Windows 7 - The new XP

I have installed Windows 7 x64 Professional. At last i can say that the heir of Windows XP is here. The only advantage i find in XP now, is the... folders. They look much more tidy and the preview of media files takes like no time, while in 7 it's a long nightmare.


Things that i like in 7:

- The number of default running services is already contained (about 40). Even after consulting Black Viper's guide, one can see that from running services, there aren't many that need disabling out of the box.

- The new taskbar with ability to pin down buttons. Say goodbye to things like Object Dock, Rocket Dock, etc. You don't need them.

- Ready to use Weather Gadget. After Singer's Weather Live had gone payware, this is a relief.

- My internet connections works faster than XP. I had observed the same in Vista. Really better browsing experience.

- Defragmenter that uses multi-pass technique and "consolidation". Auto-defrag in background.

- Aero shake, peek, snap and "show desktop" button on taskbar. They are cosy.

- Windows Media Player 12. If it only had the volume mouse wheel control too. Anyway, i decided not to install 3rd party player, it's very good and you can use the 64bit version as default. Very fast and and quite light.

- Good hardware support. All my hardware except for printer and scanner, worked with pre-installed drivers. The other 2 worked with Vista drivers.

- No need for wallpaper manager. You can set to rotate wallpapers at specified time intervalls.

- Built-in 2 way firewall.

- The "Backup" utility. It can create "system drive image" and "recovery boot CD". Which means, you don't really need 3rd party imaging software (not sure if all versions have this feature), although size compression seems not the strong point (the image is approximately 45-50% of the original size). But for someone who doesn't want to clutter his system with 3rd party tools, it's a viable alternative.

- 64bit native applications do run faster.

- It now has native DVD playback and burning ability.

- Integrated search can spare you the clicks for going to contro panel.

- With the exception of file preview, i don't see much difference in snappiness with XP when opening folders. As a mattter of fact, i didn't feel the need to reduce the visual effects, which is surprising to me.

- It's prettier.

- It's lighter than Vista and it doesn't "feel" slower than XP.


* The bad:

- No email client.(One can download Windows Live Essentials, but after reading the EULA about privacy, i went with Thunderbird).

- The preview of media files is much slower.

- Some folder views are simply confusing.

- The photo slideshow forces all photos to fit the screen, on XP you could maintain their original dimensions.

- Movie Maker, which on XP was default, isn't in Win7 anymore, but you can download Movie Maker 2.6 as standalone program.

- Media codecs are a bit trickier for x64, FFDShow doesn't work properly, you need Win7 Shark's Codecs.

- Program uninstalling keeps leaving garbage behind. I wish MS had done her own "Revo uninstaller" built in Windows.

- Many security programs won't work.

- Some x86 programs won't work too, but the good thing is that it usually alerts you about it in time.



Hardcore XP fans, yes, it's time to move on! And if you have 4GB of RAM, then going x64 is the way to go. If not for anything else, Win 7 gives you the chance to get rid of various 3rd programs, which at least in my case, makes the system feel lighter.


* For die-hard XP Fans who won't surrender (yes, Bellgamin, you know it's you), a chance to "feel" a bit like Win 7 in XP.

Aero Snap for XP
http://www.aerosnap.de/eng/download.htm

Aero Shake for XP

http://cache.gawker.com/assets/images/lifehacker/2008/11/Aero_Shake.exe

Aero Peek for XP

http://fogelsoft.extra.hu/progs/aeropeek.zip

Thumbnail preview for XP taskbar:

http://www.visualtasktips.com/

OR

http://www.chrisnsoft.com/visual-tooltip/

Win7 Taskbar for XP (pin down experimental).

http://sbar.codeplex.com/Release/ProjectReleases.aspx?ReleaseId=30731


Note: I 've only used the Visual Tasktips myself on XP, they work.

Make the transition guys, this is going to be the next XP, so you 've ensured a long future with it, just like XP did.



