The TechNet Australia Blog : Windows 7

Microsoft Celebrates Christmas with Windows 7 Family Pack Limited Pilot in Australia

Deeps — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:25:17 GMT

Microsoft Celebrates Christmas with Windows 7 Family Pack Limited Pilot in Australia

Microsoft is making available limited stock of Family Pack in Australia – entitling consumers to three upgrade licenses for Windows 7 Home Premium for $249 (RRP)

Sydney, Australia, 30 November, 2009 - Microsoft is making Christmas shopping for the family easier this year with a limited pilot of Windows 7 Family Pack beginning 1 December 2009, only while stocks last. The Family Pack provides three licenses for Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade in 32-bit or 64-bit for a recommended retail price (RRP) of AUD$249*.

“We listened to the feedback from our customers and we are very pleased to announce that we are piloting Family Pack in Australia as part of our Christmas offers,” said Jeff Putt, Windows Consumer Lead, Microsoft Australia. “Windows 7 makes it easier for people to do the things they want on their PC, so we’re excited to make it even easier for our customers to upgrade their PC’s at home to Windows 7 by providing this fantastic offer.”

Windows 7 Home Premium provides a great entertainment experience on your PC. Customers will find easier ways to connect to other PCs and devices, all in a visually rich environment that makes everyday use simpler and more engaging.

Glenn O’Neil, Head of Buying and Marketing, Dick Smith Australian and New Zealand said, “Family Pack offers a new level of value and we’re delighted to be part of the limited pilot – we feel our customers will respond well to the offer. Because Family Pack lets you upgrade three home PCs to Windows 7 Home Premium, customers will be able to unlock the easier networking features of Windows 7 and move the family to the latest Microsoft technology, while also getting a great deal.”

With Windows 7 Home Premium you can create a HomeGroup to share all of your favourite photos, videos and music with other PCs running Windows 7. Through HomeGroup, PCs running Windows 7 can automatically identify and connect with each other. Once a HomeGroup is established, sharing devices and media throughout your home is easy. For example, the printer in your study is shared automatically with the other PCs in your home, and digital photos stored on a computer in your family room can be easily accessed from a laptop anywhere in your home.

In addition, Windows 7 Home Premium features advanced window navigation and personalisation with several new improvements to Microsoft Aero® desktop. Finally, customers will benefit from Remote Media Streaming and improved options for different media formats.

Microsoft is also announcing a limited offer for customers who may have already purchased three upgrade licenses to Windows 7 Home Premium prior to 30 November. Eligible customers will qualify for three complimentary Wireless Comfort Desktops, each featuring a wireless keyboard and mouse set. To see if they qualify**, customers should contact Microsoft Customer Service on 13 20 58.

Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade Family Pack will only be available at the following participating Australian retailers, while stocks last: Betta Electrical, Bing Lee, David Jones, Dick Smith, Harvey Norman, JB Hi Fi, Myer, Officeworks, Retravision, The Good Guys, WOW Sight and Sound.

Jeff Putt, Windows Consumer Lead, Microsoft Australia

* Recommended Retail Price. Actual retail price is set by the retailer.

**Acceptable proof of purchase to qualify for the three complimentary Wireless Comfort Desktops will be a single receipt showing the purchase of three Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade licenses in a single transaction or up to three receipts showing the purchase of separate Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade licenses that were transacted on the same credit card. Receipts must be dated prior to November 30, 2009.

System Center and Windows 7

Deeps — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 23:37:56 GMT

In this episode of Brad and Jeff's periodic chats about the management business at Microsoft, they talk about how System Center fits in the constellation of platform and server releases in the fall of 2009.

