Windows XP Continues to Live Within Windows 7

If you upgrade to Windows 7 Professional or Ultimate, then you'll be pleased to know that it will come with a virtual engine running Windows XP. Despite their efforts, Microsoft won't be letting Windows XP die. Since I still have a few old computers laying around, I run XP on them. I've tried Vista and even Windows 7, but at the end of the day, XP wins. I'll be glad to replace Vista with XP. I've just had so many problems with Vista that it's been refreshing to use XP. Windows 7 is a light at the end of the tunnel for those of us still running Vista and hitting various roadblocks in our productivity.

Windows 7 Much Better than Vista and XP

I didn't have high hopes for Windows 7. I didn't think that Microsoft could build an operating system that was more efficient than XP for slower machines like ultra-mobile PCs (UMPCs). For these reasons, I've been running Windows XP on my Samsung Q1 Ultra which has a very slow processor (single core, 800 MHz). It's not like my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet that has a blazing Intel Core 2 Duo processor.

My hat's off to you Microsoft. You've learned from your mistakes (and failures) on Vista and you've created a great operating system with Windows 7. I'm very impressed by the way that Windows 7 is running on my Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC). I had tried a few of the earlier builds of Windows 7 on my Samsung Q1 Ultra and they were not better than Vista. However, the latest build of Windows 7 (build 7077) has been fast, efficient, and very responsive. If you're still running Windows XP, I urge you skip Vista and go to Windows 7.

The End of Mainstream XP Support

It's finally happened:

"On April 14, Windows XP will transition from the mainstream support phase to the extended support phase, as planned and previously announced."

I'm so glad that Windows 7 is coming soon. I've been running a beta version of Windows 7 build 7077 and it has really impressed me. The engineers at Microsoft have done an outstanding job creating this operating system and I'm very pleased. I think most people will have similar experiences with Windows 7.What's great is that Windows 7 runs quite efficiently, even on older and slower computer. That certainly wasn't the case with Vista. You can get ready to kiss all those Vista-related headaches goodbye as you prepare for Windows 7.

Experimenting with Windows 7 (Build 7077)

I have to admit: I did not have high expectations for Microsoft Windows 7. I had the chance to test some of the earlier beta versions of Windows 7 (including the public beta) and they didn't really impress me. However, I recently installed the latest build (build 7077) and I have to say that I've been very impressed. I installed this version on a convertible tablet (Fujitsu) and an ultra-mobile PC (Samsung Q1 Ultra) It's very fast and responsive and it doesn't lock up like Vista. If you have an older notebook/laptop, you may want to give it a try.

Windows 7 Build 7077 Runs Well on the Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC

I'm happy to report that Windows 7 (build 7077) actually runs quite well on the Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC (or Q1U, for those who like to differentiate them from the original Samsung Q1). I had tested a few of the earlier builds on my device and they did not work well at all. Somehow, the engineers at Microsoft have refined Windows 7 so that it actually runs fairly well on a slow machine that has an 800 MHz processor. I've been pleasantly surprised by Windows 7, so I've removed the Vista partition on my device and I've replaced it with Windows 7. I still have XP as a backup, but over the next few weeks I'll be mainly using Windows 7 to see how well it works on my mini tablet device.

Windows 7 Build 7048 on Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC

I decided to give Microsoft Windows 7 another try on my little Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC. This is the older model that is thinner but also slower. The 800 MHz processor just isn't fast enough to run Vista effectively. I have to admit that Build 7048 is much better on the Q1 Ultra. I had tested some earlier builds and they just didn't work well at all.

There is another Build of Windows 7: Build 7077. I haven't had the chance to get my hands on that version yet, but that will be my next project (maybe I'll get to it next weekend). In the meanwhile, I will play around with Build 7047 this week and write about my findings. I've been running XP on my Q1 Ultra, but this week I plan to use Windows 7. My excitement for Windows 7 has been renewed. I'm not being overly optimistic (yet), but I am hopeful that this OS may replace XP on my Q1 Ultra.

MobileHealthComputing.com

I secured a new URL today: http://www.mobilehealthcomputing.com/


I've been writing about UMPCs (ultra-mobile PCs), netbooks, MIDs, PDAs, Smartphones, iPhones, iPods, tablet PCs, and other mobile devices for a while now. I thought it was time to get a new URL for my old blog that focuses on these gadgets and mobile technology in healthcare. Welcome to the world of cloud computing.

