Overview of Windows 7

Advantages Disadvantages

Performance – Significant performance improvements

have been made in how your computer starts up and

shuts down. Search, indexing and doing basic operations

are faster also. (Performance improvements compared to

like system with Windows Vista)

Windows 7 use of Libraries. When browsing for

documents, pictures or music, the folder will show

multiple places where items may be. This may confuse

people when saving items.

Improved power management will help battery life in

laptops.

A lot of new features will be tied to Windows Server

2008 R2. Right now ERAU runs a combination of

Server 2000, 2003 and 2008.

IE8 Compatibility Mode – IE8 will view websites as IE

7 at the click of a button.

Older software compatibility. (XP Mode is available but

does not come standard and increases the system

requirements to be able to run it.)

Minimum requirements

* 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor

* 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)

* 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)

* DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

* Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15
GB of available

hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with
Intel VT or

AMD-V turned on

* A Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor is available from Microsoft’s website
(click here).