A full PowerShell provider for exposing WSS/SPS 2003 (support for 2007 coming) as a filesystem. Administer your SharePoint installation with familiar copy/move/rename/delete and new-item metaphors. Move users between roles, copy users between webs; use the full power of the shell to script away the pain of GUI based mass-management.
The PHP development team would like to announce the immediate availability of PHP 5.2.3. This release continues to improve the security and the stability of the 5.X branch as well as addressing two regressions introduced by the previous 5.2 releases. These regressions relate to the timeout handling over non-blocking SSL connections and the lack of HTTP_RAW_POST_DATA in certain conditions. All users are encouraged to upgrade to this release.
Read more : www.php.net
A beginner's guide to getting started with Windows PowerShell. This Owner's Manual consists of five articles covering getting started, customizing the console window, shortcut keys, pipelining, and running scripts.
Source : microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter
Quick reference guide to commonly-used Windows PowerShell commands. For best results, open the file in Microsoft Word, print the contents to legal-sized paper (8 inches by 14 inches), and fold the resulting printout in half, making a four-page booklet.
Source : microsoft.com/downloads
Get all the Windows PowerShell Help, plus the VBScript to Windows PowerShell Conversion Guide, in one fully-searchable package. You can even access this help file from a cmdlet.
Source and download : www.microsoft.com/technet/scriptcenter
Thanks to the new version of Windows Live Writer now I can use Blogger Labels when posting to my blog. You will notice the new Labels section on the right side.
Searching for SharePoint downloads look at this post from the SharePoint Product Group.
AMD's Canada-based graphics division ATI has released a new version of its Catalyst driver suite. Catalyst 7.5 comes to the support of the whole Radeon line-up and features:
- DirectX 10 driver support for the Radeon HD 2900 XT (single card and CrossFire configurations) for Windows Vista
- Second Generation ATI Theater 650
- Performance Improvements
OpenGL performance is improved on the ATI Radeon X1950 XTX at high resolutions (1920x1200 or greater) with anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering enabled. Doom 3 and Quake 4 improves as much as 13-18%, and Prey improves at least 15.6%. The ATI Radeon X1950 Pro and X1650 XT also sees improvements in Doom 3 and Quake 4 of up to 14.1% at higher resolutions with anti-aliasing and anisotropic filtering enabled.
...plus lots of bug fixes.
The Catalyst 7.5 drier suite is available in four different flavours, all awaiting download on our servers:
- Catalyst 7.5 (Windows XP 32bit)
- Catalyst 7.5 (Windows XP 64bit)
- Catalyst 7.5 (Windows Vista 32bit)
- Catalyst 7.5 (Windows Vista 64bit)
Source : Techconnect Magazine
Yes the new Live Writer BETA 2 is available for download !
I'm so in love with this little tool. I can't wait to look at all the new features.
Source : Liveside.net, Windows Vista Team Blog, Writer Zone Blog
Download : get.live.com/betas/writer_betas
From Josh's Windows Weblog :
Here is a handy way to export your wireless LAN settings if you failed to save them off or want to transfer them to another machine. You can also use this as a method of exporting your corporate wireless LAN settings which tend to be more involved than your typical WPA setup. You can also use this to deploy using SMS or other delivery methods.
- Launch a command prompt as an admin
- Using the netsh command prompt list your wireless LAN profiles using the following command
"netsh wlan show profiles"- Note the Wireless LAN profile name you are wanting to export (ex. Linksys)
- Run the following command to export your profile
"Netsh wlan export profile name="[ProfileName]" Folder="[Folder Path]"Pretty easy, right?
To import on the new/other machine is just as easy simply use and admin command prompt and run the "netsh wlan add profile filename="[filename.xml]" command.
FolderShare is a Windows Live Service that allows people to share their files with their friends, family & co-workers, and synchronize files across multiple devices. People can also access their files from anywhere on the web.
Looks cool. Sure your device (computer) has to stay up and connected for the P2P network share to work, but looks like a good solution for the family.
Source : LiveSide.net
Official site : www.foldershare.com/
Microsoft Surface represents a fundamental change in the way we interact with digital content. With surface, we can actually grab data with our hands, and move information between objects with natural gestures and touch.
Surface features a 30 inch tabletop display whose unique abilities allow for several people to work independently or simultaneously. All without using a mouse or a keyboard.
Sounds cool? Well, it won't hit the market until Winter 2007, but there will be opportunity to get hands on with Surface. Have a look under 'find it' at the site here: Microsoft Surface
Source : Bink.nu
Outlook 2007 has a very little known feature where you can publish your calendar to the web using Microsoft Office Online. Microsoft Office Online has a Calendar Sharing Service that gives you 2MB of space online to share calendars with friends, families, and co-workers through the web. To view this service on Microsoft Office Online, all you need to do is sign-in using your Windows Live ID.
Source : Windows Vista Team Blog
Wubi is an unofficial Ubuntu installer for Windows users that will bring you into the Linux world with a few clicks. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu as any other application. If you heard about Linux and Ubuntu, if you wanted to try them but you were afraid, this is for you.
Ubuntu is installed within a file in the windows file system (c:\wubi\disks\system.virtual.disk), this file is seen by Linux as a real hard disk.
Windows Vista is not supported at the moment but you may try to search the support forum for a manual solution (good luck).
