Windows 7 Installed on a Viliv S5 MID

Even before the first Beta and Release Candidate of Microsoft's next-generation Windows 7 operating system were made available, there were reports that the upcoming OS would provide wider support for hardware devices, enabling netbook users to take advantage of the various features Windows 7 had to offer. Since the public release of the first beta, there have been a number of reports of Windows 7 working on netbooks, confirming previous rumors. On that note, it appears that Windows 7 can also be handled even by a lower-power device, such as Viliv's S5 mobile Internet Device (MID).

 

The installation of the OS has been done by jkkmobile, which has already posted a video and the installation notes for other users to experience Windows 7 on their Viliv S5 MID. They will be required to use a USB keyboard and read the installation notes in order to manage some potential issues with the device's drivers. However, as it turns out, installing Windows 7 on the MID is a relatively straightforward process and the operating system runs rather decent on the ultraportable device.

 

MID enthusiasts shouldn't expect the level of performance they'd receive from a netbook system, especially since this device is powered by a 1.33GHz Atom Z520 processor, which runs lower than Intel's more successful Atom N270 or the more recent Atom N280. There are also some issues regarding the drivers for the touchscreen, issues that are related to the operating system itself.

 

Running Windows 7 on an MID is more of a whim than something truly useful, especially since this type of devices are meant to use a limited computer functionality, providing the user with Internet access and basic editing. However, it demonstrates how Microsoft's next operating system can handle some of the world's most portable computing hardware.