Tell me about Windows 7

[ntrepid]

After hearing all the terrible things about Vista but needing a new computer, I decided to switch to Apple computers, especially since they can also run Windows. But for the fact that so much less software is available for the Macs (particularly of the free variety), I have been quite happy with my iMac and my Macbook Pro and am less than thrilled when, for some applications, I have to revert to using my Windows machines. But the truth is, in many cases the software available on the Windows platform seems to be better, more refined, or more fully developed and/or better integrated than much of the software for the Apple computer. And sometimes the ergonomics in Windows is better as well.

What I love about my Macs is that their performance hasn't degraded over time. My iMac performs as fast today as it did a year and a half ago when I purchased it, while all of my Windows machines became so sluggish with continued use that I hated booting them (slowly) up. I also don't run virus software or a special firewall software on my Mac; those things degrade the performance of Windows machines.

So what I want to know is, has Microsoft fixed the problems with Windows slowing down over time? I don't want to spend a half a day figuring out what's booting at startup that I don't really want to boot up, and what's running in RAM that I don't need to have running. I don't want to have to buy utilities to clean up the registry. And I don't want the performance of my machine to grind to a slow stall after I've used it for a year or two. Computers don't have to be that way; they're not that way with my iMac or my Macbook Pro.

So, again, are these issues fixed in Windows 7? I'd love to be able to buy cheap computers again and to have such a huge universe of software available to me.

 

[Jonathan_King]

Welcome to SF!

There is a general misconception about slowdowns. They are not caused by the OS corrupting, in most cases. It is when people install lots of programs and forget to uninstall them. They have too many programs running in the background, eating up memory.

Doing a clean install removes these programs, and gives the user a fresh start.

Bottom line is if you maintain your computer, you can use it a long time. I have an old XP machine that stills runs like the day it was bought because I maintain it.

One thing that Macs do is maintain themselves. They clean out temporary files and the like by themselves.

With a little know-how, you can save yourself $500 from the price of a Mac, and still get the same performance.

If you have any questions on how to maintain your machine, ask them! We are very good at that kind of thing.

~Jonathan

 

[FuturDreamz]

Agreed - good maintenance makes Windows as fast as Mac over the long term.
I have an old Core Duo iMac that was the family computer for the longest time, though now it seems to have a couple slowdowns (may just be our internet and Firefox) and a reinstall is imminent.
Before Windows 7 I would have never considered getting Windows but over time I was running Windows in virtual machines to see how it runs, and Windows 7 wasn't half bad.
Then I needed a laptop. I would've preferred a MacBook but the cheapest one is $1100, while my MacBook Air clone was in the bargain bin for $347. And after using windows for a while and installing the minimum of software, it runs perfectly fine.

 

[pparks1]

I feel the reason that Windows computers indeed slow down so much over time is because of the huge availability of software which is available for them. People just don't seem to be able to help themselves when it comes to downloading something new and installing it and trying it out to see how it works. While some are conscious about uninstalling what they don't use...not every app truly uninstalls itself. I think with the Apple...there isn't as much out there...thus the boxes don't get littered with anywhere near as much garbage.

Also, with the availability of free tools for Windows...i haven't had a need to buy any utility software over the past 5 years to maintain a box. The virus scanners, malware tools, registry cleaners and such are all freely available. Of course, if you make conscious decisions to keep your box clean and tidy...quite often a majority of these reg cleaners and performance tuning tools simply are unnecessary.

 

[ski]

I recently replaced an old Win 98 system(circa 1999) with a new Win 7 machine. The reason was not due to the 98 system slowing down, but because the support for 98 had rapidly dwindled within the past year wrt AV and AS software, Adobe Reader, IE 6, etc., which not only made it unsafe to browse the Internet, but also no longer allowed viewing certain websites and online files.
In fact, the 98 machine performed as fast on the day it was shut down as it did when it was brand new, because it was kept lean and mean by occasionally doing a few quick and simple maintenance chores, e.g., uninstalling old and unused programs, making sure only specific programs were running in the background, checking for viruses and spyware, keeping the HD running efficiently with Defragmenter and ScanDisk, etc. Plus, not a single clean reinstall was done over the life of that system.

 

[Fantail]

The one thing ntrepid mentioned is the availability of titles.
I have a few that I used on XP, brought over to 7 x64 and don't need to use any compatability mode btw. But you can sure load up on programs over time. I agree it's important to keep your system maintained. 7 seems to have good scheduling ability. Good housekeeping. And then a/v such as MSE has it's own maintenance, you just have to remember to leave your system on for that day/night.

 

[manhunter2826]

I feel the reason that Windows computers indeed slow down so much over time is because of the huge availability of software which is available for them. People just don't seem to be able to help themselves when it comes to downloading something new and installing it and trying it out to see how it works

Lol, absolutely agree - and not to mention the add-on consequences of adware, malware etc.

And OP: I don't see anything wrong with Macs; yes one has to pay a premium but they look gorgeous; aesthetics does also matter to me. There is a lot of rubbish in the Windows market, esp. of laptops.

