Windows 7 Release Candidate Now Available

[Emabulator]

The release candidate of Windows 7 is now available for download (http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx) from Microsoft.

Welcome to Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) testing. We're on our way to Windows 7, and if you like trying out pre-release software, now’s your chance. You get to see what's coming, and we get to see if our changes and fixes from the Beta testing are working correctly.

[Windsong]

Seems someone forgot to code in the "show desktop" button. And the search bar..blech. And no classic start menu? Seems like Vista Part Deux: More Bloat.

[Hydroeric]

Show desktop button should be in the lower right corner next to the time. (Unless they moved it in this RC.)

It is very small..or was..still downloading.

[lallous]

Has anyone tried installing RC1 over Vista directly?

[IIArchonII]

Seems someone forgot to code in the "show desktop" button. And the search bar..blech. And no classic start menu? Seems like Vista Part Deux: More Bloat.

woah really? I've heard under hood it runs so well that even netbooks can handle windows 7... thats what leo leporte has been saying

[Crimson]

woah really? I've heard under hood it runs so well that even netbooks can handle windows 7... thats what leo leporte has been saying

That's also what I've been hearing. A buddy of mine has been running the 7 beta on his Acer netbook. I haven't heard complaints from him about it...

[score]

Compared to Vista it runs like a dream. I'm liking it enough to make it my default OS at the moment (still dual booting with XP).

[Hennecke]

some of my friends use it and it's pretty good, look like vista and run lik xp

[MasterEvilAce]

Been running the beta since it was released, and the RC since it was leaked.

Only a few complaints, really.. explorer windows don't seem to close completely (they stay in memory and you need to end process), and windows search is terribly terribly bad.

Otherwise, nothing but good things. It's fast, a good amount of nice tweaks (such as being able to reorganize system tray icons)

To anyone trying it, keep the taskbar the way it is! It was strange to use at first (just seeing icons).. but it works! I'll never go back to XP. Too many useful features in 7

[Zander]

Seems like Vista Part Deux: More Bloat.

You couldn't be more incorrect.

[pwnophobia]

You couldn't be more incorrect.

What he said. Windows 7 is looking amazing, at the moment :) I'm really liking the XP compatibility mode they tossed in!

[Rhaze]

I'm gonna download it today and give it a whirl, I'm pretty sure it'll be replacing XP for me though if it has DX10 compatibility and a few other perks for my video settings.

[Demo_Boy]

Ill be buying a big new computer upgrade when they go live with win7. It will be good to have a fresh start.

[brandonjclark]

Has anyone tried installing RC1 over Vista directly?

Yes, please someone mention what their experience has been like installing this RC over Vista x64 Ultimate please. I'm not about to do a clean build, there's just no time!

[modeps]

I've got this setup running in a VM with VMWare Fusion, and its awesomely fast... both in installation and performance.

[Mozgus]

Yes, please someone mention what their experience has been like installing this RC over Vista x64 Ultimate please. I'm not about to do a clean build, there's just no time!

That's a dangerous road, buddy. I don't recommend it. You better find the time.

[pwnophobia]

Yes, please someone mention what their experience has been like installing this RC over Vista x64 Ultimate please. I'm not about to do a clean build, there's just no time!

You could never get me to upgrade any Windows installation, ever. Ever.

[brandonjclark]

That's a dangerous road, buddy. I don't recommend it. You better find the time.

Well, to be honest with you, I've always found the time in the past to do these things, and it's partly the reason I'm so good at computers now and am fortunate enough to be succeeding in the field.

But I've invested a lot of time into this Vista build I have going, with almost an entire 1GB drive of installed games configured exactly how I like it. And when I configure a game or program, it's tailored to the best of my ability, with each setting configured as properly to my hardware as possible.

So, I understand your point, I do. I'm a certified Microsoft Master of Active Directory with a degree in networking and fully understand the problems that could arise.

But, you are supposed to be able to upgrade, and if I hear a lot of success stories, I won't feel nervous about trying.

[brandonjclark]

You could never get me to upgrade any Windows installation, ever. Ever.

That's what I said about broccoli, but now I love it! {with cheese, of course, I am from Wisco}

[fndarkone]

Well, to be honest with you, I've always found the time in the past to do these things, and it's partly the reason I'm so good at computers now and am fortunate enough to be succeeding in the field.

But I've invested a lot of time into this Vista build I have going, with almost an entire 1GB drive of installed games configured exactly how I like it. And when I configure a game or program, it's tailored to the best of my ability, with each setting configured as properly to my hardware as possible.

So, I understand your point, I do. I'm a certified Microsoft Master of Active Directory with a degree in networking and fully understand the problems that could arise.

But, you are supposed to be able to upgrade, and if I hear a lot of success stories, I won't feel nervous about trying.
I'd tell you not to upgrade. It will probably not go very well. It is a release candidate, but it's not the final product.

I like vista a lot, but I deleted it to put rc1 on here. It's beautiful. I love it. I also have rc1 running on my msi wind netbook (its only a tiny bit choppy since i have yet to add some ram).

the migration wizard tool in windows 7 is brilliant. That is usually what keeps me from upgradeing an OS is all the migration issues. But you can actually create a rc1 dvd (in my case i created a bootable jump drive) and then go to the tools folder on it and use the windows 7 version of migwiz to port over vista settings. That's what I did and I had no issues. Now, I am still nervous about it so I went ahead and backed up everything manually as well, but it really wasnt necessary, though i'd stil recommend manual backups just in case. migwiz will even tell you which programs you need to reinstall.

[pwnophobia]

That's what I said about broccoli, but now I love it! {with cheese, of course, I am from Wisco}

Ya, I said the same thing about spinach and now I eat it all the time..../shame :(

[brandonjclark]

I'd tell you not to upgrade. It will probably not go very well. It is a release candidate, but it's not the final product.

I like vista a lot, but I deleted it to put rc1 on here. It's beautiful. I love it. I also have rc1 running on my msi wind netbook (its only a tiny bit choppy since i have yet to add some ram).

the migration wizard tool in windows 7 is brilliant. That is usually what keeps me from upgradeing an OS is all the migration issues. But you can actually create a rc1 dvd (in my case i created a bootable jump drive) and then go to the tools folder on it and use the windows 7 version of migwiz to port over vista settings. That's what I did and I had no issues. Now, I am still nervous about it so I went ahead and backed up everything manually as well, but it really wasnt necessary, though i'd stil recommend manual backups just in case. migwiz will even tell you which programs you need to reinstall.

Hmm, interesting! Thanks for your comment. I'm running RC1 in a Hyper-V right now and it seems mighty fast. I use Symantec Ghost Solution Suite v2 @ home so ghosting my PC over the LAN to my NAS won't be a problem as far as backups go.

I think I will have to wait though, as I read further into it and it seems you must re-install a legit copy by June 2010. I was hoping they'd just allow you to apply a legal serial key or something an retain your current build. I suppose you could install "over top" of it but then the registry would be all hosed and in my experience restoring the registry from a backup copy never goes smooth.

[BabyJesus]

Installed it on my eeepc 1000he today. Runs well, although none of the FN keys work and I am trying to get that done. Also get an odd screen flicker when opening a closing windows but other that that its been fun and I don't have any issues with performance.