Just went from XP to 7

[newtekie1]

yes you may run into the occasional one... but you have a back and forward button on your mouse that do the same as the button did in windows. and if you mention a laptop, alt-arrow key does it there.

Back doesn't always work either. The last folder I was in isn't always the folder directly above the one I'm currently in.

I have yet to find a use for it. I know where everything is on my computer and on the rare occassion I dont, I hit F3. Windows 7 search function hasn't worked very well for me in situations where XP/Server 2003 worked as expected, however.

You push F3, I push the start button. The only difference is that the start button one is faster at doing its job if you just installed a piece of software and have no idea what random program folder it went in because.

24" 1920x1200 monitor and it still annoys the hell out of me.

Then I don't know what to tell you, it isn't any functionally worse, it is actually better, so I don't know what the problem is. So it takes up a little more room for the few seconds you have it open? It doesn't matter.

Doesn't need it. All the icons and minimized windows are small so "pinning" really serves no purpose quick launch/custom toolbars can't. Pinning was an attempt to clone the massive icons/apperance of Mac OS X--no more, no less.

Pinning has nothing to do with cloning the massive icons/apperance of Mac OS X. Pinning is a replacement for the quicklaunch bar(and pin to start menu was an easy way to get your favorite programs at the top of the start menu). What is good about pinning is that, unlike the quicklaunch toolbar, when you open a program, the icon goes away and the window is openned in its place, a great space saver. But again, if you don't like the feature, you don't have to use it, they left the quicklaunch in, so customize it the way you want and don't complain about new features that others wanted.

You haven't explained to me how Windows XP/2003 is more customizable than Win7. So far all I've seen is points where Win7 is more customizable. Like giving the option to use either the quicklaunch bar or the superbar, that is more customizable than WinXP/2003.

 

[pantherx12]

Protip for vista/seven.

Don't both using control panels or anything like that, all the windows programs/apps will automatically be cached to the search bar.

So just hit windows key and start typing for what you want.

It's rate fast. And it's demi intelligent, will adapt to what you search for/run etc.

 

[MLG The Canadian]

What is task scheduler?

 

[Mussels]

Protip for vista/seven.

Don't both using control panels or anything like that, all the windows programs/apps will automatically be cached to the search bar.

So just hit windows key and start typing for what you want.

It's rate fast. And it's demi intelligent, will adapt to what you search for/run etc.

heres a good example of it. yes, theres some random results - but what i wanted (control panel sound) was there.

What is task scheduler?

thats been in there since well before XP.

 

[MLG The Canadian]

Does it slow down your computer? Is it one of those unnecessary Windows tasks that annoys everybody and should be disabled is more or less what I'm getting at.

 

[pantherx12]

Does it slow down your computer? Is it one of those unnecessary Windows tasks that annoys everybody and should be disabled is more or less what I'm getting at.

I don't know about others here, but I don't find any of the windows processes slow down my rig one bit.

Sure they use a bit of ram but they seem to only use CPU cycles when your not using them your self.

 

[MLG The Canadian]

Yeah, I just read about all of these small fixes and registry hacks people will do to make Windows run better, I thought maybe it was one of those things.

 

[Maelstrom]

Back doesn't always work either. The last folder I was in isn't always the folder directly above the one I'm currently in.

Did you try this?

Just click on the << button. I went computer > c: > program files (x86) > M. A V. C > drivers, and when I clicked the << button, it had the hidden folders like program files (x86), c:, and computer.

Also you can click on the little arrow next to the folder name like so and have all the folders within that folder appear.

 

[newtekie1]

Did you try this?
http://img.techpowerup.org/110316/Untitled.png
Just click on the << button. I went computer > c: > program files (x86) > M. A V. C > drivers, and when I clicked the << button, it had the hidden folders like program files (x86), c:, and computer.

Also you can click on the little arrow next to the folder name like so and have all the folders within that folder appear.

http://img.techpowerup.org/110316/Untitled2.png

Yes, but then that is multiple clicks, the up arrow is a single click that takes me to the folder directly above the one I'm currently in.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

The only difference is that the start button one is faster at doing its job if you just installed a piece of software and have no idea what random program folder it went in because.

The fastest way to find installed software is to look at the Target path in the shortcut. If the shortcut works, it will always take you straight to it.


I agree that ".." (up directory) is superior to the back/forward buttons in Windows Vista/7. The back and forward buttons mostly piss me off so I never use them. Hell, that whole thing pisses me off so I usually end up opening one Explorer per directory I am working in. If there is a lot of work to be done, I'll move all the folders to the desktop.

 

[newtekie1]

The fastest way to find installed software is to look at the Target path in the shortcut. If the shortcut works, it will always take you straight to it.

Yes, and that is my point, I don't put shortcuts on me desktop. So to find the shortcut in the start menu, I sometime find using the search box is quicker than scrolling through all the folders trying to figure out which one belongs to the software I just installed.