Feel the quality:

 

[pparks1]

I don't see anything wrong with Macs; yes one has to pay a premium but they look gorgeous; aesthetics does also matter to me. There is a lot of rubbish in the Windows market, esp. of laptops.

As slick as some of the MAC hardware looks....there are also big downfalls which I don't like either. For example, the iMAC is an all in one. Thus...if the monitor breaks the computer is useless and vice versa. That's just a real no go for me. If I invest in a really nice monitor than I generally want to move it to the newest computer in my house. Being stuck (pun intended) to the computer it came with really stinks.

Also, you can get very aesthetically pleasing PC hardware as well...but most people try to save the almighty buck when it comes to PC's simply because they can. For example, a Corsair Obsidian 800d case looks just as nice as any Mac Pro that I have ever seen. Of course, it also costs $279 as well and is huge. But I'm just saying that you can certainly build a beautiful looking PC if you try.

 

[HJA]

the iMAC is an all in one. Thus...if the monitor breaks the computer is useless and vice versa

I agree. I stopped buying integrated after my Gateway. If it breaks it's easier to repair yourself.

 

[Frostmourne]

To keep Windows maintained:

• Don't randomly install any software - get it only from the manufacturer's site and only if you need it - and really, do you need it?
• Install less bloated apps - Foxit Reader vs the gigantic Adobe Reader
• Don't install or tweak 7 with any apps - run Disk Cleaner once a week via sageset and a scheduled task.
• Clean out the %TMP% folder weekly - disk cleanup should do it if you set it up right but just check.
• Worth saying again, don't buy or use any cleaning utilities.
• Install the latest drivers manually for a home-built desktop or from the manufacturer for a laptop, or the majority of drivers for a useless store bought PC. Use a driver sweeper for the GPU and sound drivers.
• Clean out your case monthly if you need it and you probably do.
• Keep your apps updated fully with PSI and only use one single antivirus app - Microsoft Security Esssentials + UAC + Windows Firewall is enough.
• You don't need an on-demand scanner unless your system has been compromised.

Roughly that's it, but someone might add something.

 

[pparks1]

• Install less bloated apps - Foxit Reader vs the gigantic Adobe Reader

Amen to that. I haven't used Adobe Reader for so long, I forgot that it actually still existed.

Clean out your case monthly if you need it and you probably do.

My last few cases have all been Antec's with dust screens in the air intakes and that has been a fantastic improvement to keeping the inside of the PC clean.

 

[manhunter2826]

I don't see anything wrong with Macs; yes one has to pay a premium but they look gorgeous; aesthetics does also matter to me. There is a lot of rubbish in the Windows market, esp. of laptops.

As slick as some of the MAC hardware looks....there are also big downfalls which I don't like either. For example, the iMAC is an all in one. Thus...if the monitor breaks the computer is useless and vice versa. That's just a real no go for me. If I invest in a really nice monitor than I generally want to move it to the newest computer in my house. Being stuck (pun intended) to the computer it came with really stinks.

Also, you can get very aesthetically pleasing PC hardware as well...but most people try to save the almighty buck when it comes to PC's simply because they can. For example, a Corsair Obsidian 800d case looks just as nice as any Mac Pro that I have ever seen. Of course, it also costs $279 as well and is huge. But I'm just saying that you can certainly build a beautiful looking PC if you try.

Agreed, and points well illustrated

 

[ntrepid]

Welcome to SF!

. . . Doing a clean install removes these programs, and gives the user a fresh start.

Bottom line is if you maintain your computer, you can use it a long time. I have an old XP machine that stills runs like the day it was bought because I maintain it.

~Jonathan

Well, I guess in a way that's the rub. I didn't want to invest all that time in maintaining the computer. The user has to work continuously and be ever vigilant about uninstalling programs. But sometimes even when you uninstall a program you decided you don't like, it doesn't completely uninstall. It leaves entries in the registry and folders and files in other places, and there's no way to know what these files and entries are. Now, to what extent all the detritus of uninstalled software contributes to the slow-down problem, I don't really know. But I know there were times that I would spend half a day figuring out what which program startup entries were associated with and which ones to delete or mark for not loading at start up. I'd have to Google each entry before figuring out whether I could delete it. And still there would be loads of stuff in RAM that I didn't have a clue what to do with.

I had noticed that many Mac users didn't have a clue about how their computers ran, and now I know why. 1) they didn't need to know because their computers ran with comparatively few problems; 2) when you do have a problem with the Mac, sometimes the solution seems to be a well-protected secret. Searching for the solution on Google will find others with the same problem but sometimes you simply can't find the solution for it.

 

[ntrepid]

I feel the reason that Windows computers indeed slow down so much over time is because of the huge availability of software which is available for them. People just don't seem to be able to help themselves when it comes to downloading something new and installing it and trying it out to see how it works. While some are conscious about uninstalling what they don't use...not every app truly uninstalls itself. I think with the Apple...there isn't as much out there...thus the boxes don't get littered with anywhere near as much garbage.

