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Nowadays, fast-developing communication and information technologies trigger an explosion of data on a scale millions of times larger year-to-year, yet your effort and strain on data management also rises. So you might need to find ways to make your computer both more powerful and easier to use. That is what Microsoft's new Windows 7 Operating System was designed to do.
Windows 7 has better ways to find and manage files—like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews—to help you speed through everyday tasks. It's designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. With 64-bit support, you can take full advantage of the latest, most powerful processors. Great features like HomeGroup, Windows Media Center, and Windows Touch make new things possible.
Build a Windows 7 Ultimate system, and explore all the great features today!
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- 5
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- 88%
- 4
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- 6%
- 3
-
- 0%
- 2
-
- 6%
- 1
-
- 0%
| Product Rating: |
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| Total Reviews: |
33 |
An Outstanding OS
- Pros: This operating system can be defined as having the look of Vista (but sleeker) with the reliability of XP, and more user-friendly features and simplicity than either of them! I've been using the RTM (final version) since the middle of July, and it's been a really smooth operation. Pretty quick startup/shutdown, decreased resource consumption. I've had probably only 4 'hangs' over 4 months, but all of them recovered - no freeze, no BSOD. These were before its official launch and more compatibility/stability updates have since been released also.
Another great thing is its ability to detect hardware and find the appropriate drivers. I just ran clean installs of Win 7 on a few different computers for family, and I was impressed at how quickly and easily it found drivers for ALL hardware. Even on my own computer, it managed to make a printer work that had trouble being installed on XP (maybe even Vista) without a CD.
And, as a Windows OS, it's definitely full of customization options
- Cons: The only thing I may have come across is the Windows Homegroup association for sharing computers' files over a network, with other computers in your Homegroup. When I've enabled this on a computer, it seems that any computer on the network (whether in the Homegroup or not) has been able to see files shared by the Homegroup computer. Even if I set the files to be read-only, they were modifiable/deletable by other computers on the network.
I managed to get around this using advanced file sharing. And come to think of it, I may have figured out *right now* why this happened, it may not be a Windows issue at all... I'll have to test it out tonight!
- Other Thoughts: The driver-finding ability of Win 7 is a big thing for novice users - even if it isn't the brand name driver, 95% of the time Win 7 finds a Microsoft driver that still does the job. Meaning that even if you're a tech newbie, you're generally covered by this OS' ability to make all your internals work!
If you have Vista, you'll be pleased with the change. It's an upgraded Vista, with snappier response. Sure, my speedy desktop is always speedy, but even my laptop shows increased battery life, quicker responsiveness, and lower fan speed. The difference was definitely noticeable right off the bat.
If you have XP, it's a pretty stable OS and making the jump to Win 7 will provide you with more of a visual upgrade rather than a performance/responsiveness upgrade. You will, of course, get to tap into all of the new features and simplicity that are a part of Win 7!
I posted this entire review under the Win 7 Ultimate system builders' product, but I wanted retail buyers to know the same
Good Enough
- Pros: It's better than Vista I will tell you that! Very Fast installation.
- Cons: 1. It still has the same "run as administrator" thing that I hate so much from Vista. If you're the admin, why does it still ask you to run as administrator?
2. Didn't detect my raid controller so have your driver handy.
3. Didn't find a driver for my onboard audio also. I would get a soundcard but there's too many bad reviews on them.
4. No more "blue screen of death." Now i get the "Access is Denied" of death. Had to look this one up. One of my hdd was getting "Access is Denied" from a fresh installation. Turns out you had to set the permissions to the right ones to access. I fixed it but I am the only one on my computer with administrator rights and I can't access it? Microsoft you fail.
5. Some programs require you to install additional software so it can be allowed run on other accounts if using the same computer.
6. No directx 9.0c? You have to download directx off of microsoft anyway so why didn't they include it with the OS?
- Other Thoughts: It's a good OS. I didn't have to install 5-10 software drivers to get my whole computer running so that's a plus. The best feature that this OS has is that you can split your hard-drive without going to the good old fdisk or running a fresh installation and deleteing the whole partition run. If you're debating on getting the OS or not, just buy it. It's worth it. By the way, stores only carry windows 7 home/pro only. They do carry ultimate but it's only the upgrade version.
| Model | GLC-00182 |
| Version | Ultimate |
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- 5
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- 88%
- 4
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- 6%
- 3
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- 0%
- 2
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- 6%
- 1
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- 0%
| Product Rating: |
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| Total Reviews: |
33 |
Great OS!!!
- Pros: Microsoft did not dissapoint with this OS. Took the best of XP Pro, Vista Ultimate, and simplified the front end. Not a performance hog like previous Vista OS.
- Cons: None so far.
Best Windows
- Pros: The best Windows I have used yet, and I've used quite a few over the past 15 years. It's fast and efficient; just what I need.
- Cons: None.
- Other Thoughts: I liked Windows Vista (I even bought Ultimate) but I *love* Windows 7.
