Windows Vista (Longhorn) News

Vista SP1 Recovery Tools

Long Zheng published details on Vista SP1's recovery disc.

this tool creates merely a slimmed-down Windows installation disc. It takes a normal Windows installation disc image and strips out all the “installation” functionality leaving only the repair tools and common system files.

Human Multitasking

Several incidents in my life demonstrate my consistent inabilities to multitask. While the idea sounds wonderful - who wouldn't want to be able to do many things at once? - I am of an unfortunately blend of random thoughts which yield terrible consequences when attempting to multitask. Last night's adventure, and the reason for this blog update, is more evidence I should stick to getting one thing done at a time.

The adventure began when I decided to install a piece of software from the Internet. Yes, I should have known better. Yes, I should have checked on the Internet to make sure everything was legal and no one had any complaints. However, I was in the middle of writing a paper and was trying to do two things.

After downloading the software, I clicked on the extraction file, and files started being written all over the place. The software asked for permission to install and so I provided it. A momentary thought crossed my mind that this may really be dumb - but we'll save that thought for later when the thought was proven correct.

Immediately after providing access, the command line opened and I noticed files were being copied into the Mozilla directory. The registry was being changed, and there were several other intuitive signs that threw up a huge warning.

Moments after the installation was complete, Windows Defender barked a spyware alert. Sadly, I was too late to fix this because a dozen or more IE browsers started to launch. My word document was stuck because the CPU was pegged at 100%. I clicked to close each browser, only to have IE crash and restart - launching even more browsers.

I tried a vista rollback to see if this would help but my backup plans have always been too sloppy. The rollback was only available for after the spyware installation.

I shut off the machine, restarted it, and entered safe mode so that I could pull off the word document. The document was copied onto a USB flash drive and I went to another machine. The document was completed and I returned to my crippled box hours later.

Vista is wonderful because there are multiple options for safe mode, one option is to start safe mode with networking. Therefore, I was able to get the machine into safe mode and have access to download hijackthis. Hijackthis was installed, run, and I obliterated the nasty spyware.

Lesson learned. I can only do one thing at a time. I am human and will let the machines multitask. Multiswitching, on the other hand, may be more my speed. No. I'll stick to the basics in life. One thing at a time.

Vista FAQs

ZDNet has published answers to a frequently asked questions.

Large businesses can start getting Vista through volume-licensing contracts as of Thursday, while CompUSA is selling licenses to smaller businesses that purchase at least five copies of Vista. However, consumers and those looking to get new PCs with Vista installed will have to wait until the mainstream launch in January.

Techworld's Frequently Asked Questions

Techworld has published a nice set of frequently asked questions about Windows Vista.

Q. I have a tablet PC. Can I install Vista on it? Should I?

A. Yes you can, if you buy a Vista version that offers tablet functionality: Home Premium, Business, Enterprise, or Ultimate. But before you do, check your hardware configuration against Vista's requirements. Many tablet PCs are relatively underpowered and may not make very satisfactory Vista systems.

Vista editions that do support tablets introduce some new pen-oriented features. You gain more control over where the Tablet Input Panel (TIP) writing area appears, the cursor changes shape to make what you're doing clearer, and gestures called "Flicks" enable you to perform navigational tasks such as scrolling with a quick pen maneuver.

Blue Screening In Vista

The day had to come when my Gateway Tablet PC configuration and Vista did not agree with each other. I was not watching the battery on the Gateway and the system shut down. After plugging in the system to recharge, I pushed the power button. Instead of the system restoring, I received a pmi_mdm.sys error. A search on Google suggests this is tied to the EVDO Sprint Connection Card.

Deleting the undeletable

Tim Sneath provides two commands all IT persons should keep in their toolbox: takeown and icacls.

MSDN Subscribers: Are you ready?

The MSDN site states:

Windows Vista and Office 2007: Availability on MSDN Subscriber Downloads
Windows Vista and Office 2007 is expected to be available through MSDN Subscriber Downloads within 7 days of release to manufacturing (RTM). The MSDN Subscriptions team is committed to making new content available to subscribers as soon as is practical.

and once you go into the site, this notice is available:

MSDN Subscriber Downloads Service Outage Notification
MSDN Subscriber Downloads will be unavailable from 7:00PM to 9:00PM Pacific time on Friday, November 10, 2006, for planned maintenance and upgrades. Both downloads and product keys will be unavailable, though downloads already in progress will not be interrupted. We apologize for any inconvenience.

Does this mean the time for MSDN subscribers to be able to download is approximately 9 PM PST ? I will be checking ... will you?

TechNet: November Issue

While attempting to solve an MDAC issue on my Vista RC2 installation, I ran across the November issue of TechNet. This is definitely required reading for anyone interested in deploying Windows Vista.

FWIW, the MDAC challenge continues. I am not able to use a program which relies on MDAC 2.7 or later.

Windows Vista RTM

Pen Flicks

Views on Vista reminds us about the beauty of Windows Vista on the Tablet PC - specially Pen Flicks.

