Don’t panic - you don’t have to spend a whole load of money you might not have on a DVD drive. It’s recommended as most things come on a DVD nowadays and it’s a sound investment to have, but Microsoft have made things nice and easy for you.

In your boxset where your DVD copy of Windows Vista is, is a small leaflet explaining how to obtain CD’s with the same installation on. There are two things you can do:

 Option 1 - before you’ve even bought Windows Vista
There is a download option, where instead of buying your copy of Windows Vista in an actual shop, you can download it over the Internet and save yourself a bit of money. You need a rather fast Internet connection really and it’s recommended you have a 2MB broadband line or higher. It will be saved in your Digital Locker and will enable you to redownload as many times as you want - but try and download during the night as some broadband providers have restrictions and can eat up your monthly allowance, and generally it should be faster to do.
 Order your copy of Windows Vista online today

 Option 2 - you’ve bought Windows Vista in the shop but you don’t have a DVD drive
On the little leaflet in your boxset will ask you to go to a website which will let you order your CD version of the operating system. You may have to pay for the shipping costs (which should be around £10 or $20) but once it arrives you’ll have around 5 or 6 CD’s which will work just fine and will install just as well as the DVD copy.
 Order your CD version of Windows Vista now

XPS is the Microsoft equivilant to the PDF, one of the world’s most recognised file formats and web document standards. You can create picture and pixel perfect documents preserving every detail ina  secure and simple. However creating an XPS document in Windows Vista is far easier than most people think.

Simply open up your document, whether it be in Notepad, Wordpad, Microsoft Office 2003/2007 or any other software, select Print then print to the Microsoft XPS Document Writer. Save it to your location, then open it back up and it’ll load in Windows Internet Explorer 7 perfectly.

The Welcome Center appears for the first two times you boot up Windows until it gives you the option in form of a checkbox to never show it again. This is in fact by design to help you get Windows Vista customised and setup to the way you want it.

To stop the Welcome Center from ever appearing:

1. Go to Start, Run (or press Windows key + R) and type in regedit then press OK.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Run.
3. Right click in the right hand pane and select New > DWORD.
4. Enter in WindowsWelcomeCenter then press OK.
5. Double click on it and set the value to a - (minus simple/hyphen) then press OK.

Viola - the Welcome Center will never bother you again.

If you can’t connect via Remote Desktop from another machine, it could be as simple as a checkbox option to fix. The chances are Remote Desktop isn’t even enabled, or it doesn’t allow computers which aren’t Terminal Services v6 compatible (basically Windows Vista and above, not Windows XP).

To enable Remote Desktop access on Windows Vista:

1. Click Start, right click Computer and select Properties.
2. In the left hand pane, select Remote Settings.
3. Select the “Allow connections from computers running any version of Remote Desktop” radio box.
4. You can also select the users you wish to access the computer remotely. Click Select remote users to change which users can access the machine.
5. Click Apply then OK.

Try reconnecting to the Windows Vista machine and it should work fine.

It’s really rather easy; if you didn’t enter a product key during the install then Windows will occasionally remind you (before the 14 day cut-off where it’ll stop working until you enter a key) to enter in a key. If you have entered a key during the install and haven’t activated Windows yet then it’ll occasionally remind you (before the 30 day cut-off where it’ll stop working until you activate) to activate the product.

 Occasionally product key’s don’t work when they should do - this is very rare but can happen. It is highly recommended that you activate your product as soon as you can, but bare in mind whether you want to keep Windows Vista on your machine. If you decide you don’t like it, then don’t activate the product and revert to another operating system. Activating sooner rather than later means if something does go wrong, you have a set grace-time to sort out the problem with your retailer or Microsoft of which you can still use your computer.

To activate Windows manually:

1. Go to Start, right click Computer then select Properties.
2. Scroll down to Windows Activation, then click where it says “x days until automatic activation. Activate Windows now.”
3. Follow the activation steps, entering in your Product Key if necessary.
4. Once activation is successful, it will tell you about genuine software assurances and will tell you on-screen that Windows was successfully activated.

 If you are having trouble with activation, try this article and this article.

Windows Deployment Services (WDS) replaces Remote Installation Services. It’s part of Windows Server 2008 and provides utilities to rapidly, remotely and quickly deploy Windows XP and Windows Vista operating systems over a network without having to be physically there or using physical media to install.

It’s managed in a MMC console window, letting you add and remove servers, configure numerous options including computer naming, DHCP settings, reponse settings (PXE) and adding and removing installation and boot images. It lets you have full control over your image groups, and you can even have an unattended script (in form of Unattend.xml) with each image to provide you with the ability to run an unattended install. You can also manage 32-bit images with 32-bit computers only, likewise with 64-bit software to help prevent mix-matching of processor architectures.

