Windows Vista Security News

Microsofts plans for post-Windows OS revealed

Vistaman — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:31:50 +0000

Microsoft is incubating a componentized non-Windows operating system known as Midori, which is being architected from the ground up to tackle challenges that Redmond has determined cannot be met by simply evolving its existing technology.

SD Times has viewed internal Microsoft documents that outline Midori’s proposed design, which is Internet-centric and predicated on the prevalence of connected systems. Midori is an offshoot of Microsoft Research’s Singularity operating system, the tools and libraries of which are completely managed code. Midori is designed to run directly on native hardware (x86, x64 and ARM), be hosted on the Windows Hyper-V hypervisor, or even be hosted by a Windows process. Microsoft’s plans for post-Windows OS revealed - Software Development Times On The Web

Most Vista Business Buyers Downgrade To Windows XP

Vistaman — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 11:29:11 +0000

An official at PC maker Hewlett-Packard said the majority of the company’s business customers are downgrading new computers from Windows Vista to Windows XP — raising questions about Microsoft’s Vista sales figures.

PCs downgraded from Vista to XP represent "the majority of business computers we are selling today," said HP marketing manager Jane Bradburn, in an interview this week with Australian tech publication APC. Microsoft officially retired Windows XP on June 30 after seven years on the market. But a loophole in Microsoft’s business software license lets computer users downgrade the Windows Vista operating system on new machines to XP at no additional cost. Most Vista Business Buyers Downgrade To Windows XP, HP Says — Microsoft — InformationWeek

Windows XP SP3 Hits Microsoft’s Automatic Update Service

Vistaman — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 05:57:16 +0000

Microsoft was scheduled to begin pushing out the third and final service pack for its Windows XP operating system to users on Thursday via its automatic update service. Though not a major update, Windows XP SP3 offers numerous enhancements over the current, SP2 version of the OS. It includes all updates issued since Windows XP Service Pack 2 was released in 2004, as well as some new elements.

Among them: a feature called network access protection that’s borrowed from the newer Windows Vista operating system. NAP automatically validates a computer’s health, ensuring that it’s free of bugs and viruses before allowing it access to a network. Windows XP SP3 also includes improved "black hole" router detection — a feature that automatically detects routers that are silently discarding packets. In XP SP3, the feature is turned on by default, according to Microsoft. Windows XP SP3 Hits Microsoft’s Automatic Update Service — Windows XP — InformationWeek

Should Microsoft Throw Away Vista?

Vistaman — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:30:20 +0000

Throw Vista away. That’s what my colleagues at our fellow IDG publication InfoWorld have now argued that Microsoft should do. Give it a dignified resting place, as a stepping-stone OS, and come up with a replacement that’s more sensible for enterprise IT.

There is historical precedent in the consumer OS space for such a move; look at Windows ME and how it became a footnote in Microsoft history. "Microsoft should toss Vista in the trash, as the company did with Windows Millennium eight years ago, then issue a Windows XP Second Edition (as it did with Windows 98 eight years ago) that capitalizes on some of Vista’s key benefits. Then the company should focus on Windows 7, rather than keep trying to push Vista down unwilling customers’ throats. Should Microsoft Throw Away Vista? | Advice and Opinion

Angry Vista users vent over SP1 driver issues

Vistaman — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 13:27:58 +0000

Confused and angry users are blasting Microsoft on its own Vista blog over the requirements for downloading SP1. And an industry analyst feels their pain. Last Tuesday, Microsoft released Vista SP1 to Windows Update, giving most users their first shot at obtaining the service pack.

Previously, only earlier testers, volume licensing customers, and IT professionals and developers who subscribed to TechNet or Microsoft Developer Network had access to SP1. But as it added Vista SP1 to Windows Update, Microsoft also spelled out numerous caveats, telling users that there are as many as eight different reasons why they might not find the update in the Windows Update listing on their PC. Among those reasons: any of 31 language packs, earlier installed versions of SP1, various prerequisite updates, and a number of device drivers. Angry Vista users vent over SP1 driver issues | InfoWorld | News | 2008-03-21 | By Gregg Keizer, Computerworld

Want Vista SP1? Here is what to expect

Vistaman — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:24:39 +0000

When Microsoft released Windows Vista Service Pack 1 to manufacturing on February 4, they promised to make it available for the general public in mid-March. Today they delivered on that promise, making SP1 available to Windows Vista users through Windows Update and as a standalone installer package from the Microsoft Download Center.

