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Making Windows 7 Home Premium more Professional, or perhaps even the Ultimate Windows version

Aug. 26, 2009 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Last week on the Windows Weekly podcast, I mentioned that in writing my Windows 7 review, I pretty much determined that the "best" Windows 7 product edition for most people was Home Premium. I came to this conclusion based on the sheer number of unique features that you get from moving up to Home Premium (from Starter), and from the relatively small bump you get, respectively, from upgrading to Professional or Ultimate. But both Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate do have some unique features of their own, some of which would be hard to live without. Looking over the list in my Windows 7 Product Editions Comparison, you can see that the major unique features of those two versions include...

Windows 7 Professional
Network-based backup
Remote Desktop Host
(Encrypting File System) EFS
XP Mode

Ultimate
Bitlocker
Bitlocker to Go

(Windows 7 Professional and up also support Active Directory domains.)

That's not too many features. It made me wonder how difficult it would be to find free or low cost tools that would duplicate the missing functionality. So I asked people on the podcast to send in their suggestions for network-based backup, remote desktop, and file encryption (which is what EFS, Bitlocker, and Bitlocker To Go are, essentially).

I'll eventually turn this into a how-to article of sorts, but I'd like to get your feedback as well of course. Here's what I've gotten so far, listed in order of number of responses per solution:

Network backup
Cobian Backup
GFI Backup
Microsoft SyncToy
Goodsync
Allway Sync
Carbonite (not free)
Syncback SE
CrashPlan

Remote access
Ultra VNC
LogMeIn.com (free version)
Gbridge

File encryption
TrueCrypt (very difficult to use)

I'd love to find other encryption solutions that just worked.

Also, with regards to Windows Virtual PC/XP Mode, I don't know of a free Windows-oriented desktop virtualization solution that offers the ability to run virtualized applications under the host OS a la XP Mode. (Both Parallels Desktop and VMWare Fusion do this on Mac OS X, but neither are free.) That said, even Windows Virtual PC only works with 32-bit guests. If you're looking for a surprisingly capable desktop virtualization solution for Windows that works with both 32-bit and 64-bit guests, and is absolutely free, check out VirtualBox. It's excellent. But of course any Windows 7 user can run Windows Virtual PC: You just won't get XP Mode for free.

