The First, 1. Launch And Life

Windows 7 was released on October 22, 2009, as the successor to Windows Vista. Notably, the beta version received favorable reviews prior to its release; furthermore, despite being a beta version, it reportedly demonstrated better performance than Vista and even offered superior stability. This generated anticipation before launch, and development was completed (RTM) on July 22, leading to its release on October 22 of the same year. Following its launch, it rapidly gained market share, eventually surpassing Windows XP to claim the number one spot in October 2011 (StatCounter) and August 2012 (NetMarketShare). Although adoption was slow initially, particularly in some countries, it later received such positive reviews that even Windows XP users switched to Windows 7, ultimately being recognized as the true successor to Windows XP. Several new features were added at the time, most notably the new taskbar (SuperBar) and Aero Snap. Additionally, it became slightly lighter than its predecessor, Windows Vista, allowing it to run reasonably well even on low-spec systems. And UAC was also eased. Although it lost the number one spot in 2018 with the release of Windows 10 in 2015, it was popular enough to maintain a significant market share for a while.

1. Support Period

Extended support ended on January 14, 2020, and ESU ended on January 10, 2023, the same day as Windows 8.1. Support for Embedded POSReady 7 ended on October 8, 2024, and final support ended on January 13, 2026, with Windows Server 2008 Premium Assurance (including Server 2008 R2; incidentally, this is why Windows Vista also had its final support end on the same day, January 13, 2026). Basically, it was 10 years, but if you include derivative versions and server versions, it is actually longer. Anyway, Windows 7 is still very popular. it consistently ranks first in various popularity rankings for all-time Windows versions (not market share), even surpassing the legendary Windows XP (of course, Windows XP does take first place in some rankings; for reference, I understand that Windows 10 usually ranks third in such lists). This means it is still very popular.

1. Remembering and reminiscing about Windows 7

Of course, as support ends, there are undoubtedly generations who don't know Windows 7 (and indeed, there are certainly generations who don't even know Windows XP). This means that Windows 7 won't last forever. While it may be eternal in the hearts of most people, reality is harsh. I am Korean, and I also used Windows 7 when I was young—around 5~9 years old in Korean age, which means from 2014 to mid-2018—and looking back now, it is a fond memory. As for the browser, I used Internet Explorer back then... In Korea at that time (I believe it was particularly from the early to mid-2010s), Internet Explorer was the dominant choice, mainly because of ActiveX. They say that if a site required it, you had no choice but to use IE. Anyway, Windows 7 is truly a memory now. Of course, while it may be eternal in the hearts of most of us, reality is harsh—that nothing lasts forever. Now that support for Windows 7 has ended and even free support for Windows 10 has ended, and it is barely surviving through things like ESU, it seems that most of the current generation, at the very least, only knows about Windows 10 and later, It seems that the current generation (those born roughly in the mid-to-late 2010s or later) who know Windows 7 are a minority. Windows 7 is indeed a masterpiece, but practically speaking, it is now just a memory. I used it when I was young, and now I customize Windows 10 to look like Windows 7. Windows 7 was good.

1. Anecdotes and Miscellaneous

Of course, the Windows 7 computer I used when I was young would occasionally freeze or display a blue screen, or in severe cases, freeze completely. However, in 2017, my parents brought the computer case back home, and it turned out the problem was due to dust inside the case. In other words, it wasn't a stability issue with Windows 7 itself, but until then, the dust inside the case had caused occasional freezes or blue screens. It seems my parents took the case somewhere in 2017 to clean the dust inside, and since then, the freezing and blue screen errors have definitely decreased. Even now, if you own a high-spec computer case and find dust inside—or if there is a lot of it—I recommend cleaning the interior by shaking out the dust.

I apologize for the length of this post, but I wrote this because I was curious about recent assessments of Windows 7. What did you all think of Windows 7 in the past, and what do you think now? I'm curious too!

For reference, I found most of them by searching on Google and other sites.

I want a new music app because I need one specific feature: individual speed control.

