Windows 7 Clean Install questions

[ChaplainDave]

My home built computer has had Win XP Pro on it since the beginning. Here is what I have in the comp...

-Lian Li PC61B case
-Corsair HX520W power supply
-Asus P5K-E WiFi-AP edition
-Intel Core 2 Duo E6750 processor
*I have an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 proc that I just acquired...thinking about replacing
the E6750 with this...and yes, I know I would be going from a 1333 FSB to a
1066FSB ... any other downsides to this decision?
-Arctic Cooler Freezer 7 Pro
-Mushkin 4GB (2 x 2GB) DDR2 800 memory
-XFX GeForce 8600GTS - 256MB DDR3 video card
*I have a VisionTex HD4870 - 512MB DDR5 video card paired with an Arctic Cooler
Accelero Twin VGA cooler ready to go into the system
-2 Western Digital Caviar Black 640GB drives with 32MB cache - brand new and
unused...plan to partition one of the drives and install Windows 7 Professional on it
-2 Toshiba/Samsung SH-S203 DVD writers
-Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Xtreme Music sound card
-Klipsch Pro Media speakers

I have a couple of questions in regard to a Windows 7 Professional (non-upgrade, full version) installation.

(1) Windows 7 upgrade advisor tells me that my GeForce 8600GTS is not powerful enough to run Aero on Win 7...will the new VisionTek HD4870 be sufficient?
(2) I have the Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 processor. Will this be sufficient for the time being until I can afford to build an i7 machine sometime in the as yet undetermined future? Or should I try to come up with something like an Intel Core 2 Quad 9550 proc? Not sure I want to spend the money on the 9550 when I could put the money toward a modest i7 rig. I am not a gamer, but am a digital photographer and do a fair amount of picture manipulation as well as watch video on my computer.
(3) Will the Corsair 520 watt p/s be big enough wtih the above configuration or am I going to need something between a 750 and an 850 watt p/s?
(4) Will the Arctic Cooler Freezer 7 Pro be adequate for the Q6600 (or Q9550 should I decide to go that route)?
(5) What about my sound set up...any suggestions about the Creative sound card or the Klipsch speakers?

Thanks ahead of time for anyone who answers these questions. I do like to dabble with my computer and really do want to move up to Win 7 as soon as possible. I am waiting for my copy of Win 7 to get here...otherwise I have all the parts to begin the re-configuration. Any advice???

 

[Gunslinger08]

My 4 year old laptop with ATI 200M graphics can run Aero. I doubt you'll have a problem with the 8600GTS.

 

[ChaplainDave]

Thanks Josh...but actually the Windows 7 advisor said it would not work. Only going on what the advisor said...but then again, Microsoft has been wrong in the past. ;>)

 

[VirtualLarry]

I don't see why the 8600GTS wouldn't run Aero. After some tweaking, my GeForce 6200 AGP will run Aero on Win7.

 

[M0RPH]

The advisor is full of crap. I have a 8600GT and never had any problem with Aero on either Vista or Win7.

 

[ChaplainDave]

Any thoughts on any of the other questions in my original post???

 

[SparkyJJO]

1) The advisor is full of crap. The 8600 would be fine, and the 4870 would be way more than enough.
2) Q6600 is a good CPU. Sure an i7 is faster but that also will run you a few hundred more for new CPU board and ram. Overclocking the Q6600 is pretty easy for a basic overclock, if you're not trying to squeeze every last mhz out of it.
3) The Corsair 520 will be fine.
4)The Freezer 7 pro will cool the Q6600 fine (its much better than the stock heatsink) but will limit your overclocking headroom. If you don't push the clocks too much though you'll be ok.
5) Use them.

 

[ChaplainDave]

Great advice Sparky...thanks.

Any others want to weigh in?

Looks like I have my work cut out for me.

On another forum, one of the members recommended I use the 64 bit Win 7 Pro. Any suggestions on this? My concern is that I might have difficulty running some of my programs. Can anyone shed some light? Thanks

 

[Thor86]

Your board should be able to OC to 1333fsb speeds, giving you a boost to 3GHz if your cpu can handle it. Most Q6600s can.

 

[vshah]

Great advice Sparky...thanks.

Any others want to weigh in?

Looks like I have my work cut out for me.

On another forum, one of the members recommended I use the 64 bit Win 7 Pro. Any suggestions on this? My concern is that I might have difficulty running some of my programs. Can anyone shed some light? Thanks

i've been running 64 bit vista for 2 years and haven't had a single issue with programs not running. I think as long as you're not running some really old obscure programs, everything should work fine.