I covered most of the features of this service pack in detail in my earlier Vista SP1 FAQ and More Vista SP1 Answers, so I won’t rehash that information here. In this post and its accompanying image gallery, I’ll show you what you can expect from the public release. Want Vista SP1? Here’s what to expect | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

99 Windows Vista Performance Tips and Tweaks

Vistaman — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 11:16:53 +0000

This collection of tips is all about making your PC system perform to its full potential with Microsoft’s newest operating system. Knowing Vista, chances are good that there’s a tip or two in this article that’ll make a world of difference for you and your computer.

Most of the following tips emphasize increasing the responsiveness and speed of Windows Vista, whether on a new computer or an old computer that has migrated from Windows XP to Microsoft’s new operating system. Whether you are looking for desktop performance, quicker boots and shutdowns, better gaming or more battery life for your Vista powered laptop, there’s something in this Performance Tips for Windows Vista Guide from PCSTATS to help. Beginners Guides: 99 Windows Vista Performance Tips and Tweaks - PCSTATS.com

Has Vista lost all credibility?

Vistaman — Tue, 04 Mar 2008 14:07:48 +0000

Even internally, Microsoft couldn’t agree on what the base requirements to run Vista were, but that didn’t stop it from inaccurately promoting the OS as running on some hardware, new email evidence in an ongoing consumer class action suggests. What do the latest revelations mean for the future of Vista?

Ever since Vista was placed on a firm release schedule, Microsoft has adopted a united front when it comes to explaining the multiple flavours (Home Basic, Home Premium, Business, Enterprise and Ultimate). Each had clear benefits and a well-defined set of hardware requirements; consumers could choose the option that met their performance and budgetary needs. To get the souped-up interface known as ‘Aero’, Home Basic wouldn’t be any good, but it still offered some improvements. Has Vista lost all credibility? | APC Magazine

Speed Up Windows Vista

Vistaman — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:15:16 +0000

The flash and polish of Windows Vista seduced you, but so far the glamorous interface is just sucking the life out of your PC. Fear not, this guide has everything you need to turn Vista into the beautiful *and* speedy OS you were dreaming of.

Keep in mind though, that, while these tips can help you speed up Windows and recover hard drive space, you aren’t going to see the sort of speed boost you’d get from upgrading your hardware. If you’re unhappy, for instance, with the speed of Vista on a machine where Windows XP used to scream, these tips will help. But you might want to consider a new graphics card, more RAM and perhaps even a faster processor. Speed Up Windows Vista - Wired How-To Wiki

A Second Shot: Windows Vista SP1

Vistaman — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:11:41 +0000

It’s hard to say the last year has been anything but rough for Microsoft’s Windows division. Although we found Windows Vista favorable upon its launch last year after watching it go through an usually drawn-out development process, such a sentiment hasn’t been shared by Windows users as a whole.

Windows XP proved to be every bit the competition for Vista that Microsoft could ever fear it would be, at the time as when Vista was having its own post-launch pains. It was a bad combination, making for a bad year for Microsoft’s efforts in pushing its first new desktop OS in 5 years. Microsoft was looking to make a solid case for why Vista is a worthwhile successor to XP in a market notorious for a resistance to change, and they failed to do this thanks to a failure in immature technology and an inability to get a consistent and convincing message out. In the year since then you could make the argument that Microsoft’s marketing efforts still haven’t improved, but you would be hard pressed to make the same argument about Vista itself. Since its release an unfortunately large number of bugs and quirks have been discovered in Vista, which has kept Microsoft busy patching them over the year, while to their chagrin many consumers sit on the side watching. AnandTech: A Second Shot: Windows Vista SP1

Recover Files with Shadow Copies on Any Version of Windows Vista

Vistaman — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 06:08:43 +0000

This article was written by our very own whs, one of the most helpful forum members. The "Previous Versions" feature in Windows Vista is a major step forward for users, since it provides some built-in protection against losing important files.

