... so I may be dense ... has anyone tested & under a 64 environment and still been able to game/operate 'normally?'

not me... soon, maybe. it's not like i have any NEW games to play these days anyway and i rarely do anything other than open a word or pdf file or browse the web. /grumble

 

taks

Okay ... so I may be dense ... has anyone tested & under a 64 environment and still been able to game/operate 'normally?'

I can run all my games under W7/64, some of them did crash as they did under Vista, but I think it's because my graphics card is overheating. Edit: A lot of the older game compatibility will depend on whether the graphics driver works with the game, rather than W7 itself.

Edited August 14, 200916 yr by Wrath of Dagon

I don't know if you have seen the special limited offer that Microsoft is making: you can now buy Windows 7 at half price. The question is whether we need to upgrade our OS or not. I am pretty happy with XP and it works fine with all of my games. Do I run the risk of encountering problems with my games if I install the new version of windows? Is it worth the risk of purchasing it?

 

It's far less of an issue than it was upgrading from win9x to XP.

Edited August 14, 200916 yr by Moose

Okay ... so I may be dense ... has anyone tested & under a 64 environment and still been able to game/operate 'normally?'

I've been playing Fallout3 and Oblivion with it and haven't had any problems.

Okay ... so I may be dense ... has anyone tested & under a 64 environment and still been able to game/operate 'normally?'

 

Umm yeah everything works fast, and games like crysis are faster in 64 bit. If your processor supports 64 bit (like all of them do now) then you really should have no fear making the switch

I've preordered my Win7 copy, and it seems it comes both with 32 bit and 64 bit version. However, I'm not sure whether I should install the 64 bit version...

 

Stupid question: Does a Intel Core2Quad Q6600 support/take advantage of 64 bit?