It appears that Windows 7 beta testers who are using the publicly available release candidate of the new OS will need to uninstall the pre-release software and re-install their valid Windows XP or Windows Vista edition before applying the final Windows 7 upgrade.
Microsoft states:
“When you install the final version of Windows 7, you’ll need to do a clean installation. So plan on backing up your data then reinstalling your applications and restoring your data.”
However, if you are purchasing a discounted, upgrade edition of Windows 7, you will need to first perform a clean install of a genuine edition of Windows XP or Vista before proceeding with the final Windows 7 upgrade. Windows Vista can be directly upgraded to Windows 7, while Windows XP requires a clean installation.
Microsoft provides instructions on how to uninstall the Pre-release version of Windows 7 and revert to a previous genuine operating system.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 26th, 2009. 1 Comment. 
Windows 7 is available in two flavors: 32-bit and 64-bit. The differences between these two editions boil down to one primary subject: memory. 64-bit systems can address more than 4GB of RAM, while 32-bit systems are generally limited to using roughly 3.2GB of RAM. In other words, if your system can run Windows 7 64-bit, you probably should do so.
The easiest way to check whether or not your computer is 64-bit capable is to download the tool SecurAble and run it. The program will instantly tell you the “maximum bit length” of your processor. If it’s 64, you can run Windows 7 64-bit. If it’s 32, you can only run Windows 7 32-bit.
Note that the only significant drawback to Windows 7 64-bit is that some hardware drivers may not be compatible with the architecture. Make sure you check the manufacturer websites for third-party peripherals, graphics cards and other components of your system to ensure 64-bit compatibility or download new 64-bit compatible editions.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 25th, 2009. 2 Comments.
Neowin reports that Windows 7 beta users who are still on build 7000 will start to experience bi-hourly shutdowns on July 1, 2009. The shutdowns are Microsoft’s mechanism to remind users to upgrade to build 7100. On August 1st, all betas will expire, and begin to show the “Windows not Genuine” message.
You can avoid this issue by downloading the public release candidate of Windows 7, which will be available until August 15, 2009.
Filed under News, Windows 7 by on Jun 25th, 2009. Comment.
Under various versions of Windows, Windows Explorer may repeatedly crash either when certain actions are taken (e.g. right-clicking an item), after several minutes of use, or immediately after the system starts up. In some cases, the following error messages are displayed:
- “Windows Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close”
The first thing you need to do, if this problem occurs as soon as your system starts up or whenever you click on any file or try to perform any other action, is download a copy of Universal Explorer, an alternative file viewer. This will at least allow you access to the system so that you can make changes and begin troubleshooting.
Next, begin with the following potential fixes:
Turn off DEP In some cases, Data Execution Prevention may be causing the crashes to occur. Turning this option off for Windows Explorer may leave your system more vulnerable to viruses and other malware, but may allow your system to function properly until you can find another workaround. To turn off DEP for Windows Explorer, follow these steps:
- Click the Start button
- Open the Control Panel
- Open System
- Select the “Advanced” tab
- Under “Performance,” choose Settings.
- Select the “Data Execution Prevention” tab.
- Select the option “Turn on DEP for all programs and services except those I select.”
- Click “Add…”
- Find Windows Explorer, which is generally located in c:\windows\explorer.exe and select it.
- Restart your system and check for persistence of the issue
Note that if Windows Explorer keeps crashing during the above steps, you can open the command line and type bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff and accomplish the same effect.
Disable Shell extensions The site HelpWithWindows suggests that errant shell extensions may be to blame for Windows Explorer crashes, especially in cases wherein the issue occurs upon right-clicking certain files.
Download and install the tool ShellExView. It will show the description, as well as version details, company information, location, file name and more of any installed shell extensions and allow you to disable them.
Start by disabling all third-party shell extensions, then restarting your computer. If Windows Explorer doesn’t continue crashing, you know that a shell extension is to blame. Start re-enabling them one-by-one or in groups until you identify the culprit, then leave it disabled.
Switch antivirus software As we have noted, the presence of two overlapping antivirus or antimalware/spyware/firewall tools can cause various conflicts. Users should install one (and only one) strong anti-virus package and make sure it’s up-to-date.
In addition, certain antivirus packages can conflict with installed system software while other antivirus packages are not.
If you have already tried the aforementioned workarounds, completely remove or disable all antivirus/spyware software (Norton 360, ZoneAlarm, AVG, etc.). In fact, you may need to uninstall the packages–simply disabling may not work.
Next, re-install one and only one solid antivirus/spyware tool. If the crashes still occur, uninstall that package and try a different one.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Jun 23rd, 2009. 1 Comment.
Here’s a free, easy and quick method for routinely eliminating performance bottlenecks in Windows 7.
