An extremely interesting post on LifeHacker has revealed Omnimo, a “metro/zune UI inspired, highly functional and customizable complete rainmeter desktop skin suite, the name is derived from the word WinMo (backwards it’s OmniW), and has a latin equivalent Omnimodus which means universal, and universal is this project’s middle name.” Basically, it installs a skin on Windows Vista, 7, and even XP, that is almost identical to the Windows 7 Phone interface, bringing out a unique, beautiful feel that can only be achieved by some of the most superb desktop candy available.

On top of all that, it’s also free. It’s built on Rainmeter, an extremely light, open source customization package, that claims that “with Rainmeter, there are no secrets. Our bundled library of open-source skins covers a wide range of functions, but if you want your desktop to do something new, you don’t have to wait for us.” Rainmeter looks extremely promising, and Omnimo shows the potential of the package.

Click For Enlarged View

Gizmodo has also reported on the recent release, pointing out that Omnimo may even be an alternative to Windows 7 Phone until it comes out if you want more than the demo but don’t want to hack the emulator (exact Windows 7 Phone replica not included).

When you’re done setting it up, the Omnimo customization will add Windows Phone 7-style widgets to your desktop that’ll give you quick access to weather, calendars, your favorite programs, your unread email, notes, system monitoring (like CPU, hard drive, and RAM use), Wi-Fi signal strength, and oh-so-much-more. Best of all, everything’s easily customizable via drag and drop once you make it through the setup, so you can make it look however you want.

Sexy Just Got A Whole New Meaning

I’ve installed Omnimo on my spare Windows system, and it’s quick, seamless, and fluid. An update has already been released for the pack (1.01) on its Deviantart homepage. Lifehacker also included a highly detailed guide on setup and configuration which can also be found in their article.

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What we know as Microsoft Office is quickly coming to an end. As more and more applications hit the cloud and become universally available, compatible, and always-on, the client side version of Microsoft Office is bound to come to an early end. Although Office will live on for many more years on older computers, diehard fans, and stubborn upgraders, Microsoft Office’s online presence will become increasingly more important and embraced by the software giant.

Your Computer 10 Years Later

Why would a user rely on a local version of Office which can only be accessed at home, on a Windows system, when they could securely gain access to their files anywhere, regardless of the OS, location, or computer? Online applications are becoming more and more convenient and adopters are not complaining. Even my mother, attending a technical college for a medical coding degree, is now supplied with an online Beta of Outlook for her student email, allowing her to check and respond to email at school, home, or work. Students and employees using computers that are outdated or simply not upgraded to the latest version can instead opt to log into the online version of Microsoft Word to interact with their documents, something that only non-Microsoft products such as Google Docs could supply in the past.

The online version of Office may also help Microsoft to combat piracy by requiring a login and identification for each user. This could help drive down prices for the extremely expensive suite, making it yet more available and widespread as consumers who could not previously afford the suite may find themselves finally being given the option to use Office. Microsoft would also have a much more live platform, something where a minor update or service pack can instantly, seamlessly be pushed out to the world without requiring any user interaction whatsoever.

The online version of Microsoft Office may hail a future in which almost, if not all, Microsoft products are in the cloud. Who is to say that Windows 9 or 10 may not eerily resemble Google’s new Chromium OS, boasting a stronger, continuous online presence? Although some users reject the cloud because of the potential security risks, if its marketed and convenient, an internet-based Microsoft Office suite will plow its way through the online world.

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Although this is mainly a Windows based site, I thought that some of our readers might be interested in Apple’s recent patent violation as Apple is Microsoft’s main competition.

Elan Microelectronics, a company based in Taiwan, is now suing Apple (for the second time) for violating their multi-touch patent, claiming that its products violate Elan’s patent #5,825,352: “the 352 patent relates to touch-sensitive input devices with the ability to detect the simultaneous presence of two or more fingers…the 352 patent is a fundamental patent to the detection of multi-fingers that allows for any subsequent multi-finger applications to be implemented.”

A more detailed description of Elan’s actions can be found in their recent announcement:

The complaint alleges that Apple is violating Section 337 of the Tariff Act of 1930, as amended, by importing its iPhone, iPod Touch, MacBook and Magic Mouse products into the United States, that infringe Elan’s U.S. Patent No. 5,825,352. (the “352 patent”). Elan also alleges that the importation of Apple’s iPad products, which Apple has indicated will be available to consumers on April 3, violates section 337. Elan is requesting that the ITC issue a permanent exclusion order barring the importation of those products into the United States, as well as a cease and desist order barring Apple from selling any of these products in the United States that it has already imported.

The ITC will decide whether it will institute an investigation within 30 days. If instituted, the ITC will set a target date by which it will complete the investigation and issue its final determination as to infringement and remedial orders. Elan is looking to the ITC for expeditious adjudication of its infringement claims.

Elan previously filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Northern California asserting the 352 patent against Apple on April 7, 2009 (case no. C-09-01531 RS). In that case Elan also alleges that Apple infringes Elan’s U.S. Patent No. 7,274,353 (the “353 patent”).

The 352 patent relates to touch-sensitive input devices with the ability to detect the simultaneous presence of two or more fingers. Multi-finger applications are becoming popular in smartphone and computer applications, particularly with support for multi-finger gestures integrated into the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. The 352 patent is a fundamental patent to the detection of multi-fingers that allows for any subsequent multi-finger applications to be implemented.

It appears as though Apple faces the threat of having their iPhone blocked if Elan’s patent lawsuit goes through. Whether or not this will affect the Windows 7 Phone remains to be seen.

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According to one of today’s posts on Softpedia, Windows 7′s first service pack may bring some more performance to the table as Softpedia cites a “third-party source.” Although Microsoft has stated that SP1 will contain nothing more than some minor fixes, the Redmond giant has been known to deny facts only to confirm them publicly later on.

As for the article, it discusses a potential performance boost to BitLocker, a disk encryption feature initially introduced with Windows Vista. It protects entire volumes through encryption, only available in the Enterprise and Ultimate editions of both Windows Vista and Windows 7; however, the latest version with Windows 7 allows BitLocker to also encrypt removable drives. Softpedia links to TechARP as the source that mentions performance improvements to this particular application.

Nonetheless, BitLocker is not alone as Softpedia pointed out that the same website also discussed performance improvements related to storage, but without any specific details. A move like this could help make Windows 7 more efficient for power users who handle a large amount of files, Windows file servers, and much more. Read/write speeds could also be improved.

Remember though, even if Microsoft has changed its stance before, the software company has also done the exact opposite. On the WindowsSteamBlog, it was indeed said that SP1 would really only contain minor updates:

For Windows 7, SP1 includes only minor updates, among which are previous updates that are already delivered through Windows Update. SP1 for Windows 7 will, however, deliver an updated Remote Desktop client that takes advantage of RemoteFX introduced in the server-side with SP1 for Windows Server 2008 R2.

Only time will reveal the secrets of SP1, so for now, let’s sit back and see whether or not SP1 will just be another update or something quite interesting.

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At the annual Pwn2Own contest, IE8 was hacked in less than two minutes on a fully-patched 64-bit Windows 7 installation by Peter Vreugdenhil who bypassed ASLR (Address Space Layout Randomization) and DEP (Data Execution Prevention). This allowed him to run any process on a computer that visited a website which launched his malicious code, as he had complete access to an interactive shell.

Now Microsoft has responded to the incident, saying that IE8 has “some of the best safety and privacy features available today:”

Protecting Windows customers is an absolute priority for the Internet Explorer engineering team. That’s why we work hard to make sure our browser has some of the best safety and privacy features available today. We’ve spent a lot of time talking about some of the more visible safety and privacy features like our SmartScreen Filter, that protects users from socially engineered malware and phishing attacks; or the InPrivate features that put you in control of how you share your information.

But there are a number of other features that aren’t as visible and help prevent vulnerabilities from being exploited, though some are only available on newer platforms like Windows Vista or Windows 7. For example, Protected Mode helps ensure exploited code cannot access system or other resources. Address Space Layout Randomization (ASLR) helps prevent attackers from getting memory addresses to use in buffer overflow situations. Data Execution Prevention (DEP) helps to foil attacks by preventing code from running in memory that is marked non-executable. These defense in depth protections are designed to make it significantly harder for attackers to exploit vulnerabilities.

One way to think about what defense in depth techniques do is similar to the features offered by fire-proof safes that make them last longer in a fire. Without defense in depth techniques, a fire-proof safe may only protect its contents for an hour or two. A stronger fire-proof safe with several defense in depth features still won’t guarantee the valuables forever, but adds significant time and protection to how long the contents will last.

Recently, there has been some news from some security researchers about how they’ve managed to bypass DEP or ASLR in Internet Explorer (and Firefox as well). But like the fire-proof safe example above, defense in depth techniques aren’t designed to prevent every attack forever, but to instead make it significantly harder to exploit a vulnerability. Defense in depth features, including DEP and ASLR continue to be highly effective protection mechanisms.

Internet Explorer 8 on Windows 7 helps protect users with all of these defense in depth features, and there is nothing that you have to do to enable them – they’re on by default. That’s one of the reasons why we encourage users to make sure they’re running the latest and most up-to-date software.

Microsoft describes DEP and ASLR as tools meant to delay, not prevent, attacks on the browser, comparing the browser to a fire-proof safe. But when it comes down to it, two minutes is not a very significant delay whatsoever. All users are recommended to upgrade to a newer, better browser (such as Chrome, remember that Firefox was also hacked through the same methods). A better analogy would be something like this: IE8 is a castle with several widely known secret tunnels leading behind the walls, cracks in the structure, a dry moat, and a drawbridge that stays down. However, Microsoft attempts to protect this castle by spilling oil everywhere so that invaders slip and fall and take a few more minutes than they normally would to capture the castle. Wonderful.

In fact, Omoronovo, one of our readers, does a great job at explaining a couple of key problems with IE8 in a recent comment: “Internet Explorer relies on its sandbox so that it can “ignore” more complicated security practices that are designed to be used in conjunction… Internet Explorer uses Software DEP (which is easily circumventable), it uses botched ASLR (only randomizing its address to a 30-bit address space even on the 64-bit version of the browser, rendering it susceptible to heap spray attacks), and it’s SafeSEH support is non-existent – if the browser crashes, it relies on the sandbox to make sure nothing can be exploited through it.”

If you have to use IE, please update your browser to the latest. However, it would much more beneficial to completely abandon the browser as new vulnerabilities are constantly found in the browser and it always loses in security contests. A popular response to this is that IE is very widely spread, and that it’s a much larger target; and as such, hackers target the browser much more often that its competitors. My reply to that is this: Microsoft has an outstanding userbase. Instead of creating excuses, Microsoft needs to use its widespread availability and deep pockets (much deeper and widespread than its competitors) to create a browser that can withstand its attacks. If it’s going to claim that IE is the most popular browser, its security should match that claim or Microsoft should back off the market.

*Update*
I would like to point out before it’s called on me that even though I’m a GNU/Linux advocate, I also deeply respect the Windows operating system and consider Windows 7 to be a great product. I have nothing against Microsoft or its products; in fact, I use them alongside my open source tools daily. But IE8 doesn’t deserve to be the included browser for Windows 7.

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After nothing but screenshots for quite some time when it comes to Windows Live Essentials Wave 4, a build has finally been leaked (build number 15.2.2585.0122); however, it’s an old build as Windows Live Wave 4 is already on Milestone 3 (so far the latest report has been build number 15.3.2659.319), or maybe more (with messenger at build number 15.3.2649.311). Even so, here are the build numbers for this version:

• Messenger: 15.2.2583.119
• Mail: 15.2.2583.0119
• Writer: 15.2.2583.119
• Photo Gallery: 15.2.2590.301
• Movie Maker: 15.2.2590.0301
• Family Safety: 15.2.2583.0119
• Sync: 15.2.2587.0212
• Bing Bar: 5.0.1411.0

To install this build (setup size is about 126MB), a user must be running either Vista SP2 with the Platform Update installed or Windows 7. Just like the Platform Preview for IE9, it is not XP-compatible. Even with a patch out to allow installation of Messenger, some users are reporting that Microsoft has managed to block some entire installations of the leak, with the message “Windows Live Essentials could not be installed. Couldn’t update to the latest version. Couldn’t install these programs: Sync, Messenger, Mail, Companion, Writer, Family Safety, Bing Bar, Photo Gallery and Movie Maker because there was a problem updating one of the programs, none of them were updated. Error 0×80040609.”

