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Windows 7 for XP ProfessionalsUpdating Support Skills from XP to Windows 7by Bink.nu's Raymond Comvalius
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The main phone screen has call-centric icons, plus shortcuts to regular Windows apps that can be categorized into icon-based tabs on the left.
The interface can also switch between landscape and portrait views, and there's a unified look to it all. I'd like to see some extra flair, though...like photos of contacts for incoming and outgoing calls. It's such an obvious thing, so hopefully that'll show up by the time the phone arrives. The xpPhone's maker—China's In Technology Group aka ITG—also says it will support direct access to the Outlook address book for contact management.
Microsoft Tuesday confirmed that it will sell what it calls "upgrades" for Windows 7 to users running the aged Windows XP operating system.Those users, however will have to do a "clean" installation of Windows 7, meaning that all data on the machine will be lost."Regarding XP, customers can purchase upgrade media and an upgrade license to move from Windows XP to Windows 7," a company spokeswoman said in an e-mail Tuesday morning. "However, they will need to do a clean installation of Windows 7."In a follow-up reply to questions, the spokeswoman fleshed out what Microsoft means by upgrade. "The 'upgrade' part is referring to the license," she said. "You will be able to get the discounted 'upgrade' license, but it will include full bits."
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The XPS Essentials Pack installer (available via www.microsoft.com/xps) does not currently support Service Pack 3 (SP3) of Windows XP. To enable XPS support on Windows XP SP3, you can install the XPS Essentials Pack prior to upgrading to SP3.
The XPS Essentials Pack installer (available via www.microsoft.com/xps) does not currently support Service Pack 3 (SP3) of Windows XP.
To enable XPS support on Windows XP SP3, you can install the XPS Essentials Pack prior to upgrading to SP3.
In the end of Oct 2008, XPS team has released a new updated. This update fixes a problem with the installer where it failed to recognize a newer version of Windows Imaging Component (WIC) that is included in Windows XP SP3. Also included is an update to the latest version of the XPS Print Path, as well as including a number of improvements to the print path, this update corrects an issue with the components previous included in the essentials pack that prevented component servicing.
To download the installer see http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/xps/viewxps.mspx.
Windows XP has risen from the grave so many times, it now has more in common with Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees than it does with other PC operating systems. Though its successor--Windows Vista--has been on the market for over two years and yet another Windows version, Windows 7, will ship in just months, Microsoft has again extended the time frame for consumers who wish to continue using the seven-year-old XP. This time around, the company is allowing custom PC builders--alternatively called "system builders" and "white box PC makers"--to continue ordering XP for their PCs through May 30, 2009.
The bug concerns the Server service found in all NT-based Windows OS responsible for communication between computers in a Windows based Network allowing for remote execution of code.
Bink first reported the issue along with a link to the rather small KB article. Since then Microsoft updated the article (several times?) to provide more information to the public. Questions are raised after seeing this additional information.
Hopefully when the systems are patched, we could get a glimpse on how this bug works and how it could be there has been a flaw in a modern and secure system for over 8 years now. More information will be posted as it comes available.
Simplifying the installation and making it easy to stay up-to-date
In this release we're making it easier to install and stay up to date with the latest release of WGA Notifications. We've changed the installation experience and are again using the Windows Update install prompt we have used previously. There are a couple of reasons we're doing this now. One is that in recent research, customers (particularly the ones using genuine software - or at least that think they are) have told us that they would prefer the simplest, shortest way of installing. Our research has clearly shown that customers value the ability of Windows to alert them when they may have software that is not genuine, but they also want the ability to stay up to date with the least effort required on their part. The other reason is that hundreds of millions of installs of WGA Notifications have already taken place, and most customers are already aware of what the program is and just want the fastest and most seamless way to install and stay up-to-date. For this reason, in this release we've also added the ability for future updates to WGA Notifications to have both the validation logic, as well as new forms of notifications, installed without additional steps. This will only be the case for those who install this latest version or future versions of WGA Notifications.
