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Luckily for Microsoft, Windows 7 is more than just spin. It's stable,
smooth, and highly polished, introducing new graphical features, a new
taskbar that can compete handily with the Mac OS X dock, and device
management and security enhancements that make it both easier to use and
safer. Importantly, it won't require the hardware upgrades that Vista
demanded, partially because the hardware has caught up, and partially
because Microsoft has gone to great lengths to make Windows 7 accessible
to as many people as possible.
It's important to note that the public testing process for Windows 7
involved one limited-availability beta and one release candidate, and
constituted what some have called the largest shareware trial period
ever. As buggy and irritating as Vista was, Windows 7 isn't. Instead,
it's the successor to Windows XP that Microsoft wishes Vista had been,
and finally places it on competitive footing with other major operating
systems like OS X and Linux.
Microsoft is offering six versions of Windows 7: Starter, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, OEM, and Enterprise. The three versions that Redmond will be promoting most heavily are Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate, although Starter will also be available to consumers.
Windows 7 will support both 32-bit and 64-bit systems. The bare
minimum requirements for the 32-bit include a 1GHz processor, 1GB RAM,
16GB available hard-disk space, and a DirectX 9 graphics device with
WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. 64-bit systems will require at least a 1 GHz
processor, 2GB RAM, 20GB of free space on your hard drive, and a DirectX
9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver. A touch-screen
monitor is required to take advantage of the native touch features. Do
note that some users have claimed to have limited success running the
Windows 7 beta with less than 1GB of RAM, but that's not recommended.
Installation
Microsoft is offering several paths to install Windows 7. People can buy
a new computer with the operating system already installed, upgrade
from Windows XP or Vista, or do a clean install on a computer the user
already owns. The clean installation took us about 30 minutes, but that
will vary depending on your computer.
The upgrade procedure is
different depending on whether you're running Windows XP or Windows
Vista. Vista users merely need to back up their data before choosing the
Upgrade option from the install disc. Both XP Home and XP Pro users
will have to back up their data, then choose Custom from the install
disc. Custom will have the same effect as a clean install, although
it'll save your old data in a folder called Windows.old. Once you choose
Custom, you'll need to select the partition of your hard drive that
contains Windows XP, and then follow the instructions to enter your
product key and allow the computer to reboot as needed.
If you're not sure if your current computer can run Windows 7, you can download and run the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor from Microsoft.
Features: Taskbar and Aero Peek
Although the look of Windows 7
may seem to be nothing more than some polish applied liberally to the
Vista Aero theme, make no mistake: This is a full replacement operating
system, and more than just "Vista done right." From driver support to
multitouch groundwork for the future, from better battery management to
the most easy-to-use interface Microsoft has ever had, Windows 7 is
hardly half-baked.
The first thing that should stand out is the
new taskbar. This is one of the best improvements Microsoft has
made--third-party program dock makers are going to have to do some
serious innovation when Windows 7 goes public. Besides incorporating the
translucent style of Aero, the new taskbar is arguably even better than
the Mac OS X dock. It features pinned programs using large, easy-to-see
icons. Mouse over one and all windows associated with that program
appear in preview. Mouse over one of those preview panes to reveal an X
to close the window. Hover over the preview to show a full-size preview
of the program, or click on the window to bring it to the front. Because
of the button size, people with touch screens should find it especially
easy to use.
Jump lists are another new taskbar improvement that make
recently opened documents easier to get to. Right-click or left-click
and drag on any program icon pinned to the taskbar to see a list of
files that you've recently used in that program. In Internet Explorer,
this will show recently visited Web sites, although it doesn't yet seem
to work in Firefox.
If you've noticed the missing Show Desktop
icon, that's because it's been baked into the taskbar itself. Mouse over
to the right corner. Hovering over the Show Desktop box reveals the
desktop, and then hides it when you mouse away. Click on the box to
minimize all your programs.