Downgrading from Windows 7 to XP

Looks like Microsoft XP continues to live on. According to rumors, consumers will be able to downgrade from Windows 7 to XP. Maybe the netbook version of Windows 7 will really be XP with a new skin. I still use XP on most of my machines and I run Vista on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet PC. To be quite honest, my expectations for Windows 7 are not very high. I've been doing some beta testing and I haven't been impressed with the new OS. I hope to be pleasantly surprised, but I'm not getting my hopes up.

Are You Ready for Windows 7?

Have you tried Windows 7? I've been so unhappy with Vista that I've gone back to XP on most of my machines, including my mission critical PC. However, I'm quite intrigued by Windows 7. We will probably see a slim (or lite) version of Windows 7 for UMPCs and netbooks. I'm still running XP on my Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC and my OQO model 02. Will Windows 7 be the ideal operating system for power PCs and ultra-low-cost machines?

In the healthcare field, XP will probably continue to dominate for a few more years because of the way many EHR/EMR systems are configured. Plus, you're often using older peripherals like scanners, printers, bar code scanning devices, and other devices. Some ambulatory EHRs have an EKG attachment that hooks up via USB. My guess is that most of those older connections will only work on PCs running XP. So, I think that health IT will lag behind other industries and we'll be using XP for a long time.

Dell Adamo Laptop

So, what do you think about the Dell Adamo ultra-thin and light laptop? It looks really nice, but at $2k, it's hard to justify. Plus, a non-user replaceable battery? What's the purpose of an ultra-light mobile PC if you can't replace the battery when you run out of juice? That just doesn't make any sense to me and I think that the Apple MacBook Air has set a poor example.

I have had several Dell PCs and I even use one right now to run Mac OS X (x86 mod/hack running OS X 10.5.2). I also run Ubuntu and XP, so it's currently configured for triple-boot. I've been happy with Dell and I've recently purchased some from the Dell outlet for a small medical office practice. I think the Adamo has tremendous potential, but the lack of a removable battery is a deal breaker for me. I'l stick with my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 tablet and continue to use that until someone comes out with a battery that will last over 24 hrs.

Vista SP2 Release Candidate

Microsoft has released the Vista SP2 Release Candidate version for testers. Since this is the RC version, it's not the final version that will go out to the public, but it's very close. I've gone through the hassle of installing various RC service packs, but then you have to uninstall them before you install the final version. It can be quite time-consuming, but it may be worth your while if you're suffering from some of the common Vista plagues that are being patched by SP2. I think I'll wait for the final release.

Windows 7 Build 7048

There are more circulating rumors about Microsoft Windows 7 (in this case, it's about build 7048). Some don't seem to think that this is the Release Candidate version of Windows 7. It seems like Microsoft still has many things to fix before Windows 7 is ready for the world.

It's been refreshing to use XP on my main PC at work. I had Vista on it, but I was having so many issues that I finally decided to go to XP. I still have Vista on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet, but that's primarily because the tablet features are so much better on Vista. Almost all those nice tablet features will also be found on Windows 7. I use the on-screen touch pointer quite a bit when I'm tapping on the screen. Otherwise, I rely on the active Wacom digitizer found on my stylus pen.

So are you excited about Windows 7? I used to have more enthusiasm, but recently that's dwindled significantly. I'd like to see Microsoft continue support for XP since it will probably still be the dominant operating system on netbooks and UMPCs (well, it will be for people who want a sleek, refined, stable operating system that takes up minimal hard drive space).

Vista SP2

So when is Vista SP2 going to be available? Some are speculating that it may be within the next month or so. My gut tells me that SP2 will be the final service pack for Vista. All the focus will go towards Windows 7. In my opinion, Windows 7 should be called "Vista SP3." After all, if Windows 7 is going to be a minor upgrade that fixes many Vista problems and streamlines the operating system to be more efficient, then shouldn't that be considered a service pack?

I'm getting closer to a Mac each day. I'm sure all my friends who are devoted Mac users are just waiting for the day when I make that switch. Give me a tablet Mac!

