Windows 7
Windows 7
Windows 7 released in March 2010 comes in several major versions, all of which are available in 32- or 64-bit editions, apart from Windows 7 Starter, which is only available in a 32-bit version. As with all 32-bit operating systems the maximum, the maximum supported physical memory is around 3.5GB.
- Windows 7 Starter
- Designed for low-performance hardware
- Windows 7 Home Basic
- Only available in "Developing Countries"
- Windows 7 Home Premium
- Version most commonly installed on new computers
- Windows 7 Professional
- Includes advanced networking features used on corporate networks
- Windows 7 Ultimate
- Includes advanced networking, BitLocker encryption and support for multiple languages
- Windows 7 Enterprise
- Includes advanced networking, BitLocker encryption and support for multiple languages - aimed at volume licence purchasers
The versions available differ only in having various features disabled or enabled. If you wish to upgrade to a higher version using Windows Anytime Upgrade, the process simply unlocks the extra features currently locked-out of your current version. This makes the upgrade process more rapid than in previous versions of Windows, which would involve downloading a new copy of Windows
| Feature | Home Premium | Professional | Ultimate |
|---|---|---|---|
| HomeGroup Networking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| 16GB Memory Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multimonitor Support | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Windows XP Mode | No | Yes | Yes |
| Domain Support | No | Yes | Yes |
| Network Backup | No | Yes | Yes |
| Encrypting Filesystem | No | Yes | Yes |
| 192GB Memory | No | Yes | Yes |
| Presentation Mode | No | Yes | Yes |
| Offline Files | No | Yes | Yes |
| Remote Desktop Host | No | Yes | Yes |
| Windows Virtual PC Support | No | Yes | Yes |
| Unix Subsystem | No | No | Yes |
| App Locker | No | No | Yes |
| BitLocker To Go | No | No | Yes |
| DirectAccess | No | No | Yes |
| BranchCache | No | No | Yes |
| Location Aware Printing | No | No | Yes |
| BitLocker Encryption | No | No | Yes |
| Language Switching | No | No | Yes |
The three major versions (Premium, Professional and Ultimate) come in an "N" version, with Windows Media Center removed, aimed at SOHO environments