Some of the advantages include: 

• Allows network-based installation of Windows Vista, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2008
• Deploys Windows Vista to new bare-bones computers with no operating system installed
• Provides an end-to-end solution for deploying Windows operating systems.
• Supports mixed environments, including Windows XP and Windows Server 2003.
• Uses standard Windows Vista setup technologies, including Windows Preinstallation Environment, Windows Imaging, and Image-based setup

The requirements to run Windows Deployment Services include:

• Active Directory directory service: A Windows Deployment Services server must be either a member of an Active Directory domain or a domain controller  for a domain. All domain and forest configurations support Windows Deployment Services.
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP): You must have a working DHCP server with an active scope on the network because Windows Deployment Services uses PXE which then uses DHCP. The DHCP server does not have to be on the Windows Deployment Services server. 
• Domain Name System (DNS): A working DNS server on the network is required to run Windows Deployment Services. The DNS server doesn’t have to be running on the Windows Deployment Services server though, just on the network.
• Installation media: A DVD, CD, network location or physical media that contains the contents of the DVD is required to install Windows Deployment Services. 
• NTFS File System: The server running Windows Deployment Services requires an NTFS partition for the image store. You cannot create the image store on the partition containing the operating system files - it’ll have to be on a network location attached to the Windows Deployment Server.

Greater Control

• Network Access Protection (NAP): A new technology allowing them to define the health requirements of computers on a network and reduce the functionality of computers which don’t meet the specified requirements. NAP enables specific rules on the network, so if a user doesn’t have a firewall installed then they may be severely limited on the network to protect others using that resource.
• Internet Information Services 7.0 (IIS7): A brand new version of one of the world’s most popular web servers, incorporating ASP.NET, the .NET Framework 3.0, Windows Workflow Foundation and Windows SharePoint Services. It provides a central hub in integrating web applications and the user through key pillars that allow delegated administrations to offer an enhanced security layer.
• Better management over your infrastructure using policy based networking
• Quicker response time - allows you to make decisions and act upon them sooner rather than later
• New utilities and applications allowing you to centralise installations, configurations and adding server roles and resoures
• New monitoring and scripting technologies allowing you to centrally manage your Windows servers
• High security and management so you can remotely control and access your servers from remote locations

Higher availablity

• Windows Server 2008 Core: A stripped down and very basic version of the operating system providing services such as DHCP, DNS, file services and domain controller functionality without providing a user-interface. The whole system is command-line based, thus there are not as many services or programs running which reduces the attack vectors exposed on the network.
• More responsive systems actively monitoring the state of all server roles and giving feedback on possible future failings therefore reducing potential downtime
• Redesigned clustering software that offers unprecedented access in case hardware fails
• Allows you to install a number of key server roles in such a way that it requires less services and administration

Greater flexibility

• Read-only domain controller (RODC): A service which provides a read-only copy of the Active Directory to branch office users, enabling the users to logon faster and have efficient access to authenticated resources on the network, even in networks with poor physical security.
• Terminal Services: Allows users to remotely access computers and access applications without installing it. These applications run as if they are being run directly from the computer you are using to remotely access these services, and can run even in a web browser.
• Windows Deployment Services (WDS): This new service allows Windows to be rolled out to bare-metal computers with no operating system installed without moving out of your seat at your server. This reduces labour time and increases productivity.
• Interoperability and compatibity to ensure a fully seamless experience
• New deployment options which provide flexible and cost-effective solutions for your environment
• New solutions for mobile users and remotely connected users allowing them to securely access resources and applications available on the network

Fundamentals

• More manageable and secure computing for PC’s, laptops, mobile users and servers through policy based networking
• New scalable advancements that allow administrators to deploy even complicated infrastructures for your business or organisation
• Advanced reliability solutions to reduce loss of time, work, data and control of your network
• A brand new networking stack for better security and performance.

If you’ve had Windows XP SP2 running on your machine for a while, you may not want to backup everything and perform a clean install - it’s much easier to simply upgrade your operating system to Windows Vista. This article will guide you through it. The upgrade can take a long time to complete, as little as 35 minutes but as long as 12 hours and it is a very hefty but visually simple process, so make sure you do this when you’re not so busy.

 Ensure you have a backup on external disks of everything you have just to be safe.
 When you see this icon, there is a screenshot which will open up on-screen.

1. Insert your Windows Vista DVD disk (or set it up using the final ISO image in a virtual emulator).
2. At the  initial setup screen, click on Install now. If you wish to read more information about the setup process, you can click the What to know before installing Windows link at the bottom.
3. The first screen you should see is the  Installation Update screen. Firstly, click the I want to help make Windows installation better checkbox, as this helps the setup process get better for future versions of Windows. If you have no Internet connection, click the second option, but if you have an active broadband connection, select the first option. This ensures you have the latest updates and files before Windows Vista is installed for the first time.
4. Enter in your product key in the  Product Key screen then select Next. If you don’t have a product key yet, you can actually skip this stage without entering anything in - if so, ensure you select the correct version of Windows Vista at the next screen.
5. Scroll down and read the  Terms and Conditions of using Windows. Click the I accept the license terms then select Next.
6. When selecting the  type of installation, select the Upgrade option. This lets you keep your files and settings for when Windows Vista first starts up.
    Not everything will appear the same once the upgrade is complete - new themes will be applied depending on your system specification, but application settings and software as well as your files should remain intact once the upgrade has finished.
   
