I has Windows 7

[Salamok]

So now that the upgrade DVD has been released people have found it's easier to now do a clean install with 7 then it is with Vista. Paul Thurrott's blog has the full details Howto do a clean install from just upgrade media.

(A condensed version)
Install with upgrade media media and do a fresh install, also preform any windows updates before.
-Click on start and run regedit and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Setup/OOBE/
-Change the DWORD value on MediaBootInstall from 1 to 0
-Close regedit and then click on Start -> All Programs -> Accessories
-Hold shift, right mouse click on Command Prompt and select "Run as administrator"
-Type in slmgr /rearm and click on Ok on the popup then close the command prompt
-Reboot 7 and then at the new activation window use your upgrade key.
(To start an activation click on Start -> Control Panel -> System and Security -> System )

That is retarded.  I just put my upgrade disk in, selected custom install told it to format my OS drive (Win XP was installed there) and off it went.  30 minutes later I was up and running.  Took me longer to Install XP on virtual box once I was set up on w7 than it did to set up and configure w7.

[Engels]

The article isn't clear, but I think the idea is that without a preexisting XP installation, your upgrade Win7 won't activate properly. The steps describe how to activate it using your old XP CD key on a blank HD.

[Sky]

That could be handy. I installed on a new hdd, set up to dual boot next to my old xp drive, so no hassles with activation.

[Soln]

spent too much time yesterday trying to do a clean install (new HD) from a USB then a DVD after the paid windows download.  Nothing worked.  Lots of hand wringing in both Setup and Boot Manager.  Gave up to wait for the physical Upgrade DVD to arrive.  Even tried an old XP startup disk which didn't work.  I put Ubuntu on half of it and partitioned the other half as NTFS and still nothing.  So yeah seems impossible without a startup disk. 

[lac]

I had some troubles installing 2008 on a box without DVD drive, in the end I managed to execute the setup from usb following this guide. Maybe it can be of some help.

[MrHat]

So, is my RC client I downloaded a while back from Microsoft going to implode soon?

[Engels]

Sometime in March, if memory serves, which it often doesn't.

[caladein]

From: http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/05/05/the-windows-7-release-candidate-rc-is-here.aspx

For the RC, bi-hourly shutdowns will begin on March 1st, 2010. You will be alerted to install a released version of Windows and your PC will shut down automatically every 2 hours. On June 1st, 2010 if you are still on the Windows 7 RC your license for the Windows 7 RC will expire and the non-genuine experience is triggered where your wallpaper is removed and “This copy of Windows is not genuine” will be displayed in the lower right corner above the taskbar.

[NowhereMan]

I've found out as a student I can get a copy of Window 7 Pro for ~$50 (£30). I'm thinking I might do a clean install over my OS partition to replace the RC sometime soon.

[Soln]

I had some troubles installing 2008 on a box without DVD drive, in the end I managed to execute the setup from usb following this guide. Maybe it can be of some help.

thanks tried that and some others, but no love.  Still unsure what's the problem -- partitioned as NTFS then FAT32, burnt an ISO, setup to boot from DVD then USB... Basta.

[Salamok]

Pretty thorough review up on ars right now.

First I have heard of this little tidbit:

One of the more interesting features, albeit one I've been unable to test, is the new Virtual WiFi feature. Given suitable drivers (that I unfortunately lack), a WiFi connection in Windows 7 can operate as an access point. There are two main usage scenarios envisaged; creation of small personal networks (with devices connecting in infrastructure mode rather than ad hoc mode), and ICS connection sharing. The Virtual WiFi architecture even permits a WiFi connection to be shared by WiFi, with the same adapter both connected to an access point, and acting as an AP. The feature currently lacks any kind of user interface; configuration is all performed through the netsh command.

[Yegolev]

The feature currently lacks any kind of user interface; configuration is all performed through the netsh command.

So it does have a user interface.

The Thurrott article is great but it doesn't say anything about using Upgrade media on a W7RC image.  I'd love to pop in the DVD and let it just do an upgrade and have things magically work, but my confidence is that is low.  Right now, my plan for my first upgrade is:
1) Windows Easy Transfer to a file on a USB hard disk.
2) Format C:
3) Install from Upgrade disc, respond to prompts, apply key after setup.

What could go wrong?

[01101010]

So it does have a user interface.

The Thurrott article is great but it doesn't say anything about using Upgrade media on a W7RC image.  I'd love to pop in the DVD and let it just do an upgrade and have things magically work, but my confidence is that is low.  Right now, my plan for my first upgrade is:
1) Windows Easy Transfer to a file on a USB hard disk.
2) Format C:
3) Install from Upgrade disc, respond to prompts, apply key after setup.

