My mini-Windows 7 Report
 

I've tried installing Windows 7 on my primary home computer, a home-built quad core running at 3.0 GHz with 8 gigabytes of RAM, and on my Sony Vaio VGN-SZ440 laptop, a dual core 2.0 GHz machine with 2 gigabytes of RAM.

The good news first: My quad core machine is now running flawlessly. Of course, it was running flawlessly before, using Vista 64-bit. I installed Win7 Home Premium as an upgrade. It took a long time -- almost 2-1/2 hours, but when it was done, all my existing programs and data were there and worked fine. There is a single incompatibility with the BIOS on my very common ASUS motherboard, but it's readily resolved by turning off a BIOS feature I don't use anyway. Win7 does seem a bit faster than Vista though, as noted in some reviews, initial load time of a program is slightly slower. UAC, though now providing 3 different levels of monitoring, is still an intrusive pain so, as with Vista, I simply turned it off. Win7 has a couple of nice (in the sense of "cute") cosmetic features but, to be honest, I see little in the way of "must haves" and I'm a little irked that I can use the Start Menu in "classic" mode, as I have since the introduction of XP. Aside from that, there was no detriment, at least, in upgrading to Win7, unlike the switch from XP to Vista, which required lots of kludges until updated drivers and software were available.

Now the bad news: I've tried, twice, installing Win7 on my laptop. The installations worked, but incompatibility issues are so extreme that, as I write this, I am re-installing Vista from a backup. My laptop uses Vista Business 32-bit, and I tried upgrading to Win7 Professional 32-bit. The installation was painless. However, the first thing I noticed was that the internal Bluetooth in my Vaio wasn't working. Win7 indicated that it was incompatible and suggested visiting the Sony site. Sony stated that it wasn't supporting Win7 for my model and wouldn't release new drivers, but claimed that Win7 would work. After some Google searching, I discovered the problem was the Toshiba Bluetooth stack used by Sony. Toshiba has an upgrade, but it will only run on Toshiba laptops. The Microsoft stack won't work with the Toshiba adapter and, though there are some indications that a Widcomm stack would work, it requires some registry edits and other hacking to do so. Ugh!

Next, I discovered that my IPSEC VPN client, Forticlient, didn't work (something that was NOT caught by the Microsoft Win7 upgrade advisor software). Some Google searching revealed two potential substitutes, one a free open source program called Shrew (which would not install) and one from a German company called NPC. The NPC client is available only in beta on a 30-day trial, so I didn't bother trying it.

Microsoft's much-vaunted XP Compatibility Mode is really an integrated version of Virtual PC. I downloaded and tried to install it as a work-around for the VPN issue but, apparently, it won't work on my laptop as my CPU doesn't support VT mode.

Finally, for some reason the fan on my laptop ran full-bore under Win7, which it does not do under Vista. The combination of losing Bluetooth (which I need badly for my travel mouse and travel printer), no VPN client and no significant improvement in the OS from an operational perspective has convinced me, finally, to return to Vista for the laptop.

Win7 may fine for laptops designed to support it, but upgrading my barely 3-year old Sony Vaio is clearly not an option. I'll either return my upgrade copy of Win7 Professional or sell it on eBay (it hasn't been activated).

Experiences like yours make me think that, for the overwhelming majority of us, we should buy Win7 preinstalled on a new 'puter rather than try to upgrade.

Thanks for the report. I am still on holding pattern as far as upgrade to Win7.

Re your successful install on the quad-core. Did you upgrade "in place" OR did you do "custom (clean) install)?

For your laptop, have you tried "dual boot"?

I just bought a new laptop for my boss, Mrs. UP, Windows 7 came pre-installed. (Emachine, $300.00)

No issues after 72 hours.

Both installations were upgrade in place.

No, but I really have no reason to. Everything I use works under Vista and I see no significant advantages to Win7, at least for what I do.