7. The next screen should be the  Compatibilty Report. This screen will tell you which drivers are not compatible with Windows Vista and will help you take steps to rectify problems once the operating system has finished upgrading.
8. The next step is the  installing phase where this part could take hours to complete, so go and get a cup of coffee and relax for a bit.
    The computer will restart, the installing phase will continue for a little while longer. Eventually a black and grey screen will appear with the text “Please wait a moment while Windows prepares to start for the first time…”
   
9. The  Out of Box Experience program will begin, and you’ll be asked for your country and region, your computer’s language, and your keyboard layout. Select them from the lists given, then hit Next.
10. Choose your  username and password at the next screen - type in your desired username, enter your new password twice and then a password hint if you wish to. From here you can also select the display picture of that user account. Once you’ve done, click Next.
11. The next screen allows you to  change your computer name and your user account’s wallpaper. Your computer name should be something simple but tells other computers in the house or on the network which computer it is - I’ve named this machine VISTARTM because it is! Choose your wallpaper (you’ll see it previewed in the background) then click Next to continue.
12. A simple option to  configure your Automatic Updates - it is highly advised you select the top option Use recommended settings as this will automatically fix your firewall, set your Internet settings, update and install programs automatically and check for solutions to problems straight away.
13. The next stage is to  set your computer clock and your time zone. Simply select your timezone from the list, alter your clock accordingly then select Next to continue.
14.  That’s it - you’ve completed the configuration stages!
     The Out of Box Experience is not quite over yet - the system will perform some final configuration tasks and will take a little longer. The computer may restart, but eventually you’ll get to the login screen. Type in your username and password, and you’re using Windows Vista
    

Some screenshots courtesy of ActiveWin - thanks for the permission Bob.

The guys over at FrameworkX have developed an application enabling you to remove the arrow on all shortcuts, make the arrow a bit more inconspicuous or add the arrow if you’ve previously removed it. It’s a small download and changes the registry automatically so you don’t have to fuss around with the registry yourself. Check the screenshots below to see what the differences are.

Download application

The search bar in the Start Menu searches through a lot of things - applications, file types, your files, system files and folders, and of course the Start Menu items. If this is making your Start Menu go really slowly, then a simple registry tweak can improve your performance tenfold when it comes to the Start menu.

1. Go to Start and Run (or press Windows key + R) and type in regedit then press OK.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Microsoft > Windows > CurrentVersion > Explorer > Advanced..
3. In the right hand side, search for Start_SearchFiles, then double click on it and set the value to 0.
4. Restart the computer.

Once you boot up again, the Start Menu will load up so much faster.

If you have the Google Toolbar or the Windows Live Toolbar, you’ve already got a suitable search engine right from your toolbar so why bother with the search bar which is pre-installed into Internet Explorer 7? Well now you can get rid of it, and it’s really simple.

1. Go to Start and Run (or press Windows key + R) and type in regedit then press OK.
2. Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Policies > Microsoft and Internet Explorer. If there is no “Internet Explorer” entry, right click on “Microsoft” and select New > Key, then type in “Internet Explorer”.

3. Create a new key (as before) within the Internet Explorer key, and call this InfoDelivery.
4. Create a new key (as above) within the InfoDelivery key, and call this Restrictions.
5. Inside Restrictions, right click anywhere in the right hand side of the Registry Editor and create a new DWORD and call it NoSearchBox.
6. Double click on the new DWORD and set the value of NoSearchBox to 1.
7. Restart the computer.

Once you boot up Internet Explorer again, there will be no search box.

You can alter how Internet Explorer 7 acts using several command line prompts. These prompts are ways of “invoking” the application to do specific things when you first load it up.

To invoke, simply type the following in the Run command (Press Start then Run or press the Windows key + R)

Start Internet Explorer in kiosk mode: iexplore.exe -k then press Enter.
Start Internet Explorer without loading the homepage: iexplore.exe -nohome
Start Internet Explorer with a specific address: iexplore.exe www.websiteaddress.com
Start Internet Explorer  with no add-ons and toolbars: iexplore.exe -extoff

To check to see whether your computer has activated properly, there is a simple way to do this using a single command at the Run prompt. This screen tells you the operating system and the edition, it also tells you what type of license you have such as a Volume License or Multiple Activation key or a standard retail copy, gives part of the product key for your verification and the status of the activation.

1. Go to Start and click Run, or press the Windows key + R.
2. Type in: slmgr.vbs -dli then press OK.
3. Wait between 5-20 seconds for the Script Host to bring back the results.
4. Press OK to return to Windows.

You can alter how thick the borders are in each application or window you open up, and it’s really easy to do. Honestly, the default value of 4 looks good as it is, but if you’re a die-hard Windows XP fan then you can easily change it to look thinner or thicker if you so choose.

1. Right click your desktop and click Personalise.
2. Click on Windows Colour and Appearance, then “Open classic appearance properties for more colour options”.
3. Click Advanced at the classic Appearances properties dialog.
4. Under Item, select “Border Padding” then decrease or increase the value as you please.
   The default value is 4.
5. Click OK, then Apply and OK, then close the Personalisation window.

In this document, learn how to manage the brand new Windows Firewall controls through the MMC console. It guides you through netsh commands, Group Policy editing, and any number of things. The Windows Firewall with Advanced Security is a host-based firewall that blocks incoming and outgoing connections based on its configuration. While typical end-user configuration of Windows Firewall still takes place through the Windows Firewall Control Panel tool, advanced configuration now takes place in a Microsoft® Management Control (MMC) snap-in named Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. The inclusion of this snap-in not only provides an interface for configuring Windows Firewall locally but also for configuring Windows Firewall on remote computers and via Group Policy.

Windows Firewall with Advanced Security supports more granular rules, including Microsoft Active Directory® users and groups, source and destination Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, IP port number, ICMP settings, IPsec settings, specific types of interfaces, services, and more.

