QuickLaunch

Although its buried Windows7 does support the Quick Launch bar and you can make it behave exactly as it did with XP and Vista.  How-To Geek has an excellent instructional guide on how to configure your system to show the Quick Launch Bar.   They also have instructions on how to make the task bar work more like XP and Vista.  I’ve been using this solution for several months now and am very happy with the results.

StartMenu

Vista had an option to use the Classic Start Menu.  Unfortunately Windows7 does not offer that feature.

I do like the ability to type a command in the menu and have it quickly executed but I truly hate the new organizational metaphor.  LifeHacker has found a way to restore the “classic” start menu.  .  On one of my test machines I’ve been using the free CSMenu.  You lose the on the fly program search and it does not support Areo but you gain back XP-style menus.  It also doesn’t support customizations such as removing the Documents menu item.  I have not tried the $19.99 commercial product Classic Start menu which appears to support Aero and more customization options but does not restore the XP menu functionality.  At this point I am getting used to the new Start menu.

We know that Microsoft has their own readiness tool.  Our test is a quicker assessment of your hardware to see if your PC’s hardware is appropriate for Windows 7.  Some people that have held onto their XP machines are going to find that their hardware isn’t up to the task.  In many cases, you can make your PC older PC boot faster, crash less, and, in general, operate more efficiently by updating the drivers. 

A service like DriverAgent™ is an ideal to help you update your computer’s drivers.  For those customer’s upgrading to Windows 7 we also offer a tool called the “Driver Migration Wizard.” There is nothing worse than installing a new OS and you cannot get on to the network to get the drivers you need or you get stuck with a 640 X 480 screen resolution.  The Driver Migration Wizard solves that problem.  It scans your hardware and builds an archive of all of the drivers you will need for your next OS.  You can even build an archive of the drivers needed for your current OS – just in case you need to downgrade. 

Over the next few weeks we’ll be adding new content and making new features to the readiness test.  Please let us know what you think of the site what you’d like to see added by dropping us a note at support@esupport.com. 

Finally, we want to offer Microsoft our congratulations on the accomplishment of shipping Windows 7.  We’ve been using it ourselves for some time now and think you will be happy with what you find. 

The newest version of Windows has arrived with enhanced features and streamlined performance. As with previous steps in the evolution of Windows, however, Win7 makes more demands on the PC than previous versions. If you looking to upgrade from an earlier Windows version, especially XP, you may find that your computer cannot handle Win7.

The websites, newsletters, and even the outside of the software’s box tell you what your PC needs to be like in order to run Win7, giving both minimum and recommended configurations. That’s fine if you speak computerese, and if you also know exactly what your PC’s configuration actually is. If you are into doing things the easy way, however, there is a quick and simple test to find out if your PC is Win7-ready.

Phoenix Technologies is offering an on-line Win7 compatibility test for your PC that will check out your system for you. It can determine your PC’s memory, storage, processing, and other capabilities and then compare them to what Win7 needs. It can also recommend improvements to your PC, such as adding memory, that can enhance its performance with the new software.

The test is easy to take with no studying required. You don’t need to find your old manual or dig into the Windows System Manager to find out if your PC has what it takes. The test program will tell you if all is well and if not, what to do about it.

Taking the Phoenix Win7 compatibility test is well worth the effort. It avoids the time, expense, and frustration of finding out during installation that your PC can’t handle Win7. And if your PC passes, you can move your system over to Win7 with confidence in a successful upgrade.