Windows 7

The 64 bit computer revolution is coming

The processor technology for 64-bit computing has been available from Intel and AMD for several years but consumer acceptance has been slow due to hardware issues and a lack of 64-bit application software. Microsoft has had a 64 bit desktop OS starting with XP Pro but it saw little success.  That is rapidly changing as software developers and manufacturers are coming out with a flood of 64-bit applications. The new Windows 7 operating system comes in a 64-bit version that is becoming the choice among the early adopters of the OS over the 32-bit version. 

Microsoft 64 bit technology offers 32 bit compatibility but DOS and 16 bit support are no longer available. Several Microsoft application servers have 64 bit versions with 64 bit Office applications expected by 2010. Manufactures such as Adobe and Apple are offering or have in the works 64-bit versions of their popular software.

One of the main advantages of the 64-bit operating system is memory addressing. A 32-bit OS is limited to 4GB of RAM. However, the amount of memory a 64-bit OS can access is exponentially greater, potentially up to several million gigabytes of RAM.

As more 64 bit applications are written and as the cost of memory comes down, the 64-bit revolution will be just around the corner.

Apple’s Snow Leopard, no big deal

Apple released the latest version of its OS software, Snow Leopard and early indications are that it is no big deal. The $29 price tag may be the first clue, rather than the $129 Apple has charged for the previous version of the OS. Users report that it doesn’t look much different than the previous version, OS X. 

During his weekend radio show, Leo LaPorte, a devoted Apple user, called Snow Leopard “a snow job”. He observed that aside form accessibility enhancements and support for Microsoft Exchange 2007, nothing on the surface has changed. “We don’t know what exactly has changed under the hood” LaPorte commented.

Why release Snow Leopard at this time? Maybe Apple wanted to upstage its old rival Microsoft, now in the process of rolling out Windows 7. After the initial sales spike from Apple devotees, it will be interesting to see if there is a general acceptance or if any new users are persuaded into the Apple camp by Snow Leopard. Time will tell if this is a worthwhile upgrade.    

Testing Windows 7 RC for business

I was finally able to finish my new Windows 7 test computer, in spite of the mountain of projects that I am currently facing. I didn’t set out to build a hot rod gamer but rather something that would be a good business PC platform for Windows 7 with some flexibility for testing various software applications and hardware components.

After reviewing the Windows 7 system requirements from Microsoft for a second time I went back to a previous post of mine in Business Intelligence back on June 5, 2009: Windows 7 Release Candidate ready for testing – part 2 to put together a shopping list.

I wanted a processor that supported the 64 bit OS and Intel Virtualization Technology for compatibility with legacy apps. The Intel Processor Spec Finder was a big help in making my choice. A matching mother board that would support lots of DDR3 dual channel memory was also on my list. AMD has some very good processors that should run Windows 7 without a problem. However, I lean toward Intel from habit more than anything.

Poking around the local CompUSA store, I came up with an Intel Core^TM 2 Duo E8200 2.66 GHz processor and an Intel DP45SG mother board. I wanted the flexibility to experiment with different video cards and of course the DDR3 dual channel memory support. I could have gotten a less expensive board but I prefer to run Intel on Intel. I found a cheap case and added a 400 Watt power supply just to be on the safe side. In my next post, I will discuss the Windows 7 RC installation and what I found running both new and old software apps.     

Confessions of a Windows XP Pro diehard

Ok, I admit that I have been hanging onto Windows XP Pro like grim death. I tweaked, patched and massaged it over the years to the point that it was as comfortable as a pair of old shoes. My grip tightened as it was clear from the onset that Vista was not an option. However, the end is near and my hold is loosening as I learn more about XP’s replacement, Windows 7.  

Windows 7 carries over some of the flashy features of Vista that most business users do not really care about but apparently, Microsoft has done this without the Vista bloat. I can live with that. One new feature that should be of interest to business users is XP mode in Windows 7. With this feature, you can install and run Windows XP applications in Windows 7 with the new Windows Virtual PC utility.

There are some hardware requirements and I will be checking out this feature and reporting on it in future posts. Additionally, I hope to learn about the ease of installation, hardware compatibility and security issues as I work with Windows 7 RC. Let me know if you have downloaded Windows 7 RC and what your take on it is.

Windows 7 Release Candidate ready for testing – part 2

In Windows 7 Release Candidate ready for testing – part 1, I talked about how to obtain the OS download and the Windows 7 Upgrade advisor. In this installment, I will discuss the system requirements.  

The minimum requirements and I do mean minimum, are outlined on Microsoft’s site. As in the past, I think that Microsoft has set the minimums extremely low. If you are planning on using Windows 7 in a production environment, I would suggest beefier specs. The following system requirements are from Microsoft with my comments: 

·       1GHz 32 or 64 bit processor; I would recommend a 64 bit processor  in the 3GHz range.

·       1 GB RAM; RAM is cheap. Install at least 2 GB or more, if your machine can handle it.

·       16 GB (32-bit) / 20GB (64-bit) disk space; Don’t cramp yourself. You know that patches and updates are  coming. Build a large enough partition for future growth, 25 - 30 GB.

·       DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM (Windows Display Driver Model) 1.0 or higher driver; this could be one of the gotchas that stops a lot of upgrades from XP Pro. You will have to decide if the old box is worth the cost of a new video card.

Windows 7 looks promising as a replacement for XP and hopes to smooth over the ruffles that Vista caused. Businesses need to take a serious look at this new operating system as XP Pro is now a bit long in the tooth and support for it will vanish as soon as there is any degree of acceptance for Windows 7. One final caveat, Microsoft advises that the Windows 7 (RC) software will expire on June 1, 2010. On March 1, 2010, your PC will start to shut down every 2 hours as a gentle reminder. Let us know how your Windows 7 (RC) testing goes. Good luck.

Windows 7 Release Candidate ready for testing - part 1

If your organization is considering an upgrade to Windows 7, now would be a good time to start evaluation and testing. Windows 7  (RC) is now available for download to IT pros from Microsoft TechNet. It will be available through July 2009 and Microsoft is not limiting the number of license keys, allowing you to set up a test network with real hardware.   

If you are upgrading from Vista, no problem but if you are currently on XP Pro, there is no direct upgrade path, a clean install is necessary. Also, if you are running Vista, Windows 7 (RC) should run on the same hardware without a problem. However, machines that are running XP Pro should be evaluated for compatibility. A good place to start is the Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor Beta .

Microsoft Windows 7 Upgrade advisor will also test any peripheral devices such as printers, external storage, and scanners; so make sure that everything you plan to run with Windows 7 (RC) is plugged in, including all USB devices.

In Windows 7 Release Candidate ready for testing - part 2, I will layout Microsoft’s minimum system requirements and add my own recommendations and comments. 

Microsoft: No limit on apps in Windows 7 Starter edition

Things are looking better for Windows 7 as Microsoft announced there will be no limit on the number of applications that can be running in the Starter edition. The company originally planned to limit to three the number of applications that could run at the same time to keep the cost down; hoping users that wanted more would upgrade rather than be limited.

This marks a reversal in strategy for Microsoft and is aimed at the emerging “netbooks” market comprised of basic, less expensive portable computers used primarily for email and surfing the net.

Microsoft did say that the Starter edition will lack some of the features and capabilities of the other more expensive editions.