Download document

EAPHost architecture has changed rapidly in Windows Server 2008, and now provides third-party vendors and partners with better extensibility opportunities to quickly and easily create and distribute the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) authentication methods.

Download document

Active Directory Certificate Services (ADCS) provides a system for better handling and management of X.509 certificates, expanding on the basic foundation in Windows XP and Windows Server 2003. ADCS has been visually improved and redesigned for better management, seamless integration with Windows Server 2008 and is more compliant with standards. This document shows an overview of the new features and improvements in Active Directory Certificate Services.

Download document

This document from Microsoft describes the configuration of NPS (Network Policy Server) and NAP (Network Access Protection) and how the different settings interact with each other to create a custom health determination and rule enforcement solution.

Download document

The whole idea of DreamScene is that you can use any video you wish regardless of quality or size, as long as it is a .mpg, .mpeg or a .wmv file. However if you want to get high definition and beautiful “dreams” (they’re called “dreams” for the DreamScene program, similar to “gadgets” for the Sidebar program), then you can head over to WinCustomize.

WinCustomize has a whole array of different dreams of which are made by Stardock and also submitted by users, as hi-def videos which run seamlessly from start to finish to start again, giving the user a beautiful and brilliant quality desktop experience. The website will be up and running fully by the time that Windows DreamScene is let out of the bag and up for download at the end of January.

WaveZero firstly is not about any company or organisation, “WaveZero” means “the first wave of Windows Ultimate Extras”.

Every few months, Microsoft will release a wave of products for Windows Ultimate Extras instead of one now and then, here or there. Wave Zero signifies “updates before Windows Vista is released”, hense the “zero” part of it. The first wave will include Windows DreamScene then Windows BitLocker and EFS Enhancements, then Hold ‘Em Poker Game, all expected to be available once Windows Vista has been released on the 30th January 2007.

Windows Ultimate Extras will include extra games, visual enhancements, security enhancements, game additions, and other powertoy utilities which will only be available for download and will only be able to be installed on a Windows Vista Ultimate machine (with a genuine key of course )

The Hold ’Em game was announced at this year’s CES conference in Las Vegas. The Hold ’Em game will be the third Windows Ultimate Extra available to those running the Ultimate Edition of Windows Vista.

Hold ‘Em runs directly off the DirectX engine which offers beautiful graphics and effects within the game, and you can bet as much or as little as you want without losing a penny of your actual money. Customise the cards, change the layout of the gaming table, play against friends on your network or online or play against computer players. After this game is downloaded and installed, it’ll appear in the Games Explorer with the rest of the games you have.

(courtesy of the Windows Ultimate Blog)

The Windows BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool and the Secure Online Key Backup were announced at this year’s CES conference in Las Vegas. These two downloads will be the second set of Windows Ultimate Extras available to those running the Ultimate Edition of Windows Vista.

• Windows BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool - this tool allows you to configure your hard drive so that BitLocker (which is already installed within Vista) will work on your computer. BitLocker was originally designed for business users and enterprise users and can be difficult to set up for novice users - this utility will simplify the process and ensure home users can have the same security. This tool will help you prepare for BitLocker which encrypts absolutely everything on your hard drive so it is almost impossible to access without authorisation; if your computer gets stolen or lost, only you with your key can unlock it, protecting your computer from data theft.
• Secure Online Key Backup - this tool will backup your BitLocker key and your EFS recovery certificates (enables you to decrypt your encrypted files) to your Digital Locker which is a secure, online and safe Microsoft website of which only you have access to.

(courtesy of the Windows Ultimate Blog)

Previously known as “Motion Desktop”, Windows DreamScene was announced at this year’s CES conference in Las Vegas. DreamScene will be the first Windows Ultimate Extra available to those running the Ultimate Edition of Windows Vista.

It allows you to select any video in .mpeg, .mpg and .wmv format and select it as a background on your desktop just like any other wallpaper. You can have home movies, videos directly from Microsoft and others out there on the web, and they can all be set as your desktop background with moving images.

Windows DreamScene will automatically turn off if you are running on a laptop with only battery power, and DreamScene will only work on machines which Windows Aero is supported.

(courtesy of the Windows Ultimate Blog)

 There is a demonstration relating to this article. Click here to view it.

If you have your Sidebar open with gadgets littered across your desktop, but you have other applications open and you can’t see your gadgets anymore, simply press the Windows key + Space to bring them to the front of the screen again.

Sometimes in the new Help and Support window in Vista you’ll see a message saying “Internet Explorer cannot download help at this time” but you have full Internet connectivity. There’s a way to fix this. Simply copy the following into Notepad:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xml]
@=”xmlfile”
“Content Type”=”text/xml”
“PerceivedType”=”text”

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xml\OpenWithList]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xml\OpenWithList\winword.exe]
@=”"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.xml\PersistentHandler]
@=”{7E9D8D44-6926-426F-AA2B-217A819A5CCE}”

In the Save As dialog box, select File type as “all files”, then save the file as “fix.reg” onto your desktop. Go onto your desktop, double click the new registry file and allow it to enter the registry. Restart your Help and Support session, and it should be fixed.

Showing the brand new sounds in Windows Vista from the standard “ding” to the logon and logoff sounds.