Switch to XP from Vista

I've switched back to XP Pro on my desktop after using Vista for many months. For my "mission critical" PC, I really need something that is stable as a rock. The answer = XP.

I may try to install Windows 7 once it gets released (assuming that support and stability is excellent). However, I wonder if I'll have switched to Mac OS X by then.

Virtual Box gets updated

If you're using a Mac and you need to run Windows, then you may want to try Virtual Box by Sun Microsystems. Speaking of Sun, when I was a student at MIT, almost all of our Athena workstations had the "Sun Microsystems" logo on the hardware. Those were the days...

Going back to the Mac - instead of getting VMware or Parallels Desktop (which will cost around $79), Virtual Box is free. That's right, it's free. And it's recently been updated to version 2.1.4. You may have also heard of Open Office. That's a free alternative to the Microsoft Office suite. All these free options are legitimate and you won't have to go to a P2P, torrent, or warez site to find any of these.

Speaking of free, have you tried Ubuntu? This is a simple Linux operating system that runs really well on laptops, desktops, and UMPC tablets. The last time I installed Ubuntu on my Samsung Q1 Ultra, it recognized the touch screen and automatically installed all the drivers for my device. It's great to see dedicated workers supporting open source projects like Virtual Box, Open Office, and Ubuntu.

Cursed by Vista

I'm reinstalling Vista on my "mission critical" PC today. Fortunately, my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet has become a very reliable backup to my mission critical PC. Therefore, I'm mainly using my notebook for the next several days.

After reinstalling Visa and having some of the same problems, I've decided to install XP. I admit that there are days when I wonder why I'm even playing around with Vista. Will Windows 7 really be that much better? I don't want to get my hopes up.

All my friends are telling me to switch to a Mac. I've been running OS X on an old Dell laptop (OSx86) and I admit there are many features that I like. However, I'm entangled by Microsoft applications and unless I'm constanly running VMware, I wouldn't be able to survive. Am I kidding myself? As soon as the official MacTablet arrives, maybe I'll be one of those people to camp outside of the Apple store and get one (only to find that the price dropped by $300 after 2 months).

Blaming All My Problems on Vista

I'm starting to get more and more problems with my laptops that are running Vista. I'm at the point where I think I'll install XP and wait for Windows 7.

Vista was fine for a while, but then after some updates got loaded, I started having all sorts of problems with my display driver and my Wi-Fi connection. I've disabled all the eye candy, so I don't really need Vista unless I'm using something that has a touch screen. I like the on-screen mouse pointer and the handwriting recognition is far better on Vista. So, I'll probably end up keeping Vista on my tablet PC, but I think I may install XP on my dual-display workstation.

I got my wife a MacBook Pro. Maybe I need to get one too.

Intel Turbo Memory on the Thinkpad X200 Tablet

I have Intel Turbo Memory on my Lenovo Thinkpad X200 Tablet. I've been doing some reading about Turbo Memory and the tech experts seem to have varying views of the efficacy of this technology. Since it's there, I really don't pay any attention to it. However, I think I'm going to try disabling it just to see if I notice any difference in performance. Since I'm already running 64 bit Vista with 4 GB of RAM, I don't think that Turbo Memory is adding a whole lot.

First BSOD on Vista Business 64 bit

I experienced my first blue screen of death (BSOD) on my Thinkpad X200 tablet running Microsoft Windows Vista Business 64 bit. Everything seems OK now, but all my applications froze and were unresponsive before I got the BSOD. This is my first experience running the 64 bit version of Vista, so I guess we'll have to see how things go. I anticipate that once Windows 7 gets released, I'll be installing that and getting rid of Vista.

Instant-On OS

If you had a UMPC or netbook, would you use a basic instant on operating system? The new Sony Vaio P has this feature as the first "pocketbook" netbook. It probably won't fit in most pockets, but it will slide nicely into a clutch purse.

Most instant-on operating systems run a simple version of Linux. You'll have your e-mail, your web browser, your contacts, and a few other basic things. The HTC Shift was one of the first netbooks to have an instant-on interface called SnapVUE. I'm not sure how many people really found it helpful since you may eventually need complete access to all your applications. By then, you've booted into Windows XP or Vista.