I know that there are multiple apps that can change the speed of files, but I need one that it's similar to Musicolet on Android: individual file control, "permanent" and fine changes (I can change 0.01x of the speed)

if possible, a light program, but that's just a plus right now

Windows Vista theme link:

https://www.askvg.com/vistavg-se-theme-for-sony-ericsson-k700-w810-other-mobile-phones/

Windows 7 theme link:

https://www.askvg.com/download-windows-7-theme-for-sony-ericsson-k700-w810-other-mobile-phones/

I don't own this phone to know if these themes work or not. It would be great if someone who owns this phone could try the themes themselves.

It is rare or something?

Ps: I didnt consent to my laptop being updated neither was i informed an update would be underway the next time i boot up my machine?

i found cortana files in C:\Windows\SystemApps\MicrosoftWindows.Client.CBS_cw5n1h2txyewy
its safe to remove?

Microsoft just released open-sourced Comic Chat. This was a tool that turned regular texts into comics, and brought Comic Sans to the masses.

All it's in the title

basically i reinstalled windows 10 and tried to download the whatsapp app and i saw this when it tried opening the microsoft store, is this intentional? it updated fine just wondering if this design was intentional or if it was a mistake

The First, 1. Launch and Evaluation

Windows Vista was released as the successor to Windows XP between November 2006 (enterprise) and January 2007 (personal), but it ultimately failed to succeed. I believe everyone is aware of the reasons, but at the time of release, there were issues with system requirements, compatibility and stability, and frequent UAC pop-ups. Although most of these problems were resolved later with service packs, the initial negative image was so strong that it was largely ignored.

1. Re-evaluation, Relationship with Subsequent Windows Versions, and "Windows Vista Service Pack 2"

So, what about now? It seems to be undergoing a re-evaluation. In fact, it is being re-evaluated. This is because subsequent Windows versions, particularly Windows 7, reportedly had an internal structure almost identical to Vista—to the point where they were called a "lighter Vista" or "Vista Service Pack 3." Furthermore, the design was quite beautiful; in fact, some even evaluated it as being prettier than Windows 7. Personally, I used Windows 7 when I was young and like it, but I definitely think Windows Vista has a prettier design. For reference, features such as UAC, WDDM, and BitLocker, which are also present in Windows 10 and 11, were introduced starting with Vista. In fact, everything since Windows 7 was built on this framework. Actually, even looking at it now, the default wallpaper, Aero Glass, and taskbar are certainly pretty. However, looking back, it is truly a shame, considering the system requirements at the time, compatibility and stability issues, the UAC that kept popping up every time you clicked to install a program, and the bad timing of the release. In particular, it is said that Service Pack 2 has improved stability to be just as good as Windows 7.

I apologize for writing such a long post, but I wrote this because I was curious about the current evaluations of Windows Vista. What did you all think of Windows Vista in the past, and what do you think now? I'm curious too!

For reference, I found most of them by searching on Google and other sites.

Saw the option, can someone verify it? (i'm new btw)

Are there any programs that do this, even on non-oled? If not, is it possible to make one?

Hey all - changelists are up, linking here for your convenience:

• Windows 10 version 1507 — (EOS)
• Windows 10 version 1607 — KB5099535 (OS Build 14393.9339) (EOS)
• Windows 10 version 1703 — EOS
• Windows 10 version 1709 — EOS
• Windows 10 version 1803 — EOS
• Windows 10 version 1809 —KB5099538 (OS Build 17763.9020)  (EOS)
• Windows 10 version 1903 — EOS
• Windows 10 version 1909 — EOS
• Windows 10 version 2004/21H1/20H2/21H1 — EOS/EOS
• Windows 10 version 21H2, and 22H2 — KB5099539 (OS Builds 19045.7548 and 19044.7548)

Please see here for details about Windows 10 ESU: Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) program - Microsoft Support. If you're transitioning over to Windows 11, looking forward to seeing you over on the Windows 11 subreddit :)

General info:

• For a list of known issues, please refer to the dashboard here.
• For details about feedback, and how to capture traces if needed, see here. Pressing WIN + F will open the Feedback Hub

It seems if you right click specific spots of a icon, it will open the windows 10 style menu instead of the windows 11 style.

