The PC Thread

[Fatal Exception]

I'm still on 7057

[Stig]

Out of interest, how much space would you normally need for a Windows partition? I've never bothered with it before, but I might as well next week.

Dont bother with partitioning unless youre planning on dual booting. Its pointless otherwise and has little to no benefits

Not really.

If your Windows install gets strawberry floated up, having your data on another partition is a big help.

[Fatal Exception]

Out of interest, how much space would you normally need for a Windows partition? I've never bothered with it before, but I might as well next week.

Dont bother with partitioning unless youre planning on dual booting. Its pointless otherwise and has little to no benefits

... Apart from having somewhere to dump gooseberry fool if you ever need to format. My HDD is 500Gb, bigger than I'll ever need. I have 100Gb set asside for Windows and the rest to dump downloads & stuff on / backup on.

Backing up my steam folder saved me a lot of time.

[Mogster]

Scratch that then.

I've had my eye on a new Samsung 1TB drive with a 32MB cache though, which is a bit of a bargain at £70. I've got a somewhat insane plan to stick that in as my main drive, and keep Vista on the other for now, before eventually wiping it and creating a handy backup drive. Partitions shmartitions.

[Mogster]

So i just bought a 1TB samsung drive (which is a strawberry floating amazing HDD, whisper quiet and fast as anything

That sounds like the same drive I've just ordered. It should get to me tomorrow moring.

[Mogster]

So i just bought a 1TB samsung drive (which is a strawberry floating amazing HDD, whisper quiet and fast as anything

That sounds like the same drive I've just ordered. It should get to me tomorrow moring.

I cant remember the exact name of mine, just that it was a spinpoint 1TB 32mb cache. Its an awesome HDD, i cant believe how quiet it is compared to my 500gb one

That's the one. I'm currently using a 325GB (16MB cache) Seagate drive, which is fine, but after close to two and a half years of heavy use I thought it best to upgrade. There's only so much I can be arsed to back up on DVDs, and Windows 7 is as good an excuse as any to get a new shiny thing.

[Stig]

There are bugger all benefits to partitioning, and if your windows install gets strawberry floated up, its just as easy do a repair install, or if youre smart you just back everything up to a usb disk so you can wipe your whole hdd, reinstall, and just copy it back over without ever having to dick about with partitions

It's not exactly difficult to press a few buttons in disk management . Actually probably easier than copying everything to (usually slower) USB hard drives which you also have to buy in the first place.

[SEP]

There are bugger all benefits to partitioning, and if your windows install gets strawberry floated up, its just as easy do a repair install, or if youre smart you just back everything up to a usb disk so you can wipe your whole hdd, reinstall, and just copy it back over without ever having to dick about with partitions

It's not exactly difficult to press a few buttons in disk management . Actually probably easier than copying everything to (usually slower) USB hard drives which you also have to buy in the first place.

I never said it was hard
but if you fancy performance issues in the long term due to your C:\ drive filling up, be my guest. And if youre genuinely worried about your windows install strawberry floating up, backing up to an external disk is a much safer solution than just sticking a partition on your hdd. I have everything on my pc backed up to a 500gb usb disk, and the speed it took to copy my entire 30+ gb steam folder was roughly as long as it took me to make a cup of tea and a sandwich

That would be ideal, if I had sufficient space left on my external hard drive. However, it is now full of Star Trek (Every single episode and movie, including Trekkies 1&2, but not including the new movie, as it doesn't seem to have leaked yet), The Simpsons (19 seasons), Futurama (4 seasons), Blackadder (all 4 series), music and yarred programs.

[SEP]

That would be ideal, if I had sufficient space left on my external hard drive. However, it is now full of Star Trek (Every single episode and movie, including Trekkies 1&2, but not including the new movie, as it doesn't seem to have leaked yet), The Simpsons (19 seasons), Futurama (4 seasons), Blackadder (all 4 series), music and yarred programs.

