Microsoft Windows 7 Ultimate

by Microsoft

Product Features

• Includes 32 & 64-bit versions Combines remarkable ease-of-use with the entertainment features of Home Premium
• And the business capabilities of Professional--get it all with with Windows 7 Ultimate
• Make the things you do every day easier with improved desktop navigation;
• Start programs faster and more easily, and quickly find the documents you use most often
• Easily create a home network and connect your PCs to a printer with HomeGroup;
• Help protect data on your PC and portable storage devices against loss or theft with BitLocker

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 7.5 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B002DHGMVY
• Item model number: GLC-00182
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 25, 2009
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (145 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #455 in Software (See Top 100 in Software)
  • #23 in Software > Operating Systems > Microsoft Windows

Product Description

Offers everything Home Premium and Professional offers plus added security features and the flexibility to work in multiple languagesSoftware Sub Type: ClientHelp prevent theft or loss of data Use BitLocker and BitLocker To Go to better protect your valuable files even on removable drives such as USB devicesGet remote services with DirectAccess Access corporate resources seamlessly when you?re on the Inter without having to initiate a VPN connectionWork in the language of your choice Switch between any of 35 languages as easily as logging off and back on againPlatform Support: PCRequires 1GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processorRequires 16GB (32-bit) or 20GB (64-bit) hard driveRequires 1GB RAM (32-bit) or 2GB RAM (64-bit)Requires DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or later driverRequires DVD/CD driveDepending on resolution video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardwareMusic and sound require audio outputInter access required to use some features

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

189 of 219 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Windows 7: Performs better than XP, Looks better than Vista October 27, 2009

By Stephen VINE™ VOICE

Let me preface this review with my qualifications so that you may understand the extent I've gone to with operating systems to end up proudly claiming, "I'm a PC."

I use Linux (RedHat) at work, I've tried Ubuntu and Lycoris long before it, I've tried Debian and Slackware and however many other flavors of *nix in the past just to say I tried them. I've messed with BeOS (Zeta development was an exciting time), I've played with Mac OS X on numerous occasions (beautiful OS), and I've tried countless obscure operating systems that I doubt even 1% of those reading this would know about (and trust me; there's a reason for you not knowing about them, lol). Why have I messed with them all? Because I enjoy operating systems and I find them to be amazing achievements. There's no denying that Mac OS X is a beautiful OS that performs quite well within the structured hardware environment Apple has created. Linux is hella useful on an enterprise level (though Windows Server is easily comparable these days) and even home flavors of Linux have become quite nice (Ubuntu)! The fact of the matter is that I'm partial to Windows through my experiences with having tried just about every flavor of every OS out there over the past 10 years or so. I used to collect beta versions of operating systems (not just Windows, but others as well), so I've not only tried the final products, but I've also gained appreciation for them by seeing them and playing with them through their development cycles. Where Windows is concerned, at one point or another, I've instally just about every build of every version currently out there (and trust me, there are TONS of builds - alpha and beta bits from every version of Windows, including obscure bits like Windows Neptune).... I've ridden the roller coaster through the highs (Windows 95, 98, 2000, XP, and now 7) and lows (Windows ME, Windows Vista's initial release) and I couldn't be happier that I've stuck it out.

Enter Windows 7.

Windows 7 is amazing. There is no other way to put it. It's being hyped as, "Vista done right," or something of that nature. Well, Windows 7 is soooo much more than that. True, the user interface may resemble Windows Vistas, but only at first glance. The single-most revolutionary aspect of Windows 7 is the new task bar. It has provided so much additional functionality that you would never know you wanted (or needed). The ability to pin tasks, the ability to move items around on the task bar, the privacy of not having titles of your windows down in the task bar for anyone to see, the new interactive thumbnail previews, the new placement of the show desktop button... I could go on. It may take you a bit to get used to the new task bar, but trust me... you will and you will absolutely come to love it. Going back to anything less just won't feel right.

Next on the docket is HomeGroups. Look, file sharing between home computers has never been easier. NEVER. I have Windows 7 on my desktop and on my laptop. The desktop, I recently built, so while awaiting my wireless card for it, I wanted to see if I could tether my laptop's internet connection. In the past, it wasn't exactly difficult to set it up, but it was much more involved than it is now. All you need is a regular ethernet cable, connent one end to your laptop and the other to your desktop, give permissions to share (made simple through HomeGroups) and voila! I can use the internet on my desktop via my laptop's internet connection. And not only that, I was able to set up the laptop and desktop to share files between one another via the same cable... and it was incredibly simple! I won't walk through the steps here since this review is already getting a bit lengthy, but the long and the short of it is that file and resource sharing between Windows 7 computers is RIDICULOUSLY intuitive.

