Tag: Windows 7 RTM

Windows 7 RTM in Over 35 Languages

November 10, 2009 by Jason

There are more ways than one in which end users can translate Windows 7 into different languages. For some users, Windows 7’s Multilingual User Interface (MUI), including Windows Language Packs and Language Interface Packs (LIPs), is the most known way to translate the operating system. Deploying an MUI or an LIP will actually have Windows 7’s graphical user interface display all information in another language than the one that is default to the installation. But there are additional ways to translate Windows 7, not just elements of the OS but the actual terminology built around the platform.

On the Microsoft Language Portal, users can find equivalents of English technical jargon in their own language. The Redmond company is essentially offering the Windows 7 terminology for no less than 35 languages. However, the resources available on the webpage span across more than just terminology.

“On these pages you can search our localization glossaries and terminology database for over 90 languages, download style guides, give us feedback on terminology used in our products and find pointers to other languages and localization sites in Microsoft,” a message on the website reads. Read More»

Seven Things to Try after Installing Windows 7

November 07, 2009 by Jason

On October 22, 2009 Microsoft reached the final milestone of the Windows 7 release schedule, namely general availability. Customers worldwide have already started embracing the product, buying 234% more boxed retail copies of Windows 7 since the official launch compared to the first few days after Windows Vista GA. The NPD Group took into consideration only sales of Windows 7 through the retail channel in the US in order to note that Windows 7 retail sales were outpacing those of Vista, but it’s likely that actual sold licenses of the latest Windows client are more than reported by NPD, taking into account the fact that the platform is available pre-installed on OEM computers, as well as offered for download through online outlets such as Microsoft Store.

Windows 7 guarantees a completely revolutionary UX for users upgrading from Windows XP, and evolutionary, as Microsoft itself has put it, for those that migrate from Vista. Either way, the latest edition of Windows brings a consistent range of enhancements that set Windows 7 apart from its predecessors. Assessing the value associated with the innovations introduced in Windows 7 certainly leads to recommendation lists with more than seven items.

Users will find that some of the new Windows 7 features and capabilities will come into focus more than others. Without having this aspect become a representation of the value they will bring to end users, there are things that customers will want to try ahead of anything else. Below is a list with seven of them, although in all fairness, users that will actually keep count will find that the limit of seven items “might” not have been respected entirely. Read More»

Windows 7 RTM Drivers from Microsoft Hardware

November 01, 2009 by Jason

Microsoft’s “Better Together” slogan apparently applies not only to Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 but also to the latest iteration of the Windows client and the Redmond company’s peripherals. The vast majority of products offered by Microsoft Hardware features the Windows 7 Compatible logo and comes with device drivers designed to play nice with the successor of Windows Vista from the get go. Windows 7 was released to manufacturing on July 22nd and hit the shelves last week on October 22nd, with Microsoft applauding strong support and compatibility for the OS.

The Redmond company even features a webpage dedicated to Microsoft Hardware products and Windows 7, advertising a match nothing short of the perfect marriage between peanut butter and jelly. More importantly, the Microsoft Hardware + Windows 7 page contains a collection of special offerings for customers. The software giant noted that the special deals on Microsoft were open to all customers.

Microsoft Hardware products including mice, keyboards, LifeCams, gaming devices and notebook accessories, all compatible with Windows 7, are also available at discount prices from a variety of online retailers including the Microsoft Store. The only exception to the Windows 7 compatible line-up of Microsoft Hardware items is the Fingerprint Reader, which does not play nice with the operating system, the company informed. Read More»

Windows 7 RTM Support

November 01, 2009 by Jason

Windows 7 is an evolutionary Windows client release, according to Microsoft, and it was also fit that support for the OS would also be an evolution compared to what was available for Windows Vista. And Windows 7 comes in a world where Microsoft Support is much different from what it was when the company made its debut.

According to the software giant, “Microsoft Corp. was founded in 1975 to develop and sell BASIC interpreters for the Altair 8800. Customer support in 1975 consisted of Bill Gates and Paul Allen.” The focus on customer support has grown tremendously for Microsoft, as the Windows operating system became ubiquitous, and as the company started offering additional products.

Official statistics from the Redmond company reveal that this year alone traffic to Microsoft online support exploded to approximately 1.2 billion. “Microsoft Customer Service and Support now manages 30 million support requests online, through e-mail and phone each year in 29 languages across a range of products around the world. There are more than 7,000 agents in over 60 locations available to help Microsoft customers,” the company explained. Read More»

Top10 – October 2009 Popular Tips

November 01, 2009 by Jason

1. Make Windows 7 faster – Part 1

2. Make Windows 7 faster – Part 3

3. Make Windows 7 faster – Part 2

4. Vista to Windows 7 Upgrades Kill Access to OEM Recovery Applications

5. UI Changes to Expect in Firefox 4.0

6. Recover Windows 7 from Driver Update

7. Patch Registration Cleanup Tool for Window 7

8. Apply a shade of Windows 7 to XP

9. Windows XP Mode RTMs

10. Windows 7 RTM Patches ISO Image
Read More»

Windows 7 Product Guide

October 28, 2009 by Jason

Following the worldwide launch of Windows 7, Microsoft has made available a resource designed to give customers an insight into the operating system. The successor of Windows Vista hit store shelves on October 22nd, 2009, and in concert with the actual bits, the Redmond company released the Windows 7 Product Guide. For users who want to understand all the changes that the latest iteration of the Windows client brings to the table, all the new features, functionality and capabilities, the official Windows 7 Product Guide is the best resource available. Furthermore, the software giant is offering the product guide completely free via the Microsoft Download Center.

Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team, revealed that the Windows 7 Product Guide was designed to deliver customers as much information on Windows 7 as possible in an easy to digest style. “This easy to read guide gives you a clear overview of the features in Windows 7 without a lot of technical jargon that you might find in other content. The guide was designed to educate and inform readers about benefits you get from adopting Windows 7,” LeBlanc added. Read More»

Windows 7 RTM Stability and Reliability Update

October 19, 2009 by Jason

Microsoft is making use of the time it still has ahead of the October 22nd general availability deadline of Windows 7 to deliver some last-minute finishing touches to the operating system. The latest iterations of the Windows client and server platforms were released to manufacturing on July 22nd, 2009, and, since August, have been available to specific customer segments including MSDN and TechNet subscribers. On October 13th, the Redmond company made available for download updates for both Windows 7 RTM and Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM designed to boost the stability and reliability of the two platforms.

“An update is available to resolve issues that affect some computers that are running Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 R2. These issues are reported by customers who use the Error Reporting service or Microsoft Customer Support Services,” Microsoft revealed. “This update improves the stability and reliability of Windows 7 and of Windows Server 2008 R2 in various scenarios.”

This is not an uncommon practice with Microsoft. In fact, ahead of Windows Vista’s GA in January 2007, Jim Allchin, the then Windows boss, told customers that the first thing they would have to do after installing Vista and running the operating system for the first time was to update the brand-new platform. Read More»

Windows 7 RTM WinHlp32.exe

October 19, 2009 by Jason

Following the release to manufacturing of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Microsoft is slowly setting in place all the software pieces that traditionally accompany new client and server platform releases. An illustrative example in this regard is the WinHlp32.exe download. The utility is designed to enable users running Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 to access Help files, easily identifiable after the “.hlp” file name extension.

According to KB917607, titled “I cannot open Help files that require the Windows Help (WinHlp32.exe) program,” “At this time, there is no WinHlp32.exe download available for Windows 7 or for Windows Server 2008 R2. However, separate downloads for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 will be offered after the RTM versions of these products are available to public.”

However, Microsoft has failed to wait for the October 22, 2009 general availability deadline of Windows 7 and already released the 32-bit (x86) flavor of WinHlp32.exe. Before Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, the Redmond-based company allowed third-party developers to include WinHlp32.exe with their Windows programs. This is no longer the case, and the utility is now available exclusively as a standalone download from Microsoft. WinHlp32.exe is set up to integrate with both the 32-bit and the 64-bit editions of Windows 7, as well as with the exclusive x64 version of Windows Server 2008 R2. Read More»

Windows 7 RTM Patches ISO Image

October 15, 2009 by Jason

It has by no means been a slow month as far as Microsoft security bulletins go, with no less than 13 patch packages being released by the company for a range of products. In total, the Redmond company patched no less than 34 security holes across Windows, Internet Explorer, Silverlight, Microsoft Office, Developer Tools, Forefront and SQL Server, revealed Christopher Budd, security response communications lead, Microsoft. October 2009 is also the first month in the software giant’s security patch cycle when updates were made available for the gold version of Windows 7. October 2009 marks yet another first, namely the first time that patches for Windows 7 RTM have been included into a company Security Release ISO Image.

At the bottom of this article you’ll be able to find a download link for the October 2009 Security Release ISO Image. The ISO package brings to the table all of the security updates made available for supported Windows operating systems, including Windows 7, Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2008 R2, etc. Read More»

Patch Registration Cleanup Tool for Window 7

October 14, 2009 by Jason

Microsoft has made available for download a tool designed to ensure that software installed on top of various Windows operating systems gets updated correctly. The Patch Registration Cleanup Tool is a utility offered by the Redmond company free of charge with a rather self-explanatory name. Designed to clean the patch registration errors, the tool went live on the Microsoft Download Center on October 12th, 2009 and is currently up for grabs for all users of Windows XP, and later releases of Windows, including the latest iteration of the Windows client.

“On a computer that has a Windows Installer based product installed, you may receive an error while installing an update for the product and the installation of the update may fail. Installation errors caused due to incorrect patch registration may be corrected using this tool,” Microsoft informed.

According to the Redmond company, end users will be able to run the Patch Registration Cleanup Tool not just on Windows 7 RTM, but also on older Windows platforms. The software giant pointed out that the following Windows operating systems are supported by the tool: Windows 2000; Windows Server 2003; Windows Server 2008; Windows Server 2008 R2; Windows Vista and Windows XP. Read More»