In part 2, Brad and Jeff talk about all the improvements in System Center Configuration Manager 2007 SP2 and R3 that make deployment and management of Windows 7 clients far more energy efficient and cost effective than ever before.
Also in this episode:

Part 1: Driving Manageability Across Microsoft
Part 3: System Center and Windows Server 2008 R2 (forthcoming)
Part 4: System Center and Microsoft Exchange (forthcoming)

Windows 7 resources

Deeps — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 00:19:38 GMT

Windows 7 was launched last week! We had our launch event at the Australian National Maritime Museum. Media, technology enthusiasts and PC makers were present. There are some amazing looking PC’s running Windows 7 which were on display, my favourite one was the new and amazingly thin Sony Vaio X Series.

For more photos check out the Microsoft Australia Flickr Photostream

You may have already seen some of the ads on TV:

To check out more ads visit the official Windows 7 Australia youtube channel

Here are also some great TechNet Edge videos:
Microsoft Deployment Toolkit - building install media for Windows 7

Windows XP mode for Windows 7

Branch Cache in Windows 7

Check out TechNet Edge for more Windows 7 videos

Some fun facts about Windows 7

More than a billion people around the world use Windows every day, and millions have provided input on what they want to see in an operating system. This feedback was built into the product.
Windows 7 saw the largest beta testing program in the history of the industry, with 8 million testers worldwide.
People from more than 113 countries downloaded the Windows 7 beta.
We conducted more than 16,000 online interviews directly aimed at helping us identity, test and validate scenarios and features for Windows 7.
More than 2,600 customers participated in user research and usability studies for Windows 7.
More than 40,000 hours of Windows 7 usage was logged from external user research field trials (through our Living with Windows program in which users were recruited to provide an understanding of how they use Windows 7).
We received product instrumentation and usage data from millions of PCs in more than 200 countries and regions around the world that help Microsoft Corp. better understand how its customers use its software. Windows 7 includes input from more than a billion user sessions.
More than 600 new feature ideas for Windows 7 were tested through global quantitative research early in the engineering process, helping Microsoft determine the features that best address its customers’ top needs. These features were tested through extensive online research survey fielded in five global markets.
More than 15 million people participated in the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP) —across Windows Vista and Windows 7 prereleases.
Tens of thousands of people have signed up to host a Windows 7 Launch Party, a grassroots gathering of friends and family to show off the product and share their enthusiasm.
Twenty-seven new TV ads were developed for Windows 7 across the U.S., Canada, U.K., France, Germany and Australia.
Weight reduction of new Genesis Windows 7 packaging versus Windows Vista Longform packaging: 56 percent
Percent improvement in Windows 7 Ecometrics score over Windows Vista: 50 percent
There are 50 new fonts in Windows 7.
Number of languages that are available as of October 2009: 34
49 Indian-language fonts are supported in Windows 7.
Wallpaper: 12 backgrounds, seven Windows Aero themes, six character wallpapers, six scenes and unlimited downloads
Windows 7 is available at more than 45,000 retailers around the world.

Windows 7 Twitter’s
MSWindows
MSSpringboard
Windows7AU

Have a look at the Windows 7 Australian Pricing

Deployment Tools, Windows XP to Windows 7 Migration

Deeps — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 02:24:21 GMT

Deployment Tools, Windows XP to Windows 7 Migration

Windows 7 Deployment Technologies

Deeps — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 03:54:51 GMT

Windows 7 Deployment Technologies

Microsoft MVPs review Windows 7 on a HP Mini 2140

Deeps — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 06:16:43 GMT

At TechEd Australia 2009, 2500 attendees were given a HP netbook as part of their admission deal. We asked 2 of the presenters at the event, who are also Windows MVPs, to talk about the netbooks, and why Windows 7 is the best operating system (OS) for netbooks.

Check out the video below

Win $5,000 for a Windows 7 Application idea!

Deeps — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 06:59:29 GMT

There is only four days left in this competition we launched at TechEd.

Got a great idea for a Windows 7 application? Well, this is your chance to win $5,000 to bring it to life.

Come up with an idea for a Windows 7 application that answers the question:
How Windows 7 can change...:

the way I work?
the way my organisation will run? or
my world (in areas of healthcare or education or sustainability)?