Source : Wubi Official home page
Sean A. Walberg (sean@ertw.com), Senior Network Engineer at IBM has started a new series of articles about tuning LAMP (Linux-Apache-MySQL-PHP)
I look forward to new articles in this series.
From «Utility Spotlight» column in Technet Magazine (June 2007) :
The first annoyance was that there was no method to elevate an application from the command line or from the Run dialog box. So after asking around within Microsoft, I came across a sample script from John Stephens (a Software Design Engineer at Microsoft) that provided the information I needed. It turns out that if you pass the verb "runas" to either the ShellExecute API or to its COM equivalent, the ShellExecute method of Shell.Application, the application launched will prompt for elevation (see the sidebar for details). This allowed me to create the first Elevation PowerToy—the Elevate Command PowerToy.
Read the article : www.microsoft.com/technet/technetmag
Download the tool : Utility2007_06.exe
Question: Why is it that the average computer user still chooses to spend hundreds of dollars on Windows or Mac when there are countless Linux alternatives that they could download, install and make use of completely free of charge?
Today we are announcing the availability of the Microsoft Office Isolated Conversion Environment (MOICE) feature and more widely notifying customers of the File Block functionality for Microsoft Office 2003 and the 2007 Microsoft Office system. Both features are designed to make it easier for customers to protect themselves from Office files that may contain malicious software, such as unsolicited Office files received from unknown or known sources. MOICE makes it easier by providing new security mitigation technologies designed to convert specific Microsoft Office files types, while File Block provides a mechanism that can control and block the opening of specific Microsoft Office file types.
The Microsoft Office Isolated Conversion Environment (MOICE) uses the 2007 Microsoft Office system converters to convert Office 2003 binary documents to the newer Office open XML format. The Conversion process helps protect customers by converting the Office 2003 binary file format to the Office open XML format in an isolated environment. In summary, MOICE provides a mechanism for customers to pre-process potentially unsafe Office 2003 binary documents, by virtue of the conversions process it provides customers with a greater degree of certainty that the document can be considered safe.
Source : www.microsoft.com
More infos : David LeBlanc's Web Log
Microsoft just released an update to Web Folders. This update apply to Windows 2000, XP, 2003 and Vista.
They say it corrects the problem describe in kb892211
This fix does not seems to do anything for those of you who got the '401, Unauthorized' error on the root dir and the /dav dir when accessing a webDAV folder on WebCT (Linux).
I'm not sure yet if this update modify the WebDav Mini-redirector of Vista or only the WebFolders package from Office.
Download it : www.microsoft.com/downloads
May, 25th update
It is (kb907306) an update to the WebFolders and not the Mini-redirector (WebDAV). And I was partly wrong, it does fix the '401, Unauthorized' error by replacing de mini-redirector by the WebFolders package. Although I'm now able to connect to my webDav folder on WebCT, I can't modify any file (save).
Microsoft has announced the alpha version of Popfly, its new application creation, mashup enabling tool and social networking software for nonprogrammers.
Popfly consists of two parts: Popfly Creator, which is a set of online visual tools for building Web pages and mashups; and Popfly Space, which is an online community of creators where you can host, share, rate, comment and even remix creations from other Popfly users.
Popfly is based on the concept of "Blocks," akin to Lego blocks, which users can snap together to create applications and build Web sites to share with others.
Source : Bink.nu
Check out http://www.popfly.com
Frank Koch (from Microsoft Switzerland) has written a Windows PowerShell book and made it available for FREE download HERE. The subtitle is "An introduction to scripting technologies for people with no real background knowledge".
Micorosoft may offer 250Mb, 500Mb or more of online free storage. The new Windows Live Folders initiative looks very promising.
This service was previously called Windows Live Drive.
The Windows Live Folders homepage is now offline. The beta has not started and there is no signup page yet either. But you can see what it would look like at www.liveside.net
Own a non-Ultimate edition of Windows Vista, but very like the DreamScene application featured in Ultimate Extras package?
Microsoft SharedView is a fast and easy way to share documents and screen views with small groups of friends or coworkers; anytime, anywhere. Use SharedView to put your heads together and collaborate.
- More effective meetings and phone calls
Connect with up to 15 people in different locations and get your point across by showing them what's on your screen. - Work together in real time
Share, review, and update documents with multiple people in real time. - Use anytime, anywhere
SharedView is easy to use, from anywhere, at a moment's notice.
Click here to learn more about the SharedView Beta (note: at the time I posted my blog the link was not working)
You can download it at www.microsoft.com/downloads
Since last week the code name for this product was «Tahiti». There's a blog about it : codenametahiti.com
If you want to get familiar with the new ribbon in Office 2007 products Micorosoft has just the thing for you. They just release a new series of video call «Up to speed with ...»
You can watch it live here :
- Demo: Up to speed with Word 2007
- Demo: Up to speed with Outlook 2007
- Demo: Up to speed with PowerPoint 2007
- Demo: Up to speed with Excel 2007
- Demo: Up to speed with Access 2007
Or you can also download them from http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/ to see them later.
You can turn scripts into redistributable executable files with existing software in Windows Vista and Windows XP. Windows Vista and Windows XP both have a rarely used tool known as IExpress.
The tool allows you to wrap an executable file around your scripts so that you can distribute any script as an .exe rather than distributing a "raw" script file (.bat, .vbs, etc.).
