They're trying to hard to create 4 tiers... there really should only be 3. Starter, Home and Ultimate/Business.

Starter should stay as it is, Home should stay as it is plus backup and Ultimate/Business should be combined to give you access to domains, add bitlocker support and whatever else it has. That would make a LOT more sense.

bad decision microsoft...
They should include backup for every edition regardless of how limited the OS is going to be.
(my thought)

Riddle me this: how many home users do you know who have ever run Microsoft Backup? How many even know that it exists?

There are a bazillion free ways of backing up -- including Microsoft's SyncToy, which works great and costs nothing (of course home users don't know this exists either). Personally, I use SmartSync on my home PC. Plus, practically every external hard disk drive comes with some type of backup software. So in terms of Home Premium bundleware... who cares?

Unless it's backing up something like Exchange or SharePoint (ie something that requires arcane wizardry like VSS to back up), I think that leaving it to third party or a higher end version is fine.

Does this mean backup won't be included or you won't be able to automatically schedule it using the task manager? Because having no backup is different from not having automatic backup.

Not having a backup utility is ridiculous!!

If regular computer users actually backed up their files it would make my job ten time easier.

But for those who actually do use windows to back up their stuff this is going to be a severe disappointment, as most of the off the shelf computer will come with home premium.

Windows already does too much it doesn't tell you about.

Glorian, if regular computer users actually backed up their files, you'd have a 10% time job.

Please let me know what have windows done for me lately?

Doesn't matter to me, I use Acronis. What is dumb however, is not incuding XP mode. Gamers would use it, but not really the average home user. (since they wouldn't know anyways). Gamers know how to pirate. So instead of paying for Home Premium (which is less of a stretch than the others) they are most certainly going to steal Winodws instead for XP mode. (eg why buy premium and then steal ultimate to get this lol?) Brillant strategy. Whoever came up with this should be fired.

don't care, no solution they would provide would be good enough for me anyway, ill make my own. so whats the problem Toms? Microsoft not copying your latest crush, Apple??

for one, when your computer has a problem windows looks for a solution, saves crash data and sends reports to MS, but at least it tells you about it.

i'd like to stop that from happening because it slows my computer. but windows won't let me stop the process from starting.

that's why i hate windows.

I don't see what the talk is about since it has AWAYS been this way.

Just because something has always been a certain way doesn't mean that it's the best way to be.

That's a pain in the butt. Well I backup stuff to my external drive anyway, but for most users who don't have that as a habit it gets neglected until their hard drive dies or the windows install goes to hell. Gotta organize it though and burn off some of the older stuff onto DVDs .

i love buying crippled operating systems. its my favorite thing ever.

hmmmm, pay for a crippled OS or pirate the full version... i wonder... i wonder...

ROFLMFAO, holy shit batman, these people could fuck up a cup of coffee, LOL

The author is evidently misreading his own link.

NETWORK automatic backup is what is added in Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate. The author's link states that clearly.

According to the following link, among others, BACKUP to local drives and removable media is provided in ALL editions of Windows 7.

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1031&page=2

The following link confirms what the Microsoft link says about backing up files and system images to a NETWORK location being an ADDITIONAL backup capability of Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate:

http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=1031&page=5

What does the article's author have to say in response? Never mind?

deskpalm. mxyztplk is completely right. The links say that backup and restore is included in all versions of Win7. The version comparison only says that the home premium doesn't have network backup.

"oh knowz.... microsoft is not putting backup software in 7 HP edition!! It's the end of the world!! What will we doez????"

why would u trust a Microsoft program to back up your data?? Anyone ever heard of third party backup software???

Ultimate is kind of a lame name... besides, there is no-longer a "business" version as in Vista, which was also lame... That was fixed and its now called PRO.

Starter is only in 3rd world countries... we won't see it in the USA/Europe.

Basic = Fine for netbooks and other under-powered computer. Not for notebooks or desktops... its an OEM version.

Home = Whats will be the most used version of Windows7. IT should include basic backup features. This is like a hold-over from XP-Home... but if you ran the tool from the XP-HOME CD (a 250k file), it would ADD Backup function to XP-Home.

Pro = Fine how it is...

Ultimate = Its generally $20 more than Pro... its feature list is minimal. But DOES include the language paks, which would REALLY be handy on ALL versions of Windows7, since it not really a tech feature.
Ultimate SHOULD include more useful functions, more art, more toys... and it should still cost $200~250 retail.

* I boycott the "Home basic / Home Premo" names. I only use BASIC and HOME to describe these versions.

Ha. I have already used the Windows automatic backup and restore several times on Windows 7...
I think I've gotten to comfortable to a Ultimate version...

Hmm....

-_-

BACKING UP YOUR SHIT 101

1-Burn your Important Text files / documents / work spreadsheets / work files / final project etc onto CD/DVD
2-Burn important family photos / final videos / wedding etc onto DVD
3-Dont backup TERABYTES of useles ilegaly downloaded music / movies /porn
4- PROFIT

This, and I will also add a link straight from Microsoft's site about Windows 7. Notice the nice "Applies to all editions of Windows 7" text in the top right.

I'm confused...

Windows XP Home has System Restore.

But Windows 7 Home won't have System Restore?


Or are we talking about some other type of backup program?

Lol. First of all, who in their right mind uses a backup app to backup a harddrive that the app is running from in the first place!?!?!

Backups should ALWAYS be done from outside the windows environment, preferably with the hard-drive you are backing up not in use at ALL at the time of back up. Acronis True Image boot is an excellent, fast, and free app that will boot into a separate shell and will even make untouchable, separate partitions specifically for drive backups. Perfect image, every time. Lowest image corruption rates in the industry.

Point is, this should matter very little to you if you actually care about the quality of your hard-drive backups. If you don't, then all I have to say is that you will reap what you sow.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

Netherscourge: I believe it doesn't include software to backup over a network, like to say another PC in a closet, or to a networked drive.

I'm more pissed about the XP compatibility not being in Home Premium than anything, but with so many SKUs, the average person will need a 2 page fucking flow chart to figure out what to buy. Don't feel bad, I am confused as well.

It really is a shame, Vista wasn't that bad and 7 is actually pretty good. The developers have been doing there jobs, but the "business-types" are going to fuck it all up like usual. That's what you get when you put business people in charge of tech firms. Just look what happened to Apple without Jobs.

I'm a Coke man, but won't turn my nose up at a Pepsi (it's not THAT bad) - unless of course they're $50 a can, then it's shite.

Sorry, link didn't come through (what I wouldn't give for an edit button), http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us [...] our-files. Anyway, direct from Microsoft, backup is there for all versions.

@mxyztplk, thank you for pointing this out. If people dont believe you, here it is straight from the horses mouth. Backup will be on ALL editions of Win 7. Professional adds network backup.

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us [...] nd-restore

To bad the damage has been done, there are now a bunch of Toms techies who think they have more ammo to use against M$. Toms, this is a huge mistake, I hope you attempt to rectify it with an update.

Two Words: "Time Machine", Apple does this right, OS X is one flavour, well two if you count the server edition.

SIMPLE BACKUP IS ON ALL VERSIONS.

Restore is also on all versions.


What's left out is the ability to backup over a network.

Now that that's settled, the knots in carious panties can be untied.