 This video is in Windows Media Video format (.wmv) and will require Windows Media Player to view.
Watch demonstration

Well, it took me a good few hours to master… but I’ve finally got a demo up and running. The demo shows transparent PNG image files can be viewed and manipulated in Internet Explorer versions 5.5 and above. In Windows Internet Explorer 7, the support is “enhanced” and there are a number of transparency PNG fixes which help render the image files better.

 Some browsers may not work - anything above Internet Explorer 5.5 should work OK though.
 If you have a pop-up blocker, it may block these demonstrations. Please allow them through.
 The demo may take a minute to load on slower connections. 56k: 2 minutes, 2mb line: 20 seconds

		Enter the interactive Live Demo lab Click and drag the image round the page to see the transparency

		Enter the static Live Demo lab Static images only showing the overlay between multiple imagery

This page will determine whether you have the .NET Framework 3.0 components installed or not. The .NET Framework 3.0 comprises of the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF, previously codenamed “Avalon”) and the Windows Communications Foundation (WCF, previously codenamed “Indigo”). If you do not have the .NET Framework 3.0components, below are links to assist you in getting them.

If you have installed some components of the WinFX Runtime but want to install the new ones, you must uninstall the old ones first. Do this simply by downloading the Previous WinFX Uninstall Tool from the Microsoft website. Once you’ve uninstalled everything, download the .NET Framework 3.0 Components here but be warned that you need a genuine copy of Windows otherwise you cannot download it.

Windows Vista users - go to Start , Control Panel, Programs and Features, Turn Windows features on or off, scroll down and ensure there is a tick box in “Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0″ then press OK. If it asks to restart, save your work then restart your computer - the effects will take place on the next logon.

 Start the test (Internet Explorer only)

“Metro” was the codename for a file format called XPS (XML Paper Specification). XPS is the Microsoft version of the PDF file which is one of the most common document file types in the world. With PDF’s, they are light and portable but can contain rich images and text, but you need to download the Adobe Reader to view them. Most machines have them, but it’s still a pain having to download and install it.

XPS is very similar, except you don’t need (or appear) to have to download or install anything. All you really need is the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 and you’re sorted. It’s already been available through Automatic Updates so the chances are you already have it (test to see if you have it here). Windows Vista users will have it already. But the beauty of it, is that any XPS file will open in Internet Explorer 6.0 and above nicely!

Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) is also useful for both automatic and manual system troubleshooting. For example, if Vista fails to start because of a corrupted system file, WinPE can automatically start and launch the Windows Recovery Environment (WinRE). You can also manually start WinPE to use built-in or custom troubleshooting and diagnostic tools.

For general troubleshooting, WinPE replaces MS-DOS boot disks when Vista cannot start properly. In fact, WinPE will automatically load and launch the WinRE Console if Windows Vista fails to start. IT departments can use WinPE for manual troubleshooting, too, and can leverage either the built-in tools or add tools to the WinPE image.

The WinRE and Setup Repair Wizard is a wizard that provides an user interface that allows end users to fix over 80 percent of the known causes for unbootable systems. A part of the recovery environment provides users with instructions to recover data that is locked by the Secure Startup feature. It can be customised to provide specific instructions based on an enterprise’s recovery key management policy.

Previously codenamed “Monad”, the PowerShell is a command line application and scripting shell which enables administrators to provide automated system tasks with scripts. It allows them also to provide numerous administration utilities and better navigation of the Registry or Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). The PowerShell also comes with a new language enabling easier scripting. Although it will not be part of Windows Vista or Windows Server “Longhorn”, however it will be available for download later on between September and December 2006.

For more information about scripting, about the PowerShell, and discuss with other people, please check the further links below, otherwise download the Windows PowerShell client now!

PowerShell Blogs and further reading:
Windows PowerShell Team Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/powershell
Arul Kumaravel’s Blog: http://blogs.msdn.com/arulk
Keith Hill’s Blog: http://spaces.msn.com/keithhill
Lee Holmes’ Blog: http://www.leeholmes.com/blog
Marc van Orsouw’s Blog: http://mow001.blogspot.com/
Thomas Lee’s Blog: http://tfl09.blogspot.com/

Formerly codenamed “EMD”, this technology uses external memory devices such as USB flash memory, removable storage on SD cards etc. to boost system performance by adding a separate pagefile (a file which the computer uses as if it was RAM, sometimes called “virtual memory”) to that device. Essentially, plug in an external memory device and your computer may run much faster.

RAM is essential in a computer - overall it’s the main thing which improves system performance as it enables you to have more applications open at once. Vista introduces a new technology which USB flash memory drives can be used as virtual memory. Because a flash disk has non-volatile memory, it generally means that when it’s connected to a USB 2.0 port, the computer can read it from the flash disk faster than the hard drive itself.

ReadyBoost is secure and reliable, and you can still unplug your USB drives or external memory devices at any time without losing work or noticing any significant drop in memory or overall performance. Also, the issue of wear on the flash memory has also been addressed as every time it writes data to the disk, it uses a unique pattern so that it becomes evenly spread out.

 There is a demonstration relating to this article. Click here to view it.

We’ve got some finalised names in for some “performance enhancing” technologies in Vista. Already I’ve written articles on the Superfetch feature, but I’ve been holding off writing this until the real named of codenamed “END” and “Piton” were announced.

