Windows 7: Back to Vista!

Back to Vista!

I’d anticipated Windows 7 RC with relish, looking forward to improved speed, slick interface, new features. I now read all the many accolades in this and other forums with little cheer.

All went well with the upgrade to my laptop (HP DV6680, Core Duo T7250, 4GB), everything worked, even Skype and the HP Quickplay buttons which the check said might not work. The new interface was indeed slick.

But speedier? No. Start-up and restoration times after hibernate? No perceived improvement. Sleep mode however seemed more incisive. A couple of glitches – odd blackouts and restarts, some problems with Google Chrome unable to find pages where IE8 had no problem, something I’ve not seen under Vista.

But the crunch came yesterday when I got a load error with the reassuring message that Windows will resolve the problem (corrupt Registry). But then – “Windows is unable to resolve the problem”. Restore system from last know good image? – same result; Shut Down, or Restart! Restart produced the same. Safe mode – no difference. Then tried loading and repairing from the Win 7 DVD – this time got options to recover from any of 9 system restore points. Looked promising! But — alongside an option to choose the restore partition (just the one option, C), a message stating that the disk needed System Protection set (I have never interfered with System Protection). The option button wasn’t selectable. No way forward.



So after all the hassle of installing Win 7, and the anticipation, I now had two possible courses of action: (1) re-install Win 7 from scratch and rebuild or (2) re-install Vista. I chose the latter – once bitten etc. I’m now back on Vista as was, thanks to HP factory restore and the excellent Acronis True Image.

Quirks I can forgive in an RC, but the lack of perceived performance improvement was disappointing. Failure to recover from System Restore points is inexcusable – surely this is fundamental during beta or RC?

I also discovered through trial and error that (1) you can’t upgrade from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Windows 7; and (2) if you create a dual-boot system, the new partition has to be a fresh build (i.e. loses all settings from the previous installation). Both obvious I suppose, but not (as far as I could see) clearly stated in the instructions.

Thats the mistake you made, you did an upgrade instead of a clean install. Windows 7 is known to have problems with upgrade installs even with build to build upgrading.

Dont dismiss Windows 7 just yet.

Hi Linus,

Welcome to Seven Forums.

I agree with Swarfega, upgrade was first mistake. Yes you will have to set everything up in the new OS when not doing an upgrade. What did you expect? These builds are for *testing* purposes and are not meant to be your main OS. Though I and many others are using them that way, disaster can strike without notice and you must be prepared for that. I suggest a dual boot. Then you can play(test) 7 while still having Vista for backup or as your main OS.

I think you'll also find, as I did, that 7 will get faster after it has had a little time to settle in and get prefetch established and also get everything indexed. Windows 7 boots much faster than Vista for me. Not to mention Libraries, Aero snap and the new and improved taskbar. My comp. wakes from sleep before the main monitor can wake up.

Hope this helps.

Gary

Do a clean install. Upgrading from Vista isn't exactly a clean way of going about it.

Seven is faster than Vista, that's all. If you don't have a faster computer with Seven, then you have a problem. Don't judge Windows 7 on a single installation, and this is more important if you do an upgrade!

So much easier to blame the operating system hey? I mean it wouldn't be through no fault of your own that it's running like you say it is.

As a matter of fact everything is on the contrary, windows 7 beats it in all departments(fact).

As swarfega put it don't be putting it down just yet. I would go even further and say don't put it down at all because it sure does not deserve it. You have done a bum installation my friend so they are your problems and not as you seem to think anything to do with the Windows 7.

Wonder why it's only you that has a problem with restore, or registry entries? Registry entry errors are user generated, there should be absolutely nothing wrong with the registry on the initial custom install.

Here is a quote from you "I also discovered through trial and error that (1) you can’t upgrade from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Windows 7; and (2) if you create a dual-boot system, the new partition has to be a fresh build (i.e. loses all settings from the previous installation). Both obvious I suppose, but not (as far as I could see) clearly stated in the instructions". Now that to me would suggest that you really don't know what your doing with computers, forgive me I could be wrong...................


As you have now moved back to the sad Vista here is a link to the forums. it is managed by the same team so you will be ok...........................


http://www.vistax64.com/

Thanks for the comments. I can appreciate a fresh install would be cleaner, but in reality most people who aren't buying a new computer will want to upgrade from Vista or XP when the release version comes out, rather than clean install, so Microsoft better have it sorted by then. I presume that's a large part of the continuing validation of the RC, and hopefully the error reports will make some small contribution.

The main reason I went for an upgrade is that my whole family uses the laptop (as well as a couple of desktops), and I get serious grief if MSN, Facebook etc aren't working properly, so I hoped to make it as seamless as possible and faster into the bargain. Which I reckon is probably quite a typical scenario.

Everyone was happy that it worked the same, but I immediately had complaints that it was taking longer to load; and just when I tweaked the power options to mostly Sleep rather than Hibernate, it went pear-shaped.

Just do a clean install and you wont go wrong.

I agree, never throw Windows 7 on top of Vista, Vista is buggy as hell and will cause you all sorts of problems!!

I was a Vista beta tester way, way back when it was called Longhorm Build 4015

I never upgraded any of my XP machine to Vista, it was just not quite right even when it was released.

Windows 7 will be great with the right hardware. So yes some people will have to upgrade to new computers. You just have to weight the Pros & Cons of everything involved.
So I see your point with your family members, too. Good Luck & be OpenMinded.