Windows 7 RC on Tecra M7

Well, finally Windows 7 RC got out, and it has to be tested. Although it says you should not install it on a productive system, I found this to be my preferred way to test an operating system. Only this way you can test it "for real". Just keep a backup and a restore image at hand.

My test system is the same as last time: Tecra M7 Core 2 Duo T7200 4 GB RAM. I tested x86 and x64, here's the report:

Windows 7 Release Candidate 7100 x86

Handwriting

I installed the english version, and again, the handwriting recognition was only installed in english. Yes, normally you buy the operating system in your preferred language, but you will agree that a lot of people write in more than one language - and not only on the keyboard. Two examples:

• Except in native english speaking countries, most IT people will make notes in english in addition to their mother tongue.
• Swiss people (especially students) have to write at least in german and french or italian. Or think of Grisons, but I expect no recognition for Rumantsch Grischun.

Microsoft forces you to install the language pack to get handwriting recognition for other languages. So I got the language packs for de and fr, installed them and voilà, handwriting recognition worked. Why I have to install several hundred megabytes of mui-files just to get C:\Program Files\Common Files\microsoft shared\ink\hwr[language]*.dat (where [language] is deu, fr, uk, us is beyond me. It does not work just by extracting and overwriting the files. When I have time I'll look further into this, maybe there's a workaround that allows to use multilanguage handwriting without the whole package.

Handwriting Math Input Panel

This was already in the beta, but I forgot to write about it. A very handy application, when you got math classes. It allows you to write mathematical formulae. Symbols like sigma, integral signs and more are recognized. The object is editable with the Microsoft Formula Editor.

Calls for a LaTeX-converter...

Hardware

Improved since the last version. Recognition of almost all the hardware was instantly, or after the first update (nVidia). Not recognized were the Flash Media Controller and Bluetooth, but both worked with the Vista-drivers from the Toshiba webpage. For the TPM- and the biometric functionality I had to install additional software. For the TPM I used the same as in Beta, 3.5 from here and follow the instructions from this post; UPEK has a new version for RC, get it here.

Software

The Toshiba Value Added Package and Tablet PC Extension Package still work as in Vista. Meaning that the rotation-button does not, but the rotation works when you rotate the screen or use the presentation-button and click "rotate" in Windows Mobility Center.

Postzertifikat

Since this concerns only Swiss people I write in german.

Das Postzertifikat läuft immer noch - einfach die neueste Software herunterladen und installieren. Das USB-Token wird direkt erkannt. Steckt man den Stick vor der Installation der Software ein, so erkennt Windows den Smartcard-Chip, hat aber keine Treiber für ihn. Für die Smartcards einiger Hersteller ist keine zusätzliche Software mehr nötig, Siemens CardOS-Karten gehören aber nicht dazu.

Windows 7 Release Candidate 7100 x64

Well, this one was more tricky - and there was not a solution for everything.

Most hardware is recognized and works out of the box or after Windows Update. Toshiba does not support x64 very much - thus I miss the drivers for the Texas Instruments PCI-6x12 Cardbus-Controller (no problem, I got no cardbus-cards anymore) and the Toshiba HDD Protection. I tried some stuff with the drivers for the last one, the effect was that the machine froze after being moved.

As if this was not enough, my main application misses a feature on x64: Onenote has no "Send to OneNote"-printer in x64 and there won't be one for Office 2007. The workaround supports no OCR, so I decided not to install a complete working environment on x64.

Windows 7 on Tablet PC

After getting all the drivers to work on my Windows 7 I finally got around to test the tablet pc capabilities a little more. Here's what I found.

First a warning: The English ISO does not include German or French handwriting recognition, only the English - I don't know why. The German ISO on the other hand does include the English, but not the French. My first tries were with the English build, but I changed to the German one. I don't have the Technet-Subscription I would need to get the Windows 7 language packs, if you'd like to share, contact me.

The Tablet Input
It only appears at the left border of the screen when you use the pen. If you use touchpad or mouse, it does neither appear nor fly out, even when you move the curser over the place it used to appear. When you have activated it, it remains transparent on the screen.

If you type with the keyboard, the text appears in the tablet input window too - at least in some places like the start menu. If there's already text in such a field, it is shown in the tablet input in a handwriting font.
If you write with the pen, the recognition writes the word in the handwriting font, as soon as it thinks you finished writing a word. If you were not finished and continue writing, the newly written letters are added to the recognized word.
Now if the word is not the one you intended, you tip it and get the correction input - you can change single characters and get knew proposals what the word might be.
The new correction modes are amazing, you get tips how to use it in the tablet input under the . You get correction (with a tip, as just shown), delete (stroke from right to left), split (vertikal stroke at the right position) and join (ark under the words beginning and end). There are small movies to explain how to do it if you click it.
The on screen keyboard looks a little different know, the "keys" are appart in an island look almost like Mac or Sony keyboards.
Shape Collector (Handschrifterkennungsanpassung)

It is now possible to "teach" the tablet your handwriting in other languages than english. You can either change the recognition of a single word that's always recognised wrong or teach the tablet your handwriting - which means you write 50 sentences that make more or less sense.
When you have finished, the new information is saved into the system and - if you choose so - sent to Microsoft to improve coming versions.


