Main Area and Open Discussion > General Software Discussion

Questions re Windows 7 Starter on a Netbook

(1/5) > >>

cyberdiva:
I've been eager to get a netbook for some time now, but I wanted to wait until Windows 7 became available.  Now that it is, I find myself uncertain what I'm getting or giving up with Windows 7 on a netbook. I'm hoping some of you have had some experience with Windows 7 on a netbook  and can help.

Almost all the netbooks seem to come with Windows 7 Starter, including the Toshiba NB205, the one I'm most interested in.  I'm most interested in using a netbook for the following, especially when I'm traveling:

1) reading and sending email (I use Mulberry as my main email client, and Gmail for some personal email)
2) going to web sites (like Donation Coder :-) )
3) playing large video files, some downloaded from the web and others converted from DVDs I own.  I currently play most of these files with KMPlayer 2.9.4.1435.  I'd definitely want to be able to continue to play these files--e.g., when I have a long plane ride.  What I've read about Starter is very unclear concerning its capability to play video files.  I don't care at all that it doesn't have Windows Media Center, but I do want to be sure that I can put a player such as KMPlayer on it and play the videos smoothly.
4) playing CDs and DVDs with an added piece of hardware such as Samsung Super-Writer Master.  I don't plan to take this with me on trips, just use it for adding software or watching DVDs when I'm at home but not at my desktop.

I'm planning to increase the RAM from 1GB to 2GB.  I don't care about Aero, nor even about not being able to change the wallpaper, etc., though I do want to be able to put shortcuts on the desktop and arrange them as I want them.  Will Starter meet my needs, or will I find that I've bought an expensive paperweight?  Also, I've heard conflicting things about whether the Intel 1.66GHz Atom Processor (N280) can support the more full-featured versions of Windows 7 such as Enterprise.  I'm pretty sure it can't support XP compatibility mode, since that's very resource intensive, but can it run, say, Enterprise, on a netbook so that I have access to a few other features? (I can get Enterprise through my university at a reasonable price, but not other full versions such as Home Premium.)

So...should I go ahead and buy a netbook with Starter and see how it works out, or are there too many pitfalls?  Thanks very much for your help.

Josh:
Almost all the netbooks seem to come with Windows 7 Starter, including the Toshiba NB205, the one I'm most interested in.  I'm most interested in using a netbook for the following, especially when I'm traveling:
-cyberdiva (December 13, 2009, 10:36 AM)
--- End quote ---

I am the owner of a Toshiba NB205-N210 so I can provide you insight into my experiences with Windows 7 on my netbook. I am currently running Windows 7 Pro with aero enabled. I have 2GB of ram and have a fairly snappy system.

1) reading and sending email (I use Mulberry as my main email client, and Gmail for some personal email)

--- End quote ---

You should not have very many issues in this department. Most software I have found works flawlessly on W7.

3) playing large video files, some downloaded from the web and others converted from DVDs I own.  I currently play most of these files with KMPlayer 2.9.4.1435.  I'd definitely want to be able to continue to play these files--e.g., when I have a long plane ride.  What I've read about Starter is very unclear concerning its capability to play video files.  I don't care at all that it doesn't have Windows Media Center, but I do want to be sure that I can put a player such as KMPlayer on it and play the videos smoothly.

--- End quote ---

This is a touchy area as most netbooks are fairly low in power. I can play various files but when you get into HD (mkv/h264/x264) files, you will notice significant lag. Flash video lags on my netbook as well (suprise suprise). KMPlayer will throw W7 into basic mode because of the way it handles video although VLC plays video back fine in aero mode.

4) playing CDs and DVDs with an added piece of hardware such as Samsung Super-Writer Master.  I don't plan to take this with me on trips, just use it for adding software or watching DVDs when I'm at home but not at my desktop.

--- End quote ---

I have not ventured into playing DVDS on my device but I will test it and let you know.

As far as which version of W7 you can run, I would say all of them. I am running Win7 comfortably on my system and it works very well. Enterprise should work without a hitch as it really adds business level functions such as domain join and a few other features. Overall, I feel you will be better suited with any edition OTHER than starter. Starter, from what I have read, limits the number of taskbar based applications you can run and eliminates certain key features which you will probably enjoy in home premium, pro and enterprise editions. I would go with home premium at a minimum.

Hope this helps :)

cyberdiva:
Josh, thanks VERY much for your very prompt and helpful response!  You addressed the things I was most worried about, and I now feel much more optimistic about buying the NB-205 with Starter and then, probably, upgrading to Enterprise.  I guess I'll put both KMPlayer (my current favorite) and VLC (which had been my favorite before I found KMPlayer) on the netbook.  I might add that I don't plan to watch HD video (at least, I haven't done so up 'til now), so the lag problem may not be an issue for me.

Again, MANY THANKS!!

JavaJones:
This is very good stuff to know. It's a big disappointment that MS decided to hobble their main netbook OS so much.

Incidentally Josh, the reason KMPlayer might be dropping you out of Aero is the display/rendering method, not necessarily something fundamental to the app. You can adjust the rendering mode in the preferences...

- Oshyan

Josh:
If that is the case then it should not be the default rendering method as I do not touch any of those settings.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page