Resizing programs has been simplified and improved by
the capability to drag a window's title bar. Drag a program window to
the top of your monitor to expand it to full screen. If you want to work
in two windows simultaneously, drag one to the left edge and one to the
right edge of your screen, and they'll automatically resize to half the
width of your monitor. Dragging a program away from the top or sides
will return it to its original size. This is an entirely new feature in
Windows 7, but it should prove easy to adopt because it mimics and
expands on the maximize/restore button that people have been resizing
windows with since Windows 95.
Theme packages also make it much faster to change the look of
Windows 7. From the Control Panel, you can change the theme under
Appearance and Personalization. Microsoft has created several theme
packages to give people a taste for what the feature can do. Click on
one to download it, and it instantly changes the color scheme and
background--no need to reboot. Users can create their own themes, as
well. Windows Media Player and Device Stage
One of the biggest new
features makes Windows Media Player useful again: you can now stream
media files from one Windows 7 computer to another, across the Internet
and out of network. Even better, the setup procedure is dead simple.
When you open Windows Media Player, there's a new Stream option on the
toolbar. Click it, and you're presented with two choices. Both require
you to associate your computer with your free Windows Live ID. When
you've associated a second Windows 7's WMP with that same ID, you can
remotely access the media on the host computer. Windows Media Player's
mini mode looks much slicker, emphasizing the album art--sometimes at
the expense of clearly seeing the controls, but it's a definite
improvement.
The new Device Stage makes managing peripherals significantly easier,
combining printers, phones, and portable media players into one window. A
large photo of the peripheral summarizes important device stats and
makes it easy to identify which devices you're using. Device Stage can
also be used to preset common tasks, such as synchronization. Device
Stage support for older devices makes one of Windows 7's best features
applicable to peripherals and externals that don't need to be upgraded.
One annoying change is that Bluetooth driver support no longer comes
baked into the operating system. If you need a Bluetooth driver, you'll
either need the installation disc on hand or you'll have to go download
it.
Search, touch screens, and XP mode
Windows 7's native search
feature has been improved. Files added to the hard drive were indexed so
fast that they were searchable less than 5 seconds later. Search result
snippets now include a longer snippet, and highlight the snippet more
clearly. This should appeal specifically to people who juggle large
numbers of long documents, but it's a useful feature for anybody who
wants to find files faster. However, the search field is available by
default only in the Start menu and in Windows Explorer, and cannot be
easily added to the taskbar.
Touch-screen features worked surprisingly well. The
hardware sometimes misread some of the multitouch gestures, occasionally
confusing rotating an image, for example, with zooming in or out of the
image. Overall, though, there were few difficulties in performing the
basic series of gestures that Microsoft promotes, and this places
Windows 7 in an excellent position for the future, as more and more
computers are released with multitouch abilities.
Experts and people or companies who hope to use Windows 7 for business
situations will appreciate the new XP Mode. It doesn't have much of a
practical application for the home consumer, but if you need to access
programs designed for Windows XP that have not been upgraded to Windows
Vista or 7, XP Mode creates a virtual environment within Windows 7 that
should assuage any fears of upgrading without backward compatibility.
You'll need to double-check that you have the right hardware, and can
get the right software. Hardware Virtualization Technology, also known
as AMD-V, Vanderpool, or VT-d, must be supported for it to work.
Motherboards older than two years probably won't work, and even if you
do have a newer one you might have to go into your BIOS and activate
Hardware Virtualization. CPU-identification utilities are available from
Microsoft
that can tell you if you're in the clear or not. However, if
compatibility is the issue, this hassle will be worth it to you. Users
will have full access to peripherals connected to their Windows 7
hardware, including printers, and the clipboard can be used to cut and
paste between the virtual operating system and the "real" one.
Security
User Account Control, or UAC, is back in Windows 7. Microsoft has
tweaked the feature so that it's less intrusive, but it's not clear
whether that means you're actually more or less secure than you were in
Vista. UAC was one of the biggest changes in Vista. It tightened program
access, but did it in such a way as to frustrate many owners of
single-user computers. Windows 7 provides more options for user
customization of UAC.
