Reviewing the first beta of an important release like Windows 7 is never an easy job to do. A confouding factor is that many people have already made up their mind about Windows 7; not because they have tried it, but because it's a Microsoft product, and therefore it sucks. At OSNews we try to judge products by their own merits, not by the parent company that created it. Read on for a set of impressions regarding the Windows 7 beta.
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Member since:2005-06-29
Besides the point, but yes, it actually does. It always renders the first-to-be-installed Windows version in a Windows multiboot setup unbootable. Steps to reproduce:
Install Windows Xyz
Install Windows Xyz+1
Remove Windows Xyz+1
Windows Xyz will not boot.
100% reproducible. I'll let you figure out on your own why this is the case.
Nonsense.
When I install Windows, or any other OS, I give it permission to use a certain part of the disk, partition Abc. The MBR is NOT part of that permission, and as such, I never granted Windows the permission to put its filthy paws all over the MBR. The MBR should not be touched by anything unless I specifically grant something permission to do so.
So yes, this is a bug.
Edited 2009-01-04 22:53 UTC
RE[2]: Regarding the MBR...
Member since:2008-04-15
It's not a bug when all microsoft wants is a licenced copy of windows on your box, they don't care about you wanting ubuntu too.
either load up a live cd and install grub
or
load up a windows cd and use fixmbr i think it was or the vista repair tools.
dual booting isn't a common requested feature and as far as the general user and MS is concerned, they don't give a crap about what you want to do with your MBR.
Member since:2005-12-02
"When I install Windows, or any other OS, I give it permission to use a certain part of the disk, partition Abc. The MBR is NOT part of that permission, and as such, I never granted Windows the permission to put its filthy paws all over the MBR. The MBR should not be touched by anything unless I specifically grant something permission to do so."
I agree with you in the context that it should ask before changing something. However, you have to remember that you as well as most of the readers on this site are a minority of Windows users. The majority is Joe Blow, who is generally the purchaser of the retail copies off store shelves. Can you imagine the calls to the support center?
User: "I just installed Windows XX and it will not boot"
Support: "Did you set the options to install into the MBR?"
User: "The what? No, I rebooted the machine with the DVD in the drive, and the install went fine. Now it doesn't boot"
Get the idea? The requirements of the few..those of us who read sites like this, are nothing compared to the majority of the users who do not, and could really care less.
Member since:2005-11-06
Member since:2005-11-10
Member since:
2006-02-01
"Microsoft, fix this. This is a bug. Bugs need to be fixed."
No, it isn't. The way Windows handles the MBR during an installation does not cause errors, conflicts, or instabilities within Windows. Just because you want a new feature where the MBR is handled differently and more peacefully coexists with other software that doesn't mean the current implementation is bugged. By your logic any piece of software that doesn't work well with an OS other than the one for which it was written is flawed. Go file bug reports against every piece of Max OSX software saying it doesn't work with Windows and see where that gets you.