Archive for November, 2009
Think you know Windows 7?
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TechNet Magazine wants to hear from the IT Pros who know how to get the most out of Windows 7. Share your best Windows 7 deployment/migration tips, workarounds, patches, bridges, tweaks, added functionality, easy fixes, or simple installs.
Free e-book: Windows 7 troubleshooting tips
Mitch Tulloch, a Microsoft Most Valuable Professional and lead author of the just-published Windows 7 Resource Kit, has created a short e-book called “What You Can Do Before You Call Tech Support.”
Your sound card has stopped working, your computer seems sluggish, the network is down, your hard drive is clicking, you can’t view a website, your monitor is hard to read, your new webcam isn’t working, your favorite program won’t run, and a funny burning smell is coming from your computer. What can you do on your own to try to troubleshoot the issue before you pick up the phone to call tech support?
If you’re running Windows 7, quite a lot. Microsoft has included a lot of self-support tools in Windows 7 that you can try using before you seek the help of others, and we’ll examine these in a moment. Then there are the tools you were born with—your five senses (see, hear, smell, taste, touch) and most importantly your brain. And by brain I’m including your memory, experience, and capacity for logical reasoning. Finally, there is ancient and sacred lore passed on in secret from Master to Disciple over the millennia. We’ll see shortly how your brain, your senses, and the secrets of the Wise Ones can be very helpful for troubleshooting computer problems. But first let’s look at what troubleshooting tools are built into Windows 7.
You can download the e-book in XPS format here and in PDF format here.
All the Windows 7 goodness. Virtually.
Windows 7 brings with itself the industry’s new favorite toy – Virtualization to your desktop. The three most notable features in Windows 7 are:
- Built-in ISO Burner
- The ability to boot using VHDs
- XP Mode (XPM) – a virtual XP machine to tackle legacy app issues
Using machines in a virtual environment is really fun, being able to try out OSs without having to restart to change the OS is time saving, though there’s a compromise on performance. In this article I’ll talk about Windows Virtual PC, creating VHDs, native boot into VHDs & optical drive emulation.
An Introduction to Security in Windows 7
Windows Vista introduced a variety of new security technologies that had a significant impact on the Windows ecosystem. User Account Control made it clear that Microsoft wanted to make easy for users to run Windows without being in the Administrators group. BitLocker introduced full volume encryption for the Windows client. Protected Mode Internet Explorer helped to make browsing the Internet a safer experience.
In Windows 7, Microsoft has continued its investment in security by adding new technologies as well as enhancing many of the technologies introduced in Windows Vista. In this article, I will provide an overview of the new security features and enhancements you’ll find in Windows 7.
Windows Biometric Framework
Extending Authentication Protocols
BitLocker Core Enhancements
BitLocker To Go
UAC Improvements
AppLocker
Global SACLs and Granular Auditing
Wrapping Up