Pen Flicks are quick movements, or gestures, made with your stylus which when made in a particular direction correspond to a user configurable command or task.

Yes, the pen on Vista is far superior to Windows XP Tablet PC Edition. 

Windows Vista Licenses

Ed Bott from ZDNet clarifies the confusion regarding Windows Vista Licenses but the news is not as good as he suggests. 

The Vista license marks the first time Microsoft has explicitly addressed the issue of virtual hardware in a consumer-oriented product, I believe. The current license for Windows XP makes no distinction between physical and virtual hardware

Vista Ultimate is different: The Vista license marks the first time Microsoft has explicitly addressed the issue of virtual hardware in a consumer-oriented product, I believe. The current license for Windows XP makes no distinction between physical and virtual hardware.

Bott concludes the change is best for tech savy users. Enthusiasts will disagree in that the restriction on licenses limits creativity.

Mark Your Calendars: December 5

Microsoft announced that the general release date for Windows Vista Ultimate, Home Basic and Home Premium.is December 5th. Vista Business is still expected in November. This pushes the release into the holiday season. While not perfect, this is better news than a January 2007 release. 

Windows Vista-Ready Products

Microsoft released a press release stating Windows Vista-Ready Products are being prepared for the holiday.

NEW YORK, Oct. 12  -- Today at Digital Life 2006, Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) announced the holiday availability of PCs, software, hardware and games that will work with Windows Vista(TM). More than 250 hardware and software products from over 50 industry partners have received either the Certified for Windows Vista logo or the Works with Windows Vista logo created to help consumers more easily identify software and devices that are compatible with the new operating system. The Works with Windows Vista logo helps ensure compatibility, and the Certified for Windows Vista logo indicates that a particular software or device will help deliver a superior end-user experience when used with a PC running a Windows Vista operating system.

During his opening keynote address, Mike Sievert, corporate vice president of Windows Client Marketing at Microsoft, emphasized the breadth of products on the market come the holidays that will work with Windows Vista. "We are thrilled that so many of our industry partners are working with us to bring Certified for Windows Vista software and devices to market this holiday season," said Sievert. "This certification helps ensure our customers will have a great experience with these products now, and an even better one when they are using them with Windows Vista. These products will make a great gift for the holidays that gets better with Windows Vista."

All the products shown in Sievert's keynote are undergoing the logo testing process, and all will be available this holiday season, including NVIDIA GeForce(R) graphics cards; Logitech's Cordless Desktop MX 3200 Laser(R), MX Revolution Mouse(R), ChillStream game pad(R) and QuickCam Ultra Vision(R); and the InterVideo(R) WinDVD(R) and WinDVD Creator(R). These products represent a sampling of the many devices and applications Microsoft's partners are releasing today and in the coming months that take advantage of new features like improved graphics, increased stability and enhanced security in Windows Vista.

Windows Vista -- The Growing Ecosystem

Since the availability of the Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1) early last month, products from companies such as ATI Technologies Inc., Canon Inc., Logitech and NVIDIA Corp. have qualified for the Certified for Windows Vista logo, and many others have begun the process. Products from Attachmate Corp., Belkin Corp., Buffalo, Computer Associates Inc., Corel Corp., D-Link Systems Inc., Epson, Fujifilm, Hauppage Computer Works Inc., HP, Lexmark, Logitech, Microsoft Hardware, Microsoft Office, NetPro Computing Inc., Nero AG, Olympus, Riverdeep Interactive Learning Ltd., SanDisk Corp., Seagate Technology Inc., Symantec Corp., Trend Micro Inc., Viewsonic Corp., Workshare Inc., Yahoo! Inc. and other companies are expected to a Windows Vista logo within the Windows Vista launch time frame, further contributing to the growing Windows Vista ecosystem. Throughout their product development process, Microsoft has collaborated with independent hardware and software vendors, ensuring not only that the products support a high level of compatibility, but also that the products coming to market now and over the next several months will take advantage of exciting new features in Windows Vista.

HP is one of the companies pursuing approval for the Certified for Windows Vista logo for a variety of products. "Just as we did with the launch of Windows(R) XP, HP has worked closely with Microsoft to ensure our imaging and printing products take full advantage of the capabilities of Windows Vista," said Greg Wallace, senior vice president of marketing for the Imaging and Printing Group at HP. "HP will be a top provider of products ready for Windows Vista, offering more than 450 compatible imaging and printing products once Windows Vista is available on the market."

Also carrying the Certified for Windows Vista logo will be NVIDIA GeForce Graphic Processing Units (GPUs), which enable features in Windows Vista such as Windows Aero(TM) and Flip-3D.(1) "NVIDIA GeForce graphics cards underwent thorough testing to attain the Certified for Windows Vista logo," said Ujesh Desai, general manager of desktop GPUs at NVIDIA. "It was the commitment to quality testing that attracted us to the program. People can be confident that any products carrying the logo will provide a top-notch experience with their PCs running a Windows Vista operating system."

