Windowsn 7 RC 32bit

[SteveGam]

Ok folks, here's the skinny on my win 7 experience.

A basic default install was done of the genuine (not hacked) version of Windows 7 release candidate build 7100. I am a member of MS Technet and get legit copies to play with. I hear there is a hacked version on "the boards" that may contain a Virus of some sort in the installer. Beware!

The install was on an Asus M2n-Sli deluxe with an Athlon 64x2 6000+, 4 gig ram (3 usable by win7 32bit), genuine ATI (not sapphire or whatever) radeon HD2600XT and Digi 003 interface with a presonus firestudio going in the 003's light pipe hole for 8 more inputs. No other cards are installed in the machine. I have a usb wireless network adaptor that I had to manually install the vista drivers.

After the basic OS install, I ran auto update and let it do everything it wanted to. then reboot, ran it again for good measure. then I manually changed the 1394 driver from the default one loaded by the install to the 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy).

After reading a tech bulletin from Digi about how IE8 may cause crashes, I decided to rip it out. According to MS, the IE8 in Win7 is conserderably different from the vista/xp builds but I decided it would go for now. I first downloaded google chrome so that I had a browser available on the machine and I then un-installed IE8 by going to control panel, then clicking "programs and features", then in the left column click "turn windows features on or off" . Un-check internet explorer. While there I also removed print and document services, tablet PC and windows gadget platform as I will not use any of those. rebooted.

I then installed PT8 followed by CS2. Rebooted. looked in device manager and everything was found properly and working, no yellow triangles or red circles at all. COOL!

Ran PT, opened up some saved sessions, beat on it for a couple hours with NO ERRORS AT ALL. Everything on the 003 works as it should.

I figured what the hell, let's load up Music Production toolkit 7.4.. Bad dog, PT will no longer start, it just hangs at the startup screen. Un-installed MP toolkit 7.4 and re-installed the CS2 update and all is well again. I do not have a ilok auth for MP toolkit 2 so I could not test that.

NO TWEAKS TO THE OS AT ALL! I did not modify any services, ram tweaks, video tweaks NON, NADA, ZIPPO. Default windows install except what I described above. As a matter of fact, it's running the AERO theme with no problems. Glass effects are on and whatever else is default for win7 load.

A few notes on win 7. I have it loaded on 3 desktops and 1 laptop. All run as fast or faster than xp and have been completely stable so far. I have had a few issues with some program installs but solved most by right clicking the installer and select "install as administrator". It is FASTER than XP and SMOKES Vista. If the install did not have a hardware driver, I simply downloaded the vista driver from the hardware mfg's website and installed it. I am not having the same driver luck with the x64 version of win7.

I will be tweaking the OS and adding mucho plugs and stuff over the next few weeks and will report my findings here.

The future looks promising. Now if we can get a x64 version of protools to get over that 3gig memory hurdle. Also, no problems using the mbox on my laptop with win7.

[ChadB]

I'm having good luck with Windows 7 RC 32bit same version (7100). I did the same with the firewire driver. Installed CS2. So far so good. My 64 bit install not so good. Keeps hanging on AIRLo-Fi.dpm. After I finish installing a few more things and have my 32-bit install finalized, I'm going to make an image and then probably mess with 64-bit some more to see if I can get that to work. It is nice when the OS can see all 4Gigs of RAM.

[albee1952]

This is promising news boys and girls. I just downloaded the RC version and try it in something over the next week if the studio stays quiet. Question for SteveGam, did you do anything in particular with BIOS? I know the AMD setup is not up to quad standards(my backup rig is almost identical), but a Dverb2 test would still be of interest.

[Shan]

Originally Posted by SteveGam

A few notes on win 7. I have it loaded on 3 desktops and 1 laptop. All run as fast or faster than xp and have been completely stable so far. ... It is FASTER than XP and SMOKES Vista.

What kind of benchmarks did you run to conclude that W7 is faster than XP and Vista? The standard Dverb benchmark and a handful of other PT benchmarks reveal much about PT and the OS it's hosted in.

I will be tweaking the OS and adding mucho plugs and stuff over the next few weeks and will report my findings here.

Cool. It be great to see you add the info in the main Windows 7 thread for others to see. It's been our main data center for W7. Thanks

Shane

[flautista]

SteveGam I was reading your post, I have the 003 rack working on WIN 7 whith no problems, but if I turn on the 003 and after the computer oo3 not appears in device manager, instead I turn on the computer first and then the 003 it appears and everythings works fine, I changed the driver to the 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy).but it works like that for me, it happend the same to you, or you could fix it
Thanks if you can helpme on that.

[SteveGam]

Originally Posted by Shan

What kind of benchmarks did you run to conclude that W7 is faster than XP and Vista? The standard Dverb benchmark and a handful of other PT benchmarks reveal much about PT and the OS it's hosted in.

I was commenting strictly on the OS in that statement. I have not fully installed my entire PT arsenal to comment on that. You don't need benchmarks for OS feel, it's that much different.

Originally Posted by Shan

Cool. It be great to see you add the info in the main Windows 7 thread for others to see. It's been our main data center for W7. Thanks

Shane

Sorry, due to my schedule, I don't spend a lot of time up here. A friend asked me to start the post to shed some light on the subject. I knew of no other thread, feel free to copy my post there if you want.

-Steve

[SteveGam]

Originally Posted by albee1952

did you do anything in particular with BIOS? I know the AMD setup is not up to quad standards(my backup rig is almost identical), but a Dverb2 test would still be of interest.

I can snapshot the pages and email them to you, I know you have the same board. Call me if you want the snaps.

[SteveGam]

Originally Posted by flautista

S if I turn on the 003 and after the computer oo3 not appears in device manager, instead I turn on the computer first and then the 003 it appears and everythings works fine, I changed the driver to the 1394 OHCI Compliant Host Controller (Legacy).but it works like that for me, it happend the same to you, or you could fix it
Thanks if you can helpme on that.

I power ALL my peripheral gear first until all is fully operational, then I start the PT machine. It just makes sense to me as everything is able to answer to the OS during any PNP queries at bootup.

I hope this answers your question? Creature of habit, if it works, I do it that way.

-Steve

[SteveGam]

Originally Posted by Shan

Cool. It be great to see you add the info in the main Windows 7 thread for others to see. It's been our main data center for W7. Thanks

Shane

On second thoughts after looking at the link you provided, I think this is best as a new post. There are over 30 pages of posts about beta win7. This post is commenting on the RC only. I ran several different versions of the beta and did not have the same results or warm fuzzy feeling.

-whatever

[flautista]

Originally Posted by SteveGam

I power ALL my peripheral gear until all is fully operational, then I start the PT machine. It just makes sense to me as everything is able to answer to the OS during any PNP queries at bootup.

I hope this answers your question? Creature of habit, if it works, I do it that way.

-Steve

Thanks for the answer, I do the same in XP power all peripheral gear , then PT machines, is okay BUT on WIN7 does not work the same for me. I have to power the PTmachines then the 003 and its works then, besides of that PT 8 works fine even whith Explorer 8