Windows 7 RC Build 7100 Review

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KSoD

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Name: Windows 7 RC Build 7100
Release date: May 5, 2009 (April 30, 2009 to Testers, MSDN, techNET)
Description: The upcoming Operating System from Microsoft.

What to say about the latest Windows 7 Build? There has been fixes done to it since Build 7000. That much is for sure. As to what exactly most people will never know. Almost all of the changes have been under the hood and not realized. In fact i still have yet to find them all. As they have not affected the look or feel of the OS or the way it operates.

The Superbar has been tweaked a little bit.

Superbar7100.png


You can now choose how many items you not only want displayed on the Start Menu but in the Jump Lists that come up from the Supperbar.

Homegroup integration is still there. But not demanded upon install or setting up your OS.

So far i have installed every piece of software that i have run in XP/Vista with only 1 issue. Virtual Clone Drive. Eset version 3 is not supported either. But version 4 is. So that might be a issue for some.

I have installed Steam and have 10 or so games installed and running. I have run Portal with max settings including 16AA and all of that good stuff and still get great frame rates. I have to install Fraps to see what i do get on this old monster....

I have also installed and got F@H Working flawlessly. Even with the nVidia Beta Drivers WDM for Win7. No need to download and install new drivers. These work. Getting roughly 1500PPD on my 8600GT without any overclocking.

I am downloading and testing out Daemon Tools.

All in all i am very impressed. RAM usage is down. After installing all my software and having everything set at default like i did with my recent XP install, going to the desktop of each (Read not turning off any services or startup apps) XP used 38% of my RAM. At the same time in Win7 i see 33% used. Which is way down from Vista for me.

Upon starting things like Outlook, MSN, Trillian, Steam, Live Mesh and others the RAM usage goes up to 40% or so. Upon loading a browser, F@H, µTorrent and others i can see from 45%-49% used.

All in all this is by far down. Even down in some aspects compared to XP. It feels just as fast and it is stable. I have run it for 3 days straight so far without a single crash, restart or anything. Even with folding and all of that going.
 
What I noticed was in the 7000 buld my TV program and some others didn't work. but with the RC release those all work now. but with media center it's the opposite, it worked fine in build 7000, but now in 7100 it gets sound with no video..

Also in the menu you posted above they have dropped the option for restoring open windows explorer on log on.

I mean in folder options.

2mpzukl.png
 
That is because you shouldnt have to restore Explorer at log in. It is not a option that was available in XP, not a option in Vista, wont be a option in Win7. That was in the beta Build cause they expect problems and want to give you quick and efficient ways to restore your desktop. Now that it is RC they dont expect it to crash and expect you not to have to restore it. So why give the option to restore the desktop and explorer when it shouldnt ever be needed??

Just as there isnt the Submit Feedback links in the Explorer windows anymore. Again cause it is not needed anymore.
 
Sorry I wasn't more specific. I meant to say

"Restore previous folder windows at logon"


in Vista

e9sqp3.jpg


XP has the option and beta 7000 had it too, but not 7100.

This is great for installing system driver files that require a reboot in between without having to relocate the install folders.
 
Sorry but i still dont see the need for it. My sound card drivers for my Sound Blaster Audigy 2ZS require a reboot after removing the drivers Windows installs and installing the ones that work properly.

After the reboot they load up before my desktop and install the drivers like it should. Even without that folder. I dont see the purpose if it isnt needed. As i have had this work for me on every build of Win7 that i have used, tested and installed.
 
It looks like Vista, handles like XP, imo this is one of their best OS's yet. Heck, might even rank in at No. 1 as far as I'm concerned.

I've branched out a lot recently into other OS's, namely Mac OS X and Ubuntu, and I gotta say I'm liking Windows 7 out of those. Oh, this may sound a bit weird, but I LOVE the calculator! Awesome selection of stuffs there...
 
Honestly i havent gone back to XP or Vista since. I had XP installed for a while cause Win7 kept crashing, but i figured out what caused that. Now that the problem is gone i can run this just like i can XP.

I think this is a great OS. I love the superbar, i love the look, i just love it. XP wont be king for much longer.
 
I love 7 too, the reason I pointed that out is because I love that specific feature in the older Win OS's when installing many system files.. I mean it would be easy to throw all the updated sys files on 1 DVD but I would have to make a new DVD of the same files just the newer versions every month.. and thats why I like having them all in one folder for installing and when a new version of a driver comes out I can just delete the old one.
and still keep the install folder ready for new installs.
 
It would also be super simple to place them on a separate partition since it is very rare now not to have more than one. Even on a pre-built machine. Can also place them on a external device, USB Thumb Drive and so much more. there is also RW media that can be used. So why worry about 1 folder within windows that you would lose upon reinstall anyways?

There are so many more ways to accomplish what this 1 little folder would do. We have many methods listed alone in the Sticky Index in the Windows area on how to backup drivers for XP/Vista. Since it works in Vista it will work in Win7 as well. So yet again having a single folder which is lost upon reinstall anyways serves what real purpose? If it is for driver updates, it isnt needed. Cause Vista as well as Win7 have the very nifty option to roll back drivers.

Plus who knows, it may still come back. This is RC after all not RTM.
 
i also want to say that i have the RC and with 2gb of ram it is still very quick. i even installed my other sick of ram for a total of 4gb and that stick is bad. in vista i would only be able to use it for a few hours then it would crash with a BSOD related to that bad stick of ram.

now i am running win 7 and playing GTA IV with the bad stick of ram and it has not crashed or BSOD'd me ever since i installed it, which was since may 5th. so it's very stable, even with a 2gb stick of bad ram.
 
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