Windows 7 build 7000 (Beta 1) QnA!

[0sit0]

So cards like mine don't support WDDM 1.1?

[kiwi89]

Completely agree. I haven't used 7000 yet, but I really hope they remove that, or provide an option to remove it, in the final build. You can make it instant with a click, but adding an extra click to the mix makes the process of switching apps require more work than with the old taskbar IMO.

P L E A S E remove that delay!

I reckon there would be some reg entry that we can edit to make no delay there. I might have to have a look when I get home tomorrow.

[Examinus]

My installation of windows seven x86 is seeing my 4Gb of RAM.

It can't use it all though.

[Buzz99]

You must be right, taskmanager performance tab only list 3326 RAM...

[Brandon Live Veteran]

ok so I just tried to add a new folder to the pictures library. the folder is on the network but when I try and add it I get the error "This folder cannot be included because it is on a share that is not indexed".

but when I click "How can this folder be indexed?" it takes me to the libraries help and the only relevant thing I can find is

" Can I include a folder that isn't always available on my computer?

You can include folders from locations that aren't always accessible by your computer (such as removable drives or networks), but you won't be able to access the contents of those folders unless the drive or network is connected.

Although network folders can be included in libraries, searches will likely be slow because the contents of those folders can't be indexed."

so the help entry specifically states that network folders won't be indexed but then it tells me I can't add it because it's not indexed bah!!! it doesn't make any sense.

The help text hasn't yet been finished. At this point, libraries only support indexed locations. There are ways around this (if you add it via WMP it will get added to your library, but it will severely degrade the Explorer libaries experience).

If the network share is on a Windows PC, you can install Windows Search 4 on it and index the share on the server side. Then your Win7 machine will be able to remotely query that index to provide the full rich libraries experience.

Another option that works for any network share is to use the Offline Files feature, which creates a local cache of the files that will always be indexed.

[wessleym]

EDIT: What is included in Win7 is probably beta 2. The latest partner build is 8.0.6001.18344, which is a pre-RC1.

Yeah, it seems like Beta 2. Someone post something if you know where else to look besides Help > About and the navigator.userAgent string. I couldn't turn up anything in the Registry or by the Properties information of iexplore.exe.

[Examinus]

The help text hasn't yet been finished. At this point, libraries only support indexed locations. There are ways around this (if you add it via WMP it will get added to your library, but it will severely degrade the Explorer libaries experience).

If the network share is on a Windows PC, you can install Windows Search 4 on it and index the share on the server side. Then your Win7 machine will be able to remotely query that index to provide the full rich libraries experience.

Another option that works for any network share is to use the Offline Files feature, which creates a local cache of the files that will always be indexed.

Is that going to change? I'm looking into buying an external network drive and would like to use libraries to access it.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

You must be right, taskmanager performance tab only list 3326 RAM...

Yes, that's because a 32-bit system doesn't have enough physical address space to be able to address all of your RAM. It had 4GB worth of addresses, but a bunch of those (in your case roughly 700MB) are being used elsewhere, such as for your video card and other devices.

Yeah, it seems like Beta 2. Someone post something if you know where else to look besides Help > About and the navigator.userAgent string. I couldn't turn up anything in the Registry or by the Properties information of iexplore.exe.

It is the Win7 Beta version of IE 8. I believe it's fair to consider a snapshot in-between IE 8's Beta 2 and RC.

Is that going to change? I'm looking into buying an external network drive and would like to use libraries to access it.

It's not planned to change at this time but we know it's a common concern. If you'd like to create one of those Win7 Taskforce pages for it (if there isn't one already) and give me the link, that may help track how many people want to use such functionality (basically, being able to index network shares).

At this point my recommendation would be to get a USB, Firewire, or eSATA drive.

In my case, I use a Windows Home Server PC that has its content indexed with WS4.

[wessleym]

It is the Win7 Beta version of IE 8. I believe it's fair to consider a snapshot in-between IE 8's Beta 2 and RC.

By RC, do you mean the Partner Build?

[Examinus]

It's not planned to change at this time but we know it's a common concern. At this point my recommendation would be to get a USB, Firewire, or eSATA drive.

In my case, I use a Windows Home Server PC that has its content indexed with WS4.

That's a shame. I planned to just connect it to my router so my Xbox can access it too (because wireless video streaming is crap), so something connected to my computer wouldn't really work. :(

Hopefully it's the kind of thing that would be released in a service pack or even an update for Windows Search.

[Brandon Live Veteran]

By RC, do you mean the Partner Build?

I have no idea what the partner build represents. By RC I meant "whatever comes after beta 2."

That's a shame. I planned to just connect it to my router so my Xbox can access it too (because wireless video streaming is crap), so something connected to my computer wouldn't really work. :(

Oh and your PC is connected wirelessly?

[mad_onion]

The help text hasn't yet been finished. At this point, libraries only support indexed locations. There are ways around this (if you add it via WMP it will get added to your library, but it will severely degrade the Explorer libaries experience).

If the network share is on a Windows PC, you can install Windows Search 4 on it and index the share on the server side. Then your Win7 machine will be able to remotely query that index to provide the full rich libraries experience.

Another option that works for any network share is to use the Offline Files feature, which creates a local cache of the files that will always be indexed.

ah ok, right that makes sense.

how would I add an offline files folder to my library? it doesn't seem to be in the interface?

[Brandon Live Veteran]

Navigate to the share, and choose "Make available offline." Then you should be able to add the share to the library.

[Examinus]

I have no idea what the partner build represents. By RC I meant "whatever comes after beta 2."

Oh and your PC is connected wirelessly?

