X

Windows 7 RTM first look: More than just Vista fixes

A brief look at some key features and hidden gems in Windows 7.
By Ed Bott, Senior Contributing Editor
325900.png
1 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

This Winver dialog box shows the final Windows 7 build number, 7600. Note the new default wallpaper as well.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325901.png
2 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

Yes, Vista offered thumbnail previews too, but the Windows 7 version is much more usable. In this example, you can see individual tabs for each open Explorer window, and pointing to a thumbnail brings that window to the front with Aero Peek.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325902.png
3 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

Individual application developers can customize their program's Jump Lists with task shortcuts, as in Outlook from the Office 2010 Technical Preview. Or you can "pin" favorite albums to the file list in Windows Media Player, just as you can in any program with a Recent list.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325903.png
4 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

The fill-in-the-blanks advanced search forms from XP and Vista are gone, replaced by the Search Builder in the upper right corner. Point and click on search fields to build a query without memorizing search syntax.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325904.png
5 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

This measurement of performance now goes to 7.9 (what, not 11?). The link to "detailed performance information" can lead to interesting revelations about the caching performance of your hard disk.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325905.png
6 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

Resource Monitor is an amazing, even overwhelming diagnostic and troubleshooting tool that can help you see exactly how processes and services are using system resources and network connections.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325906.png
7 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

Many consumer-grade digital cameras save movie files in QuickTime Movie format. In earlier Windows versions, you had to install third-party software (from Apple or others) to preview and tag these files. Windows 7 includes native suppport for this format, along with the AAC/M4A music format and H.264 videos.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325907.png
8 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

This relatively uncluttered folder uses large icons that can be customized to more closely resemble the devices they represent. A right click allows access to functions for that device (or in this case, the computer itself).

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325908.png
9 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

This large dialog box is designed as a user-friendly alternative to geeky properties dialog boxes. In this case, the system is smart enough to ask for an updated driver.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325909.png
10 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

This cool feature is part of the completely rewritten audio stack for Windows 7. It allows you to directly connect an audio input (for example, a portable MP3 player attached to the Line In jack on a sound card) to an audio output like your PC's speakers.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325910.png
11 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

This is the first-level recovery screen for Windows 7. System Restore has some noteworthy improvements for all editions, but the real good stuff appears when you click the Advanced recovery methods link.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325911.png
12 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

These two options are available in every Windows 7 version. Using a system image backup on a hard disk or flash drive, you can restore an entire system in roughly 10-15 minutes.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".
325912.png
13 of 13 Ed Bott/ZDNET
[Click to see full-size image]

The process of doing a clean install is tedious but significantly less painful with the help of the Windows Easy Transfer utility. This report includes links for all programs installed on the previous Windows version, with download links for most.

For more details, see the companion post, Windows 7 first look: More than just "Vista, fixed".

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes
Holiday lights in Central Park background

Related Galleries

Holiday wallpaper for your phone: Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year's, and winter scenes

21 Photos
Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting
Wooden lodge in pine forest with heavy snow reflection on Lake O'hara at Yoho national park

Related Galleries

Winter backgrounds for your next virtual meeting

21 Photos
Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes
3D Rendering Christmas interior

Related Galleries

Holiday backgrounds for Zoom: Christmas cheer, New Year's Eve, Hanukkah and winter scenes

21 Photos
Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza
img-8825

Related Galleries

Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6: Electric vehicle extravaganza

26 Photos
A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex
img-9792-2

Related Galleries

A weekend with Google's Chrome OS Flex

22 Photos
Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup
shutterstock-1024665187.jpg

Related Galleries

Cybersecurity flaws, customer experiences, smartphone losses, and more: ZDNet's research roundup

8 Photos
Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'
Full of promises!

Related Galleries

Inside a fake $20 '16TB external M.2 SSD'

8 Photos