Installing Win7, Worth It?

[PaperPlanes]

Hi.

I have just downloaded the windows 7 beta and am just having second thoughts on installing it, I currently have XP (Can't stand Vista, sooo ****) on the my computer I use for gaming. Here are the specs -

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System Information
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Operating System: Windows XP Home Edition (5.1, Build 2600) Service Pack 3
System Model: GeForce7050M-M
BIOS: Default System BIOS
Processor: AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4600+, MMX, 3DNow (2 CPUs), ~2.4GHz
Memory: 2048MB RAM
DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c (4.09.0000.0904)


---------------
Display Devices
---------------
Card name: NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT
Manufacturer: NVIDIA
Chip type: GeForce 8500 GT
DAC type: Integrated RAMDAC
Device Key: Enum\PCI\VEN_10DE&DEV_0421&SUBSYS_047A10DE&REV_A1
Display Memory: 512.0 MB
Current Mode: 1152 x 864 (32 bit) (60Hz)
Monitor: Plug and Play Monitor
Monitor Max Res: 1600,1200
Driver Name: nv4_disp.dll
Driver Version: 6.14.0011.8122 (English)
DDI Version: 9 (or higher)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Driver Date/Size: 1/15/2009 08:19:00, 6168960 bytes
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
WHQL Date Stamp: n/a
VDD: n/a
Mini VDD: nv4_mini.sys
Mini VDD Date: 1/15/2009 08:19:00, 6301248 bytes
Device Identifier: {D7B71E3E-4761-11CF-D46C-712400C2CB35}
Vendor ID: 0x10DE
Device ID: 0x0421
SubSys ID: 0x047A10DE
Revision ID: 0x00A1
Revision ID: 0x00A1
Video Accel: ModeMPEG2_C ModeMPEG2_D ModeWMV9_B ModeWMV9_A

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Sound Devices
-------------
Description: Realtek HD Audio output
Default Sound Playback: Yes
Default Voice Playback: Yes
Hardware ID: HDAUDIO\FUNC_01&VEN_10EC&DEV_0662&SUBSYS_10192609&REV_1001
Manufacturer ID: 1
Product ID: 100
Type: WDM
Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5443 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
WHQL Logo'd: Yes
Date and Size: 7/10/2007 14:56:00, 4449280 bytes
Other Files:
Driver Provider: Realtek Semiconductor Corp.
HW Accel Level: Full
Cap Flags: 0xF5F
Min/Max Sample Rate: 8000, 192000
Static/Strm HW Mix Bufs: 33, 31
Static/Strm HW 3D Bufs: 33, 31
HW Memory: 0
Voice Management: No
EAX(tm) 2.0 Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
I3DL2(tm) Listen/Src: Yes, Yes
Sensaura(tm) ZoomFX(tm): No
Registry: OK
Sound Test Result: Not run

---------------------
Sound Capture Devices
---------------------
Description: Realtek HD Audio Input
Default Sound Capture: Yes
Default Voice Capture: Yes
Driver Name: RtkHDAud.sys
Driver Version: 5.10.0000.5443 (English)
Driver Attributes: Final Retail
Date and Size: 7/10/2007 14:56:00, 4449280 bytes
Cap Flags: 0x41
Format Flags: 0xFFF


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-----------
USB Devices
-----------
+ USB Root Hub
| Vendor/Product ID: 0x10DE, 0x055E
| Matching Device ID: usb\root_hub
| Service: usbhub
| Driver: usbhub.sys, 4/14/2008 07:45:37, 59520 bytes
| Driver: usbd.sys, 3/1/2006 01:00:00, 4736 bytes
|
+-+ Microsoft USB Wheel Mouse Optical
| | Vendor/Product ID: 0x045E, 0x0040
| | Location: Microsoft 3-Button Mouse with IntelliEye(TM)
| | Matching Device ID: usb\vid_045e&pid_0040
| | Service: HidUsb
| | Driver: hidusb.sys, 4/14/2008 07:45:27, 10368 bytes
| | Driver: hidclass.sys, 4/14/2008 07:45:26, 36864 bytes
| | Driver: hidparse.sys, 4/14/2008 07:45:22, 24960 bytes
| | Driver: hid.dll, 4/14/2008 13:11:54, 20992 bytes
| |
| +-+ Microsoft USB Wheel Mouse Optical
| | | Vendor/Product ID: 0x045E, 0x0040
| | | Matching Device ID: hid\vid_045e&pid_0040
| | | Service: mouhid
| | | Driver: mouclass.sys, 4/14/2008 07:39:47, 23040 bytes
| | | Driver: mouhid.sys, 3/1/2006 01:00:00, 12160 bytes