Partners are drawn to the logo program as a means of helping consumers find products that are designed to work well with Windows Vista. "With Windows Vista arriving in the new year, we're eager to provide people with new, exciting technologies that will work seamlessly with the new operating system," said Steve Ro, CEO of InterVideo. "We're thrilled to be a part of this program. When people look for software like ours this fall, they'll look for the Certified for Windows Vista logo. InterVideo would like to promise that we will have all our software certified to carry the logo so as to ensure a superior multimedia experience on Windows Vista PCs." InterVideo's WinDVD Creator offers a full range of video and DVD editing features, helping people to enjoy and share their home videos and photos with Windows Vista.

Getting Consumers Ready for Windows Vista Now

In addition to the Windows Vista logo program, Microsoft is taking steps to ensure that consumers can buy PCs now that will be ready for the launch of Windows Vista. PCs capable of supporting Windows Vista bear the Windows Vista Capable logo.(2) Consumers can feel confident in purchases they make today due to the broad availability of Windows Vista Capable PCs that are capable of running Windows Vista Home Premium Edition, identified as Premium Ready PCs.

Consumers also can now purchase new PC games that offer exceptional compatibility with Windows Vista as well as Windows XP. Games that carry the Games for Windows logo must meet certain requirements, such as the ability to work with x64 versions of Windows Vista and support the Windows Vista Games Explorer function. Games that feature this logo and will be available for purchase this holiday season include "Company of Heroes," "LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy" and "Microsoft Flight Simulator X."

In addition to these products available at retail, two Windows Vista features, Microsoft Internet Explorer(R) 7 and Windows Media(R) Player 11, will be made available in the coming weeks. Windows XP users are encouraged to try the features to get familiar with and excited about these programs now, which will be included in Windows Vista. Internet Explorer 7 will be made available to Windows XP customers via free download in the next two weeks. Microsoft encourages all Windows XP users to download the new version to explore the browsing experience in Windows Vista and take advantage of the new security features that will help protect them against malicious software and phishing attacks. Windows Media Player 11 will be available via free download beginning Oct. 24 and will enable users to take advantage of an elegant and intuitive user interface, a new level of online store integration, especially with MTV's URGE service, and improved navigation for larger music libraries.

With Windows Vista, for the first time products are eligible for either a Certified for Windows Vista or a Works with Windows Vista logo. All software and devices with the Certified for Windows Vista logo have been tested to meet high-quality standards and deliver a superior end-user experience when used with a PC running a Windows Vista operating system. This logo is reserved for products that meet specific technical requirements and support features in Windows Vista such as XML Paper Specification (XPS) printing, Media Transfer Protocol and Windows Aero, enabling new technologies that provide optimal experiences with Windows Vista. With over two-thirds of consumers reporting that such certification is an important factor in purchasing software and hardware, achieving logo certification provides partners with a valuable way to differentiate their products in the market. In addition, these certified products stand to benefit from Microsoft's marketing and product-support efforts. The Works with Windows Vista logo ensures compatibility with Windows Vista.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

(1) Windows Aero, Flip-3D navigation, Enhanced Backup and Restore and Tablet PC support are available in Windows Vista Home Premium, Windows Vista Business and Windows Vista Ultimate. (2) Not all Windows Vista features will be available for use on all Windows Vista Capable PCs. All Windows Vista Capable PCs upgraded to Windows Vista will be able to run the core experiences of Windows Vista, such as innovations in organizing and finding information, security and reliability. Some features available in premium editions of Windows Vista -- such as the new Windows Aero user interface -- require advanced or additional hardware. Visit http://www.windowsvista.com/getready for details.

NOTE: Microsoft, Windows Vista, Windows, Aero, Internet Explorer and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corp. in the United States and/or other countries.

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

Hands On: Windows Vista Release Candidate 2

PC World published an overview of Windows Vista RC2.

Boot times and the speed with which dialogs, menus, program windows, and folders open under Vista are also better than in XP--as long as you're running modern hardware with Vista-class video.

Yes, the boot times on my Gateway Tablet PC are fast.

The User Account Control (UAC) security feature, which seeks your confirmation before it will allow various programs to run or dialog boxes to open, still rankles.

Yes, the UAC can get in the way of setting up the system. 

Utilities, especially apps that relate to files, are often incompatible with new versions of Windows; and I suspect that such software incompatibility could be a problem with this operating system.

I am fortunate enough to have limited software on the Tablet PC and so this is not a problem. Yet, software compatibility and driver issues will slow down the acceptance of the OS - just like the initial slow acceptance of XP. 

The good news is that I was able to setup the Sprint PC5740 on the Tablet PC. The card must be activated on a Windows XP machine using the Spring Connect software then it can be moved to the Vista machine.  

Windows Vista RC1 now available through MSDN

Microsoft released Windows Vista Release Candidate 1, and it is now available though MSDN Downloads. Subscription is required.

If you are not currently a MSDN Subscriber or not already enrolled in the Customer Preview Program (CPP), Microsoft will open the CPP for new participants in the next couple of weeks.