Josh's weblog on WindowsConnected reports that in contrary to what Paul Thurrot is telling in his vista review, it's possible to use Bitlocker Drive Encryption on Vista without the need of a Trusted Platform Module (TPM).
To begin with you will need to start with a clean drive or will need to format and delete the partitions as part of setup. You will also need a USB memory key.
While installing Windows Vista you will also need to create two partitions. One a minimum of a 50 MB partition that is marked as active and formatted NTFS and a second partition that is of sufficient size to hold the operating system and any applications that you may want to install also formatted as NTFS. (
continue at source)
This free program for Windows XP lets you create a virtual CD drive on your hard disk. Some visitors to the site have confirmed that it works with Windows 2000 too (but this is not stated in Microsoft's official readme).
For anyone unfamiliar with the terms 'virtual CD' or 'CD emulator', they mean that you can copy the entire contents of a CD-ROM to your hard disk and run the programs or access the files without the need for the original CD. This can make files more accessible, faster and more convenient. Given the speed and size of today's hard drives, you could easily fit a number of CDs onto your hard drive without noticing the difference. Assuming you had 30 full CDs, these would take around 20GB on a hard drive and all will be accessible after a few clicks of a mouse.
Hard drives are about 10 times faster than a CD, plus you can instantly access the file instead of grabbing the CD case, inserting the CD and awaiting for the contents to load. It's true, you could try copying the files over to the hard drive, but this can get messy, plus some programs require a CD to be loaded in order to run. This virtual CD program 'pretends' it is a CD drive (even though the files are on your hard drive), so your programs will run as normal.
Download the Virtual CD-ROM Control Panel v2.0.1.1
Eric Brodish, Beta Coordinator for Microsoft has sent out invites to testers asking them to participate in a new Service Pack for Microsoft Update v6. The beta scheduled to start in the beginning of 2006 will concentrate on improving services to Microsoft Update, a seperate service offered by Microsoft's Windows Update program.
Microsoft Update combines Windows and Office updates to a central point and when a user activates the service it replaces Windows Update. It is not yet the default service linked from Internet Explorer or Automatic Updates from Windows XP.
Code for what Secunia is deeming an "extremely critical flaw" in Windows Metafile Format (.wmf) files is in the wild and is now being exploited on fully patched systems by malicious attackers.
Vulnerable operating systems include a slew of Windows Server 2003 editions: Datacenter Edition, Enterprise Edition, Standard Edition and Web Edition. Also at risk are Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional, making both home users and businesses open to attack.
According to the Sunbelt Software blog, "any application that automatically displays a WMF image" can be a vector for infection, including older versions of Firefox, current versions of Opera, Outlook and all current versions of Internet Explorer on all Windows versions.
Code for what Secunia is deeming an "extremely critical flaw" in Windows Metafile Format files is being exploited on fully patched systems.(
continue at source)
The new generation of Microsoft Windows© and Office© is about to be launched. Get in on the act right from the start and follow the new products as they go through to the finals.
As a member of the Vista and Office Beta Experience you will benefit from valuable resources, specialist knowledge and additional bonus material. In addition, your subscription will include regular issues of the Beta Experience Newsletter containing specialist knowledge all about Windows Vista and Office "12".
Join the Beta Experience
Helsinki-based F-Secure told users to ignore instant messages with the subject head "MSN Messenger 8 Working BETA" that go on to claim that "Messenger 8 BETA has been leaked!"
The message, which refers to an alternate name for the upcoming Live Messenger, also sports a link. Users who click on the link, then download and run the executable, are in reality installing the Virkel.f Trojan.
Virkel.f adds the compromised machine to a botnet, from which the hacker can update the Trojan with additional malicious code, to make the PC into a spam zombie or along with others, launch a denial-of-service (DoS) attack on Web sites. Virkel.f also shuts down anti-virus and security software, and blocks access to sites that belong to security vendors.
This bot worm spreads by hijacking IM contact names from an infected computer, then spimming those names with new messages about the "leaked" client.
Live Messenger, which is being tested by a limited number of users, recently made news when some began selling invitations to the beta test on eBay.
Click here for the original f-secure.com information.
MSFN have updated their unattended Windows installation pages.
Along with a new design, comes a new range of features. Users can now edit ANY page on the site, add ANY page to the site, and remove ANY page on the site. That's right folks, the Unattended guide has gone WIKI style. You must be a registered forum member to use the new features of the site, though just like before...EVERYONE can view the site.
Personally i think this website is a great resource for everyone starting with unattended installations, but also for the already experienced unattended installation experts.
Visit the MSFN Unattended Windows Installation Website
A new major security issue was found and communicated to VMware before posting on SecurityFocus (as ethical bug hunting should always be).
The flaw permits a malicious guest OS configured to use VMware NAT networking (VMnet8) to execute arbitrary code on host OS.
VMware products afflicted are Workstation 5.5, GSX Server 3.2, ACE 1.0.1 and Player 1.0.0.
To track the issue monitor the related
VMware Knowledge Base article.
While the
VMware Player is just released as 1.0.1 to fix the vulnerability, VMware also released updated bits for
Workstation (5.5.1 b19175),
GSX (3.2.1 (b19281) and
ACE (1.0.2 (b19206).
Paul Thurrot has completed his review on the latest Windows Vista 2005 CTP. It has become quite a long review on this latest CTP from Microsoft and gives a good overview on what will be in Vista when it will be released, and what has changed compared to the earlier CTP's Microsoft released.
Read his reviews here:
1.
Setup and User Interface
2.
Bundled Applications
3.
New Features
4.
Wrapping Up
Coming from Windows Connected:
Lately in the newsgroups for the Windows Vista beta and a number of different online forums people are disabling one of the key pillars of Windows Vista’s increased security,
UAC (User Account Control) formerly UAP (User Account Protection).
This is really rubbing me the wrong way as it is ultimately going to hurt this technology succeed. Plus, it will undermine the effectiveness of much of the testing these individuals are doing on Windows Vista. Not only is how to do this making its way around the
beta audience, but now even the main stream tech sites like
bink.nu are advertising how to do this.
Without this technology you are losing a large part of the security value adds for Windows Vista. You instantly lose the ability to do
Protected Mode Internet Explorer which one could argue is the major attack vector for today’s malware. You lose Protected Admin which, it seems many admin’s are not too fond of but it helps protect us from ourselves. You can say you don’t need this, you’re too good to make a mistake like some common user, but you are fooling yourself. (
continue at source)
Coming from the new
Powerpoint blog:
My name is Brendan Busch. Welcome to my blog on PowerPoint (and all things graphic in Office). I’m a little late to the blog party for Office 12, however, I plan to catch up and explain all the improvements you will see in PowerPoint 12, as well as many of the graphic improvements in Word 12 and Excel 12.
I’ve first started working on PowerPoint in 1990 as a development intern on PowerPoint 2.0. I returned as a full time developer (PowerPoint 3.0, 4.0, ’95), development lead (PowerPoint ’97), and Group Program Manager (PowerPoint 2000, XP, 2003, and now PowerPoint 12). That’s a lot of PowerPoint!
