My Two Bits : Windows7

Using XP Mode

Kailash — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 20:30:00 GMT

Recently I had a customer demo to deliver for SharePoint 2007. I had the VM checked out and needed to set it up the evening before the demo. So I fired up my virtual PC app. Surprise, surprise! Windows 7 does not support VPC! Panic mode sets in and I’ve got all pistons firing – how do I recover this for the demo tomorrow at 11?

Move to Windows Server 2008 w/HyperV?
Move to XP? or Vista?
XP Mode?!

What I’d discovered was that XP Mode is actually a VPC like app running a VM with XP preinstalled. So I figured that if I could get that to run, I’d be able to fire up a VHD I had. (instructions on how to get it running)

So I download the requisite files from microsoft.com and they install fine. Now comes the moment of truth. Double click. Configuration screen. Pass. Error message!? – Need to enable hardware virtualization. OK, fine, no trouble.

Downloaded the Intel utility to check my hardware. Test results came out ok. Went into BIOS and enabled the Virtualization Technology. Back to Windows and double click – same error! And so I sat there dumbfounded. Fiddled with it for the next 3 hours and finally decided to reread the instructions.

Enable Virtualization Tech and then Shutdown machine, disconnect from power for 10 seconds. – that’s the gist of what I’d missed. Did that and VT was up and running! Double click to see the beautiful sight of the VM booting up.

Windows 7 tips

Kailash — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 13:51:17 GMT

Hi, I got a request to have the shortcuts info in a tabular form. While looking for an easy way out, I came across these tips on technet:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/dd451022.aspx

Windows 7 beta 1 Tips

Lock Down Unauthorized Applications with the Built-In AppLocker Tool
With Windows 7, it's easy to head off potential problems by preventing users from running unauthorized programs and scripts. Find out how.
Perform Multithreaded File Copies with Robocopy in Windows 7
The version of Robocopy included with Windows 7 offers a new switch for performing multi-threaded copies. Here's what you need to know.
Set Different Default Printers for Different Locations
If you use your laptop in more than one location, Windows 7 will let you set a different default printer for each network that you access. Find out how to do this.
Troubleshoot Power Management Settings in Windows 7
Discover a new command line switch in Windows 7 for easily analyzing and troubleshooting power management settings.
Use a USB Key to Install Windows 7—Even on a Netbook
Using a USB key to install Windows 7 makes the process faster and more flexible. Here's all you need to know to do this.
New Ways to Maintain your PC and Solve Common Problems on Windows
Windows 7 offers new ways to manage your system and troubleshoot common problems. Learn about two new components that can help you keep your system running smoothly with less effort.
Use Windows PowerShell 2.0 to Get Reliability Data from Remote PCs
Learn how you can use Windows PowerShell 2.0 to gather system stability and reliability data from remote computers running Windows 7.
Install Windows 7 Alongside Windows Vista for a Dual Boot System
Are you hesitant to install the Windows 7 beta on your system? It's actually quite easy to prep your Windows Vista system to dual boot both operating systems--and all the tools you need are readily available in Windows Vista. Find out how.
Turn Off Security Messages and Other System Notifications in Windows 7
Windows 7 allows you to turn off the various system messages and notifications that pop up on the Taskbar. Find out how.
Use Windows 7 to Manage Windows Server 2008 R2 Servers
Did you know you can use Windows 7 beta 1 to manage your Windows Server 2008 servers? Here's the download you'll need and an overview of the tools it includes.
Encrypt Removable USB Drives with BitLocker To Go on Windows 7
With Windows 7, you can easily protect the data stored on removeable drives. See how BitLocker To Go allows you to keep USB drives more secure.
Prepare and Service Windows Images Using the New DISM Tool
Discover how you can service Windows images and prepare Windows PE images with the new Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM) command line tool available with Windows 7.
New User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) Features for Windows 7
Here is an overview of the new features you can use in the User State Migration Toolkit (USMT) to simplify migration to Windows 7.
Easier Troubleshooting Support with Problem Step Recorder
Discover how the new Problem Steps Recorder can help you troubleshoot problems on remote systems by letting you see exactly what actions are taking place on the system.
Shrink and Simplify OS Images with Dynamic Driver Provisioning
Find out how Dynamic Driver Provisioning in Windows 7 can help you reduce the size of images and simplify image managament by reducing the number of images you maintain,
Shake Windows off Your Desktop
Need to quickly clean up your cluttered desktop by minimizing all windows but the one you're working in. Here's a simple but handy trick to do this.
Pin Files, Folders, and Favorites to the Taskbar in Windows 7 beta 1
You can pin files and resources to the Taskbar for easy access to the documents you use most often. Find out how.
Burn a Disc Image from an ISO or IMG file in Windows 7
Windows 7 beta 1 introduces the built-in ability to burn discs directly from ISO and IMG files. Find out how you can easily burn ISO and IMG files to disc.
Work Faster with New Hotkey Keyboard Shortcuts in Windows 7 beta 1
Windows 7 beta 1 includes new keyboard shortcuts that allow you to navigate and manage the Windows workspace more efficiently. Here are 10 shortcuts you should know.

Windows 7 Shortcuts

Kailash — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 00:47:57 GMT

Table of Shortcuts

We don’t expect these to change, but look at Windows Help for more info! :)

Day 2 with Windows 7

Kailash — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 20:47:00 GMT

Ok, so I noticed the box around running apps. Subtle, but cool – I guess since I was confused, I was paying attention. I haven’t noted any other blogs or reviews on this.

So, how am I feeling?

I like the libraries feature. What is it? Simply, I can organize and arrange my folders as I like them on the disk. Then if there are some key folders I use often, I can drag them into Libraries and have them 2 clicks away, without upsetting their locations.

I’ve not tried nesting them, but I think this should work. – ok I tried it and it doesn’t. Don’t have a use for it yet, but I’m sure I’ll think one up!

Taskbar – I’m liking it a lot! When I mouse over the open apps in Taskbar, I get previews like I used to in Vista, but when I hover over the previews, I get a full-page view without switching apps! Which is awesome, because then it’s easy to reference info or glance at something and then back to whatever you’re doing.

Also, having live writer on the task bar, I’m encouraged to blog a bit more. We’ll know the impact of this after a while. I’m trying to post more and have to keep reminding myself.

Screen dimming – this is awesome! I love it. So here’s the thing. If I leave my computer for a while the screen dims to conserve power. As soon as I touch a key or move the mouse, it restores to the original brightness. Way to go! Imagine this happening across the world! We’d save a ton of energy.

Hmm… I have a few issues with my screen resolution. I’ve got a Compaq nc8430 with ATI Radeon graphics card. When I switch it to the highest res, 1680 x blah..

erm.. I tried it out and it worked again! Wow.. things are getting fixed as I write!!! :D

In any case I filled out a report (click on send feedback on the top right of almost every window!) and sent it out. We’ll see. But hey my issues are getting fixed – which is awesome..

I upgraded my Vista to Windows 7 on impulse and compared to the hassle with upgrading to Vista (updating ROM – I was one of the very first and issues with drivers) this has been a very smooth transition. All my apps seem to be working great – no hangs. Except SKYPE. I get a warning saying that Windows 7 has compatibility issues with Skype. It’s up and running at the moment and the chats seem to be going thru. Will write more about this another time.

Good day!