So far it looks as though the most interesting new updates for are Facebook integration (Messenger), tabbed messaging(Messenger), animated emoticons (Messenger), and Ribbon UI in Windows Live Mail, Windows Live Writer, and Windows Live Photo Gallery.

However, there are many bugs, incomplete features, and other problems in this leak as it’s an outdated pre-beta build, so it’s definitely not recommended for any production machines. But according to popular rumor, a Milestone 3 build should be released May 18, 2010, with a beta build compiled by June 3, 2010 and released to the public by June 7, 2010. However, all dates should be taken with a grain of salt until officially confirmed by Microsoft.

Readers are recommended to wait for the beta leak as this build is likely several months old.

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Those users running the 32-bit version of Windows XP with SP2 or Vista RTM may want to consider an upgrade to Windows 7 or a newer service pack as Microsoft’s support for Vista RTM ends on April 13, 2010, and the support for XP SP2 (x86) ends on July 13, 2010. The 64-bit version of XP SP2 doesn’t lose support until April 8, 2014 as there is no SP3 and SP2 remains the latest version.

Windows Update for Windows 7

Although your system will not stop running once it loses support, Windows Update will no longer provide software updates. As a result, computers that lose support are at risk of not downloading the latest security patches and may become vulnerable to threats. To continue receiving updates, users can either upgrade to Windows 7 (which is fully supported), Windows Vista running SP1 or later, or Windows XP running SP3 (on an x86 system). All service pack upgrades are free to genuine users of Windows, although a system upgrade may cost you. Users who are looking learn more should take a look at Microsoft’s official page. You can also use that page to upgrade your service pack or system.

If you are unsure what version of Windows you are running, Microsoft provides a discovery method here. You can also find out whether your system is 32-bit or 64-bit here.

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Microsoft’s Office 2010 RC has been leaked to various torrent sites (brings back memories of the constant postings of new Windows 7 leaks) after being circulated via Microsoft Connect on February 4th to select members of the Technology Adoption Program (TAP). This is a newer build (14.0.4734.1000) than the other recent leak of MS Office (14.0.4730.1007), with a higher build number and progress from Pre-RTM Escrow to the RTM Escrow phase.

The leak is definitely genuine, as it was released by SoLoR, a popular and trusted uploader when Windows 7 development builds were being distributed amongst the public. The only problem with the leak is that it has moved into the retail phase, so the beta keys no longer work; instead, new keys must be found that are considered valid by the suite.

The release consists of the following programs after installation:

• Microsoft Word 2010
• Microsoft Excel 2010
• Microsoft Outlook 2010 with Business Contact Manager
• Microsoft PowerPoint 2010
• Microsoft OneNote 2010
• Microsoft Access 2010
• Microsoft SharePoint Workspace 2010
• Microsoft InfoPath 2010
• Microsoft Publisher 2010
• Microsoft Office Web Apps
• Microsoft Communicator

Download Links:

Name: 14.0.4734.1000_ProfessionalPlus_retail_ship_x86_en-us_exe.exe
Torrent: ThePirateBay
Size: 681,636,632 bytes
SHA1: C23D29021ED9DEF184207A69036407D04004CFAD
MD5: 16C7179EE349C8846417E6AB9D78EE47
CRC: 9D66856C

Name: 14.0.4734.1000_ProfessionalPlus_retail_ship_x64_en-us_exe.exe
Torrent: ThePirateBay
Size: 751,891,192 bytes
SHA1: CA88E152548C06067692312577879D5EBE401A2C
MD5: 2E4E149ECCD33A6863E0CC30CA664DFC
CRC: A8FDFEF3

Sources: MyDigitalLife

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In a recent blog post by Stephen Horlander, a new interface for Firefox 4.0 was shown in two concept videos that match the Ribbon style present in Windows 7. The next major overhaul of the popular browser will include a new UI developed to match the interface of the operating system that it runs on, and although Firefox 4.0 is nowhere near complete, these two concept videos provide a peek into what we may be able to expect in terms of the new design for Windows 7.

My goal was to quickly demo how this would actually look and feel because still images and wireframes can only convey so much.

The first video, which demonstrates the creation of a new tab, can be found here. A frame by frame picture is also provided:

Another, longer video is also shown that displays tab rearrangement and the “tear-off” animation.

More mockups can be found on the official wiki.

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In August, Microsoft began an investigation into IIS (Internet Information Services) after claims of a vulnerability involving the File Transfer Protocol (FTP) in IIS version 6. At the time, the Redmond giant reported that they were not yet aware of any existing attacks exploiting the flaw; however, code was posted on Milw0rm the 31st of August that reportedly exploits the flaw on any fully patched version of Win2K running IIS 5 with FTP enabled.

It didn’t take long for Microsoft to report attacks on vulnerable servers, with the first official notice released on the 4th of September. The company then said that it was working on a security update to fix the problem, but said in the meantime that users should disable various sections of the FTP protocol to help secure vulnerable systems, with US-CERT (U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team) suggesting that anonymous access also be disabled.

However, in a new blog post yesterday, Microsoft refuted any claims of a flaw in IIS, stating that it is only due to user error:

What we have seen is that there is an inconsistency in IIS 6 only in how it handles semicolons in URLs. It’s this inconsistency that the claims have focused on, saying this enables an attacker to bypass content filtering software to upload and execute code on an IIS server.

The key in this is the last point: for the scenario to work, the IIS server must already be configured to allow both “write” and “execute” privileges on the same directory. This is not the default configuration for IIS and is contrary to all of our published best practices. Quite simply, an IIS server configured in this manner is inherently vulnerable to attack.

The company went on to say that anyone using the default configuration of IIS 6 or following the “recommended best practices” as set forth by Microsoft are not susceptible to the vulnerability. Newer versions of IIS are also not affected.

If, however, you are running IIS in a configuration that allows both “write” and “execute” privileges on the same directory like this scenario requires, you should review our best practices and make changes to better secure your system from the threats that configuration can enable.

A list of the suggested practices and more information can be found on the blog post itself.

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The Power Plan Assistant for Windows 7 is a small application designed to help the user switch between any power plans available on the PC, including custom plans and all three built-in plans (including “High Performance” which is hidden on the standard system icon) while also adding entirely new capabilities, such as instantly turning off the display upon request.

The icon also easily shows which power plan is currently in use by changing the icon in accordance to the active power plan, as seen in the screenshots above. The icon will automatically update itself regardless of where the plan was changed, whether it be in the default system icon, control panel, or via the power plan assistant.

Switch the power plans automatically: to ‘Power Saver’ (to preventively save the energy if the battery level goes low), to ‘High Performance’ (on plugging in) and to ‘Balanced’ (on plugging out). As shown on the screenshot above, every Power Plan Assistant’s setting is user-configurable, i.e. user can enable or disable it,
either permanently or for a current session only. Even the balloon messages and the notification icon appearance/behavior can be customized.

The Power Plan Assistant is donationware, meaning that the author asks the users to make a voluntary donation to help support future development of the application and to receive a serial number which allows the application to be registered. Unfortunately, without registration, builds will expire every week, meaning that the user will have to reinstall the application on a weekly basis unless they “donate” to the author. However, if you’re willing to settle for the inconvenience of reinstalling it every week, the application is completely free.

The donation page can be found here.

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With the advent of Windows 7, many users have been scrambling to compare the OS to Apple’s leading product, OS X Snow Leopard. However, in the midst of the competition concerning the two products, Google’s new Chrome OS has been relatively ignored. Even so, this new player in the market may very well follow the same path as the netbook itself, the platform that Google is aiming for with the Chrome OS, set to be finished and released in the second half of 2010.

So, in the wake of the battle between Apple and Microsoft, what exactly is Google’s Chrome OS? It’s a new, lightweight, open source OS produced by Google which is almost entirely dependent on the cloud, to the point where the entire OS is composed of almost nothing but the Chrome browser. Instead of attempting to produce a fully fledged OS (operating system), Google and the free software community are working to produce an OS that focuses on being as lightweight as possible, yet can handle all of the basic needs of the average user, relying on the growing success of web applications such as Google Apps, YouTube, Facebook, Gmail, and much more.

It’s already been shown that convenience, simplicity, and instant access can easily trump alternatives in the computer industry, demonstrated by the striking popularity of the smartphone, netbook, Craigslist, and similar products. This is where Chrome OS shines and where Windows 7 and Snow Leopard do not: providing a cheap, small, fast alternative to Windows 7 and Snow Leopard, potentially even overcoming the two with an always-on, lasting, secure, and cheap computer that is more than capable of handling quick computer tasks.

Why wait for your MacBook or laptop to boot up and finish loading when you can press a button on your netbook and be almost instantly greeted with a login screen, or, depending on your security settings, a browser? Although you may not be able to play Crysis or run Visual Studio, the average user tends to access social networking or business applications far more often and for shorter periods of time than the previous two. And the user did meet a need to access such applications, then they can turn to their occasionally more powerful alternative to satisfy that need.

With this in mind, that’s also another one of the powerful benefits of the OS: it’s not meant to become your primary PC, similar to a smartphone. For those of you that own a device such as the iPhone, Droid, or the Palm Pre, how many times have you decided to simply reach for your phone to update your Twitter status or your MySpace/Facebook instead of getting up and walking over to your computer? What if you also had a device with the same ease of access that could also edit photos, produce videos, manage passwords, access the Bittorrent network, provide a complete office suite, transfer large files, convert files, or do just about anything else?

Google Chrome OS may finally provide something similar to a smartphone 2.0, a more powerful and feature complete sister product that is just a little larger in size. Just as the iPhone completely redefined the market, Google’s Chrome OS may turn out to achieve a similar milestone in the personal computer industry. Not only that, but if the OS is popular among the general population, then it will only help to strengthen Google’s status as a major player in the market, all the way from a basic search engine to a powerful threat to Microsoft and its Windows products, while also helping to spread the success and familiarity of the Linux kernel that the Google Chrome OS is based on.

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Extended Support for Windows XP SP2, Windows 2000, and Windows 2000 Server will finally end on July 13, 2010. After this day, Microsoft will no longer provide individual support or security updates for any of the three operating systems, and there will be no more service packs released for Windows 2000. Users running XP who wish to continue with updates will have to either upgrade to Windows Vista/7 or the latest service pack (SP3). If Microsoft decides to release a fourth service pack for Windows XP, support for SP3 will not end until two years after the next release or the end of the product’s lifecycle (probably the latter as a fourth service pack is unlikely).

Microsoft offers three stages of support, starting with Mainstream Support, followed by Extended Support, and then finally Self-Help Online Support. Mainstream support ended for Windows XP on 14 April 2009, and in July, XP SP2 will enter into the Self-Help Online Support stage. Every version of Windows XP will be affected except for Embedded.

Considering that XP still commands a strong majority of the market, its end should help boost the popularity of Windows Vista and 7, especially considering that Microsoft is urging all of its customers toward the upgrade, offering several resources to help stubborn consumers switch to the new release of the Windows client (such as the End-of-Support Solution Center).

The move should help to boost the computer economy and spur sales as many computers (especially those running Win2K) will also require hardware upgrades or an entirely new system as the components could very well be approaching archaic. As such, Windows 7 sales may also be improved as there’s almost no reason for a consumer to choose Vista in the purchase of a new computer when Windows 7 is readily available.

