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Andy8 · Jan 10, 2009, 10:27 PM

Can you choose which version of Windows 7 or are we stuck with Ultimate only?

64stang06 · Jan 10, 2009, 10:42 PM

Originally Posted by Andy8

Can you choose which version of Windows 7 or are we stuck with Ultimate only?

Ultimate only.

64stang06 · Jan 10, 2009, 10:43 PM

I installed via Boot Camp and had no problems. The wireless was detected automatically so I was online with no problem. I did install the BC drivers to get sound, bluetooth, etc working but after that, so far it seems to run fine. A lot lighter on resources than Vista SP1.

Art Vandelay · Jan 10, 2009, 10:59 PM

64-bit gives you options of which edition you want to install.

64stang06 · Jan 10, 2009, 11:37 PM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

64-bit gives you options of which edition you want to install.

I stand corrected.

Cold Warrior · Jan 11, 2009, 02:33 AM

It installed perfectly from the ISO using VMware Fusion. It's running on a 40 GB VM right now and allocated 1 GB RAM, and it runs very well on my MBP C2D 2 GB RAM.

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 07:56 AM

Make sure you run the MP3 update or just Windows update - if you haven't already.

ballison · Jan 11, 2009, 08:50 AM

taking the plunge right now...I have no real use for windows at the moment, so if something screws up no worries

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 09:04 AM

From my 5 minute test drive, it seems slightly slower than the last beta - but I haven't installed any drivers yet.
I'm going to clone my PC at work tomorrow and upgrade it - that will be the real test of compatibility with software & hardware.

rnicoll · Jan 11, 2009, 10:04 AM

Running on a mid-2007 MacBook Pro. So far, works perfectly, and seems MUCH less resource intensive than Vista.

driven · Jan 11, 2009, 10:33 AM

Took a full image backup of C:. Going to start upgrading my Dell now.

ghporter · Jan 11, 2009, 11:27 AM

Any suggestions for "the best" way to image a Windows partition? Will Disk Utility do it and more importantly, will it restore it properly?

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 11:28 AM

A good way to do it from OS X is WinClone.

On a PC I'd use Ghost4Linux (G4L) or CloneZilla - this may still be possible.

Gankdawg · Jan 11, 2009, 11:41 AM

This might be the wrong thread, but now that I have the beta, how do I install it? I dowloaded the ISO this morning and opened it like a Disk Image and then did a select-all and dragged the contents to Toast (version 5) and burned a DVD using ISO 9660. When I put the disk in my Macbook, XP recognizes it just fine but says 'Setup can not run on this version of the Operating System. To install Windows please try booting from the install media.' How do I do that? I've restarted and it the Macbook just boots from the HDD. Which F key do I push while booting to change the boot disk? Oh, and I also burned just the .iso file (without opening it in DU first) via DU and I get the same error.

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 11:47 AM

You can't upgrade from XP, only a clean install. You should be able to boot from the DVD by holding C. You could also try selecting it from Startup Disk pref pane.
When you burned the ISO, you can see the contents of the ISO on your DVD and not just the ISO file, right?

Gankdawg · Jan 11, 2009, 12:21 PM

I'm ok with doing a clean install. The Macbook is just for playing around.

Booting while holding 'C' didn't work with either disk. When I put either disk in the drive in XP, it recognizes them as valid discs, but when I double click on either of them to try and open the disk, I get the error message. In OS X, if I open either DVD I made, they both open like any other folder and reveal the 9 files/folders.

So it comes down to 2 questions:

1. How do I force Windows XP to boot from a DVD in my Macbook?
2. Which DVD that I made do I use?

Thanks.......

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 12:24 PM

Hang on while I fetch my MacBook and find out....