It’s been quite a ride, but this release is definitely the crowning achievement. There are more improvements packed in PowerPoint 12 than we’ve ever added in a single version and it’s tremendously exciting to see it all come together. Here’s a little history of the thought process that led to some of the big advancements in PowerPoint 12. (
continue at source)
Coming from Longhornblogs:
In Build 5270, we see the Performance Center emerge as a fantastic way of seeing how well your system performs. Windows Vista will "audit" five catagories: Processor, RAM, Hard Disk, Graphics, and Gaming Graphics. From there, it gives you a rating on how well your system performs. The higher the rating, the better your system is. The only way to get a higher rating is to upgrade your system's hardware. Your system's rating won't depreciate over time either.
Several questions arise from this feature. Questions such as what standard is Vista measuring your system to? What is the recommended rating for a Vista PC? (
continue at source)
The tech industry is pumping out all sorts of cool products: flat-screen TVs the size of the Acropolis, nanotech golf balls that only Mr. Magoo could hit into the woods, cellphones that mix cocktails for you.
Maybe that last one is still wishful thinking. Remind me to check with Nokia. At the end of the year, it's time to talk about what you might be giving your loved ones in 2010 or so.
Such as, the Morning After Bot.
"It's a robot that cleans up after a party," says Sebastian Thrun, director of the Stanford Artificial Intelligence Lab at Stanford University. "It takes a snapshot before the party and tries to restore that state by picking up bottles and glasses after the party."
What else is coming? We asked around at tech research labs, looking for concepts that might be available in the next half-dozen years.(
continue at source)
Distance learning. Transcontinental, collaborative instruction. Real-time distributed education. Connecting remote students and teachers. Musicians from disparate locations performing together via the Internet.
These are just a few of the sorts of advances being made possible by ConferenceXP, a shared-source research platform from Microsoft Research that capitalizes on high-bandwidth networks and wireless environments to provide simple, flexible, and extensible conferencing and collaboration.
The ConferenceXP project explores how to make distance learning and collaboration a rich, compelling experience by assuming the availability of emerging and enabling technologies such as high-bandwidth networks, wireless devices, Tablet PCs, and advanced features in Windows XP.
The project has gained significant momentum in recent months. Most recently, in Australia, ConferenceXP won the Enabling Technology Award during the 2005 Northern Territory Information and Communications Technology Awards.
The Northern Territory Department of Employment, Education and Training modified ConferenceXP to work over satellite links for its School of the Air and is planning an extensive deployment to connect remote primary- and secondary-school students and teachers.
Learn more about ConferenceXP
Exchange 2003 SP2 installs the Intelligent Message Filter 2.0. It is not enabled by default, but it is a useful tool it slowing the flow of Spam and now that WSUS will update it making management easier. Regular updates should also make it a more effective anti-spam tool.
WSUS now updates IMF 2.0 on Exchange 2003 SP2 and the updates will be made available on the first and third Wednesday of the month. Administrators can also upgrade IMF 2.0 with SMS or Microsoft Update. This article walks through enabling IMF 2.0 and configuring Exchange 2003 SP2 server to accept the updates.(
continue at source)
The Active Directory Migration Tool (ADMT) version 2.0 provides an easy, secure, and fast way to either upgrade from Windows NT Server 4.0 to Windows Server Active Directory service or restructure Windows Server Active Directory domains between forests or within a forest. The tool migrates users, groups, and computers between domains in a way that allows users to have access to their resources and applications at all times. Version 2.0 includes new features, such as password migration, a scripting interface, and a command line interface, that make migrations easier.
Also available is the
Active Directory Migration Tool v3.0, which provides an integrated toolset to facilitate migration and restructuring tasks in an Active Directory infrastructure.
Download the ADMT v2.0
The first Step-by-Step guides for IT Professionals have been placed on the Technet web site. The Step-by-Step guides will help jou get a better understanding in the process of deploying and migrating to Windows Vista. Topics like the new Bitlocker Drive Encryption and User Account Control will also be discussed. Here's a list of the Step-by-Step guides currently available:
BitLocker Drive Encryption Step by Step Guide.doc
Deploying Vista Step by Step Guide.doc
Managing Group Policy ADMX Files Step by Step Guide.doc
Migration Step by Step Guide.doc
Performance Monitoring and Tuning Step by Step Guide.doc
Print Management Step by Step Guide.doc
Step by Step Guide to Controlling Device Installation with Group Policy.doc
Trusted Platform Module Services Step by Step Guide.doc
User Account Control Step by Step Guide.doc
Windows System Resource Manager Step by Step Guide.doc
Windows Vista Step-by-Step Guides for IT Professionals
Santa Claus worm is attempting to trick America Online, Microsoft MSN and Yahoo instant-messaging users into clicking on a file that delivers unwanted software to a victim's computer. The IM.GiftCom.All worm attempts to dupe IM users into thinking an acquaintance has sent them a link to a harmless Santa Claus file, according to a security advisory issued Tuesday by IMlogic.
People who click on the file will see an image of Santa, but what they are less likely to notice is a so-called rootkit being installed onto their system. A rootkit is a tool designed to go undetected by the security software used to lock down control of a computer after an initial hack. The malicious attacker can then distribute messages to the user's IM contacts, using a similar technique to lure the unsuspecting acquaintance to click on the link.
(more)
REDMOND, Wash., Dec. 21, 2005 - In the ongoing challenge to deliver a safer, more secure computing experience for PC users, Microsoft and its industry partners in 2005 made considerable progress on the security front with achievements such as greater customer awareness of the existence of spam, viruses, spyware and other security threats, as well as the availability of more effective and powerful software protections against software attacks and security breaches, which has resulted in improved security for Microsoft customers.
"At Microsoft, we're focused on protecting customers from current and emerging cyber security threats," says Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Microsoft's Security Technology Unit. "Our strategy is to make the right technology investments, to provide clear guidance to our customers about how to stay better protected, and address industry-wide challenges through partnerships in the public and private sectors."
(more)
campaign to make its Windows Media Player the dominant way to deliver downloadable content to television sets, personal computers and handheld devices. The software giant next month will roll out a new version of the media player which executives say will change the experience of watching Internet-delivered video. Already, MTV Networks has announced it will roll out its own music download service on this new version of Microsofts player, competing with Apple Computer Inc.s iTunes and Real Networks Inc.s Rhapsody.
(more)
Activewin has posted thirty screenshots of the new Microsoft Longhorn Server Build 5270 that was released yesterday for the December Community Technical Preview. There are screenshots of: Admin Tools, Desktop, Start Menu, Windows Update, Network Policy, Network Explorer, Server Configuration, Print Manager, Control Panel, Internet Explorer, New Icons, NAP, and much much more. This Longhorn Server Build 5270 is quite different than all of the fanciness in Vista 5270, so it is definitely worth a look. The version number is Build 5270.winmain.idx03.051214-1910, Microsoft Windows Server "Codename Longhorn."
(more)
Longhorn Server Build 5270 Screenshots
Everton Blair posted an article on his 'Connected Internet' blog which mentiones 10 points to increase the speed of his system. Just follow those simple steps and you will see the difference.
Be careful when disabling services though.
Read the Article '10 Intermediate Ways To Speed Up Windows'
Each year the team of analysts at Directions on Microsoft identifies the top strategic issues Microsoft needs to address over the next twelve months and beyond.
Left unattended, each could ultimately interrupt Microsoft’s 25+ year run of growth and profits and leave the door open for younger, smaller, and more nimble competitors.
Read the full article at Microsoft Directions
The beta 2055 release of XP PRO SP2 let you run two or more sessions (one local console and one or more remote desktop) concurrently. But this functionality was removed in the Final release.