Yeah, I'm using a laptop, so the Xbox is connected with Ethernet, and all the other computers are wireless. But even if they were wired the Xbox would have to be wireless, so it's hard to overcome the problem without a NAS.

[dcoaster]

You all were talking about the taskbar delay and possibly finding a reg edit to fix it. Any ideas where a reg entry such as that may be stored? HKLM? HKCU?

[Inctye]

Is that going to change? I'm looking into buying an external network drive and would like to use libraries to access it.

Wouldn't it be possible to simply browse for the external network drive after connecting to it and then add the location to the Libraries? I was able to index another partition on your computer or other external drives through this option without any hassle.

[danisflying527]

Lol I didn't even know fully about libraries until I saw ur posts

I thought they were just random folders that MS put there

[micro]

This is one for Brandon,

One thing i really liked about vista and even more now in windows 7 is the search box. That being said i would really like it if the search box had more of the functionality like the run command or a terminal. It would be great if windows indexed or stored the executable name of the programs that you installed so that you can just type the executable name and hit enter to run it.

For example of when this would be useful: I have mIRC installed and i chose to not include the shortcuts and quicklaunch etc, so its just located in Program files. If i try to type mirc in the search box it doesn't find it and thats because i chose to not include any of the links/shortcuts. It would be nice if windows was able to use the search box as a "terminal" or run command to execute programs.

So in conclusion: It would be nice that instead of windows executing programs via the search box because it finds them, it executes them because im giving it a command to run the program.

if that makes any sense?

[Andrmgic]

Anyone else had a home group issue where windows thinks you're not on a home network even though you are and won't let other computers join the home group that you started before when it was working or leave and create a new one?

I created a backup image of my machine a few days ago when this was working and i just reverted to it and it is still broken. I've also tried changing network locations to work and then back to home, but I still can't connect to or create a home group if I leave the one I was in already.

Here's a screenshot of what happens -

http://img187.imageshack.us/my.php?image=hgproblemvc9.jpg

I didn't want to embed it because it was large

Edited December 30, 2008 by Andrmgic

[Ambroos]

This is one for Brandon,

One thing i really liked about vista and even more now in windows 7 is the search box. That being said i would really like it if the search box had more of the functionality like the run command or a terminal. It would be great if windows indexed or stored the executable name of the programs that you installed so that you can just type the executable name and hit enter to run it.

For example of when this would be useful: I have mIRC installed and i chose to not include the shortcuts and quicklaunch etc, so its just located in Program files. If i try to type mirc in the search box it doesn't find it and thats because i chose to not include any of the links/shortcuts. It would be nice if windows was able to use the search box as a "terminal" or run command to execute programs.

So in conclusion: It would be nice that instead of windows executing programs via the search box because it finds them, it executes them because im giving it a command to run the program.

if that makes any sense?

... my Vista already does that... I hit startbutton, type Skype, hit enter, and I get skype. Easy?

[micro]

... my Vista already does that... I hit startbutton, type Skype, hit enter, and I get skype. Easy?

Thats because its the first result of a Search, if windows doesnt show that program as being the number one result then when you hit enter it wont launch your program..

Not every time will it bring up that program.

I cant run mIRC by doing that because its not indexed, the point is: the current system is based off of searching for it, not really the same as the RUN command.

for whatever reason in vista when i would type Nero the first result was a PDF file for nero and then the second was some other odd file then Nero burning rom.

[Eric Veteran]

You can avoid IE8 bugs by switching to Chrome, which I've been running for 2 weeks on 6956 without any extra bugs.

I switched to Chrome in 6956 and haven't had another crash for 2 weeks.

If you're testing Windows 7 it would make more sense to report the IE8 bugs instead of just using a different browser.

Thats because its the first result of a Search, if windows doesnt show that program as being the number one result then when you hit enter it wont launch your program..

Not every time will it bring up that program.

I cant run mIRC by doing that because its not indexed, the point is: the current system is based off of searching for it, not really the same as the RUN command.

for whatever reason in vista when i would type Nero the first result was a PDF file for nero and then the second was some other odd file then Nero burning rom.

Applications shouldn't need to be indexed. mIRC comes up on the Start search fine for me. Also, if the app you want isn't first on the list just hit DOWN/UP to select what you want and hit Enter.

[micro]

Well see here is the deal about MIRC, when i was installing it i chose to not include desktop shortcuts and quick launch. SO mirc folder is not in the start menu, its in Program files > mirc but windows doesnt see it at all because of that.

This is because once again windows relies on a SEARCH and its index to be able to run that program. Not the same as the run command.

Edited December 31, 2008 by micro

[Brandon Live Veteran]

I cant run mIRC by doing that because its not indexed, the point is: the current system is based off of searching for it, not really the same as the RUN command.

Actually it already does the same thing as the Run box. That is, if the executable is found in a directory specifed in the PATH environment variable, it will execute it without you giving the full path. That's why you can type "regedit" into the start menu search box and have it work, because regedit.exe lives in c:\windows which is included in the PATH variable by default.

If you search for "environment" in the start menu, the first result should be the ask to edit the environment variable definitions for the current user. If you add the directory that contains mIRC to that list, it will work. Or you can put a shortcut to mIRC into a directory that is already part of the PATH. On my system I keep a "bin" directory in my PATH where I put shortcuts to things I'd like to run. Or on Vista you can use Start++ (see my sig) to customize start menu actions, although I haven't updated it to work on Win7 yet.

The run box does the exact same thing.

This is because once again windows relies on a SEARCH and its index to be able to run that program. Not the same as the run command.

No, it does not.

[micro]

good to hear, do you know if the search box will ever get functionality of a command window / terminal minus admin rights etc?