What don't you like about Windows 7?

[stew2]

So far i dont like what they have done to:

• Windows Media Player has been ruined, while 11 was not perfect, i liked it but now its ugly and unwieldy
• Control Panel is ugly as sin and is now pointless
• Games Explorer adding games and changing the icons or getting it to show info is ridiculous
• Virtual PC only supports 3 OS's and only on a certain Service Pack for integration features to work. WTF
• In the Start menu links point to libraries,i dont use them or want them can i change it to point to folder i want ?
• Microsoft is still forcing us to install all there apps along with the OS. A simple screen while installing with tick boxes next to everything would be great so i could untick what i dont want
• 600,000 versions lol Why not have just one version ????????
• Copying Files is slower than it was in Vista
• Microsoft had an app fo XP called bootvis that was 1mb in size, the equivalent for windows 7 is the Microsoft Windows Performance Toolkit which is only available through an SDK download and the smallest you can get it is 530 mb. Once again WTF
• still no easy way to make the user folder point to a different drive or partition
• il add more as i come across them
• etc etc

 

[CGA1]

Still no search function in group policy editor, unbelievable after all this time. I mean, they've even implemented one in control panel which has just a fraction of items to keep track of compared to gpedit.

 

[musiclover7]

So far i dont like what they have done to:

• Windows Media Player has been ruined, while 11 was not perfect, i liked it but now its ugly and unwieldy
• Control Panel is ugly as sin and is now pointless
• Games Explorer adding games and changing the icons or getting it to show info is ridiculous
• Virtual PC only supports 3 OS's and only on a certain Service Pack for integration features to work. WTF
• In the Start menu links point to libraries,i dont use them or want them can i change it to point to folder i want ?
• Microsoft is still forcing us to install all there apps along with the OS. A simple screen while installing with tick boxes next to everything would be great so i could untick what i dont want
• il add more as i come across them
• etc etc

Sort of have to agree with you about Windows Media Player. I do not like the new look, and it does not function as a media player.. Replace with Kmplayer and be done with it..

Put control panel into large icons mode, and it is quite useful.. imo..

I too wish virtual pc supported more OS's, or that they were what they claimed to be, a virtual machine in which you could slap an ISO and load whatever OS you wanted too, but there are plenty of options that will do just that. I think Microsofts intent was to provide a simple means of creating XP inside Windows 7. For one of my Wife's medical programs that will not run in any OS beyond XP, unless I fork up an extra 400$, this has been a nice solution. Sun virtual box allowed me to install Ubuntu with characteristic ease.. Both are free, just take some time to get..

Games explorer is pretty simple though I have not dug into it too much.. Just drag the shortcut on top of the window, and let it go.. Has worked for me on all my games..

It is simple to take the link on start menu away from libraries.. properties, customize.. However, while I too first resisted the concept of libraries, this has been one feature that has really grown on me.. As one who has data spanning now almost 10 hard drives, it is a simple way to organize like file types into virtual folders for a simple one stop location, and also to share those locations with other PC's in the home group. Don't give up on them yet..

Microsoft removed a lot of apps with this OS, much to many other's chagrin. As I have seen a lot of mixed reaction to this decision.. some like it, some wish they had removed more, some can't stand that they did not bundle their fav app.. perhaps they will learn next time, and add a window to the install process that literally lets you choose what you want, and what you don't. I agree, this would be a huge benefit.. However, I can already hear the reaction some will have, bitching about the extra prompt in the install process..

Point is, it is very easy to customize Windows to your liking, and to get rid of the apps you don't want, get the ones you do.. Takes a little effort, but once you get there... 7 rocks..

 

[Boastree]

IE8 Copy paste-not eeerrr

The ONLY complaint I have is loosing copy paste in IE-Love Win 7! HATE IE8! Using Firefox for the first time EVER.

 

[Pieloi]

I second Stew2 on the Control panel part, it was the first thing that made me face palm back when I installed the RC.

The control panel definately is, something which deserves to be on a MAC, or a FisherPrice toy if that, its almost like it Doesn't want you to reach the options you are so badly searching for.

And yeah, the lack of "Vlite"..like ability, to pick and choose what you want to install, is also annoying.

Like how most Linux fans say "MS lost me after my computer was telling me what it was going to be"

My personal gripes about W7 are.
Networks Panel is confusing, and the second I look at it, give up on wanting to find a "Disconnect" button. At that point just pull the lan cable out...(Luckily I don't have more than 1 network to connect to)

Start Menu turns into a mess, usually I'd go in with Explorer and add folders, to organize it, but since it feels like not letting me into ANY of the start menu folders, being the lazy person I am, gave up, orka.

Software Developers, kind of an ignorant thing to say but, hurry up, and when they actually make software, it may end up lower in quality to the previous OS' release, this is especially apparent in Drivers and such, those with programs attached to them (Creative soundcards)

I could complain about games..But that is sometimes quite a difficult thing to pin the blame on.