This patch will enable two or more concurrent sessions in Windows XP PRO Service Pack 2 (SP2) or later if you have FAST USER SWITCHING enabled, and your windows is NOT in a domain.
Download the Terminal Server Patch from Sala Source
Coming from John Howard:
Here's some useful info if you need to move Virtual Machines between one host and another when they are in a saved state (as opposed to cleanly shutdown). Generally, to do this, you must have identical hardware and versions of Virtual Server meaning:
Saved states are not compatible between different products or versions. eg:
- Virtual Server 2005 RTM <-> Virtual Server 2005 R2
- Virtual Server 2005 SP1 Beta <-> Virtual Server 2005 R2
- Virtual Server 2005 <-> Virtual PC 2004
- Virtual PC 2004 RTM <-> Virtual PC 2004 SP1
Saved states are not compatible between different processor manufacturers. (ie Intel <-> AMD)
Saved states are not compatible across processor steppings. (eg Intel Northwood <-> Intel Prescott):
However:
Saved states are compatible on identical hardware across different "SKUs" but identical build levels (build meaning the "Version number" under Server Properties. VS2005R2=1.1.465.292 for example). eg:
- Virtual Server 2005 R2 Standard <->Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise
- Virtual Server 2005 R2 Evaluation <-> Virtual Server 2005 R2 Standard
The only thing hotter than the Xbox 360 this holiday season may be invites to join the Windows Live Messenger beta test. Thankfully, Microsoft has a recommendation for those who can't wait for access to the latest bits: pay for an invitation on eBay.
Microsoft's new instant messaging client is in private beta, but users are granted a limited number of invitations for friends and family -- similar to the approach Google took with Gmail. In response, eager Messenger fans have begun to leave their e-mail all over the Web hoping someone grants them an invite.
Windows Live Messenger, which replaces MSN Messenger, includes features such as offline messages and PC-to-phone calls. File transfers are beefed up through online drop boxes called "Sharing Folders" that actually store the data on a Microsoft server.
And just as eBay has become a primary marketplace for those looking to pick up scarce Xbox 360 consoles, invitations to Windows Live Messenger are being auctioned as well. Bidding has reached upwards of $40 simply to get a peek at Microsoft's newest IM client. (
continue at source)
Testers and developers looking forward to playing with Vista's most prominent new feature over the holidays will have to wait a bit longer. Microsoft officials confirmed to BetaNews late Monday that the Windows Sidebar won't be delivered in a public build until Beta 2.
Microsoft on Monday released the December CTP of Windows Vista, which includes a number of changes mostly centered on the areas of performance, security and mobility. Build 5270 also includes the new Windows Defender anti-spyware application, and a feature called BitLocker, which encrypts a full hard drive.
But notably missing from the release is the Windows Sidebar, which testers have been anticipating since September's PDC 2005 conference where the feature was introduced.
"We're making great progress, and we plan to provide Windows Sidebar to developers in the Beta 2 timeframe,"(
continue at source)
Coming from Mark's Sysinternals blog:
Active Directory Group Policy settings are widely used to secure Windows systems because they can be customized to target and deploy to specific computers and users in an Active Directory-based network. In a previous blog post I warned that one of the risks of having end-users with local administrative privilege is that they can override group policy settings at will and I promoted limited-user accounts as the secure alternative.
However, Windows administrators should be aware that if a user, even one running with a limited account, can execute just one program of their choice that they also can circumvent many group policy settings, including ones aimed specifically at tightening security such as Software Restriction Policies and Internet Explorer Zones.(
continue at source)
With Windows Vista, you now have UAC or "User Account Control", sometimes known as PA or "Protected Admin". What does this mean in a practical sense?
Well, for instance let's say you take a domain account (or a new local account) and place it in the Administrators group. With all prior versions of Windows based on Windows NT, that would be it - that user would be an Administrator when they logged on and could install all the spyware and trojan horses they wanted.
When they clicked on "
Boobs.jpg.exe", it could do anything it wanted to the system. The least likely thing it would do is display what it sounds like it would in the title, right? In the future, your account won't really BE an admin - at least not all the time.
The login process will create two tokens. The normal one that in our sample case would have granted admin rights (this one is held onto by the kernel and used only when you need to elevate), and a new token - based on the standard one - that is used for UAC. (continue at soruce)
With Windows Vista, Microsoft is evangelizing the use of “Standard User” accounts for most all users. You will also hear these accounts called LUA, or Least-privileged User Account. Running as LUA users will enable a much more secure environment and help to ensure that machine configurations remain stable.
In order to ease the application compatibility woes that this major change is sure to generate, Windows Vista introduces a bridging technology know as File and Registry Virtualization (called affectionately “Virt” here). This technology makes it possible to run many applications as a standard user, even when the applications required either Administrator or Power User rights on Windows XP. This is accomplished by re-directing (or “Virt’ing”) application writes from secured areas of the system to a virtual store under the user’s profile. This technology is intended to make deployments of Vista less dependent on waiting for vendors to release new versions of their software that work with LUA.
It isn’t designed to be used forever: in fact, Microsoft hopes to deprecate the virtualization feature in the next version of Windows after Windows Vista. The thought is that by that time, vendors and customers should have applications that work correctly in the low rights environment.(continue at source)
San Francisco (InfoWorld) - Microsoft's December Community Technology Preview (CTP) for the Windows Vista client OS features a renamed version of the company's anti-spyware software. Announced on Monday, the December CTP, known as build 5270, will reach about 500,000 people through avenues such as the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet, according to the company.
The company cited security, performance and mobility as key themes of the CTP, which is available Monday on MSDN and TechNet.
"We are on a path to be code-complete by the end of 2005," said Shanen Boettcher, Microsoft senior director in the company's Windows client group. A code-complete CTP is expected in early 2006, with the general release version of Vista set for the second half of next year.(continue at source)
The Windows beta team is pleased to announce the availability of Windows Vista and Longhorn Server build 5270. This release is the December Customer Technology Preview (CTP). This build is not beta quality but is offered as a preview or our progress towards Beta 2. It will allow you to confirm bugs that have been fixed and begin testing features that have been added since build 5231.
The following is available with this release:
- Windows Vista (x86 and x64)
- Windows Longhorn Server (x86 and x64)
- Windows Longhorn Server Core (x86 and x64)
- Windows Platform SDK (Available Shortly)
- Windows Driver Development Kit
(continue at source also for screenshots)
Since 1999 UTICA has been a significant player in hosting complex Microsoft Solutions like Microsoft Exchange Servers, Microsoft web servers, Sharepoint Portal Servers, Microsoft SQL Servers en Microsoft Biztalk Servers. Today, UTICA is one of the first hosting companies in the Netherlands that offers a complete Hosted Exchange 2003 environment with shared and dedicated servers. Availability, scalability and security are our number one priorities.
New: Hosted Exchange 2003 on your Smartphone/PDA from €5.95 a month! Including 1 free month!
Our core technology is is Microsoft Exchange server hosting. Since 1997 we were supporting Microsoft Exchange Server environments including messaging, collaboration, message routing, security and connectivity. Our expertise and our valuable contacts with the vendors and with the professionals makes us strong to deliver a primetime hosted Microsoft Exchange 2003 environment. From this service we can offer a complementary set of services and solutions that can help you to achieve your goals.
Q: Why doesn't the device trust my code? I bought a code signing cerificate from a CA!
