Export thread

A slight deviation from the "Keeping Your Rig Cool" thread, as I'm basically throwing in the towel and getting a new computer:

I've been stuck in the land of Windows XP SP3 for years now. What do I need to know about Windows 7 that will affect me on the switch to a new machine - outside of the constant "nannying" about running programs and security warnings?

Windows Key brings up the start menu. Start menu search is pretty good. Ergo: Winkey+"search query" = quick application launching.

If XP was your last OS, you'll have to relearn everything you knew before about Control Panel settings.

SpecialKO said:

If XP was your last OS, you'll have to relearn everything you knew before about Control Panel settings.

Click to expand...

Search boxes are your friend with this.

View desktop is a hidden button to the right of your system tray.

You're welcome.

Ravenpoe said:

View desktop is a hidden button to the right of your system tray.

Click to expand...

Given the right color scheme, it actually can stand out some as different than the system tray/clock. I run the slate color and it highlights it.

Fuckin' Windows 7 network and sharing center. Fucking. Network. And. Sharing. Center. GOD I hate you.

This is going to be like moving from the country to the city, isn't it?

EDIT: The New DX4870 is sitting behind me at the moment. Not going to set it up properly until I have a few days in which to tear my hear out over it properly get it set up to my liking.

Go 64-bit (if you haven't already). You'll save yourself a lot of trouble down the road.
Also, you had me a bit confused as to why you were going with a 4870, until I realized that isn't the graphics card, that's the model number of your computer.

Looks like that computer doesn't come with a separate graphics card (just uses the one on the CPU). When you decide it's time to upgrade, you're going to be hampered by your power budget*. Right now, the best GPU for you looks like one of the new 660ti cards. Time will change things, of course, but that's what's best today.

--Patrick
*Specs say 300W max. A 660ti will put you at something like 270W under full blast graphics load.

You got a couple of months until Windows 8, unless you'd rather let others be the bug catchers and go with the time-tested Windows 7.

I'll be sacrificing a minimum of three days of lunches to ensure I can get at least one copy of Win7 before it disappears.

--Patrick

I was told that about Win8. I gets me a free upgrade when its available!

Oh, and DAMN this thing is fast.

jwhouk said:

I was told that about Win8. I gets me a free upgrade when its available!

Oh, and DAMN this thing is fast.

Click to expand...

Being used to horse and carriage doesn't mean a Beetle is a fast car, just faster than what you've been driving . Doesn't have the same charm, though.

That said, Win 7, coming from XP... While there's a lot more to be annoyed at, you can modify a lot more by just click-and-dragging and such. Don't like the way a menu or whatever looks? Most of them can be adjusted/changed/recoloured/re-ordered right away. There's a bit less "fixed look" to the lot, but less charm.

Still, XP -> 7 is better than what a friend of mine did....Me -> Vista. *shudder*

I've used Vista on my dad's computer. UGH. I was worried I'd end up with that as a new computer.

I would like to, at some point, get the "Windows Classic" look going, but I'm not concerned with futzing around with things right now. I'm satisfied with the big-ass icons and the "aero" look for the time being.

jwhouk said:

big-ass icons

Click to expand...

Welcome to Win 8. Because we all want our entire screen real estate taken up by 12 icons, secretly.