If its an old copy of Doom, then its the programs and the OS fault.
If its the latest Empire Total War patch that broke the game, then its the developers.
And if its Unreal 1 which worked fine on XP, then doesnt on win7, well, you know.

Edit- As a question
How can you remove MS features like its games and other pointless stuff while on the OS, its the first time I've done so without using Vlite.

*and for me the group policy editor seems to be doing the job..

 

[stew2]

Hi musiclover7,

• I replaced wmp with foobar2000 ages ago
• Iv got control panel in large icon view but in my opinion it still sucks
• With my games explorer if i drag an icon it reverts to the standard icon. This means i cant use custom icons and it also wont download any info for that game. My solution is iv stopped using it.
• Iv been using virtualbox for a while now and its far superior to Microsofts effort. I only wish id found it sooner and so had the guys at microsoft lol.
• I only have 1 hdd so libraries are pointless for me and yeah i can remove the links to libraries in the start menu but how do i have them link to actual folders like in Vista
• For the install screen they could have every app ticked by default so you would just have to click on "NEXT" if you didnt care.

Im glad you like windows 7 though, as many people seem to. Its just im starting to finding things that are making me like it less and less.

 

[Barman58]

Control Panel - Programs & Features - turn windows features on or off, I think , or type features in to the start search

 

[stew2]

That will only let you remove a small amount of stuff though.

 

[logicearth]

I see no reason to "trim" an installation beyond what turning windows features on or off offers. There is no performance boost, there is no space saving boost. All vlite every did for me, is break the OS.

 

[stew2]

There would be a performance boost as then you could make windows 7 tiny as removing stuff means it would take up less space. You could then install it on a really small, more affordable solid state drive.

vlite is forceably removing stuff whereas if it was built into windows to operate that way, it would be more stable.

 

[logicearth]

There would be a performance boost as then you could make windows 7 tiny as removing stuff means it would take up less space. You could then install it on a really small, more affordable solid state drive.

You can already do that. Removing the page file and hibernation file, Windows takes under 10 GB (even more then that without System Restore) easily. Making Windows tiny would not make it faster. Never has never will.

Used HDD space does not impact performance, unless the HDD is so full it has no breathing room.

 

[Zidane24]

That will only let you remove a small amount of stuff though.

As one of the major players in manipulating vLite for Win 7 or making a lite edition of 7 in general, I came to the conensus that such a lite build is erroneous at best. As everyone knows (or most know), vLite was born from the cries of thousands who looked at Vista and saw a gigantic pile of apps and the sort that were not needed. Now the likes of vLite are almost un-necessary for Windows 7. Most of the built in apps of Windows 7 can be removed entirely in Programs and Features while the performance gains that vLite supposedly grants is simply "all in your head". With Superfetch revised and perfected over its birth in Vista along with the prefetcher being adjusted acordingly, such removal of components does nothing for performance. The only thing it could grant is a false "peace of mind"

Bottom Line?
Use Programs and Features to remove most of the built-in apps of Windows 7. IE, WMP, WMC, WDM, TC, TS, Games, and many other things can be removed

 

[Pieloi]

Mhm, the main reason why I want to remove certain features, is because I can't stand looking at them...Being serious about that.

 

[stew2]

I agree Pieloi, they shouldnt be installed if you dont want them.

I dont like having stuff on the pc that i dont use. When i install an app and it asks if i want to install yahoo toolbar etc i always choose no. Maybe everybody else says hell yes id love that app that im never going to use but i dont lol

I just think it should be an option

 

[logicearth]

I just think it should be an option

It is an option. Turn Windows features on or off. Will allow you to pretty much remove all of the none essentials.

 

[stew2]

It doesnt let me remove games explorer, windows defender, windows firewall, hell it wont even let me remove basic apps like calculator or paint etc lol

Do you honestly think an option to install what you want when you are installing the OS is a c*** idea ?

 

[logicearth]

Yes, I do. Having such an option will only complicate the setup. Instead a better way is already given called Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK). Games Explorer is an extension of Windows Explorer. Windows Firewall is part of the networking stack. Removing such things has never worked well.

If you don't want to see them, just delete there shortcuts.

 

[stew2]

Fair enough. It still 1 of my dislikes though

 

[Zidane24]

Yes, I do. Having such an option will only complicate the setup. Instead a better way is already given called Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK). Games Explorer is an extension of Windows Explorer. Windows Firewall is part of the networking stack. Removing such things has never worked well.

If you don't want to see them, just delete there shortcuts.

Building on what logic said...DISM can be used to remove packages from an offline installation. I believe it can be used to remove paint, calculator, etc. If you are willing, look it up and give it a shot

 

[stew2]

Cheers. Il definately look into that.