What is Windows 7

To replace Windows Vista, the Windows 7 operating system (OS) became available for purchase in October 2009.

Windows 7 was created as an upgrade to the Windows Vista operating system and is based on the Vista kernel. It utilizes the original Aero user interface from Windows Vista (UI). Faster startup times, fresh user interfaces, and the inclusion of Internet Explorer (IE) 8 were therefore perceived by many end users as the greatest differences between Vista and Windows 7. Three retail editions of the operating system are generally accessible: Windows 7 Home Premium, Professional, and Ultimate. Some markets provide the Starter, Home Basic, and Enterprise versions.

Windows 7 was under development under the code names Blackcomb and Vienna.

key attributes

Users of Windows 7 can pin programs to the taskbar. The order of the programs on the taskbar may also be changed by the user. Among the other features are libraries for storing files. The three default library folders are Documents, Pictures, and Videos; each has a public and private version. Additionally, Windows 7 was the first version of Windows to include multitouch capabilities. The technology for handwriting recognition has also been upgraded.

With Windows 7, the Snap and Shake features were added. With Snap, a user may move an open window to the left or right side of the screen, and it will automatically resize to fill half the available space. The window returns to its original size and form if the user pushes it away from the side of the screen. A window can be immediately maximized by dragging it to the top of the screen.

By clicking the top of an open window and swiftly sliding it back and forth, users of Shake may instantly hide all inactive windows to show the desktop. The Show Desktop button, located in the bottom right corner of the screen, minimizes all open windows and allows users to quickly access the desktop.

Additional feature enhancements comprise:

Users can share files and folders with the group or privately using HomeGroup, a network of devices. A password is necessary for users to join a group.

Jump Lists are intended to direct users to the documents and activities they use most frequently in an application. They may be found on the taskbar or the Start menu. For instance, in Microsoft Word, the user's most recent few files were shown in the Jump List.

Whether or not the user is signed in, DirectAccess for Mobile Workers enables IT managers to update Group Policy settings and send software updates whenever the mobile device has internet access. Encryption and multifactor authentication are also supported by DirectAccess.

Older Windows XP apps may use a virtualized version of the XP OS thanks to XP Mode. The programs appear to be operating directly on the Windows 7 desktop to the end user.

BranchCache increases the efficiency of using local read-only caches to optimize WAN traffic.

BitLocker To Go brings key management and on-disk encryption to portable storage devices.

IT can mount a VHD and interact with it as if it were a real drive thanks to virtual hard disk support.

Microsoft SharePoint sites, online apps, and remote document repositories may all be searched with Enterprise Search.

With the aid of AppLocker, IT managers may utilize Group Policy to set restrictions on which programs can be executed on a user's desktop.

Administrators can manage both remote desktops operating through VDI and conventional desktop machines using the same master image thanks to improved virtual desktop infrastructure.

Microsoft lists the following hardware specifications for Windows 7:

• The processor of 1 GHz (32- or 64-bit)
• 1 GB (32-bit) and 2 GB (64-bit) of RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB of 32-bit disk space and 20 GB of disk space are both readily accessible (64-bit)
• Windows Display Driver Model 1.0 or above and a DirectX 9 graphics hardware

History

Windows 7, a new operating system, was announced by Microsoft in July 2007. In October 2008, the firm unveiled the moniker Windows 7. Microsoft made Windows 7 publicly accessible on October 22, 2009, after it had been delivered to production in July 2009. It served as Windows Vista's replacement and Windows 8's predecessor.

Five significant upgrades to Windows 7 have been released thus far:

Microsoft released Service Pack 1 (SP1) in February 2011 with support for Advanced Vector Extensions and more identity federation services. The 256-bit instruction set expansion for CPUs was also introduced in SP1.

The Platform Update from February 2013 improved several graphical application programming interfaces (APIs) and video decoders in addition to adding IE 10 to the platform.

A wizard was made available by the Disk Cleanup Update for users and IT administrators to remove out-of-date Windows updates from the operating system.

Windows PowerShell enhancements and Windows Remote Management features were part of the Windows Management Framework 5.0. It first appeared in February 2016.

In May 2016, the Convenience Rollup was the final significant upgrade for Windows 7. Since Microsoft published SP1, it included each security patch and feature upgrade in a single package. In October 2016, Microsoft made all upcoming Windows 7 updates cumulative.

On January 1, 2015, Microsoft stopped providing general support for Windows 7. The OS's extra support ends on January 14, 2020.