I'm afraid I have to plead guilty as charged. When I read a good review about a program I thought would be interesting or useful, I'd install it. Often I never uninstalled the program even if I used it only very rarely.

 

[Adrian]

To keep Windows maintained:

• Don't randomly install any software - get it only from the manufacturer's site and only if you need it - and really, do you need it?
• Install less bloated apps - Foxit Reader vs the gigantic Adobe Reader
• Don't install or tweak 7 with any apps - run Disk Cleaner once a week via sageset and a scheduled task.
• Clean out the %TMP% folder weekly - disk cleanup should do it if you set it up right but just check.
• Worth saying again, don't buy or use any cleaning utilities.
• Install the latest drivers manually for a home-built desktop or from the manufacturer for a laptop, or the majority of drivers for a useless store bought PC. Use a driver sweeper for the GPU and sound drivers.
• Clean out your case monthly if you need it and you probably do.
• Keep your apps updated fully with PSI and only use one single antivirus app - Microsoft Security Esssentials + UAC + Windows Firewall is enough.
• You don't need an on-demand scanner unless your system has been compromised.

Roughly that's it, but someone might add something.

Excellent point! +1

 

[ntrepid]

7 seems to have good scheduling ability. Good housekeeping. And then a/v such as MSE has it's own maintenance, you just have to remember to leave your system on for that day/night.

Does this means that Windows 7 cleans and maintains itself at night if you leave the computer on? (I don't understand the jargon "a/v such as MSE.") The Macs do that, and I wonder whether that is a big reason why they maintain their performance over time.

I guess I'm trying to persuade myself to either buy another Windows machine or to install Windows 7 in bootcamp and run it on the Mac. I prefer the idea of running Windows 7 as a virtual machine in the Mac environment so I can switch between them at will, but doing involves some tradeoffs.

 

[ntrepid]

As slick as some of the MAC hardware looks....there are also big downfalls which I don't like either. For example, the iMAC is an all in one. Thus...if the monitor breaks the computer is useless and vice versa. That's just a real no go for me. If I invest in a really nice monitor than I generally want to move it to the newest computer in my house. Being stuck (pun intended) to the computer it came with really stinks.

Now you've touched on a problem that I've just run into. I wanted to have the Apple store install a 750 GB hard drive into my iMac and copy all the programs on my current 320 GB hard drive onto the new, bigger drive. But the Apple store told me they don't do "upgrades." Clearly they know how to install parts because they had just replaced an optical drive for me. I was told to try Best Buy. So I did. And you know what they said? That I should probably call the Apple store about doing that.

I'm not sure what the problem is, but clearly Apple doesn't want you to "upgrade" a machine once you've bought it, even if you buy the parts at their own stores and at their own inflated prices. I love the fact that my iMac is an all-in-one, however. When I want to take it with me for a few days it's a breeze to unplug it and haul it away. The downside, though, is what you just pointed out. I can't do any maintenance on it myself. (Actually, I've learned that I can, but it probably kills the warranty if I do, as Apple prohibits self-maintenance.) If this were a Windows box, popping it open and dropping in a new hard drive would be a fast, inexpensive upgrade.

 

[smarteyeball]

Does this means that Windows 7 cleans and maintains itself at night if you leave the computer on? (I don't understand the jargon "a/v such as MSE.") The Macs do that, and I wonder whether that is a big reason why they maintain their performance over time.

I guess I'm trying to persuade myself to either buy another Windows machine or to install Windows 7 in bootcamp and run it on the Mac. I prefer the idea of running Windows 7 as a virtual machine in the Mac environment so I can switch between them at will, but doing involves some tradeoffs.

A/V Stands for Anti Virus and MSE is Microsoft Security Essentials, the free a/v software provided by MS.

Basically, Windows does have a lot of scheduled automated tasks like MACS that attempt to maintain optimum efficiency.

Windows 7 does a very good job at maintaining a level of 'smoothness' over extended use.

 

[ntrepid]

Manhunter, when it comes to the MacBook Pro, it's not just a matter of "looks." I have fallen in love with that laptop. The aluminum case is extraordinarily sturdy. I was looking at laptops the other day at Best Buy and most of them are much thicker and heavier than the MacBook Pro, and the cases are shiny plastic. They feel much, much flimsier, whether they are in reality or not. Of course, it was NOT a cheap laptop, so I guess I paid for that sturdy look and feel.

 

[manhunter2826]

Manhunter, when it comes to the MacBook Pro, it's not just a matter of "looks." I have fallen in love with that laptop. The aluminum case is extraordinarily sturdy. I was looking at laptops the other day at Best Buy and most of them are much thicker and heavier than the MacBook Pro, and the cases are shiny plastic. They feel much, much flimsier, whether they are in reality or not. Of course, it was NOT a cheap laptop, so I guess I paid for that sturdy look and feel.

Yes, I agree with you; and it's not just a matter of aesthetics. Indeed, most of my pointers (criticism) was directed at (Windows) laptops - I see so much poor quality kit out there. There are some nice quality laptops: Lenovo, and Asus also make some nice machines, and some of the Dell models are quite nice too