A: Because the certificate doesn't chain to an execution root on the device. For a binary to be trusted, the cert must chain to a certificate in the Privileged or Unprivileged Execution Authorities stores. A typical Windows codesigning certificate from a CA won't work. Get a Mobile2Market certificate to run on the widest variety of devices.
Q: But why does it say "Unrecognized Publisher"? My code signing certificate was purchased from Verisign!
A: Since we can't verify the certificate chain, we cannot trust the certificate at all. We don't show any text from the certificate to reduce the spoofing risk to the user.
Windows Mobile 2005 Security Model FAQ
Windows-targeted worm that drops spying software on vulnerable PCs is spreading across the Internet, security experts have warned. The Dasher.B worm exploits a flaw in Microsoft Windows Distributed Transaction Coordinator, or MDTC, security companies said Friday. Microsoft announced and patched the hole in the component for transaction processing in October. However, initial glitches with the update may have left some users without a properly implemented fix, Sophos said. "The worry is that the problems with the patch may have prevented it from being successfully rolled out onto some vulnerable computers," Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant at the security company, said in a statement. (more)
The richest man in the world, Bill Gates, and his wife, Melinda, were named Time magazines Persons of the Year along with Irish rocker Bono for being Good Samaritans who made a difference in different ways. For being shrewd about doing good, for rewiring politics and re-engineering justice, for making mercy smarter and hope strategic and then daring the rest of us to follow, Bill and Melinda Gates and Bono are Time’s Persons of the Year, the magazine said in its Dec. 19 issue, made public on Sunday.
Managing Editor James Kelly said the three had been chosen as the people most effective at finding ways to eradicate such calamities as malaria in Africa, HIV and AIDS and the grinding poverty that kills 8 million people a year. Time also named former Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton as “Partners of the Year” for their humanitarian efforts after the Asian tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, and the unlikely friendship that developed from that work. (more)
This week, Microsoft will ship its third Community Technical Preview (CTP) build of Windows Vista to beta testers, MSDN subscribers, and TechNet members. I recently spent the day with various members of the Windows Vista team at Microsoft's Redmond campus, where I received various demonstrations of CTP candidate builds and discussed the future of the Windows Vista beta program. In this showcase, I'll put the December CTP release in perspective, and provide some background about how the CTP program is proceeding, and how it, and the product it represents, will evolve as Microsoft moves towards a late 2006 final release. (more)
Paul Thurrott's WinSuperSite
On November 1, 2005, Microsoft previewed a coming generation of Internet-based services that will tie into the company's two dominant software families, Windows and Microsoft Office. Dubbed Windows Live and Office Live, respectively, these two sets of services are part of a new focus for the software giant that's been in the works since Ray Ozzie became the Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Windows Live and Office Live join Xbox Live, a preexisting service, in establishing Microsoft's push towards combining software with services.
For Windows Live, which I'll be looking at in a future preview, the company is essentially rebranding existing MSN services as Windows-based services. For example, MSN Messenger is being updated and renamed to Windows Live Messenger. The thought here, I suppose, is that the Windows brand is more respected and well known than the MSN brand, so it makes sense to tie those services to Windows instead. However, unlike the product bundling that got Microsoft into so much trouble a decade ago, the Windows Live services will not be included in any Windows version and will be totally optional. If consumers feel that the Windows Live services provide some sort of benefit, they can sign up at their discretion. (more)
Thanks for testing out the beta of MSDN's new home page. We're constantly working to organize content and develop features that will make getting the development information you need as fast and easy as possible. What's In This Beta? MSDN is testing two new features with this home page beta:
Homepages for Specific Countries
If you're an MSDN subscriber, the beta version of the home page will now recognize you, giving you information and letting you access your benefits right from the home page. The home page beta also automatically redirects French and U.K. readers to home pages with content tailored to their language and region, based on their browser settings. This continues work that we have been doing to make the site more relevant—and easier to understand—regardless of where you live or work.
My MSDN
My MSDN is a gateway to a personalized view of Microsoft's online resources for developers: articles, knowledge base bulletins, webcasts, and downloads. With My MSDN, resources available on MSDN are intelligently filtered to display content on topics you're most interested in. As My MSDN grows, it will become the first place you'll want to look for information, solutions, and other resources from Microsoft.
MSDN Home Page Beta
As Microsoft takes its first steps into the consumer PC security space, it is discovering that security software can do more than protect systems; it can also cause trouble. Windows OneCare Live, freely available as a test version since Nov. 29, has been found to disable Absolute Software's Computrace LoJack, an application that functions like a homing device to help recover a laptop after theft.
"The OneCare product detects one of our modules as belonging to another application that it does not like, so it puts in place a defense that it does not need to," Philip Gardner, chief technology officer at Absolute Software in Vancouver, British Columbia, said Tuesday. Once installed, Windows OneCare's flags multiple vital Computrace LoJack files as "Win32NewMalware.B" and recommends that users quarantine the files, said David Hackett, a Computrace LoJack user and OneCare tester in Edmonds, Wash. (more)
Paul Thurrott writes: "In part one of my review of Windows Server 2003 R2 ("release 2"), the first Update Release of Windows Server 2003, I focused on the events leading to the development of R2, and the wider roadmap Microsoft has adopted for its server products. Now, it's time to look at the new features R2 brings to the table. These features and many and varied."
"But don't be confused by the fact that the two biggest new features that Microsoft originally intended for R2 have been pushed back to Longhorn Server (I look at those missing features in Part 4): R2 is still an astonishingly full-featured upgrade and will be very valuable to many customers. What's odd is that most of the new features are pretty stealthy, and while Microsoft likes to pigeonhole product features into three easy-to-read bullet points (or pillars, as the company calls them), R2's numerous features are instead all over the map. For that reason, I've broken them out into functional categories. In this part of this review, we'll jump right into the major new features of R2. Then, in part three, we'll look at the many other R2 features." (more)
Replication is the process of copying Active Directory data between domain controllers to ensure that they all have the same information. The Windows Server 2003 multiple-master replication capabilities make the entire replication process more complex than it was in Microsoft Windows NT. On a Windows NT network, servers write all domain directory changes to the primary domain controller first, which then propagates the information to the backup domain controllers.
This process is single-master replication. In Windows Server 2003, administrators can modify Active Directory by writing to any domain controller. All the domain controllers execute periodic replication events that copy their modifications to all the other domain controllers. The schedule and topology for these replication events differ depending on whether the domain controllers are at the same or different sites.
ISA 2004 provides a very secure method for publishing Outlook Web Access (OWA) web sites for your Exchange Server. There are lots of articles on this site that provide tutorials on how to do this, and it works very well, with only one minor problem having to do with the spelling checker. This article documents what the problem is and a workaround for solving it.
There’s a reason that the OWA logon screen says to use “domain\user name” instead of just “user name,” and one of its side-effects is documented in Microsoft’s Knowledge Base article 820378 (http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=820378). (more)
ISAServer.org - The #1 Unofficial ISA Server Resource Site
We have been receiving in past feedback and rumors, that push e-mail update for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices is being delayed because Microsoft violates Visto patents. We simply couldn't believe these rumors and that's why we never published them. But now it is official and confirmed!
What does it mean? It means that end users of Windows Mobile 5.0 devices may never see that push e-mail from Microsoft! It is like patenting DNA or breathing process and then requesting big money from everybody who has DNA or breathes. Clearly Microsoft developed their push technology on their own and Visto's patents are so generic to cover almost anything. This is bad news for Windows Mobile 5.0 platform. Very bad news. Visto are spongers, parasites, who patented generic and totally general procedure and now they want to use these patents to rip off big money from Microsoft! This story is big. Probably the biggest story about Windows Mobile in year 2005! This is shock. Read on! (more)
Print Management can be used with Group Policy to automatically add printer connections to a computer's Printers and Faxes folder.