Snipping Tool

Quite handy, allows you to mark and cut a part of the screen freehand (or rectangular, circular), puts it in the clipboard, shows it and lets you save it.

Windows 7 and Fingerprint Sensor in Tecra M7

I found an article on the Windows Team Blog telling me that there's an update available for the UPEK Protector Suite for Windows 7 - my sensor is supported (check here).

The normal setup did apparently nothing - I checked the files it installed, just some drivers - so I ran "update drivers" in the device manager - no effect. Only when you choose "browse my computer" - "let me pick" you get a new entry "TouchChip Fingerprint Coprocessor (WBDI)".

After changing the driver, the protector suite stopped working - but the "Biometric Devices" in the Control Panel (under Hardware and Sound) started working! The status said "Not enrolled", so I had to register my fingerprints. This application though seems to have some problems left, it kills the explorer task sometimes.

Win+L gives the login screen, where I still had two fingerprint icons - one of the Protector Suite, the other of Windows 7. Logging on with my thumb worked immediately.

I uninstalled the Upek Protector Suite 5.8.2, but know I need a new software to save my passwords and fill them in on fingerstroke...

Windows 7

I've finished installing Windows 7 on my Toshiba Tecra M7 - here's what works (almost everything) and how:

Works out of the box (aka iso)

System (Chipset, CPU, etc)
Softmodem (v2.1.69.0)
Tablet Input, but see (1)
Intel WiFi Controller 4965AGN (v12.1.0.14)

Works after Windows Update
nVidia Quadro NVS 110M (out of the box only reduced resolution, Pre-Release driver WDDM 1.0, = v7.15.11.7929)
Toshiba HDD Shock Sensor (v2.0.0.3)
Intel PRO/1000 PL Ethernet Controller (v9.12.30.0)
Sound Realtek (v6.0.1.5624)

Works with the newest Toshiba Vista drivers from download
Fingerprint Sensor (I have Upek Protector Suite 5.8.2 , Toshiba download is only 5.6)
Toshiba Bluetooth (v6.10.10)
PCMCIA Cardbus Controller (v6.1.7000.0)
TPM Trusted Platform Module (v6.1.7000.0)
FlashMedia Controller (v6.1.7000.0)
Rotation, Tablet buttons (files Tablet PC Extensions, Button support)

External devices
Nokia N82: Nokia PC Suite has to be installed according to (2)
OmniKey Cardman 6121: Works out of the box, gets new drivers from Windows Update
Huawei E220 HSDPA USB Modem: Works with the drivers/firmware 11.117.09.00.00 on the device, update from Swisscom

(1): I installed the English Windows 7 - I have no tablet recognition with my input language "Swiss German", maybe it will work with the German language pack

(2): The setup tells you it won't work with this operating system. Don't (!) use the recommended settings for setup, instead do the following:
- right-click the installer
- click "Properties"
- go to "Compatibility"
- Click "Change settings for all users"
- Set the "Compatiblity mode" to "Windows Vista"
- Set the "Privilege Level" to "Run this program as an administrator"
- Click "OK" twice
- Run the installer

Software

Works directly or gives a warning that you can ignore:
7zip 4.64
Acronis TrueImage 11
Acronis TrueImage 2009
Adobe Reader 9
Cygwin
Firefox 3.1 Beta 2
FlashPlayer 10.0.12.36
Hamachi 1.0.3.0
iTunes 8
JDK 6u11
Microsoft Office 2007 SP1 (if you miss the "Send to Onenote" printer, read this)
Notepad 2 v3.0
Paint.Net 3.36
Putty
Swisscom Unlimited from Huawei E220 (update here)
Shockwave Player 11.0.3.470
VLC 0.9.8a

Works when installed in compatibility mode (2)
Nokia PC Suite 7.1.18
Postzertifikat - get the "Vista" version

Needs special treatment
Skype 3.8 works, but the beta has a better integration with Windows 7
If you install 3.8 you get a warning and the link to the beta

Postzertifikat und Windows 7 - es läuft auch!

So, Windows 7 ist als Beta draussen - und natürlich will sofort alles getestet sein.
Auf meinem Toshiba Tecra M7 habe ich bis jetzt noch keine Hardware-Komponente gefunden, die nicht mit Vista-Treibern funktionierte.
So auch das Postzertifikat - absolut keine Probleme.
Wie geht's?

1. Aktuellste JVM runterladen und installieren
2. Vista-Package der Postzertifikatssoftware runterladen (Version ohne lokale JVM (kleineres File)) und installieren
   
3. Neustarten
4. Internetverbindung herstellen
5. CardReader einstecken

Es ist wichtig, dass eine Internetverbindung steht, wenn der Reader eingesteckt wird. Damit wird automatisch der neueste Treiber installiert, und nicht die etwas veraltete Version im Package.

Ab hier alles gemäss den sonstigen Anleitungen für Office / Firefox etc. Die Dialoge für die Zertifikatsauswahl sehen in Internet Explorer und Outlook ein bisschen anders aus (Windows 7-Style), sind aber soweit selbsterklärend - Achtung dass ihr das richtige Zertifikat für die Verschlüsselung der Mails auswählt (nur anhand der Seriennummer zu unterscheiden)