Tag: windows client
With Service Pack 1 still in the distance, customers need to turn to Windows Update for refreshes designed to improve their experience with the latest Windows client and server platforms. Although Microsoft is not emphasizing the relevancy of WU over that of major service pack upgrades for Windows 7 to the same level it did for Windows Vista, the company is indeed relying on its update mechanism for the evolution of the operating system ahead of the delivery of the first service pack. Since the RTM of Windows 7, the software giant has made two stability and reliability updates available, via WU and as standalone packages on the Microsoft Download Center. Refreshed versions of both were offered to customers on March 8.
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 users are free to download revised versions of “The January 2010 stability and reliability update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 is available” and the “The October 2009 stability and reliability update for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 is available.” This is the third time that the company tweaked the two updates and offered them to users running the successors of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 R2.
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Posted in Windows 7 | No Comments »
January 01, 2010 by
Jason Microsoft is offering free downloads of all its supported Windows clients, including Windows 7 RTM, Windows XP and Windows Vista. Starting with the advent of Vista, customers, partners, IT professionals and developers have been able to take advantage of a variety of offerings involving free releases of Windows from the Redmond company. Furthermore, the software giant has made somewhat of a tradition from making sure that XP, Vista and now Windows 7 are available as free downloads in order to streamline various testing, training, planning and adoption programs.
Various releases of Windows, packaged both as ISO and VHD images can be grabbed from the company, and installed into testing environments immediately. In this regard, it is critical to note that one downside of the free Windows OS downloads is the fact that the bits cannot be deployed into production.
On December 29th, 2009, Microsoft has updated the virtual hard disk images of Windows Vista and Windows XP. Initially delivered following the release of Internet Explorer 7, the VPC Hard Disk Images of XP and Vista are designed for testing websites in accordance with multiple Internet Explorer versions. There are three copies of XP SP3 and two of Vista available at no charge via the Microsoft Download Center. Read More»
Posted in Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP | 2 Comments »
December 27, 2009 by
Jason In 2009 Microsoft kicked PowerShell up a notch to the next level, a move which coincided with the release of the latest iteration of the Windows client, Windows 7. In this context, July 22nd marked the release to manufacturing of PowerShell 2.0, while October 22nd was synonymous with the general availability, as the new Windows command-line shell ships included by default into Windows Vista’s successor. Now developers can also access the Windows PowerShell 2.0 software development kit (SDK) which is designed to bring to the table not only sample code, but also reference assemblies that enable the creation of applications with Windows PowerShell at the core.
“This SDK contains reference assemblies and samples that demonstrates how to use the Windows PowerShell 2.0 APIs to build a rich set of applications. In this package, you will find sample code which shows how to use the new PowerShell class, how to write cmdlets that supports eventing, transactions and jobs. In addition, there are examples of host applications that connect to remote computers using individual runspaces and runspace pools. This SDK also includes modified Windows PowerShell 1.0 samples using the modified and improved Windows PowerShell 2.0 APIs,” Microsoft revealed. Read More»
Posted in Computer, Software | No Comments »
December 27, 2009 by
Jason While the worldwide economy is showing signs of recovery from the financial crisis of the past years, fact is that cost is a key fact to consider when it comes down to the adoption of new technology. Windows 7 makes no exception to this rule, with the operating system bound to have businesses that are upgrading pay for more than just the price tag. Microsoft is now offering a free tool designed to permit corporate customers to calculate just how much will embracing the latest iteration of the Windows client cost them.
In this regard, Windows 7 ROI Tool Lite is advertised as a resource capable of showing companies just how much they stand to save by upgrading to Windows 7. Unlike end users, corporate customers need to take into consideration the Total Cost of Ownership for new technology, as well as get estimates on their Return on Investment.
Windows 7 ROI Tool Lite “helps organizations assess their current PC total cost of ownership and the potential benefits from implementing Windows 7 to help lower costs, improve service levels and drive business productivity. Enter requested information, indicated in yellow. Default research metrics provided regarding current opportunities and potential savings based on Microsoft studies of first deployments, and Alinean research – 2009,” reads the description of the tool. Read More»
Posted in Software, Windows 7 | 1 Comment »
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»
Posted in Windows 7 | No Comments »
With the Release Candidate Build 7100 development milestone available for download since May 5th, 2009, and Windows 7 making its way toward RTM, Microsoft is also planning to debut the Tech Guarantee Program, now labeled Microsoft’s ‘Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program’ associated with the operating system. The Redmond company offered a similar program for Windows Vista, and it is now planning to do the same for Windows 7, starting June 26th, 2009. The marketing initiative is designed to offer free upgrades from Windows Vista to Windows 7 for customers who will not wait for the next iteration of the Windows client.
