Today I had the pleasure on appearing on my good friend Debbie Mahler’s Technical Tidbits to talk about how to understand Windows 7. I would like to thank Debbie for having me as a guest on her show!

I thought I would put together a quick reference post of some of the things to help you with Windows 7. The following is a list of resources which we talked about today as well as some additional resources which you can use to make your experience even better:

1. Windows Live Essentials Link – This package includes Movie maker, Photo Gallery, Live Sync and more.

2. Windows 7 Free 90 Day Trial

3. Windows Skydrive

4. Paul Thurott’s Super Site For Windows

5. Ed Bott’s Article – The Windows 7 Family Pack is Back

6. Windows 7 Secrets Book – This is a non affiliate link I just love the book.

7. PC Decrapifier – Remove unwanted junk from your install.

8. Microsoft Security Essentials

9. Wiki On Microsoft Windows 7 Versions

Today is the release day of Microsoft’s long awaited Windows 7 operating system. We have now all upgraded our operating system, planning on upgrading our operating system or have just come home with that brand new computer that has Windows 7 on it. The biggest question is how do I Maintain my Windows 7 install? By maintaining it, I mean how do I keep it running well. Like a car, an operating system must be maintained on a regular basis. The 4 things you should do to Maintain your Windows 7 Install are as follows:

1. Run Windows Updates On A Regular Basis

Windows updates must be run on a regular basis. The Windows updates push out security updates to your computer which help keep your computer secure.

2. Have Antivirus/Malware protection on your computer.

I would strongly suggest that anyone running in a Windows environment should have a good virus program and a good AntiMalware program in place to protect their computers. I will be doing a future article on this topic alone since the topic is very comprehensive. If you do not have an Antivirus program in place, I would recommend that you go to the Microsoft Web Site and down the FREE MSE Suite. For a good security suite download MSE Suite. A really good free SPyware protection program can be found at Malwarebytes.org

3. Defrag Your Hard Drive

On a weekly basis use the built in Defrag tools. This will make searching for files on your hard disk faster and as a result your machine will run faster.

4. Develop a Backup Strategy

You should develop a backup strategy and stick to it. The strategy should be a combination of on site backups and offsite backups. Data loss is something most of us can not afford. Most us have business data, financial data or even those 5 years of pictures we do not want to lose.

If you do the above 4 things, your Windows 7 install will be well maintained. Maintaining your Windows 7 install will have your computer run better and make your computing experience much more pleasurable.

Introduction

In less than a month Windows 7 will be released by Microsoft. I thought I would spend a little of time discussing how to get ready for the upgrade and what to look for in trying to make the Upgrade as easy as possible.

Over the years I have done hundreds of upgrades both professionally and personally. I have done everything from server upgrades to Windows to Linux. The principles I am going to talk about can be applied to any of these upgrades. They key is to be organized and not to panic. The second key is to make sure you have some technical background or have access to someone who does.

For the purpose of this discussion I will assume that you have a pc that meets the minimum standards for Windows 7 (1 Gig of Ram/Netbook or Dual Core PC or equivalent) and that you have chosen which version of Windows 7 that you will install. I would suggest a minimum of Windows 7 Home Premium.

In terms of hardware I would suggest that you purchase as much memory as you can possibly afford. If you are running more than 3 Gig of Ram, you should consider the 64 Bit version of Windows 7. #2 bit versions generally just access slightly above 3 Gig of Ram.

One thing to check before doing the upgrade is make sure any of your peripheral hardware is Windows 7 compliant and has Windows 7 compatible drivers. An example of this which I ran into when testing Windows 7 is my Rogers Rocket stick software and drivers would install under the Windows 7 RC but it will not run. When I called Rogers they informed me they were still working on testing and implementing Windows 7 drivers.

Now that we are ready for the upgrade, make sure you have a good half to a full day of time when you will not need the machine that you will be upgrading. Rushing your upgrade will not make any easier or lest stressful on you. Being prepared and planning will make it easier.

Preparation Work

The first thing I always do is to plan for doing a full install. I never do an upgrade. The reason for this is so any current issues are not carried forward to the upgraded operating system. The second reason is fresh installs always run faster than an install which has been running for a long time. It is proven the longer an operating system runs, that it will slow down over a period of time.

The second step is to do a complete virus scan and spyware scan of the computer that you will be installing Windows 7 on.

