Microsoft – Page 25 – Paul's Tech Talk

Upcoming Patch Tuesday

PaulDecember 8, 20081 Reply

[ad#ad2-right]I wanted to get prepared for the updates for this Tuesday and I thought I’d go through them and list what Microsoft said about each. These are what’s been said on Technet and I am sure there will be more. Each one of these don’t look to serious but I will post Tuesday if there is anything I’ve missed on this post. As you might know this is not set in stone but just the direction of Microsoft for this Months Release.

KB955839

Update for Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, and Windows XP

Install this update to resolve an issue that is caused by revised daylight saving time laws in many countries. This update enables your computer to automatically adjust the computer clock on the correct date in 2008. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. This update is provided to you and licensed under the Windows Server 2008 License Terms.

[ad#ad2-left]KB957388

Update for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista

Install this update to resolve a set of known application compatibility issues with Windows Server 2008. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

KB890830

Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool

Microsoft released the Microsoft Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool to help remove specific prevalent malicious software from computers that are running Windows Vista, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, or Windows 2000. After you download the Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool, it runs one time to check your computer for inflection by specific prevalent malicious software (including Blaster, Sasser, and Mydoom) and helps remove any infection it finds. Microsoft releases a new version of the tool every month.

[ad#ad2-right]KB905866

Update for Windows Mail Junk E-mail Filter [November 2008] (KB905866)

Install this update for Windows Mail to revise the definition files that are used to detect e-mail messages that should be considered junk e-mail or that may contain phishing content. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer. This update is provided to you and licensed under the Windows Vista License Terms.

I am sure there are going to be others but right now this looks like the normal things Microsoft sends out. I am sure they are keeping a tight lid on the really serious stuff until last second so I’ll have to report the really important stuff Tuesday.

Is this Windows 7?

PaulDecember 4, 2008

As you can see that looks to be the final release of the start screen. In the past they haven’t change the start screen, it looks to be really polished and ready for use with Windows 7. If anything, I think the boot screen will be permanent and definitely not temporary. On a Side note, I found this video as well:

<a href="http://video.msn.com/?mkt=en-US&playlist=videoByUuids:uuids:60e5f8c6-09f3-4a09-bac0-355b8a7b7dcc&showPlaylist=true&from=shared" target="_new" title="Windows 7 Demo 1" rel="noopener noreferrer">Video: Windows 7 Demo 1</a>

[ad#ad2-left]This video I almost suspect is the release they did at the Professional Developers Conference and is probably going to have the beta in hand. Although I could be wrong this looks to be almost like Vista? Why is Microsoft trying to make Vista turn into Windows 7, probably due to the fact that Vista had such a rotten launch they are hoping people will see Windows 7 as if Windows Vista didn’t even exist.

I also found one more little Video that looks to be promising, it’s called Windows 7 Super bar. This little Video looks convincingly like this will be kept in Windows 7 but you know how Microsoft is on beta’s. Any how, Here’s this one:

Windows 7 Super Bar from Paul Jenkins on Vimeo.

As you can see the super bar feature looks to be quite interesting and quite nice to have. I will bet that will be a great productivity improve in Windows and it might even be more like MAC OS X. I don’t know but it seems to be something that Apple should of done a long time ago!!

Windows 7 will sport Direct X 10 Compliance!

PaulDecember 3, 20081 Reply

The new feature is called WARP10, for “Windows Advanced Rasterization Platform,” and it’s essentially a DX10-compliant, software-only rasterizer that was written by Microsoft; it runs directly on the CPU. In a situation where a DX10 app needs to run but can’t find DX10-compliant hardware, it will run on WARP10, albeit very, very slowly. Ultimately, you can think of WARP10 as a “software DX10 GPU” that will exist as a fallback in Windows.

[via Arstechnica]

[ad#ad2-left-1]This will make Windows 7 work more smoothly with Windows XP and Vista games. This looks to be like having more compatibility with the older games. When Vista came out they were complaining about not being able to play games on Vista. Vista has been really updated with being able to play games. People are starting to play games on a Vista machine. This is also a step for Windows 7 to be one that Microsoft, being that they are trying to get the next O/s to look like an Angel probably. What I expect is Microsoft will advertise about Windows 7 will be gamer friendly. This is a move on Microsoft to get gamers on board with this release and to try to get people to forget about Vista.

[ad#ad2-right]Having said that here’s some things that will be most likely be Advertised with Windows 7 when it comes out. Microsoft will want it to be game friendly, User Account Control to be less obtrusive, and program compatibility. These the main points to get people to start buying Microsoft’s products. Microsoft should be worried because of Apples comments about how you should use an Anti-virus for Macintosh’s. This is definitely worrying Microsoft. It means Microsoft has an competitor that Hackers are trying to exploit. I would be willing to guess that Microsoft is worried people are switching to Apple products. These are just guesses but I am quite certain Microsoft is really worried. What do you think, do you think it will happen?

Vista To release Service Pack 2 in April 2009

PaulDecember 1, 20081 Reply

[ad#digg-right] Some sources are reporting that Vista SP2 will be out in April. According to Engadget they claim TechARP is a bunch of Malaysian Kids that like to boast about how they broke the Vista SP1 and XP SP3 release schedules to the world. They claim though that Vista Release candidate is to be out around February.Microsoft has indicated that this SP3 will include Windows Search 4, Bluetooth 2.1 wireless support, faster resume from sleep when a wireless connection has been broken and support for Blu-ray. I personally think it will include some of Windows 7 features to better get people accustomed to Windows 7 when they come out.

[ad#ad2-left]Although this is speculation and no hard evidence I think it has some merit due to the fact that Microsoft has admitted in the past that Vista was a big Letdown. I don’t think they can any more to damage than they have already done. If anything Windows 7 will be a easy Success if they pull it off in the right way!!! Although with WIndows 7 be leaked online there is no telling what will happen. I am sure what ever happens will be interesting to say the least!!!

Microsoft issues Vista patches out of Monthly Patch Cycle!

PaulNovember 26, 20083 Replies

Microsoft issues Out of cycle patch for Vista. These patches are as Followed:
[ad#ad2-right-1]

Kb957321

An update rollup is available for the Microsoft Windows Imaging Component (WIC) in Windows Vista or in Windows Server 2008. This update rollup resolves the problems that are documented in the following articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

954708 An update to add support for the serialization of complex Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) data types in the Windows Imaging Component

945060 There may be inconsistencies in the Extensible Metadata Platform (XMP) and Exchangeable Image File (EXIF) values for an image file in Windows Vista and in Windows XP

KB959108

The Windows Portable Device (WPD) API collects and transfers Software Quality Metrics (SQM) data to Microsoft servers. The SQM data is collected only on an opt-in basis through the Microsoft Customer Experience Improvement Program. An update is available that disables the collection and transfer of SQL data to Microsoft servers.

This update affects Windows Vista-based computers, Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)-based computers, and Windows Server 2008-based computers that are in the Microsoft Windows Media Player Customer Experience Improvement Program.

KB959130

On a Windows Vista-based computer or on a Windows Server 2008-based computer, you install a third-party Web browser. You set the third-party Web browser as the default Web browser. Then, you run the Connect to the Internet Wizard. However, if you select the Browse the Internet now option, Windows Internet Explorer starts instead of the third-party Web browser that you set as the default Web browser.

[ad#ad2-right]This seems to be not so important. All of these are not really security related but it does surprise me that Microsoft wanted to release these out of Cycle. If your planning on using your Vista laptop during the holidays you might want to update your vista machine before you go. I don’t think there is going to be any major issues with this but if there is, you can always remove these updates later.