If you haven’t yet, please read my previous post of installing Windows 7 on a old Dell 2400 with 513 MB of RAM.

System

The computer: Dell 2004 Dimension with Celeron CPU 2.40 GHz with 512 MB of RAM and 10 GB of free hard disk.

The OS: Windows 7 Build 7000 Ultimate (January 9th 2009)

Problems after the installation.

Microsoft releases OS betas normally without any custom drivers, the last thing being added to the OS is normally the drivers, so after the installation of Windows 7, I was using it in a 640x480 resolution, that resolution brings you lots of memories.

I opened the browser went to Dell.com and downloaded the Windows XP driver for the video card.

Also I need to note that once, the computer when to sleep and I could not wake him back up! I had to turn off the box. I removed the option to let him go to sleep.

Resources usage by Windows 7

Using 439 MB of memory on the computer only!

Got a ranting of 1.0 in that computer, really low yet good for an old computer.

Isn’t just me that believes Windows 7 is working really well in this old computer, look at the Monitor below:

What’s New?

When I started with Windows 7 Ultimate I didn’t see any new look and feel, yet is a little different than Vista even if reminds you to it.

Windows 7 claims to extend the battery life for your laptop with new power-saving features, too bad I am installing it into a desktop. A new action center for your security alerts, I believe Vista already had something like that. The task bar is a little different than Vista, yet the same concept of grouping with a little reminder of the iMac. New device and printers to interact with your wireless devices.

A new theme package to make sure you add some pink to my daughter’s computer. As well as Windows 7 comes with Multi-touch support for when I purchase one of those.

• Windows AnyTime Updrade.

• Easier to share files at home. The HomeGroup concept! Finally Microsoft added this so you don’t have to keep creating Share Folders, the way to share everything from any computer in the house, a password to connect the kids computers, with my computer and wife’s laptop to share documents, pictures and videos. Now, instead of everything being on a “library” will find everything around the house. Note: Of course in order to have a HomeGroup all computers in your house need to be Windows 7! Don’t expect a patch or XP or Vista anytime soon.

• Fast start up! I got to agree with other bloggers, Windows 7 has a really fast startup from off. Faster than XP or Vista. 

Summary

The biggest problem that people reported with Vista was the performance, looks like Microsoft dedicated Windows 7 to resolve that issue.

Without any sprinkle of doubt, Windows 7 performs much better than Windows Vista, even I’m willing to say that is faster than Windows XP, the computer used has previously XP that was dead slow, yet good enough for my 5 years old games at Play House Disney. Everything but the bottom bar to organize the program running, look the same and the experience is as Vista, so if you have been using Vista and you want something faster and snappier, Windows 7 is your OS.

No really anything new besides a better performance and multi-touch support, is more I believe “the solution” to improve the performance problems of Vista. For all the people frustrated with Vista, this is the answer from Microsoft.

What to read more about Windows 7.

http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/

Installing Windows 7

Cheers

Al

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