----------------
Gameport Devices
----------------

------------
PS/2 Devices
------------
+ Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 Keyboard
| Matching Device ID: *pnp0303
| Service: i8042prt
| Driver: i8042prt.sys, 4/14/2008 08:18:00, 52480 bytes
| Driver: kbdclass.sys, 4/14/2008 07:39:47, 24576 bytes
|
+ Terminal Server Keyboard Driver
| Matching Device ID: root\rdp_kbd
| Upper Filters: kbdclass
| Service: TermDD
| Driver: termdd.sys, 4/14/2008 13:13:20, 40840 bytes
| Driver: kbdclass.sys, 4/14/2008 07:39:47, 24576 bytes
|
+ Terminal Server Mouse Driver
| Matching Device ID: root\rdp_mou
| Upper Filters: mouclass
| Service: TermDD
| Driver: termdd.sys, 4/14/2008 13:13:20, 40840 bytes
| Driver: mouclass.sys, 4/14/2008 07:39:47, 23040 bytes


-------------------
DirectPlay Adapters
-------------------
DirectPlay8 Serial Service Provider: COM1
DirectPlay8 TCP/IP Service Provider: Wireless Network Connection - IPv4 -

-----------------------
DirectPlay Voice Codecs
-----------------------
Voxware VR12 1.4kbit/s
Voxware SC06 6.4kbit/s
Voxware SC03 3.2kbit/s
MS-PCM 64 kbit/s
MS-ADPCM 32.8 kbit/s
Microsoft GSM 6.10 13 kbit/s
TrueSpeech(TM) 8.6 kbit/s

-------------------------
DirectPlay Lobbyable Apps
-------------------------

------------------------
Disk & DVD/CD-ROM Drives
------------------------
Drive: C:
Free Space: 98.7 GB
Total Space: 100.0 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: SAMSUNG HD322HJ

Drive: D:
Free Space: 61.1 GB
Total Space: 150.0 GB
File System: NTFS
Model: SAMSUNG HD322HJ

Drive: E:
Model: SAMSUNG HD322HJ

Drive: F:
Model: TSSTcorp CDDVDW SH-S223F
Driver: d:\windows\system32\drivers\cdrom.sys, 5.01.2600.5512 (English), 4/14/2008 07:40:46, 62976 bytes

This computer is used for gaming, and the odd bit of internet use, so im just wanting to know is it worth installing it on my machine??.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Tim]

Because its still in Beta, Windows 7 won't be usable in a fair amount of games, i believe that games with Punkbuster won't work, due to it not being a recognised OS...

You could dual boot and see what its like. Then if you like it, remove the xp partition

 

[KSoD]

Tim is right.

PunkBuster will give you trouble. But it can be fixed. But other game protection software can not. So far ONLY PunkBuster has a fix for it. The rest you have to wait for them to update which will not be done till Win7 goes final.

So if you play a lot of games online that use this cheat protection software you might not want to install it yet.

Also know that there is driver issues for some people as well. RealTek is a device that takes some work to get the sound working.

All in all if you dont have experience with Betas then i would steer clear. It will take more work to get it working for you to game than you will want. Aside from teh fact if the games will even work. Some older generation games will require updates.

 

[PaperPlanes]

Yeah, I'll install it on an empty partion. I'll post back to say how it went.

 

[gurusan]

I use win7 for my primary OS but reboot into XP x64 to play CoD4 because of punkbuster.

There's now a fix for it? Mind pointing me in the right direction? Thanks

 

[KSoD]

Guru,

To fix PunkBuster go to the directory it is stored in. There find the actual PunkBuster Executable file. Right click>Properties.

Select the Compatibility Tab and set it for Vista. Also select Run as Admin.

After that click okay.

This will force PunkBuster to run in Vista mode and allow you to game with it on. This is the ONLY cheat protection software that this works with. Others have been tested like this but they use a different method to identify the OS.

 

[gurusan]

Thanks for that but it still doesn't work

 

[KSoD]

Maybe try running the game in Vista Compatibility mode as well?

 

[gurusan]

Nope, still get kicked. I heard this fix only works for the 32-bit version...perhaps that's the reason.

 

[KSoD]

Could be. The 64 Bit version i think is identified differently than the 32 Bit version. Which would cause this conflict. Sorry mate.