PS: If you have a dual core, with 4GB RAM and a dx9 capable video card, go for 64bit!

 

Yep, seems way snappier than Vista.

In regards to Windows Mail it's folder seems to be in the Programs Folder and I did manage to get it up and running?

 

I do have the folder too, both in 64 and x86 programs list, but, AFAIK, there is only an "import tool" (migration tool) for your settings from previous Live Mail (i presume for Vista users that upgraded).

http://img124.imageshack.us/img124/3070/58915210.png

Maybe you upgraded from Vista , so you have Live Mail ready? I did clean install (and i am doing a new one again today, to get rid of some programs that don't run well on x64 Win7 and aren't uninstalled correctly).

 

Winmail.exe is there as well but hidden and seems to be disabled?

Delete the whole Windows Mail folder then c+p the same folder over from Vista then associate .mapimail with Winmail.exe.

Can't remember if I had to take control before being able to delete?

If you don't set the association you can receive but can't send.

Well at least it's sending/receiving fine here now.

 

I have the "Show hidden files enabled", but there is no winmail.exe there...

That should probably do the trick in deed. But i don't have Vista. One can however still install Windows Live Mail from Windows Live Essentials. But the EULA is a bit scary.

It's certain that Windows Live Mail works in 7 too. Cause it's in Windows Live Essentials, available for download. But i don't think it exists native in 7 anymore...


http://devoracles.com/no-native-mail-client-on-windows-7-what-now

 

Windows 7 VM where I haven't deleted/replaced the Windows Mail folder and WinMail.exe is there after unticking "Hide protected operating sytem files"

 

You 're right! There is! But when i click the executable, nothing happens... Why on earth did they put it under system files?

 

Dunno

I've already vLited my Win 7 install anyways and probably another gig of useless data to delete manually and I'll have Win 7 where I want it in getting Ghost images under 2 gig.

 

That's why:
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/5481-windows-mail.html

 

Ah, nice. VLite already works with 7? I didn't know that. Good. I will soon make my Vlited version too. As soon as i am positive that i know the basic handling of things in 7.

So basically this is useful for folks that upgrade Vista and don't want to lose their data from their Windows Mail. Because it takes much imagination to do that. Oh , and a script.

99% of common mortals will simply google and find they can dl the windows live mail and that's it.

Although that "Take ownership" script seems useful. I downloaded it , just in case. You never know when it can come handy.

 

Guys, does anyone know what's the situation on half-open connection limit in Windows 7? By googling i get contraddictory info. Seems there is no such limit, but i also found a software that removes the limit...

 

Here was a discussion about this:
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-sharing/7164-half-open-limit-fix-windows-7-a.html
and here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/network-...o-patcher-remove-tcp-ip-connection-limit.html

 

Don't know either.The developer of a useful program for me TCP Z,that i use for XP,reported that his tool is not needed for windows 7.More info here
http://deepxw.blogspot.com/2009/05/say-bye-to-half-open-tcp-connections.html

Regarding 7 vs xp ,on the same computer,one thing i noticed is that when burning a disc,i was able to do other things also(not that is recomanded to do so),on xp everything was slower during this operation.

 

I 've found these discussions too, but i am a bit slow to understand...

So, in May, they say that there is no limit.

Then in June, another program, releases new file:

http://half-open.com/history_en.htm

Which btw, says that i have a limit of 10... I guess i must google further.

EDIT: My mistake, i was using a previous version of the tool. I think this is the definitive answer, after installing Half Open 4.1:

http://img263.imageshack.us/img263/3306/39264468.png

One more reason to pass to 7 fellas!

 

Interesting. I haven't burnt anything yet. As a matter of fact my Ashampoo Burning Studio 9.12 seems to have trouble and i downloaded Burnaware free.

 

I always get jumped on for these types of posts, but I'll do it anyway. Microsoft has released two operating systems since XP, and yet, XP isn't obsolete (not by a long shot). Nothing you've listed is even a reason to create one new OS above XP, much less two. And your thread title pretty much sums up how I feel.

