Upgraded to Windows 7 this week...

[Nevarwinter]

Over the past couple of days (been kind of sick. Only happens once every 3-4 years, so I was due) i've been slowly upgrading to windows 7.

I prepared for the upgrade by updating the drivers because i'm coming from XP Pro and I know some of this stuff wouldn't work with Windows 7 64 bit.

I've got most of the stuff installed already. Waiting on some tech support from Adobe to get creative suite 2 back up and running (it and windows 7 don't get along very well because it is relatively old as far as adobe goes). I've had zero issues though the annoying little "do you want this program to run" gets on my nerves a bit.

My computer feels faster, programs start at least 5 times quicker, and everything else has gone off without a hitch. I'm very impressed with it.

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

Over the past couple of days (been kind of sick. Only happens once every 3-4 years, so I was due) i've been slowly upgrading to windows 7.

I prepared for the upgrade by updating the drivers because i'm coming from XP Pro and I know some of this stuff wouldn't work with Windows 7 64 bit.

I've got most of the stuff installed already. Waiting on some tech support from Adobe to get creative suite 2 back up and running (it and windows 7 don't get along very well because it is relatively old as far as adobe goes). I've had zero issues though the annoying little "do you want this program to run" gets on my nerves a bit.

My computer feels faster, programs start at least 5 times quicker, and everything else has gone off without a hitch. I'm very impressed with it.

Right click on the shortcut for your Adobe program and select Properties. Then, under the Compatibility tab, run it in compatibility mode for XP...

[Nevarwinter]

You might have just saved me time. I'm going to reinstall and try that out when I get home for lunch.

Thanks!

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

You might have just saved me time. I'm going to reinstall and try that out when I get home for lunch.

Thanks!

Anytime.

If you have 7 Professional or higher, you also get a free virtual install of XP to run especially difficult legacy applications in provided your processor supports VT.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

Also, max out your RAM to the maximum your motherboard will handle. RAM is dirt cheap now.

[Yunari]

I love Windows 7. Those Mac commercials are full of **** and none of their criticisms will stick with Windows 7. I've had it installed on my computer since May(the RC version), and I haven't experienced a single crash yet. It's running on my brand new system and it's awesome. Waaaay better than Vista.

[birddog1]

Anytime.

If you have 7 Professional or higher, you also get a free virtual install of XP to run especially difficult legacy applications in provided your processor supports VT.

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/download.aspx

I have to run a couple of programs in virtual PC/Windows XP mode. So far it has not worked very well, it locks up all the time and the programs sometimes do not even want to open.

[OldBuzzard]

... I've had zero issues though the annoying little "do you want this program to run" gets on my nerves a bit. ...

Unlike Vista, in Win 7 you can change the behavior of User Account Control (UAC). With Vista it's either on or off. With Win7 you can set it to be more or less 'aggressive', or turn it off completely.

1. Open up Control Panel

2. Click on User Accounts

3. Click on Change User Account Control Settings

4. Move the slider to the position that you feel comfortable with, and then click OK.

[brody]

And don't forget to toggle the radio buttons from "Suck" to "Blow".

[Nevarwinter]

And don't forget to toggle the radio buttons from "Suck" to "Blow".

Speaking of radio, i've been a hard core Winamp fan since 03(ish). Listening to the incredible improvements from Windows 7 64 coupled with my onboard sound drivers (I stopped using sound cards when I heard the lack of a difference between newer onboard sound vs creative sound) and I have stopped using winamp all together. The sound coming from winamp used to be amazing and windows media player kind of so-so.

Now, i'm using WMP exclusively. They've really got their act together with WMP these days.

[brody]

Nevermind: I see you didn't upgrade the hardware.

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

Speaking of radio, i've been a hard core Winamp fan since 03(ish). Listening to the incredible improvements from Windows 7 64 coupled with my onboard sound drivers (I stopped using sound cards when I heard the lack of a difference between newer onboard sound vs creative sound) and I have stopped using winamp all together. The sound coming from winamp used to be amazing and windows media player kind of so-so.

Now, i'm using WMP exclusively. They've really got their act together with WMP these days.

Check out Pandora: http://www.pandora.com/

I have the Pandora mobile application on my phone that then connects to my motorcycle helmet via Bluetooth.