What could go wrong?

Full moon is not for a few days yet.... I'd wait if I were you.

[Yegolev]

More than a few, it is November 2.  I am going to wait anyway.

[Viin]

I just figured out that you can hide updates in Windows Update. Awesome, now I have all those language packs hidden and I have a nice clean "0 updates"!

[Soln]

Let me just add: 

If you are a Linux user and share a partition or even if you have a separate drive, install Win7 first.  Or yank the drive with Linux on it and boot cleanly. GRUB (linux boot manager, at least with Debian/Ubuntu) will give you more pain than it's worth.  Trust me.  I'll wager all my F13 credits it will be easier for you.  PSA off/

[Engels]

Is that really a Windows 7 thing, or just a Windows thing in general? I always thought that as  a rule of thumb, one should install all Windows OS first, then anything that requires grub later, since Windows boot manager doesn't 'get' Linux partitions, whereas Grub does.

[ezrast]

As far as I know Windows has always nuked whatever's in the master boot record and replaced it with its own stuff, but for me reinstalling GRUB has always been trivial - the settings are stored on your Linux partition, so just point it towards that and you're back to good. Can't imagine what wonky shit Win7 would have to pull to make it any different. I guess if you don't have a Linux liveCD handy to reinstall GRUB from then yanking the primary drive would be easier.

[Yegolev]

I am using grub right now and I'll just use whoever survives the fight.  Last time, grub won.

[caladein]

Not sure when Valve added this in, but the jump list for Steam is pretty useful:

[Teleku]

Holy crap, I didn't even notice that.  Thanks!

[Fabricated]

I now have Windows 7 Professional Installed. I got the $30 student copy, which required me to run the extractor (which fails at the end since after successfully extracting the files, it tries to run the installer, which is a 64-bit program. I was running WindowsXP) and then use a microsoft commandline utility to turn the files into a bootable ISO.

Not the most convenient install I've ever done but it's up and running and seems good so far. Now to re-download and reinstall most of my games, blargh.

edit: looks like there's video quality issues with Windows 7, and they're more common with the 64-bit version. It's all graphic drivers. Video looks blocky/pixelated when full-screened. I use VLC and fixed it by setting the renderer to OpenGL.

[schild]

Any student want to score me a copy of Windows 7 Professional?

[KallDrexx]

Anyone have any experience using W7 on 512mb of memory?  My brother wants to use it on his macbook but it only has 512mb of memory, and he has no money to get more.

[Big Gulp]

Anyone have any experience using W7 on 512mb of memory?  My brother wants to use it on his macbook but it only has 512mb of memory, and he has no money to get more.

I'd personally stick to XP if I were him.  It'll run, but not well, and the hard drive will be constantly thrashing.

[lac]

I don't think it will continue the setup if detects less than 1024mb.

[Bungee]

How clean would a pure upgrade from Vista to Win7 work? I don't want to mess with my setup right now, it rocks :)

[Big Gulp]

How clean would a pure upgrade from Vista to Win7 work? I don't want to mess with my setup right now, it rocks :)

It wouldn't.  Never upgrade, do a clean install.

[fuser]

Anyone have any experience using W7 on 512mb of memory?  My brother wants to use it on his macbook but it only has 512mb of memory, and he has no money to get more.

I really wish the Home version had the option to downgrade to the starter edition instead of only being licensed to OEM's for netbooks. If it will even let you install it will be piss poor, on 1GB desktops we have tested on but it still hits swap a lot for dodgy performance.

[Sheepherder]

How clean would a pure upgrade from Vista to Win7 work? I don't want to mess with my setup right now, it rocks :)

The only reason to install a new OS is to nuke an old OS from orbit after you've lost the disk.

[Hawkbit]

Ok, I've been using 32 bit XPPro for years.  I have an opportunity to buy a $30 upgrade to Win7 through school.  I'm fairly certain I'm going to take advantage of it, but do I go with the 32 or 64 bit version?  I'm only playing games and doing internet stuff. 

[Sky]

Do you have a 64 bit processor? Do you like lots of RAM? The retail upgrade box has both versions included.

[Hawkbit]

Yeah on both.  I've got a Q6600 and 4 gigs of ram (full sockets now though). 

The student upgrade is not a retail box - it's a download and/or they'll ship backup DVDs.  I'll likely buy the backup DVDs since I'm going from XPPro.  The difference is that I have to choose 32 or 64.  I don't get both. 

[Reg]

You want 64 then. 32 won't use the full 4 gig of memory.

[Sky]

Yeah, I don't know of any reason to get 32 bit unless you have an old 32 bit cpu.