Which version of Windows 7 RC is best for me?

[definitive]

After about an hour of trying to fix my Vista 32bit installation (it wouldn't boot up), I decided to forget about it, and delete the Bootcamp partition. So now I'm interested in Windows 7 RC. I have an early 2009 iMac with 4gigs of RAM. Is it better to install the 64bit? I won't be doing much on the OS other than some casual gaming (Battlefield Heroes, and Street Fighter 4 when it comes out).

 

[rgarjr]

64 bits if you wanna use all your RAM that u currently have installed on your Mac. Otherwise, 32 bits wont see it all.

How are you suppose to play SF4 by the way? With a controller or keyboard?

 

[chrmjenkins]

After about an hour of trying to fix my Vista 32bit installation (it wouldn't boot up), I decided to forget about it, and delete the Bootcamp partition. So now I'm interested in Windows 7 RC. I have an early 2009 iMac with 4gigs of RAM. Is it better to install the 64bit? I won't be doing much on the OS other than some casual gaming (Battlefield Heroes, and Street Fighter 4 when it comes out).

I went with the 64 bit version on my macbook, although it can cause a little more trouble. I used some modified bootcamp drivers made by a member of these forums (LOMI) so that all my special keys work as well. I would install 64 bit since it should provide speedups to things that can use it.

 

[definitive]

64 bits if you wanna use all your RAM that u currently have installed on your Mac. Otherwise, 32 bits wont see it all.

How are you suppose to play SF4 by the way? With a controller or keyboard?

I haven't read up much on it, but I assume that you can use keyboard/joystick/controller with it. I have a Windows XBOX 360 wireless controller, and I'm sure that it will work.

I went with the 64 bit version on my macbook, although it can cause a little more trouble. I used some modified bootcamp drivers made by a member of these forums (LOMI) so that all my special keys work as well. I would install 64 bit since it should provide speedups to things that can use it.

Can you please post a link to the thread with the drivers?

 

[fehhkk]

Can you please post a link to the thread with the drivers?

The MBP drivers are inside the OSX installation discs...

 

[chrmjenkins]

Can you please post a link to the thread with the drivers?

Can't find the link right now. I'll look when I get home.


Suffice it to say, the bootcamp drivers on the leopard disk usually aren't sufficient for W7.

edit:

The user is limo79

Here is the patch (keep in mind I have a macbook, so no guarantee for an iMac)
http://www.speedyshare.com/404462147.html

 

[PrincessPeach]

I have been using 7 RC x64 for the last week on my new Mac Pro and it's been great. I still spend most of my time in OSX but when I want to play games Windows 7 has been treating me ok. I have been using mostly TF2 and voice chat apps so far.

I didn't need any extra drivers since the ones on my install CDs were enough. Are the special drivers intended just for laptop users since you have a very specific type of keyboard? If so I'd think the iMac would be fine without.

 

[chrmjenkins]

I have been using 7 RC x64 for the last week on my new Mac Pro and it's been great. I still spend most of my time in OSX but when I want to play games Windows 7 has been treating me ok. I have been using mostly TF2 and voice chat apps so far.

I didn't need any extra drivers since the ones on my install CDs were enough. Are the special drivers intended just for laptop users since you have a very specific type of keyboard? If so I'd think the iMac would be fine without.

My special keys weren't working until after I used the driver I posted (brightness, volume, eject).

 

[Anuba]

Get Win7 64-bit (or else you'll get 2.5 GB of RAM instead of 4).

Win7 should already have drivers for most of your hardware, and whatever is missing will be downloaded from Windows Update, but you'll have to download the latest soundcard driver from Realtek (the default Windows driver will install, but it won't give you any sound).

After that there should only be two issues... iSight and the keyboard. You should be able to install those separately from the Boot Camp 2.1 CD image without having to install the whole Boot Camp shebang. But you can of course install the whole Boot Camp package if you must -- in that case, do that before you install the manually downloaded Realtek driver. I'm not sure if Apple have updated that one for Boot Camp 2.1, but the driver included with 2.0 was awful... it made the sound default to 22 kHz, music sounded like you were listening over a phone line.

 

[PrincessPeach]

My (early 2009) Mac Pro worked with my volume/eject keys as soon as I installed the basic Boot Camp drivers from the install discs. Brightness buttons don't work with my monitor so I can't confirm that one. So I guess you should download the driver package but check whether you need it before going ahead. Your early 2009 discs might cover your hardware drivers out of the box.

The Realtek sound worked too but I don't have good hearing so I'll defer to the advice given there. More up to date is generally a good thing.

 

[definitive]

I've tried Windows 7 64bit, and ran into several problems:

Sound was detected, but I couldn't hear anything, even with it set to maximum.

Flash - does it even work on 64bit os?

I had to install the modified BootCamp mentioned above to get the BootCamp icon working properly.

Some apps wouldn't allow me to install them even though I was on the admin account.

 

[Anuba]

I've tried Windows 7 64bit, and ran into several problems:

Sound was detected, but I couldn't hear anything, even with it set to maximum.

Flash - does it even work on 64bit os?

I had to install the modified BootCamp mentioned above to get the BootCamp icon working properly.

Some apps wouldn't allow me to install them even though I was on the admin account.

There is no 64-bit version of the Flash plugin. Adobe likes to take things slow. You have to use the 32-bit version of Internet Explorer.

Like I said, you have to download the latest Realtek driver for the sound chip. The default driver doesn't work.