These are designed to help improve performance, whether you have the hardware requirements or not, you can still use these features regardless. It’s to help make applications load faster, enable Windows to load almost instantly, and rely on Windows to maintain performance and to keep at a stable state over time. Just a quick overview - click a topic to go to that relevant page.

 Windows SuperFetch
The SuperFetch was unofficially found in XP but actually did very little really. It’s a memory management technology which tracks and monitors which applications and files you use on a regular basis, and then pre-empts what you need before you actually load them up, therefore the computer being one step ahead of itself. It then loads into the background a common file which you use so that it’s faster loading when you go to use it. The SuperFetch can be turned off if you don’t want it running (because on slower computers with 512MB RAM can make your system perform slower as it runs as a system service), and SuperFetch is very secure so it won’t compromise your security in any way.

 Windows ReadyBoost (codenamed “EMD”)
This technology uses external memory devices such as USB flash memory, removable storage on SD cards etc. to boost system performance by adding a separate pagefile (a file which the computer uses as if it was RAM, sometimes called “virtual memory”) to that device. Essentially, plug in an external memory device and your computer may run much faster.
Note: only 256MB and above flash drives work. 8MB, 16MB, 32MB, 64MB and 128MB sized drives aren’t supported.

 Windows ReadyDrive (codenamed “Piton”)
This new technology enables new Vista ready computers which have a special hard drive fitted (a mix of standard hard drive with a bit of stable flash memory sector) which enables better management of battery power for notebook computers, and also that hibernation is much faster. This essentially means that you can resume your computer from hibernation almost instantaneously.

Yes, Microsoft have released a preliminary draft of their new great idea, to change the language of Windows Vista to actually adjust better to the user. New users to Windows sometimes get scared by messages like “Unable to delete. Access is denied” which doesn’t have to be that “directly rude”, so they have adjusted things under the new Windows Vista UX (user experience) Guidelines of which guides developers into fitting into the style of Vista. Basically now, they will change some of the messages to “This file has been protected and cannot be deleted without specific permission”.

UX Guidelines implemented in a Network Error in Vista to the left… and standard XP “abuse” on the right

The sidebar has made a few appearances during the beta program. It was first originally put into Windows Longhorn (when it was still in beta and wasn’t called Vista then) but then removed because it wasn’t useful anymore and it was too difficult to cope with. The computer world stopped… we were all horrified. It made its return however in one of the recent builds released to testers of Windows Vista.

The sidebar is an “extended taskbar” of which sits docked at the side of the screen with “gadgets” in. Gadgets are small bits of code, usually written in XML or a simple language of which you can customise your sidebar with many things. The default sidebar has a 3D analogue clock, an RSS feeds aggregator, it also has a search field for searching the web, and it also has a slide-show function. The sidebar also has transparency along with the rest of the desktop, and is smart in the fact that it doesn’t block windows when they are opened; it sits in the background waiting to be used.

 There is a demonstration relating to this article. Click here to view it.

WinFS used to stand for Windows Future Storage, but now is called Windows File System. It is a “true file system” with a compatibility edge that can run on top of the NTFS file system of which Windows Vista needs to have to run. WinFS is similar to “indexing” of which notes down the exact location of every file on the system and makes it easier to search, however WinFS groups different types of files together such as e-mail contacts, Word documents, every type imaginable, then indexes that with keywords.

Update for 24th June 2006
WinFS has been officially decommissioned. There will never be a final WinFS product that will be available for download, instead the product teams are going to salvage what they have and push them into other products instead.

What a topic. WinFX is made up of Avalon and Indigo as well as other bits and bobs, and Avalon and Indigo are in tern both codenames for a new product that is being built. Avalon is the Windows Presentation Foundation and Indigo is the Windows Communication Foundation. Awfully confusing, even for Microsoft folk as I know of a certain individual on the team who refuses to call them anything other than Avalon and Indigo still.

 .NET Framework 3.0 (previously codenamed WinFX) is the main Application Programming Interface (API) in Windows Vista. WinFX is designed to give a new effect in Vista, as well as to give developers better and easier access to the previous and older Windows API. The WinFX Components as it is also known will contain the new .NET Framework 2.0, Windows Presentation Foundation (codename Avalon), Windows Communication Foundation (codename Indigo) as well as the Windows Workflow Foundation.

Update for 24th June 2006
WinFX has now been renamed to .NET Framework 3.0. Although a lot of people will still refer to it as WinFX, the new name will be shortly rolled out to the rest of the site.

 .NET Framework 2.0 is quite a wonderful technology for us developers. It’s a software development platform of which specialises in writing applications faster because you write less code as well as platform independence. .NET is a load of technologies, not just the Framework that are designed to help in fast development of Internet and intranet applications. In effect, it makes a developers life a lot easier because it reduces our code amongst other things.

 Avalon (Windows Presentation Foundation) is the integrated structural design for presenting user interface, documents and media in Windows Vista. It is the engine that powers the new Windows Aero effects, such as the transparency, the window effects and other cool visual features.

 Indigo (Windows Communication Foundation) is a group of .NET based technologies of which builds and maintains computer networks. It provides a whole new wave of infrastructure between computers; clients and servers as well as clients and clients working over the network better and more efficiently. The more advanced Web services support means much more secure, much more reliable networks and systems.

