#tconnelly

can't decipher the last paragraph. is this a draft article?

I installed RC1 and it installed without any issues...Creative had a beta driver and though my old webcam doesn't offer even Vista drivers my xp driver allows it to have limited functions. I like it much better then Vista and most likely consumers will as well. I have only one driver issue with Asus but hey it runs well. I simply used a spare S-ata drive and used a boot menu..When I am done driving it I will simply format that drive. I chose not to do a dual boot why?? Call me skiddish with MS. One pisser is no email client (pop3) They steer you towards Live Mail..I am gonna install a 3rd party pop3 client and see if it works well.But all in all Win 7 was a breeze to install and to figure out..unlike Vista

It's only a matter of time before the "RC expiration crack" is released by the pirating community. And then everyone has a 99% complete version of Windows 7 that doesn't want to shell out the bucks when the final product hits the shelves.

On another note, my friend did a clean install of the RC. Bootup time is still about the same, but the time it takes between logging in and being able to actually do something is much, much faster.

i think one of the tools microsoft has in its arsenal against such "cracks" is via the "update" feature.

whereas updating a pirated/cracked o.s. won't be updated because it will fail the "genuine test.

i wouldn't be surprised if microsoft would provide one update for pirated software which would sabatoge or hijack that o.s. until a license was purchased.

I am very impressed with Windows 7 RC, so far. Looks very promising.

hmmmmmm,no vista enterprise upgrade path??? Guess MS doesn't want us corporate IT types to play.

...or they figure you are smart enough to know that in-place upgrades are Bad™?

Nah...they wouldn't give you that much credit (and apparently with good reason).

can someone tell me what build this public RC1 is?

7100.

Of course, it's newer than the leaked 7106, which may be confusing to some, but I'll just leave it at that the build numbers for different branches of development sometimes overlap.

Now, I'm going to stir the pot a bit here (What, you Roj? Never!) and raise the issue of what a Release Candidate actually is.

You see, where I come from (much beta testing as of yore), a RC was the final glide path to release. Code was complete, 99% of the testing was done and this was a last kick at the can before sending it out to the great unwashed as a final release. All showstoppers were supposedly gone and the only things left were little nitpicking but annoying things – fit and finish, if you will.

This is in marked contrast to some so-called Rcs that I've seen here at FileForum, where some misguided twits at one point had their app up to TEN (yes, 10) Release Candidates, thus demonstrating their utter and complete ignorance of what a RC actually is.

So now we come to Windows 7 and yes indeed, MS has branded this release a RC.

Is it really? Is this code so close to release that it's a heartbeat away from a shiny box and a ridiculous price tag? Or is this (as I suspect) MASSIVE PR and also a thinly veiled way of saying (when the OS does make it out the door) “you had your chance to b**** and this is what you said you wanted” based on the feedback they'll get from this.

In any event, I'm betting that this ISN'T a Release Candidate but rather marketing talking.

Thoughts, comments, theories?

*shrug*

Not really going to bite, just a little FYI:

Microsoft has stated in various blogs and press releases that Win7 will likely only visit one RC (just as it only went through one Beta) prior to hitting RTM.

Take that however you want. :)

Given the maturity of the current RC, that statement on their part is saved from overweening arrogance.

Makes sense.

Nice to know.
I hope to be bored enough soon to check and
see if this ver will install to my SATA drive.

Which is not removable storage no matter
what Windows thinks.

Internal or external?

Vista and Win7 had no issues installing to my nForce 4 RAID-0 setup. (XP never got it right...even with the drivers from nvidia).

What chipset?

Biostar mobo w/ NVIDIA nForce it seems.
SATA drive bolted to the frame, plugged into
a SATA connector on the mobo. IMO, not
removable. (Well, yeah. /Technically/....)

W7: cannot install to portable drive.
me: ok
w: please insert driver cd.
m: Look for the driver cd? That implies that
you are going to install: To the other drive,
where XP Pro SP3 is doing fine, or that I
need to find a driver cd for a SATA drive.
No, thank you.
Why don't I plug in that old, emptied 120 gig
EIDE drive? Or move one of the 250's off the
RAID array that I haven't gotten to replacing
the card for? Eh, not bored /now/. Maybe
later.

What revision of nforce is that rig using, and what BIOS manufacturer? I am almost thinking we have the same basic set-up from the sounds of it (though I only have 2 monitors on mine...*grin*).

well, it's this:
http://www.biostar-usa.c...s.asp?model=NF4U%20AM2G
with a dual core AMD 64, 3 gigs ram, drives
and cards running XP Pro SP3 32 bit and
(until I took the RAM from 1 to 3) Ubuntu
6 and on reboot I'll learn if the Ubuntu 9
wubi worked.

Are you running the latest BIOS revision? Check Biostar's website...