Anything/everything in Windows 7 not present in XP could probably be added by a service pack or third-party software. I don't care at all about visual effects except for how to get rid of them (even if they don't slow down my OS). They're simply a distraction to me. Yeah, I'm sure I'll switch eventually, when I can't find hardware to support XP. I like to have a good reason for doing something rather than it's new and shiny. It'll take a long time understand a new OS the way I understand XP. And switching all of my apps would be a nightmare. I may get jumped on for this to, but it's been my experience that switching to a new OS is always easier for people without a huge depth of involvement in an OS (i.e. casual users or newbies).


And if I don't think Windows 7 has at least 5 years of supremacy, forget about it. This can't be another Vista. I would really prefer not to see another OS from Microsoft until late 2014 or 2015. Otherwise I'll wait for the next one.

End of old man rant. You young whippersnappers can talk about your Aero now. Time for my nap.

 

My sentiments exactly.....very well stated.....


HKEY1952

 

same thing for me regarding my workstation, the OS is xp64 and the softwares i use are certified for mainly Windows XP SP2, XP64 and Linux CentOS 4.5, i dont see myself upgrading the os at least for the next year, saying that doesn't mean windows 7 is useless or crap or anything like that. in fact my laptop wich i use for internet, emails...i got windows 7 RTM and i must say i like it far better than xp (i've never used vista).
my point is, if your living depends on wich OS you use, it's strongly advised against an upgrade (corporate, professionals) otherwise i strongly advise for an upgrade.

 

+1

Although I have pre-ordered Windows 7 , although I have Windows Vista , although we have installed a lot of Vistas , if we have to be serious there lis nothing better than XP . It has absolutely everything one may need . It is light on resourse , it can be installed on either very old and very new computers . If there is a need of something additional , the human beings have created so much 3rd party software that one can't even count . There are plenty of improvements in Windows Vista/7 such as better quality of picture/views , regarding security (core protection , rights limitations/UAC,improved firewall , integrated antispyware), easier and faster installation BUT overall XP seems better. I also agree with the statement that (if not all) most improvements can be added to XP with a SP but it must be underlined that SPs are free , new OS versions are not free . Microsoft have no profit from free SPs .

 

I like windows 7. it has somethings ive wanted from windows for ages.
I got a retail license for my desktop for £45 as a preorder and my new dell laptop has an upgrade to windows 7 home premium so im getting that as well.
Normally i dont look forward to windows releases but this time i am.

im hoping people finaly use a modern OS on there new computers.... XP is 8 years old and does have some issues that never got fixed. since SP1 i havent had problems with vista. 7 works great without a service pack. i think microsoft is finally learning and shipping a product that works well from day 1. wonder if they will do the same with the next office etc.

 

+1.
Totally agree.

 

If you used vlite and removed parts of the os that you didn't want, don't be surprised if you can't install sp1 when it is released.

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/968279

I imagine the same will hold true for Win7 when the service packs are released.

 

It's all right, i love XP too. I consider XP very efficient. I still miss the tidy folder view of XP. But, it will be phased out and if you have more than 3GB RAM and want to actually use them, then win 7 x 64 becomes the natural solution.

It's also true, that MS could have simply added features to XP. But of course that would be bad for business... XP was too good for his era...

I too would have prefered to stay with XP forever. But, since it will eventually be less supported, better move to its successor and enjoy it since the beginning.

Besides, i got Win7 Pro for free thanks to my univ, so why not go for it? I have 4GB RAM and it flies. I could add 4 more right away, but i don't feel the need...

Anyway, long live XP! Probably it will remain the most successful OS release in MS history for a long time to come.

 

This is a handy site for those who migrate to x64 and wonder what applications they could use:

http://www.start64.com/index.php

 

Now i can confirm. Actually in XP, when inserting a DVD in the drive or when preparing to burn a DVD, my whole system would freeze for several seconds. This is not the case anymore in Win 7.