Lastly, are you still on XP? Are you one of those business who decided way back when that you would just skip Vista and roll out Windows 7? Well, guess what? Windows 7 is here and it's time you make good on your decision. As the title to my review implies, Windows 7 bests both Vista and XP. There is no longer any excuse for you to stick with XP when Windows 7 performs EVEN BETTER. The only learning curve for XP users will be getting used to the new user interface and the change in location of certain files/folders (which admittedly irked me at first, but those changes came about in Vista, so I've been long used to them). Bite that bullet. It's worth it, trust me. Oh, and cost? Windows 7 is worth its weight in gold. It's an operating system. Think about everything it does for you, all the applications it allows you to run, the tasks it allows you to perform... in the grand scheme of things, the cost of Windows is one of the best investments you can make for yourself, so go ahead and treat yourself to Windows 7. Seriously. Don't buy into the stupid Mac hype videos of, "more of the same" and pay no mind to the Microsoft commercials where people say Windows 7 was their idea. Go try it for yourself. Download a free evaluation copy, install it, and give it a whirl. See for yourself.

Since Amazon removes links from posts now, search Google for Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Evaluation. You will need a Windows Live ID and though it's an evaluation of Windows 7 Enterprise, it looks and feels like every other SKU.

-Stephen
MSFTKitchen (Google it)

I thought about placing this review on all the SKUs of Windows 7, but since I use Ultimate on a regular basis and not the other SKUs, I think it's only appropriate to leave it here, as-is. Thanks for reading (if you made it this far, that is)! Read more ›

70 of 82 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Beware Forgeries!!! April 6, 2011

By Carl Stiles

Amazon Verified Purchase

I ordered this product in December. In March I started getting "This software is not genuine" warnings. Upon investigation of the actual materials shipped, it was all forged!

The product arrived in a blister package as shown, it had the Certificate of Authenticity, and the holographic imagery on the DVD. It installed correctly, and the provided license codes worked fine. 90 Days later it all began to fail. The copy received was some developer or evaluation edition, not sure which.

Upon contacting Global Buying Service I got "Sorry 90 days have elapsed." Selling faked/forged goods does NOT have a time limit! Do not let this deter you if you have been the victim of this! Call Amazon directly: 800 201 7575. Amazon opened up and investigation right away and I had a refund in 6 days.

How to spot the forgery: 1) the "Certificate of Authenticity" should have metal strips imprinted in the paper, the forgery just has printed lines. 2) The DVD hologram should be embedded into the DVD, the forgery is a scalloped-cut label. 3) The software itself will be giving you warnings: This software is not genuine" or "This copy of Windows 7 is Forged" at the end of 90 days.

DO NOT LET GLOBAL BUYING SERVICE KEEP YOUR MONEY. THEY ARE NOT LEGALLY ALLOWED TO PROFIT FROM FRAUD AND THAT'S WHAT THIS IS!!
[...]

Good Luck.

67 of 79 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Windows 7 Is Impressive - Painless Installation & Easy To Use October 22, 2009

By Book Reviews Weekly TOP 1000 REVIEWER

When I got my copy of Windows 7 Ultimate, I really wasn't sure what to expect. I had not been running any beta or release candidate, so I had no idea how I would like Windows 7 or even the install process. I am running a Dell XPS desktop, and I had recently installed 8GB of memory in anticipation of formatting and installing Windows 7 64 bit edition. Sounds like overkill I know, but I got a great deal on the memory and wanted to go to a 64 bit version when Windows 7 came out. I will get into some of the differences shortly, but let me just say that the installation was painless...I mean really painless. My desktop is a few years old, and I expected to be hunting device drivers online to get everything working. I didn't have to! I was quite surprised when the install process completed and everything was working great. I didn't have to download a single device driver...and that IS a first for me when changing operating systems!

There is a small learning curve because some things have changed and you will have to spend a few minutes trying to find them, but it's not a big deal.
I wold suggest spending some time just looking around to see where things are located as well as what new shiny bells and whistles are available.

The Start Menu: I was one of those guys who always changed my start menu back to the Windows 2000 type. I hated the XP menu with a passion.
Imagine my horror when I figured out there was no way to change it in Windows 7! I was certainly upset at first, until I started actually using the new menu.
I have a habit using the old start-run option and typing in some of the programs I use. For example, I would use start-run winword to open Microsoft Word.... I know, it sounds crazy, but my computer days started with DOS, so I still have some love for the command line! I noticed in Windows 7, there is no run command...but after using it I realized it didn't need one because the search box actually does the same thing. Once I figured out how to pin programs to the start menu, I realized that I am finally happy using a new menu interface.

