Windows Seven: First Start

[Guest Reimar]

Just installed Windows Seven!

Time of installation from first start of booting from DVD til first full start logged on: 20 minutes!

Within istallation nothing was happens and everything was going smoothly.

Here the spec of the system I use:

MB: MSI MS-7550

CPU: AMD AM X2 6000 (2 x 3.01 GHz)

Memory: DDR2 8 GBytes OCZ 1066 CL 5.5.5.12 Dual Channel

HDD: Seagate 320 GBytes Sata2 used in an exernal HDD Case with eSata connection

VGA: EVGA GF9800GT 51 MB DDR3

The only driver I had to install was the NIC driver, but not checked for external devices yet, will do that later on!

This post was just for to check the Internet connection as well. Will later post some screenshots from system changes which maybe interesting.

Cheers.

[sjaak327]

I already had an earlier version of Windows 7 running, but have yesterday installed Build 6801 in a virtual machine, with only 512 mb of memory.

I'm typing this messsage from Windows 7. I'm using Vmware and the only driver I needed to load was for the SB sound that vmware is using, luckily I had the longhorn beta drivers (back when I was running vista betas), and that worked.

If you have already a RC1 or RC2 key, you can activate this build until august 2009.

There are quite a few usability changes in this build already, not the new taksbar yet, but for instance UAC is more configurable now, and haven't seen it yet

This build comes with IE8, WMP 12 and the new Windows Solution Centre, which replaces the security centre.

[Guest Reimar]

Am just using Windows 7 now but the IE8 is Beta 2 and has a lot problems. So, I had reinstalled FF3 now and here I can work "normal" again.

From the first hour of using, I've to say that there quite a bit changes to the better and more easy use. But I'll need some more time and that will be within the next few days for to get better use of W7!

But again, first look is quite good.

I had already 7 upgrades on downloading at the first check!

Most of the layout is like Vista.

But let see more later.

Cheers.

[sjaak327]

Yep the UI is very much alike Vista. But there are changes. Here is a screenshot of the desktop:

[sjaak327]

There is a hack, that will unlock the new enhance taksbar in windows 7 build 6801.

http://www.withinwindows.com/2008/11/02/fl...eme-workaround/

This will enable the new taksbar, and the steps survive a reboot.

I have to say that I was a bit sceptical at first, as I don't really like the OSX dock, but they have done one better.

Here are a few screenshots of the new taksbar, the first one shows a preview of all the opened tabs of IE8 when you hover your mouse of the taskbar.

The second screenshot, shows what happens when you click the up arrow next to the icon on the taskbar, in this case it shows recent pages of IE8.

The third screenshot shows the recent visited web pages inside the start menu.

Edited November 3, 2008 by sjaak327

[Guest Reimar]

Like in Vista and Server 2008 there is an hidden "rearm" function in Windows 7 which will allow you to use the unactivated Windows 7 for a total of 120 days before the OS need's to be activated;

Here is the instruction how to do that:

1. Install Windows 7 without any product activation key.

2. After installation is completed, use the Windows 7 for 30 days and wait for the remaining days left to activate Windows counting down to 0, or almost zero.

3. When the activation grace period (or evaluation trial period) is almost expired or ended, log on to Windows 7 desktop, and open a Command Prompt window (i.e. type Cmd in Start Search and hit Enter).

4. Type any of the following commands into the command prompt, and then hit Enter:

sysprep /generalize

slmgr.vbs –rearm

rundll32 slc.dll,SLReArmWindows

slmgr /rearm

5. Reboot Windows 7 to enjoy another 30 days of free usage without worrying about activation nor even need to crack Windows 7.

6. When the activation grace period countdown timer almost running down to 0 again, repeat the ‘rearm’ trick to enjoy another 30 days of Windows 7 for free. User can run the rearm command for maximum of 3 times.

Cheers.