Your idea will be judged equally on the following criteria:

Is it unique, inspiring and creative?
Is it achievable? Consider how simple it is to implement and the development time required.
What impact will it have upon the way you work, your organisation and/or your community?

To enter, email your idea, name, address and phone number and original idea to win7idea@microsoft.com. You can also post your idea on the Tech•Ed Australia Facebook page

Be sure to outline how your idea could improve the way you work, how your organisation operates or how it benefits your community. Or discuss your ideas with the community and Microsoft staff. You may get feedback that could help you turn a good idea into a winning one.

The winning idea will remain the intellectual property of its creator. The best ideas may be published on this page and/or at Tech•Ed. You can enter as many ideas as you like. Good luck! Terms and conditions apply.

Get yourself a Windows 7 Hoodie or T-Shirt at TechEd this year

Deeps — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:40:57 GMT

The TechEd 2009 freebies don’t stop at a free netbook with Windows 7 RTM, we are also giving away some funky Windows 7 Hoodies and T-Shirts this year at TechEd 2009. Our resident model Elaine was kind enough to show off the items for us!

What do you need to do?
Easy. You need to be attending TechEd and then promote the newly announced Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial for IT Professionals on Twitter during the conference (8th – 11th September) with the hashtag #auteched. We will be monitoring the Twitter feed and will pick the most creative tweets on the day. We’ll let you know on Twitter if you were picked, then remember to pick up your Hoodie or T-Shirt from the TechNet Pod in the Technology showcase area.

Catch you next week on the Gold Coast!

Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial

Deeps — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 03:10:32 GMT

Many IT pros we talk to have been looking for a way to continue their work with the Release Candidate to test their applications, hardware and deployment strategies with final Windows 7 bits. In response, we have created the Windows 7 Enterprise 90 Day trial edition, available beginning today.

This evaluation version is for IT Professionals who do not yet have access to Windows 7 RTM through one of the following means:

Through a Software Assurance Volume License agreement
Through MSDN and TechNet subscriptions
Through Software Assurance agreements allowing the download of Windows 7 RTM via the Volume Licensing Download Center.

If you do not have access to licenses through one of the above means, this release will provide a means to have the final released code for evaluation and testing. This evaluation release is specifically intended for IT professionals responsible for desktop administration; consumers will be able to purchase Windows 7 on October 22, 2009

A few things to be aware of before you download the Evaluation code from the Springboard Series site on TechNet:

A limited number of licenses are available, so the download will only be available while supplies last.

Following the 90 day evaluation period, IT Pros who wish to continue to use Windows 7 Enterprise will be required to purchase and perform a clean installation of Windows 7, including drivers and applications.
Windows 7 Enterprise Edition 90-Day Trial is the final Released-to-Manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 7 Enterprise Edition. This is the same software that is available to Volume Licensing (VL) through Software Assurance (SA) and is feature-complete.
Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese in both 32 and 64 bit versions.
Activation of Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial is required within 10 days after installation, or the product will shut down every hour. Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial is valid for 90 days after installation. After expiration, your computer will shut down every hour.

If you wish to continue to use Windows 7 Enterprise please note that you will be required to purchase and perform a clean installation of Windows 7, including drivers and applications. Please keep this in mind; Windows 7 Enterprise is not available through retail channels.

For more technical guidance, tips, and tools you can keep up all the general technical information and news by following the Springboard Series blog, becoming a Springboard Insider or by following our Twitter feed @MSspringboard

Get Windows 7 RTM today with a 25% discount for TechNet Plus Direct subscriptions

Deeps — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 03:58:00 GMT

Windows 7 RTM is available now for TechNet Plus Subscribers. If you’re not already a subscriber we are offering a special 25% discount for new TechNet Plus Direct subscriptions.

Normally TechNet Plus Direct would cost $512, but if you subscribe today you will only pay $384 inc GST.

In addition to getting your hands on Windows 7 RTM you will also receive:

Full versions of Microsoft software, without time limits.
Professional Support incidents
A technical information library
Resources for evaluating, deploying, and maintaining Microsoft software

Subscribe today and use the promo code TNWIN7RTM to apply the discount.