Nothing better than having custom streaming radio stations in my lid while cruising!

[Nevarwinter]

Nevermind: I see you didn't upgrade the hardware.

Funny.

In actuality, the hardware I had in the machine was being held back by windows xp. I have a 9800 GTX video card, a 45nm dual core intel processor, 4gb of ram (2x2gb).

So I was running DX9 and now i'm in DX10. Huge difference there. I can't wait to upgrade to the Nvidia 250 GTX card in a couple of months. That's going to own.

[Safiel]

By the way, why is is called Windows "7" if they are going back to sequential numbering.

We have had in the past:

Windows 1
Windows 2
Windows 3
Windows 95 <4>
Windows 98 <5>
Windows ME <6>
Windows XP <7>
Windows Vista <8>

So shouldn't Windows "7" actually be called Windows "9"?

[Safiel]

Found this answer to my own question:



Windows 3.0 and 3.1 (and Windows for Workgroups 3.11) from the early 1990s used the version numbers as part of their name. The first releases of Windows NT, also from that era, followed suit, with Windows NT 3.1 and 3.5.
Windows 95 was technically version 4.0. Windows NT 4.0, which was released exactly a year after Windows 95, adopted the Windows 95 interface. Windows 98 was version 4.10.1998 and Windows 98 Second Edition was 4.10.2222A. The much-maligned Windows Me was 4.90.3000. (History lessons here (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/158238) and here (http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=231) for those who care.)
Windows 2000 was the first release in the version 5 family. It was followed by Windows XP, which was version 5.1. Service packs are identified by build numbers, but service packs do not affect the version number.
Windows Vista was Windows 6.0 (Vista Service Pack 1 is build 6001, as the screen shot above shows). Because the next release of Windows is going to be based on the same kernel as Windows Vista, it should have the version number 6.1. Indeed, every copy of Windows 7 that has leaked to public view so far has had a build number of 6.1.xxxx. This numbering is almost certain to remain in the final product. If the major version number changed to 7.0, many applications written for Windows Vista would fail to install or run properly, simply because of version checking.

[brody]

I'm not a "power user" anymore.

I got tired of the "perpetual upgrade cycle" about ten years ago.

As far as portable music players go, a cheapo generic is fine with me as long as it plays MP3s.

First you should plug it into an unused computer to wipe the spyware off of it though.

[Nevarwinter]

I'm not a "power user" anymore.

I got tired of the "perpetual upgrade cycle" about ten years ago.

As far as portable music players go, a cheapo generic is fine with me as long as it plays MP3s.

First you should plug it into an unused computer to wipe the spyware off of it though.

I upgrade my PC every 3 years or so. This upgrade came because I couldn't play shattered horizon. I had the hardware, I just didn't have the software.

[Hoobeedoo Bejesus]

I upgrade my PC every 3 years or so. This upgrade came because I couldn't play shattered horizon. I had the hardware, I just didn't have the software.

DirectX is a bitch.

[Nevarwinter]

Just a tip. That compatibility mode in Win 7 does not work with Creative Suite 2 (adobe) after installation.

It's the directory that needs to be changed at installation.

So, you go from C:\Program Folder\Adobe(x86)\Adobe
to
C:\Progra~2\Adobe

Works like a charm. Starts up extremely fast and updates properly, you're also able to register.

[Dem]

Funny.

In actuality, the hardware I had in the machine was being held back by windows xp. I have a 9800 GTX video card, a 45nm dual core intel processor, 4gb of ram (2x2gb).

So I was running DX9 and now i'm in DX10. Huge difference there. I can't wait to upgrade to the Nvidia 250 GTX card in a couple of months. That's going to own.
I would recommend you wait till next year when Nvidia releases their 300 series. Prices for the 200 series should go down then.

[SciFiGuy]

So I was running DX9 and now i'm in DX10. Huge difference there. I can't wait to upgrade to the Nvidia 250 GTX card in a couple of months. That's going to own.
If you're waiting a few months to buy a new video card, you may as well purchase one that supports DirectX 11, since you have Windows 7. ATI's Radeon HD 5800 series (currently the HD 5850 and HD 5870) already supports DirectX 11, and nVidia will have support for it with their GT 300 series next year.

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