Windows 7 32 bit or 64 bit?

Windows 7 comes with two disks, one for 32 bit and one for 64 bit. You can choose which one you want to use based upon your devices, and your needs.
If you are upgrading from another version of Windows, you can't change unless you do a fresh install. If your computer supports 64 bit and you aren't using extremely old software, I would suggest going to 64 bit if you are doing a new install anyway. It will still run 32 bit programs, and you will may benefit from the 64 bit version. You might consider adding some memory as well if you want since you can use more than 4GB memory with the 64 bit version. If you are using an older computer with minimal memory anyway, I would just stick with the 32 bit version. Microsoft has a nice feature on their Windows 7 website to check compatibility with Windows 7 in both 32 bit and 64 bit, so you can see which of your programs may be an issue.

Summary:

I am really happy with Windows 7. Not only was it easy to install, without needing me to find any drivers, etc...but the interface is also easy to use. You won't be having to make a hundred changes just to do something as you may have in Windows Vista. There are no more major issues with User Account Control for those of you who are using Vista now! Is Windows 7 worth the upgrade? I think it is. I have two versions, one is the full version of Windows 7 Ultimate and the other is Windows 7 Home Premium upgrade for my laptop (currently running Vista). I have found Windows 7 to be stable, with no cryptic error messages to stop me from doing what I want to do. I believe Windows 7 is an operating system that people will actually enjoy using...it's a big improvement from Vista, and I think most people will be happy to finally have a reason to upgrade from Windows XP. Read more ›

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Take it from a computer programmer September 6, 2011

By Michael G. Lustig VINE™ VOICE

I've installed Windows 7 at least 50 times on both laptops and desktops - usually Ultimate x64 or Enterprise x64. My issues with Windows 7 is that it takes a while to configure it the way you really want it to work. Microsoft chooses the worst possible defaults and it's up to you to figure out how to change them.

For example, from a clean install (assuming you have all of the required drivers), I have to configure the following every time:
1) Desktop icons - Yes, I want an icon to get to my files and my computer. No, I don't really care about the recycle bin which is the only default icon.
2) Recycle Bin - No, I don't want to confirm every time I delete a file so right-click->Properties and uncheck the checkbox.
3) File Types - I like to use single click. I want to see file extensions (e.g. setup.exe vs. setup). Turn off Simple File Sharing.
4) Customize the task bar - I like links for computer, control panel and administrative tools. I also need the Run command. I don't access any of my folders this way so I get rid of almost all of them. My start menu has 6 items, Computer (as link), Control Panel (as link), Devices and Printers, Administrative Tools (as link), Help & Support and Run...
5) Since I'm probably using the account I started with that has Administrator rights, create a User account for daily use.
6) Enable Remote Access so other computers can connect to you computer. Add the Administrator and the User accounts
7) Setup for auto-login. This is a two step process: Start->Run->control userpasswords2 to enable auto login. Use the User account not the Administrator. On control panel, Power Options, In advanced settings,click on Change settings that are currently unavailable and then select No for Require a password on wake up....
8) File associations are not setup. I like to set things like when I put in a DVD, play it full screen and don't ask me any questions.
9) Install need Adobe Reader and Flash
10) Download Chrome and pin it to the task bar.
11) Install office and configure Outlook and pin it to the task bar. Enable Windows Update when prompted. Add Outlook to the startup folder so it starts automatically upon bootup.
12) Install Microsoft Security Essentials (a free anti-virus program).
13) Login as the User and configure everything again.
14) Make a system image backup.
15) Run Windows Update about 10 times.
16) Activate Windows and Office (if necessary).
17) Check Device Manager and make sure there aren't any devices without drivers.

And that's all you have to do. I totally expect a layman to know where each of these settings are and to be confident enough to change them.

Similar to Vista, Windows 7 asks you to Confirm, Accept, Install, Agree (up to 8 or 9 times in rare cases) before doing something. This review isn't a how-to manual. I just want to point out how many steps are involved after you install Windows 7.

Now if you're unfortunate enough to get a pre-loaded OEM version of Windows 7, who knows what useless junk they installed. I just got an Acer laptop and it had all kinds of useless applications and desktop icons. I located a hidden folder with the required drivers and installed Windows 7 Ultimate x64 over the Windows 7 Home Premium that came with it. The whole process takes about 2-3 hours of hands-on over a much longer period of time. Read more ›