Windows 7 Win 7, things I don't like about it

[d8000]

I've only been using Win 7 for a week, after reluctantly installing it on a new PC. I'd have stuck with XP if only it was able to make use of more memory and could make use of all the features of my processor and SSD hard drive. So, Win 7 it had to be. At least I managed to avoid the torture of Vista over the last few years, that's something.

So, Win 7, it looks pretty (icons, taskbar, window chrome) and has a couple of nice features. I like the snipping tool, God mode, the mouse-over behaviour on taskbar items (small preview of the item), and the magnifier is nicer than XP's. That's it though, nothing else. I'd take XP over it any day if I could.

So what don't I like about it? Well, it's no a very long list, and they don't bug me a whole lot. Maybe some of them can be worked around ?

- Desktop.ini, Desktop.ini, Desktop.ini, Desktop.ini, Desktop.ini, Desktop.ini, Desktop.ini, Desktop.ini everywhere. I'm sick of seeing it, but I don't want to hide system/hidden files/folders. I just delete them whenever I see them. I'm thinking of creating a startup script that goes through all my hard drives seeking out and deleting desktop.ini files it finds.

- Quicklaunch toolbar isn't available (by default) from right-click. You have to go and enable it (after first googling how to do it). Now I have it, that's fine, but I wasted probably half an hour finding it. Why would they want to remove functionality they already had.

- Explorer behaviour:

- When you click on a folder name in the left pane, as you move up and down with the keyboard keys to folders above and below it, the contents of the right pane don't change to reflect what's in the folder you're currently highlighting in the left pane. Why would they want to remove functionality they already had.

- When you click the |> next to a folder name in the left pane to expand it, the left pane sometimes scrolls itself automatically and you have to look up and down to find where that folder suddenly jumped to. So clicking into a nested folder structure involves lots of mouse action up and down to try and keep up with the bouncing-around folders.

- Drag/Drop into Virtual Machines no longer works. I miss that a lot. Why would they want to remove functionality they already had.

- VM Clipboard integration only works with "enable integration features" in the VM and that causes rdpclip.exe to run at 99% CPU a lot of the time.

- Virtual Machine windows can't have their menu toolbar disabled, losing valuable screen space (VPC2007 allowed it to be turned off). Why would they want to remove functionality they already had.

- 32-Bit XP programs aren't tolerated as much as is hyped (they often won't start or they crash). The compatibility troubleshooters don't help.

- Explorer can no longer have a toolbar with Refresh, Delete and other buttons added in the Toolbars->Customize option like you can in XP. I've been clicking on a file and then clicking on the delete icon on the toolbar for 10 years. It's annoying having to press the delete key on the keyboard, or right-click and choose delete. Why would they want to remove functionality they already had.

- When copying a large file to a USB Flash Drive (which is already on the flash drive) instead of overwriting it, I get a "not enough space" message because I guess it wanted to keep two copies of it (not that I asked it to).

- Can't search a hard drive by right-clicking it in explorer - there's no search option. Why would they want to remove functionality they already had.

- Can't search a folder (and all it's sub-directories) by right-clicking it in explorer - there's no search option. Why would they want to remove functionality they already had.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

You might want to check out Classic Shell.

I use it and it fixes the folder jumping up and down in Explorer for the most part.
It's totally optional you can open the normal Windows 7 Shell anytime just by Shift clicking on the Orb.

Classic Shell | Download Classic Shell software for free at SourceForge.net

You might also try Locate32, it ads the right click search function to the drop down, and works better then the Windows 7 search engine which really does seem like step backwards.

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Also useful is Take Ownership.
An App that adds this command to the right click dropdown and will persuade Windows to let you access your files and folders.

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I haven't had issues running older 32 bit apps, even my old Tomb Raider games from the 90s run.

Mike

 

[d8000]

Hi

You might want to check out Classic Shell.

I use it and it fixes the folder jumping up and down in Explorer for the most part.
It's totally optional you can open the normal Windows 7 Shell anytime just by Shift clicking on the Orb.

Classic Shell | Download Classic Shell software for free at SourceForge.net

You might also try Locate32, it ads the right click search function to the drop down, and works better then the Windows 7 search engine which really does seem like step backwards.

Link Removed

Also useful is Take Ownership.
An App that adds this command to the right click dropdown and will persuade Windows to let you access your files and folders.

Link Removed

I haven't had issues running older 32 bit apps, even my old Tomb Raider games from the 90s run.

Mike

Thanks Mike, some great sounding suggestions there.

I've had the following 32 bit apps fail to install, or after installing fail to run. In each case, W7 said "oh no you don't, I'm not having that running on here" (to paraphrase it slightly). Clicking the "find solution online" to it's compatibility issue never brings an answer. Not sure why they have that link.

