RejZoR's little secrets

This time around, i've decided to leave beta and RC builds alone and grab Windows 7 in final stage.
And so i've installed it yesterday on my netbook and PC. And first impression is really good. I mean really really good. I was happy with Vista, but this thing is even better. Not much from functionality part, but more like an polished version of Vista.

Installation went pretty fast for both, DVD installation and USB installation for netbook.
I've used this tool called WinToFlash (http://wintoflash.com) to make bootable Windows 7 USB drive.
Lexar Lightning II 4GB drive was used. No problems at all!

There were loads of drivers already detected during installation and many during Windows Update check.
I guess Microsoft was trying even harder to provide all the needed drivers for as painless install as possible. No problems with drivers later. Other vendors were prepared for Windows 7 as well.

Interface isn't significantly different, but it's giving a warm good feeling of something new. Everything is transparent, glowing, really pleasant for my eyes. I'm still missing funky animations from hardware accelerated version of Ubuntu's interface, but that might get in the way after initial fun. Still, Microsoft has done a good job with interface.
Especially taskbar. At first i thought it's thickness will get in the way, but it doesn't. Not even on small netbook's screen. And there is bunch of small details that really make Windows 7 interface unique. In Vista, sure, Aero Glass was nice, but it had that feeling of blending Windows XP with transparency. Windows 7 interface doesn't look anything like it. Just like i said, it's all in fine details.

Performance is another impressive part. I have my system fast enough for any OS, but the fact that Windows 7 runs beautifully on ACER Aspire One with all eye candy enabled is impressive by itself.
I haven't tried games yet, but programs work really well. What's interesting is also the fact that my system is cooler with Windows 7 for some reason. It might be a fluke, but CoreTemp is showing 2 to sometimes even 3 degrees lower temperatures of my CPU in idle or casual desktop usage (browsing and foobar2k). Nothing scientifically confirmed though, it just caught my eye.

I'll have to test games, but i think the results will be just as impressive as everything else so far.

I've been playing with Aspire One for few days and this little kiddo is actually quite powerful.
So i've decided to test games on it and build a list of games that work fine.
Native resolution (1024x600) used when possible, otherwise the highest selectable lower resolution is used instead. The list applies to Acer Aspire One with Atom 1,6GHz, 1GB of RAM and Windows XP SP3!
The list will be updated when i try more games or when my great readers submit info about games that are not yet listed. If you've tested a game that is not yet listed, let me know and i'll add it.

LAST LIST UPDATE: 2009/10/11

GAMES PLAYABLE ON ACER ASPIRE ONE:
4x4 Evolution (all set to max)
Aliens vs Predator Gold (all set to max)
Aliens vs Predator 2 (all set to max)
C&C:Generals (all set to low)
C&C:Red Alert 2 - Yuri's Revenge (all set to max)
C&C:Red Alert 2 (all set to max)
C&C:Renegade (all set to max)
C&C:Tiberian Sun (all set to max)
Call of Duty (all set to low)
Carmageddon 2 (all set to max)
Croc 2 (all set to max)
Dangerous Waters (all set to medium or high)
Dark Reign:The Future of War
Diablo
Diablo 2
Duke Nukem:Manhattan Project (all set to max, use DirectX mode)
Dungeon Siege (all set to max)
Dungeon Siege 2 (use default settings)
Dungeon Keeper Gold (works in normal mode, Direct3D doesn't work)
EARTH 2150 (all set to max)
EMPEROR:Battle for Dune (all set to max)
F-22 Raptor (all set to max)
Fahrenheit/Indigo Prophecy (all set to max)
FEAR Combat (all set to low, small levels with not many players)
Flatout (all set to low, slightly lower framerate)
Grand Theft Auto 3 (all set to max, just disable frame sync, frame limit and trails)
Grand Theft Auto:Vice City (all set to max, just disable frame sync, frame limit and trails)
Grand Theft Auto:San Andreas (all set to low)
Gun (all set to max except textures)
Half-Life (all set to max, use Direct3D)
Hidden & Dangerous Deluxe (all set to max)
Hitman:Codename 47 (all set to max)
Hitman 2:Silent Assassin (all set to max)
Hitman:Contracts (all set to max)
KISS - Psycho Circus: The Nightmare Child (all set to max)
Max Payne (all set to max)
Max Payne 2 (all set to max)
MechWarrior 3 (all set to max)
Midtown Madness (all set to max)
Midtown Madness 2 (all set to max)
Moto Racer (all set to max, screen has to be set to 16bit)
Moto Racer 2 (all set to max, works only with this PATCH, music has to be muted)
Moto Racer 3 (all set to max)
Motocross Madness (all set to max)
Motocross Madness 2 (all set to max)
NFS:Hot Pursuit 2 (all set to one level lower than max)
NFS:Porsche 2000 (all set to max)
NFS2 (all set to max)
NFS3:Hot Pursuit (all set to max, works with my Vista patch)
Quake 2 (all set to max)
Quake 3 Arena (all set to max)
Project IGI (all set to max)
Rally Championship 2000 (all set to max, may crash with certain audio settings)
Re-Volt (all set to max)
Return to Castle Wolfenstein (all set to High)
Serious Sam: The First Encounter (all set to normal/medium/standard)
Serious Sam: The Second Encounter (all set to normal/medium/standard, use Direct3D)
Soldier of Fortune (all set to max)
Soldier of Fortune 2:Double Helix (use auto detected settings and 800x600)
Superbikes 2001 (set compatibility mode to WIn98/Me, all set to max)
Starcraft
Starcraft:Brood Wars
Starsiege (all set to max, use OpenGL)
Star Trek:Armada (all set to max, problems with sound and music)
Star Wars: Jedi Knight 2 - Jedi Outcast (all set to max, disable complex shadows)
SWAT 4 (all set to low, slightly lower framerate)
System Shock 2 (all set to max, requires latest patch and -lgntforce switch)
The Sims (all set to max)
The Sims 2 (all set to low, expect longer loading times)
Thief 2: The Metal Age (all set to max)
Thief:The Dark Project (all set to max)
Tomb Raider 2 (all set to max)
Tomb Raider 3 (all set to max)
Tom Clancy's: Ghost Recon (all set to max, disable all shadows)
Unreal 2:The Awakening (all set to high, disable detail actors to boost framerate in firefights)
Unreal Tournament 2003 (all set to Normal)
Unreal Tournament 2004 (all set to Normal)
Unreal Tournament 99 (all set to max)
V-Rally 2:Expert Edition (all set to max)
Warzone 2100 (all set to max)
Warcraft 3:Reign of Chaos (all set to max)
Warlords Battlecry 3 (all set to max)
Worms 3D (all set to max, not that there is much to set lol)

