Windows 7... Arrrrghh!!! I'm still waiting for the gold at the end of the rainbow!!

[Miracus]

Before I start my rant I just want to express that I am and always have been a true supporter of the Windows OS and this thread is purely written out of my own frustration and disappointment in what was suppose to be the Savior or White Knight to the plagued Windows Vista.

Now I accept that many Windows 7 users out there find it to be exactly that (The Savior) to the bogged down, bug ridden Vista. However I unfortunately have yet to find or even see from a distance the gold at the end of 7's gleaming rainbow.

I've had my Windows 7 installed on my Laptop and Desktop since its release date and the following problems have plagued me in chronological order since then.

Some of you may have experienced similar issues to those I'm about to list, please I ask you to express your stories and any advice with regards to these issues.

1st: Networking/Wireless - [RESOLVED] Driver Update
Every time I brought my computer out of sleep mode my wireless network would be disconnected and refuse to connect again, my wireless adapter light was blinking as though it was turned on and when I pressed the button to deactivate and reactivate it the icon would respond onscreen but I could never turn it back on again unless I restarted.

2nd: Sleep/Hibernation Freeze - [UNRESOLVED]
This problem seems to be plaguing A LOT of people but very few if any have found a solution. After the computer resumes from sleep mode or hibernation one of two things often happen. Everything freezes except the mouse within 5-10 seconds after resuming from sleep/hibernation and nothing responds for 4 or sometimes 8 minutes, duration of freeze seems to depend on how long it has been sleeping. OR the computer locks completely rendering it useless until it is force restarted by holding down the power button for 4 seconds, have also seen a blue screen of death appear once when this has happened.

3rd: Shutdown Freeze - [UNRESOLVED]
After pressing the shut down button the "Windows is Shutting Down" splash screen Freezes and the computer doesn't switch off, forced power down is the only resolution, this problem happens maybe 1 in 10 shutdowns.

4th: Slow Response (At times similar to Vista) - [UNRESOLVED]
As the heading states, 7 sometimes struggles to even change the tab of my web browser, I click another tab and I'm forced to wait a few seconds and then it has a mass catch up and multiple things happen in a split second. admittedly this is not a consistent issue, a good majority of the time performance is fine however this is still rather disappointing.

5th: Unidentified Network (Desktop PC Only) - [UNRESOLVED]
For roughly 2 months my Desktops wired broadband ran absolutely fine with no glitches and then one day out of the blue after having just checked my emails the day before I switch my computer on to find it doesn't connect to the internet straight away because somehow it's picking up a secondary unidentified public network from my ONE and ONLY Ethernet adapter and it refuses to connect. The only temporary resolution I have found so far is to disable and re-enable my Ethernet adapter before the internet will start every time i boot the computer. IMPORTANT NOTE: The unidentified network issue only occurs if my laptop is turned on and connected to the internet as well, if the laptop is off my desktop will boot with internet and no problems at all. P.S my Desktop does not have Wireless!

6th: 3-4min Booting Splash Screen (Desktop PC Only) - [UNRESOLVED]
My most recent issue occurred only days ago and for some unknown reason 7 now takes 3-4 minutes to boot at the splash screen and that's not including POST. I'd like to note that there were no changes to 7 i.e. updates, driver installs etc prior to it's last shut-down.

So that's what I've been plagued with so far with Windows 7. I have got to say Vista was a breeze for me compared to this, I'm not convinced Win 7 is all it's cracked up to be yet.

Please share your opinions, stories and advice it would be much appreciated.

 

[95Viper]

Wow, sorry you are having those issues. I believe the guys/gals here have helped some people thru a couple of them. You might want to search the forum threads. Like the shutdown and hibernation problems; I seem to remember, some people resolving them.

As for me, I have windows 7 running, nice and smoothly, on a hp laptop and two desktops. No problems with windows, just a couple of apps that don't like the enviroment.

Maybe some of the others will be able to direct you to the threads or remember the resolutions to some of your problems.

 

[pantherx12]

I can give you a temporary fix for the sleep bug.

Sounds silly but have you tried pressing crtl+alt +delete ? As I notice a lot of people tend to think ARGH rather then try.

If the option type screen comes up load up task manager.

go to processes and end explorer.exe click file and type explorer hit enter and your GUI will load up.

I sporadically have this bug too you see.



Still love Seven though, best operating system I've used.

Its a much more productive OS for me. so sorry to hear your having problems.

 

[heky]

First give us the system specs of the laptop, than i would like to know if you have installed all the latest drivers for your hardware and all the updates win 7 has given you the option to install.

Oh and also tell us if it is 32bit or 64bit win7.

 

[Frick]

That 4th issue sounds like you run out of memory, but as you have 6GB that can't be it. -_-

Check the Task Manager though, and make sure you have the Peak Working Set tab turned on.

 

[TVman]

interesting i have been using win 7 from the RC and i have had no problems what so ever Windows 7><Your computer

 

[DirectorC]

1. Windows Update

2. Driver Updates (A fresh chipset/mobo driver kit could work wonders).

 

[Polarman]

Maybe you'll have more luck once SP1 pushes trough.

 

[xrealm20]

--- Personally I had several (read 3) Nvidia i680 motherboards crap out at different times but all within a year or year and a half of purchase. Run some diagnostic tests to make sure your hardware is working correctly - memcheck works great for testing ram, and I'd use drive fitness test to check out your disk drives. Since your OS is still bootable, run OCCT and stress out the system, see if it crashes.

Long load times and hanging when changing applications can be the first signs of hardware failure.