This eliminates the need of explaining to non-technical users how to execute scripts through the Command Prompt. This is an extremely useful tool for turning Visual Basic script files and other non-executable scripts into one-click executables.
Read the full article : www.petri.co.il
Do you use the Run feature in Windows XP or Vista ? For most, this feature remains unused (or rarely used).
Why is that? Well, First off nearly all of the Run Commands Correspond to a particular Control Panel Item or a Utility, Tool or Task that can be accessed through Windows.
There are, however, tools and utilities that I bet you never knew you had that can be accessed through the Run feature. The main reason most people don't use the Run feature is because they don't know the Commands. So, to solve that problem, I decided to put together the following listing, which lists 177 Run Commands and what they correspond too...
Source : fixmyvista.com
Here's my personal list of Windows Vista shortcuts :
| Press | To |
| Alt + Double-Click | Displays property sheet for the selected item |
| Alt + Esc | Cycle through items in the order in which they were opened |
| Shift | Hold when loading disk to prevent AutoPlay application |
| Shift + Right-Click | Shows alternative commands for the selected object |
| Ctrl + Shift + Enter | Launch the application with elevated privileges in the windows search box (start menu) |
| Ctrl + Shift + Esc | Open Task Manager |
| Ctrl + Tab | Move forward through tabs |
| Windows + F | Search for a file or folder |
| Windows + X | Windows Mobility Center |
| Windows + Space | Bring Sidebar to front |
| Windows + D | Show Desktop |
| Windows + Tab | Cycle through programs on the taskbar by using Windows Flip 3-D |
Each time that you send a new message in Outlook, the emails that you type in To/Cc fields, are automatically inserted into the AutoComplete list, so in the next time that you type an email address, Outlook automatically completes the right email address for you.
The AutoComplete file of Outlook is stored under [Your Profile]\Application Data\Microsoft\Outlook , and it always saved as the profile name of Outlook with .NK2 extension.
This utility reads the AutoComplete file of Outlook (with .NK2 extension), displays all email records stored in it, and allows you to easily export these records into text/html/xml file.
Download this utility at Nirsoft.net
Windows Live Hotmail is now officially out of Beta. Paul Thurrott's have good review of the new service.
Read de the review : www.winsupersite.com
Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in for delivering the next generation of Microsoft .NET–based media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web.
It works on Windows and Mac OS X with Internet Explorer, Firefox or Safari browser.
It's still in beta but you can download it and try it at www.microsoft.com/silverlight
George Ou compares Microsoft Office 2007 to OpenOffice 2.2 in memory and CPU usage using the OOXML and ODF file formats. The conclusion according to Ou:
"We can see that the OpenOffice.org ODF XML parser (while vastly improved) is still about 5 times slower than Microsoft's OOXML parser. OpenOffice.org also seems to consume nearly 4 times the amount of RAM to hold the same data. While OpenOffice.org continues to have fewer features than Microsoft Office, it continues to consume far more resources than Microsoft."
Read the article at zdnet.com
Ashton Mills has a good review of Ubuntu 7.04 on apcMag.com :
I love Linux and want it to succeed in the areas it doesn't currently, so I'm usually straight about what does and doesn't work -- because tip-toeing the issues isn't doing the community any favours. I have great expectations for 7.04, and unfortunately they're not all met. If you're a fanboy, don't read on, because I'll shatter your fragile world.
Read the article at apcMag.com
Lex van der Horst wrote at MSTN :
Lots of useful Windows Vista tips are now starting to materialize. A new one that I've just implemented on my external Lacie USB Hard Drive is to enable Write Caching, which is turned off by default. By enabling Write Caching you can significantly speedup external Hard Drives in Windows Vista.
To enable Write Caching for external drives in Windows Vista do the following:
- In the Start Menu type "Device Manager"
- Under Disk Drives find your External Drive
- Right-click on it and select "Properties"
- Go to the Policies tab and check "Optimize for performance"
- Click OK and reboot
One final word of warning. If you want to disconnect or turn the drive off yo should use the "Safely Disconnect Hardware" option in the taskbar, to make sure that you don't lose any data.
Microsoft already gave us command finders for Word, Excel and PowerPoint 2007 (read my post), now a new one is available for Outlook.
There is a few new options in the NETSH command in Windows Vista that may help you diagnose problems with wireless network connections.
Type netsh wlan show network mode=ssid
To display infos about each visible SSID
Type netsh wlan show network mode=bssid
To display infos about each visible SSID, antennas, signal strength, radio type and channel.
More infos : technet2.microsoft.com
A month earlier then expected WSUS 3.0 is released to web!
Microsoft Windows Server Update Services (WSUS) 3.0 delivers new features including an MMC-based user interface with advanced filtering and reporting, improved performance and operational reliability, flexible deployment options to improve branch office support, and more content access through the Microsoft Update Catalog site.
- Release Notes for WSUS 3.0
- Step-by-Step: Getting Started with WSUS 3.0
- WSUS 3.0 Overview
- Deploying WSUS 3.0
- WSUS 3.0 Operations Guide
- Script Center
- SDK
- API Samples Readme
- API Samples and Tools
More at www.microsoft.com/Technet/WindowsServer/WSUS
Source : bink.nu
How many times did you ask where is that command ? (I know were it was before)
Microsoft has develop three really cool apps in Flash that can visually help you find these commands.