Discuss this Article 29

rr0de74@live.com
on Aug 26, 2009
I am longtime user of logmein free, it works on Windows and Macs. Leo is always pimping Go to my PC (because they pay him) but logmein is just as good and its free.
WH Tech
on Aug 26, 2009
You may wanna change the link fo Cobian Backup to: http://www.cobiansoft.com/ I don't know how long he will maintain the EDU site.
pollycat
on Aug 26, 2009
I am a native English speaker working in China with international partners, so the availability of language packs in Ultimate is a "major" feature for me that would be almost impossible to replicate with third-party tools, it's very convenient for me to switch languages on my laptop when colleagues who speak other languages need to use it.
johnbaxter
on Aug 26, 2009
Feeble attempt at mind-reading: When Paul says "But both Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate do have some unique features of their own, some of which would be hard to live with." he is thinking "...live without." I didn't find TrueCrypt hard to work with for what I used it for (full system disk encryption on a Vista laptop). But I didn't explore its other features much, because it was, well, hard to use. It did the full disk encryption very well, and I hope it gets a UI makeover. I'll return to it when I have a laptop with Win 7 final and they claim that it works for that. I use JungleDisk (backed by Amazon--one now has a choice of that or Rackspace) for some network backup (Windows and Mac). Not free. Cheaper than Carbonite for what I do at the moment.
GoodThings2Life
on Aug 26, 2009
I came to this same conclusion about a month ago after reading one of Ed Bott's articles. I was also thinking about Windows Live Sync and Live Mesh as very very VERY suitable replacements to network backup (and Live Mesh also functions as a Remote Desktop service so double duty from one app).
kenmcnamee
on Aug 26, 2009
Great post, and really useful information. One tip... LogMeIn Free doesn't allow you to transfer files from one machine to another. However, if you use LogMeIn Hamachi to setup a VPN between the machines then you can transfer files easily using Windows Explorer. While it would be nice to have those features integrated into one solution like Go To My PC you just can't beat free. Also, I've been using TrueCrypt for a few years. I'm not sure why people say it's difficult to use because I find it pretty straightforward.
kenmcnamee
on Aug 26, 2009
GoodThings2Life: I used to use Live Mesh - I think it's a great solution for backup, file transfer and remote desktop. However, they are taking way, way too long to roll out a professional version. The 5GB limit is simply much too small for my needs. I'd be happy to pay for more storage but they just aren't offering it yet.
rseiler
on Aug 26, 2009
Paul, I thought MS did offer a way to get XP Mode without actually using XP Mode. They released RemoteApp at the same time they did the VPC RC. As I understand it, you can use VPC RC, your own XP VM (license not supplied as it is in XP Mode), and RemoteApp to make the functional equivalent of XP Mode. There's also a RemoteApp to do the same for Vista VMs, though I can't imagine why anyone would need that. http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?displaylang=en&FamilyID=...
dberger
on Aug 26, 2009
You forgot the most important feature of Enterprise/Ultimate: The ability to boot from a VHD. For testing and just playing around with new systems this is very, very useful.
lketchum
on Aug 26, 2009
Ult/Enterprise: DirectAccess RemoteApp Client (see above) Branch Cache Client AppLocker Windows Services for Unix Secure Startup (Cornerstone) Subsystem for UNIX-Based Applications [SUA] (only enterprise and Ultimate have this) Single Session Virtual PC (only enterprise and Ultimate have this) Multi-Language User Interface with Localization [use more than one language at a time without separate installs] (only enterprise and Ultimate have this) Software Inventory Module Disable Windows Activation Services [Yes, one can] (enterprise and Ultimate only) Startup Repair Tool (SRT) Not saying that most home users need this, but these are the things that matter most and increasingly, to the smallest of businesses and mobile professionals. There are good reasons there are enterprise/ultimate editions.
lketchum
on Aug 26, 2009
@rseiler, You are quite correct, but they are different technologies for different uses. In many case, remote app, where the remote application has a localized presence is better than XP Mode. But again, they are different and used differently.
rseiler
on Aug 26, 2009
@lketchum, It's probably not that important that the underlying technologies are different, but I am interested in why you say they have different uses. The link says "This package lets you run many Windows XP productivity applications from a Windows 7-based PC using Windows Virtual PC." Is that not the very same thing as what XP Mode gets you? I haven't been able to try any of this (silly hardware virtualization requirement) but am interested.
lketchum
on Aug 26, 2009
rseiler, I guess I should have focused on the requirements. Let me use a real-world example we just completed for a regional bank. They use a loan application called ARTA, which itself integrates with a few other 3rd party applications. They have a new branch office in another part of the state in which they operate and several remotely located loan officers. Using only the equipment they had on hand, they needed a means to seamlessly and securely use their apps. Now... if the app were simply localized, VPC, or XP Mode would have been fine, but the app is client server and was run as a terminal app on a TS server. We implemented several technologies - the new TS Gateway, as well as TSWEB and RemoteApp on a retired Exchange 2003 server - we migrated their email ot hosted Exchange 2007 services, which we also run - using Postini as an external set of filters keeping junk off the server itself - not to mention clients. Back to RemoteApp, the ARTA app itself runs on a different host entirely and does not need to be installed on either the TS server or the client machines - e.g., all software, less one control in IE 8, run on the Internal network. Users log into a secure web browser on any computer and simply launch the apps the want and have access to. Remote access to their internal computers is also supported. We can also deploy the remote apps to any updated XP machine, or newer client and launch ARTA from the local machine, but this became unnecessary as we combined technologies to make the deployment nearly immediate. The work took about 6 hours one night, which included removing the old Exchange Organization. If you want to know more or need help, write me a private message and we'll help you.
techfan
on Aug 26, 2009
I don't know if this is supported on Home Premium, As a home user, the only two things that attract me to Pro and Ultimate is multi-language UI support.
techfan
on Aug 26, 2009
I don't know if this is supported on Home Premium, As a home user, the only two things that attract me to Pro and Ultimate is multi-language UI support.
rseiler
on Aug 26, 2009