I recommend an external hard drive.


Another one.

Hopefully I'll get one with my birthday money, but that's not until August.

[Stig]

There are bugger all benefits to partitioning, and if your windows install gets strawberry floated up, its just as easy do a repair install, or if youre smart you just back everything up to a usb disk so you can wipe your whole hdd, reinstall, and just copy it back over without ever having to dick about with partitions

It's not exactly difficult to press a few buttons in disk management . Actually probably easier than copying everything to (usually slower) USB hard drives which you also have to buy in the first place.

I never said it was hard
but if you fancy performance issues in the long term due to your C:\ drive filling up, be my guest. And if youre genuinely worried about your windows install strawberry floating up, backing up to an external disk is a much safer solution than just sticking a partition on your hdd. I have everything on my pc backed up to a 500gb usb disk, and the speed it took to copy my entire 30+ gb steam folder was roughly as long as it took me to make a cup of tea and a sandwich

Not difficult to set aside enough space for it either.... I actually have a main hard drive with Windows and everything on it except a few games, which I have on a separate internal drive (which is partitioned).

[bigcheez2k3]

There are bugger all benefits to partitioning, and if your windows install gets strawberry floated up, its just as easy do a repair install, or if youre smart you just back everything up to a usb disk so you can wipe your whole hdd, reinstall, and just copy it back over without ever having to dick about with partitions

It's not exactly difficult to press a few buttons in disk management . Actually probably easier than copying everything to (usually slower) USB hard drives which you also have to buy in the first place.

I never said it was hard
but if you fancy performance issues in the long term due to your C:\ drive filling up, be my guest. And if youre genuinely worried about your windows install strawberry floating up, backing up to an external disk is a much safer solution than just sticking a partition on your hdd. I have everything on my pc backed up to a 500gb usb disk, and the speed it took to copy my entire 30+ gb steam folder was roughly as long as it took me to make a cup of tea and a sandwich

That is generally only good if you have a small amount to transfer, my video folder is close to 400gb without even thinking about the rest of the stuff on there.

When I back it up using the Windows utility it takes around 14 hours to finish. The only other option I have is to take apart the drive and collect it by SATA.

FE; I'm still on build 7000 although it seems to have strawberry floated itself so I'll be getting RC1 most likely.

[KK]

Interesting feature here about 7 features that aren't in the Basic, Professional or Home Premium (the one most people will use, I'd wager) packages.

The Release Candidate of Windows 7 is the Ultimate edition, with everything in, but there are some features you'll hear about that just won't work in other editions.

When you come to buy Windows 7, if you get Home Premium you'll lose other features that are only in Ultimate (and the Enterprise version for businesses).

A lot of the business-only features are things you wouldn't want to use, but some of them are tools we think everyone should have – and others are features we wish Microsoft could make simple enough to use at home.

1. Virtual XP

Got a Windows XP game you still want to play that Vista can't run? Windows 7 won't do it, either, but if you shell out for Professional or Ultimate you'll get a version of Virtual PC that puts XP applications in what look like normal Windows 7 windows (and a free XP licence to keep it legal).

Finally, you could see your site on IE6 and IE8 at once. Microsoft says it's meant for business users; we say it's what you'll upgrade to Ultimate for and if it was in every version it would stop (nearly) all the complaints about compatibility.



XP IN WINDOWS 7: XP apps running in Windows 7 side by side - Microsoft says they'll be business apps

2. BitLocker

If you want to keep personal information private, you should encrypt it in case your disk is lost or stolen – or you forget to wipe it before you sell it on eBay. If identity thieves would want to steal it, Windows should protect it for you.

BitLocker disk encryption is powerful, simple and only in the Enterprise and Ultimate versions; at the very least it should be in the Professional Edition that many of the businesses you shop with will use.

SAFE AND SECURE: More and more PCs have the required TPM chip for BitLocker

3. BitLocker To Go

It's not just government departments and the security services that lose thumb drives with confidential information on; if you leave the USB stick with the backup of your tax forms and credit card statements down the pub, you'll wish it was encrypted.

