O/T Windows 7

[NachtPiloten]

Anyone running this yet? I am upgrading my stuff and a new mb, and cpu are in just need to know if I should take the plunge or go vista or stay w/xp pro 32 for a while.

[Starrynites]

Running Win 7 64 bit no problems, its nice and not a resource hog
recognises all my memory 6 gig etc and had no trouble so far
runs CoD WaW, ARMA 2 Silent Hunters etc
zonealarm doesnt work with it so installed vista firewall control, that only compatability prob had so far

hope that helps

[hairyspin]

I've just got the 64-bit RC2 download, but have still to install. If you've the readies spare, add another HD; I have two so I can continue to run XP Pro after installing Win7. There are some tools I use that need XP (.mos editor for one), so I'd rather have a dual-boot system for now.

[NachtPiloten]

That maybe the way I go with two HD, keep one with xp and 32 bit and the other W7 w/64

[NachtPiloten]

I have read several posts on other forums and this is what I think will be best. Two hd/s one a 32 bit xp the other 64 bit windows 7. This will allow me to install 8+ gbs of ram for the 64 bit system, and also provide me the 32 bit compatability I need for mos editor and the terrrian building software used in cfs3 and anyother 32 bit limited software.

I can run games on both to see the performance gains if any and the newer games with greater demands on hardware will be allowed to access the newer technology. Oh, if you do this do you have to install the software you want to use on the same hd of the perfered os to utilize the system's capacity?

Any feedback from our resident tech folks would be great.

Thanks!

[hairyspin]

This is one reason for picking the m/b for this new rig - it takes up to 16GB of 32-bit memory, which will become 8GB in a 64-bit OS. You can never have too much!

[Tailwind]

BTW you don't need two physical drives for dual booting. You just get one and place two partitions on it. One for Windows 7 and the other one for XP

TW

[hairyspin]

Not sure about that, TW. My information may be wrong, but I read Win 7 is not happy to install to a two-partition drive where there's an existing XP installation in one partition. However I already have two HDs, so it's not a worry.

[cristiano103]

Not sure about that, TW. My information may be wrong, but I read Win 7 is not happy to install to a two-partition drive where there's an existing XP installation in one partition. However I already have two HDs, so it's not a worry.

Hi Hairyspin

I don't know about W7 but I have a dual boot system with XP Pro and Vista64 working with the two OS on the same drive but in different partition and I have no problem.

Cheers and have always good flying
Cristiano "Astore"

[NachtPiloten]

I have read that both work, but HD's are not expensive and for 50-60 US dollars you can get 200-300 gb so why not.

[rbp71854]

Ted

More than likely your new MB has RAID capability, so why not set up 2 hdds with Mirrored RAID, 2 partitions, one for win7 and one for 32bitxp?

If you crash one hdd then you have the ability to replace the bad hdd and do a rebuild and not lose your installs.

I have read that both work, but HD's are not expensive and for 50-60 US dollars you can get 200-300 gb so why not.

[NachtPiloten]

I have a 500 gb external that I b/u to weekly so that is why I never went the RAID route.

[hairyspin]

Okay, I now have 64-bit Windows 7 running on my rig and CFS3 installed and flies no problem. Still to try multiplayer.....

The two-drive solution works fine, my existing XP drive was recognised and a dual-boot setup was configured without me lifting a finger. More news when I get ETO installed.

[hairyspin]

Summer hols over, I can now report ETO installs and runs on Windows 7 64-bit. Hooray!


Just a couple of observations:-

1. Under 64-bit, exiting the sim with Alt-F4 as I have done for years leaves some processes running in memory and when you try to run CFS3/ETO again there is a rude message that CFS3 is already running. Use Quit CFS3 on the Options menu instead.
2. A little care is needed when installing ETO, to make sure the program goes in the Program Files (x86) folder. That done, it installs fine and MultiCFS3 will do its job properly. That means you will have to edit the two batch files as per the instructions.

Good to see this old sim has lots of legs left yet!

[Bobcat]

Not sure about that, TW. My information may be wrong, but I read Win 7 is not happy to install to a two-partition drive where there's an existing XP installation in one partition. However I already have two HDs, so it's not a worry.

Hi,

Two separate HD's is a cleaner solution, and probably the better way to go if you have the cash, but I have had XP Home SP3 32 on my C: partition, and W7 32 on my D: partition (same 1 GB hard disk) running side by side since January - no problems to report. W7 brings up a small menu just after initial boot saying 'load W7 (default) or previous version of windows (XP)'. I can even cross access files on the different partitions as well without problems (copy/move etc.).

I have since over installed the beta version with W7 RC (even though MS advise not to) and still no problems. I have had only one crash and that was back in January when I was when trying to install and uninstall an earlier version of AVG anti virus that didn't seem fully compatible, latest version OK though. I cant blame W7 or AVG for the crash as AVG was altering stuff at low level and was expecting Vista or XP, it wasn't designed for W7 but I gave it a go. W7 simply rebooted and repaired itself.

I am normally the first to criticise MS but I must admit they seem to have hit it with W7. I now use it more than XP when browsing emailing etc. I really rate the snappyness, solidity, features, and look and feel of W7, and as I am a miserable so and so most of the time that is saying something, as I don't praise anything easily!

The only reason I havent tried all of my games in W7 is the install times. I flip back to XP to play CoH and some of my old driving games etc. If I finally quit XP (no reason to really when you can dual boot) then I will reinstall everything under W7. I have heard that 99% of stuff is working out compatible, but W7 Pro will have an XP mode built in anyway for troublesome programs, so that will solve even more problems hopefully.

For the games I have cross installed the speeds seem exactly the same, but maybe the load times are a bit better with W7. If the compatibility still looks good, I am trying to pluck up the courage to go to W7 64 bit when I get my DVD in October, then I can use that full 4GB of RAM!