64stang06 · Jan 11, 2009, 12:27 PM

You CAN'T open the .iso like a disk image, drag the contents to Toast, and then make a DVD. You have to burn the .iso as it is; Disk Utility does this just fine. Once the DVD is burned, open Boot Camp Assistant and it should have an option to start the Windows installation. Select that to restart the computer and then the installer should start.

driven · Jan 11, 2009, 12:28 PM

Originally Posted by ghporter

Any suggestions for "the best" way to image a Windows partition? Will Disk Utility do it and more importantly, will it restore it properly?

I used the Windows Backup that's included with Vista business edition. It's slow as heck, but it does the job. (Windows really needs to come with something similar to Time Machine ... and Shadow Copies simply doesn't cut it.)

Other solutions: GHOST, et al....

I imagine before Win7 goes to an RC we'll see an upgrade from XP. Upgrading from Vista was probably easy for them since Win7 essentially *IS* Vista ... XP will be a bit harder but since so few actually upgraded to Vista (and will probably skip it) an XP upgrade seems to be a requirement.

That said: I wish Windows would include an "Archive and install" feature like OSX has has for some time. (Figures, the OS that *doesn't* require you to reinstall every few months is the easiest one to do so with!)

I'm currently at 57% of the "Completing upgrade" phase.

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 12:33 PM

Originally Posted by 64stang06

You CAN'T open the .iso like a disk image, drag the contents to Toast, and then make a DVD. You have to burn the .iso as it is; Disk Utility does this just fine. Once the DVD is burned, open Boot Camp Assistant and it should have an option to start the Windows installation. Select that to restart the computer and then the installer should start.

2nded.

Mine wouldn't boot when I set it through the startup disk pane but it worked when I held option down and selected it.

ghporter · Jan 11, 2009, 01:25 PM

I have some really handy tools to mess with Windows computers with, including Hiren's Boot CD (which I've had for a long time), and a few others. I'd hoped that these off-line and rather time-intensive tools would not be as necessary as it seems they are.

So I'll be booting from a CD and creating an image on a networked device to preserve my XP installation.

On other subjects, Disk Utility should handle burning the .ISO onto a DVD without any problems. I'm doing that right now.

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 01:30 PM

I'm doing an online image of my PC at work right now with Drive XML - that's another option. I'm using it because I'm not AT work so I can't put a disc in or do anything without being in Vista right now. Any particular reason you chose not to go with WinClone?

driven · Jan 11, 2009, 01:35 PM

So far ... not impressed.

- Not that much different than Vista.
- Faster than Vista, but the Vista betas were much faster than production too, so meh until we see an RC
+ The taskbar is very much a rip-off of OSX. Personally I like it. That's the way it should have been. (Although it's still left justified.)
- "Peek" is a cheap copy of one feature of Expose, done badly. (But better than "show desktop")
- Default desktop pictures is of a weed !?!?

But the show-stoppers for me are:
- VMware no longer recognizes any network settings. (I might try to reinstall it to see if it helps)
- Many of my device drivers no longer work. (Scanner, fingerprint reader, etc.)
- Windows no longer recognizes the DVD-ROM drive AT ALL.

If I can't resolve the show-stoppers soon I'll be restoring back to Vista.

Gankdawg · Jan 11, 2009, 01:39 PM

Originally Posted by 64stang06

You CAN'T open the .iso like a disk image, drag the contents to Toast, and then make a DVD. You have to burn the .iso as it is; Disk Utility does this just fine. Once the DVD is burned, open Boot Camp Assistant and it should have an option to start the Windows installation. Select that to restart the computer and then the installer should start.

Did that. The disc is recognized, the Macbook restarts and then hangs at what looks like a DOS screen with a #1 & #2 in a list (no words after them though) and a sentence below them, something like "Choose which CD to boot from". Rebooted and held down Option. Now I have 4 choices -- OS X & No Name (both HDD partitions) and Windows and EFI (both DVD icons). If I choose either Windows or EFI, it boots back to the Choose screen. Obviously, I tried either one but nothing happened.