Windows on Steroids
- Pros: The OS that Microsoft intended w/Vista. Hardware vendors unprepared for the Vista launch provided horrid support for peripherals, albeit, the Vista Ultimate Editiion fared well, most people did not go that route. Add to that the idiotic "flavors" of Vista that confused evrybody, and the Vista launch was doomed. THIS time, Microsoft got it right. Vendors were fprced to produce MS certified drivers or risk being unable to carry a "Certified for Windows 7" label. In essence, hardware vendors were forced to make their hardwrae compliant with the operating system prior to the product launch. RESULT: Absolute joy. This is a rewritten from the core-out OS. Like Vista, a true 64 bit kernel (in the 64 bit versions), & running a free Windows XP Virtual machine -so you get Windows 7 & Windows XP in one, supercharged for the latest 64 bit platforms. 32 bit users won't be left wanting, but be forewarned: This is the last version of Windows for the 32 bit processor. Win 8 is 64 & 128bit only.
- Cons: None! Apple will rant about how Windows is historically awful, but they won't be honest that they make a great OS because they MAKE THE HARDWARE. If you control the OS & the hardware, of course you're gonna have a balanced & good produt. With Windows 7 you get an OS that allows you to customize into the latest hardware & know it'll work. DX 11? No problem. DX 12? Ditto. I've been a beta participant since the XP betas, & although Vista Ultimate was the only Vista version done right, this version of Windows is just amazing. No negatives. Just the reality that you need todays moderate to high end hardware to see the best results. But that has always been the case for a new OS. Honestly, If I hadn't had the desire to build a new PC, I'd have stayed with Vista Ultimate x64 as it has run beautifully on my hardware configuration:
evga x58 Classified mobo
i7 Bloomfield quad core cpu
3 WD 1 Tb drives
evga GTX 285 GPU
Antec 900 Case
Antec True Powere 900 Watt pwr supply.
Hanns-G 26" LCD
- Other Thoughts: There's nothing here that will leaveyou wanting. The Win7 Pro & Home Premium are excellent. If you want all the bells & whistles of disk encryption, then get Ultimate. The upgrade is tempting, but I don't recommeend it. A clean install is the best way to go. Back up all your purchased on-line software, serial numbers & email to a secondary hard drive. Save yr docs & pics, & home movies to the extra drive. Pretend it is the server drive & put everything you need on it. You will have a few frustrations on the way, lost reg #'s for shareware programs. IE: My Nero 9 refused to start & it took days for Nero to fix the problem - but that's not the Win 7 OS's fault. If you're running a quad-core cpu, like an i7 920 or greater, & have shot the moon with 12 gigs of DDR3 memory & a fine GPU, you're gonna be so happy. A audio/visual/ performance extravaganza awaits you. As I said, 32bit processors are being phased out. Win8 is 64 & 128bit only. It'll STILL be less expensive than Apple hardware.
| Model |
| Brand |
Microsoft |
| Model |
GLC-00182 |
| Spec |
| Name |
Windows 7 Ultimate Full |
| Version |
Ultimate |
| System Requirements |
If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:
1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Additional requirements to use certain features:
Internet access (fees may apply)
Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required
Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware
HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7
DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive
Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on
Music and sound require audio output
Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware. |
| Packaging |
Retail |
| Features |
| Features |
Easier to use
Simplify your PC with new navigation features like Aero Shake, Jump Lists, and Snap.
Customize Windows to look and feel the way you like by changing themes and taskbar programs.
Easy to network (with or without a server).
Back up your complete system over a network.
Help protect data on your PC or portable storage device against loss or theft with BitLocker.
Faster and more flexible
Designed to make your PC sleep and resume quicker.
Takes full advantage of 64-bit PC hardware and memory.
Windows XP Mode gives you the business flexibility you need.
Switch between any of 35 languages.
Best PC entertainment experience
Watch, pause, rewind, and record TV with Windows Media Center.
Watch your favorite DVD movies.
Includes integrated video and Dolby audio codecs. |
Introduction
Nowadays, fast-developing communication and information technologies trigger an explosion of data on a scale millions of times larger year-to-year, yet your effort and strain on data management also rises. So you might need to find ways to make your computer both more powerful and easier to use. That is what Microsoft's new Windows 7 Operating System was designed to do.
Windows 7 has better ways to find and manage files—like Jump Lists and improved taskbar previews—to help you speed through everyday tasks. It's designed for faster and more reliable performance, so your PC just works the way you want it to. With 64-bit support, you can take full advantage of the latest, most powerful processors. Great features like HomeGroup, Windows Media Center, and Windows Touch make new things possible.
Build a Windows 7 Ultimate system, and explore all the great features today!
Highlights
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Help Prevent Theft or Loss of Data
Use BitLocker and BitLocker To Go to better protect your valuable files – even on removable drives like USB devices.
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Windows XP Mode
Run many existing productivity and business programs designed for Windows XP – additional necessary software is available for download, free-of-charge from Microsoft.
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Save Time and Money Resolving IT Issues
Take advantage of the powerful diagnostics and troubleshooters built into Action Center to resolve many computer problems on your own.
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Interact with any Compatible Device Connected to Your Computer
Device Stage makes connecting and working with devices easier than ever with a single interface to manage devices and run common tasks. Plus, the new Devices and Printers folder shows you everything connected to your PC, making it a handy way to check on a printer, music player, camera, mouse, or digital picture frame (just to name a few).
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Connect Multiple PCs, with or without a Server
Use Domain Join to connect PCs quickly and more securely to your wired or wireless domain network.
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Automatically Back up Your Files
Protect your data from user error, hardware failure, and other problems. You can back up your files to an external hard drive, secondary hard drive, writable CD or DVD, or to a network location.
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Quick Specs
| Brand | Microsoft |
| Version | Ultimate |
| Packaging | Retail |
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Reviewed By: Kyle on 10/22/2009
Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