A printer connection that has been installed by using a per-user connection is available to the user no matter what computer the user logs on to in the network. A printer connection that has been installed by using a per-machine connection appears in the Printers and Faxes folder, ready for use by any user of that computer.
To enable this feature, you must use a utility called PushPrinterConnections.exe.(more)
Windows Server 2003 SP1 includes a new feature called Remote Access Quarantine. With RAQ you can specify a set of requirements that VPN clients must meet before they are given access to the network. If the client does not meet the requirements you set out, they will be denied access to the network.
With network administrators scrambling to ensure that computers on the LAN are patched and secure, managing users home computers and traveling users laptops is usually left to the user. Not all users are keen on keeping their PCs up to date and they maybe accessing your network from vulnerable computers. This is turn can lead to vulnerabilities on your network.
Typically a client only needs to provide proper credentials to gain access to the network. With a Remote Access Quarantine enabled, network administrators will be able to control access to VPN clients whose computers do not meet the specified requirements. These requirements can include:
- Ensuring the latest service pack and/or security patches are installed.
- Ensuring the latest antivirus software and definitions are installed.
- Ensuring that a software firewall is installed and functional.
(continue at source)
Microsoft will move the graphics for its next version of Windows outside of the operating system's kernel to improve reliability, the software giant has told Techworld.
Vista's graphics subsystem, codenamed Avalon and formally known as the Windows Presentation Foundation, will be pulled out the kernel because many lock-ups are the result of the GUI freezing, Microsoft infrastructure architect Giovanni Marchetti told us exclusively yesterday.(continue at source)
As many of you may be aware, several years ago Microsoft Corporation and Sun Microsystems agreed to extend Microsoft's license to use Sun's Java source code and compatibility test suites. To ensure full compliance with this agreement, MSDN Subscriptions will be removing all content containing the Microsoft Java Virtual Machine from MSDN Subscription shipments and from MSDN Subscriber Downloads. Please note that Visual Studio 6.0, Windows 2000, Windows NT 4.0, and all other products containing MSJVM will be withdrawn from availability on MSDN Subscriber Downloads beginning December 16, 2005. (more)
Paul Thurrott writes: "In various meetings with the Windows Vista team last week, I was told on the record that the December CTP would be build 5276 "give or take one build." I was shown both builds 5270 and 5276 at the time. Microsoft recently altered its delivery schedule for Windows Vista to focus more on CTP builds, which could arrive as often as once every month, and less on major beta milestones. The company had originally planned to ship a public preview version of Windows Vista Beta 2 to the public by the end of 2005, but that preview will likely be based on a future CTP build and will arrive in the first half of 2006 instead.
Earlier this month, Microsoft promised two Vista deliverables for December. The first, the December CTP, is a dramatic improvement over previous CTPs and includes many new features. In late December, Microsoft will ship internally a feature-complete build of Windows Vista. That build will form the basis for the next CTP, due in January of February 2006. After that, the company will focus solely on bug fixes and fit and finish issues, and will not add any more major new features to the product."
Following in the footsteps of the Exchange Best Practices Analyzer Tool, Microsoft has released a tool for ISA Server 2004. I like this trend and would like to see the same tool rolled out for SQL, SMS, MOM and AD. This is a simple and fairly prescriptive way to do some basic analyzing of your platform architecture based on Microsoft Product Team’s best practices. ISA Server especially can get complex fast if you haven't well thought out your architecture, networks and rule sets. You can also get more ISA Server 2004 setup and maintenance information at the guidance center.
The ISA Server Best Practices Analyzer is a diagnostic tool that automatically performs specific tests on configuration data collected on the local ISA Server 2004 computer from the ISA Server hierarchy of administration COM objects, Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) classes, the system registry, files on disk, and the Domain Name System (DNS) settings.
The resulting report details critical configuration issues, potential problems, and information about the local computer. By following the recommendations of the tool, administrators can achieve greater performance, scalability, reliability, and uptime.
Download the ISA Server 2004 Best Practices Analyzer Tool
There are two 64 bit architectures. The Intel Itanium 64 bit processor family that uses explicitly parallel instruction computing (EPIC) technology is known as IA64; the AMD Opteron and Xeon with extended memory 64 technology is known as x64.
Both Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP now come in 64 bit versions, to run on the 64 bit processors made by Intel and AMD. 64 bit hardware and operating systems offer some big advantages over the currently more commonplace 32 bit systems, including the ability to handle more physical memory and big performance boosts for applications that are written for the 64 bit system.
In this article, WindowSecurity.com will take a look at security issues regarding the relatively new 64 bit Microsoft operating systems.(continue at source)
It’s amazing the way that time can go by. People tend to think of computers as being high tech, but the TCP/IP protocol has been around in one form or another for over three decades. As such, TCP/IP has had time to really mature and be made stable and reliable. When it comes to computers, nothing is foolproof though.
When routing packets across a network, things do occasionally go wrong. In these situations, it is helpful to be familiar with the Windows routing tables. Routing tables dictate the flow of packets from the machine in question. In this article, I will show you how to view the Windows routing tables and how to make sense of the data that is contained within it.(continue at source)
There is nothing trivial about TFTP let me assure you. It is actually a pretty neat protocol with some distinctive features. This protocol also happens to be a favorite of malicious hackers for the purpose of sending over, or retrieving files. TFTP is also quite quick, but more on the speed of TFTP a little later on. Much like other application layer protocols this one is ferried about by IP, and in turn uses UDP for its transport protocol.
In real life we all have relatives, some distant, some not so distant. Sometimes in the networking world you have the same parallel. In this article we will look at FTP’s cousin, TFTP, or Trivial File Transfer Protocol. They both share the same properties, while also having some key differences.(continue at source)
VMware finally launched (this time for sure) its free virtualization product: VMware Player.
VMware player had a complicated release history...
Developed in parallel to Workstation 5.5 it was released and annunced as 1.0 final before Workstation 5.5. That was a marketing mistake, since that build is considered beta 2.
Than VMware released Workstation 5.5, embedding a new build of Player 1.0. Even if everybody consider that the final release, it is not, since the stand-alone product was still labelled beta 2.
Now, finally, VMware release a real final 1.0 which has a build number higher than Workstation 5.5. This is an important note cause isn't clear what users should do with the Player build embedded on Workstation 5.5.
VMware Player is based on the same virtualization engine of VMware Workstation 5.5, with a subset of features.
The world press and the whole virtualization community talked about this product, working on reducing limitations.
Download VMWare Player 1.0
VMware in the official announcement for VMware Player 1.0 reported that the product will have a second release in early 2006 to be extensible and customizable by developers.
In the announcement is included a quote from Jeff Shardell, director of Google Web Search and Syndication, explicitly referring Google is working with VMware to provide search and security features.
This is a big announcement, much bigger than VMware Player itself:
- VMware started promoting Player by releasing a virtual machine secure for internet browsing, based on Ubuntu Linux and Firefox.
- Google is highly involved in Firefox development and started a wide sponsorship campaing, paying AdSense publishers for promoting it.
- VMware and Google have a common competitor: Microsoft (well, quite every IT company in the planet has Microsoft as competitor)
(continue at source)
VMware Player launch is a really earthquake in the virtualization market, and VMware knows how to drive community attention on a new product like this.