F3 will let me search for the shortcut, but it has to search through all the other shit too. The search box in the start menu starts by searching the start menu. It doesn't search through every file in my computer. In fact, with F3, if I'm at the desktop when I press it, it only searchs the desktop, which is useless since it is empty. I have to select where to search first, then tell it to search. With the search box in the start menu, I just press the windows key, start typing and it instantly starts pulling up programs that match what I'm typing. I don't even have to finish the word, or take my hands off the keyboard to move the mouse to tell it where to search.

 

[streetfighter 2]

Windows 7 is a really talented wild horse and you need to break it. One of the ways you can break it is to put it in a circle and let it run itself to death. My personal opinion is it's best to hop on and attempt to ride it out, though occasionally I come crashing down and break my spleen. If you're following that analogy, you probably made a connection with XP as well.

Some people are satisfied with only a partial (or complete lack) of taming the OS. None of those people are power users so their opinions aren't of much utility to me.

Everything that's wrong with Windows 7 I summarized in this picture.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

There was very little transition time between Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 to Windows XP. All you had to do was right click on the Task Bar, select Properties, and change the Start Menu to "Classic." There were some changes in the advanced options (especially in regards to where networking settings were located) between Windows 95 and 98 but you could find it within a minute. In Vista/7, something as simple as configuing wireless networks can take 5 minutes to find because it buried under menu, after menu, after menu. In my experience, everything they had right with Windows XP and down, they broke in Windows Vista/7.

I don't care if you spend 10 years on the OS, they'll never be as easy to reach as they were previously without extensive modding that was completely unnecessary previously. Microsoft screwed up by dumbing the OS down when it was already fairly dumbed down. That's the primary reason people hate Vista and 7 is only met with any success because XP is almost a decade old and most OEMs only offer Windows 7.


Oh, and Windows Media Player 12 is a complete failure when it comes to networking.

 

[Completely Bonkers]

I've got w2k3 as a workstation on my main rig. Love it.

I received W7 starter on my netbook. I tried and tried with it. Horrible. I now run w2k3 on the netbook. It runs faster too!

Pet hates about W7
1 - nasty interface for old skool users. Might be ok for a *new* PC user to learn, but the changes didn't add value or productivity to people who knew the old system inside out. They ended up further DOWN the learning curve. Getting back up takes time and energy, and once mastered, you dont really get any productivity benefits at all = fail in my book
2 - terrible reordering of control panel that alphabetical order goes across not down. This is so frustrating to scan by eye
3 - "starter" is so handicapped it is silly. MS should have realised that most people buying laptops and netbooks getting "starter" incl. in the package are EXISTING customers. It is stupid to give them something more crippled than what 99% of them were working with before. Own goal.
4 - I find w7 slow, a bigger resource hog than w2k3. I thought MS had a whole development team working on refacturing and streamlining Windows. IMO W7 should be lighter and faster and simpler... Apple seems to be good in this area
5 - I strongly believe that the next iteration of Windows WILL be a major improvement/streamlining and will wait until W8 is released before leaving W2k3

But I would like to thank everyone who has offered "how to fix" suggestions for W7. We should have a section on TPU about "builds" where we recommend how to set up Windows and "fix" all the features. (More fixes are needed in W7 than XP/2K3

 

[newtekie1]

There was very little transition time between Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows ME, Windows NT, and Windows 2000 to Windows XP. All you had to do was right click on the Task Bar, select Properties, and change the Start Menu to "Classic." There were some changes in the advanced options (especially in regards to where networking settings were located) between Windows 95 and 98 but you could find it within a minute. In Vista/7, something as simple as configuing wireless networks can take 5 minutes to find because it buried under menu, after menu, after menu. In my experience, everything they had right with Windows XP and down, they broke in Windows Vista/7.

I don't care if you spend 10 years on the OS, they'll never be as easy to reach as they were previously without extensive modding that was completely unnecessary previously. Microsoft screwed up by dumbing the OS down when it was already fairly dumbed down. That's the primary reason people hate Vista and 7 is only met with any success because XP is almost a decade old and most OEMs only offer Windows 7.


Oh, and Windows Media Player 12 is a complete failure when it comes to networking.

For the general user configuring a wireless network is far easier than it was in XP. It is as simple as clicking on the network icon in the tray, selecting the network you want to connect to, and entering the password.

Same thing with changing or deleting or adding a wireless network that isn't seen.

With XP it was:

Right click network icon in system tray.
Select Status.
Click on Properties Button.
Go to Wireless Tab.
Then you got to deal with a tiny unintuative little box.


With 7 it is:

Click network icon in system tray.
Select Network and Sharing Center.
Click Manage Wireless Network.
Now you get a nice big intuative Window.

It doesn't take 5 minutes to find in Win7, it is actually quicker to get to than it was in XP.

I've got w2k3 as a workstation on my main rig. Love it.

I received W7 starter on my netbook. I tried and tried with it. Horrible. I now run w2k3 on the netbook. It runs faster too!

