Windows 7

[tongue_of_colicab]

I got my Windows 7 installed. All my home computers are still running Windows XP, so the upgrade process is quite... lengthy, as in-place upgrade is not supported. (The computer I'm using right now was actually running Windows 7 RC, but again in-place upgrade from Windows 7 RC is not supported either.) Worse, one of my home computer has only one IDE port, and the HDD with Windows XP is using it. As the IDE cable is pretty short, it's very difficult to connect the HDD with the DVD-ROM altogether... and unfortunately my Windows 7 is upgrade version, that means it needs to see the stupid Windows XP partition to be able to install. Unfortunately I don't have a > 4GB USB drive either. Now I'm using ghost to copy the Windows XP partition into a new SATA HDD, and hopefully it would allow me to "upgrade."

For now I don't see anything different from the RC version I've been using for quite a while, other than the default background is no longer a "betta" fish, and it's in traditional Chinese. Oh, and the Live Movie Maker is finally out of beta, and it looks more usable, but still kind of vanilla.

Thats weird, even if you got a upgrade key it should still be possible to do a clean install. Even MS advises that while upgrading is possible, a clean install is the beter solution in the long run. So it should work fine without xp or vista.

 

[pcchen]

The beta version of the live movie maker was a bit basket of fail applied in a very slow manner. I much preferred the one in XP honestly. And that's hard for me to say, since I'm pretty happy with Vista and Win7 both.

So is the non-beta version of LMM any better than it was?

Yeah, the new Live Movie Maker is a great step-backward from XP's version, even the final version is sort of still lacking in some ways.

However, it's better than the stupid beta version.

I just tried it for a while, but some improvements are pretty apparent. For example, the output formats are much more complete now. It now has profiles for Youtube (with directly upload to Youtube function), 1080p HD, 720p HD, and 480p, 320x240, etc. Unfortunately, all formats are WMV, and I don't see a way to modify any settings (everything including bitrate are predefined). There is an option for "download plug-ins" for uploading video to other websites I presume. And apparently it outputs interlaced WMV for interlaced video, and that's a good thing, at least better than some programs which output interlaced video as progressive and resulting in crazy "spikes." Although it'd be nice if there is a deinterlace option.

Also, the "import video/photo" function now supports DV/HDV through 1394. Apparently it can also import from USB devices, but I didn't try that as I don't have any such device.

Another new feature is the ability to add title, subtitle, and credit texts. I don't remember seeing them in the beta version. The subtitle function can be added to any part of the video in unlimited number, just like real subtitles.

There are many new transition effects to choose from. Only three are available when there is only one video, but many more are available for transition between two video.

Photos can be inserted into the video arbitrarily and various animation for the photo can be used. Audio tracks can also be inserted into the video or photo.

Basically although it's pretty simple and somewhat lacks in more serious functions, I think it can serve as a basic video editing tool for most home users. At least for those who don't want to spent too much on special video editing softwares.

Finally, no, it's not iMovie. Not to that level yet. However, I like the fact that it can handle HDV files directly rather than having to convert into some sort of intermediate format. That's much better than iMovie than any other features in my book.

 

[pcchen]

Thats weird, even if you got a upgrade key it should still be possible to do a clean install. Even MS advises that while upgrading is possible, a clean install is the beter solution in the long run. So it should work fine without xp or vista.

Oh, it has to be a clean install if you want to upgrade from Windows XP. However, with a upgrade key you have to install from an existing Windows XP partition with a Windows XP directory inside, and it will happily rename the directory into windows.old and do a clean install.

If you just do a real clean install without a XP partition for it to rename, it will refuse an upgrade key (saying it's not a valid key). It took me an hour ...

With this behavior, I guess I need to maintain a "system backup" to make sure if my harddisk crashed I can still recover the upgrade version.

 

[Richard]

With this behavior, I guess I need to maintain a "system backup" to make sure if my harddisk crashed I can still recover the upgrade version.

and that's why one of the "features" I wanted when shopping for my laptop was having a real Windows disc instead of recovery partition (Recovery discs don't count either).

Btw, I think you can order a real disc from MS if you pay for the post.

Anyway, installing Win7 Upgrade media without a previous Windows installation/partition.

 

[pcchen]

and that's why one of the "features" I wanted when shopping for my laptop was having a real Windows disc instead of recovery partition (Recovery discs don't count either).

Btw, I think you can order a real disc from MS if you pay for the post.

Anyway, installing Win7 Upgrade media without a previous Windows installation/partition.

Ah, that's great. Thanks for the link.

Actually the upgrade disc is fine, as it's basically the same as a "normal" disc, just the key is different. With the hack described in your link, upgrade keys would be basically the same as normal keys.

 

[dizietsma]

Blimey, just done it .....

Not too bad, who would have thought that to get Office 2003 Outlook to not bomb out you have to install SP3 of that? Did it without googling though so chuffed.

Have to say that I am really used it it already, even though big fat icons everywhere are just a sign on dumbing down for the masses. Give me the meat and lots of text

I always have to turn the title bars and background to shades of blue though so it looks like earlier windows so I feel at home.

 

[Scott_Arm]

Seems good, but I'm pissed that my Sony PS3 headset doesn't work. Stupid Sony doesn't provide drivers for any version of Windows. I was really hoping it would work since 7 has a bluetooth stack that supports headsets.

 

[Brad Grenz]

I thought bluetooth headsets were standardized. You need specific drivers? What kind of bluetooth radio to you have in your PC?

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Oh, it has to be a clean install if you want to upgrade from Windows XP. However, with a upgrade key you have to install from an existing Windows XP partition with a Windows XP directory inside, and it will happily rename the directory into windows.old and do a clean install.

If you just do a real clean install without a XP partition for it to rename, it will refuse an upgrade key (saying it's not a valid key). It took me an hour ...