For users not yet willing to upgrade, Service Pack 3 for Windows XP can be found here.

More: Windows Blog

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CentrumXP has revealed what is supposedly the official packaging for Office 2010. Although all leaks must be taken with some degree of uncertainty, CentrumXP was the first to leak the correct Windows 7 packaging, so this is most likely the genuine deal.

Since its release, the Office 2010 Beta has been in high demand, with over one million downloads in just two weeks. Possibly the most significant update in the next major iteration of the suite is the Office Web Applications feature, which is similar to Google Docs in that a user can view, edit, and save documents completely in-browser.

Microsoft has announced that Office 2010 will be released sometime in June, available in six different versions: Starter, Home and Student, Home and Business, Standard, Professional, and Professional Plus. Starter is a streamlined Office, with only Word and Excel available with advertisements and limited functionality. However, Starter will be completely free and provided to OEMs for pre-loading onto PCs, with the upgrade option already installed. As a result, a user simply has to purchase a plastic card for a single-use license from various major retailers such as OfficeMax to completely enable the suite.

Other new features include OpenDocument support, 64-bit editions (but only for Vista and Windows 7), improved jumplists, and much more. The Office 2010 Beta is available right now for anyone to test, completely free and fully functional until its expiration on 31st October 2010.

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Released today, Microsoft Security Essentials is a product that advertises itself as a free solution for “Virus, Spyware, And Malware Protection” by our favorite Corporate Giant, Microsoft. The product is the result of a recent push by Microsoft to force OEMs to offer free, non-expiring programs for fighting malicious software. Available for Windows XP (x86), Vista (x64 and x86), and 7 (x64 and x86), Microsoft seems to be actually trying to help consumers overcome the every day threats of the Internet, and not force users to upgrade to their newest platform, Windows 7, and all for free (assuming that you pass a Genuine Advantage test). Now, as for the review:

I’ll be straightforward. Although I love Windows and technology, Microsoft usually disappoints me in the products that they produce, although I have to work with them daily. Other than Windows 7, XP, and the MSN protocol, I tend to avoid Microsoft products. However, Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is a prime example of Microsoft’s recent steps in the right direction (along with Windows 7). MSE is a solid, powerful product that every Windows user needs, and it has helped to restore my faith in the Redmond giant, even prompting me to replace my security suite (ESET Smart Security) with MSE (I considered going without a suite entirely as I can handle any threats myself, but I decided to keep MSE for the reasons stated in this article).

Firstly, I am also not a big fan of bloat. I was pleasantly surprised to see that MSE weighed in at a mere 4.28 MB for the installer. After installation, the folder for MSE was also only 10.8 MB, a very light amount considering that this is a fully featured anti-virus solution. Then, after I ran MSE for the first time, it immediately updated the definitions (which was very quick) and started scanning (I was smiling already). The default scan wasn’t a basic check of %WINDIR%, %WINDIR%System, and the My Documents folder; rather, it scanned my entire drive, and also lasted for all of three minutes.

Straight To Work

I quickly surfed through the settings and configured the program entirely to the way I want it in about five more minutes. If the download took a minute and the installation took a minute (actually much shorter), then a reasonable computer should average at ten minutes or less for a complete setup. Not bad, Microsoft.

Now, onto the features themselves and not my personal experience:

Main Menu (10 Out of 10)

The main splash page is very simplistic and basic (but not in a bad way). In fact, when I first saw the main page, I could tell that this was a step ahead for Microsoft. It didn’t contain features that the average user wouldn’t use, it was clean, simple, and easy to understand. “Microsoft Security Essentials is monitoring your computer and helping to protect it” can be understood by anyone, even the most unknowledgeable of users. There were only three things I could do: change my scan type, change the next time of scan, and flip to a different window. Nice. An anti-virus shouldn’t be flashy and over the top, instead, it should get the job done and be simple enough for anyone to understand; Microsoft definitely succeeded in this aspect.

Simplistic: Take That, Mac Users!

Update Menu (9 Out Of 10)

The update page was a difficult one to judge. It followed along the same lines of the Main Menu, but even more extreme, maybe a little too much this time. I took off a point because I thought that MSE should provide an option to check for updates at certain times (such as 03:00, my preferred idle time). Other than that, the same can be said about the update page, except that this one has a “Did You Know!” feature. Interesting, especially considering that it explained exactly what definitions were (something that an average user may not know).

What Are Definitions Again?

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It was recently revealed that Microsoft will not force OEMs and ODMs to install only Windows 7 Starter on netbooks, instead opting to allow them to choose which version of Windows 7 to install. The Redmond giant also confirmed that the three application limit has been removed.

OEMs and ODMs have the choice to install any version of Windows on a netbook,” said a Microsoft UK spokesperson. “[But] Starter is an entry version and doesn’t have many of the consumer or business features. The three application limit isn’t there anymore.

Windows 7 Starter has been seen as a trial for Windows 7, with many of the flagship features removed, namely the Aero features, but also abilities such as Desktop Personalization, DVD Playback, XP Mode, Windows Media Center, Fast User Switching, Multiple Monitors, and more. Starter is also only available with an x86 architecture, as Microsoft opted to exclude a x64 version.

Home Basic is also quite similar, with several features removed and intended as a basic, entry level OS. As quoted from TG Daily, “it’s hard to see exactly why we need two entry SKUs of the OS.”

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Although it’s impossible to estimate the market share of GNU/Linux, lately it seems that the very element that makes Windows and Mac OS “successful,” the marketshare that each OS (operating system) commands, is actually the main restricting factor in the development of these two OSes.

Earlier this month, Mike Halsey revealed an interesting point: Snow Leopard is really nothing more than just a simple service pack. However, (this comment is going to be so controversial) the same can be claimed for Windows 7. Think about how many times you’ve heard the comment (or a variation of said comment) “Windows 7 is everything Vista should have been,” and ask yourself if Windows 7 is really that different.

So Microsoft threw on the new Superbar and made it a little faster and a bit more compatible. Of course, a few new features can be claimed, such as “Jump Lists” (which we all know is just a slightly improved context menu), Snap, Preview, HomeGroup, and better Touch support. Even so, these two “new features” (Snap and Preview barely even qualify as features) that make networking a little easier and provide a slightly faster way to launch processes inside of an application fall under the same argument that applied to Snow Leopard. The Superbar is the only “new” feature that I can see, other than the previous small enhancements and a few other things. It’s basically just a compatibility and performance update with one new feature (service pack!).

However, this is no huge change like it was for XP to Vista, or Tiger to Leopard. Why? The answer is simple.

The individual end-user has become afraid of change. The PC and Mac communities have evolved to the point where if anything feels unfamiliar, then it will be rejected. It’s not Windows 7′s new features and improved performance that has separated it from Vista this time around, it is the fact that the shell is much more user friendly after Vista than Vista was after XP. If the user has to spend more than thirty minutes learning about new features, then the OS might as well have just stayed in stores. This is also why XP is still so successful; it’s not that users think that it’s better than Vista or 7, it’s that these users are not willing to upgrade because they simply do not wish to relearn how to use a new OS when the current OS works fine.

Of course, this doesn’t really apply to technical enthusiasts as we thrive on innovation; however, the fact is that such groups make up a very small portion of the population and the wishes of the community as a whole (which is basically your average Joe) is what Microsoft and Apple pay attention to.

Because of this, Microsoft and Apple are limited to small changes at a time in order to ensure that the average end user is happy and recognizes key new features and doesn’t have to “adjust.” Of course, for some users, this is not a bad thing. Nonetheless, for technical enthusiasts, this may be seen as the beginning of an end for Windows and Mac OS. That’s where GNU/Linux comes in, whereas the development on these two major OSes may very well grow stagnant in order to ensure that sales continue, GNU/Linux is not held back by the same factors.

If a user is not satisfied with a particular distro (distribution) of GNU/Linux, then they can easily switch to another distro and be done with it. For example, if a user did not like KDE, they could switch to GNOME, XFCE, or LXDE. Developers can risk losing these users because GNU/Linux is primarily free: it does not rely on the users approval for success. In order to stand out from the rest, a distro simply has to contain good code and unique attributes.

This is why Windows and the Mac OS has been lagging behind GNU/Linux since 2007 (examples being Compiz-Fusion, which Windows/Mac OS still cannot match, repositories, and similar programs). GNU/Linux forges ahead and users learn the new features that come with each update, whereas Windows and the Mac OS have to ensure that 99% of the users around the world will (pretty much) instantly realize how to use the new features that accompany each new release (of course, if you so wished, you could stick with one release of GNU/Linux and just take the security and program updates and not have to relearn anything, but where’s the fun in that?).

Basically, in a short summary, Windows/Mac OS have to worry about their public appeal more than whether or not the operating system is actually “new,” and GNU/Linux distros couldn’t care less about how the community at large sees their product, just so long as it’s innovative and better. This is why Windows and the Mac OS will always obtain new features after GNU/Linux.

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OEM copies of Windows 7 have recently appeared on Newegg, and they are priced at roughly 50% of the cost for their retail counterparts from Microsoft.

Of course, these OEM copies are subject to the same issues that plagues virtually all OEM products: poor packaging, support, and instructions. However, for a technical user that just needs a valid license in order to satisfy his conscience use Windows 7, or a system builder that is looking to get legal copies of Windows 7 on the cheap, the other three options are either not needed or are worth the cost cut.

If you missed the pre-order discounts earlier this year in September (Windows 7 for $29.99), then this may be the best offer you can get. The offer is viable because Microsoft charges OEMs roughly half the price for a legit copy of Windows 7 than they do users (talk about Corporate America), so the price savings can be passed onto users who know what they want, and are willing to sacrifice a few useless perks in order to save them upwards of 100 USD.

As for price comparisons:

Home Premium can be found for 100 USD (x86 & x64), compare that to the retail price, which is 200 USD.

Or maybe you would prefer Professional, which is 135 USD (x86 and x64) compared to 300 USD for retail.

Finally, you could go with Ultimate for 175 USD (x86 & x64), or you could buy the retail version for 320 USD.

So if you missed out before, don’t miss out now. Pre-order your OEM copy today.

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Microsoft has released their first Windows 7 update, and interestingly enough, it improves Windows 7 compatibility with certain popular programs. The update helps to resolve issues with some legacy applications, such as problems during installation, interaction, instability, and World War 3. It hit Windows Update this week, but if you haven’t seen it already, it’s also available on Windows Update (Windows 7 x86 & x64, Windows Server 2008 R2 x64, and Windows Server 2008 R2 for Itanium-Based Systems).

Not only that, but Microsoft has stated that this should be one of many application compatibility updates (let’s hope that this promise isn’t like the Vista Ultimate promise), so users (and businesses) whose programs are still incompatible can safely look to the future and hope that their product will eventually be supported in Windows 7.

To learn more about which programs were specifically improved in terms of compatibility, you can take a look at the Knowledge Base Article or the list below:

• Alcohol 52% – Update enables Windows 7 compatible Alcohol 52% versions to work

• Altiris and Symantec Virtual Software up to version 6.1.499.x – Upgrade Block to avoid errors during Windows upgrade

• ZoomText version 9.18 – Driver hard Block to prevent an error

• Dell Printer Driver (Models-V105, V305 and V505) – Upgrade Block to avoid setup failure

• Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 – Upgrade Block to avoid error during Windows upgrade

• Trend Micro Internet Security 2008 – Upgrade Block to avoid error during Windows upgrade

• Trend Micro Internet Security 2009 – Upgrade Block to avoid error during Windows upgrade

• YiDongFeiXin version 2.2.x and version 3.5.x – Enables application to work

• PGP Desktop up to version 9.x – Soft Block to warn about possible issue after Windows upgrade

• Trend Micro VirusBuster 2008 – Upgrade Block to avoid errors

• Windows Live Photo Gallery – Update Windows Live Photo Gallery to avoid file association issue with Windows Media Player OCX

The “soft block,” “hard block,” and “upgrade block” lingo are also explained in the Knowledge Base article:

• Hard block – The update puts a hard block on the application. A hard block prevents an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 from running on the system (only if the manufacturer of the application gives its consent).