GAMES THAT DO NOT WORK:
Age of Mythology (doesn't work)
Area 51 (Midway free full version, framerate too low)
Batman: Arkham Asylum (GPU doesn't support Shader Model 3.0)
Blood 2: The Chosen (main menu screen flickers and is hard to use)
BloodRayne (GMA950 doesn't support hardware Vertex Shaders, OpenGL crashes)
Burnout Paradise Ultimate Box (GPU doesn't support Shader Model 3.0 error)
CounterStrike:Source (too slow even on lowest settings)
Crashday (DirectX 9 device fails to initiate)
Crysis (too slow even on lowest settings)
Crysis Warhead (too slow even on lowest settings)
Dead Space (cannot initialize display hardware)
Defense Grid:The Awakening (too slow even on lowest settings)
Doom 3 (too slow even on lowest settings)
Far Cry (too slow even on lowest settings)
Half-Life 2 series (too slow even on lowest settings)
i-Fluid (too slow even on lowest settings)
Need for Speed:Underground 1 (too slow even on lowest settings)
Need for Speed:Underground 2 (too slow even on lowest settings)
Need for Speed:Most Wanted (too slow even on lowest settings)
Need for Speed:Carbon (too slow even on lowest settings)
Need for Speed:Shift (crashes on startup)
Painkiller (doesn't start, DirectX 9 errors)
Painkiller:Battle from Hell (doesn't start, DirectX 9 errors)
C&C:Red Alert 3 (too slow even on lowest settings)
C&C:Red Alert 3:Uprising (too slow even on lowest settings)
Serious Sam 2 (doesn't start, black screen)
SWAT3 (crashes, patch 1.6+ results in wrong CD inserted error)
STALKER:Shadow of Chernobyl (all set to low, too slow for me, but it works)
The Settlers 2:10th Anniversary (nothing happens when you start the game, no error messages)
The Suffering (Midway free full version, display device fails to initialize)
Trackmania Nations Forever (too slow even on lowest settings)
Unreal Tournament 3 (kernel32.dll error on UT3 start)

Microsoft today released a highly anticipated Microsoft Security Essentials. It's a freeware anti-malware protection without any advanced settings or features. But it still provides easy to use and very reliable protection for less knowledgeable users. You don't really have to tweak and adjust anything. It just works. You'll only know about it when it finds a malware. No need for registrations, no subscriptions etc.
Install and forget. Only thing you'll need is genuine version of Windows. That's the only requirement.
You do have original Windows right?

Official page and download:
http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials

Immunet Protect
http://www.immunet.com/protect

Latest security trend is cloud computing. And Immunet Protect is cloud based anti-malware software.
Technically speaking, the more users use it, the better it'll work. Can't really say much about it's effectiveness, but it's free and has a very low impact on performance. And can also be used along with other security programs. So give it a try if you're interested and contribute to their cloud system.

EDIT:
I forgot to mention it's still in BETA stage, although they don't mention that anywhere in the program and only on some parts of the webpage.

How you may wonder? It's quite simple and doesn't cost you anything. Only requirement is that your car speakers are able to output at least some bass and that your car stereo supports MP3's. Thats all.

Required stuff:
- car stereo capable of playing MP3's
- Winamp
- Enhancer plugin
- LAME Output plugin
- LAME encoder v 3.98.2 or later

Install Winamp (if you don't have it) and all the plugins. Download LAME encoder and extract it somewhere.
Run Winamp as Administrator (to avoid Enhancer compatibility problems with UAC), go into preferences and select "Lame MP3 Writer" output plugin under Output section. Then select DSP/Effects category and select Enhancer. Enhancer panel will open up. Enable "Power" and "Boost" features and click Presets button. Here, select "General Improvements". This is a good all around feature that enhances highs and adds deep bass. But you can select any other or even set it completely on your own.

Adjust Lame MP3 Writer parameters depending on your available space on CD-R or USB drive. Also make sure you supply the info about LAME encoder file location.

Make sure you have Repeat and Shuffle functions disabled. We don't want duplicated files.
Throw MP3's in your Winamp playlist, select the first track and click PLAY. It may take a while depending on your system speed. After Winamp processes all the MP3's, burn them to CD-R or copy them to your USB and use it in your car. Voila. The effect is similar to X-Fi Crystalizer, it's just that it can work on ANY car stereo since it's recorded inside MP3 files.
It's not an exact replacement for high end car stereo and powerful speakers, but if you're looking for a bit more crisp sound with more bass for no extra cash, this is a very nice solution.
Give it a try and let me know what you think of this trick.