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In early August, some PC makers were complaining they still didn’t have access to tools they needed to get Windows 7 preloaded on new systems. A month later, system builders — smaller, custom PC makers — still don’t have access to tools like the OEM Preinstallation Kit (OPK). The OPK is designed to allow PC makers to automate the installation and customization of Windows and other Microsoft products on multiple PCs. Microsoft is still telling system builders that they will get the tools they need in time to get Windows 7 to customers this fall. But it sounds like white-box vendors shouldn’t expect more until some time in late September or October. Link - System builders still waiting for Windows 7 tools | All about Microsoft |...

Starting with Windows 7, Windows Installer enables native support for setting properties on shortcuts created during installation or re-installation. The MsiShortcutProperty table can be used to set any property defined by the IPropertyStore interface. Read further - Windows Installer Team Blog : Windows 7 Taskbar support with the MsiShortcutProperty table

Today, another blog joins The Windows Blog family. Previously my Genuine Windows/WGA blog, the new Genuine Windows Blog will feature posts not only from me, but from other genuine Windows team members, genuine Microsoft software partner teams, and other guest bloggers who can shed light on not just the challenges of fighting piracy, but the work that Microsoft is doing to help protect its customers from the risks of counterfeit software. In the meantime, we'd like to add a few links to past blog posts that you might find helpful: Activating Windows 7: A video that outlines the customer experience of product activation and why it's important. Windows Activation Technologies - Activation and Validation in Windows 7: Read more...

The Microsoft Security Response Center have posted advance notification for 5 security bulletins, all affecting Windows, which will be posted Tuesday next, as the September 2009 Bulletin Release. The release can be read here; The Microsoft Security Response Center (MSRC) : September 2009 bulletin Release

Last night, many employees here at Microsoft (including me) received an email from Tami Reller, Chief Financial Officer and Corporate Vice President for the Windows Business Group. Her email invited Microsoft employees to host a Launch Party for Windows 7 – and we’re extending this invitation out to you! These Launch Parties will be a way for everyone to get involved in the excitement of the launch of Windows 7 on October 22nd. You helped make Windows 7, now you can help launch it! These gatherings can are a way for people who are excited about Windows 7 to bring together their friends, families and acquaintances to see the experience the product. They can happen anywhere - at home, in a cafe, at schools, or at other community...

Unpatched and staying that way. Microsoft is butting heads with a company that provides software for database security over a weakness in SQL Server that can expose user passwords to anyone with administrative access to the program. Researchers at San Mateo, California-based Sentrigo warned Wednesday that the "significant vulnerability" is present in the 2000, 2005, and 2008 versions of SQL Server that use the mixed authentication mode, aka the SQL Server and Windows Authentication Mode. While those with administrative privileges typically have the ability to change others' passwords, they should never be able to view those access codes in the clear, they say. Further info - Microsoft rejects call to fix SQL password-exposure risk...

To date, Microsoft’s messaging around Windows 7 has been focused primarily on the consumer market. But starting September 1, the Softies began cranking up the business-focused marketing machine around Windows 7 and a number of other soon-to-be-shipping enterprise products. On September 1, Microsoft made available “while supplies last” a free, 90-day trial version of 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 Enterprise Edition. Enterprise is the business-user-focused release of Windows 7 that will be available to Software Assurance licensees only. (However, the trial is for those without Software Assurance, so if trial participants decide to buy Enterprise Edition, they will need to get Software Assurance to do so.) Those interested in...

2-4-6-8, what will Microsoft eviscerate? The Zune lineup of 4, 8, 16, 80, and 120GB models. All of the current generation Zunes will be discontinued once the Zune HD drops on September 15. All that will be left are two Zune HD models priced at $220 and $290. Full Story: http://arstechnica.com/microsoft/news/2009/09/confirmed-all-current-zunes-are-dead-long-live-the-zune-hd.ars

One day after a security researcher published attack code for a flaw in Microsoft's IIS server software, Microsoft said it plans to patch the issue. Microsoft also released a security advisory describing the problem and detailing technical workarounds that system administrators can implement while they're waiting for a patch. "We’re currently investigating the issue... and working to develop a security update," Microsoft said in a note on its Web site. " This update will be released once it reaches an appropriate level of quality for broad distribution." Read more here - Microsoft to patch IIS bug | Security Central - InfoWorld

CJ Saretto, Senior Program Manager provides an overview of Power Pack 3 features including how it will improve the Windows Home Server experience with Windows 7 and Windows Media Center. Fan Zhang, Development Lead on the Windows Home Server team in China also gave his input on several new features including Backup Warning Suppression, and Windows Search 4. (Keep in mind that Windows 7 is compatible with the current version of Windows Home Server, but Power Pack 3 will offer additional enhancements). It has been just over 1 month since the Power Pack 3 BETA was made available to the public and we have seen great participation. We have received helpful user feedback and the work toward a final release in the end of October is looking...