Now are we ready to start the upgrade? The answer to that question is no. Before we start, the first thing we should do is to backup all the data on the machine to be upgraded. In order to save time I usually suggest backing up your data to a portable USB Hard Drive. One backup is not enough, I suggest making two. Backups have been known to go bad. Once the backups have been completed, check the integrity of the backups. Their is nothing worse than having two backups that have corrupt data in them.

The 4th step is to make sure we have any application software to be installed and their installation serial numbers/keys. The software should also be checked to see if it is Windows 7 compatible. If it is not Windows 7 compatible, you should obtain the newer version before your Windows 7 install is started.

The last step in our pre-upgrade preparation is to make sure we all our device drivers for our printers/mother board/sound cards and/video cards and any other devices our computer has. One of the best ways to check if you have the most recent device drivers is to check the manufacturer’s web site and make sure your drivers are Windows 7 compatible. If the manufacturer suggests a newer driver download it now and store it on a cd or a usb device.

Now that we have the preparation work out of the way, it is time to start our Windows 7 install.

The Windows 7 Install

Step 1 – Install Windows 7

Boot from the Windows 7 install CD and choose the complete install option. This option will FORMAT your hard drive which is why we did the backup earlier. The Install process will reboot the computer several times during the install process. When I installed the Windows 7 Release Candidate the total install time was approximately 45 minutes. This is much faster than Windows XP or Windows Vista.

During the install process you will be asked for things like the time zone you are in, computer name, work group name and more. Enter the information as required and follow the prompts.

It is during the install phase that Windows should ask for any driver disks that it needs if it does not have a built in driver that works already. This is why I advised you to have your driver disks handy in the Windows 7 preparation steps.

Step 2 – Windows Updates

The first thing that always should be done when installing a Microsoft operating system is do your Windows updates. The reason for doing these updates is to enhance the operating system and to help close known security wholes.

To run the Windows updates, click on the Microsoft globe in the bottom left of your screen, then all programs, then windows updates.

When your Windows updates have been completed, your computer will reboot. Once your machine comes back up, repeat this process until their are no more Windows updates left to do.

Step 3 – Install Any Virus Checking/Spyware Checking software.

The third thing I always do is install my virus checking and spyware checking software. I would rather this software installed before I install any more software, move my data back from my backup or even browse the Internet.

Once my virus/spyware protection software is installed I run complete scans using both of them.

Step 4 – Install Windows Live Add Ons.

The fourth thing I always do is install the Windows Live Add ons for Windows 7. Many of them can be used with Vista or XP as well. Microsoft has released a really good Movie Maker update, Windows Live Messenger updates, Windows writer for blogging and Windows Live Messenger update. Their are other free software add ons included as well.

Step 5 – Install Application Software

The 5th step I always do is do install all my application software. This includes everything from Microsoft Office/Open Office to Firefox. At this stage I also install any browser tool bars, browser add ons and anything else I need.

Step 6 – Re Run Windows Updates

Once all my applications are installed I run my Windows Updates one more time especially if one of the applications I installed was Microsoft Office. Microsoft Office updates are pushed to your computer via Windows Update.

Step 7 – Restore Backup

Once I have the operating system installed and all my applications installed I have the basic computer setup done. I then restore all my data from backup to my computer’s hard drive.

Step 8 Computer Customization

After I have completed everything else, I then customize my setup. This includes changing my background on my desktop, screen saver and even customizing where my icons are on my desktop. Any customizations should be included in this step.

In summary this is how I build a Windows install. It does take a lot of work but it saves a lot of problems in the long run. By taking your time and being prepared, your install will go smoother and without any data loss. Being prepared and investing a little up front time is the best way to go.

Now that we now have a Windows 7 install, I will be posting an article tomorrow on how to maintain that install.

Everyone who knows me realizes I am a big fan of Windows 7. Currently I have the Operating System running on two of our computers at home including my main machine. We still have 3 machines running XP pro in our house as well. I also run 2 virtual pcs which have Ubuntu Linux running on them. To add to the equation we also have several cell phones, an ipod and an Iphone. The question then is why do I run such a mixed environment?

The key to this equation is choice. I really prefer the best of breed approach for whatever task I have at hand. In 20 plus years in the technology business I have learned to keep an open mind and keep looking for alternatives and better way of doing things. Most importantly to never stop learning and progressing.