- Find commands in Word 2007
http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/asstvid.aspx?assetid=XT100766331033&vwidth=1044&vheight=788&type=flash&CTT=11&Origin=HA100744321033 - Find commands in PowerPoint 2007
http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/asstvid.aspx?assetid=XT101493271033&vwidth=1044&vheight=788&type=flash&CTT=11&Origin=HA101490761033 - Find commands in Excel2007
http://office.microsoft.com/assistance/asstvid.aspx?assetid=XT101493291033&vwidth=1044&vheight=788&type=flash&CTT=11&Origin=HA101491511033
If you prefer to navigate from the Office Web site (it's not always obvious) :
- Go to the Products section
- Click on Excel, Word or Powerpoint from the list that appears down the left hand side
- Look for the "Quick Start" Box way down the page for the product (centre right)
- Click the link "Find Commands in ..."
To my knowledge these apps are only available form the English US web site.
Thanks to Darren Strange for giving us a steer on this stuff. (By the way Darren has a great blog about Office : blogs.msdn.com/officerocker
Jeremy Page wrotes in OneMicrosoftWay Journal :
Your life as a web admin is about to get easier, assuming you are using Windows as your platform of choice. IIS7 in the newly released Longhorn Beta 3 is chock full of updated and upgraded goodness. A few specific features look like they will save a lot of time and effort for admins.
Read the article : arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars
Another good article from Paul Thurrott. If you have some interest in Longhorn you should read this one.
Ref : www.winsupersite.com
Windows Server Code Name Longhorn is schedueled for release to beta testers sometime later today, with some of the most important changes coming to Longhorn Server Core. Core will support a grand total of 8 roles, double the 4 roles it had back in mid 2005. The grand total of roles available to Server Core includes:
- Active Directory
- Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services
- DNS
- DHCP
- File/Print
- Windows Media Services
- Terminal Services Easy Print, Remote App, and Gateway
- Virtualization (configuring a server as a dedicated host for virtual servers.) (won't be available immediately)
PowerShell is also included in the 3rd beta release of Longhorn Server, as well as the Windows Firewall being enabled by default.
Download : www.microsoft.com/windowsserver/longhorn
Direct download : Enterprise Edition
Source : Bink.nu
It has been a while since we've heard of former Formula One Champion, Jacques Villeneuve. The Canadian gave an interview with jv-world to talk about his music, motor racing, married life and baby Jules.
Source : www.jv-world.com
Matt Mondok wrote in OneMicrosoftWay Journal:
After some users with large Outlook 2007 Personal Folders (pst files) complained about the e-mail client running slowly, Microsoft released a patch last week that is said to improve the application's performance. According to the patch's description, it fixes two problems: the first where a calendar item is marked as private if it is opened by the Search Desktop feature, and the second being the performance issue.
Functionality that should become more responsive after applying the update includes:
- Downloading messages from Exchange
- Deleting messages
- Moving and copying messages
- Switching between messages
- Outlook startup
Read the complete article at ARStechnica
The update, KB933493, is available from the Microsoft Download Center
Vista uses a new protocol named Link Layer Topology Discovery (LLTD) to display a network “map” of all computers in a network, but the protocol is only in Vista, so XP computers do not show up in this map.
Microsoft has generously released the software for XP, and it must be installed on an XP machine for it to show up in the Vista map. Click here to download the software for Windows XP SP2.
Source : Top 12 Vista Tweaks
Nick White wrote on Windows Vista Team Blog :
Yesterday we officially unveiled the name for what was previously known as the extremely catchy "WPF/e" (Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere) at the 2007 National Association of Broadcasters Conference. WPF/e is now Microsoft Silverlight.
OK, so what? Just what is Microsoft Silverlight? It's a new cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in that allows users a new and richer multimedia experience when using a Web browser (for example, it supports 720p HD media playback). Web developers targeting IE, Firefox and even Apple's Safari browser can all make use of Silverlight for a consistently amazing experience. It's also a client- and server-agnostic platform; this means that the runtimes are the same on any platform, allowing you to deliver the Silverlight experience from an Apache web server, if you like -- without requiring any MS software on the server. How's that for interoperability?
Jason Brooks has a good article for linux beginners on eWeek.com :
It's free! You can tailor it to your own needs! There's a distro for every need! Sure, Linux is tempting, but getting started isn't so easy. eWEEK Labs offers advice for getting your head, and your organization, around Linux.
Source : eWeek.com
For some IT pros, the only thing they look forward to more than the new version of Windows is the new Windows Resource Kit-and the Windows Vista Resource Kit is available now. This official Microsoft reference provides more than 1,500 pages of in-depth technical guidance on deploying; securing, and managing Windows Vista.