My 2 cents.

 

[Delta6326]

i have never had any of those issues with 7

are all drivers up to date?

 

[bpgt64]

--- Personally I had several (read 3) Nvidia i680 motherboards crap out at different times but all within a year or year and a half of purchase. Run some diagnostic tests to make sure your hardware is working correctly - memcheck works great for testing ram, and I'd use drive fitness test to check out your disk drives. Since your OS is still bootable, run OCCT and stress out the system, see if it crashes.

Long load times and hanging when changing applications can be the first signs of hardware failure.

My 2 cents.

All these issues sound motherboard related to me...

 

[m0rph3uS]

Running in XP or Vista compatibility mode can probably solve some of ur issues


hope it helps

 

[Miracus]

Wow thanks for all your feedback, well for starters my laptop specs and Windows versions are listed below.

Laptop: Acer Aspire 5536G
OS = Windows 7 Home Professional 32bit
CPU = Athlon 64 X2 (2.1Ghz Dual Core)
GPU = ATI Radeon Mobility 4570
RAM = 4GB
DVD = Optiarc DVD-RW (AD-7580S)
Wifi = Atheros AR5B91 Wireless Adapter
LAN = Broadcom Netlink Gigabit Ethernet

Desktop PC runs Windows 7 Ultimate 64bit (specs on signature)

I find it difficult to believe my 680i Mobo is crapping out on me because it's the newest part of my PC and it along with the rest of my components have not given me any problems with prior installs of Windows Vista, XP etc.

All of my drivers are Windows 7 as I made sure I downloaded them prior to installing the OS, the odd update my be necessary though. Will do so now.

 

[Miracus]

I really can't wait for SP1 to release to be quite honest.

 

[LiveOrDie]

i don't have any of those i only ever got the Shutdown Freeze on the early betas, so i would be looking at your hardware or my be a reinstall

 

[BrainDedd]

Hey ... registered just to help

Your 5th issues is almost definitely because you're running DHCP. Once the laptop is on the network, it gets the IP that the desktop was expecting, hence the new network. This can be solved by either using static IPs or by reserving an address on your router if it has that function.

 

[Miracus]

Hey ... registered just to help

Your 5th issues is almost definitely because you're running DHCP. Once the laptop is on the network, it gets the IP that the desktop was expecting, hence the new network. This can be solved by either using static IPs or by reserving an address on your router if it has that function.

Hey BrainDedd, you're a legend! thanks for going out of your way to help mate, I really appreciate that, I fixed the Unidentified Network problem thanks to you =D. although I do have one more question, ever since I made my I.P address static neither of my computers can see each other, they're shared and everything but refuse to show to one another, any ideas?

 

[pantherx12]

If they have the same static IP the router will recognise them as the same device sometime.

If you have one connected to the router via Ethernet give that one a dynamic IP and keep your laptop static.

Solved the same problem for me when I lived in a student house for a bit.

 

[BrainDedd]

No problem, glad I could help. You should perhaps check your network and sharing center to ensure that Windows has set the network to home network, else file sharing won't be allowed through the firewall.

 

[segalaw19800]

never had problem with Windows Vista 64 Ultimate and Windows 7 64 Ultimate.....
had them on bata and Launch day

 

[Mussels]

sleep/shutdown issues are often caused by bad ram.

 

[Yukikaze]

My friend had to go through the depths of hell with a 680i mobo that simply didn't like the RAM he was using.

I suspect the issue here isn't windows 7, but something in the rig.

 

[Mussels]

My friend had to go through the depths of hell with a 680i mobo that simply didn't like the RAM he was using.

I suspect the issue here isn't windows 7, but something in the rig.

agreed, with the exception of the mystery network - sounds like his laptop has internet connection sharing (ICS) enabled and its secondary DHCP server is screwing with things.

 

[pantherx12]

agreed, with the exception of the mystery network - sounds like his laptop has internet connection sharing (ICS) enabled and its secondary DHCP server is screwing with things.

It was DHCP, its was already suggested by someone further up and then the problem was solved

he has a new one now though.

 

[Miracus]

At the risk of sounding dumb, I've gotta ask... why is it that Windows Networking is never as simple as they claim it is? I'm no guru when it comes to networking but I know enough to get pretty frustrated with it's false simplicity.

take the new Homegroup in Win 7 for example, It's suppose to be so simple even the most average of PC Jo's could do it. You set up your physical network; configure router/wifi, run Cat 5's to the PC's, open required ports etc, then configure your I.P's (Dynamic / Static *as I've just learned) and assign each PC to the same Homegroup I.D / Password etc and BAM everything is suppose to work seamlessly with no fuss, no administrator issues bla bla bla.

Well I'm baffled! what am I doing wrong?! both computers see the internet, both are assigned to the same Homegroup I.D and I could access my desktop PCs homegroup folders on my laptop but not vice versa! I could still see my Laptop on my desktop PC but only under Network in explorer not homegroup. In fact when I clicked Homegroup on my Desktop PC it said there were no other PC's connected... Yet both PC's were connected to the same I.D and I could see my Laptop under the Desktop PCs Network and my Laptop could see my Desktop PC under both Homegroup and Network... Iye Iye Iye.

Confused?! So am I! Now I can't see either since I changed my Dynamic I.P's to Static ones.

I really hope someone can make sense of this and provide some answers.

P.S "Pantherx12" I tried putting my Desktop on to a Dynamic I.P and leaving the Laptop static but no luck. My desktop just went back to unidentified network and no internet.