The default setting is to notify users
only when programs try to make changes to the computer, one step below
the most restrictive setting of Always Notify. Under Always Notify,
anytime a program tries to access the Internet, or you try to make
changes to the computer, Windows 7 will require user confirmation. The
second-least restrictive option doesn't dim the desktop when UAC is
activated, and will only notify the user when programs try to make
changes to the computer. When the desktop dims, Windows 7 is locking it
down and preventing access. Never Notify is the most relaxed option, and
is only recommended by Microsoft for programs that aren't compatible
with UAC.
UAC also displays a blue banner when confronted with a
program from a known publisher versus a yellow banner and exclamation
point when the program is from an unknown publisher. The number of
clicks it should take to use UAC safely has been reduced, However, it's
important to note that it's a less aggressive default posture by UAC.
A less glitzy, but no less important, change to how removable drives
are handled also can affect your media. Unlike Windows XP and Windows
Vista, Windows 7 will no longer AutoRun external hard drives and USB
keys when they're connected. This kills off a risky vector for malware
infections that has been the bane of many security experts.
Although Microsoft is working on a revamp of its antivirus and
antimalware program, now called Microsoft Security Essentials, it won't
be bundled with Windows 7. Users are still required to download a
third-party antivirus and antimalware program, although the Windows
Firewall remains intact. As with many features in Windows 7 that have
been carried over from Windows Vista, people will notice there's far
more granular settings control than before. Features like filtering
outbound traffic, which were available in Vista but not exposed, are
easier to access in Windows 7.
Comparing Windows: XP vs. Vista vs. 7
Windows XP
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Minimum hardware
--Processor: 300MHz
--RAM: 128MB
--Super VGA graphics device
--HD: 4.2GB (for SP3)
--Processor: 1GHz
--RAM: 1GB (32-bit), 2GB (64-bit)
--Support for DirectX 9 graphics device with 128MB of memory
--HD: 20GB (32-bit), 40GB (64-bit)
--Processor: 1 GHz
--RAM: 1GB (32-bit), 2GB (64-bit)
--Support for DirectX 9 graphics device with 128MB of memory
--HD: 16GB (32-bit), 20GB (64-bit)
Interface
--Luna theme
--Introduces task-based windows options
--Skinning possible but difficult
--Desktop Cleanup Wizard automates removing old icons
--Aero theme
--Introduces transparent panes, window animations, live thumbnails of running programs
--New desktop sidebar supports gadgets
--Supports touch screens
--Aero theme
--Supports slideshow backgrounds, RSS and theme packs
--Introduces Aero Shake and Aero Snap
--Desktop gadgets can be placed anywhere
--Supports multitouch on touch screens
Explorer
--Replaces tree navigation by default with task pane
--Improves image handling
--Offers thumbnail previews and group views
--Supports some metadata
--Task pane integrated into toolbar
--New breadcrumb navigation
--New metadata display
--Improved icon resolution
--Some documents can be edited from the preview pane
--Support for federated searches and libraries
--Virtual folders aggregate content from local and networked drives
Start menu
--New layout
--Devices and some Control Panel options appear in menu
--Added search box
--All Programs folder changed to a nested format
--Configurable power button
--User profile picture
--Taskbar jumps appear in the Start menu and replace the right column when viewed
--Documents, Pictures, Music buttons now link to their libraries
--Control Panel options have been integrated into search results
Taskbar
--New look
--Hideable icons in System Tray
--Refreshed look
--Alt-Tab hot key now shows preview thumbnail of program
--Interactive mouse-over preview panes
--Replacement of the Quick Launch bar with pinned programs
--Program-specific jump lists based on pinned programs
--Aero Peek for mouse-over desktop viewing
--Revamped System Tray
Devices
--Introduces Universal Plug-n-Play
--New driver library allows for downgrading drivers when necessary
--Debuts portable device API, designed to communicate with cell phones, PDAs, and portable media players
--Introduces Sync Center for managing data synchronizations
--New Device Stage provides a centralized, unified window for managing all aspects of printers and portable devices
Misc.