Here are a few of the topics that are covered in the Windows Vista Resource Kit:
Deployment
From installation basics to corporate-level installation guidance for the Business Desktop Deployment (BDD) 2007 for Windows Vista and the 2007 Microsoft Office system, the Windows Vista Resource Kit covers all areas of Windows Vista deployment including:
- Deployment automation
- Application compatibility and deployment
- Disk imaging
- User state migration
- Volume activation
Management
Controlling how Windows Vista functions and how users access its resources is an important part of supporting the operating system. The Windows Vista Resource Kit covers management topics such as:
- User accounts
- Disks and storage
- Device management
- Printing
- File sharing and collaboration
- Internet access and security
Maintenance
The ability to restore a system to efficient operation is an important part of a technician's job. The Windows Vista Resource Kit offers guidance for maintenance tasks including:
- Health and performance monitoring
- Remote user assistance
- Software updates and patches
- Client protection (hardening Windows)
Networking
Windows Vista is designed to operate in networks from two linked home systems to immense corporate networks with thousands of networked computers. The Windows Vista Resource Kit has everything you need to know about the following topics:
- Configuring Windows networking
- Configuring Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
- Connecting to remote networks
- Deploying the next generation Internet-TCP/IP version 6 (IPv6)
Troubleshooting
Windows Vista is designed to be the most resilient operating system we've ever released. In spite of this, problems do sometimes happen. When they do, the Windows Vista Resource Kit has information on the following topics:
- Startup issues
- Hardware issues
- Network issues
- Stop errors
Tools and Utilities
In addition to the guidance listed above, the Windows Vista Resource Kit includes a CD of tools and utilities to help you troubleshoot, manage, and configure Windows Vista. Among these tools are more than 150 timesaving scripts to help automate administrative tasks, additional job aids, and an eBook of the entire resource kit.
Source : windowsvistablog.com
There is two new Virtual Labs at TechNet that looks interesting :
Microsoft Search Solutions for the Enterprise
- Overview (Lab 1 of 8)
- Security and Compliance (Lab 2 of 8)
- Customizing Search (Lab 3 of 8)
- Desktop Search (Lab 4 of 8)
- Configuring Microsoft Office SharePoint Server for Search (Lab 5 of 8)
- People and Properties (Lab 6 of 8)
- Business Data Catalog (Lab 7 of 8)
- Protocol Handlers (Lab 8 of 8)
Getting Started with Windows Vista: Virtual Lab Express Series
- Browse with enhanced security
- Better Protection from Malware
- Built-in Diagnostics
- Instantly Search and Find Information
- Improved and Automated Help Options
- Set up and Connect to Networks with Simplicity
- Easily Manage your Data Synchronization
- Improve your PC's Power Management
- Collaborate in Small Groups Anywhere, Anytime
Large WSUS deployments will have their performance degrade over time if the WSUS database is not maintained properly. The WSUSDBMaintenance script is a T-SQL script that can be run by SQL Server administrators to re-index and defragment the WSUS database.
Source : www.microsoft.com/downloads
The Virtual Machine Additions for Linux were updated to version 1.2 yesterday. They were last updated on the 16/10/2006. You can download the additions from Microsoft Connect and a snippet is below:
This package contains the Virtual Machine Additions for Linux, for use with Virtual Server 2005 R2.
VERSION 1.2 - now with support for SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
Important
Please review the README documents that are installed with the package, as they contain important information about the use of the Virtual Machine Additions for Linux.
The Virtual Machine Additions for Linux can be installed in the following Linux Operating Systems when running as guests of Virtual Server 2005 R2:
Enterprise distributions
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 2.1 (update 6)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 (update 6)
- Red Hat Enterprise Linux 4
- SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 9
- SuSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
Standard distributions
- Red Hat Linux 7.3
- Red Hat Linux 9.0
- SuSE Linux 9.2
- SuSE Linux 9.3
- SuSE Linux 10.0
Support
The Virtual Machine Additions for Linux are supported through the product support channels for Virtual Server 2005 R2.
Source : Bink.nu
The Change Analysis Diagnostic tool scans the computer and displays recent changes to the following areas:
- Software programs: The software programs that are listed in the Add or Remove Programs item in Control Panel.
- Operating system components: Hotfixes and downloads from Windows Update.
- Browser Helper Objects (BHOs): COM components that Internet Explorer loads when it starts. BHOs can intercept browser events, access Internet Explorer controls, create windows, and install add-ins that monitor messages and actions.
- Drivers: Kernel-mode device drivers and file system drivers.
- ActiveX controls: COM controls that have been downloaded by Internet Explorer or that are used in some Web pages.
- Other Auto-Start Extensibility Points (ASEPs): ASEPs let programs start without action from the user. An ASEP may accept one or more ASEP hooks, each of which is associated with a program.
The tool also displays changes to loaded applications and startup objects.
This is a new Microsoft's tool.
More infos : www.microsoft.com/technet
With Windows Vista, your Boot Configuration Data (BDC) is not in the boot.ini file anymore.
If you want to change your BCD you must use the new command line tool BCDedit.exe ou try the free EasyBCD that provides a GUI to edit your BCD.
References :
VhdExpand is now VhdResize.
VhdResize will resize Microsoft's VHD files and will also convert between Fixed and Dynamic file types. This is a sector by sector copy operation from one size/type to the other and the source file remains unaltered.
VhdResize requires the Microsoft .Net 2.0 framework available via Windows Update and here.
Ref : vmtoolkit.com
This initiative is an effort to improve the security of PHP. However we will not concentrate on problems in the PHP language that might result in insecure PHP applications, but on security vulnerabilities in the PHP core. During March 2007 old and new security vulnerabilities in the Zend Engine, the PHP core and the PHP extensions will be disclosed on a day by day basis. We will also point out necessary changes in the current vulnerability management process used by the PHP Security Response Team.
Ref : www.php-security.org
Peter Bright published Part I of Ars Technica's three-part Windows Vista review coverage. This is an excellent article to get under the hood and learn what's new in the graphic stack and APIs.