The company just launched a new branch of its VMware Technology Network (VMTN) called Community Virtual Machines:
Community-built virtual machines are built and hosted by individuals in the VMware community. The list of community-built virtual machines contains a growing set of virtual machines designed for a variety of purposes. See what your peers in the community are building.
So you build a cool virtual machine working with the new VMware Player and VMware will sponsorize it on the Community Virtual Machines site.(continue at source)
Microsoft tucked clean-up tools for the Sony CD copy protection rootkit into its security releases Tuesday, including one that automatically deletes the hacker-style cloaking device and another that stymies Sony's uninstaller.
The monthly update to the Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool adds detection and deletion for "F4IRootkit," Microsoft's name for the invisibility tool Sony BMG added to 52 of its music albums, and placed on more then 5 million CDs.
In early November, a security research disclosed that Sony BMG was using the rootkit -- usually deployed only by hackers and spyware makers -- to hide the XCP copy-protection software built by First4Internet. The rootkit, said the researcher, posed a substantial security risk, since attackers could use it to hide their malicious code from anti-virus and anti-spyware defenses.
Previously, Microsoft added detection for the rootkit to its Defender anti-spyware software, but the reach of Malicious Software Removal Tool is broader, since it's automatically downloaded by the Redmond, Wash.-based developer's update services. (continue at source)
Coming from the Microsoft Team RSS blog:
I’m excited to announce that we’re adopting the icon used in Firefox. John and Chris were very enthusiastic about allowing us (and anyone in the community) to use their icon. This isn’t the first time that we’ve worked with the Mozilla team to exchange ideas and encourage consistency between browsers, and we’re sure it won’t be the last.
We’ll be using the icon in the IE7 command bar whenever a page has a feed associated with it, and we’ll also use it in other places in the browser whenever we need a visual to represent RSS and feeds. Look for more details on the look and feel of IE7 when we post the public pre-release build next year.
Thanks again to the Mozilla team for making the icon available and helping us do the right thing for all browser users. Many thanks to everyone who gave feedback on our earlier post; your comments and thoughts were very valuable!
Microsoft Corp. will on Wednesday release the first beta of Exchange "12"—the next version of its e-mail, calendaring and unified messaging server—to a closed group of some 1,400 testers selected from its global customer, OEM, ISV and system integrator base. Although in January Microsoft canceled a version of Exchange that was due this year, Exchange 12 is on track for final release in late 2006 or early 2007, following the second, bigger beta test sometime next summer, according to Jeff Ressler, the director of product planning for Exchange.
Exchange 12 is also being put through its paces by a select group of customers and partners under a Technology Adoption Program. Those testers undertake production deployments and provide the company feedback, he said. Ressler said Exchange 12 will bring with it better and enhanced control and productivity for IT administrators, expanded inbox access for end users, and increased security and compliance for organizations. (more)
Today Microsoft announced the release of Exchange "12" Beta 1, the first technical beta for Exchange “12”, the next version of Exchange Server. This is a limited beta release to a select group of customers and partners. However, with this first Beta release Microsoft also published the first information about Exchange 12 on a newly launched website. So, if you want to know how Exchange 12 helps you meet the growing demands of messaging for your organization, then check out the following website:
Introducing Microsoft Exchange “12”
Sponsor: [ Hosted Exchange 2003 on your Smartphone or PDA - € 5.95 a month ]
Dear Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 Beta User,
We are pleased to announce that your free copy of Virtual Server 2005 R2 Enterprise Edition (both 32-bit and 64-bit) will be available for direct download this week. You will be receiving an email that will provide you instructions on how to download the software and how to receive your product activation key online. PLEASE NOTE: The email you receive will not come from this alias. Instead, you will receive an email directly from 'vs2005@microsoft.catalysis.com' with download and product activation instructions.
Sincerely,
The Virtual Server 2005 R2 Product Team
Microsoft has just posted their security patch builletin for the month of December. As usual all required patches for your PC can be found on Windows Update. Here's a brief summary of the two patches released this month:
MS05-054: Cumulative Security Update for Internet Explorer (905915) Critical
Vulnerabilities exist in Internet Explorer, the most severe of these could allow an attacker to take complete control of an affected system.
MS05-055: Vulnerability in Windows Kernel Could Allow Elevation of Privilege (908523) Important
A vulnerability exists in the Windows Kernel that could allow elevation of privileges on an affected system. An attacker must have valid logon credentials and be able to log on locally to exploit this vulnerability.
Microsoft Security Bulletin Summary for December
John Howard writes: "I've been doing a few technical interviews in the UK of late, and anyone who mentions Active Directory on their CV usually gets this question - which is the most important FSMO role? In fact, there's a second part to the question - why? There wasn't any particular point to the question, however even if you don't specifically know the answer, it doesn't take long to work out which one it is and why through a process of elimination."
"Although the right answer is important, being able to deduce the answer clearly and logically demonstrates a good overall knowledge of what the roles are, why they exist, and gives a few talking points for a portion of the interview. The answer is the PDC emulator. What struck me as co-incidence was that I was reading Brian Puhls blog yesterday and noticed he poses near enough the same question during his interviews. Brian is a domain administrator at Microsoft IT who certainly knows his stuff." (more)
Activewin has posted screenshots of the just launched beta of Windows Live Messenger 8.0. Activewin writes: "We have posted 13 hot new screenshots of the Microsoft Windows Live Messenger 8.0 beta. The shots show a variety of new features, check them out!" New features of Windows Live Messenger 8.0 are: Unified Contacts, 600 Messenger Contacts, Word Wheel, Edit your contact’s Info, Nicknames (Rename your contacts), The Art of Instant Messaging, Offline IMs, Conversations While Appearing Offline, Time Stamps, Messenger Face Lift, Pick Your Color, Toning it Down, Display Picture Functionality, Frameless Menu Entry, Fixed Scrolling and Multiple Computers.
Screenshots: Windows Live Messenger 8.0 beta
Microsoft Corp. is expected to make available to testers this week the first beta version of its Windows Live Messenger instant-messaging service. According to a posting on the MSN Messenger enthusiast site Mess.be, Microsoft will launch the first Windows Live Messenger beta test on Tuesday, Dec. 13.
Testers report that they have received beta invitations from Microsoft for the new beta over the past couple of days. The new Windows Live Messenger will be "as fun and reliable as the Messenger you already know, and you lets you keep the contact list and other personal stuff you've got stored in Messenger," according to a copy of the beta invitation posted on the ActiveWin.com site. (more)
The Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access Management Pack for MOM 2005 monitors the health of computers running Office Communicator Web Access server components on Windows Server 2003 and alerts IT administrators about critical health conditions that indicate degraded performance. The management pack monitors and provides alerts for:
Automatic notification of events indicating service outages
Performance degradation
Health monitoring
Centralized management
Office Communicator Web Access Management Pack for MOM 2005
Scott Schnoll writes: "I've been presenting sessions on clustering Exchange Server at various Microsoft and third-party events for many years. After each presentation, at least one person has asked how Microsoft clusters Exchange, and how we maintain our 99.99% uptime. So, here's how we run Exchange 2003 at Microsoft: Our internal IT department, Microsoft IT (MSIT) achieves high availability for its mission-critical e-mail infrastructure by utilizing systems and processes that are specifically designed for high availability. For MSIT, the right combination of the above components helps to minimize planned downtime for maintenance or service pack installations. Unplanned downtime, whether caused by a server or other hardware failure, has also been reduced." (more)
Scott Schnoll's weblog
REDMOND, Wash., and ASHBURN, Va. — Dec. 12, 2005 — Microsoft Corp. and MCI Inc. (NASDAQ: MCIP) today announced a global, multiyear partnership to provide software and services that enable customers to place calls from a personal computer to virtually any phone. The solution, MCI Web Calling for Windows Live™ Call, will be available through Windows Live Messenger, the upcoming successor to MSN® Messenger, which has more than 185 million active accounts around the world. The solution combines Windows Live software, advanced voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) capabilities and the strengths of MCI’s expansive global network to give consumers an easy-to-use, convenient and cost-effective way to stay connected.