--Introduces context-menu CD and DVD burning from Windows Explorer
--Supports multiple versions of a single DLL to prevent programs from overwriting each other
--Introduces Hibernate and Sleep modes
--Remote Desktop for accessing a computer from another location
--Fast user account switching
--Built-in drive partitioning
--More powerful screen-capturing tool
--Hybrid Sleep and better configuration options for more nuanced power management
--User-based file-type associations
--Previous Version automatically backs up changes to individual files
--Expands Windows Explorer disc burning to include ISOs
--Introduces XP Mode
--Expanded options for disabling components
--Can search text in scanned TIFF
--Additional power-saving features for laptops
Performance
Windows 7 feels faster than Windows XP and Vista, but it turns out
that's not always the case--sometimes, it's the slowest out of the three
operating systems. CNET Labs tested four 32-bit Windows operating
systems: Windows 7 RTM build 7600, Windows 7 Release Candidate build
7100, Windows Vista with Service Pack 2, and Windows XP SP3, all on an
Inspiron Desktop 530 Mini Tower running an Intel Core 2 Duo Processor
E4500 at 2.20 GHz, with a 128MB NVIDIA 8300 GS graphics card, 4GB of
RAM, and two 320GB SATA 7,200rpm hard drives.
Microsoft Office Performance (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Windows Vista SP2 (64 bit)
571
Windows 7 RTM Build 7600 (64 bit)
600
Windows 7 RTM Build 7600 (32 bit)
684
Windows 7 RC Build 7100(32 bit)
752
Windows Vista SP2 (32 bit)
673
Windows XP SP3 (32 bit)
483
iTunes encoding (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
Windows Vista SP2 (64 bit)
199
Windows 7 RTM Build 7600 (64 bit)
199
Windows 7 RTM Build 7600 (32 bit)
187
Windows 7 RC Build 7100(32 bit)
188
Windows Vista SP2 (32 bit)
189
Windows XP SP3 (32 bit)
187
Boot time (in seconds)
(Shorter bars indicate better performance)
As you can see in the chart, we found that Windows 7 RTM was the
fastest to shutdown, and was tied with XP for iTunes encoding. However,
it was slower than XP and Vista for both booting up cold by a bit more
than 1 second, and slower than either of its predecessors in its
Microsoft Office performance. After having used Windows 7 beta, RC, and
now the RTM for more than six months combined, it still feels faster for
us when launching programs, opening the control panel, and dragging
icons, files, and folders around than XP. That's not to denigrate the
value of the benchmarks, but keep in mind that the perception and
reality might differ based on hardware and usage.
Support
When you try to use a file already in use, Windows 7 goes beyond Vista
and XP by telling you not just that it's being used, but where it's
being used so you can manage the situation faster. Other than that,
Windows 7 offers on-board operating system support nearly identical to
Windows Vista. Screen darkening, one-click action hand-holding, and a
useful question mark icon on all Explorer windows maintain Vista's
improved help features, when compared with Windows XP.
In sum
Windows 7 looks like the operating system that
both Microsoft and its consumers have been waiting for. By fixing most
of the perceived and real problems in Vista, Microsoft has laid the
groundwork for the future of where Windows will go. Windows 7 presents a
stable platform that can compete comfortably with OS X, while
reassuring the world that Microsoft can still turn out a strong, useful
operating system.
Important Instruction:
IF YOU WANT TO DOWNLOAD ALOT FASTER AND SAVE 3GB IF YOU DONT WANT 64BIT.THEN
1.GO TO U TORRENT
2.CLICK ON FILES(BOTTOM LEFT)
3.SCROLL TO BOTTOM
4.RIGHT CLICK ON 3RD ONE UP
5.CLICK DONT DOWNLOAD
IT SKIPS DOWNLOADING THE 64BIT AND SAVES TIME