Ref : arstechnica.com
Paul Thurrott wrote in his WindowsITPro newsletter :
Adobe has informed its customers that they will need to pay for new versions of many of its products if they expect to run them glitch- free on Windows Vista. The reason? Adobe has no plans to ensure that its currently shipping products work properly with Microsoft's new OS.
If you're searching for an example of a wrong way to do things look at how Adobe products support Windows Vista.
Before you spend you money for a new version of an Adobe Product why don't you look at the competition.
Brian Livingston wrote :
Microsoft always says it opposes "software pirates" who sell thousands of unauthorized copies of Windows.
But the Redmond company has made things a lot easier for pirates by adding a line to the Registry that can be changed from 0 to 1 to postpone the need to "activate" Vista indefinitely.
Source : windowssecrets.com
This article contains information about application compatibility testing that was performed for the English version of Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2). The Windows serviceability AppCompat test teams tested more than 1,500 server applications and desktop applications on computers that were running Windows Server 2003 SP2. This article contains two tables that summarize the results of the tests.
Source : Microsoft.com
On Windows Update now, or see below (links are not all working yet, Bink.nu is too quick)
- SP2 (32-bit x86)
- SP2 for x64 Editions
- SP2 for Itanium-based Systems
- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 32-bit Support Tools
- System Preparation tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment
- System Preparation tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment (x64)
- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 MUI Pack (32-bit x86) Update
- Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 MUI Pack Update for x64 Editions
- SP2 ISO-9660 CD Image (32-bit x86)
- SP2 ISO-9660 CD Image Itanium-based Systems
- SP2 ISO-9660 CD Image x64 Editions
- KB Analyzer Tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment
- KB Analyzer Tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment (Itanium)
- KB Analyzer Tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment (x64) + XP64
- Hotfix Scan Tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment
- Hotfix Scan Tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment (Itanium)
- Hotfix scanning tool for Windows Server 2003 SP2 Deployment (x64)
- System Preparation tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment
- System Preparation tool for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment (x64)
- SMS Template Files for Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2 Deployment
- Toolkit to Temporarily Block Delivery of Windows Server 2003 R2 Service Pack 2
- Release Notes for Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
- What's New in Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2
Source : Bink.nu
When you power-on your computer it will broadcast to the world a list the list of WiFi access-points you've got cached on your computer, the previous IP address you used (requested by DHCP), your NetBIOS name, your login ID, and a list of servers (via NetBIOS request) you want connections to.
Even if you then establish a VPN connection to hide everything else, you've already broadcasted this information to everyone on the local network.
The FERRET tool gathers this broadcasted information and correlates it. It demonstrates how much you expose to hackers.
Source: erratasec.com
In the past, Microsoft has said that its ASP.NET AJAX (Atlas) framework could be used sans Microsoft development tools. Particularly, the client-side library in ASP.NET AJAX can interact with several web-based programming languages as it consists of nothing more than JavaScript. That being said, one industrious Microsoft dev has gone ahead and created a library called "PHP for Microsoft AJAX Library" that allows PHP developers to easily interact with Microsoft's rich client framework.
Download : codeplex.com/phpmsajax
Source : arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars
Hamad Darwish has released some amazing new desktop wallpapers for your enjoyment and look absolutely stunning on your Windows Vista desktop. Microsoft contacted Hamad to shoot some photos for wallpapers to include with Windows Vista. His photos titled Destination and Lost Sensations made it into the final versions of Windows Vista now in stores.
Download : Hamad's personal website
Microsoft Corp. announced the availability of six new deployment tools that will help expedite businesses’ migration to Windows Vista™. The recently released tools are
The final version of Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 is now aviable for download.
More info : Microsoft.com
Download : Microsoft.com/downloads
Steel Run-As helps you in executing audit commands or any kind of application which runs properly when run only with administrator privileges without having to give the user full rights to his machine. For example "Some CD writing" applications run properly only when run in administrator mode or with any other username with those credentials. Steel Run-As lets you give access to the user to run that application with administrator credentials without making him into a administrator equivalent account
Steel Run-As supports file CRC checking. This ensures the credibility of the target program. Misuse of the targeted program is not allowed.
Steel Run-As outputs a single executable ".exe" and does not need any installation in the target machine. Steel Run-As also doesn't need any extension through command line.
Steel Run-As is a Freeware! and has no restrictions what so ever like ever!.
Download : steelsonic.com
Today Microsoft provided updates that will give enterprises the ability to run KMS on any Windows Server 2003 (SP1 or later) machine.
UPDATE: Microsoft has made a significant change that will affect many enterprise customers. This update will not activate machines if running inside a virtual machine. This bucks the growing industry trend of virtualization for all classes of servers. In an effort to reduce piracy they are again punishing the very customers it is designed to protect.
For more information on Volume Activation 2.0 visit this site.
Download: KMS on W2K3 SP1 (x86) | KMS on W2K3 SP1 (x64)
Source : MSTN
There's a new way to enhance your cache in Vista - simply plug in your Flash memory stick. But how much performance gain can you really expect? TG Daily ran an average PC through a benchmark parcours and discovered that the old rules still apply: There is no substitute for an adequate amount of system memory. Period.
Read the article : www.tgdaily.com
Jim Allchin has a good post on Offline Files (or as we call it Offline Folders) in Vista on the Windows Vista Team Blog.