Mine is not the ultra (NForce4), so that could be the difference, but it's still odd, since NForce4 (standard) seems to work just fine.

(Though I have to admit, the NForce drivers are crap and I've been using the Win7 "versions" and not updating or installing drivers for the parts of the chipset Win7 cannot "google".) ;)

Vis nForce- for this mobo one doesn't install the
drivers for the firewall. One really doesn't.
( it was regularly inserting a set of about a half
dozen chars into the data stream. Good for mal-
ware auto DL's, bad for everything else. )

BIOS version? (smacks forehead) I meant to
check those back, let's see. Bought the mobo
xx/11/07 so time to get *.* working? uh, /;p I
meant to check for updates real soon now.
Man, I check for firmware updates for things like
DVD burners the day I get 'em hooked up and
for the system BIOS I forget.

I'm sure we all have other things on our minds most of the time. Hell, most folks don't even know such a thing as firmware updates are even possible. :p

apart from all the usual - should i / shouldnt i - i have seen comments about the 2 hourly shutdown after march 2010 - but does anyone know of any other limitations ? - i certainly havnt seen anything documented - but happy to be corrected !! p.s. limitations in "Functional ones" - im quite aware of how to install / reinstall / qhost / image / operating systems !!!

The OS will have 100% functionality. 2 Weeks prior to June, 2010, the OS will begin reminging you that you are nearing the end of the life-span of the RC. 2 weeks later, while you will still have 100% functionality of the OS, the OS will force shutdown every 2 hours. (supposedly, this would allow you enough time to copy your files off of the PC, back things up, etc...)

Other than the 2-hour time limitation, the OS will remain 100% functional.

Hope that helps.

Currently I am running windows xp professional, if I install the windows 7 the xp professional will be erased completely.? Then, after June 2010 I will be forced to by windows 7. ? Please advised me what to do, thanks

You can dual-boot Windows 7 and Windows XP if you're unsure.

vilugo31:

As stated, you can dual-boot, but I would *strongly* advise against installing this RC on *any* system where a complete HD wipe would not be an option.

Seriously, the RC is stable, fast, and nearly complete (Hence the RC tag), but it is *not* for productions systems yet.

Do not install this if you cannot risk losing everything. Do not install this as your Main OS unless you *know* what you are doing, and if you *do* install it, be prepared to do a complete wipe of the system by 2010...even if you do consider purchasing the OS. You will *not* be able to upgrade from the RC to the RTM release.

I suggest making a backup of your XP machine (documents, photos, music, videos, favorties, PST or other email, etc) and installing Win7 as a new install as the sole OS. After the install, copy any needed files back over to the appropriate library. Simple process.

After June 1, you won't be FORCED to BUY anything. Sometime before then you will need to make a decision if you want to buy Win 7 or reinstall your XP. Regardless, you will need to install something since this is the RC, not the final code.

@pct

your not totally accurate - again.

you can install the additional o.s. on a seperate partition or hard disk to avoid the possibility of corrupting the system partition.

@DBben - You're an idiot. ;-) (See what I did there?)

Installing any OS can have the effect of making any and/or all of your data inaccsessible. Regardless of the partition it is on.

Example: User does not know which drive is "Disk 0" and which is "Disk 1"... The install does not let your browse drives to see what is where. It has also been known to write boot-code to the first drive (even if you specify the install should go to the second), thus making any OS on that drive non-bootable.

FFS, man... Don't give advice. Please. It is *so* incredibly easy to completely hose a system during an OS install that even suggesting such a thing to a non-techie is beyond stupid.

obviously, you have had terrible experiences because you chose to install multiple o.s.'s on a single partition

instead of installing a seperate o.s. on a seperate partition or hard disk that have no data on them.

honestly, just because your a moron, doesn't mean that the rest of the world is - unless your a moron.

Quote: Guy who's apparently never installed an OS:
"Instead of installing a seperate o.s. on a seperate partition or hard disk."

Learn to read.

Quote: Guy who installs multiple OSes on a monthly if not weekly basis:
"It has also been known to write boot-code to the first drive (even if you specify the install should go to the second), thus making any OS on that drive non-bootable."

Seriously...stop. While it's mildly amusing delving ever-deeper into your ignorance and ridiculing it, your "advice" could cause people serious problems. No-one should be installing a pre-productions OS on any system that has critical, non-backed up information. Period. End of Story. Suggesting anything else is not only foolish, but borders on the malicious.

It is funny though...looks like you have a new worshipper PC...first it was Dave, now this guy. Funny thing is they're both as clueless as each other...makes you wonder.

I guess Betanews just has to have one of these on the forums at all times for some reason...

Yeah...