MCI and Microsoft are testing the service as part of a Windows Live Messenger limited beta with subscriptions initially available in the United States, and expect to jointly deliver the PC-to-phone calling capabilities to France, Germany, Spain and the United Kingdom in the coming weeks. Once subscribed to the service, customers can place calls to and from more than 220 countries with rates starting at $.023 per minute to the U.S., Canada, the U.K. and Western Europe during the beta testing period. Upon sign-up, MCI Web Calling customers will receive up to one hour of free calls. Final pricing will be determined when the product officially launches in 2006. (more)
Steven Bink writes: "Microsoft told me a year ago that they would release updates for IMF (intelligent message filter for Exchange) on regular basis starting january 2005, unfortuantly they didn't appear. Last month at IT Forum in Barcelona the Exchange team publicly announced that the IMF updates are updating on Microsoft Update bi-weekly, I immediately checked, but I didn't see an update. I discussed this with the Exchange team in Barcelona, they checked it when they got back and told me they will start appearing half December. Yesterday I got an email from Romain, telling me that an IMF update appeared on his WSUS server. Later when he looked he could only decline the update becuase "the selected update is expired" The good news is, IMF bi-weekly updates are getting close!"
Screenshot: Exchange IMF updates through WSUS
Communicator Web Access provides IM and presence to users who are connecting either from within the corporate network or over the Internet using one of many supported Web browsers. The Communicator Web Access server components are deployed as part of a Live Communications Server 2005 SP1 deployment. For users, there are no client components to install; all that is required is a Web browser and network connectivity to the Communicator Web Access server. For more information about Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access and Microsoft Office Live Communications Server 2005, please visit http://www.microsoft.com/livecomm.
Microsoft Office Communicator Web Access
GroupBar is lightweight desktop tool created by the VIBE group that offers enhanced window management capabilities in a Windows taskbar-like setting. The basic concept is that through simple drag-and-drop operations on window tiles within the bar, users can create lightweight, transient grouping relationships that allow them to perform certain higher-level window layout functions on multiple windows at once. In addition, windows and groups in the GroupBar can be persisted in a "Snapshot" which attempts to remember the position and contents of each window in a way that allows the Snapshot to be recreated at a later time, even if the windows have been rearranged or closed.
GroupBar requires no installation - just download the executable (GroupBar.exe) and run it. (Put in in your start-up group to run it automatically on start-up.) Note: creating Snapshots with the GroupBar produces .gss files in the same folder as GroupBar.exe, so save it in its own folder if you would like to avoid cluttering up other folders. GroupBar requires no uninstallation either - simply delete GroupBar.exe and any Snapshot (.gss) files it has created, and it is gone. (more)
Microsoft GroupBar 1.2
Information Store is the heart and soul of Exchange Server 2000 and 2003. Understanding the fundamentals of the Information Store is important for anyone managing an Exchange server. If you don’t believe me, stop the Microsoft Exchange Information Store service and count the seconds before your phone starts ringing! The Information Store is made up of a number of components. Figure 1 shows a graphical layout of a typical Exchange server. Exchange 2000 and 2003 use the same Information Store but there are some differences depending on the version. (more)
MsExchange.org community
Microsoft Corp. is banking on enhancements to what it has dubbed the fundamentals to entice enterprises to upgrade to the next version of Windows, known as Vista. The company will use upcoming industry shows to sing the praises of improvements to the Windows networking stack and secure networking techniques such as server and domain isolation to sell both Vista and "Longhorn," the planned update to Windows Server.
However, Microsoft may be swimming upstream against current technology trends and advocating changes that could roil enterprise networks, according to one analyst. Microsoft will use the RSA Conference in San Jose, Calif., in February and the company's TechEd conference in Boston in June to demonstrate and evangelize the security enhancements in Vista and its upcoming "Longhorn" version of Windows, said Mike Schutz, group product manager for Microsoft's Windows Server Division, in Redmond, Wash. (more)
For a Microsoft Exchange Server 2000 Administrator, knowing and being able to manage Information store is one of the most important challenging tasks. Because the Information store manage and deal with most valuable resources on an Exchange server which is User Data. I will be covering about Exchange 2000 Information Stores and its features, Stores and Storage Groups, The internal structure of the Store, details of the Extensible Storage Engine which is used to store our information, and finally details of using Full Text Indexing for your stores. There are a lot of good information available in the Internet, I will try to condense them all and bring the highlights in three-part article. In Part I, we will look at Stores and Storage Groups in more detail. Each Exchange Server deployed in an organization has an information store. The information store can contain storage groups, data stores, and databases. Here we focus on Stores and Storage Group and its management. (more)
Understanding Information Store Essentials (Part 1)
Understanding Information Store Essentials (Part 2)
MessagingTalk - Refining Collaboration
REDMOND, Wash. — Dec. 8, 2005 — Microsoft Corp. today made available an integrated solution for small-business retailers in the U.S., combining Microsoft® Office Small Business Accounting 2006 with Microsoft Point of Sale or Microsoft Retail Management System. This free software add-in allows retailers to transfer point-of-sale data, such as transactions and purchase orders, directly into their financial management software. In addition to dramatic time savings and the reduction of manual data entry, the key benefit to small-business retailers is the ability to manage cash flow more effectively, thus helping improve profitability.
“Whether managing transactions at a single store or a chain of stores with Microsoft Point of Sale or Microsoft Retail Management System, small-business owners and their accounting professionals now have an even simpler means of assessing their businesses’ financial health in a single view through Microsoft Office Small Business Accounting 2006,” said Guy Gilbert, group product manager for Office at Microsoft. “This new integration furthers Microsoft’s long-term commitment to meeting the needs of small businesses by fundamentally improving their productivity.” (more)
Brian Madden writes: "Several years ago, RES (Real Enterprise Solutions) released a product called "PowerFuse." Powerfuse lets you centrally configure, manage, and monitor all user application and Windows settings. Since PowerFuse focuses on user settings, the applications need to be already available on the Terminal Server or workstation before they can be managed. The administrator needed another way to accomplish the installation of Windows and applications. Now RES has developed a product called "WISDOM" to accomplish the management of the "machine part" of a Citrix Server, Terminal Server, or workstation. RES says that WISDOM was developed with one key point--"Keep it simple and easy." They also claim that the product can be fully operational with three simple steps (which they call "Get Ready, Set, Go." Let's find out if WISDOM is that easy." (more)
Brian Madden's weblog
"We’ve shipped a new version of our Beta. We’ve tried to address the main concerns and bugs that have been reported with our previous version, M2. We fixed the sign-in problem many people were having. Some people would click sign-in and be taken back to a page telling them they needed to sign-in. We’ve increased the number of users allowed in a domain from 20 to 40. We’ve also added UI to our user management page that deals with larger numbers of users in a domain.