 Windows Workflow Foundation (WinWF, not WWF because that’s for cute little endangered animals like panda’s) is an extensive set of programming tools for building solutions on Windows Vista. Quite hard to explain, and to be honest, I’ve copied it off the first page of the website, but there’s plenty more to learn there if you want to check it out.

Because Windows Vista is still a beta product, not all the wallpapers, sounds and other graphics are not quite in place yet. Say for example the sounds and the wallpapers - we have some very simple basic wallpapers of which will satisfy the beta tester for the time being, until a public beta is available then a lot more wallpapers will be released. In the latest build, 5342, there are some wallpapers there which literally say “placeholder” and the file name of that wallpaper as the image - these are only here because they will be replaced at a later date when the more important bits of the operating system are finished.

At the moment, we see the same with sounds. Because the sounds of Vista haven’t been woven into the operating system, we still here Windows XP sounds. However, this is very much expected to change by the time that Vista becomes a public beta preview in April/May 2006.

Updated for Windows Vista 5365 and above
These placeholders have been filled! That’s right - the pictures have been filled and all the wallpapers have been added to the system. Beta 2 is now graphically complete, however we may see some more wallpapers being added in the near future.

With a beta operating system, you will usually get two formats of the beta product - staged and unstaged. These are the types of installation they have, and they are very different and should be treated differently.

 Unstaged installations are how Windows installs itself previously. You start the setup, enter in your product key and leave it going. The installation copies the files from the CD/DVD onto the hard drive, and then the registry is installed and configured, and then the files are all registered and Windows kicks up. If you will, call an “unstaged installation” a “standard installation”.

 Staged installations are different to unstaged installations. These types of installations are simply images of which directly gets unpacked onto a machine without any of the registry building. Some people call this “ghosting”, but it’s the same thing. It comprises of very basic configuration, and drivers and settings for common hardware types, but always directly comparable to the hardware of which the ghosted staged image was collected from. For example, if the ghosted staged image was created on a 64-bit machine, it could only be installed then on another 64-bit machine. These installations take much lesser time to install and can normally be installed within about 65% of the time of an unstaged installation.

Microsoft announced Windows “Vienna” formerly codenamed “Blackcomb” some time ago just before Windows Vista Beta 1 was released to developers. “Vienna” is to be the next operating system to be released after Windows Vista ships later in 2006.

They told us in a press release statement that “Vienna” will support 32 bit machines, and was expected to be released between 2010 and 2012. So the simple answer is, Microsoft should be writing 32 bit operating systems till about 2012, which means you will only have to worry about upgrading to a 64 bit machine in 2015 when they release the operating system after Windows “Vienna”.

Confusing, I know - but that really is the simplest I can explain it!

As Windows Vista, Windows Server “Longhorn” and Windows Internet Explorer 7 are all beta products, it is difficult to work out what the final system requirements are needed to run them properly. However, from various Microsoft sources, I’m happy to produce a preliminary idea of what you might need on your computer to get either Windows Vista, Windows Server “Longhorn” and Windows Internet Explorer 7 running properly. Also please note, that Windows Vista Starter Edition will be distributed as Windows XP Starter Edition did - to emerging economies and will not be sold in Europe, Australia and North America.

 Windows Vista (Ultimate Edition)
This is the most feature-packed version, this is the maximum of what you should need for anything below Ultimate Edition.
32/64-bit processor, 2.4Ghz minimum AMD or Pentium 4
512MB memory minimum
30GB minimum, anything more than 60GB should be fine.
128MB graphics card minimum, that qualifies for LDDM drivers (see specific manufacturers)
32MB sound card minimum
Monitor that views 1024×768 desktop resolutions at minimum
TV tuner card (optional)

 Windows Vista (Home Basic Edition)
This is the least feature-packed version, this is the minimum of what you should need for anything above Home Basic Edition.
32-bit processor, 2.0Ghz minimum AMD or Pentium 4
512MB memory minimum
30GB minimum, anything more than 60GB should be fine.
128MB graphics card minimum, that qualifies for LDDM drivers (see specific manufacturers)
Onboard sound card minimum
Monitor that views 1024×768 desktop resolutions at minimum

 Windows Server “Longhorn”
This is more difficult as by standard, no Glass is used and also the release date is further away.
32/64-bit processor, 3.0Ghz minimum AMD or Pentium 4, dual core optional
1GB memory minimum
60GB minimum (file servers: 200GB minimum, but replication needed to other servers if any less)
Onboard graphics card minimum (Aero Glass: 128MB graphics card minimum with LDDM drivers)
Onboard sound card
Network capabilities - wireless or Ethernet recommended
Monitor that views 1024×768 desktop resolutions at minimum

 Windows Internet Explorer 7 (for Windows XP SP2/Windows Server 2003 users)
It won’t not install if it’s not up to spec, but it’s recommended that you have a machine the same or better below.
32/64-bit processor, 500Mhz minimum AMD or Pentium 2
Windows XP Home/Professional/Tablet Edition SP2 or Windows Server 2003 Standard/Enterprise/R2
128MB memory minimum
10GB minimum, anything more than 20GB should be fine.
Onboard graphics card minimum
Onboard sound card minimum
Monitor that views 1024×768 desktop resolutions at minimum

