Windows7 Setup? 2

Posted by JohnP 09/29/2009 at 11:19

I need your help deciding how to use the free Windows7 Ultimate license Microsoft gave away yesterday. I want to use it on my laptop but need some considered feedback on how would be best?

Current Laptop Config

  1. 4GB of RAM – may put 8GB in later
  2. 320GB disk
  3. Main OS is Vista-64bit Home Premium
  4. VirtualBox 3.0.6 for Virtual Machines
    1. xubuntu
    2. WinXP Pro
    3. Ubuntu
    4. OpenSolaris
    5. FreeBSD

Initial Thoughts

My initial thoughts are to

  • replace Vista with Win7-64
  • eventually remove my WinXP-Pro VirtualBox
  • use the built-in WinXP Compatibility layer

I spend 14 hrs a day in the xubuntu VM and only boot WinXP to run Quicken, a few MS apps and access TrueCrypt data. Perhaps 3 times a week.

Questions?

  1. How good is the USB support in the WinXP VM?
  2. HDMI output?
  3. GigE networking – WiFi networking?
  4. How good is the driver compatibility for Win7-64? All-in-One Fax, printer, scanner, old Creative Xen and built-in laptop camera are the only devices I see using, in addition to normal flash and ext USB disk drives.
  5. Hauppauge 950Q ClearQAM TV tuner must work.
    • Does Media Center work with this TV tuner and ClearQAM? The current MCE doesn’t.
  6. Can I consider Win7-32bit at all. Does it access the full 4GB of RAM? Is an upgrade to Win7 64-bit easy?
  7. TrueCrypt, MS-Visio, MS-Office 2007, and VideoRedoPlus are the only uses for Windows that I have. No gaming, er … very little gaming.

Choices

  1. Run Win7 in a VM, get used to it. Decide later
  2. Backup the data and VMs, repartition the disk for OS, Apps, Data, and install Win7 ??-bit as the main OS
    • 32-bit or
    • 64-bit?

Thoughts and suggestions? Did I miss an option?

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  1. JD 09/29/2009 at 16:40

    This MSDN article
    says that all 32bit versions are limited to 4GB of RAM. For the 64bit versions, the limits are different by version. 2G/Starter, 8G/Basic, 16G/Premium then 192GB for versions beyond Professional.

  2. JD 10/03/2009 at 17:56

    Since I’m unwilling to risk my current OS and VM setup, I came up with a cheap, safe alternative to wiping the disk and loading Win7 Ultimate. $74 at Microcenter and I have a new 320GB 2.5" drive exactly the same as came with the laptop. I’ll be swapping drives and installing Win7 x64 Ultimate shortly.

    In the end

    • Who can’t use an extra 320GB portable drive?
    • What’s the worst that will happen when I’m done now. I swap drives and the system is exactly like it was before the new OS install.
    • Once I’m settled, I’ll have a drive that can easily be completely mirrored.

    What a bargain!