I have Windows 7 on several machines now. So far it is installing and working well. I never upgrade however. I always do a new install

As to Sony I have a netbook of theirs. I will not be buying another one, although I like the machine, due to the crappy nature of their drivers and the web site from which you must download them.

I'm really torn. This is my second Vaio laptop and I really like it. I also have a fair amount of money invested in model-specific docking stations, power supplies and the like. I'm due for a new laptop in a few months (if Mrs. PTravel gives me permission). It makes sense for me to get a new Vaio SZ, both because I do really like the machine and b3ecause of my investment in accessories. However, I have the same reaction as you to the driver situation. I have a few months, yet, to decide but it's possible I'll switch from Sony to something else . . . perhaps Toshiba.

I just ordered my third HP netbook. A Mini 311 this time. So far they have been better than the Sonys, as well as much cheaper.

I now have a Sony Vaio and two HP netbooks retired in the closet. If anyone wants them, I will make a nice price on a package deal. :)

Where exactly would you expect to find a new SZ? I don't remember when Sony stopped making them, but it's been a while. Looks like the replacement for the SZ is the Z. which is a new Z, not to be confused with the old Z series. Are the docking stations, etc compatible?

My experiences with 2 sony laptops were pretty much the opposite of yours. The Sony TT was listed as supported by Sony, but there weren't any updates required. I think there were updates to the Sony crapware utilities, but I didn't need any of them. smartwi and the configuration utility (for buttons, etc) still works as installed. The Sony FW said "not supported by Sony, but should work" and it worked just fine. Both were in-place upgrades. I ran and followed the advice of the upgrade advisor and the installer, allowing the installer to update itself over the network. I'm pretty sure the updates include the latest compatibility lists, etc, for the upgrade.

-David

As I recall, the Z series uses the same accessories as the SZ series.

I had the same experience with my home machine. The install took about 2 hours and everything works just as it did before. But, aside from some small UI features, well...everything works just as it did before.

I'm not sure the ability to move my mouse to the corner and see my desktop, and similar UI "features" was worth $50. But I never really had Vista problems on my home machine. My work laptop, an absolute bear to use, running Vista Enterprise, Bitlocker, backup software, VPN, and all the other junk my firm runs - that will be a much better test. I really, really hope it's an improvement.

I intend to reinstall my main system soon with 64 bit. Just didn't want to do it from scratch so when I downloaded the RTM in August, I simply upgraded Vista Ultimate 32-bit to Win7 Professional 32-bit. (I was on 32 bit Vista due lack of 64 bit drivers for all my hardware when I built the box a couple years ago.)

The upgrade went quite smoothly - it's only a dual core Intel chip and fairly common hardware components. All my Vista drivers, save for the HP officejet complete package, worked fine.

I also installes Win7 Pro 32-bit from scratch on my Dell Lattitude D620 laptop (not a 64 bit processor). I've had this laptop 3 years - bought it refurbed from Dell Outlet so it's actually closer to 4 years old - and it's happily run XP Pro, Vista Business and Win7 Pro all very nicely. It's getting a little slow due to its older processor, and I never bumped it past 1GB of memory.

I just installed Windows 7 64 bit on my main machine. This is the first time I have tried a 64 bit OS. To my surprise everything worked.

I just installed Windows 7 Ultimate 64 bit over the weekend. No major issues except that I can´t get my new HP printer/scanner/copier to work. (HP Photosmart Wireless B109n).
Same printer worked fine under Vista as well as perfect from my Lenovo notebook with XP installed. There seems to a driver issue here .

I had the same problem with a HP cp2025dn printer - a 21 ppm color printer - I just bought. I carefully checked first to see if HP had a Windows 7 64 bit driver. Everything said they did. Indeed they do, but it is some piece of s*** universal printer driver that will only set the printer to black only at 8 ppm. So it does print, just not like it is supposed to. I finally found that if I set the printer for network access only by unplugging the USB cable it would print color. HP technical support says a printer specific 64 bit driver will be out anytime now. I view this as very near to deceptive advertising.