I decided after installing Windows 7 Beta 1 32bit that I would also try the 64bit version. Unfortunately, the installation of the 64bit version didn’t go as smoothly as did the 32bit version.

First off, the boot block that came with the 64bit DVD image contained 2 boot options. The 2 boot options were not labelled and therefore I had to experiment in order to determine which option was the correct one. Option 1 allowed me to see the ‘Press any key to boot from CD/DVD’ prompt that you would normally see when inserting a Windows CD/DVD in the drive. Option 2 seemed to go into an endless loop and wouldn’t advance any further. The only solution was to do the three finger salute (Ctrl – Alt – Del) and reboot. Of course, this is only a minor hiccup and no doubt it will not be an issue once Windows 7 has been released.

After navigating the dreaded boot options the installation proceeded pretty much as expected and again, the main monitor was detected and set to the manufacturers recommended setting of 1680 x 1050. The speed of the installation was pretty much the same as with the 32bit version and all went smoothly. When the installation had completed the most notable difference was that my second monitor had not been detected and consequently it had not been setup at all. A minor problem, but I was rather sadened by the fact that I may have to perform this step manually again. Hopefully, Microsoft will rectify this by the time that Windows 7 goes to press.

As with my experiences with the 32bit version, I will report on the additional features of Windows 7 64bit at a later date, probably after I have assembled my new i7 core machine.