Lets start with the Desktop setup at home. I have an AMD 4000+ machine that runs the Windows XP RC. As soon as the full Windows 7 release comes out I will be upgrading the operating system on this pc. This machine was orginally purchased with Windows Vista and Vista was just pure junk on this pc. Vista did not agree with my AMD box at all. I had constant crashing that was unreal. This is very hard for someone like me who’s livelihood depends on his computer.

On our second pc (the one @neonrose uses) we also have Windows 7 RC running. It is a Lenovo that originally came with Windows XP on it. It is a dual corse machine with 3GB of ram on it and it just flies.

In the server department I have have made an interesting choice. I saw no need to installing Windows server at home. The overhead of creating a home domain was not worth it. I decided to setup a Windows XP Pro work group server. I have this server running on a Compaq slime line PIV with 1 GB of ram. This work group server drives our 2 printers and our shared drives. It has 5 usb Hard drives connected to it. Our long distance phone device is a Majic Jack and it connects to our work group server as well. The Majic Jack does not yet have Windows 7 drivers available for it and I really do not like running Windows Vista as an upgrade so XP it is.

In the portable department we have two portable computers. One is an IBM PIII laptop an older model that Kelli (@Neonrose) uses around the house when she is watching tv and in the bedroom. It has Windows XP Pro on it for the security. It runs a little slow but for what we used it for it works well.

I recently purchased an Acer Aspire netbook that I really like. One of the fist things I need when I got it was upgrade to Windows 7 RC. I then ordered a Rogers Rocket stick for portable Internet on the go. It turns out the Rocekt Stick does not like Windows 7 yet. The driver loads but then the connection manager will not connect. As a result I had to downgrade the netbook back to Windows XP Home.

I also run 2 Virtual machines that have Ubuntu on the. These help me keep up to date on the Linux world.

In the cell phone department we basically have two. Kelli users a Motorola Crazer that she really likes. It is as basic a cell phone you can get and suits her needs well. As for me I have recently switched to an Iphone. I use a lot of Web 2.0 applications on the go as well as check and write email constantly. That added with the ability to listen to podcasts and audiobooks enhances my daily life.

Kelli uses a Ipod as well for music and I use my Iphone for that as well.

Yes I am a true geek who lives in a mixed environment.

This past week the pre order windows has started for Windows 7.  Vendors working with Microsoft have announced pre order prcing for Canada and the US which is good from June 26th to July 11th.

In Canada typical pricing is as follows:

1.  Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade $64.95

2. Windows 7 Professional Upgrade $124.95

In the US typical pricing is as follows:

1.  Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade  $49.99

2. Windows 7 Professional Upgrade $99.00

I was on You Tube today and found this official Video on Windows 7

Windows 7 will be released on Oct 22, 2009.

Anyone who purchases a new pc after July 1st will receive a voucher to upgrade from Windows Vista to Windows 7 for free.

Last week I installed the Windows 7 RC on 3 computers. One was my Sony Laptop, the 2nd a E Machine Desktop and the 3rd a Lenovo Desktop. In all three cases the install went really well.

I had been running the Windows 7 7000 Beta since it came out. The install took my Windows directory and renamed it Windows.old and the proceeded to do the new install. The advantage of install renaming the Windows directory was that I did not have to restore my files from data Backup. They were all stored in the .old directory.

The base install took me about 45 minutes on each pc. This is way less then XP Pro takes to install and a major improvement.

I am running a system with standard applications. These include Office 2007, Virtual Pc In a Box, 7-Zip, Quick Books and Quick Tax to name a few of them. All my applications which are Vista complient are running great under Windows 7.

I had no Hardware issues in the install including my Cannon MPF 530 and my HP Laserjet.

I have had no major issues in the last week nor any crashes. Windows 7appears to be very stable and I can not wait for the release to come out.

It appears that the Windows Release Candidate will come out for download by May 5th 2009. This means the final release is getting closer by the day.

As of this week we are now Windows 7 positioned at home. My  wife and I are both running the Windows 7 Beta. I am also running the Windows 7 Beta on my laptop. For old legacy applications I run them under a Windows XP Pro virtual machine.

We both have dual core pcs running 3 Gig of Ram and Windows 7 just flies. My wife has commented on how happy she is running the Windows 7 Beta. She says it is stable and fast:)

I have decomissioned the legacy NAS box which we had. It was an old Net Gear box and I have not been happy with anyway. So I am a head of the game.

More to come later…