Hi all,
my controller OS is Windows 7 Embedded Standard (WES7) 32 bit and it works flawlessly. I have seen posts where people have given up on Windows 7, I can't comment because I don't
have a copy of the retail version of Windows 7, I do however have a runtime license for WES7.
The 'embedded' version of Windows 7 is a modularised version of the retail version. You can select those modules required to run your device/controller and leave all the other junk
out. Windows XP Embedded was similar but to configure the 15000 components it included is a real mission. By comparison to XP Embedded WES7 is a breeze, it has some templates
like compataility mode that results in a full blown OS similar if not identical to retail Windows 7. Otherwise you can make up your own installation mix by choosing from a 100 or so
modules. The installation software checks for conflicts and missing essential modules, all in all not too bad to do.
Microsoft allow a free download of WES7 and the required installation tools. In absence of registering with Microsoft it runs in demo mode for a month, if you register it runs for six months,
easily time enough for anyone to determine if it is any good. Getting a runtime license is a little bit more complicated and expensive but I found more than worth the effort, I suppose
you could install a fresh OS every six months and then it would be free if inconvenient.
The full download is about 6gig but the 32bit distribution share and IBW the manual install tool is about 3 gig. I downloaded the complete package which includes the 64 bit distribution
share and ICE the automated installation tool. I never used either the 64 bit DS or ICE, I had only my own system to configure so ICE seems pointless for me and I still use PP so
didn't need/want 64 bit.
I burnt a disc with the 32 bit DS and IBW and installed it on my platform in a couple of hours and first six months free, thanks Microsoft!
I never had to shag about with drivers and all that stuff as it ran on my new platform straight from the box. I have since installed a PCI parallel card and driver for a second port
and obviously Mach3 and my favourite plugins and have been cutting chips ever since. The parallel port driver of Mach3 runs better at 100k than my old XP machine did at 25K.
I recommend WES7 to anyone. I believe the retail Windows 7 has so much network and internet security junk in it that Mach3 struggles with all the intrusion, WES7 does not.