OS and Software > Microsoft Help > [WIN7] Tips going from XP to Win7?

[WIN7] Tips going from XP to Win7?

reply to Wily_One
I agree with dvd536 's recommendation of Windows 7 Forums: »www.sevenforums.com, and I'd like to add that Microsoft has a lot of information and how-to's on it's own Windows 7 Website: »windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help

reply to Wily_One
Here are some Hidden Gems in Windows 7 Calculator, stuff that I didn't know about since I don't really use it.
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reply to dvd536
Thanks for replies, all. I've looked around a bit and found stuff here and there, but a lot of it seems to expect the reader to know how stuff was done in Vista. So for me, the new taskbar thing and all that is new, for example.

reply to Wily_One
...and:
»www.petri.co.il/windows-7.htm

reply to Wily_One
The Windows 7 task bar is not that different. Sure, it looks different but its functionality is about the same as XP. The main difference is that the quick launch bar is gone and that you can pin icons to the taskbar to achieve the same functionality. Pinned icons may look the same as active applications at first but you will notice that active applications are taskbar buttons and not just the icon residing there. Taskbar button grouping has been around for ages and was implemented in Windows XP. It only looks different.

The new start menu structure may seem confusing at first but it will seem logical after a while. If you like to use keyboard shortcuts the search box in the start menu will be the best way to launch programs. Just type the first few letters of the program and it will show in the menu without having to hunt through the program folders.

reply to Wily_One
Once you get used to it, Windows 7 is extremely better.

The user experience of the Start Menu is such an improvement. There is the search box replacing the run box, prominently. Also something that is nice, instead of "Recent Documents", your MRU documents are organized in flyouts from the program they opened with in the primary programs area.

I do wish that I could flyout the Control Panel items like in XP's start menu.

Windows Update is integrated much more nicely and no longer has to be coaxed into submission.

The "Show Desktop" hot toggle in the lower right corner is a convenient alternative to Windows Key + M. On occasion it can be hit when you didn't intend to.

The hardest part is if you're very used to the Quick Launch bar. They ruined it badly with pinning and the moronic Libraries. I had to bend over backwards to get the "My Computer" to work the way I was accustomed to from XP. I could not even tell you how to reproduce what I did, such a PITA.
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Scott Brown Consulting

reply to Wily_One
Godmode is a great help.

»www.techspot.com/guides/236-wind···od-mode/

reply to Wily_One
If you like the Classic style start bar and menu system then look at Classic Shell.
I personally done care for the XP/Vista/7 start menu or the cartoonish start bar so Classic shell give you the older Win 2000/98/classic XP style.
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reply to printscreen

reply to sbconslt
I disagree. The start menu in Win 7 is horrendously horrible as is the Task Bar with that MESSY, totally unintuitive pinning junk and the missing ESSENTIAL Quick Launch. The other awful thing about Win 7 is Search is worse than Search in Vista if such a thing is possible. Plus, I can't stand things like Search, defrag, etc running in the background indexing or defragging. I disable junk like that immediately. So, I want a search like in XP that is excellent and doesn't need to Index (why would I want to index My documents anyway? I know where things are for them...search is for Windows files and Downloaded Programs folder (which is always huge), stuff like that).

Anyhow Classic Shell is a lifesaver and so is Agent Ransack. I used them both during Win 7 public beta. I too never understood why Microsoft decided, starting with XP, that ALL USERS ARE THREE YEARS OLD. I have always used Classic Style for Windows from back in the 90's and I use Windows 2000 Search on XP instead of enduring being constantly insulted because I do not want the childish cartoon search look that started in XP.

I've only used Win 7 during the public beta on a virtual machine but I will soon be buying a new computer and, for the first time, instead of looking forward to buying a new computer, I DREAD it and I have put it off as long as possible...maybe until this fall ...if I can, but my current one is acting a little odd...RAM possibly (plus, I have no CDRom or DVD player working) as it will be 6 years old in two weeks so I may not be able to wait much longer. It's sad considering how I couldn't wait in the past to get a new computer and now I just keep thinking about all that money I feel forced to spend and I just feel depressed instead of eager.
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson

Disabling scheduled defrag is one of the first things I did too. What is so offensive to you about search? For the infrequent times I've used it I think I can say I had more annoyances with XP's search assistant.
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Scott Brown Consulting

Search in both Vista (I have Vista Ultimate on a virtual machine) and Win 7 beta could not find things on my computer. I don't see how that could be because I turned off Indexing because I turned off Indexing on XP also and XP search is fine. Before Win 7 came out, I read many complaints about Vista search being extremely poor. I found a blog from a Microsoft employee about Vista search and many of the replies were from business oriented folks and IT professionals and they all condemned Vista search and many suggested Agent Ransack be used instead. I'd never heard of it.

I downloaded and installed the free version and wow, its GUI is reminiscent of classic XP search (actually W2000 search that can be imported for use on XP) and it was fast and accurate. I was impressed and I kept it for Vista. When Win 7 search didn't seem good either, I installed Agent Ransack and used it and that is what I plan to do when I get a machine with Win 7. My main complaint with Win 7 search was that it couldn't find things that XP search or Agent Ransack could easily and quickly find (like some Windows file that is present on both XP and Win 7). I also did not like the GUI for Search in Win 7. Agent Ransack GUI gives much more useful information. The GUI in both Vista and Win 7 is dumbed down to make it suitable for someone who knows very little about computers and I could not see where Microsoft retained the old, classic W2000 GUI for those of us who prefer it to be able to use it in Vista or Win 7. I felt like Microsoft forgot about us and I did not think Win 7 search was any better than the much maligned Vista search. Not a good situation where one feels it necessary to install a third party application to do what the OS itself should do and do well.
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson

I have to say since going to 7 is that search downright sucks, well vista's sucked too.
I now use a little gem lil'hurricane told me about called "everything"
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reply to Mele20
Typing in "search" within the control panel box thats labelled "search control panel" will bring up the "indexing options" applet, where you can add the "program files" directory to the search locations.

But hey, why bother looking for the solution when you can whine about it on a forum?
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"I'm A PC, And Windows 7 Was My Idea."

reply to Wily_One
As far as moving forward with Windows 7, amazingm already gave the best resource to familiarize yourself with MS's latest & greatest here: »windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows7/help
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"I'm A PC, And Windows 7 Was My Idea."

reply to not quite right

Even though I used Win 7 for six months, you believe I have no right to voice my opinion in this thread....Geeez....I think you just don't like the fact that I made you look a bit stupid because you evidently don't read very well.

ANYONE with an interest in a subject should have the right to comment.

ANYONE should also have the right to criticize something if by criticizing that could help the OP in making a decision.

Sorry, you don't feel that others have any rights in forums....only yourself evidently.

Sounds like you work for Microsoft.
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When governments fear people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny. Thomas Jefferson