• Soft block – The update puts a soft block on the application. A soft block notifies you when an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 starts to run.

• Update – The update improves the application’s functionality in Windows 7.

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Microsoft started their “Good News” marketing campaign for Windows 7 and similar products not long ago, and advertisements are slowly propagating for the October 22nd release. Just three days ago, Microsoft unveiled five ads targeted at consumers for various popular Microsoft products (Windows Live Movie Maker, Windows Media Center, Windows 7, Aero Shake, and Personalization “Your PC, Your Style”).

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jWeRXvBuXEE&rel=0&fmt=18]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BBJy11C-fgU&rel=0&fmt=18]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46BrgXXXzW8&rel=0&fmt=18]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CuVmAukssM&rel=0&fmt=18]

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVMc5Ia7QnY&rel=0&fmt=18]

And now, as of last night, another video has appeared for Windows 7, as Kylie again experiments with slideshows to send to her friends and spread the “good word.” After all, the “happy words just keep on coming.”

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6adgIJE8YQ&rel=0&fmt=18]

Windows 7 is off to a good start; however, the real explosion will occur on October 22nd when Windows 7 actually hits stores.

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Not only is Microsoft taking some cues from Apple for its retail stores, but it’s also trying to poach store managers, with the promise of higher pay (according to The Loop). Microsoft is even offering to pay for the moving expenses if required, and the software giant also wants top sales agents, informing “moved” managers that they are also interested in those employees as well, and that they will have the same bonuses.

It’s not a bad move (just interesting) considering the success of the Apple Stores (let’s face it, we all know that Microsoft is just trying to imitate the Apple Store). Whether it will be a failure or a complete success remains to be seen, although the latter is probably the safer option considering that Microsoft is building off of an already successful base (who said that you can’t learn from your enemies?).

Besides, Microsoft acquired George Blankenship as an “independent consultant” not too long ago, the former head of Apple Store placement in order to help decide where to place the retail stores for Microsoft (right next to most Apple Stores). It would be nice if there were any Microsoft/Apple stores within three hours of me.

Hey, Microsoft Wants You!

So if you’re one of those lucky Apple Store employees and you’re interested in a job at Microsoft, sit tight and hope that those extra hours paid off. If not, you can always apply via the Microsoft Careers page (or you can do it anyways, even if you’re not an Apple Store employee).

What will be really interesting is to see how Apple and the fanboys respond to these developments. What do you think?

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Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) is an anti-malware product that works via the cloud, a successor to OneCare, and contains quite a bit of promise. The beta versions had a strong ability to detect and remove malware, and as the product grows, its strength will only increase as more and more users automatically submit telemetry to the cloud. Even so, MSE already has a strong base, with 400,000 testers during the beta release.

MSE will also be completely free (assuming that your operating system passing the WGA test), matching the company’s belief in anti-virus software. The program is mainly being marketed as a lightweight, effective solution especially meant for those who do not currently have existing protection (estimated at 50-60% of users) or consumers whose anti-virus suite has expired, leaving them open to attacks by malware.

As for the release date, according to a message sent to participants of the beta, Microsoft plans to release the final version of MSE soon: “the final version of Microsoft Security Essentials will be released to the public in the coming weeks.” In the meantime, feel free to give the beta a try, and potentially helping to improve the product:

Just make sure that you meet the system requirements, as outlined by the Redmond giant on the official page for Security Essentials:

• Operating System: Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or Service Pack 3); Windows Vista; Windows 7 (Beta or Release Candidate)
• For Windows XP, a Personal Computer with a:
  • CPU with clock speed of 500 MHz or higher
  • Memory: 256 MB RAM or higher
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a Personal Computer with a:
  • CPU with clock speed of 1.0 GHz or higher
  • Memory: 1 GB RAM or higher
• VGA (Display): 800 x 600 or higher
• Storage: 140 MB of available hard-disk space
• An Internet connection.
• Internet Browser:
  • Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
  • Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or later

Feel free to leave a comment below describing your experiences with the software.

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Here comes my fourth (and probably last) article concerning VHDs in Windows 7 (if you’ve missed them, take a look at my latest guides on How To Install Windows 7 to a VHD (the normal way), How to Attach/Detach VHDs, and How to Create and Configure a VHD).

This is a slightly complicated process and you will need a bootable DVD of either Vista or Windows 7.

So, the question arises: how do I add a VHD of Windows 7 to the Vista bootloader? Put simply, Vista’s bootloader, not Vista, does not support booting from a VHD. Nonetheless, the bootloader can be replaced with Windows 7′s bootloader, and then we can boot from either a hard install of Vista or a VHD of Windows 7.

1. First, you will need to generate a valid VHD of Windows 7. Follow my guide unless you’ve already done it yourself.

2. Launch a session of the Command Prompt as an Administrator (right click and select “Run As Administrator”).

First, you will need to acquire the Windows 7′s version of both bcdedit.exe and BOOTMGR. In a current Windows 7 install, BOOTMGR can be found in either (assuming C is the drive letter for Windows 7) “C:\Boot\PCAT” or “C:\” as a hidden, protected system file. Copy it somewhere. To get bcdedit.exe, go to “C:\Windows\System32″ and copy it to the same location as BOOTMGR.

To do this via the command line (copying them to a temporary folder), type in the following commands (again, assuming that C is the drive letter for Windows 7):

xcopy /H /Y “C:\Windows\System32\bcdedit.exe” “C:\Win7Temp”
xcopy /H /Y “C:\bootmgr” “C:\Win7Temp”

If Windows asks whether you have provided the directory or file name, select directory.

3. Now, boot back to the Windows Vista install and re-open the Command Prompt (this time, I’ll assume that it is Vista occupying C).

Run the following commands (or copy the files via Explorer):

xcopy /H /Y “C:\Windows\System32\bcdedit.exe” “C:\Win7Temp\Vista”
xcopy /H /Y “C:\bootmgr” “C:\Win7Temp\Vista”

4. Boot from your DVD of either Vista or Windows 7, and open the Command Prompt (press Shift+F10 on the “Install Now” page).

Run the following commands to replace your Vista bootloader with Windows 7 (make sure that you are on the root of the drive letter for Vista, such as “C:\”):

This will not work if Vista is currently running.

attrib bootmgr –s –h –r
xcopy /H /Y “C:\Win7Temp\bcdedit.exe” “C:\Windows\System32\”
xcopy /H /Y “C:\Win7Temp\bootmgr” “C:\”

5. Reboot back to Vista.

6. Now you need to add the VHD to Vista’ bootloader. To do so, run the following commands:

Leave {current} alone, but replace GUID with the identifier displayed after running the first command (should be a long series of numbers with hyphens). Also, feel free to edit “Windows 7 (VHD)” to display what you want shown in the bootloader.

bcdedit /copy {current} /d “Windows 7 (VHD)”
bcdedit /set {GUID} device vhd=[C:]\path\to\vhd\file.vhd
bcdedit /set {GUID} osdevice vhd=[C:]\path\to\vhd\file.vhd

You’re done. Enjoy your dual boot of Windows Vista and Windows 7.

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Microsoft has now launched a new initiative in an attempt to encourage users to upgrade to Internet Explorer 8, titled “Browser for the Better.” The Redmond company promises that “for every download of Windows Internet Explorer 8 from this site, we will continue to donate 8 meals to Feeding America,” and has the statement “1 in 8 Americans struggle to have enough to eat” displayed across the top of the site in big, block letters. The idea is a wonderful one, and it would be great if Microsoft showed a download counter or something else similar, such as meals donated, in order to show the full effect of the promotion.

Even if you have already installed Internet Explorer 8, or if you’re running Windows 7, please download Internet Explorer 8 from the program. It’ll make yourself feel better and help someone elsewhere who could use it.

After all, if you’ve already downloaded Internet Explorer 8, you should still take Microsoft up on their offer since you did upgrade. That, or if you’re running Windows 7, you’re a Microsoft customer. Help someone today. Download it, you do not have to install it.

And if you’re still running Internet Explorer 6, then you should definitely consider an upgrade as Microsoft is now offering sixteen meals for those who upgrade from IE6 to IE8.

*Update in response to comments*
I agree, the tactic is underhanded. Nonetheless, it’s still a good thing in a way (it’s wrong, but it’s better than nothing). If you wish, abuse Microsoft’s offer so that they get nothing and the poor get help.

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Again, yet another article (third one this time) concerning the VHD support in Windows 7.

The question arises: what if you wanted access to the VHD from another Windows 7 system? For example, say you wanted a file off of your Windows 7 VHD on your standard Windows 7 installation. Would you have to reboot, copy the file to the normal installation, and reboot? Absolutely not.

It is actually quite easy to “mount” a VHD in Windows 7 (regardless of what’s inside, files or a Windows 7) as though it were a standard hard drive or partition, and then “unmount” it afterwards if you so desired.

Attaching a VHD

1. Now, as for mounting a VHD (or “attaching” a VHD, as Microsoft calls it). Go to the Start Menu (or Desktop) and right click “My Computer” and click “Manage.” This is the easiest way to access Computer Management, but it can also be accessed via the Administrative Tools as “Computer Management.”

Viewing Disk Management

2. Now click on “Disk Management” under “Storage” in the sidebar. This will present you with a list of partitions on your computer. To attach a VHD, either go to “Action > Attach VHD” or right click “Disk Management” and select “Attach VHD.”

Attaching the VHD

3. This will present us with a new window titled “Attach Virtual Hard Disk.” If you would prefer to make the partition read-only, meaning that files cannot be modified, only read and/or copied (copy only applies to a writeable partition), then check the “Read-only” box. Otherwise, leave the box alone (empty). Simply type the location of your VHD or use the browse function to find it. Click OK.

Specifying the Location of the VHD

4. The VHD should now be available in Explorer.

Detaching a VHD

1. Right click the button associated with your VHD and either go to “Action > All Tasks > Detach VHD” or right click the button and select “Detach VHD.”

Detaching the VHD

2. This will create a new window titled “Detach Virtual Hard Disk.” It will present you with the location of the VHD and ask if you would like to delete it. If you do not want any files on the VHD deleted (or the VHD itself), do not check the deletion option. Detaching it the normal way (without deleting it) will not delete the VHD and will allow you to re-attach it or boot from it later. Make your decision and click OK.

Viewing the Detachment Confirmation

3. The VHD should now have disappeared from Disk Management and Explorer.

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Earlier I made a post on how to create and configure a VHD along with explaining exactly what a VHD was. This is a continuation of that article.

Another great feature of Windows 7 is the ability to actually install Windows 7 to a VHD, virtualization without any of the disadvantages of virtualization (full hardware support and so forth). This guide is about how to use the RTM (should work with the RC) DVD to install Windows 7 to a VHD created during installation (or you can use one created during my earlier guide).

I also mentioned the power of this ability earlier, as I listed a possible scenario:

Windows 7′s VHD support will give users the ability to install any operating system that supports booting from a VHD into a VHD. For example, a user could have Vista installed on a single partition, and then have three files (VHDs) anywhere on that disk (or for that matter, on any partition that is readable by Windows) and be able to boot different versions of Windows 7. Assuming that SP1 and SP2 were released (which they are not yet available), a user could hypothetically have four operating systems on a single partition (the number is only limited by the bootloader, four is actually just a random number selected), like so:

• Vista installed on a primary partition (such as “C:\”).
• Windows 7 RTM installed within a VHD (such as “C:\Windows7.vhd”).
• Windows 7 SP1 installed within another VHD (such as “C:\Windows7SP1.vhd”).
• Windows 7 SP2 installed within yet another VHD (such as “C:\Windows7SP2.vhd”).

