Which Windows is best on a Mac?

[koobcam321]

Forget the end-user requirements.... a generic question.... Which Windows OS (XP or Vista/Basic/Home Premium/Ultimate or '7') is best suited to run along with a Mac...?

A sort of one-size-fits-all question.....

 

[MacDawg]

I would say XP or 7, skip Vista
Since Windows 7 is free right now to use... I would say use it

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[Tallest Skil]

I'm rocking the Seven RC and it's the best thing to ever come out of Redmond.

 

[koobcam321]

Thank you! Seems Seven is flying high...

Any more thoughts guys?

 

[jeevesofRKdia]

I'm rocking the Seven RC and it's the best thing to ever come out of Redmond.

This.

Also, if you're a student and you really don't like 7 for some reason, you can get a discounted Vista from your school.

However, in response to the "one size fits all" category, I'd think that 64-bit 7 works the best on any computer. there were some articles somewhere (specific, I know ) that mentioned the speed boosts of using x64 for 7 compared to both Vista and x86 Win7.

 

[NeGRit0]

Posting this from Chrome on the Win 7 RC. Best version of Windows yet. Runs flawlessly on my Penryn Blackbook (which has been upped to 4GB/500GB@7200rpm).

 

[Anuba]

Win7 64 bit, hands down, no contest.

When my MBP arrived a few days ago I started with installing Vista which I have a couple of licenses for, I figured it was a safer route than Win7 due to the fact that it's rather experimental at this stage and not officially supported by Boot Camp, parallels etc. But it was just so goddamn slow and bloated. I wiped the Vista installation and tried Win7 x64 and got it working flawlessly with the Boot Camp drivers plus the latest from NVidia and Realtek. The only slightly advanced tweak required was to switch the Firewire driver to Legacy Mode -- the new FW driver in Win7 doesn't work well (yet).

 

[u49aa2]

I don't use windows very often, Though i think XP home edition, has been very good for me. it is very light, that you will not notice that it is open.

 

[Markov]

I use Windows 7 64-bit RC on my iMac, and it runs flawlessly. Windows 7 has the stability (or the potential) of Windows XP while maintaining the "eye candy" of Vista. I personally like Win 7 a lot, and can see the major difference between 7 and Vista. I have XP running on my macbook pro, and haven't really used since I installed 7 on my iMac, that's how stable it is.

 

[spinedoc77]

Another vote for x64 Windows 7, it's pretty darn flawless on my rev B air.

 

[EggrollShop]

Yup, Windows 7 RC hands down is as good if not better than XP. Haven't had any major issues with it beside my UMP running really hot while playing games. But that's expected. Other than that love it and will definatly purchase it when it comes out in October.

 

[Bengt77]

I happen to quite like Vista 64. Works pretty good for me. Sure, I only use it for gaming under Boot Camp, but still. I don't like XP at all. It used to be okay, but since Vista is out it feels extremely dated, like running Panther on a 2009 or 2008 machine.

 

[Nasus]

I would say XP or 7, skip Vista
Since Windows 7 is free right now to use... I would say use it

Woof, Woof - Dawg

Do you have the download link for the free Windows 7 - I must be a blind but I can't find it anywhere on the Microsoft site.

 

[jeevesofRKdia]

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

 

[Chwisch87]

I gotta say, either this poster isn't exactly all that tech savy or it really shows the kind of divide between windows and mac environments. One uses a quite frankly archaic pricing model and the other offers a very simplified structure by just having ... gasp ... one version.

 

[MacDawg]

I gotta say, either this poster isn't exactly all that tech savy or it really shows the kind of divide between windows and mac environments. One uses a quite frankly archaic pricing model and the other offers a very simplified structure by just having ... gasp ... one version.

I thought it was a fairly legitimate question

Woof, Woof - Dawg

 

[JasonR]

For some crazy reason my Windows 7 taskbar doesn't show up when I run Parallels...

So installed XP and my BT Keyboard and Firewire don't work. ARGH

 

[TRAG]

I gotta say, either this poster isn't exactly all that tech savy or it really shows the kind of divide between windows and mac environments. One uses a quite frankly archaic pricing model and the other offers a very simplified structure by just having ... gasp ... one version.

I thought it was a fairly legitimate question

Woof, Woof - Dawg

While I do agree that it is a legitimate question, he does have a good point. Many PC people can't decide what to get because there are so many choices for different people and too many computer companies (including Window's Ultimate/Basic type choices) trying to 1 up each other.

 

[Chwisch87]

Well to clarify it is a fine question and I won't blame the poster for not having the knowledge more that I blame Microsoft for creating the mass confusion it does its different versions of windows. I will be building a PC desktop here soon and just the other day i was going through all this stuff that "comes with this version but not htat one" and looked back fondly of how much i have enjoy my mac laptop and began to wonder ... is building a PC desktop really worth it if i have to put up with this crap.

 

[elgrecomac]

Well to clarify it is a fine question and I won't blame the poster for not having the knowledge more that I blame Microsoft for creating the mass confusion it does its different versions of windows. I will be building a PC desktop here soon and just the other day i was going through all this stuff that "comes with this version but not that one" and looked back fondly of how much i have enjoy my mac laptop and began to wonder ... is building a PC desktop really worth it if i have to put up with this crap.

What crap are you talking about? Price-specific releases of their OS? It is MS' business model. With 90% of all computers running their OS, it seems to work for them. I use windows all the time on my MBP (via Fusion - beta) because several 'industry standard' application don't run on a Mac. The OP had a legitimate question which I feel we should try to answer as accurately as we can.

 

[Confuzzeled23]

I love using Windows 7 RC on my Aluminum Macbook, however does anyone else experience their fan constantly running at full speed like it is overheating. It rarely is heard running under OS X, didn't know if it was a Windows 7 thing, or a Windows thing in general. For example, the fan will go at full speed if just talking on Windows Live Messenger.

Anyone else experience this fan issue?

Thanks.

EDIT: Also really low battery life, 2 hours in XP, maybe 1 and half in 7 RC. Though, get 4 - 5 in OS X

 

[Stridder44]

Windows 7 64-bit.