Now that BitLocker can encrypt USB sticks and removable drives, it should be in every version.

SAFE STICKS: Businesses will force users to encrypt USB drives; home users should at least get the option

4. Multi-language support

Between people who work abroad, travel a lot and just speak two languages, a lot of people would like to be able to switch Windows from one language to another. You'll be able to download language packs for Windows 7, but they only work in Enterprise and Ultimate (at least they work in Ultimate now).



MULTILINGUAL: You need Ultimate to switch languages

5. Boot from VHD

The virtual machine format from Virtual PC is a great way to back up a PC, complete with apps and settings. It can then be run on any PC; Ultimate can boot from a VHD directly so you don't need to mess around with installing it.

Not everyone needs it, but VHD boot could be a lifesaver in emergencies.

LIFESAVER: VHD boot lets you have multiple versions of Windows without multiple installs

6. DirectAccess

If you keep files on a desktop PC or a NAS, wouldn't it be handy if you could see them on your laptop even when you're not at home? Some home routers have a VPN built in, but they're not easy to use.

DirectAccess is utterly simple, connects you remotely as if you were on the same network – and needs a Windows Server 2008 R2 machine and an IPv6 network, which many businesses don't have, let alone your home network. Everyone would find this useful, but it needs too much extra technology.

7. BranchCache

The first person in an office using BranchCache who downloads something gets it as slowly as usual; everyone else gets a peer-to-peer copy from them much faster.

That would speed things up if there were two of you wanting that new Office 2007 Service pack (or anything else you might be downloading) but again, you need an R2 server.

http://www.techradar.com/news/software/ ... get-596021

[bear]

Can't you do number 6 using a WIndows Home Server?

[zXe]

i am contemplating whether or not to install this. i currently have vista home premium 64bit. everything runs ok i guess. but how much better is windows 7. is it really worth it. i don't want to have 2 os vista and win 7 in dual boot as i only would use one of them. or is it better to wait, stick with what works now and get windows 7 later when it's properly out to buy?

[SEP]

i am contemplating whether or not to install this. i currently have vista home premium 64bit. everything runs ok i guess. but how much better is windows 7. is it really worth it. i don't want to have 2 os vista and win 7 in dual boot as i only would use one of them. or is it better to wait, stick with what works now and get windows 7 later when it's properly out to buy?

Windows 7 is Vista, but highly refined. Do it. Everything that work with Vista will work fine with 7, as 7 was designed to be completely compatible with Vista. All your drivers will work perfectly, and 7 seems to use fewer system resources.

[zXe]

i guess i'll give it a shot. i know that ati have supported drivers etc for windows 7 for my card so that's all fine. plus it's free.

[Mogster]

New hard drive get!

Unfortunately, after prodding around inside my case yesterday, it seems my PSU only has a single SATA power connection, and here's me without a converter. Oh well, it's not like I'd be doing much with it until Tuesday anyway. Well... maybe a bit earlier.

[Codename 47]

Sorry if this is the wrong thread, but can anyone recommend me some Video Conversion Software? I've just bought a new Sony Walkman which is great, but to watch videos files need to be converted - i think to MPEG-4.

Thanks for any help though

[bigcheez2k3]

Google SUPER.

[SEP]

i guess i'll give it a shot. i know that ati have supported drivers etc for windows 7 for my card so that's all fine. plus it's free.

let me just play devils advocat for a minute and say if youre happy with vista and it isnt crashing and annoying you, stick with it. W7 is stable, but its still only a beta meaning you do get the odd BSOD and gooseberry fool. Im using it as my main OS and i love it, but seriously, if your vista is working fine, stick with it

edit: i mean its release candidate 1 now but i stil lget the odd BSOD and i know silva does too

Whereas I've used 4 different builds of Windows 7, and I've never seen a BSOD.