Read it : windowsvistablog.com
You can also find a good series of post on the Filing Cabinet Blog :
Amnesty™ Generator for Vista
Easily convert millions of web widgets, games and videos – designed to live on home pages, blogs or MySpace – into gadgets for your Sidebar. If you like widgets on the web, you’ll love them on your Sidebar.
Very cool !
Source : amnesty.mesadynamics.com
InnoTek VirtualBox is a family of powerful x86 virtualization products for enterprise as well as home use. Not only is VirtualBox an extremely feature rich, high performance product for enterprise customers, it is also the only professional solution that is freely available as Open Source Software under the terms of the GNU Public License (GPL). See "About VirtualBox" for an introduction.
Presently, VirtualBox runs on Windows and Linux 32-bit hosts and supports a large number of guest operating systems including but not limited to Windows (NT 4.0, 2000, XP, Server 2003, Vista), DOS/Windows 3.x, Linux (2.4 and 2.6), and OpenBSD.
Ref : www.virtualbox.org
WMIDiag.vbs is a VBScript script designed to help you ascertain the current state of the WMI service on a computer. The download package includes the utility itself, a ReadMe file that discusses how the tool works (and how to best use it), and sample spreadsheets that provide information about the default WMI configuration on various versions of the Microsoft Windows operating system.
Source : Microsoft.com/downloads
The Windows Resource Kit tool Moveuser.exe is incompatible with Windows Vista. In earlier versions of Windows, Moveuser.exe is used to map an existing local user account profile to a new domain profile when a computer in a workgroup is joined to a domain. Alternatively the tool can also used to map an existing domain account profile to another new domain account profile. However, you cannot use the Moveuser.exe tool to perform these tasks on a Windows Vista-based computer.
After you install the update that is described in this article, the User Profile Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider (Win32_UserProfile) is added in Windows Vista. This User Profile WMI provider replaces Moveuser.exe in Windows Vista. The new User Profile WMI provider can be used to map an existing local account profile to a new domain based account. It can also be used to map an existing domain-based account profile to a new domain-based account profile.
- Download the Windows6.0-KB930955-x86.msu package now.
- Download the Windows6.0-KB930955-x64.msu package now.
Source : Bink.nu
Use the intuitive wizard-driven interface of VMware Converter to convert your physical machines to virtual machines. VMware Converter quickly converts Microsoft Windows based physical machines and third party image formats to VMware virtual machines
Source : vmware.com
When you install without a product key, you get an automatic 30 day evaluation period.* This probably isn't news to anyone.
What may be news to you, however, is that you can easily extend the 30-day Windows Vista grace period to 120 days. No hacks required. This is an official, supported operation directly from Microsoft.
Source : CodingHorror.com
Download Windows Easy Transfer for your Windows XP or Windows 2000 based PC so you can automatically copy your files, photos, music, email, settings, and more to your new Windows Vista based PC. This software enables you to transfer data with Easy Transfer Cables (Windows 2000 not supported) or across a network, external drive, or CD/DVD.
Source : Microsoft.com/downloads
In order to address time zone changes, this tool will help adjust calendar items in Outlook after the operating system has been updated with new time zone definitions. While this tool is being released in advance of the U.S. Daylight saving time rules change in 2007, it can be used for general adjustments of calendar items based on changes in time zone definitions saved in Windows or by the user making a permanent move to another time zone.
Download : Microsoft.com/downloads
Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 8.1 is no more in beta. The final version is out.
Download it at Microsoft.com/downloads
If you like to try Windows Vista on a virtual machine, Microsoft has just put up a new service for you, and it's free.
Now that it's released, you want to play with Vista in a virtual machine? Here is a good article with tips and tricks for getting Vista loaded into a VMWare or Virtual PC virtual machine
This download allows you to export and save to the PDF and XPS formats in eight 2007 Microsoft Office programs. It also allows you to send as e-mail attachment in the PDF and XPS formats in a subset of these programs.
This download works with the following Office programs:
- Microsoft Office Access 2007
- Microsoft Office Excel 2007
- Microsoft Office InfoPath 2007
- Microsoft Office OneNote 2007
- Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007
- Microsoft Office Publisher 2007
- Microsoft Office Visio 2007
- Microsoft Office Word 2007
Source : Microsoft.com/downloads
Feeds Plus is an Internet Explorer 7 add-on that makes your feed reading experience easy and efficient. You can read your feeds in a combined view (aggregate feeds) and get pop-up notifications when there are new items to read.
This add on was developed by members of the IE RSS team at Microsoft. Note that Feeds Plus is not an official product and hence is not supported by Microsoft.
Source : www.enhanceie.com/ie
DownloadCENTER for IIS.net has been released! DownloadCENTER is a community hotspot for discovering, sharing, reviewing and promoting IIS-related solutions in a single place. Dozens of existing downloads, for all versions of IIS – both from Microsoft and the community – are already available in DownloadCENTER today.
Source : IIS.net
It's like a quick ref card of essentials commands. Many thanks to Ben Pearce who was gracious enough to put together this good looking cheat sheet.
Source : blogs.msdn.com/powershell
Download : PDF, DOCX
Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor will help you determine if your current PC is ready for an upgrade to Windows Vista. It will also help you to choose the edition of Windows Vista that's right for you. Download the Upgrade Advisor to run an analysis of your current PC and use the detailed feedback to ensure that your PC is ready for the edition of Windows Vista that you want.
