Win 7 Ultimate, Is it worth the money for it's ....

So my Dell laptop shipped with an OS 'restore' disk for Win 7 Home Premium (64).

I got curious, slapped the disk into the 3 year old PC and darned if it didn't install and run.

To backtrack a bit, I've gone from NT 4 to 2k Pro to XP Pro, but now I have a 'homeowners" version and I'm not use to features alluded to that I don't have. Like remote access and synch.

Now I'm working from the PC and a laptop, and on occasion a NetBook. And I'm not always home. Remote access and synch have become things I need.

Yes, I know. Welcome to the New Age. It had to happen eventually, I guess (I still don't want more than a cell phone).

Thats a long way to get to the question: In Win 7 is Remote Access secure enough, and does Synch work well enough, to justify the cost of 7 Ultimate (~ $100 because I'm a Student and Wife is past U. Staff) or should I be looking for a different solution to these two functions.

I know it's lazy of me to be asking in stead of doing my own research, but damn, it all starts looking Greek after a while.

any "remote access" is a security issue - keep in mind it has limitations - the machine you "left" must be running, must have the software running and enabled so when you "call" it (remotely) it recognizes you,,,, or (gosh) is it really you.....?? the "bad guys" have already reverse engineered the usual and customary software, so if it's running and on-line, you're open to being hacked. in that sense, using a MS product is the last place I'd start.

on the sync thing... I did that back in the day when the AT had a 30 meg HD and the "clamshell" only a 10 meg HD - LapLink was the thing of the day. I now use a notebook as my primary so I'm behind on the sync thing but MS's version I've seen described as "capable" with other third party sources cited as "better/more flexible/easier to use/etc"

ChowderMan said:

any "remote access" is a security issue - keep in mind it has limitations - the machine you "left" must be running, must have the software running and enabled so when you "call" it (remotely) it recognizes you,,,, or (gosh) is it really you.....?? the "bad guys" have already ...

Click to expand...

Its pretty much known the 'server" needs left on with an open port. The thought of leaving a port open is a bit bothersome, I figure they would have figured out how to write a program that would ignore the communication and wouldn't send the 'is it really you' response unless the initial packet(s) contained the proper data.

I guess 'they' have, I guess that isn't provided for 'free'.

in that sense, using a MS product is the last place I'd start.

Click to expand...

There is the unlikely possibility they got something right ... What was I thinking.

Everything is behind a router so that offers a higher level of security. Security is like a prophylactic.

on the sync thing... I did that back in the day when the AT had a 30 meg HD and the "clamshell" only a 10 meg HD - LapLink was the thing of the day. I now use a notebook as my primary so I'm behind on the sync thing but MS's version I've seen described as "capable" with other third party sources cited as "better/more flexible/easier to use/etc"

Click to expand...

I've used XP Pro's backup and Win 7 Home Premium (HP) backup. Ease of use is a relitive term.

XP semed to be what it sshould be, work through the structure and check box the file or directory, choose what to call the session, pick a place to put it. Pretty much the same and reverse for restore.

I used 7HP once. I will have to recheck that 'programs' settings, unless I can drastically change the settings I will not use it again. I could go into specifics, I'll just let it that when I did a restore it restored empty directories.

I don't know if the difference is a XP vs Win 7 thing, or a Pro vs Consumer thing, or what, I was wondering if the same discrepancy held in Synch programs.