Windows 7 pre-order

[ianhind]

I'm surprised that I'm posting this, but I felt that if Windows 7 Home premium was available at £50, then I would probably upgrade my Windows systems. So:

http://www.microsoft.com/uk/windows/buy ... order.aspx

Note that this is not an upgrade but the full European package which means that owing to EU monopoly restrictions there will be no IE8 bundled. Just make sure that you have Firefox or Chrome (or Safari/Opera, etc) on a memory stick so that you can install your favourite web browser instead.

While the US pre-order is $49, that is an upgrade so comparisons of £/$ pricing are difficult.

I already have Windows 7 RC on a laptop but now I really must check out the 32bit and 64bit versions to decide whether my hardware causes any problems and if not, which to buy.

So go get your Release Candidate version here for free to try out (apparently works unrestricted until March 2010 and then starts to give warning messages).

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/window ... nload.aspx

Ian

[SkippyBing]

Sweet, I tried the beta on and off when it came out and I've been using the RC exclusively for the last month+, haven't booted in to XP once. If I can get the full thing on disc for £50 then it's a no-brainer, the only thing that isn't currently working is my scanner and I have a feeling that's more through me not looking for drivers than anything else, it's a pain to get working in XP from a fresh install.
As a broad comparison, in XP I get low to mid teens FPS in FSX, in Win 7 64bit on the same hardware/settings I get solid 20fps, plus all the pretty they've added to the windows interface.

[DaveB]

As a broad comparison, in XP I get low to mid teens FPS in FSX, in Win 7 64bit on the same hardware/settings I get solid 20fps

What ya runnin Skip.. an i486 SX25 :think:

;-)

ATB

DaveB :tab:

[tonymadge]

What has put me off Vista was my dads laptop with so much running the background grinding it to a snails pace something like 60 odd proccess where XP runs with 30 or less, then all the hassle to load everything unless you nominate as admistrator etc, so is Win 7 less hungry?? if so I might be tempted

[simondix]

Saw on thew website it can be pre-ordered through selected retailers. I couldn't see who they were.

[ianhind]

Missing part of the story:

http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/new ... ws-pricing

From July 15th until August 14th, the Home Premium version will be going for only £49.99 in the UK and $49.99 in the US, while the Professional edition will sell for just £99.99 in the UK and $99.99 in the US.

So check out Amazon.co.uk on July 15th?

[ianhind]

Tony

Why not try the Release Candidate for Windows 7? You could back up the existing installation for reinstall if all else fails. I am just about to save an XP boot partition (C drive) using Paragon Hard Disk Manager from a magazine cover CD (I know I can restore because I checked!)

Release Candidate for Windows 7 is is free - you get an installation key at the time of download. If you don't get on with it, then you won't be tempted to pay out for the final version!

And it has automatic updates in the same way as Vista and XP so it is not a static version.

The only possible problems is finding virus checkers, etc that are compatible.

Ian

[SkippyBing]

What ya runnin Skip.. an i486 SX25 :think:

No it's a Phenom 9950 quad core, but I've got most things maxed out, even scenery object shadows. I can get a lot more than 20fps, but I locked it there as it's nice and smooth anyway and won't drop dramatically when I low fly over LA.

Reference trying out the Win 7 RC, I stuck a spare hard drive in my main machine and installed it onto that rather than playing around with partitions. You then get the option of booting to XP or 7 at start up.

Reference AV software, Kaspersky and a few others are running demo programs as well so there shouldn't be any worries on that front. I know the beta gave links to them on first install, can't remember if the RC does or not.

[Chris Sykes]

Ive had win 7 since its Beta release and am now running Win7 on Duel boot on the PC, no issues at all here, infact i think FSX runs better under 7 and Vista...

[ianhind]

I have just installed the 64 bit version. Some programs that I have added are clearly 32-bit but seem to run ok.

So can someone tell me any disadvantages of 64bit - it seems to be the future but what are the pitfalls at the moment? Is it the lack of hardware drivers, software not running or what? maybe if I understood the subtle differences it might help.

But I have an old ATA add on card (Sil0680 chipset) driving one hard disk in the test machine - went to Silicon Image website, downloaded 64bit Vista driver and it works! If it is all as easy as that, bring it on.

And unlike my vista experience, I can network to and from my XP machines.

@Skip
Yes AVG free runs ok.