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What is Windows 7 starter?
- Thread starter krag
- Start date
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2007
I was actually curious so I looked it up...
So maybe just lacking the Media Center? Sounds like it's good enough for a netbook... or even most systems. I know the only things I do on my netbook are web, email, IM and skype. I have 7 Ultimate on my desktop though and love it for the media center.
So maybe just lacking the Media Center? Sounds like it's good enough for a netbook... or even most systems. I know the only things I do on my netbook are web, email, IM and skype. I have 7 Ultimate on my desktop though and love it for the media center.
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2004
Windows 7 starter edition is the version of windows that includes the fewest features and is mostly aimed at the low cost netbook range of computers. Other versions of Windows 7 are HOME, PROFESSIONAL and ULTIMATE. Each version has more features than the last. Home has more multimedia feature, Pro has abilities to go on a corporate level network and Ultimate has encryption features.
some of the important features it excludes are personalization options, you can not change background wallpaper or themes; Aero glass interface, you can not use this neat feature which makes your desktop look better; media center, this feature allows you to better watch movies, internet tv music, ect. Windows XP mode, this allows you greater compatibility with older windows XP programs; The .Net framework, this is an important feature that allows your computer to run programs that are embedded in web sites; 64 bit CPU's; backing up to a network; disk encryption and several other features.
You can read a Wikipedia article about it here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions
You can upgrade to a better OS by clicking START>ALL PROGRAMS>WINDOWS ANYTIME UPGRADE you can then choose which version you want and get a new license key which will unlock the features of the more advanced versions.
The HOME version is worth looking at but I would avoid the PRO and ULTIMATE editions, your netbook is unlikely to need or be able to get much out of the features they provide. Also you can get many of these features as seperate programs, they usually work better than the ones embedded with Win 7.
And here is some off topic advice for most Netbooks. They are usually low on memory, and windows 7 needs lots of memory, find out what the max allowable is and install it, your netbook will be noticeably faster and it's speed will decrease less as Updates are installed. You should back up the hard drive, most netbooks do not come with recovery disks and if you do need to do a Restore you will have to pay money for them, the best way to backup a netbook is to use a portable hard drive and an imaging program such as Acronis True Image. Protect your keycode, on the bottom of your netbook there is a sticker with your key code on it, place clear sticky tape (the stuff from the POst Office works great) over it to prevent the code from being worn away over time. Lastly if you do buy a Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade you will need to keep the keycode in a safe place.
some of the important features it excludes are personalization options, you can not change background wallpaper or themes; Aero glass interface, you can not use this neat feature which makes your desktop look better; media center, this feature allows you to better watch movies, internet tv music, ect. Windows XP mode, this allows you greater compatibility with older windows XP programs; The .Net framework, this is an important feature that allows your computer to run programs that are embedded in web sites; 64 bit CPU's; backing up to a network; disk encryption and several other features.
You can read a Wikipedia article about it here
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_editions
You can upgrade to a better OS by clicking START>ALL PROGRAMS>WINDOWS ANYTIME UPGRADE you can then choose which version you want and get a new license key which will unlock the features of the more advanced versions.
The HOME version is worth looking at but I would avoid the PRO and ULTIMATE editions, your netbook is unlikely to need or be able to get much out of the features they provide. Also you can get many of these features as seperate programs, they usually work better than the ones embedded with Win 7.
And here is some off topic advice for most Netbooks. They are usually low on memory, and windows 7 needs lots of memory, find out what the max allowable is and install it, your netbook will be noticeably faster and it's speed will decrease less as Updates are installed. You should back up the hard drive, most netbooks do not come with recovery disks and if you do need to do a Restore you will have to pay money for them, the best way to backup a netbook is to use a portable hard drive and an imaging program such as Acronis True Image. Protect your keycode, on the bottom of your netbook there is a sticker with your key code on it, place clear sticky tape (the stuff from the POst Office works great) over it to prevent the code from being worn away over time. Lastly if you do buy a Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade you will need to keep the keycode in a safe place.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Nov 15, 2005
- Location
- Camarillo, CA!
Hi ben!
Where did the multi qoute buttons go?
Anyways, thanks wathnix for your post.I will be needing some type of media center software pretty soon. I wonder if there are any good free ones?
MEDIA PORTAL!!!!!
its so much better than mediacenter.
As to the OP... windows 7 starter is much like vista basic.... stripped down and not very pretty... i personally dont know why they dont run full win 7 installs on netbooks... my dell mini 9 runs win 7 pro (stripped out some non needed components) but it has all the pretty stuff like areo and whatnot still enabled and its smooth as can be.
- Joined
- Feb 18, 2007
Yeah, long time krag.
I still see multi quote with the buttons I made... right next to quote (This -->
)
Personally I like having media center. It's built into windows media player, or vice versa, and I've used media player for a long time to manage my music. There are definitely free ones out there though, especially if you go over to linux. I wonder what a Home Premium upgrade would cost you.
I still see multi quote with the buttons I made... right next to quote (This -->
Personally I like having media center. It's built into windows media player, or vice versa, and I've used media player for a long time to manage my music. There are definitely free ones out there though, especially if you go over to linux. I wonder what a Home Premium upgrade would cost you.
- Joined
- Sep 27, 2003
There are a ton of things missing with Win 7 starter. As others said, it's the MOST BASIC version of Windows 7.
Go here
You can browse through there to get some other answers too I'm sure. You can click on the "starter" tab for Windows 7 Starter Edition info.
What really stinks is that the max RAM for it is 2GB from what I recall...
Go here
You can browse through there to get some other answers too I'm sure.
You can click on the "starter" tab for Windows 7 Starter Edition info.What really stinks is that the max RAM for it is 2GB from what I recall...
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2004
Anyways, thanks wathnix for your post.
Just be aware that all versions of Windows are severely lacking in Codecs. You will not be able to play many of these such as .MKV or Divx files in windows or in Media Center until you get them. I use the Sharky 007 codec pack.
here is the link
http://shark007.net/
thoroughly read installation instructions, especially if you use 64bit Windows.
Also, Godman said "What really stinks is that the max RAM for it is 2GB from what I recall..." I've never seen anything about this, however Starter is limited to 32bit processors which limits you to 3.7GB RAM, however your netbook is unlikely to be able to install that much RAM anyways. If you read through your manual you will most likely find you are hardware limited to 2GB RAM
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2001
He cant run Mediaportal. Win 7 starter does not allow .Net framework
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2006
- Location
- Costa Rica
Windows 7 annoyed me enough for me to reformat and go with XP. Mostly because I had to download a separate program just to change the wallpaper.
- Joined
- Sep 6, 2003
What was wrong with the default tool to change the background?
- Joined
- Aug 17, 2006
- Location
- Costa Rica
In Windows 7 "Starter" the personalize menu is non existent.
I love Windows 7... maybe you didn't give it enough time?
Haha, I really do love it. I use Ultimate x64 on my main computers. But, really I don't think my netbook would enjoy running a copy of Win7 Ultimate on the N280.
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- Joined
- May 30, 2004
Windows 7 Starter Edition is a pathetically crippled Windows.
Microsoft should have been shot for selling that in the US!
- Joined
- Feb 8, 2004
Windows 7 Starter Edition is a pathetically crippled Windows.
Microsoft should have been shot for selling that in the US!
nah, netbooks are designed to be just good enough to surf the net when you are away from your 'real' computer. So it makes a lot of sense to sell starter. You can only expect so much from a $300 machine
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