What are the differences between Win7 Home Basic and Win7 Starter?

[DownhillDruid67]

What are the differences between Win7 Home Basic and Win7 Starter, other than the fact Starter only comes pre-installed on notebooks?


I've heard Starter has a more optimized boot loader, is that true?

 

[Alejandro85]

There is NO difference betweeen any edition of Windows 7. The software is exactly the same thing in each case, but the editions differ in that they include a different set of utilities built-in, and some features are removed.

All editions, from Windows 7 starter up to Windows 2008 R2 Datacenter are really the very same OS.

There are a couple of artificial limitations, like maximum memory, number of cores, that sever the program, but ultimately there are no differences.

As for the bootloader, no, it's also the very same thing.

Have a look at the detail about different editions, that has a resume on the restrictions artificially impossed upon each one:
Windows 7 editions - Wikipedia

 

[DownhillDruid67]

There is NO difference betweeen any edition of Windows 7. The software is exactly the same thing in each case, but the editions differ in that they include a different set of utilities built-in, and some features are removed.

All editions, from Windows 7 starter up to Windows 2008 R2 Datacenter are really the very same OS.

There are a couple of artificial limitations, like maximum memory, number of cores, that sever the program, but ultimately there are no differences.

As for the bootloader, no, it's also the very same thing.

Have a look at the detail about different editions, that has a resume on the restrictions artificially impossed upon each one:
Windows 7 editions - Wikipedia

I am aware that the differences are artificial. What I mean is what are the artificial differences between Starter and Home Edition. E.g are there any removed/added built-in programs?



The Wikipedia page just states basic info about the versions and not the exact differences.

 

[Alejandro85]

The "best" I can find is a detail here on the forum:
Compare Windows 7 Editions

It contains a lot of features and the editions that contain them, but ultimately is an unofficial source. Looking at the link at the top of that page is the MS website, which no longer contains the featureset of Win7, but instead a spam message for Win10.

That and some other unofficial articles is the only thing more exact I can find. Maybe someone else finds something better.

 

[DownhillDruid67]

The "best" I can find is a detail here on the forum:
Compare Windows 7 Editions

It contains a lot of features and the editions that contain them, but ultimately is an unofficial source. Looking at the link at the top of that page is the MS website, which no longer contains the featureset of Win7, but instead a spam message for Win10.

That and some other unofficial articles is the only thing more exact I can find. Maybe someone else finds something better.

Thanks. The feature set looks the same, minus a few differences.

 

[SIW2]

I don't think Starter has Aero and, if I remember correctly you are stuck with desktop wallpaper. There are ways around those personalization limitations. Starter has a low restriction for ram also - you might find that is an issue.

 

[wither 2]

I think this gives a good description of Starter-

Windows 7 Starter Edition: Explanation

If I remember correctly, one can run Aero on it despite what the link says but, since those systems with it usually only have about 2 GB of RAM, Aero really limits operations.

 

[Formingus]

There are differences between Windows Editions
RAM recognition is part of x32 or x64 architecture , it does not have to do with editions

I Used almost all possible editions and each edition has certain things removed.
example : Not in all editions you can add another language.
Try to understand in this way,, edition goes from
Starter edition on same PC will work bit faster then home because it has less to services to read, Check Benchmarks

Regards