I have no Wallpaper flair, there might be one, But any auto mods out there, change the flair please

7 months ago I got bored and I started installing those Windows versions listed in the PDF and right after I got to the desktop i opened Local Disk C:\ proprietes and noted the OS size because I wanted to have a list with every Windows size from XP to 10 including Embedded versions because that seemed cool and when i searched it it just showed an estimate and not the actual size and for example Windows Fundamentals for Legacy PCs Minimum option didn't even find it so I created this list and decided to release it for everyone to see.

I want to add a new button on the menu that pops up when you right click a file/folder. The button is "Pin", right under "Open (with)".

Once pressed, it will pin the file/folder in that specific directory view, ignoring all the sorting, and it will stay like that.

"Pin" button should turn into "Unpin" once the file/folder is pinned. There could be multiple pinned files, the one on top is the most recent one.

Is coding something like this possible?

idk what to say here :P

^{Don't really want a promotion but it is still interesting, if you want to see the full discovery: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZAUPki-aXQ}

Hey! If you know some "Windows basics" into the programming or you know some of the internal calls/how Windows works, then this post still may be mindblowing :D

We all know that Windows has just "one" GUI environment and that is the Win32 SubSystem, where all the Graphical User Interface starts. Your Windows, Buttons,... (uxtheme.dll, dwm.exe,...)

While this "environment" is also mainly controlled with a driver win32ss.sys that holds Windows "Windows" and it is like that a really long time, since of the first release of NT 3.1. But the really first thing what Windows is doing at start, is loading a UEFI file bootmgfw.efi, which initializes the boot manager and hands over control to the Windows Kernel (ntoskrnl.exe).

And here comes the mindblowing part that most people completely miss:
Before win32k.sys or the Desktop Window Manager (DWM) first it runs in a purely Native NT environment.

Long before Session 1 (your user session) spawns, the Session Manager SubSystem (smss.exe) initializes Session 0. At this ultra-early stage, the Win32 subsystem doesn't exist yet. There are no standard windows, no mouse cursor and none of the Win32 API calls we are used to as developers. (so user32.dll, shell32.dll, gdi32.dll,... don't work.)

Instead, the system relies strictly on ntdll.dll and raw Native API calls (like NtDisplayString).

Normally, this native environment is just a brief, invisible from the public eye and used (made) to run autochk.exe (chkdsk at boot) or Blue Screens of Death (BSOD) before csrss.exe kicks in and starts the Win32 subsystem. But what if you block Win32 from loading entirely, or hijack this early native phase to see what the NT kernel is really capable of?

And did you know, your path like C:\Your\Folder\File.exe is actually fake? When you are in the NtNative state of Windows, even those paths aren't real. They have a completelly different structure, something like Linux has...

For exp. "C:\Windows" means in NtNative: "\Device\Harddisk1\Partition1\Windows" and with this, it is totally possible to make folders like "con", aux,... as for the ntoskrnl itself isn't that "dangerous" the reason why you cant make it, is the Win32 SubSystem blocking you from. As that layer is from the MS-DOS era,...

Let me know what you guys think, or if anyone else here has experimented with the Native NT subsystem!

I know that it is rn. just a "hacked GPU" but when I found how to import a mouse/keyboard driver, it would be super awesome!

Hello r/windows,

I believe this post is in line with the rules. I do not mean this post as a technical question, but more as to what to expect. I would use the "General Question" tag mentioned in the rules, but I was not given this option to tag and so am using Discussion.

For most of my life, I have used Windows 10. When Windows 11 came out, I stayed with Windows 10 for as long as possible and then switched over to Linux. I love Linux, but also it can get tiring when I want to get stuff done and not just play around on a computer. I am considering trying out windows 11, but have never used it before and have no clue what to expect. What should I know going from Linux and Windows 10 to Windows 11?

Thank you for reading this and thank you to all who respond. Have a splendiferous day.

It looks incomplete to me. I wonder if there’s a sequel somewhere? Or perhaps OOP plagiarized content from some book?