@lketchum, Thanks for that. Re RemoteApp just relative to Virtual PC though (which is the back end instead of Terminal Server here), aren't we still talking about an icon on the Win7 desktop (or wherever) that when run effectively performs the same function as XP Mode? The link even says "This package is not required if you are using Windows XP Mode (RC)," strongly hinting that it's a facsimile. You use one or the other. Looking at a Technet description of the original RemoteApp (used with TS), it says "Instead of being presented to the user in the desktop of the remote terminal server, the RemoteApp program is integrated with the client's desktop, running in its own resizable window with its own entry in the taskbar. If the program uses a notification area icon, this icon appears in the client's notification area. Popup windows are redirected to the local desktop. Local drives and printers can be redirected to appear in the RemoteApp program. Many users might not be aware that the RemoteApp program is any different than a local program." If that's what they've done here with RemoteApp in conjunction with Virtual PC instead of TS, it sounds good to me.
techman.merb
on Aug 26, 2009
@kenmcnamee Hamachi is a very versatile little app that I've found very useful over the years. I use it regularly for smaller clients as a secure and basically trouble free VPN. I even have a couple of clients connecting to their office network and Exchange server with their laptops from home with little lag and great results. I have always been surprised that it isn't mentioned here very often. Combined with VNC it makes a great remote desktop substitute and VNC handles multiple display setups perfectly, something that Remote Desktop does not. I also use Hamachi and VNC to connect to clients systems and troubleshoot small problems or show them how to do something. More efficient than using remote help requests through messenger and a much lower overhead. I had always hoped that MS would have bought them and integrated it with Windows. Now that would have been a great feature.
lketchum
on Aug 26, 2009
rseiler, We've done both now, but our initial focus was entirely over the web. No localized install outside of the one browser control was required. The remote app is accessed from a cusomizable web page from the TSWEB front end that invokes RemoteApp and fires the application. The supported application, ARTA in this case, runs in the logged user session, outside the browser as if it were locally installed. Alternatively, and on patched XP SP3 systems, one can localize it. We chose not to initally as there was a lot of urgency in making the app avalable independent of client updates/installs. We now do both, but users prefer the initial method. Planned installs are for an Ocular healthcare app that is now a traditional TS supported app - to a secure remote desktop environment. We're moving that app to WS08 R2 and RemoteApp - where the application will run as you note. We may put up a test site/environment for people to hit and use. We can remote things like calculator and notepad to demo what we mean. It's kind of cool to see older versions of these apps run on top of Windows 7 RTM as those they were natively installed.
DarkSages
on Aug 26, 2009
What about MESH it backs up and lets you remote in. It's also free but I would pay for it for more space.
scoobyclub
on Aug 26, 2009
VirtualBox is free on the Mac too. I don't have much requirement for Windows but for the little I do it works more smoothly than either of the paid for options.
Backup77
on Aug 26, 2009
Good post with lots of useful ideas. I do need to obtain language packs for various systems so would probably have to to get Ultimate or Professional at the very least as network based backup is essential,
Bruno H
on Aug 26, 2009
I Would really recommend Mesh (www.mesh.com) for networked backup. I helped a relative with this setup. Now remember that the downside to this is that we have to trust each others, as all files will be visible by the other one… My relative had an laptop and a desktop computer. We used synctoy to sync the My documents folder in Windows Xp. But synctoy requires that you actively use it or se to that all machines are powered on at all times, which no normal user thinks of. So I installed mesh on both machines. This user had 8GB of data under my documents (lots of pictures) way above the 5 GB limit of mesh online desktop. But when we configured to mesh sync the my documents folder we choose to NOT sync up to the web, but only sync between the two machines locally on the network in the house. This sync worked out well and after a couple of hours the two machines had identical my documents folders which was synced. Now to my machine. I have a desktop at home with 250 GB disk to spare and that machine is always on and my account is always logged in. I made my relative invite me to his mesh. Then when I got home I accepted the invitation and told mesh to sync the data to my empty 250 GB drive. It took 2.5 days for the sync to work through. But now all three machines have a synced copy. As my machine is always on my relative doesn't ever have to think of powering up their two machines simultaneously as my machine always have the latest files and syncs them back. So for free my relative has an live online backup - offsite!! And the best part is that if want so send him any large files I can just copy the files to his mesh-synced folders and the files will be transferred over to his computers silently in the background. Great way to share home-videos of the family! And did I mention it works on MACs to? But again - this builds on trust!
stimshady
on Aug 27, 2009
Ken: thanks for the tip about Hamachi, this is exactly what i've been looking for.
kent909
on Aug 27, 2009
This blog has remained suprisingly civil
BrightrevCarl
on Aug 27, 2009
Windows 7 Pro can login to an Active Directory domain, which is a major feature difference from the home version. I would imagine that a signficant number of your readers run their own domains.
Philodemus
on Aug 27, 2009
One possible replacement for Bitlocker/Bitlocker to Go is BestCrypt (http://www.jetico.com/index.php?page=encryption-bestcrypt). It seems to support both full disk encryption and encrypted virtual drives. It has a plug-in for BartPE rescue discs. It supports 64-bit Windows versions and Linux as well.
Saucy
on Aug 27, 2009
When I think of encryption, PGP usually comes to mind. http://www.pgp.com The free version does just email, the full and priced desktop version goes beyond that to include virtual encrpted disks and encrypted .zip files. And don't forget that one can encrypt files with Windows 7 already. Maybe the Home version doesn't do full disk encryption out of the box, but it will encrypt folders AFAIK.
47852321
on Aug 27, 2009
For a replacement to BitLocker I heard somebody talk about Free Compuserve. It does Whole Drive Encryption and encrypts the hibernation file (which I don't think TrueCrypt does).
kiwintok
on Aug 27, 2009
Living in JPN the language packs are a big thing for me (my wife uses Japanese) - I personally don't see this as being an "ultimate" feature, should be in every version..

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