Is Windows 7 just Vista SP2?

[brian mcgee]

The fact that there are Vista programs that are incompatible with it, would make the answer a resounding no.

That's not enough. For example, Windows XP SP2 broke many apps that worked fine in XP SP1.

[swoll1980]

That's not enough. For example, Windows XP SP2 broke many apps that worked fine in XP SP1.

Those apps were probably designed for win 98, me or 2k. The program xpadder was released for XP. Vista was incompatible, so they released a version for Vista. This version that was designed for Vista is now incompatible with Windows 7.

[Mark Phelps]

I heard the claim that Windows 7 was just Vista SP2, and that the differences were all cosmetic.

If by "cosmetic", you mean appearances only, having used both Vista and Win7 extensively, I can attest that is NOT true...

I specifically have a Tablet PC that performed awful under Vista, even to the degree that some hardware would NOT work, but under Win7, ALL the hardware works and the performance in on par with what it was when it ran XP.

I also have a desktop system that ran Vista and under Win7, uses less memory, runs faster, and, for the first time, hibernates and sleeps without any recovery problems!

So, if the changes were only "cosmetic", none of the improvements I have seen would have happened.

You asked a question; I gave you an honest answer -- based on actual experience.

I'm sure you'll get other, very different, answers.

[Queue29]

But of course, if all you want to do is mindlessly bash anything Windows without actually understanding anything, then yes, 7 is just Vista SP2.. even though there already exists a SP2 for Vista and it is nothing like 7.

[CharlesA]

But of course, if all you want to do is mindlessly bash anything Windows without actually understanding anything, then yes, 7 is just Vista SP2.. even though there already exists a SP2 for Vista and it is nothing like 7.

This. O_o

I've got Vista on my HTPC, since I was having a hell of a time getting the TV Tuner working with Ubuntu. It runs fine for what it does. I had it on my desktop before installing 7 and for the most part 7 seems to be a bit less of a resource hog and is faster to boot and recover from sleep/hibernation.

It's idling at around a gig of RAM used, Vista took around 1.5-2Gig.

It Works for Me(tm).

[brian mcgee]

Those apps were probably designed for win 98, me or 2k. The program xpadder was released for XP. Vista was incompatible, so they released a version for Vista. This version that was designed for Vista is now incompatible with Windows 7.

Sorry, I should have included some links. WinXP SP2 broke many then new (e.g. Photoshop CS) and old apps:

• http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884130
• http://seclists.org/nmap-hackers/2004/7

My point is pretty limited in scope actually. I'm only saying that the existence of application incompatibilities between Service Packs or between major versions of Windows does not necessarily mean anything. I don't know enough about the differences between 7 and Vista to say whether 7 is really "just a Service Pack".

However, I do know that Vista's codebase is more similar to 7's than XP's. I also know that MS was eager to shed the burden of Vista's bad reputation. These points don't prove anything, but they're consistent with the just-a-Service-Pack-theory.


PS: love the signature

[shuttleworthwannabe]

type "dxdiag" in search bar in Win 7 and see the version--do the same in Vista--they are all v6 of windows and not 7; so there is some truth about Win 7 being just a special upgrade of vista.. just my 2c.

[lisati]

That's not enough. For example, Windows XP SP2 broke many apps that worked fine in XP SP1.

And SP3 of XP broke my main desktop until I discovered that a patch was needed on some Compaq/HP machines with AMD processors for it to work.

[dreamsburnred]

type "dxdiag" in search bar in Win 7 and see the version--do the same in Vista--they are all v6 of windows and not 7; so there is some truth about Win 7 being just a special upgrade of vista.. just my 2c.

Check XP its a fork of w2k if you go that way.

W2k 5.0

XP 5.1

Vista 6.0

W7 6.1

[Jay Car]

Maybe the biggest difference between Vista and 7 is that 7 had better marketing?

In the end, no matter what version, Windows is still just Windows.