We’ve added an ability to “import” existing Passports in the domain. This means if you used an existing E-Mail as Sign-In (EASI) Passport in a domain and later configured the domain for use with domains.live.com, you are now given the option of “importing” this user into the domain and giving the Passport an inbox or alternatively “evicting” the user so they are forced to pick a new name next time they sign-in. We’ve worked on improving Firefox support. We’ve fixed a number of minor bugs and problems. Keep the feedback coming. (more)
Coming from Virtualization.info:
Robert Petruska created a bunch of great Windows GUIs for many famous VMware utilities.
Ulli Hankeln reversed the VMware virtual hard disks (.vmdk) structure, creating a lot of incredible utilities. Among them there is a batch for producing new VMware virtual machines configuration files (.vmx) called vmx-builder.cmd.
Why should you need producing new .vmx files from scratch? Simple: to create new virtual machines with VMware Player without installing VMware Workstation trial.
If you wanna know more you better read my previous post and come back here.
Now Robert and Ulli worked together and produced a Windows application easier than ever to creat new .vmx files: the VMX Builder.
Please note that this utility isn't connected with the online VM Builder.
Microsoft on Wednesday released betas of two add-ins for its MSN Search Toolbar. One add-in allows users to store and access their Windows Live Favorites in a sidebar adjacent to the browser window, while the other offers thumbnail previews of search results before visiting the actual pages.
The Windows Live Favorites add-in enables users to import their current favorites from both Internet and MSN Explorer, and use them right away through the service. New sites can be added with a single click, and favorites can be searched by name, address or keyword.
Users who take advantage of the Windows Live Favorites service would be able to access their saved Web pages from any computer with an Internet connection, including machines based on operating systems other than Windows, Microsoft has said.(continue at source)
Continuing its endeavor to ensure Internet Explorer 7 is safe from the attacks that have plagued its predecessor, Microsoft is making changes to the browser's built-in security zones. Zones are used to classify Web sites into different security levels, but also bring risks themselves.
IE includes four standard zones: Internet, Intranet, Trusted Sites and Restricted Sites. Most browsing is done in the Internet zone, with the Intranet zone reserved for accessing local network sites, often used by businesses. The Intranet zone contains fewer restrictions, and in turn is more vulnerable to attack.
By default, Internet Explorer detects where the Web site is located -- on the Web or internally -- and utilizes the appropriate zone. However, it is possible to trick the browser. "If there is a flaw in IE's zone detection logic, a malicious website could try to run in a less restrictive security zone than they should run in," says IE developer Vishu Gupta.(continue at source)
Restoring single, deleted objects in Active Directory can be a manual and time-consuming process requiring system downtime. Object Restore for Active Directory is a free, graphical utility that allows you to instantly recover deleted objects in a Windows Server 2003 environment without rebooting a Domain Controller.
The freeware utility allows viewing Tombstoned objects in Active Directory and reanimating deleted items using Microsoft’s new Tombstone Reanimation interfaces for Windows Server 2003. When you download the Freeware, a 6-month key is built in. You will be prompted to re-register on our site at the end of each 6-month period.
Download Quest object restore for Active Directory
Administrators can use file screening to easily prevent users from saving audio and video files to their network folders to avoid having their folders fill up and exceed their quota and to deter employees from storing illegally copied media files on company servers.
You can even configure file servers to send email notifications to administrators when users try to save files that are blocked by file screens, and you can create templates that can be used to simplify deployment and management of file screens across multiple shared volumes and folders. In short, file screening clearly is an administrator’s best friend!(continue at source)
Greg Sterling reports that Virtual Earth has become part of the Windows Live Family and will be known as Windows Live Local (WLL). WLL was first shown at the press launch event for Windows Live last month.
Windows Live Local, which hasn’t otherwise been announced (and goes live next week), is a mixing of local data, community features and Virtual Earth. But now they’re launching the Pictometry aerial oblique imagery as a part of that. Erik referred to it generally as “immersive imagery” and discussed how Microsoft is putting it at the center of their local strategy. (continue at source)
Windows Server 2003 R2 has been released to manufacturing. Windows Server 2003 R2 is an update release of the award-winning Windows Server 2003 operating system. Built on Windows Server 2003 with Service Pack 1 (SP1), Windows Server 2003 R2 takes advantage of the stability and security of a proven code base while extending connectivity and control into new areas.
Windows Server 2003 R2 offers all the benefits of Windows Server 2003 SP1 while greatly improving branch office server solutions, identity and access management, storage setup and management, and application development inside and outside your organization's traditional boundaries. Windows Server 2003 R2 is easy to integrate into an existing Windows Server 2003 environment as it has the same application compatibility, manageability, and serviceability as the existing servers with SP1. (more)
Microsoft Corp. is working on a significant new feature for Windows Vista, known as Restart Manager, which is designed to update parts of the operating system or applications without having to reboot the entire machine.
Microsoft officials have not talked much publicly about this new feature, but Jim Allchin, the co-president of Microsoft's platform products and services division, recently told eWEEK that this is an example of just how important the reboot issue was to the Redmond-based software giant.
"If a part of an application, or the operating system itself, needs to updated, the Installer will call the Restart Manager, which looks to see if it can clear that part of the system so that it can be updated. If it can do that, it does, and that happens without a reboot," he said. (continue at source)
Coming from the Lazyadmin:
Are you like me and use regedit, the Microsoft registry editor, often? Find yourself digging down into the same registry keys often? Well, put the registry keys into your favorites and save time! That's right! Regedit has favorites too, just like your browser, and just like your browser you need to bookmarhk them, let me tell you how!
Open the registry editor buy clicking on Start --> Run and type regedit in the dialog box and press Enter. The regisrty editor will now open and you can browse to the key you want to bookmark. When you find it, click the Favorites button in the toolbar and enter a name you will remember it by.(continue at source)
Coming from WindowSecurity.com:
I have written quite a bit about investigating network activity at the packet level. This practice can yield some key information about your network. Another tool that can help you discern network activity is a program called Chaosreader. Read on to find out more about this outstanding tool, and its ability to help you.
Chaosreader allows you to take a binary log, and play it through Chaosreader to get a nicely outputted series of HTML pages. Those nicely formatted pages will have a chronicle of pages accessed, and other interesting statistics.(continue at source)
Tooltips, those little yellow popup boxes that provide information on a button or menu option, have become an indispensable part of the modern user interface. Now, Microsoft is looking to extend their usefulness by introducing what it calls "Super Tooltips" in the upcoming release of Office 12.
The next-generation Office suite from Microsoft is already slated to bring a major UI makeover. Standard toolbars have been replaced with task-oriented "Ribbons" that include features pertinent to the current job. But such a change will require a learning curve, which is where the new larger tooltips come in.(continue at source)
Windows Server System Reference Architecture is a technology architecture that has been rigorously tested and proven in a partnered lab environment to provide exceptional planning and implementation guidance that addresses fundamental infrastructure issues such as availability, security, scalability, and manageability of the platform.
WSSRA consists of the following downloadable packages:
- Overview Documents
- Architecture Blueprints
- Implementation Guides
- Deployment Toolkit
Download the Windows Server System Reference Architecture
| 20 Dec '05 - 07:30 | kenneth van surksum | 
no comments | news source ~ Jerry s incoherent babbling 