Does it matter if it's 64 bit or not? That's what I downloaded. And yes, I got it from MS site, not a torrent.

Cold Warrior · Jan 11, 2009, 01:56 PM

Originally Posted by driven

+ The taskbar is very much a rip-off of OSX.

- VMware no longer recognizes any network settings. (I might try to reinstall it to see if it helps)

Check out some of the user account pictures for even more rip-offs.

Let us know how the VMware Fusion reinstall goes. A complete reinstall of the app has fixed network issues for me before. With this Windows 7 beta (32 bit), however, I've had no Fusion networking issues with it.

Art Vandelay · 02:59 PM

Gankdawg:
Only some Mac Pros and MacBook Pros support 64-bit Windows. Do you have one of these?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1846

Art Vandelay · Jan 11, 2009, 01:59 PM

I had zero problems with Fusion 2.0.1 with Win 7 32-bit and 64-bit build 7000.

driven · Jan 11, 2009, 02:05 PM

I was installing as the base system on a Dell Latitude E6400 2.8Ghz w/ 8GB RAM. Not on a Mac.

Reinstalling VMware workstation didn't fix the network issue. (But besides, without the optical drive I would have been dead in the water for normal tasks anyway).

I'm in the process of restoring Vista on the PC now.

Cold Warrior · Jan 11, 2009, 02:53 PM

Will I notice a performance boost with the 64-bit beta installed on a Virtual Machine?

Art Vandelay · 03:27 PM

I doubt it. I just did a quick install before I went home on Friday, so haven't played with it much. But... I did notice that the 64-bit version takes up 1GB+ more of disk space. I also noticed that it consumes more RAM just running idle.

driven · Jan 11, 2009, 03:04 PM

Successful restore. :-)

(For those that were wondering .... the backup program that comes with Vista business & Vista ultimate actually DOES work quite well.)

Maybe the next version of Windows 7 will work better. That said: It's too much like Vista and I already don't like Vista. Not sure how Win7 hopes to be more successful than Vista was.

Gankdawg · Jan 11, 2009, 04:13 PM

Originally Posted by Art Vandelay

Gankdawg:
Only some Mac Pros and MacBook Pros support 64-bit Windows. Do you have one of these?

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1846

No, I don't. Downloaded the 32-bit version and tried the same things, no luck.

Gankdawg · Jan 11, 2009, 04:16 PM

I re-partitioned my drive via Boot Camp so now I have a partition that is empty. When I go back into Boot Camp to start the Windows installation, it can't find a valid Windows disc. Maybe I burned it wrong. I opened up DU, highlighted the ISO and clicked 'Burn'. Am I missing a step or setting?

BTW, the ISO size that I downloaded is 2.44 GB (32-bit).

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 04:32 PM

Well I'm sat here with Windows 7 running on my mid 2007 MacBook - it definitely works.

What MacBook do you have?
Now that you've re-done the Boot Camp configuration - try rebooting with Option held down and selecting the DVD.

Gankdawg · Jan 11, 2009, 05:31 PM

Macbook: 2.2 GHz C2D, 3 GB RAM, 320 GB HDD, 10.5.6

Tried rebooting holding Option down, all I get is MacBook Hard Drive. Switched out all my discs too.

pcryan5 · Jan 11, 2009, 06:06 PM

I'm running it on a stand alone HP laptop right now - very perky even in beta compared to MS MissTa. I'm using Vista drivers for those win7 is lacking (read most drivers). Once my seemingly endless Parallel 4 upgrade is done I'll try it there.

rnicoll · Jan 11, 2009, 07:06 PM

Doesn't work on my 2008 Mac Pro. Seemed to install okay at first, but now the installer just blue screens.