The problem is that the home versions of Vista don’t give you an interface to access them, even though it’s enabled by default! Enter ShadowExplorer, a utility that runs on all versions of Vista and will let you access your "Shadow Copies", which are the internal backup copies of files that Vista stores every so often. Recover Files with Shadow Copies on Any Version of Windows Vista :: the How-To Geek

Windows XP SP3: The improvements are under the hood

Vistaman — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:38:22 +0000

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), just out from Microsoft as Release Candidate 2 (RC2), may not necessarily be worth the download now, but when it’s finally released, it’ll be worth the effort. It won’t make any noticeable cosmetic changes to your operating system, but underneath the hood are several security improvements worth having. In addition, one researcher claims it will slightly boost XP’s speed as well.

Microsoft is using an interesting method to distribute XP SP3. You don’t download it as a separate .exe file — instead, you download a small executable file that, when run, changes your Registry so that Windows Update will download XP SP3. If you are comfortable with editing the Registry, you can instead use a hack to tell your Registry to download SP3. Windows XP SP3: The improvements are under the hood

WGA exploit finder coming, changes made to WGA in Vista SP1

Vistaman — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:36:06 +0000

Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA), Microsoft’s antipiracy feature in Windows, has undergone many changes and has caused many headaches over the years. Once again, the software giant has announced that it will be tweaking WGA. With the release of Service Pack 1, the company will disable the two most common exploits to the product activation technology, the OEM BIOS and Grace Timer exploits.

In SP1, the "Reduced Functionality Mode" has been replaced with a notifications-based mode. This means that systems that are not activated during their grace periods (initial activations as well as those due to hardware changes) or that fail validation, remain functional. After the activation grace period is exceeded, the next logon presents the user with a message that directs the customer to activate that copy of Windows. The dialog includes a 15-second delay before "Activate Later" can be clicked and the user can access their desktop, which now has a black background. WGA exploit finder coming, changes made to WGA in Vista SP1

Illegal copies of Vista targeted in an update next week

Vistaman — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:33:01 +0000

In preparation for the public release of Service Pack 1 in mid-March, Microsoft wants to kill off all of those pesky illegal copies of Vista out there. Next week, the company will send out an update to Vista users that identifies illegal copies installed by two cracks commonly used to activate pirated copies, reports Computerworld.

The story says that the cracks are able to hide from Vista’s counterfeit-detection technology because they spoof installation and thereby sidestep the normal activation sequence.These cracks are said to be blocked in SP1. Microsoft promises that if an illegal copy is identified, the Vista update will notify the user and suggest a solution, although it will not disable the cracks. If a user takes no action after receiving the detection warning, the user will start seeing new warning messages on a black screen. Illegal copies of Vista targeted in an update next week | NetworkWorld.com Community

Microsoft Pulls Buggy Windows Vista SP1 Files

Vistaman — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:30:10 +0000

Microsoft has removed from its software update service a file that’s a prerequisite to installing the first major update to the Windows Vista operating system. The move follows reports from users that the file causes their computers to crash or enter an endless cycle of boots and reboots.

"We made the decision to temporarily suspend automatic distribution of the update," Vista program manager Nick White revealed in a blog post Tuesday. White said that Microsoft needs time "to investigate possible causes" of the bug before it can again make the file — known simply as KB937287 — available through Windows Update. Vista users have in recent days complained about the troublesome file on Microsoft’s online support forum. One user going by the name CH777 reported that his or her computer "reboots and reboots and reboots" as a result of the update. Another, EchoStormFury, complained to Microsoft that "your stupid SP1 pre-updates have destroyed access to my computer." Microsoft Pulls Buggy Windows Vista SP1 Files — Microsoft — InformationWeek

Microsoft posts new Windows XP SP3 build for public download

Vistaman — Tue, 26 Feb 2008 06:26:22 +0000

Two weeks after it last handed a new build of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) to several thousand invitation-only testers, Microsoft Corp. today posted that version for public downloading.

"We’re broadening the availability of the release candidate in order to receive further user feedback prior to the release of Windows XP SP3," a company spokeswoman said in an e-mail Tuesday afternoon. "Windows XP SP3 RC2 will be made publicly available today at 5:00 p.m. Pacific time." On Feb. 7, Microsoft seeded Release Candidate 2 (RC2) with the 15,000 or so testers who had been working with SP3 for several months. At that time, the company said nothing about taking the version public. Microsoft posts new Windows XP SP3 build for public download

Windows Vista Security News

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