I tried to figure out if they just grew brains and moved on, or if they became so totally inept they forgot how to post, but in the end, it just wasn't worth the effort to determine. So now I just imagine folks like PC Rat, zridling, and so on have devolved into a mass of drool puddled about the legs of the chair in front of their basement PCs. ;-)

DBben was actually relatively lucid until the Win7 news started, and let's not forget "fatty" is still lurking, spam-modding mine and foxxy's posts (thankfully allowing him precious little time to post his absurd drivel).

The DBben thing really has me confused though. His posts used to be relatively intelligent. I almost think his account has been hacked or "cloned" by one of the aforementioned past trolls. His current posts just don't seem to be at all in line with his past posts....totally different styles (not to mentioned going from somewhat competent to completely absurd).

You can download Windows XP from Microsoft's website free of charge. and run it under Windows 7.

I was just thinking the same thing about Ben..

Maybe he's venting because he accidently wiped his partition.

@pct

who are you trying to kid?

the boot code will be overwritten but it doesn't mean one will loose the system data as you scream out.

the boot code you are so worried about can be repaired without affecting the system partition data.

oops, i forgot whom is argueing with me. trolls are not experienced enough to know how to repair the boot sector and their only option is to wipe the disk and start over.

too bad, you are not previed to advanced methodologies.

and even if you were not as smart as you claim to be, then do a "restore" via backup or image(s). again, you won't loose any data if you use this archaic method.

but you have to be smarter than a primate, pct, to know how.

*LAUGHING*

This is getting tiresome.

The boot-code gets over-written. Immediately, the user assumes all is lost and calls support.

The *entire* purpose of the questions and my posts regarding trying the RC is to *avoid* exactly those situations.

How slow can you be? Do you not understand the basic reasoning behind *why* they are asking these questions? (Hint: To avoid problems.) and that the solution you are trying to argue for is *rife* with those exact problems??!?

Seriously, stop trying to get people to **** up their systems. It is *not* result they are looking for when they ask these questions.

FFS... "a simple repair install"... Christ. This from a guy who thinks PowerShell 2 makes the OS more complex than it needs to be.... What a joke.

perhaps, you should stop laughing and read the microsoft instructions to install win7 on a different partition or hard disk.

fyi for the innocent bystanders - users will have until june2010 to ensure that the primary o.s. is backed up before the secondary o.s. expires.

----------

in regards to power shell, you shouldn't mix apples and orange's since power shell is a different topic.

however, since win7 will likely be sold in varying levels, i'm sure that the eager beaver i.t. specialist will seek the developmental version, while home, business and entertainment versions will be available without code writing utilities.

hopefully this will conclude your grunting.

"perhaps, you should stop laughing and read the microsoft instructions to install win7 on a different partition or hard disk."

Ah... So because Microsoft says it's OK for IT Professional*, you have no issue suggesting it to *anyone* who'd care to try it?

Perhaps you missed these tidbits from the CPP website in your rush to download and install an OS you allegedly care nothing for:

"If you’re running Windows XP or the Windows 7 Beta, you’ll need to backup your data, then do a clean installation of the RC, then reinstall your applications and restore your data."

"Dedicated test PC: Please don’t test the RC on your primary home or business PC. "

"While we consider this a stable and high-quality pre-release version of Windows, the RC is not the finished product. It could crash your computer or cause you to lose important files or information."

Funny how that's almost *exactly* what I've been saying the whole time. (And your solutions is to skip all of that and dive right into dual-booting) Yeah...try again, sparky (or better yet, don't?)

DatabaseBen.. Ben... Ben-jamin Linus, perhaps?

It's starting to make sense now. :-)

*yawn* took the windows 7 RC1 ride 2 days ago plus have the XP VM installed on it too

@Laplena ; read the "Here's what you need to know:" section here

http://www.microsoft.com...windows-7/download.aspx

"...Watch the calendar. The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You’ll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use...."

yeah, it has an expiration date.

but the question is whether the next release of win7 will be as a free upgrade to current vista users.

DbBen: All i hear are rumours but I highly doubt MS will offer Win7 as a *free* upgrade from Vista. Manufacturer's like HP, Acer, Dell, etc... "MAYBE...". Of course there will be a reduced price for the uprade option, but how much that will be no one knows yet

Once you reach the expiration date, what happens? Are you force to buy the final release of the OS? Any input would be appreciated.

it becomes unusable, the computer will shut down every 2 hours (so I hear)

http://www.microsoft.com...ndows-7/faq.aspx#faq2_4

The RC will expire June 1, 2010 with bi-hourly shutdowns beginning in March 2010.

Laplena, this is an RC.

If you have to ask such questions, I would strongly advise against installing it/using it.

Wait for the retail release or *only* install it on a test system where there is nothing stored that you cannot risk losing.

lol negative score for saying the right thing

Already done :)