Of course, the number of VHDs is virtually unlimited, but it’s quite easy to see the hype associated with VHDs in Windows 7.

Now, how would a user get about to actually performing an install of Windows 7 to a VHD?

Take note that this guide will also work with Windows Server 2008 R2.

1. Boot from the Windows 7 DVD.

2. Click past the Language Selection screen.

3. When you’re on the Install Now screen (with the “Install Now” button), stop. Click “SHIFT+F10″ to launch the Command Prompt (don’t bother going through Repair and all that – this is the right way).

4. First, let’s take a look at the drive letters currently mounted. Type in “fsutil fsinfo drives” and hit enter. This will list all drives (you should know what your drive letters are). Take note of all drive letters.

5. Now,we need to open “DISKPART.” To do, simply type in “diskpart” and click enter. Pretty easy.

6. When “DISKPART> ” appears, DISKPART is loaded.

7. If you want to just use an existing VHD (such as one created in the method I wrote about earlier), then use these two commands (of course C can be swapped out with any drive letter, but either way, you will need to specify the exact path):

   select vdisk file=C:\path\to\vhd\file.vhd
   attach vdisk

   If you are using an existing VHD, skip to the next step; otherwise, if you would prefer to simply create a new VHD, then use this format of commands (the max option specifies the file size, here I have roughly 6GB, increase as preferred):

   create vdisk file = c:\path\to\vhd\file.vhd max=6000
   select vdisk file = c:\path\to\vhd\file.vhd
   attach vdisk
   exit

8. Now run “fsutil fsinfo drives” again. A new drive letter should have appeared, this is your new VHD. Take note of the drive letter (this isn’t necessary – just making sure everything went OK).

9. Type “exit” again and hit enter. This will close the Command Prompt.

10. Click “Install Now” and go through the install as usual, making sure to select the “Custom” option when it appears.

11. When you come to the list of partitions and you are asked to choose an install location, ignore any warnings and select the partition that matches the size that you used for your VHD.

12. Windows 7 will automatically configure your boot loader for the VHD, but this is easily fixed. Just continue as normal, and when the installation completes and it prepares to reboot, it will show you the bootloader (should have two “Windows 7″ options if you already had a Windows 7 install, this is normal). Select either OS and continue (just make sure that it’s a Windows 7).

13. Now, if you are fine with the way the bootloader appears, you can quit now. Otherwise, you can follow this guide and use the bcdedit command-line tool (really easy, only three commands) or download EasyBCD and use that to do this yourself. However, I suggest using bcdedit and making your bootloader a little more clear (Again, you can opt for EasyBCD if you prefer a graphical menu). open the Command Prompt as an Administrator (right click and select “Run As Administrator”).

14. Type in “bcdedit /v” and hit enter. This will display a list of entries in the Windows 7 bootloader.

15. Determine the VHD install and copy the GUID (listed as identifier) and create a new command like the following (replacing GUID with your identifer (should be a really long set of numbers with hyphens – include all of it)):

    Take note that you can edit the description as you wish. This is what will appear in the bootloader.

    bcdedit /set {GUID} description “Windows 7 (VHD)”

16. If you want your VHD install to appear last (or second) in the bootloader, then execute this (again, replacing GUID):

    bcdedit /displayorder {GUID} /addlast

Now, enjoy your new Windows 7 install. Feel free to leave a comment or ask questions in the comments.

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One of the most anticipated features of Windows 7 is its native Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) features, the format that is used in Virtual PC and similar virtualization platforms.

Windows 7′s VHD support will give users the ability to install any operating system that supports booting from a VHD into a VHD. For example, a user could have Vista installed on a single partition, and then have three files (VHDs) anywhere on that disk (or for that matter, on any partition that is readable by Windows) and be able to boot different versions of Windows 7. Assuming that SP1 and SP2 were released (which they are not yet available), a user could hypothetically have four operating systems on a single partition (the number is only limited by the bootloader, four is actually just a random number selected), like so:

• Vista installed on a primary partition (such as “C:”).
• Windows 7 RTM installed within a VHD (such as “C:Windows7.vhd”).
• Windows 7 SP1 installed within another VHD (such as “C:Windows7SP1.vhd”).
• Windows 7 SP2 installed within yet another VHD (such as “C:Windows7SP2.vhd”).

Of course, the number of VHDs is virtually unlimited, but it’s quite easy to see the hype associated with VHDs in Windows 7. Now, as for creating a VHD in Windows 7:

How to Create and Manage a VHD in Windows 7

1. Go to the Start Menu (or Desktop) and right click “My Computer” and click “Manage.” This is the easiest way to access Computer Management, but it can also be accessed via the Administrative Tools as “Computer Management.”

Viewing Disk Management

2. Now click on “Disk Management” under “Storage” in the sidebar. This will present you with a list of partitions on your computer. Now, to create a VHD, you can either right click “Disk Management” and click “Create VHD” or you can go to “Actions > Create VHD.”

Create VHD

3. This should cause a new window to appear, titled “Create and Attach Virtual Hard Disk.” Now, specify where you would like your .VHD stored (you can type the location or use the “Browse” function shown.” Then select a size (remember that you can choose between MB (Megabytes), GB (Gigabytes), or TB (Terabytes). Now, here comes an important option that is entirely down to user choice.

Selecting the Dynamically Expanding format means that as the files within the VHD increase in size, so will the VHD in question. Unfortunately, this format is a little slower than a Fixed Size format, which allocates all space selected immediately (meaning that even if the files inside the VHD measure, for example, 200MB, the disk will still be 600MB (assuming that you selected 600MB for the size of the disk)). However, a Dynamically Expanding disk can be quite useful for those hurting for disk space; even so, it’s entirely your choice, either format will do. Just make sure that the size of the disk is large enough to handle whatever you plan on placing inside of it. When you’re done, click “OK.”

Creating and Attaching the Virtual Hard Disk

On a writer’s note, I personally prefer Fixed Size disks.

How to Create and Configure a VHD in Windows 7 is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

Yesterday, on August 21st, Wave 3 of Windows 7 was released for developers and IT professionals via MSDN and TechNet. With Wave 3, all versions of Windows 7 have been released, with the initial English release for Wave 1, and then the Japanese, French, Spanish, German, and Italian releases for Wave 2.

As of yesterday, both MSDN and TechNet offer for download both the Retail and Volume License Editions of Windows 7, along with checked builds, localized versions, and language packs. The languages available are as follows:

• Dutch
• Russian
• Simplified Chinese
• Brazilian
• Polish
• Korean
• Traditional Chinese (Taiwan)
• Traditional Chinese (Hong Kong – SAR)
• Turkish
• Czech
• Portuguese
• Hungarian
• Swedish
• Danish
• Norwegian
• Finnish
• Arabic
• Hebrew
• Greek
• Ukrainian
• Thai
• Romanian
• Lithuanian
• Slovak
• Bulgarian
• Estonian
• Croatian
• Serbian Latin
• Latvian
• Slovenian

Additionally, all localized versions Windows 7 Starter are available, and so is the Windows 7 RTM SDK, Windows Automated Installation Kit (AIK), and the Windows Driver Kit (WDK).

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According to a new post on Windows Secrets, it is possible to rearm Windows 7′s 30 day activation period up to three times (without violating the EULA), giving the user a maximum of 120 days before needing to activate Windows 7. With this tactic, users of Windows 7 can legally use any version until the RTM hits the stores in October.

To view how many days you have left in your grace period, simply go to the System Information page (right click “My Computer” and click Properties). When that number gets close to zero, go to your accessories and right click “Command Prompt” and click “Run as Administrator.”

Afterwards, type in “slmgr -rearm” without quotes. Then hit enter and restart Windows 7. You will now have 30 more days left, and it can be used twice more before you need to active your Windows 7.

However, beware. Install the version of Windows 7 that you are planning to buy. On Windows Secrets, the post explains that if you install Ultimate and re-arm it three times, you will need to activate it with an Ultimate key. You cannot use a Home Premium key to activate Ultimate, so unless you want to shell out for Ultimate, install the version that are planning to buy.

Now, enjoy your Windows 7 for 120 days.

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Always wanted to praise Microsoft and it’s products? Do you have a willingness to help users troubleshoot their issues and try to sell them products? Have a technical background? Do you love teaching and helping others?

If you said yes to all of those, then Microsoft thinks that you are perfect for their new retail stores, as according to a post on the JobsBlog, Microsoft is now hiring employees for their retail stores.

The entire blog post is below:

You may have heard about our plans to open Microsoft retail stores in cities around the world. Well, I know a lot of you have heard because the JobsBloggers have been getting peppered with questions.

We’ve recently announced our first two stores in Scottsdale, AZ and Mission Viejo, CA. And we’re now hiring!

We’re looking for new store employees who love technology and teaching and helping others. In particular, we’re looking for people with technical backgrounds who can help customers choose the best Microsoft products and services for their needs and troubleshoot any technical issue they may have.

You can find our information at http://microsoft.talentrecruiting.com. This is a special page set up just for the current store openings in partnership with an outside firm who is recruiting on behalf of Microsoft. Store employees will work directly for Microsoft.

Our other store locations have not been announced yet, but as soon as we know more, we’ll update it here and add the jobs to the website.

At the moment, Microsoft is only hiring for those two stores. However, the Redmond giant should be opening up many more jobs in many more areas (those of you lucky enough to be close to an Apple store have a good chance of one opening in their location). So keep on the lookout with the new site and get yourself a job.

When more locations appear, Windows7News will be on the spot to tell you about them.

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It seems as though more and more companies are relying heavily upon the release of Windows 7, considering that every major hardware manufacturer has pledged their support to Windows 7 and have done everything possible to further the release, such as Sony or Nvidia. Now Dell has also joined the mainstream movement, as detailed in one of the posts on the Windows 7 Partner blog by Jim Ginger, an employee over at Dell.

In the post, Jim pointed out that many customers are not your technological gear heads, and that most will find that “migrating to a new OS can be complicated and risky without the proper planning.” Unfortunately, not everyone has a technology friendly son assisting them with the migration. Even so, Dell describes itself as an “important resource” to business customers during the migration, such as the following services that Jim outlined:

Application Management Services: Application compatibility is a key concern for many customers. Dell has developed a suite of services to efficiently identify, test, remediate and deploy applications. Dell can also help customers inventory and rationalize their application portfolio before initiating the remediation activities to focus resources on the most critical applications.

Migration and Deployment Services: In order to ease upgrading to Windows 7, Dell offers readiness assessments and optimized OS deployment services. Dell’s deployment services help customers with all migration aspects including organization, infrastructure, hardware, software, image and deployment. By leveraging Dell’s global deployment capabilities and tools, customers can more efficiently upgrade to Windows 7, while decreasing deployment time, mitigating risk, and reducing network traffic.

Image Management Services: These provide fully functional images built by Dell consultants according to the customers’ specifications that are ready for deployment of Windows 7 on Dell client systems.

It seems as though there are plenty of opportunities for business during the Windows 7 migration, as many businesses wish to simply skip Vista and head straight for Redmond’s new release from XP. Hardware manufacturers will simply have a field day from all of the new hardware upgrades required.

What do you think? Feel free to comment below.

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For those users running Windows Live Essentials, the software suite offered by Microsoft, Wave 3 has been updated once again, and this time, Movie Maker is finally gold (out of the beta stage).

The exact list of build changes is listed over at Ars Technica:

• Messenger: 14.0.8089.726 (previous build was 14.0.8064.206)
• Mail: 14.0.8089.0726 (previous build was 14.0.8064.206)
• Photo Gallery: 14.0.8081.709 (previous build was 14.0.8064.206)
• Movie Maker: 14.0.8091.0730 (previous build was 14.0.8064 beta)
• Writer: 14.0.8089.726 (previous build was 14.0.8064.206)
• Toolbar: 14.00.8064.0206 (previous build was 14.0.8064.206)
• Family Safety: 14.0.8093.0805 (previous build was 14.0.8064.0206)

The new suite can be downloaded from Microsoft on the official Windows Live page, although no word has yet been released by Microsoft as to the exact changes in each application, other than Movie Maker or Family Safety.