Another thing we're doing with this release is focusing on the product edition that is most often stolen. This will reduce the number of customers that will be offered the package. This release will be offered to the most pirated edition of Windows XP and therefore to users with the highest likelihood of having a non-genuine copy, those using Windows XP Pro. We're also offering it to those using editions based on Pro code such as Tablet and Windows Media Center, but plan to narrow the offering to Pro in future releases.
Increasing the effectiveness of notifications and aligning experiences across Windows XP and Windows Vista
With this update to WGA Notifications in Windows XP, we've implemented a couple of related features that draw on the notifications experience we designed for Windows Vista SP1. After installing this version of WGA Notifications on a copy of Windows XP that fails the validation, most users will discover on their next logon that their desktop has changed to a plain black background from whatever was there previously (see below).
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The iPhone 3G isn't the only thing being released this week. Microsoft on Thursday will release its automatic update for Windows XP service pack 3 (SP3). The updates are expected to hit PCs by 10 a.m. Pacific time, July 10.
"Windows XP SP3 could be released to Automatic Updates as early as Thursday," according to a Microsoft spokesman. "As with all service pack releases, Microsoft will carefully monitor the release to ensure that all customers have a good experience."
The update will not have to be reinstalled, Microsoft said. Microsoft released XP SP3 on May 7 after a compatibility issue delayed its original April 29 release date.
Service Pack 3 adds several networking and security improvements, and compatibility with Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 security credential providers. It also incorporates features previously available individually as separate updates, such as Microsoft Windows Imaging Component (WIC), Microsoft Management Console (MMC) 3.0, and Wi-Fi Protected Access 2.
Microsoft is going to release Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3 via its Automatic Update (AU) service on Thursday July 10, company officials confirmed this week.
The client team has been vague about when it planned to push the latest version of XP to users. “Early summer” and “sometime soon” were favorite comebacks when officials were asked for an AU timeframe for SP3.
Customers who have automatic updates turned on but who don’t want XP SP3 to be downloaded to user desktops this week — for whatever reasons — need to deploy the Microsoft Service Pack blocker toolkit to delay pushed-delivery of SP3.
While Microsoft will begin pushing SP3 tomorrow, not all users will receive it immediatly, as the company will be staggering the rollout
Microsoft is committed to providing quality products to customers. As part of this commitment, we would like to remind you that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) will be released to Automatic Updates shortly. The third service pack to Windows XP includes the previously released updates and hotfixes to Windows XP, creating a new baseline for servicing.
Optional Actions
If you wish to prevent users from installing Windows XP SP3 through Automatic Updates, Microsoft recommends you take one or more of the following steps:
1. Download and deploy the Windows Service Pack Blocker Kit. The Blocker Toolkit is available in the Microsoft Download Center.
2. Deploy an update management solution that provides full control over the updates you deploy to computers in your network (Compare Update Management Solutions). IT Administrators using an update management solution should use their product's standard features, rather than the Blocker Toolkit, to control SP1 distribution.
Additional Information
Windows XP Service Pack 3
Update Management Solutions
Comparing MBSA, MU, WSUS, and SMS 2003/System Center Configuration Manager 2007
These are all winXP fixes that were released after ServicePack 3, I did not include monthly security fixes. You know of any other?
(953356) - Describes a problem that occurs when a Sysprep image is created on a computer that uses an Intel processor and is then deployed to a computer that does not use an Intel processor. Provides a resolution. http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953356/en-us
(953979) - Describes an issue that device Manager and Network Connections may be blank after you install Windows XP Service Pack 3.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/953979/en-us
(951347) - Fixes a memory leak that occurs when you use the IFaxIncomingMessageIterator interface to query incoming fax messages, and the iterator moves past the last fax message.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/951347/en-us
(944043) - Describes the Windows Server 2008 read-only domain controller compatibility pack that is available for Windows Server 2003 clients and for Windows XP clients.http://support.microsoft.com/kb/944043/en-us
Update for Windows XP (KB951978)
Install this update to resolve an issue in VBScript/JScript scripts from CScript\WScript hosts, certain built-ins may not function correctly when “Standards and Formats” in “Regional Settings” is changed.