Today at Nokia World 09, Nokia will be talking more about their upcoming new “mini laptop” the Nokia Booklet 3G which was announced last week.   Nokia has just announced that the Nokia Booklet 3G will ship with Windows 7. The Nokia Booklet 3G comes with built in A-GPS functionality. Because of this, it can take advantage of the Windows Sensor and Location Platform which means your PC and programs can know where they are for “location aware” computing. With built in 3G/HSPA capabilities, it will also utilize Windows 7’s mobile broadband enhancements. The Nokia Booklet 3G + Windows 7 is an exciting combination! The Nokia Booklet 3G brings Nokia’s extensive experience to the PC for a fresh perspective. With the Nokia...

Microsoft has extended its Browser for the Better campaign, which helps fight hunger with a donation of eight meals for every completed download of Internet Explorer 8. In order to encourage the demise of Internet Explorer 6, Microsoft is doubling donations for people who switch from IE6 to IE8: 16 meals donated to Feeding America's network of 206 local food banks, which supplies food to more than 25 million Americans each year. The download of IE8 must be made from the website (a download from Microsoft.com or anywhere else does not count). Article by Emil Protalinski Read more - Microsoft doubles food donations for IE6 to IE8 upgrades - Ars Technica

Microsoft made available for download on September 1 a public test build of the embedded version of its Windows 7 platform — known officially as Windows Embedded Standard 2011 and codenamed “Quebec.” (The Community Technology Preview bits of Embedded Standard 2011 are available on Microsoft’s Connect site.) Windows Embedded Standard is targeted at OEMs and specialized device makers who want to build platforms and applications that use various Windows components. In other words, it is the componentized version of Windows 7. Link - Microsoft delivers test build of Windows 7-based 'Quebec' Embedded OS | All about Microsoft | ZDNet.com

Since Windows Home Server is a new addition to The Windows Blog, we thought it would be a good idea to give everyone a refresh on what exactly Windows Home Server is and what it can do for you. Windows Home Server was designed for households and home-based offices that have more than one personal computer. It was created to help you simplify your digital life, and provide an easy way to access your media and files from any computer, inside or outside your home. The leading benefits of Windows Home Server will help you “Share, Protect, Organize, and Grow” all of your digital content on up to 10 PCs through three basic services. These include automatic PC back-up, restoration ; document and file sharing ; and remote...

Microsoft updates this week will contain code to check for pirated versions of Office XP, Office 2003 and Office 2007. It’s the next phase of the “Office Genuine Advantage” (OGA) program which will throw up a nag screen that says “This copy of Microsoft Office is not genuine” if it finds a pirated version. Theft by software pirates is vast. It was estimated that 41 percent of the software on machines throughout the world in 2008 was pirated – a $50 billion loss to manufacturers and resellers. Link - Sunbelt Blog: Microsoft rolls out next phase of Office Genuine Advantage

    The Windows Home Server team is pleased to announce our move to a new home on The Windows Blog.  With our product growing up we wanted to be closer to family and friends.  As you can see, we now share the street with the Windows 7 Blog,  the Windows Mobile Blog and other extended Windows family members. During the transition, archived Windows Home Server team posts will still be accessible at http://blogs.technet.com/homeserver.  Please add our new blog address to your RSS feed.  http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windowshomeserver/rss.aspx  - Steven More...

Last month we made Windows 7 available to customers with Software Assurance and to MSDN and TechNet Subscribers. Today I am happy to announce two more ways for businesses to get Windows 7 for their deployment and evaluation. Volume License Availability, at a Discount Starting today, businesses can order upgrades to Windows 7 from a Microsoft Volume License Reseller. This option is for businesses that don’t already have Windows Software Assurance and want to upgrade their existing business PCs to Windows 7. There are two editions of Windows 7 available through Volume Licensing: Windows 7 Professional: Designed for small and midsize organizations, Windows 7 Professional provides a PC experience you can count on, helps you...

In just five weeks, you’ll have a bunch of new Windows phones to choose from. But before we show you some of the cool, new phones that will be coming out, I want to explain how we’re trying to make phones even better with Windows. When we started work on Windows phones, we met with people all over the world who were likely to buy a smartphone and talked with them about what’s important to them in their phone. Looking at the U.S. market, for example, we found that about 15 million people in the next year will buy a new smartphone. Of the people we talked to, 74% listed productivity as the top feature they value in their smartphone. We took this feedback to heart, making the user interface more touch friendly and improving...

It's the best of times if you're a lover of operating systems, with the nearly simultaneous release of Apple's Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard" (available right now) and Microsoft's Windows 7 (available Oct. 22). This leads to the inevitable debate: Which is the better operating system, Windows 7 or Snow Leopard? To help determine that, I've put both operating systems through their paces, selected categories for a head-to-head competition, and then chosen a winner in each category. And at the end, I summarize the scorecard. [ Discover the key Mac and Apple tech trends for business users. Read InfoWorld's Technology: Mac newsletter. ] For testing Windows 7, I did a clean install of Windows 7 Ultimate Edition RTM on a Dell Inspiron E1505...