According to an email to Ars by Microsoft, the changes in Family Safety are as follows:

Based on customer feedback, the newest version of Family Safety features tighter integration with Windows User Accounts and Windows Parental Controls. This results in a seamless login experience and enhanced reporting capabilities to help parents understand what their kids are doing on the computer and online. We have also made enhancements for web browsing such as locking Safe Search for children and helping them find sites designed for kids with http://fss.live.com/kids. These updates will make Windows Live Family Safety easier for parents to get started, and it’s easier for them to keep their kids safer online.

No changelist for Movie Maker have been released, at the moment, the only known change (other than almost insignificant changes such as UI differences), is that Movie Maker is now Gold.

Even so, Microsoft claims that they had to update the build numbers on the rest of the applications from a technical perspective in order to update Windows Live Essentials, but many users are holding their breath for a late announcement. At the moment, there are also no official reports of Wave 4.

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A judge has now found Microsoft guilty of infringing on a patent owned by i4i. The patent in question refers to Microsoft Word and it’s use of XML, the method of which i4i apparently patented back in 1994 (and had the patent awarded to them in 1998), whereas Microsoft received their patent just last week.

The amount awarded to i4i was the amount sought by the company; however, the amount can be increased based on whether or not investigations state that Microsoft had a willingness to use the software, even though the software giant had previous knowledge of the patent (an i4i lawyer claims that Microsoft emails prove this theory). Not only that, but a judge can award i4i a court order that would block any further violations of their patent.

Although Microsoft will never actually cease to sell Word, i4i can be a real hellion in the process. Microsoft could process the XML as plain text, or just remove XML entirely; however, i4i claims that it does not want to keep Word off of the shelves, rather, i4i just wants to make money force Microsoft to remove or edit products that infringe on their technology.

Microsoft says that it will now appeal the ruling that awards i4i damages, and Redmond also has a choice to apply for a stay on the ruling.

It will be interesting to see how Microsoft Word fares in Office 2010, one of the flagship products of Microsoft, along with Windows 7. What do you think?

Microsoft Ordered to Pay Over $200 Million and to Stop Selling Word is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

Powershell 2.0, one of the latest products from Microsoft, an extensible command line from Microsoft with a scripting language, will now be backported back to Vista and XP as PowerShell also went gold with the release of the Windows 7 RTM.

Apparently, PowerShell has already been ported to Vista somewhat, as an RC is now available on Connect that also provides a slightly more detailed description:

Microsoft Windows PowerShell is a new command-line shell and scripting language designed for system administration and automation. Built on the .NET Framework, Windows PowerShell enables IT professionals and developers to control and automate the administration of Windows and applications.

According to a post on the PowerShell blog by Osama Sajid, a Program Manager at Microsoft, PowerShell 2.0 for XP SP3 and Vista SP1 will be released “in the next few months.”

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The first public crack of the RTM build of Windows 7 (6.1.7600.16385) did not survive for very long, thanks to Microsoft and Lenovo’s partnership (Pirates – 1, Microsoft – 1). Microsoft has now blacklisted the OEM key and ensured that Lenovo will be able to deliver genuine, non-pirated copies of Windows 7 to its consumers. Microsoft made it clear earlier on the Genuine Windows Blog that this leak will not cause any issues for Lenovo:

We’ve worked with that manufacturer [Lenovo] so that customers who purchase genuine copies of Windows 7 from this manufacturer will experience no issues validating their copy of Windows 7. At the same time we will seek to alert customers who are using the leaked key that they are running a non-genuine copy of Windows. It’s important to note that no PCs will be sold that will use this key.

Microsoft then goes on to state that pirating Windows 7 will not be as easy as it was for Vista or XP, as it has an improved mechanism for protection:

Windows 7 already includes an improved ability to detect hacks, also known as activation exploits, and alert customers who are using a pirated copy. There is a hack that is said to enable, when paired with the leaked key, a system to install and use a copy of Windows 7 Ultimate. The Windows Activation Technologies included in Windows 7 are designed to handle situations such as this one, and customers using these tools and methods should expect Windows to detect them.

Considering that the pirates are usually always one step ahead, it will be interesting to see how the game between Microsoft and the pirates will evolve once Windows 7 has been released. Microsoft can’t simply just blacklist a key once it has already been sold to genuine customers, and more OEM keys will almost certainly be leaked once the date of General Availability (GE) has arrived. Once that happens, we will see if Microsoft’s new anti-piracy system is up to par, or just another exaggerated scheme out of Microsoft.

Windows Genuine Advantage

Nonetheless, Microsoft has a confident stand, as revealed by the last paragraph:

Our primary goal is to protect users from becoming unknowing victims, because customers who use pirated software are at greater risk of being exposed to malware as well as identity theft. Someone asked me recently – and I think it’s worth noting here — whether we treat all exploits equally in responding to new ones we see. Our objective isn’t to stop every “mad scientist” that’s out there from dabbling; our aim is to protect our customers from commercialized counterfeit software that impacts our customers’ confidence in knowing they got what they paid for. That will continue to be our focus as we continue to evolve our anti-piracy platforms, and respond to new threats that we see emerge in the future.

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Microsoft has now released the official announcement for the Windows 7 Family Pack, a suite that will allow homes to upgrade up to three copies of Windows 7 Home Premium instead of being forced to buy individual licenses for each installation. The Family Pack will cost 150 USD in the United States, and 200 USD in Canada (compared to 360 USD for individual licenses in the US, a savings of 210 USD). So far, no other pricing details for other countries have been released. The Family Pack will be available on the 22nd of October, the same date as the general availability of Windows 7.

Windows 7 Family Pack

Microsoft also announced the pricing for Windows Anytime Upgrade (WAU), which allows customers on Starter, Home Premium, or Professional to upgrade to a higher version of Windows 7 without paying the full price. The online upgrade will be offered in thirteen countries: Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK or the US. Retail versions will also be offered in stores for Starter to Home Premium, Home Premium to Professional, and Home Premium to Ultimate.

It seems as though European users are once again receiving the bad end of the stick as Microsoft is again charging outrageous prices in the EU compared to the US and similar markets. Hopefully we will see an announcement revision from Microsoft on this point.

What do you think?

Windows 7 Family Pack & Anytime Upgrade Pricing Announced is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

I’m a keyboard shortcut addict. Keyboard shortcuts are faster, easier, and more fluid than continuous mouse clicks, yet the real problem is figuring out what those shortcuts even are. Thankfully, Microsoft has provided an article for Windows 7 that details and lists every shortcut in the software giant’s latest and greatest release.

The article can be found here.

Some of my favorite shortcuts are listed below (other than the most common ones):

Do you have any favorite shortcuts? If so, post them in a comment and they might end up in this main post with credit.

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Recently a letter by Sony revealed that Sony is just another one of the hardware giants standing behind Microsoft as it pushes out Windows 7, the latest and greatest successor of Windows. A Senior Manager at Sony, Xavier Lauwaert, praised Windows 7 and some of its key features, such as “performance, ease of use and connectivity innovations.” The hype surrounding Windows 7 was also mentioned as Xavier noted the reviews and “investigations” into Windows 7, such as the numerous speed tests (on virtually every leaked release), especially on the Beta and RC.

Xavier also mentioned a partnership between Sony and Microsoft in which they worked together to produce a “symbiotic effect” for the end user, touting Windows 7 as a central role in a highly “PC-centric and connected world.” Xavier even went so far to say that the recent transition from desktops to notebooks will also have Windows 7 on the front lines as Sony praises the software giant’s product: “faster boot up times, improved battery life and the ability to stream your contents through the ‘Play To’ feature will not only make the PC omnipresent but Windows 7 will also bring content ‘to life’.”

Here is the full document:

Xavier Lauwaert here. We at Sony are excited to welcome the arrival of Windows 7 with its performance, ease of use and connectivity innovations. Indeed, pre-release reviews and engineering investigations show that Windows 7 is in line with industry needs and end user requests for an operating system that is leaner, faster, easier to use and more connected.

These last months we have been working with Microsoft to ensure that not only the operating system but also our PCs create a symbiotic effect whereby end user usage models are optimized. The end result is an improvement in day-to-day life performance as well as simply making the PC more fun to use. We live in a very PC-centric and connected world and Windows 7 addresses both these needs.

With households increasingly switching from desktops to notebooks and even having more than one PC, the concept of mobility and connectivity increases in importance. At the same time, Windows 7 is built on a solid foundation. Be it a netbook or a mainstream notebook, we expect to deliver unprecedented performance and connectivity options through Windows 7. Faster boot up times, improved battery life and the ability to stream your contents through the “Play To” feature will not only make the PC omnipresent but Windows 7 will also bring content “to life”.

Windows 7 will provide new solutions and expectations and we look forward to leveraging this release on our platforms.

Xavier Lauwaert
Senior Manager Product Marketing at Sony

What do you think about the recent flood of hardware companies pledging their support to Microsoft?

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Although I will have a legit copy of Windows 7 Enterprise, (my college’s MSDN all the way) it seems as though the crackers of the internet have already busted open Windows 7 Ultimate and activated it with an OEM key. According to MyDigitalLife, the crack allows for a Windows 7 installation that is “permanently activated with OEM style instant offline activation which will pass Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) validation.” Again, MyDigitalLife describes the process: “all hell breaks loose when a Windows 7 Ultimate OEM DVD ISO from Lenovo been leaked and posted on a Chinese forum. The ISO was quickly grabbed to retrieve boot.wim, which was then used to retrieve the OEM-SLP product key and OEM certificate for Windows 7 Ultimate.”

MyDigitalLife also states this:

Both 32-bit and 64-bit (x86 and x64) Windows 7 Ultimate system should and can be activated immediately. For Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Home Basic, and Windows 7 Starter, the OEM-SLP keys haven’t been leaked, thus can’t be OEM-activated yet. It’s expected that various Windows 7 activators, Windows 7 activation toolkits, Windows 7 Loaders and etc are expected to be released by various hackers soon.

It has been confirmed that Windows 7 uses the same OEM certificate as Windows Vista (fail). The important thing is that the BIOS is modified to include SLIC 2.1 (a similar tactic was also used in the original crack for Windows Vista). The crack is OEM exclusive (will work on any brand, even though it was ripped from a leaked Lenovo DVD)

Although Windows7News does not endorse/support/advise piracy in any form whatsoever (and ask you to support Microsoft by buying their products), it’s interesting to see that hackers have already broken the operating system before it’s even released.

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Microsoft has now revealed the upgrade paths for Windows 7 detailing the “supported and unsupported upgrade paths for editions of the Windows® 7 operating system.” The full whitepaper can be viewed here. Although you can do a clean installation and completely ignore these paths, you will be limited to the following scenarios if you choose to do an upgrade:

Be warned that the following scenarios are not supported, as outlined in the whitepaper:

• Upgrades to Windows 7 from the following operating systems are not supported:
• Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows Vista Starter, Windows 7 M3, Windows 7 Beta, Windows 7 RC, or Windows 7 IDS
• Windows NT® Server 4.0, Windows 2000 Server, Windows Server® 2003, Windows Server 2008, or Windows Server 2008 R2
• Cross-architecture in-place upgrades (for example, x86 to x64) are not supported.
• Cross-language in-place upgrades (for example, en-us to de-de) are not supported.
• Cross-SKU upgrades (for example, Windows 7 N to Windows 7 K) are not supported.
• Upgrades from Windows Vista to Windows N, Windows K, Windows KN, or Windows E are not supported.
• Cross-build type in-place upgrades (for example, fre to chk) are not supported.
• Pre-release in-place upgrades across milestones (for example, Windows 7 RC to Windows 7 RTM) are not supported.