- Corel PhotoPaint 8 (yes I know there's a 9, 10, 11, 12 etc but for me it peaked at 8 and I still like(d) it. I've installed it on one of my XP Virtual Machines instead.
- MS Virtual PC 2007 (I thought it might run better than Win7's Virtual PC, but it wouldn't even try).
- Roxio Creator (Sonic driver problem). Haven't tried it yet, don't know if it'll work without one of its drivers.

There have been more, but I went to the appropriate site and downloaded an x64 Win7 compatible version. Something I was told I wouldn't have to do, but I did. The XP mode is basically just a VM, quite a disappointment.

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi

The only things that I have had problems with are Adobe Indesign CS2, it would not run in a 64 bit operating system.

When I contacted Adobe they just said you will have to update. So I went to CS4 which was the latest then.

And I couldn't find drivers for my Epson scanner.
I did find a software package that would run it, but eventually I bought a new scanner.

All my other Adobe software runs fine, in many cases better then in 32 bit XP.

You don't really need Roxio Creator anymore.

I know it's easier to use the stuff you are used to, I used Roxio too, until I switched to W7, but everything you need to do can be done by Windows or free programs like Image Burn. Actually I was always having problems with Roxio when I ran it in XP. LOL

And I would trade in Corel Photo Paint for a copy of Adobe Photoshop Elements, it really is a lot better and it's cheap.

I have run old versions of Adobe Premiere, and Photoshop, but have updated to newer versions now, it is my business so I don't need to cut corners on software updates.

My main complaint about Windows 7 is the overzealous security.
This can really drive you crazy, many actions that I take for granted are blocked and require jumping through hoops to get them done. I.e. the Take Ownership app.

If you aren't already aware of it the real Administrator Mode is accessed through the Command Prompt.


How to Enable the Administrator Account

Open the command prompt with elevated privileges by clicking the Start orb, All Programs, Accessories, right-click Command Prompt and then select Run as administrator.

Type

net user administrator /active:yes

and then press Enter.

Log out and log back in as Administrator.

When you are done undue the process by doing the same thing and pasting in

net user administrator /active:no

So if something keeps insisting that you need to log in as Administrator this is what it wants.

Over all I have found Windows 7 to be a lot more stable then XP with the software that I use, especially Poser which was a real pain to keep running it XP, and while it still isn't the Rock of Gibraltar it is better.

I have over 90 pieces of software installed and for the most part they run better then they did in XP.

It does take a while to get used to, I've been using it since the beta first started and I still have trouble finding things that I used to know how to get to with a couple of clicks.

Mike

 

[d8000]

Thanks again Mike for the great response.

Loving take ownership, didn't get on with locate32 (it didn't give me a right-click explorer search), but best of all is the classic shell. Why everyone who has Windows 7 doesn't install this is a mystery. It totally fixes all the problems Win 7 Explorer brings.

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[MikeHawthorne]

You might try installing Locate32 again.
It has worked everyplace that I've installed it and added the "Locate" command to the right click download.
It works much better then the native Windows 7 search engine, which is a disappointment and something that I think they need to deal with.

 

[Super Sarge]

Mike is right I have locate on right click it is located right under search when doing a right click

 

[d8000]

Maybe I'm using the wrong version. I downloaded v3.1, which came as a zip and didn't have any kind of proper installer with it (certainly nothing that matched what was written in the readme.txt). So I have a folder of files. I've tried running each of them and none of them behaved like an installer. I ran the .reg files too, still no search/locate right-click menu option. I ran the locate32 program and the UI/app appeared. It looks like a comprehensive search, it's just not linked to my right-click menu. I'll follow up with that later. Since complaining that you can't search a single folder structure or a single drive in Win7, I've noticed that search box in the top-right corner of explorer, so it is possible. They just took it away from right-click.

Here's my explorer right-click menu on drive C:

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[d8000]

This is weird. Every time I check all these shell extension boxes, the little tick goes in the box, I click OK and you'd think all is well.

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But when I go immediately back into the settings (without having done anything else), they're all unticked again. Bizarre.

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It's no major problem though. I've got a shortcut to locate and when I get there I can choose the drive/folder I want. So it's all good

 

[MikeHawthorne]

Hi again.

I just uninstalled the version that I'm using and installed the newest one.
I think it's version 1.08.

I unzipped it into the same folder that I have is previously installed in.

When I clicked the .exe file it started scanning my computer, I don't remember it doing that before.

But you are right, I no longer have the Locate command on my right click drop down and the interface is different as well.

I liked the link on my drop down but I've put the link on my task bar.

Mike

 

[MikeHawthorne]

I went back to the earlier version that I was using and it put the "Locate" button back on my drop down menu.

Available here...

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I used the top one in the 64 bit list.

Mike