Anyone had any luck with a 2008 Mac Pro?

ballison · Jan 11, 2009, 07:32 PM

2008 mac pro here...works perfectly although the way I installed it wasnt as recommended. I installed a fresh version of vista (non sp1) via bootcamp. tried to install sp1 for vista and that failed for some reason. this meant I couldnt update I had to format and install a fresh copy of windows 7. It seems to work just fine and MUCH faster than vista.

seanc · Jan 11, 2009, 07:41 PM

Originally Posted by rnicoll

Doesn't work on my 2008 Mac Pro. Seemed to install okay at first, but now the installer just blue screens.

Anyone had any luck with a 2008 Mac Pro?

I had that issue on one of my PCs.
On the next reboot I started pressing F8 when it started loading the installer from the CD - this will eventually bring up a list of options - one of them is to disable automatic restart (from BSOD). Then it worked fine.

Try this on yours.

64stang06 · Jan 11, 2009, 07:56 PM

Originally Posted by pcryan5

I'm running it on a stand alone HP laptop right now - very perky even in beta compared to MS MissTa. I'm using Vista drivers for those win7 is lacking (read most drivers). Once my seemingly endless Parallel 4 upgrade is done I'll try it there.

Ditto. Compaq laptop, clean install of Windows 7. Had to install the graphics driver and chipset driver, but after that, smooth sailing. For a beta, I'm quite impressed.

jokell82 · Jan 11, 2009, 08:07 PM

I'm running it on a test Dell Vostro 200 machine at work. Runs fine. Seems like it's just Vista with a new taskbar, don't really see any other differences.

rnicoll · Jan 11, 2009, 10:11 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

I had that issue on one of my PCs.
On the next reboot I started pressing F8 when it started loading the installer from the CD - this will eventually bring up a list of options - one of them is to disable automatic restart (from BSOD). Then it worked fine.

Try this on yours.

It doesn't even reboot, it actually goes "I'm shutting down to avoid damaging your data*. As far as I can tell it's wrecked my data partition somehow, although it might well be that it was damaged before hand. Either way, it appears that loading the disk.sys is what brings it to its knees, and with the data partition hidden it at least lasted longer.

Going to install Vista back again and try this again later.

ghporter · Jan 11, 2009, 10:38 PM

Originally Posted by seanc

I'm doing an online image of my PC at work right now with Drive XML - that's another option. I'm using it because I'm not AT work so I can't put a disc in or do anything without being in Vista right now. Any particular reason you chose not to go with WinClone?

I thought I'd be able to march right in with the stuff I already had on hand. Not so; my Hiren's Boot CD refuses to actually create its (absolutely necessary) RAM drive, so NOTHING on the disc works. I just downloaded WinClone and I'll use that when I get a moment.

Cold Warrior · Jan 11, 2009, 10:53 PM

I used winclone over the holidays and it worked great.

Maflynn · Jan 12, 2009, 10:09 AM

I finally was able to d/l it last night, so when I get home, I hope to be able to install it on my MBP.

64stang06 · Jan 12, 2009, 02:51 PM

The one thing I don't like about the taskbar is the spacing between icons. Seems like a waste of empty space.

Gankdawg · Jan 12, 2009, 03:44 PM

What are you guys doing to make the ISO bootable on DVD?

seanc · Jan 12, 2009, 04:58 PM

Disk Utility > Select ISO from left hand pane > Burn.
That should give you a good disk from OS X. Burn it at the slowest possible setting for max results.

vexborg · Jan 12, 2009, 05:58 PM

Already did that, and I must say that with the following settings:

2 GB RAM, 60 GB HDD

It runs way better than Vista.

ghporter · Jan 12, 2009, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Cold Warrior

I used winclone over the holidays and it worked great.

It was more better easier than I could have hoped for. I should have gone with WinClone to start with. Now I know better. However, I also now know that my Hiren's disc is boogered up.

I've also downloaded a humongous amount of stuff for building a Bart's PE boot disc with lots of cool tools. If I ever need 'em, I'll have 'em.

Unfortunately, all that messing around chewed up my "installing the beta" time this weekend, so I'll have to wait a while to get to it.