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It seems as though Microsoft is taking it’s commitment with Windows 7 in Europe pretty far, and has now after being pressured for months recently proposed to the European Union (EU) a ballot in which users could select their choice of browser. Microsoft describes it as “an opportunity to choose whether and which competing web browser(s) to install in addition to the one(s) they already have” in the proposal to the EU, as shown in the mockup:

Browser Ballot Mockup

This a drastic change from Microsoft’s former stand in which the software giant claimed that they would rather release Windows 7 with no browser whatsoever than with competing browsers. However, Microsoft is now going so far as to release Windows 7 on Vista and XP along with Windows 7 for European users.

The proposal also promises an inclusion into Windows Update for both Vista and XP within the proposal:

Microsoft will distribute a Ballot Screen software update to users within the EEA of Windows XP, Windows Vista and Windows Client PC Operating Systems, by means of Windows Update as described hereafter: A software update enabling the Ballot Screen to be displayed will be made available to all current and future users of Windows XP and Windows Vista who receive updates from Windows Update. For Windows XP and Windows Vista users the Ballot Screen update will first be made available between 3 and 6 months after the adoption of the Commission’s decision.

Opera, however, is not ready to jump on the browser ballot wagon yet, stating that “We’re not sure about the use of logos. The blue ‘e’ has become so associated with the Internet in general, due to the bundling with Windows. We think using the blue “e” might not be such a good idea.” Opera’s team actually has a good point, as I’ve had to explain to several members of my family that to use Firefox, you have to click the Fox/Earth icon, not the E. Some users have associated the Internet Explorer icon with the Internet so often in their head that they have become one. Fortunately though, this shouldn’t be too much of a problem, just a refining of the idea to ensure equality in the browser choice.

On a side note, I just couldn’t resist pointing out the lame explanation that Microsoft gave of it’s largest rival’s browser, Google Chrome. “Google Chrome is a new web browser for Windows.” Of course, this is just a mockup, but it’s always amusing to see the battle between the software giant and the open advocate.

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Unfortunately for most Intel users, when it came down to obtaining drivers for Windows 7, some users were left in the dirt with no support and no mention of support from Intel. However, thanks to a quick eye over at Icrontic, we now know that Intel has now released an entire beta suite of GMA, ACHI/SATA, and chipset drivers. It seems as though Intel is finally beginning support for Windows 7, even though AMD has been doing it for months.

And as always, there’s a pretty dire disclaimer:

These drivers are provided to facilitate any initial system evaluation with Windows 7* and are not considered “production quality”. These drivers are provided on AS IS basis with no further responsibilities on fixing issues reported to Intel Customer Support.

Interestingly enough, it seems as though Intel has released an x64 and x86 version of every driver, but for every version of Windows 7. That means that Intel has provided drivers for the Ultimate/Enterprise, Professional, and Home Premium (and for now, RC1) along with a universal driver for just “Windows 7.”

GMA

Integrated Intel Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) Drivers

Icrontic describes this as a “hit and miss process:”

These are going to be hit and miss for users with older integrated adapters, as many of them were retired long ago. Owners of a mobile or desktop product featuring the 910, 915, 945, 946, 963, Q965, G965, 965 Express, G/Q4x or G/Q3x chipsets are in luck, however, as an official Windows 7 driver is available for your adapter.

ACHI/SATA

Matrix Storage Manager 8.9.0.1023

This driver provides support for high-capacity & fault-tolerant Serial ATA (SATA) RAID 5 arrays and high-performance & fault-tolerant SATA RAID 10 arrays on select Intel® 4 Series, 3 Series, 965, 975X, 955X and 945 chipset-based platforms. It provides support for high-performance SATA RAID 0 arrays & redundant SATA RAID 1 arrays on select Intel® 4 Series, 3 Series, 965, 975X, 955X, 945, 925, 915 chipset-based platforms. It also provides AHCI support on select Intel® 4 Series, 3 Series, 965, 975X, 955X, 945, 925 and 915 chipset-based platforms, as well as on Mobile Intel® 915/910 chipset-based platforms.

Note: Intel® RAID Technology requires the Intel® ICH9R/ICH9M-E/ICH10R SATA RAID controller hub, Intel® 82801HR I/O controller hub (ICH8R), Intel® 631xESB/632xESB I/O controller hub, Intel® 82801GR/GH I/O controller hub (ICH7R/DH), Intel® 82801FR I/O controller hub (ICH6R).

Chipset

Chipset Device Software 9.1.1.1015

The Intel® Chipset Device Software installs the Windows* INF files. The INF files inform the operating system how to properly configure the chipset for specific functionality, such as USB and core PCI.

This download is intended for use with Intel® Desktop Boards.

Icrontic also provided drivers that are slipstream friendly:

You might note that these AHCI/SATA drivers come bundled in an executable which puts the kibosh on using them during the Windows 7 install. This isn’t a deal-breaker as Microsoft provides generic AHCI/SATA drivers for just such an occasion, but we busted ‘em loose so you can use Intel’s goods during the install routine. Grab the drivers from this link: Right here!

On a side note, Intel users may not have been left in the dirt, as a post on the Microsoft Partner Blog reveals:

Intel and Microsoft have a relationship that spans more than 20 years. Our collaboration today is in full swing across many fronts, but today is a day where we are very excited to see the RTM of Windows 7. Intel began working with Microsoft at the very beginning of the Windows 7 development process. In that process, we saw unique opportunities to optimize Windows 7 for Intel processor technology, to deliver PCs that are more powerful and easier to use. Our technical collaboration focused on multiple areas, including performance and responsiveness; energy efficiency/power management/battery life; and graphics and multi-media.

Just to elaborate on better performance and responsiveness. Working with Intel, Microsoft implemented a new feature called SMT parking, which provided additional support for the Windows 7 scheduler for Intel Hyper-threading Technology, enabling better performance on hyper-threaded, multi-core Intel processors. This will help users get the maximum benefit from multi-tasking. Also, Intel and Microsoft jointly analyzed the boot/shutdown/sleep/resume times on Intel platforms during the development of Windows 7 to identify opportunities to optimize Intel drivers and BIOS as well as Windows 7. Our mutual goal was to provide the most responsive compute experience possible. Another key part of the performance and responsiveness was our collaboration to optimize Intel Solid State Drive technology for Windows 7.

So if you’re using these new drivers provided by Intel, feel free to drop a line in the comments describing your experience so far.

Intel Drivers for Windows 7 Released is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

Again, another build leak. Maybe this is the RTM, but let’s not get too hopeful like last time.

Nonetheless, Wzor has stated that 16385 is “very, very possible FINAL RTM build.” However, they were wrong last time.

Here are the iso details (both x86 and x64 have been leaked by the Chinese).

x64:
7600.16385.090713-1255_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULFRER_EN_DVD.iso
SHA1: 326327CC2FF9F05379F5058C41BE6BC5E004BAA7

x86:
7600.16385.090713-1255_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULFRER_EN_DVD.iso
MD5: 5395DC4B38F7BDB1E005FF414DEEDFDB16DBF610

According to a screenshot on Wzor, Microsoft gave the final build to manufacturing on the morning of the 14th, so this could finally be it. Nevermind. That was a transcript error.

Let’s wait and see.

Windows 7 Build 7600.16385 Leaked is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

The previously rumored leak has been confirmed.

Wzor has placed the download links to the Windows 7 RTM on their home page, and it definitely the real deal. The build string is:
6.1.7600.16384.win7_rtm.090710-1945

[Start slideshow]

1234...121314►

This build string is a huge jump from the build before the RTM, and it also has a valid digital signature (cannot be faked). This is straight out of Microsoft, and has been leaked to major P2P sites (x64 only so far) (the original torrent is on Wzor). Windows 7 Server 2008 has also been leaked (again, only as x64), and the Beta version of Office 2010 has been leaked too (x86 and x64).

Although the title for the Office 2010 Beta still says “Technical Preview,” the build number confirms the Beta (14.0.4302.1000).

Now, onto the file details (the good stuff):

Windows 7 7600 RTM (x64):
7600.16384.090710-1945_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD.iso
Size: 3,224,717,312 bytes
CRC32: 1EE7DC6F
MD5: E6CE9644D0C7A8E1C950D257A7B2C8A4
SHA-1: 31849B315290EFABFD81F967ED3C553D82925E4C

Windows 7 Server 2008 RTM (x64):
7600.16384.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090710-1945.serverenterprise_en-us_vl. serverenterprise.vhd or file-tracker.ru
SIZE: 6,857,337,856 bytes
CRC: 2AA7974F
SHA1: EA13B569AD4EA4F34955D1FB8A7ADFF8A30297E6
MD5: EC65EE9F3B18F7A232F8B0073A02216A

Office 2010 Beta (x86):
14.0.4302.1000_Mondo_volume_ship_x86_en-us_wzt
Size: 798,101,835 bytes
CRC32: 8BE7AB28
MD5: 874AE2B75AD8FAF169784AFEC099B526
SHA-1: E8E13E9DF771314C2B8A615B4952A49DDE3C9117

Office 2010 Beta (x64):
14.0.4302.1000_Mondo_volume_ship_x64_en-us_wzt
Size: 893,402,501 bytes
CRC32: 7CBEF7DF
MD5: 24A46B000B79520969508CF940D6D581
SHA-1: E22690C6E63ACF0D0BDF9588E8308C5C855A38BC

Keep watch here on Windows 7 News for the report of the x86 leak of the Windows 7 RTM and the Server 2008 RTM.

CONFIRMED – Windows 7 RTM, Server 2008, and Office 2010 Beta Leaked is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

When Vista was first released, Microsoft used BitLocker and the promise that Ultimate Extras would be released on a regular basis, convincing some users that Ultimate would be worth the steep price, which was initially $400. However, after the years went by, some Vista users got more and more angry, and ever more articles were created in which writers and users accused Microsoft of ripping them off. Instead of the regular updates that users were led to believe that they would receive, paying as much as $160 extra for the Ultimate version, Vista Ultimate users have received nothing but a few extra, rarely used features, a Hold’Em game (among the millions of other free Hold’Em games, available for any OS), some language packs (useless for most people), some sounds, Tinker, and the ability to use videos as your desktop.

The language packs should have been included by default (or offered) for every Vista edition, considering that it’s languages; charging for the language packs is basically charging extra for the interface. The few extra features, Dreamscene, the two games, and the sounds are understandably exclusive to Ultimate; however, they are most certainly not worth the extra $100-160 that Microsoft charged. Now, with Microsoft’s decision to allow pre-ordering of Home Premium and Professional (but not Ultimate), Microsoft has slapped the Vista Ultimate users in the face. Not only did these users get ripped off tricked, but they are also being denied a chance to obtain the Ultimate version of Windows 7 at a fair price (to help lessen the sting of Vista Ultimate).

This cannot be a good marketing move as most Vista Ultimate users (such as myself) are passionate about technology and Microsoft as a whole, and not just your ordinary, silent customers. We wanted unique, exciting extras that were exclusive to Vista Ultimate (every Ultimate Extra except for the language packs have been ported back to XP and other Vista editions) and ongoing, yet Microsoft coughed up almost nothing. Instead of hurting their competition with Vista Ultimate, Microsoft has enticed Vista Ultimate users to simply buy the Home Premium version this time around, or even more drastic, switch to a different OS such as GNU/Linux or buy a Mac. And now that Windows 7 Ultimate has been announced, it appears that it will simply be Windows Vista Ultimate without DreamScene or other Vista Ultimate extras.

Instead of simply apologizing (if you can even call it an apology) for the outright scam failure that was Vista Ultimate, Microsoft could at least offer a significant discount on the upgrade version of Windows 7 Ultimate for Vista Ultimate users (as the final Ultimate extra), or maybe even eliminate the Ultimate (Enterprise) SKU and combine it with Professional. This would simplify the abundance of SKUs and make the pain of Vista Ultimate a little easier.