Download and install Process Explorer, which is part of the Microsoft SysInternals package. Launch the program, and you’ll be presented a beautiful display of all processes currently running on your system, along with a bevy of information about each process, including which files it has open, how much processor time it is using and more.
The tool works just like Task Manager, in that it can quickly kill processes that are hung or sucking up lots of processor usage, thereby speeding up your system dramatically. To kill a process, just right-click it and select “Kill” (you can also suspend it). Look for any items that are using lots of processor time (in the CPU column) and aren’t
However, Process Explorer holds a few key advantages over task manager.
Read more on Speeding Up Windows 7 with Process Explorer…
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 18th, 2009. Comment.
If you are experiencing slow Windows 7 shutdowns, there is an easy way to identify the potential culprit (an antivirus program, driver, or other process).
Navigate to: Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Performance Information and Tools > Advanced Tools. In some cases, this screen will display the problem files.
Failing that, open the “View Performance Details” option in the Event Log (Event Viewer). As described by BurrWalnut of the WindowsBBS forums, events in the 100 series are boot events and items in the 200 series are shutdown events. You will see an indicator of performance-slowing problems here.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 9th, 2009. 4 Comments.
Some Windows 7 users are experiencing issues in which drivers suggested by Windows Update break functionality with certain devices.
One user, for instance, applied a new driver update–suggested by Windows Update–for his ATI Mobility HD 3650 graphics card, installed in a Lenovo W500. After applying the update, his screen went blank, displaying only the cursor. The system could only be accessed by disabling the graphics card. The fix, in his case, was to apply the alternative drivers for the ATI card, available directly from Lenovo’s site.
So, if you have a problem with a driver included with Windows 7, or installed through the automatic update mechanism, try seeking out alternative drivers from manufacturers’ Web sites — both the manufacturer of your computer, and the manufacturers of specific devices.
Also, note that the presence of antivirus software scanning can block proper installation of drivers that are necessary for device function. Try turning off any antivirus or anti-malware/spyware software temporarily while you install or update device drivers, then turn it back on.
You may also want to try installing your device drivers in admin mode. To do this, right-click the driver installation .exe file (e.g. setup.exe) then select “Run as Admin.” Proceed with installation.
Many Windows Vista-compatible drivers offered on device manufacturer websites work well with Windows 7. Check for any Vista drivers and install them on your Windows 7 system. This procedure is especially useful for users who were running Windows XP or another version of Windows other than Vista before installing Windows 7.
Feedback? info@windowsfixup.com
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 9th, 2009. Comment.
Windows 7 may exhibit a variety of issues when waking from sleep. One of the more recently reported issues involves the disappearance of mounted internal or external hard disks when the system is put to sleep (hibernation)–usually hybrid sleep–then woken up.
This issue will likely be resolved by a future update to Windows 7 or new Windows 7-compatible disk driver updates. In the meantime, there are two potential workarounds:
Disable hybrid sleep First, you can simply disable hybrid sleep by going to Power > Advanced > Sleep and turning off “Allow hybrid sleep.”
Turn off SATA Enter your system’s BIOS mode. This is accomplished by pressing a specific key repeatedly as soon as your computer is turned on (or right after it is restarted). For many computers, the key is F8, but it may be F1, F2, F10, the Delete (del) key or the Escape (ESC) key. Consult your computer or motherboard’s manual or try different keys until you find the right one.
Next check your HDD or storage settings. Turn off SATA and reboot normally.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 8th, 2009. Comment.
[UPDATE: A Microsoft TechNet discussion thread is tracking this issue and has the latest updates on potential fixes, along with commentary from Microsoft indicating that the company is working with system manufacturers to resolve this issue.]
Several users have reported an issue in which a blue screen of death (BSOD) accompanied by the error message “Multiprocessor_Configuration_Not_Supported” appears after attempting to install either Windows Vista SP2 or Windows 7.
This error generally indicates that the system has multiple processors, but they are asymmetric in relation to one another. However, many users are receiving the message on systems with only one processor or systems with only one dual-core processors.
A reliable workaround for this issue has not yet been discovered, but, in some cases, a BIOS update may resolve the problem. Here are instructions for updating the BIOS on Intel motherboards, and here are instructions for other motherboards.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista by on Jun 5th, 2009. Comment.
Windows 7 Build 7021 is the latest build of the new OS, due in final form on October 22nd, to leak to file sharing networks. Users report that the new release provides yet another significant speed boost, along with the following enhancements:
- Smaller installer
- Better automatic driver installation (if you had third-party device issues with previous releases, this one may solve some issues)
- Better graphic performance (perhaps due to new drivers). Several users report a boosted WEI (Windows Experience Index) for various graphics cards and better frame rates in various games.
- Internet TV Beta 2.0 has been added to Windows Media Center
Filed under News, Windows 7 by on Jun 4th, 2009. Comment.