DEP (Data Execution Protection) is a software and hardware “layer” of security which prevents certain malware from running bad code to a non-executable memory section of the computer. It also protects against the bad code affecting programs or files from being messed around with and altered whilst they’re being stored in memory. However, DEP in all it’s goodness can sometimes cause problems with programs running such as Virtuozzo and other programs. To stop this:

1. Click on Start , type in cmd in the search bar, hold Ctrl+Shift then press Enter.
2. At the command prompt, type in bcdedit.exe /set {current} nx AlwaysOff
3. You should receive a message saying Operation Completed Successfully
4. Restart your computer; DEP should now be disabled

5466.5.x86fre.winmain.060627-2030
5421.3.x64fre.winmain.060428-1903
5231.6.winmain_idx03.051004-2120

Do any of those make sense? To a lot of people, they don’t and it’s understandable. These are build strings, of which are seen in each build of Windows Vista in the About Windows dialog (Start , Run, type winver then press OK). Here’s how to dissect and understand what the build string means in it’s different sections. Each part of the string’s colour coordinates with the same colour below with the explanation for what that particular bit means.

5472.5.winmain_idx01.060713-1900

Build number - how many “compilations” of the operating system’s different bits from the original build. For example, Vista started out as Windows Server 2003 originally which has a build number of 3790, which means there have been 1,682 compilations since that including build 5472.

Sub-build number - Essentially it means the number of times that the particular build has been compiled. This can be for a number of reasons such as something was missed out, or there was a bug which was obvious and needed to be fixed before release.

Build branch - The main branch of builds. Imagine this - loads of teams working on separate things within Vista, but they all come together as “winmain”. Essentially where the build came from.

Sub-build branch - In this particular build (5472) and most other Vista builds, the idx is a special set of branches which comes off the winmain one - it basically means that it’s reached a quality of which it can be released to testers. Just another extension of where the build actually came from.

The date built - This comes in the format of YY/MM/DD (US standard), which basically means 2006 July 13th.

The time of the build - This comes in international 24-hour clock standard - 19:00 hours (7pm) Redmond time.

The answer is technically yes, but also no. In order to make sure that Vista runs correctly when a new service pack is announced, they have to test future functionality for it. So in Vista 5342 when it says there is Service Pack 0 installed, this is because it has a patch within the operating system to make it think there is - and also to provide the beta team with functionality to test further patches.

Some people have been experiencing difficulties activating their copies of Vista. These might include error codes which relate to Windows Update, or Windows Server Update Services or error codes which actually have nothing to do with activation whatsoever. However, there are a few workarounds which you can try which will help you overcome the 14-day grace period of not activating.

 Workaround 1
   1. Click Start , go to Run and type in services.msc and press OK.
   2. Make sure that the Background Intelligent Transfer Service as well as Windows Activation is running by double clicking on them, selecting Automatic from the startup-type, and click Start if the service is stopped.

 Workaround 2
As with MSDN and technical testers via Microsoft Connect, you can generate up to 10 activation codes. If you get to the end of your 14 day grace period for activation, right click on Computer, select Properties, then change the product key using a newly generated key from the website. Overall, using 10 keys over 14 day periods, you’ll have about 140 days or so to run Vista, of which a new build would have probably been released anyway.

 Workaround 3
You may not have the Windows Activation installed. Install the components by going to Start , Control Panel, Programs, Windows Features, and make sure that the Windows Activation box is checked. Apply and OK, then restart the activation wizard. A restart may be required.

 Some people have noted that Daemon Tools can sometimes cause activation to fail. Check whether Daemon Tools is installed, and try activating after uninstalling and restarting.

The Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor Tool (VUAT) is a new beta program of which helps work out what your general system specification is so that it can determine whether Vista can run on your machine, whether drivers will be available, and which edition will suit you best.

The options that you can select include:

 Strengthen security with Windows Vista
Protect against spyware, worms, and other malware, and also have up to date information on how to protect against vulnerabilities
 Search and organise
Be able to instantly find files on your computer and search from anywhere within the operating system
 Elegant user interface with Windows Aero
More dynamic and realistic views as well as a much more stable, smoother and clear desktop experience
 Work anywhere
Easily detect and connect to wireless hotspots, with Tablet PC input support to write notes anywhere
 Watch and record TV
Record television programs and watch them in other rooms in your home
 Premium photo, music and video experiences
Share media using the Media Center and burn movies and media to DVD’s
 Connect to corporate or campus networks
Easily remotely access other network locations, and have network backups of your computer
 Simplify business
Integrated faxing and scanning abilities, and have full volume encryption to safely secure your data

The download is available for users now from the Microsoft Windows Vista pages. It’s been reported that it cannot run on Windows XP x64 Edition, nor can it run on Windows Server 2003 SP1 - however it does run on Windows XP SP2 as well as Windows Server 2003 R2 (because I’ve tried it) so expect more operating systems supported when the next Upgrade Advisor build is available.

 Download the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor Tool now. 

Any new computer that has the Windows Vista Capable sticker (seen to the right) will be able to run a version of Windows Vista. All the editions available will be able to run the new features such as security, the new searching features and all the other things like family settings and the new version of Windows Internet Explorer. However, the more advanced the edition may require better hardware to run advanced features such as Windows Aero, of which will need a newer graphics card 64MB or above with compatible WDDM drivers.

A Windows Vista Capable PC requires at least:     A modern processor (at least 800MHz)     512 MB of system memory     A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable