Windows 7

[Kaotik]

Or people could just wait till the 5th if they don't have a technet or MSDN subscription.

The humanity, having to wait for like 5 whole days :O

The build 7100 has been available from "unofficial sources" for quite a sometime already, it came week or two earlier than to MSDN / Technet.
Though while the build is the same, there IS differences between these, the leaked one has earlier expiration date 2nd of March 2010, opposed to.. sometime in June I think of the official one, and this doesn't include the "XP Mode" aka new VirtualPC

 

[Babel-17]

I'm pleased that "Invert Selection" is back when choosing files in a folder but I only just yesterday noted that the "Restore previous folder windows at logon" option is gone. I think it now defaults to on.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/201481-previous-open-folder-windows-restore-logon.html

That link has a capture to show where it would should be. Some googling tells me this option has been missing for a while in these beta builds.

Regarding hashes: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscriptions/downloads/default.aspx?pv=36:350

Go there and click on "Details" next to the build you are curious about.

Here's what I see.

File Name: en_windows_7_ultimate_rc_x86_dvd_349010.iso Date Posted (UTC): 4/30/2009 6:00:41 AM
SHA1: 7D1F486CA569EFFFFB719CFB48355BB7BF499712 ISO/CRC: E8A1C394
Available to Levels: TechNet Plus SA Media; TechNet Plus (Retail); TechNet Direct (Retail); TechNet Plus (VL); TechNet Plus Direct (VL); TechNet Cert Partner; TechNet Gold Cert Partner; TechNet Plus Consumer Service Professional Pilot;

File Name: en_windows_7_ultimate_rc_x64_dvd_347803.iso Date Posted (UTC): 4/30/2009 6:00:41 AM
SHA1: FC867FE1AB2E0A9796F9E4D155B44EA6998F4874 ISO/CRC: 58FB2BE0
Available to Levels: TechNet Plus SA Media; TechNet Plus (Retail); TechNet Direct (Retail); TechNet Plus (VL); TechNet Plus Direct (VL); TechNet Cert Partner; TechNet Gold Cert Partner; TechNet Plus Consumer Service Professional Pilot;

 

[Babel-17]

Also minor but worth noting. Like some other people I was having an issue where "New" "Text Document" was an option that somehow disappeared in previous builds but now it doesn't. There was a .reg fix for that but it's nice not to have to use it.

This could just be an issue at the user end. Software I installed might have caused the problem but either way I wasn't the only one.

One last thing. nVidia has some very recent Windows 7 beta drivers. I installed them and then Windows Update removed its notice that it had updated drivers for my 8800GT.

These drivers have the Ambient Occlusion option for games such as UT 3.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/win7_x64_185.81_beta.html

 

[Babel-17]

The build 7100 has been available from "unofficial sources" for quite a sometime already, it came week or two earlier than to MSDN / Technet.
Though while the build is the same, there IS differences between these, the leaked one has earlier expiration date 2nd of March 2010, opposed to.. sometime in June I think of the official one, and this doesn't include the "XP Mode" aka new VirtualPC

I was wondering about the expiration date. I'm wondering if the validation process is different for MSDN/Technet members and that's why they get a longer trial.

The XP mode has to be downloaded by everyone, I think.

http://www.sevenforums.com/news/8091-windows-xp-mode-available-download.html

 

[Kaotik]

I was wondering about the expiration date. I'm wondering if the validation process is different for MSDN/Technet members and that's why they get a longer trial.

The XP mode has to be downloaded by everyone, I think.

http://www.sevenforums.com/news/8091-windows-xp-mode-available-download.html

Nah, the 'unofficial RC 7100' has "wrong date" there, earlier builds had already longer dates on these, so the official RC 7100 coming out 5th will have same date as MSDN/Technet

 

[Babel-17]

Thanks for that info.

 

[Valzic]

I just downloaded the Windows 7 RC from Tech-net but I am waiting for a new Corsaur P256 SSD to put it on. Should arrive on Monday. I can't afford to take down my existing Vista-64 build as it is my work machine. So decided to splurge and get an ssd to try and use it with Windows 7. (I don't need the space on main machine since I have almost 10TB on my Windows Home Server and been targeting for a year at the use of an SSD locally and keep my massive databases and other files off my machine.. down to 120GB on local now)

I am especially interested in the XP mode as I support old software for some clients and want to see if that will do the trick. I like playing around with new stuff and it is a pain to be held back because of work issues.

So I will have to download XP when I install Windows 7 or is it there in RC?


Update: Missed that link Babel-17.... so I will have to download that XP mode....

 

[Babel-17]

/. just linked to a review of this Virtual PC XP mode.

http://tech.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=09/05/03/0433225&art_pos=12

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/01/windows_7_xp_mode_review/

 

[Valzic]

I hope it does the trick for me. When I moved to Vista 64, I had problems with loading 1 specific application software I use everyday for clients.

I downloaded MS Virtual PC and that worked but was pain to run two environments. After 2 months of that I found a workaround that let me load it directly to Vista 64. Hopefully this as Slashdot describes, it will do what I need. If it works that leaves the door open for my client to update their Machines to Windows 7 also.

That is probably the reason that it was created. To handle those old stuff that prevents people from upgrading. It really not designed to use 3D graphics and play old games. If you need that, VMware is the ticket as I discovered as a test.

 

[almighty]

Cant believe my thread is still going

 

[Malo]

I like the new toolbar features for compatible apps. With the IE icon, it's like a quick lauch icon but uses the same icon space for the application itself, it just makes the area around it embossed to show it is running. And when you click on the IE icon, it shows you the tabs that are open. And when you are downloading a file via HTTP, it shows the progress of the file on that icon as well, a green bar slowly fills up that area. All quite functional and tucked away how I like it.

I guess those new toolbar features will require specific support in the application though. I tried shortcutting an app on the toolbar but if you run it there, it creates a new area for that app on the toolbar with the same icon, instead of using the same icon. I wouldn't have thought it would be difficult to get that working for "legacy" apps.

 

[Kaotik]

It has been confirmed now that the leaked 7100 is infact identical to the 7100 from MS, even MD5 is said to be the same, even though their expiration date appears to be different

 

[suryad]

I am going to possibly try and install this when I feel motivated enough though I have grabbed a copy already from MS. The thing is I dont see drivers posted on Nvidia's site for my motherboard/raid etc but I wonder if the Vista drivers will work on it just fine.

 

[digitalwanderer]

A free test/trial version & people still pirate it!

Y'know it feels real weird to me to be an official beta tester this time and be downloading builds straight from Microsoft, your comment just made me hafta mention that.

I got the RC for 64-bit, probably will be installing it later after I clear out a partition. I haven't played with win 7 since it's first beta so I'm looking forward to a pleasant experience.

 

[ban25]

I installed Virtual PC XP Mode and was generally pleased with the functionality. It's a little sluggish, so I turned off all the bells and whistles to improve responsiveness. There's no support for domains, however, which limits its usefulness.

 

[Blazkowicz]

I'd love a similar seamless integration for DOS apps .

The issue of maintaining two environments is exactly what I hate with XP and dosbox. I have to run a half-assed non standard command line and segregate between DOS and windows games. It was much better with Windows 98, you had a real DOS with sound, networking and almost full compatibility, and you would use explorer, shortcuts and the regular command line without even needing to know you're running a DOS or a windows program.

2000/XP have the NTVDM but it's utter crap for gaming. I ran windows 98 till 2005 for that reason. It was much easier to just run the original doom2 for instance, load wad files the old way, no hassle, no bug, full functionality including network gaming with garbage computers running DOS.

 

[Kyyla]

It has been confirmed now that the leaked 7100 is infact identical to the 7100 from MS, even MD5 is said to be the same, even though their expiration date appears to be different

Yes the MD5 is the same as is the expiration date.

 

[ban25]

2000/XP have the NTVDM but it's utter crap for gaming. I ran windows 98 till 2005 for that reason. It was much easier to just run the original doom2 for instance, load wad files the old way, no hassle, no bug, full functionality including network gaming with garbage computers running DOS.

DOOM II runs great on dosbox, in fact, it's distributed with most old games on Steam.

 

[Arwin]

I can't help but smile at the Doom 2 comments when I can run Quake with full network capabilities on my PSP, and even that device is already in its fifth year on the market (bought mine at Japanese launch late 2004).

 

[Scali]

With the latest nVidia beta drivers you seem to get great 3d performance in Windows 7. It's often actually faster than Vista SP2 with the same beta drivers.
Looks like Windows 7 is going to become a great gaming OS.