What do you think?

Windows Vista Ultimate: Ultimate OS or Ultimate Scam is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

Because of the possibility that traces of Internet Explorer could be left on the upgrade machine, Microsoft decided not to offer an Upgrade version of Windows 7 E upon release in October (the upgrade version will be delayed for some time until Microsoft can find a way to make the upgrade between Windows Vista and Windows 7 E seamless, due to the demands of the European Union). As a result, many customers were not happy when they learned of Microsoft’s intent to sell the full version of Windows 7 E in Europe at a price equivalent to a little over $430 (for Professional, Home Premium will be about $280). Even the pre-ordering prices of Windows 7 were about twice as much as the pricing in the United States.

Since the announcement, many users have accused Microsoft of driving up the prices of Windows 7 in Europe due to the decision of the European Union, taking out the costs of the case on the end-users. In the midst of the accusation, Bill Veghte, Senior Vice President of Microsoft, attempted to explain the higher pricing for Windows 7, stating that the price also included the VAT, or Value Added Tax (about the European equivalent of the Sales Tax), which accounted for roughly 18% of the cost. Even so, Veghte also warned that the prices for Windows 7 E could climb higher when the Upgrade version is released, stating “in the future we may have an upgrade offering of Windows 7 available in Europe, and at that time we would revert to differential pricing of the full and upgrade versions, as we have in the rest of the world.”

However, it seems as though Microsoft has decided to respond to the angry customers in Europe, as they have adjusted the price for Windows 7 E’s full version to match the price of the upgrade for Windows 7 in the United States. Now, thanks to the change, European customers can get the full version of Windows 7 E for less than the full version of Windows 7, at least until 31 December, 2009 (possibly the release date of the Upgrade versions of Windows 7 E).

Microsoft Reduces Prices for Windows 7 E is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

According to a source which was not revealed by CNET, Microsoft could end up selling Windows 7 on a USB drive, whereas right now the only way that a user can obtain a retail copy (legally) of Windows 7 is via retail or by download. This would be a good move for Microsoft as they had announced that any edition of Windows 7 will be able to run on a netbook; however, the trick would be getting it installed.

According to CNET, not selling Windows 7 on USB drives would be detrimental to Windows 7′s success:

The challenge of getting Windows 7 on to older Netbooks threatens to cast a shadow over the technical work Microsoft did to get Windows 7 running on Netbooks. Its predecessor, Windows Vista, proved ill-suited to Netbooks forcing Microsoft to continue selling Windows XP as its answer to the low-cost notebook phenomenon.

Complicating matters further is the fact that most Netbooks are running Windows XP. Those moving from Windows XP can buy an upgrade version of the software, but must back up their data, do a clean installation of the operating system and then reload their applications.

Most users do not know how to place Windows 7 onto a USB drive for install, and some do not even know that it’s possible. Even though I’ve always found it easier to just copy an image of the disc to my netbook, extract it, and run setup.exe, here is a short tutorial on how to put it on a USB drive yourself, just in case:

You will need an image or a DVD of a Windows 7 build (any should do) and a 4GB flash drive.

This will erase your drive, so make sure that there’s nothing important on it or back it up.

1. Plug in your USB drive and run CMD as administrator (right click it in accessories or run it as normal and hit CTRL+Shift+Enter). To run CMD, simply open a run box and type “CMD” and click OK.

2. Type DISKPART and hit enter.

3. Type LIST DISK and hit enter. Then write down the disk number (for example, Disk 2)of your USB drive (match up the disk sizes).

4. Then type each command hit enter, substituting the number in the first command with the number of your USB drive:

SELECT DISK 2
CLEAN
CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY
SELECT PARTITION 1
ACTIVE
FORMAT FS=NTFS
ASSIGN
EXIT

5. Insert your DVD or mount your image and check the drive letters of both your USB drive and the DVD drive (I am going to pretend that my USB drive is U and my DVD drive is D).

6. Run the following commands (substituting D in the first command with the drive letter of your DVD drive):

D:CD BOOT
CD BOOT

7. Then run the following command, replacing U with the drive letter of your USB drive:

BOOTSECT.EXE/NT60 U:

8. Now just copy and paste everything over from your DVD to your USB drive, then set your BIOS to boot from USB.

Enjoy.

Microsoft to Sell Windows 7 on USB Drives (And A HOWTO: Do It Yourself) is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

As technologies get more advanced and old ones are left behind, some models become outdated and lose support. This is what has happened with IE7, as IE8 embraces new standards, which will improve the web but potentially could display sites built for older versions of Internet Explorer incorrectly. In order to achieve the best of both worlds, Microsoft introduced a “Compatibility View” feature in Internet Explorer, similar to the Compatibility Mode used in applications (such as running an application in compatibility mode for Windows 95 within Windows XP). Microsoft describes their Compatibility View as a stand-in replacement for those websites not yet ready for IE8:

Internet Explorer 8 is a new release and some websites may not yet be ready for the new browser. Click the Compatibility View toolbar button to display the website as viewed in Internet Explorer 7, which will correct display problems like misaligned text, images, or text boxes. This option is on a per site basis and all other sites will continue to display with Internet Explorer 8 functionality. When you click on the Compatibility View button for a site, you don’t need to do it again as the next time you visit that site the browser will show it in compatibility mode. If for some reason you’d like to go back to browsing with Internet Explorer 8 functionality on that site, simply click the Compatibility View button again.

However, sites will most likely take a very long time to adapt themselves fully to the new features of IE8, as according to the W3Counter, over half of all browsers on the Internet are IE6 and IE7, with less than 2% going to IE8. IE8′s Compatibility View may be Microsoft’s way of accommodating for the fact that most users simply do not wish to upgrade, and this may be causing serious issues within the Redmond giant. In fact, Microsoft takes the Compatibility View so seriously that Microsoft recently moved around the icon and updated the notifications to make the Compatibility View a more obvious and easier to activate function because many users simply elected to not use it.

Microsoft also mentions a Compatibility View list:

You can maintain a list within Internet Explorer 8 for sites that should be displayed in Compatibility View. From the Command Bar, select Tools, and then select Compatibility View Settings to add and remove sites from this list. There are also options for viewing all websites and intranet sites in Compatibility View.

What do you think? Use IE8 with Compatibility View or download Firefox 3.5?

IE7 Compatibility Mode for IE8 is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

Note: All pricing is rounded (for the sake of convenience) and in USD unless shown otherwise.

Apparently we were correct on our estimate of Windows 7′s Home Premium prices in which we used a memo that stated the pricing for Windows 7 Home Premium would ante up the cost for netbooks by $200. Microsoft has officially announced the initial pricing for Windows 7, and Home Premium will indeed be $200, or $40 less than the initial and today’s pricing of Windows Vista. Unfortunately, this is more than what some of us hoped it would be considering the state of today’s economy and Snow Leopard’s upgrade pricing of $30 and the full price of $170.

Although the initial pricing of Windows Vista and Windows 7 have some significant differences, the current pricings are almost identical. The change in cost of Home Premium is the only change in today’s pricing between Windows Vista and Windows 7.

Windows XP users need to understand that regardless of which edition they currently have installed, they will have to perform a clean install on the same partition when installing Windows 7, whether it be the upgrade (XP users will be able to install with just the upgrade if they so wish) or the full version. A clean install will not backup anything, although Windows Easy Transfer should make the transition easier on some users. Clean installs are also mandatory for those attempting to switch between architectures (x86 and x64).

Unfortunately for European users, as previously stated by Mike, the Windows 7 E editions will not allow an upgrade, nor will upgrade versions be sold. The reason is that upgrades have never been tested without Internet Explorer (remember that all official XP and Vista distributions contain Internet Explorer), and Microsoft did not want to have to delay the release of Windows 7 in order to ensure a successful upgrade for European users running XP or Vista. However, the full versions of Windows 7 in Europe will be available at the upgrade pricing.

Thankfully, those in certain countries will be able to save quite a bit of money by pre-ordering Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional (limitation of three copies). You can pre-order Windows 7 now from selected stores on June 26th; however, remember that the offers are only until supplies last and end on July 11th. Be sure to check Windows7News’ pre-ordering section later for updates and more information.

Canadian and Japanese customers can first pre-order Windows 7 on the same date as United States users, although those countries’ offers will also end on the same time as the US (except for Japan, in which the offers will end on July 5th). The UK, France, and Germany will get the opportunity from July 15th through August 14th (while supplies last).

For prices for each country, refer to the table below:

For those who buy a PC with Windows Vista later than June 26th (the date matches with the leaked Best Buy memo), will receive the equivalent edition of Windows 7 upon release. The offer will only be available from certain retailers and OEMs, and the program will be offered until January 31, 2010, although it can be cut short by the OEMs. OEMs also have the power to charge for the upgrade and choose which computers are eligible for the upgrade (it can be safely assumed that netbooks and low-end PCs will be excluded from this offer).

Thankfully the pre-order offers are so cheap because I quickly despaired when I learned of the $200 pricing for Home Premium (which I, as a college student, could not afford on top of textbooks and classes). I assumed that I would have to use the last leaked build for a while until I could afford the full version, and just upgrade my MacBook, which I considered a real shame because I much prefer my Windows box. The competitive pricing on the pre-orders is excellent, and will enable many users to be able to afford Windows 7 who would not be able to normally, and I will definitely be marching to my local Best Buy tomorrow.

What about you?

[poll id="10"]

Microsoft Announces Windows 7 Pricing is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.

Earlier, I made a post in which I described the upcoming Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) and explained what all of the hype was about. Now, the Redmond company has released the 1.0 Beta, and anyone can download MSE directly from Microsoft. On Microsoft’s page for MSE, a link to Microsoft Connect is provided from which users can fill out a quick survey (seven questions) about security, and upon completion, users can download the Beta for Windows 7 (x86 and x64), Windows Vista (x86 and x64), or Windows XP (x86 only).

Microsoft provides a quick explanation on their official page:

You’re too busy to spend a lot of time worrying about protecting your PC. With Microsoft Security Essentials Beta, you get high-quality protection against viruses and spyware, including Trojans, worms and other malicious software. And best of all, there are no costs or annoying subscriptions to keep track of.

Security Essentials is easy to install and easy to use. Updates and upgrades are automatic, so there’s no need to worry about having the latest protection. It’s easy to tell if you’re protected – when the Security Essentials icon is green, your status is good. It’s as simple as that.

When you’re busy using your PC, you don’t want to be bothered by needless alerts. Security Essentials runs quietly in the background, only alerting you if there’s something you need to do. And it doesn’t use a lot of system resources, so it won’t get in the way of your work or fun.

Remember that you will need to meet the minimum requirements:

• For Windows XP, a PC with a CPU with clock speed of at least 500MHz and at least 256MB of RAM
• For Windows Vista and Windows 7, a PC with a CPU with clock speed of at least 1.0GHz and at least 1GB of RAM
• VGA (display): 800×600 or higher
• Storage: 140MB of available hard-disk space
• An Internet connection is required for installation and to download the latest virus and spyware definitions.
• Internet Explorer 6.0 or higher, or Mozilla Firefox 2.0 or higher.

A second build will be released to the public later this summer, which will be either a Beta Refresh or a Release Candidate, and then the final build in the fall (either before or around the release of Windows 7). However, interestingly enough, the Beta build (1.0.1407.00) is lower than that of the leaked build (1.0.2140.0), so users of the leak could be advised to keep their current version and those who do not have MSE already may wish to obtain the leaked copy.

Download

Microsoft Security Essentials 1.0 Beta Released is a post from Windows 7 News & Tips - Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides. Visit Windows 7 News & Tips for the Latest Microsoft Windows 7 News, Tips, Themes, Wallpapers & Guides.