Pet hates about W7
1 - nasty interface for old skool users. Might be ok for a *new* PC user to learn, but the changes didn't add value or productivity to people who knew the old system inside out. They ended up further DOWN the learning curve. Getting back up takes time and energy, and once mastered, you dont really get any productivity benefits at all = fail in my book
2 - terrible reordering of control panel that alphabetical order goes across not down. This is so frustrating to scan by eye
3 - "starter" is so handicapped it is silly. MS should have realised that most people buying laptops and netbooks getting "starter" incl. in the package are EXISTING customers. It is stupid to give them something more crippled than what 99% of them were working with before. Own goal.
4 - I find w7 slow, a bigger resource hog than w2k3. I thought MS had a whole development team working on refacturing and streamlining Windows. IMO W7 should be lighter and faster and simpler... Apple seems to be good in this area
5 - I strongly believe that the next iteration of Windows WILL be a major improvement/streamlining and will wait until W8 is released before leaving W2k3

But I would like to thank everyone who has offered "how to fix" suggestions for W7. We should have a section on TPU about "builds" where we recommend how to set up Windows and "fix" all the features. (More fixes are needed in W7 than XP/2K3

1.) Old schoolers need to STFU already and deal with the fact that things change and they need to learn. No it doesn't put them lower on the learning curve, it puts them right at the same spot on the learning curve as everyone else. The only difference is that some people like to bitch about how terrible it is that they changes something, while others are learning how to use it.
2.) That is annoying, but it is also why I make the Control Panel a menu from the State Menu, so that everything is in alpha order from top to bottom.
3.) Have you ever used XP Starter Edition? I have, and if you go from XP Starter Edition to Win7 Starter Edition, you would jump up and down with joy. Because XP Starter Edition was utter crap. But what do you really expect for free? Yes, Microsoft essentially gives this OS away to OEMs for netbooks/ULCPCs for free.
4.) Win7 is a lot faster on every PC I've installed it on, including my netbook. Yes, it does use more resources than XP, but it uses them more efficiently. And the Superfetch feature, which makes it appear to use even more memory when it really isn't, makes it even faster.

 

[LifeOnMars]

Be sure to use Ford's game explorer utility. As Windows 7's in house game explorer is a bit ropey to say the least.

 

[newtekie1]

Be sure to use Ford's game explorer utility. As Windows 7's in house game explorer is a bit ropey to say the least.

Yeah, it's shit. Ford's game explorer utility is a life saver!

 

[hellrazor]

2 - terrible reordering of control panel that alphabetical order goes across not down. This is so frustrating to scan by eye

I now present to you, the quote of the year. I know it's only March, but it's downright impossible to beat this.



On another fantastic coincidence, the wireless kicked the bucket and I really do need to get into the settings for the wireless card, any help would be appreciated.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

Right click network icon in system tray.
Select Status.
Click on Properties Button.
Go to Wireless Tab.
Then you got to deal with a tiny unintuative little box.

No:
1. Double click on the Wireless Network icon in the system tray (alternatively, right-click and select "View Available Wireless Networks"). This opens "Wireless Network Connection" window.
2. Click on "Change advanced settings" on the left.

Bam, there's your list of preferred networks. Don't have to search at all for it. Everything is exactly where you expect it to be.

On another fantastic coincidence, the wireless kicked the bucket and I really do need to get into the settings for the wireless card, any help would be appreciated.

All I can say is good luck and try not to get pissed off. Prepare to run in circles.

 

[hellrazor]

Oh, and I'm on my dad's computer and it just did that "I've decided you've read every thread, so you don't know what's new and what's old" so I know it isn't my computer.

 

[newtekie1]

No:
1. Double click on the Wireless Network icon in the system tray (alternatively, right-click and select "View Available Wireless Networks"). This opens "Wireless Network Connection" window.
2. Click on "Change advanced settings" on the left.

Bam, there's your list of preferred networks. Don't have to search at all for it. Everything is exactly where you expect it to be.

And this is so much quicker and more intuative than clicking on the network icon, clicking again on "Network and Sharing Center", and then clicking "Manage Wireless Networks"? It is certainly less intuative, as I would expect "Manage Wireless Networks" to be where I go to manage the wireless networks and not "Change advanced settings", but I don't think it is any quicker.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

We're going to have to agree to disagree on most of these points.

 

[Deleted member 67555]

A few suggestions that may have been posted already..
Control Panel....If you want CLASSIC VIEW change "View By" to Large or small ICONS to get classic View....

I forgot what else I was gonna post if it comes to me I'll edit

 

[Frick]

A few suggestions that may have been posted already..
Control Panel....If you want CLASSIC VIEW change "View By" to Large or small ICONS to get classic View....

I forgot what else I was gonna post if it comes to me I'll edit

I do like newtekie, display it as a menu in the start menu.

 

[newtekie1]

We're going to have to agree to disagree on most of these points.

That sounds good. Don't get me wrong, obviously there are some things I don't like about Win7 also.