Having issues signing up online? You can contact the Customer Service team either through phone (13 20 58) or email tnaus@microsoft.com to place your order

Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 has been Released to Manufacturing

Deeps — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 07:31:46 GMT

Build 7600 is the official build for Windows 7 RTM and its ready! Thanks to those of you who have been involved from the Beta testing period, its been quite a ride!!

This RTM code will be delivered to partners in the next few days so they can start planning their product lines for the General Availability launch on October 22.

We can’t forget Windows Server 2008 R2 which also RTM’d today. Evaluation software will be available in the first half of August and full product available to customers with Software Assurance in the second half of August.

To get your hands on Windows 7 on August 6 make sure you subscribe to TechNet Plus.

Read all about it here.

Update on Windows 7 RTM

Deeps — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 03:26:43 GMT

Here is the latest update from the Windows Team Blog

Posted by Brandon LeBlanc:
I’d like to offer up a little insight into the “Release to Manufacturing” (RTM) for Windows 7.

Over the past week, there have been many rumors surrounding RTM.

We are close, but have not yet signed off on Windows 7. When we RTM you will most certainly hear it here. As we’ve said all along, we will RTM Windows 7 when it’s ready. As previously stated, we expect Windows 7 to RTM in the 2nd half of July.

Windows 7 will be available in many languages from around the world. For us to consider RTM “done”, it requires that all languages be completely finished. So there is a lot of work that needs to take place for us to finalize all languages of Windows 7. We also need to get to a point of “global readiness” with our partners. Our partners being ready for Windows 7 is extremely important to RTM. As Steven Sinofsky mentions in this blog post in May, RTM isn’t a single point in time. It’s the beginning of the next “process” for Windows 7. At RTM our partners begin their final preparations for Windows 7, including testing and building images for new PCs. RTM is essentially the final “stage” of engineering for Windows 7 before it hits the market at General Availability (GA). As Steven notes, engineering continues on Windows 7 from RTM until GA on October 22nd.

Another thing to keep in mind is that when we do a specific build internally of Windows 7 we have an extensive step-by-step validation process to ensure quality. This process takes time. Just because a single build may have “leaked” it does not signal the completion of a milestone such as RTM. As always, don’t believe everything that you read on the Internet - except this post ;-).

Everyone is super excited about this version of Windows. I continue to get a ton of questions about some of the things that happen after we RTM. I would like to answer some of those questions:

Once Windows 7 is complete, how do I get it?

The answer depends on who you are:

MSDN & TechNet Subscribers: Subscribers will be able to download the final version of Windows 7 a few weeks after we announce RTM.
Volume License (VL) Customers: As announced today by Bill Veghte during his WPC09 keynote, Windows 7 will be available to Volume License customers on September 1st.
Consumers, Enthusiasts, & Beta Testers (Everyone else): The retail version of Windows 7 will be available in stores October 22nd. If you pre-ordered Windows 7, it should be delivered sometime around the October 22nd timeframe (depends on the retailer). You can pre-order Windows 7 today through many online retailers like the Microsoft Store.
On New PCs: OEMs are expected to start shipping new PCs with Windows 7 pre-installed on them around October 22nd.

Can I continue to use the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) until I receive the RTM version?

Yes, you can continue to use the RC until it expires on June 1st, 2010 (expiration starts March 1, 2010 – this is when the reboots start – final expiration on June 1). Please note that “in-place” (or direct) upgrades from the Windows 7 RC to RTM will not be supported. You will be required to do a Custom installation (aka “clean install”).

I am a TechNet or MSDN subscriber. Will I get a product key?

MSDN and TechNet subscribers, as well as Volume License customers will have access to product keys (PIDs) when Windows 7 is made available to them. Product keys for Windows 7 RTM will be different than the product keys used for Windows 7 Beta and the release candidate. Windows 7 Beta or RC product keys *will not* work with Windows 7 RTM.