Source : Microsoft.com/downloads
The Windows NT Backup – Restore Utility runs on Windows Vista and Microsoft® Windows Server® code name “Longhorn” (currently in beta testing) to restore backups (saved as files with the .BKF extension) that were created on Windows XP or Windows 2003.
Source : microsoft.com/downloads
Microsoft Mike Torres talkes about Natural Language Search option in Windows Vista.
This brilliant little option gives Vista the ability to understand more human search queries like, "Pictures of Sampy," or "email about nerf weapons from last week." For some reason this little gem is turned off by default, so be sure to get into your control panels and enable it.
Source: mike.spaces.live.com
ASP.NET AJAX is a free framework for quickly creating a new generation of more efficient, more interactive and highly-personalized Web experiences that work across all the most popular browsers. Many of the most popular ASP.NET component and solution vendors have also released new versions of their products with ASP.NET AJAX support.
Ajax, shorthand for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a web development technique for creating interactive web applications. The intent is to make web pages feel more responsive by exchanging small amounts of data with the server behind the scenes, so that the entire web page does not have to be reloaded each time the user requests a change. This is meant to increase the web page's interactivity, speed, and usability.
View : ASP.NET AJAX Home
Source : saud24 from neowin forums
Microsoft is pleased to announce the Fundamental Computer Investigation Guide for Windows, which is now available for downloading.
This new guide provides you with information about the best practices and tools you need to investigate suspicious use of your organization’s computers and networks. The guide helps you determine when to turn an investigation over to law enforcement. And it provides you with guidance on how to collect, preserve, analyze, and report on key data you uncover in your investigation—using methods that will stand up in a court of law.
In his "Security Watch" column (january 2007), Wole Moses writes about services and security in Windows Vista.
Services have been hardened and secured in Windows Vista in four ways: running services with Least Privilege, Service Isolation, Restricted Network Access, and Session 0 Isolation.
It's a good read, so head over and check it out.
Source : Technet Magazine
This pack is designed to bring a Windows XP CD with SP2 integrated fully up to date with all of the latest hotfixes released by Microsoft since SP2's release. It accomplishes this task via direct integration, where files on the CD are directly overwritten by the updated files.
This is THE best way to slipstream your XP install point/CD to the latest patch level.
This is the way Microsoft should have implemented hotfix slipstreaming. Works great with nLite.
Latest release ads the January patches.
Source : www.ryanvm.net
This paper provides a foundation of Internet standards-based IPv6 concepts and is intended for network engineers and support professionals who are already familiar with basic networking concepts and TCP/IP.
Source : Microsoft.com/downloads
ActiveWin has posted up a review of 3 Windows Vista capable ReadyBoost USB sticks.
We have been running a number of Windows ReadyBoost tests on various USB Drive Sticks that have come out recently. Not only do we have a list of those that work, and those that don't! We have also started to go in-depth with some of them. ReadyBoost is designed to improve small random I/O for people who lack the expansion slots, money, and or technical expertise to add additional RAM. This isn’t a replacement for RAM upgrades; it’s simply the chance to speed up your Vista machine very slightly and very easily.
Source : ActiveWin.com
IisShield is an IIS isapi filter preventing any known and unknown attacks from disrupting IIS. The preventive approach of IisShield is an added value preventing IIS from even trying to interpret requests trying to break-in. With a detailed logging engine, IisShield helps IIS administrators to know in advance and protect IIS from known or unknown HTTP attacks that flow over the Internet.
Comment : It's better than URLscan and it's Free
Source : www.kodeit.org
Wireless and wired clients running Microsoft® Windows Vista™ support enhancements that can be configured through Group Policy settings and are supported by domain controllers running Windows Server® Code Name "Longhorn" (now in beta testing).
To support these enhancements for an Active Directory® directory service environment consisting of domain controllers running Windows Server 2003 or Windows Server 2003 R2, the Active Directory schema must be extended. This article describes how to extend the Active Directory schema to support these new features for Windows Vista wireless and wired clients.
Source : www.microsoft.com/technet
If you are, you're not alone. If you're not...maybe you have already read the following post in the Windows Server Division Weblog: Administering Windows Server 2003 from Windows Vista.
To summarize, Microsoft has just released a new Knowledge Base article describing how to get the Admin Pack working on Windows Vista, and describing some of the limitations that will still exist.
Microsoft Network Monitor 3.0 (hereafter referred to as "NM3") was one of the first applications that worked on released version of Windows Vista, (both 32 and 64 bit).
Weeks after release MS uncovered an issue with NM3 running on Windows Vista. Specifically, MS had a new driver on Windows Vista that was forced to expire after a fixed period of time for our beta builds. Inadvertently, MS left this forced expiration code in our Release build. The NM3 driver on Windows Vista will stop working after April 2007.
If you are running NM3 version 3.0.0372.0000 on Windows XP or Windows Server 2003, you will NOT encounter this issue and you DO NOT need to upgrade to this release.
If you are running NM3 version 3.0.0372.0000 on Windows Vista, it is advised that you DO upgrade to this release.
Sign in at connect and download the latest version
Source : Bink.nu
Version 6.0.142 is now on the connect site. Go get it.
The Release candidate includes one new feature, PXE boot. In addition it address a number of issues including installation on Windows 2003 as a host; Audio in Vista; DVD support for Vista installation; binding to wireless network cards etc.
Source : Bink.nu