 

[Noid]

My copy of W7 Retail arrives today. I'm currently running W2K SP4. I've completed a complete backup of all partitions to images on a FAT32 drive using ghost.

I'm going to do a clean install on C partition. (Over the w2k)

Will the REMAINING partitions be recognized, and the stand alone applications still run?
( The partitions are created on 32 bit OS system, But I'm going 64 bit now )

Also, will an outdated version of ZoneAlarm install?

I guess I will know soon enough, But I would like to be prepared.

Is my old Ghost imaging going to work after the install?

 

[Noid]

My install went smoothly. The audio drivers didn't install, but they were available as an 'optional' windows update item.

My Partitions are Ok. Although, It will be some time to get used to how file names appear in folders...

Anyone know how to show the actual 'file name extensions' ?

Even my Unreal 1 game works without re-installing it.

However, Ghost no longer works. It no longer recognizes the 'new' NTFS format.

But, I see that W7 offers a 'image' backup to NTFS. That is great. I will no longer need a FAT32 drive partition.

I just have 2 questions now.

Has anyone used the image backup yet? It works Ok?

And is the 'Windows Firewall' an acceptable firewall? Do I need ZoneAlarm ?

 

[ViRGE]

Anyone know how to show the actual 'file name extensions' ?

Explorer-> Hold down the ALT key -> Tools -> Folder Options -> View -> Uncheck "Hide extensions for know file types"[/quote]

And is the 'Windows Firewall' an acceptable firewall? Do I need ZoneAlarm ?

It's perfectly fine for inbound protection. If you're absolutely paranoid and want to watch every single thing going outbound, you can tweak it to block outbounds too, but the UI isn't really designed for it.

 

[Noid]

Thx for reply. I tried to install my outdated ZA, but it wont install on new W7.
(not supported)

ZA could be quikly configured to 'block mme' instructions (block overlay popup ads and windows). But, I don't see this in W7 firewall. Can anyone advise me of the new ZA (or other firewall product) that has this feature?

And, yes I found the options for file folders.

But, now I would like to show all folders in file 'detail' mode ...
(apply folder settings to all folders in detail mode)
... but cant find this option now. (Like W2K offered)

Also, My monitor still goes to sleep, even after setting options to "never' - sleep, or power save, or hibernate. Anyone else have this problem?

I also noticed the I can't make a backup image of a single partition. All image backups must include the C drive. And, it seems there is little file compression. The image created takes almost as much space as the original partition.

Anyone know if the new version of Ghost (or other image maker) can work on W7 NTFS?
Is there a free one?

TIA for any feedback.

 

[ChaplainDave]

OK...so I worked for about four hours trying to get the ATI card to fit...but it installs right over the SATA connections on my Asus P5K-E mobo. Also, my hard drive cage is directly behind the vid card and the power connector and SATA connector stick out far enough where installation of the vid card is pretty much impossible.

I know you can get right angle SATA cables...and that is what I will most likely do for the SATA cables going to hard drives and DVD drives. Does anyone know if they make a right angle connector that will go between my power cable from the P/S and the back of the hard drive? (and where it can be purchased?) Thanks guys...bear with me as I try to get this vid card into the computer.... I still have not swapped out the Core Duo E6750 with the Quad Core Q6600. One thing at a time though, right?

 

[ChaplainDave]

I went out on Black Friday and purchased a Gigabyte GA-EP45-UD3P mobo...so the rebuild is started. Now I have this motherboard, the Q6600, the ATI 4870 graphics card (still had to manipulate around the hard drive cage...one of my WD 640s at the top of the cage and one of them much lower in the cage...the 4870 fits, with a little persuasion...but it fits and is up and running). I have plenty of room for the SATA connectors because they are positoned well right of the graphics card. I also installed 64 bit Win 7 and am slowly reinstalling software...but also purchasing upgraded software so as to run efficiently on Win 7.

Next step...after software upgrades...is to upgrade my monitor. I have a Dell UltraSharp 2005 model. Not sure what I will replace it with, but was thinking of a 23 or 24 inch model. Any suggestions? As long as I am upgrading my LGA 775 board, I want it to last for a while...and when i7 prices come way down I will think about moving up to that. Heck, by the time I am ready to upgrade again we may be in the post i7 era.