Microsoft has failed to offer any details related to its Technical Guarantee Program for Windows 7, but TechARP revealed that the Windows 7 Upgrade Option Program was planned for debut by the end of next month. PC manufacturer Acer has already begun promoting the initiative in Australia, by offering marketing materials advertising the debut of the program. “Beginning June 26, 2009, customers who purchase a qualifying ACER Vista-based PC will receive a comparable version of Windows 7 when available,” reads the message of a slip included with new purchased Acer computers. Read More»
Posted in Software, Windows 7, Windows Vista | 1 Comment »
The Windows Automated Installation Kit for Windows 7 RC has accompanied the Release Candidate development milestones of Windows 7 client and Windows Server 2008 R2. The latest release of the Windows AIK is specifically tailored to the next iterations of the Windows client and server operating systems. Microsoft is offering the kit in an effort to streamline deployment of both Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. According to the Redmond company, the Windows Automated Installation Kit allows for the customization and deployment of the successors of Windows Vista and Windows server 2008.
“The Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK) is a set of tools and documentation that support the configuration and deployment of Windows operating systems. By using Windows AIK, you can automate Windows installations, capture Windows images with ImageX, configure and modify images using Deployment Imaging Servicing and Management (DISM), create Windows PE images, and migrate user profiles and data with the User State Migration Tool (USMT). Windows AIK also includes the Volume Activation Management Tool (VAMT), which enables IT professionals to automate and centrally manage the volume activation process using a Multiple Activation Key (MAK),” Microsoft informed. Read More»
Posted in Windows 7 | 1 Comment »
Windows Virtual PC is one of the features that Microsoft has been holding back from end users throughout the development of Windows 7, only to release it into Beta concomitantly with the Release Candidate of the next iteration of the Windows client. As the Windows 7 RC bits went to MSDN and TechNet subscribers, Microsoft’s communities of developers and IT professionals also got access to Windows Virtual PC. The installation process of this virtualization feature is rather simple, because Windows Virtual PC is essentially an update for Windows 7. It is important to note that Microsoft has restricted Windows Virtual PC only to Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate, and Windows 7 Enterprise.
“To install Windows Virtual PC, install the update package: double-click the file, Windows6.1-KB958559-plaftform.msu, where platform is either x86 or x64. Review the end-user license agreement and accept it to install the update. To complete the installation, restart the computer. After the installation is finished, Windows Virtual PC is available from the Start menu,” Microsoft revealed in the Windows Virtual PC Evaluation Guide. Read More»
Posted in Software, Windows 7 | No Comments »
Microsoft is offering not only pre-release versions of Windows 7 but also resources accompanying the development milestones designed to highlight the best aspects of the next iteration of the Windows client. An illustrative example in this regard is a set of guides offered for the IT professional audience of Windows 7. Which is not to say that the documentation is not available to all users to read and get an idea of what Windows Vista’s successor will bring to the table. Via the Windows 7 IT Pro Guides, Microsoft is offering the Windows 7 Manageability and Windows 7 What’s New resources for download.
These documents include:
1) A What’s New in Windows 7 Guide, covering many new and changed Windows 7 features of interest to IT professionals, including DirectAccess, BranchCache and other networking technologies, VHD boot and other deployment technologies, and AppLocker, Biometrics, and other security technologies.
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Posted in Windows 7 | 1 Comment »
February 16, 2009 by
Jason
New storage features have come to Windows Vista Service Pack 1, Windows XP SP3 and releases of the Windows Server platforms. Windows Feature Pack for Storage 1.0 was released to web (RTW) and is now available for download and integration with the supported operating systems. This is the finalized version of Windows Feature Pack for Storage 1.0, with Microsoft cooking the pack since 2008. In fact, in August 2008, the Redmond company was dropping a pre-release version of the solution via Microsoft Connect.
“The Windows Feature Pack for Storage 1.0 includes the following features: Image Mastering API Update for Blu-Ray Media – this feature enables the Windows platform to do master style optical burning on Blu-Ray media. Smart Card Driver – this release provides support for new form factors, such as ICCD,” Microsoft revealed.
“The following system requirements are necessary to install the Windows Feature Pack for Storage 1.0 – the system must be running one of the following operating systems: Read More»
Posted in Windows Vista, Windows XP | No Comments »
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