Should I install Windows 7 Public Beta?

[arthursiew]

I am thinking about installing the public beta on Windows 7 until the Beta ends. I was planning to use Windows 7 to play some Windows game on it and deciding whether I should boot camp Windows 7 when it officially comes out. I was also wondering whether it would affect the computer. Can I install Windows 7 on my external, or do I have to install it on my internal? What happens to my external when I use Windows 7 (it's formatted for Mac)? Is it worth downloading the beta and using it? Will it affect the speed of my 2.0GHz Al MacBook? Thanks!

 

[okrelayer]

I hope to install it within vmware to give it a shot. seems pretty neat. we have a old toshiba laptop around the house, i will probably install it on that to.

I never installed a downloaded os before, i am not sure how to do that...

 

[Andrmgic]

I am thinking about installing the public beta on Windows 7 until the Beta ends. I was planning to use Windows 7 to play some Windows game on it and deciding whether I should boot camp Windows 7 when it officially comes out. I was also wondering whether it would affect the computer. Can I install Windows 7 on my external, or do I have to install it on my internal? What happens to my external when I use Windows 7 (it's formatted for Mac)? Is it worth downloading the beta and using it? Will it affect the speed of my 2.0GHz Al MacBook? Thanks!

Bootcamp assistant will re-size your OS X partition for you to make room for a windows partition.. then you just follow the instructions, insert the disc you burned the win7 ISO to when prompted and select your boot camp partition as the install destination for windows in the setup. (You'll have to go into drive options and format the bootcamp partition, since win 7 won't install on a FAT32 partition that bootcamp will create)

After it finishes setup, it will boot into windows and you can put in your OS X disc and install the bootcamp drivers.

 

[SolRayz]

^I can confirm that Windows 7 beta build 7000 works well on my Blackbook and MBP SR . I did an upgrade from Vista on one and a fresh install on the other with no issues. You may need to dl the latest Realtek Audio drivers though.

Also updated my VMware bootcamp virtual config with no issues.

 

[iTim314]

I'm about to do the same on my SR MBP, but I have a minor convenience question: I have Halo 2 installed on Windows Vista Ultimate, currently. Will I be able to install and run Halo 2 on the Windows 7 end?

I'm not that concerned about OS compatibility, I'm more concerned about the product key being valid. Yes, the key IS valid, but I can only use it once. So ultimately my question is, does the MS Product Key system look at the computer itself or the OS to determine if the key is being used multiple times?

 

[frumpy16]

I'm about to do the same on my SR MBP, but I have a minor convenience question: I have Halo 2 installed on Windows Vista Ultimate, currently. Will I be able to install and run Halo 2 on the Windows 7 end?

I'm not that concerned about OS compatibility, I'm more concerned about the product key being valid. Yes, the key IS valid, but I can only use it once. So ultimately my question is, does the MS Product Key system look at the computer itself or the OS to determine if the key is being used multiple times?

It likely creates a "signature" by looking at both the computer and product key. So, they know if you install it on multiple systems. That said, other Windows software is "licensed" for one system but the activation process allows multiple installations. You have the right to reinstall (spring cleaning, system crash, etc) and/or delete the OS from one machine and install it on another. So, the activation process is flexible AT LEAST IN NON-BETA SOFTWARE. With this one, YMMV.

 

[dalvin200]

i have the beta dvd from a colleague who dl'd it via MSDN..
should be installing this weekend via vmware on my alu macbook to see what all the fuss is about