With this behavior, I guess I need to maintain a "system backup" to make sure if my harddisk crashed I can still recover the upgrade version.

Is that because of the key or the upgrade download/disk? As far as i've seen you can just get the full .iso from the interwebs and use your upgrade key and it will just work fine, no asking for old installs.

 

[Kaotik]

Oh, it has to be a clean install if you want to upgrade from Windows XP. However, with a upgrade key you have to install from an existing Windows XP partition with a Windows XP directory inside, and it will happily rename the directory into windows.old and do a clean install.

If you just do a real clean install without a XP partition for it to rename, it will refuse an upgrade key (saying it's not a valid key). It took me an hour ...

With this behavior, I guess I need to maintain a "system backup" to make sure if my harddisk crashed I can still recover the upgrade version.

If it work the same way as Vista does, you could do clean win7 install without a key, and then do upgrade installation over that with your upgrade key

 

[pcchen]

Is that because of the key or the upgrade download/disk? As far as i've seen you can just get the full .iso from the interwebs and use your upgrade key and it will just work fine, no asking for old installs.

I think it's because the key. In my first try, I couldn't get the key accepted so I didn't input the key. Then in the computer information window, I clicked on the "change product key" and input the upgrade key, then it told me "upgrade key doesn't work with clean install" or something like that.

 

[Arwin]

Seems good, but I'm pissed that my Sony PS3 headset doesn't work. Stupid Sony doesn't provide drivers for any version of Windows. I was really hoping it would work since 7 has a bluetooth stack that supports headsets.

It should work, so it's probably an issue on your end. Here's one set of instructions I found:

How to pair the PLaystation 3 Bluetooth headset to a device other than the Playstation 3:

Ensure the headset is turned off (NO lights flashing)
Press and hold the power button untill you see the mic mute red ring flash (Aprox 7 seconds). The green power light and the red mic mute light should now be flashing alternativly. THis incidates the headset is in pairing mode.
Turn on the buletooth on your other devide (Phone, PC, Etc) and search for new device. Your headset should appear as "wireless headset" or "headset"
Select this device to pair.
Conection should now be establised and you are ready to use your headset.

 

[Scott_Arm]

It should work, so it's probably an issue on your end. Here's one set of instructions I found:

No, it doesn't work. It pairs, but there are no working drivers. It recognizes it as a bluetooth headset as well. I thought there wouldn't be any problems with the Microsoft stack. Maybe I have to find some other solution. Pain in the ass anyway.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Found another rather annoing bug. For some reason everytime I try to delete folders from my server I get the message the thumb file is in use by explorer. Now I am clueless how this is possible, since I dont even have thumb view on so I figure the thumb file shouldnt even be used but anyway I've been getting this message ever since XP but in win7 it seems to happen everytime unlike on XP.

The same goes with credentials for networkshares btw. With XP it would be enough to just login to a network share one time and after that I could login and run every file that was in a networkshare on my server (untill a reboot obviously). However win7 keeps asking for every different folder, and when I try to run lets say a exe from that folder it asks for credentials again. Who the hell came up with this brilliant system? Today alone I must have typed my username password like 20 times. Yeah I know you can save your credentials but I dont want that. Loggin in one time should be sufficient.

 

[aaaaa00]

Found another rather annoing bug. For some reason everytime I try to delete folders from my server I get the message the thumb file is in use by explorer. Now I am clueless how this is possible, since I dont even have thumb view on so I figure the thumb file shouldnt even be used but anyway I've been getting this message ever since XP but in win7 it seems to happen everytime unlike on XP.

The same goes with credentials for networkshares btw. With XP it would be enough to just login to a network share one time and after that I could login and run every file that was in a networkshare on my server (untill a reboot obviously). However win7 keeps asking for every different folder, and when I try to run lets say a exe from that folder it asks for credentials again. Who the hell came up with this brilliant system? Today alone I must have typed my username password like 20 times. Yeah I know you can save your credentials but I dont want that. Loggin in one time should be sufficient.

What kind of server is it? Is it Windows or samba on linux/etc?

If it's samba, please upgrade to the lastest samba. There are a lot of interop bugs that have been fixed over time.

 

[tongue_of_colicab]

Nope just a normal XP machine. I think its a win7 problem because it seems it just doesnt understand that it just can use the some logon for all shared folders. Maybe its UAC? I got it to the second lowest setting. I'll try what happens if I turn it off.

 

[Brad Grenz]

No, it doesn't work. It pairs, but there are no working drivers. It recognizes it as a bluetooth headset as well. I thought there wouldn't be any problems with the Microsoft stack. Maybe I have to find some other solution. Pain in the ass anyway.

As I understand it the drivers you need would be for your bluetooth radio. If there is a driver problem it's not something the maker of the headset can fix. It's a standard function the bluetooth receiver drivers should load.

 

[aaaaa00]

Nope just a normal XP machine. I think its a win7 problem because it seems it just doesnt understand that it just can use the some logon for all shared folders. Maybe its UAC? I got it to the second lowest setting. I'll try what happens if I turn it off.

Hm.

Try making sure there is an account with exactly the same name and password on the XP server as the account on the Windows 7 machine you are using.

 

[Malo]

Is that because of the key or the upgrade download/disk? As far as i've seen you can just get the full .iso from the interwebs and use your upgrade key and it will just work fine, no asking for old installs.

That's what I did. I installed the RTM iso (configured as a Professional version) on my wife's and my own PC a month or so ago. We got our W7 upgrades delivered on the 22nd and the keys activated fine.

 

[linthat22]

Got the student discount of W7 Pro 64bit and was able to create an ISO, so wish me luck.

Going to dual boot with XP 32bit.

The next time I post it will be through W7.

See ya'll in a few (days )