I am using one of the so-called “leaked” builds of Windows 7, how will I know if it is the real deal?

As always, beware of what you download. There are many bogus copies of Windows 7 floating around the Internet. More often than not, they contain a rather nice malware payload. And don’t believe everything you read on the Internet. When Windows 7 hits RTM, it will be announced here. Until that happens, any builds you are likely to see on the web are either not the final bits or are laced with malicious code.

How do I get a 64-bit copy of Windows 7?

The Upgrade and Full packaged retail product of Windows 7 Home Premium, Windows 7 Professional, and Windows 7 Ultimate will come with both 32-bit and 64-bit DVDs. With Windows Vista, the 64-bit version was only available with Windows Vista Ultimate. Due to the incredible adoption of 64-bit today and customer feedback, we decided to change this for Windows 7. Now all copies of Windows 7 in developed markets will ship with both 32-bit and 64-bit DVDs.

I want to emphasize that delivering Windows 7 at the highest quality possible is the biggest criteria we have for hitting RTM. Our top focus is a super high quality release of Windows first and foremost.

Thanks, and check back soon for more Windows 7 news.

Still have questions about Windows 7? Leave your questions below as I have several colleagues here in Redmond waiting to answer any question Windows 7 related you might have.

Free Netbook offer at TechEd Australia 2009

Deeps — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:41:20 GMT

This is big news for those of you who are already or planning to register for TechEd 2009 this year. We are giving each paid delegate an HP 2140 Mini Notebook with Windows 7 pre-installed.

Click here for more details on the offer.

Reminder – Windows 7 Beta Expiration

Deeps — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 03:09:25 GMT

If you still have Windows 7 Beta please install Windows 7 Release Candidate soon! Starting July 1st the Windows 7 Beta will shut down every two hours.

For Beta, bi-hourly shutdowns will begin July 1st, 2009. You will be alerted to install a released version of Windows and your PC will shut down automatically every 2 hours. On August 1st, 2009 if you are still on the Windows 7 Beta your license for the Windows 7 Beta will expire and the non-genuine experience is triggered where your wallpaper is removed and “This copy of Windows is not genuine” will be displayed in the lower right corner above the taskbar.

For the RC, bi-hourly shutdowns will begin on March 1st, 2010. You will be alerted to install a released version of Windows and your PC will shut down automatically every 2 hours. On June 1st, 2010 if you are still on the Windows 7 RC your license for the Windows 7 RC will expire and the non-genuine experience is triggered where your wallpaper is removed and “This copy of Windows is not genuine” will be displayed in the lower right corner above the taskbar.

More info at the Windows Team Blog

Live Meeting - Windows 7 Release Candidate – The Road to RTM – Changes since the Beta

Deeps — Wed, 20 May 2009 07:15:00 GMT

Event Overview
The Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) features several changes and improvements since the Beta release in January. A lot of this was based on feedback we received directly from testers just like you! In this session, Jeff Alexander will take you through the changes in the Release Candidate including changes to the following technologies since the Windows 7 Beta: User Account Control, Bitlocker Drive Encryption, Direct Access, The Windows 7 Taskbar, Jump Lists, Aero Peek and a brand new virtualization feature called XP Mode!

Windows 7 Release Candidate - The Road to RTM - Changes since the Beta
Language(s): English.
Product(s): Windows 7.
Audience(s): IT Manager,IT Professional.
Duration: 90 Minutes
Start Date: Friday, June 12, 2009 11:00 AM Australia (East)

Speaker Details
Jeff Alexander is a IT Pro Evangelist for Microsoft and travels across Australia speaking to customers and partners about the latest technologies. Jeff can be seen speaking at Security events, TechEd and other recognised Industry Tech events. Jeff started as employee number 27 at Microsoft Australia and has been with the company for 21 years. Jeff’s blog is http://blogs.technet.com/jeffa36 and Twitter is http://www.twitter.com/jeffa36

If you have any questions prior to the event Twitter it with the hashtag #win7live

Click here to Register