Update for Windows XP (KB951830)
Install this update to resolve the issue in which a client cannot resolve DNS after the network adapter is connectoed/disconnected or disabled/enabled, on a system running Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Update for Windows XP (KB944043)
Install this update to resolve an issue when a Windows Server 2008 Read Only Domain Controller is added to the network that has Windows XP or Windows Server 2003
Update for Windows XP (KB952287)
Install this update to resolve an issue in which a malfunction or data loss occurs when using Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) components on computers that are running Windows XP SP2 or XP SP3.
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Also: Windows SteadyState 2.5 Technical FAQ and SteadyState 2.5 Handbook
Microsoft has released a white paper that compares the features and capabilities of Windows XP with SP3 and Windows Vista with SP1. This helps customers compare Windows Vista® advancements with Microsoft® Windows® XP Professional. Using this comparison, customers can adjust their expectations for the security, management, deployment, mobility, and productivity of either operating system. For each feature or capability, each section compares key Windows Vista advancements against Windows XP................Download At Source
This is what Microsoft Update Product Team Blog says about the "continuous reboot loops" occuring to some customers installing XP SP3:
We'd like to provide more information and address reports you may have heard about "continuous reboot loops" occurring upon the update to Windows XP SP3.
After investigation, we’ve determined this problem occurs on AMD-based machines with Windows XP images that were originally captured by an OEM on an Intel-based machine. The problem is a registry value, present on images created w/ Intel processors, that causes a driver (intelppm.sys) to load at boot. When intelppm.sys attempts to load on an AMD-based system upon the install of SP3, it causes a blue screen and the continuous reboot. We’re planning to add a filter to prevent Windows Update from offering SP3 to affected systems and are investigating a fix. Any customers affected by this issue should contact Microsoft Customer Support Services for assistance. More information is available in KB88372 and here.
On a related note, we've heard a few questions about SP3’s distribution. To clarify our earlier post, SP3 is currently available as a High Priority update on the Windows Update website. This means that if you go to WU and do an express or custom install - you should see SP3 listed. We’re planning to begin automatic distribution (via AU) of SP3 sometime in early summer.
Hope this is helpful,
-MU Team
Microsoft is launching a program to promote the use of its Windows OS in ultra low-cost PCs, one effect of which will be to limit the hardware capabilities of this type of device, IDG News Service has learned.
Microsoft plans to offer PC makers steep discounts on Windows XP Home Edition to encourage them to use that OS instead of Linux on ultra low-cost PCs (ULPCs). To be eligible, however, the PC vendors that make ULPCs must limit screen sizes to 10.2 inches and hard drives to 80G bytes, and they cannot offer touch-screen PCs.
The programme is outlined in confidential documents that Microsoft sent to PC makers last month, and which were obtained by IDG News Service.
The goal apparently is to limit the hardware capabilities of ULPCs so that they don't eat into the market for mainstream PCs running Windows Vista, something both Microsoft and the PC vendors would want to avoid.
Imposing the limitations solves a number of problems for the PC industry, said industry analyst Roger Kay, president of EndPoint Technologies Associates. "It allows PC makers to offer a low-cost alternative, and it prevents eroding of pricing and margins in the mainstream OS market," he said.
Microsoft declined to comment on the documents. "We don't speak publicly about our agreements with [PC makers]," the company said.
ULPCs are an emerging class of laptops that carry low price tags -- about £150 to £300. Early examples include the Asus Eee PC and One Laptop Per Child's XO machine.
The systems already have limited hardware configurations. Microsoft's programme appears designed to ensure that distinction is maintained and to prevent ULPCs from cannibalizing sales of higher-end systems, Kay said.