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Introducing Windows 7  
Windows 7 is the latest desktop operating system from Microsoft. I've written about the operating system in many of my books, including Windows 7 Administrator's Pocket Consultant and Windows 7: The Definitive Guide. As time allows, I hope to write articles about this operating system and make them available here.

Hi, my name is William R. Stanek. I have over 20 years of hands-on experience with advanced programming and development. My 100+ books include: "Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Administrator's Pocket Consultant", "Windows Server 2008 Inside Out", "Microsoft Exchange Server 2010 Administrator's Pocket Consultant", and "Microsoft IIS 7.0 Administrator's Pocket Consultant" (all from Microsoft Press). I also wrote “MCSE Core Exams in a Nutshell” and “Windows 7: The Definitive Guide” for O’Reilly. I have an MS degree in Information Systems with distinction, and a BS degree in Computer Science magna cum laude. For fun I use to spend a lot of time mountain biking and hiking, but now my adventures in the great outdoors are mostly restricted to short treks around the Pacific Northwest.
   

My Windows 7-related blog entries that you may find helpful:

Windows 7: Inside Track, Part 1 “64-bit and more”

Windows 7: Inside Track, Part 2 “Upgrades and Migrations”

Windows 7: Inside Track, Part 3 “More on Upgrades and Migrations”

Windows 7: Inside Track, Part 4 “Migrations and Automation”

Windows 7: Inside Track, Part 5 “Migrations with Windows Easy Transfer”

Windows 7: Inside Track, Part 6 “Automating Migrations with USMT 4.0”

Windows 7: Troubleshooting: We interrupt our regularly scheduled broadcast again

Want to read all my blog entries? Visit:

The Blog Archives

More free stuff for my readers, listed by subject and from articles I wrote for TechNet Magazine:

Interoperability with Unix and Related Operating Systems

Interoperability with Earlier Windows Versions and Windows XP Mode

Deployment Image Servicing and Management Tool

Problem Steps Recorder

BranchCache Power Primer

DirectAccess Power Primer

60-Second Tour of PowerShell 2.0, Scripts, Tools and WinRM

Virtual Hard Disk Power Primer

The tables that follow provide information about the differences between Windows 7 editions. I'll try to add to these tables as time allows. If you have any suggested additions or if I've made a mistake, please let me know.

Table 1. Core Feature Differences between Windows 7 editions

Feature

Home Basic

Home Premium

Professional

Enterprise

Ultimate

Aero user interface

 

X

X

X

X

BitLocker Drive Encryption

 

 

 

X

X

Complete PC Backup

 

 

X

X

X

Desktop deployment tools

 

 

X

X

X

Dual processor support (not counting processor cores)

 

 

X

X

X

Encrypting File System

 

 

X

X

X

File and printer sharing connections

5

10

10

10

10

Network Access Protection client

 

 

X

X

X

Network and Sharing Center

 

 

X

X

X

Parental controls

X

X

 

 

X

Policy-based quality of service for networking

 

 

X

X

X

Premier Support, covered under

 

 

X

X

 

Scheduled backups

 

X

X

X

X

Software Assurance, available under

 

 

X

X

X

Subsystem for UNIX-based applications

 

 

 

X

X

Tablet PC

 

X

X

X

X

User interface multiple language installs

 

 

 

X

X

Volume licensing keys

 

 

X

X

 

Virtual machine licenses (4)

 

 

 

X

X

Windows Fax and Scan

 

 

X

X

X

Windows Media Center

 

X

 

 

X

Wireless network provisioning

 

 

X

X

X

Table 2. Expanded feature differences between Windows 7editions

FEATURE

STARTER

HOME BASIC

HOME PREMIUM

PROFESSIONAL

ENTERPRISE

ULTIMATE

Aero user interface

 

 

X

X

X

X

Accessibility settings

X

X

X

X

X

X

BitLocker Drive Encryption

 

 

 

 

X

X

Built-in diagnostics

X

X

X

X

X

X

Complete PC Backup

 

 

 

X

X

X

Desktop deployment tools

 

 

 

X

X

X

DirectX Support

X

X

X

X

X

X

Dual processor support (not counting processor cores)

 

 

 

X

X

X

Explorer windows

X

X

X

X

X

X

Encrypting File System

 

 

 

X

X

X

Fast resume and sleep

X

X

X

X

X

X

File and printer sharing connections

 

10

20

20

20

20

Internet Explorer

X

X

X

X

X

X

Network Access Protection Client

 

 

 

X

X

X

Network And Sharing Center

X

X

X

X

X

X

Parental controls

X

X

X

 

 

X

Policy-based quality of service for networking

 

 

 

X

X

X

Premier Support, covered under

 

 

 

X

X

 

Scheduled backups

 

 

X

X

X

X

Software Assurance, available under

 

 

 

X

X

X

Speech recognition

X

X

X

X

X

X

Subsystem for UNIX-based applications

 

 

 

 

X

X

SuperFetch

X

X

X

X

X

X

Sync Center

 

X

X

X

X

X

Tablet PC

 

 

X

X

X

X

User interface, multiple language installs

 

 

 

 

X

X

Volume licensing keys

 

 

 

X

X

 

Virtual machine licenses (4)

 

 

 

 

X

X

Windows Defender

X

X

X

X

X

X

Windows Fax And Scan

 

 

 

X

X

X

Windows Firewall

X

X

X

X

X

X

Windows Gadgets

 

X

X

X

X

X

Windows Media Center

 

 

X

 

 

X

Windows Media Player

X

X

X

X

X

X

Windows ReadyBoost

 

X

X

X

X

X

Windows Update

X

X

X

X

X

X

Windows XP Mode

 

 

 

X

X

X

Wireless networking

X

X

X

X

X

X

Wireless network provisioning

 

 

 

X

X

X

 

 
   
   
  Did I miss something?

Looking for something specific in my books or on my site? Let me know... I'll either update my site or put your request into the next edition of the appropriate book. Send an email to williamstanek at aol dot com.
   
   

Thank you for visiting.

Thank you for reading this article. I look forward to writing more articles.

William R. Stanek (http://www.williamstanek.com)