Microsoft is breathing a small sigh of relief as Windows 7 approaches its two-month “shelf” anniversary. Windows has been available to the public since October 22, and some significant evidence suggests that Windows 7 converts can expect fewer Windows 7 driver problems than what was seen with Windows Vista after its initial release.

Installation Tops Windows 7 Problems

Not surprisingly, issues with Windows 7 installation topped the list of the ten most common problems with Windows 7 as reported by iYogi last month. Nearly a third of the survey’s 100,000 respondents said that they had experienced problems with installing the product. Windows 7 converts reported that under certain circumstances, the installation process would stall about two-thirds of the way through the install routine. The failure would require Windows users to stop and start again, often after entering a code that instructs the Windows installer to ignore plug-ins.

iYogi’s top-ten list was noticeably sparse on hardware-related problems. The installer did trip over certain DVD units. The units were recognized by the BIOS but not by the Windows 7 installation routine. This issue is also correctable but can slow the DVD-based installation process down.

Windows 7 converts are finding that not all graphics cards are created equal. About 1 out of 6 users reported that the popular Windows 7 Aero theme, which features transparent window frames, was not working. Most issues with Aero can be traced to graphics cards and/or processors that are not up to the semi-formidable task that Aero presents. In addition, some Windows 7 users report that the “snap” function on Windows 7′s Aero theme doesn’t always work as advertised.

Other Windows 7 problems that made the top-ten list include problems with iTunes and iPhone syncing; the lost of customized icons when a new theme is applied in Windows 7; Taskbar problems (which are more related to the visual design of the Taskbar rather than to the actual operation (or misoperation) of the Taskbar); “missing” applets like Mail and Movie Maker; too many minidumps and hidden file extensions.

For the most part, the last half of the list isn’t really representative of “problems” with Windows 7. Rather, they represent changes in the way the OS operates, which users may not initially recognize. With Windows 7, it is more difficult to tell whether a Taskbar icon represents a running application or a shortcut to an inactive application. Microsoft has also changed the way Mail, Movie Maker and other applets are loaded. Windows 7 users must now download these apps from Windows Live Essentials –they’re no longer automatically included with the standard load. By default, Windows 7 hides file extensions. This can be corrected by changing the preferences to show file extensions by default.

Photo Credit: Matthew Rutledge, via Flickr