Windows 7 Beta available for download

[Tony1044]

Download the Windows 7 Beta

Registrations are closing soon.

Some pointers:

1. It's BETA so don't expect it to be 100% stable and don't install it if you can't spare your entire system crashing beyond repair
2. Some applications won't work or won't work easily - for example if you use Cisco's VPN you have to jump through hoops to install it without your machine blue screening
3. Microsoft won't support it, but they expect feedback of any problems
4. They're closing the download soon - once they hit 2.5 million registrants
5. Be very careful if you have multiple partitions - although it _should_ support these, including dual booting, on my test sytem it wiped out every partition!!!
6. Back anything up on a regular basis
7. Keep the media - it seems very vulnerable to boot loader errors.

My own personal thoughts so far are that it seems to be where Vista should have been prior to public release - it feels faster, more usable and has some nice features.

Enjoy.

[jemmy]

I am testing it now, seems slightly better than vista. Love the windows media player 12 and the media center on win 7. But still dont consider as a XP killer. Will not be ditching XP for 7 as of now.

[Tony1044]

Well I guess it depends what you're looking for - for me it's a number of things that made me switch to Vista, not least of them being that I can get it for [almost] free.

However, the ludicrous price that MS asked for Ultimate with the promise of "Ulimate only extras" was criminal in my mind. Video backgrounds and a couple of games? Really?

I do prefer the look and feel of the Aero/glass desktops and I also like some of the smaller things that MS has done too - like when you hit F2 to rename a file, it doesn't highlight the extension, just the name and how when you copy a file it renames it filename - copy.extension so it usually sits next to the original and you're not having to scroll all the way down to find it.

Then you have things like 'proper' two-way firewalls with different profiles.

But it's not all good - I loathe the way Vista handles networks and how laborious it is to change what should be simple things like static to dynamic IP address and the UAC is laughably bad to the extent that I've turned it off on almost every install.

I also find myself turning it off during installations of Windows Server 2008 but usually turn it back on when I've done.

I've got to say that the UAC in Windows 7 seems much less intrusive and that can only be good.

I also like the home networks - seems like MS have finally clicked that people take laptops home from the workplace

And it's taken way too long to get bitlocker (encryption) to removable media! That said, my whole disk is encrypted with Truecrypt and I'm glad to say that so far (touch wood) that it seems to run ok on Win 7.

That said - and you can tell, I think - it does share a lot of core program from Vista. To my mind, it feels like Vista should have.

XP is a great OS but for people with systems that can run Windows 7 (and that _should_ include systems up to about 3 or 4 years old) then I can't see a major advantage of keeping it so long as MS get the pricing right.

[Undecided adrian]

make sure your MP3's are read only as media player 12 can break them until you patch in an update.

I have had this running in a 4gig virtual machine on XP x64 and it seems to me that all they have done is put in the speed and code enhancements that should come about 2+ years after Vista has launched.

To me this isn't a new operating system but SP2 for vista.

But I supose Vista is now so toxic due to bad press they are making out that it's a whole new OS.

And this beta is the ultimate version I assume a chainsaw will to taken to it for the basic and home editions.

[mrc52]

Hi,
Anybody know when windows 7 is due for release to the general public

[gadgetmale]

Apparantly November 2009 but that means November 2010 in real terms!

Ive been beta testing it for a while now (few months) and it works much better than vista. As light as XP but as beautiful and intuitive as Vista

Matt

[Tony1044]

The official word to partners is that MS are aiming for a January 2010 release.

The downside is it sounds like they're still going to muddy the waters with around 6 versions;

No names confirmed yet, but there are supposedly two for developing countries that will run on much older hardware, two for the home and two for business.

The things they should learn from the Vista fiasco are simple lessons too, in my opinion:

Don't lie about hardware requirements;
Don't charge silly premiums for 'Ultimate' editions whilst promising the world and then fail to deliver anything of use or substance;
Don't screw over your European customers (Ultimate at almost 400 quid retail?? Mad);
Don't make such cut-down versions that people end up taking you to court on a class action lawsuit such as happened over Home Basic (No Aero interface but let's not tell anyone);
Don't rush it - if it isn't ready, then wait.

Talking of rushing their products out you can imagine the furore caused when one of the Exchange developers admitted in a blog to releasing it with features not present because it was either delay it or release it and put them in SP1! And I'm talking basic things like not being able to create a mailbox in anything other than the powershell (command line) to make day to day admin a nightmare.

My early Exchange 2007 installs were a flaming nightmare because of it.

My own personal take on Win 7 so far sums up what others have said - it looks as stunning as Vista, but has all the responsivenes of XP and the constant UAC nags are almost non existent now.

I have it installed on a two year old dual core Dell laptop with 2GB of RAM and (bearing in mind the entire 400GB disk is encrypted) it boots from power on to log on in about 18 seconds...Vista Ultimate was three times that, before adding on any apps.

[Undecided adrian]

I still can't belive that MS had bottled it and produced a 32bit version, there was constant "rumors" , including from MS reps at my brothers work, that windows 7 would be 64 bit only.

Currently I am sticking with XP x64, and the native 32bit emulator is fantastic, I can't see myself moving over for the forseeable future, not unless they will allow me to keep my tri-boot system.

As for price I will see if I can blag a copy of the 64 bit Ultimate from my brother (he gets given things by the reps) and stick on my laptop.

[jemmy]

Originally Posted by Undecided adrian

make sure your MP3's are read only as media player 12 can break them until you patch in an update.

I have had this running in a 4gig virtual machine on XP x64 and it seems to me that all they have done is put in the speed and code enhancements that should come about 2+ years after Vista has launched.

To me this isn't a new operating system but SP2 for vista.

But I suppose Vista is now so toxic due to bad press they are making out that it's a whole new OS.

And this beta is the ultimate version I assume a chainsaw will to taken to it for the basic and home editions.

Most of the mp3 I have are protected anyway due to DRM feature of apple store but will check, although haven't noticed any problems with music playback. Although must say, I play music less on my comp now. Tend to stream it to ps3 in lounge or to Internet DAB radio in kitchen. Haven't noticed any problems doing that.

[Tony1044]

I know what you mean re the 32bit editions.

Although I've got to say that having worked with Windows 2003 x64 AND Vista x64 they have both been more problematic than the native 32 bit versions.

But Windows 2008 x64 - haven't had a single issue with it yet where 32 bit software wouldn't install and run.

I think one of the reasons that they decided to stick with 32 bit compatibility is the flak that they took over the so-called "Vista Readiness Programme" which turned out to be a crock and caused an awful lot of people to consider either a return to XP or to upgrade to brand new hardware. Internally, they are adament that by the time it is due for release, users will be able to run it on 3-4 year old hardware.

Which arguably does include a raft of newer, 64 bit processors.