Scooopy – Scoops about Gadget, Mobile & Technology
Posts tagged Microsoft
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta is now Available
Aug 4th
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta includes previous updates delivered over Windows Update as well as continuing incremental updates to the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 platforms.
Overview
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta helps keep your PCs and servers on the latest support level, provides ongoing improvements to the Windows Operating System (OS), by including previous updates delivered over Windows Update as well as continuing incremental updates to the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 platforms based on customer and partner feedback, and is easy for organizations to deploy a single set of updates.
Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta will help you:
In order to download and install the Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta you must currently have a Release to Manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 already installed.
To learn more about piloting, deploying and managing Windows 7, visit the Springboard Series on TechNet.
To learn more about SP1 Beta and Windows Server 2008 R2, visit the SP1 Details Page.
*Windows 7 Minimum System Requirements:
- 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
- 1 GB of RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
- 16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
- DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
- DVD-compatible drive
- Internet access (fees may apply)
Note: Some product features of Windows 7, such as the ability to watch and record live TV, BitLocker, or navigation through the use of “touch,” may require advanced or additional hardware. Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM and 15 GB of available disk space.
Each version is available in these languages: English, French, German, Japanese and Spanish.
For More Details
The Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Betas are concurrent releases that are in a single download for a more streamlined and cost effective deployment. Businesses can begin realizing the advancements of the Windows Server platform for virtualization through two key features: Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX.
- Read the Windows Server 2008 R2 Technical Whitepaper for a technical overview of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta release features and benefits.
- Download the Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta Reviewer’s Guide to evaluate the core features of Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta release in your environment.
Download SP1 Beta Software
The Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Beta is a joint release for both Windows Server 2008 R2 and Windows 7. SP1 Beta for Windows Server 2008 R2 includes previously released updates and delivers a number of powerful new features for virtualization and Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI): Dynamic Memory and RemoteFX.
By registering for the Service Pack 1 Beta, you will receive updates on new builds and beta expiration dates. You are encouraged to register but if you wish, you can opt out of registration and proceed directly to the download. If you choose to opt-out of registration, you will not be contacted further. To opt-out, please proceed to the download.
Free MS Press Book – First Look Microsoft Office 2010
Apr 1st
For a limited time you can download this free E-Book First Look: Microsoft Office 2010 without stepping through any registration.
First Look: Microsoft Office 2010, by Katherine Murray, offers 14 chapters of early content, organized like so:
Part I, “Envision the Possibilities,” introduces you to the changes in Office 2010 and shows you how you can make the most of the new features to fit the way you work today. Chapter 1, “Welcome to Office 2010,” gives you a play-by-play introduction to new features; Chapter 2, “Express Yourself Effectively and Efficiently,” details the great feature enhancements and visual effects throughout the applications; and Chapter 3, “Work Anywhere with Office 2010,” explores the flexibility factor by presenting a set of scenarios that enable users to complete their work no matter where their path takes them.
Part II, “Hit the Ground Running,” focuses on each of the Office 2010 applications in turn, spotlighting the key new features and showing how they relate to the whole. These chapters provide a how-to guide for many of the top features you’re likely to use right off the bat, and they offer inspiring ideas on how to get the most from your favorite applications.
Part III, “Next Steps with Office 2010,” zooms up to the big picture and provides examples to help you think through interoperability. How often do you use the various Office applications together? Customer research shows that people often don’t realize how well the applications work together as a complete system—which means they might be laboring over items they could easily incorporate from somewhere else. This part of the book provides examples for integrating the applications and explores Office 2010 security and training opportunities, as well.
You can First Look: Microsoft Office 2010 Download here.
Microsoft SharePoint 2010 to Launch May 12th 2010
Mar 10th
It’s official! In a blog post today, Arpan Shah officially announced that May 12th, 2010, is the launch date for SharePoint 2010.
You’re invited to virtually join us on May 12th at 11am EST to listen to Stephen Elop, President of the Microsoft Business Division, announce the launch.
You can register for the launch event at: http://sharepoint.microsoft.com/businessproductivity/proof/pages/2010-launch-events.aspx.
Watch Stephen Elop, President of the Microsoft Business Division, announce the launch of Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 on May 12, 2010 at 11 a.m. EST. The live keynote focuses on the next wave of productivity that delivers:
- End user productivity across the PC, phone and browser
- IT choice and flexibility
- A platform for developers to build innovative solutions
Join the virtual launch event with Microsoft executives, product developers, partners and customers to:
- Find out how peers and partners are already seeing benefits to their business by leveraging the next wave of productivity.
- Submit your questions through live Q&A.
- Participate via blogs, tweets, social media networks, commenting, and more.
View on-demand breakout sessions showing how Office 2010 and SharePoint 2010 meet the unique challenges people and businesses are faced with today, and provide the solutions they need for tomorrow.
Using System Imaging and Restoral on Windows 7
Dec 5th
One of the claims of Windows 7 is making your everyday tasks easier. One of the areas that Microsoft has made much simpler to use is the backup feature in the OS itself.
For anyone who has ever lost data due a hard drive or computer crash and did not have a backup system in place, I am one of these folks myself, then you know how important that backup process is. Especially if it was your significant others computer and it resulted in the loss of irreplaceable files. Again, I am raising my hand right here!
Today I use Windows Home Server to back up my home computers and it takes care of business. However, not everyone has a Windows Home Server and may be looking for a different method of backing up those critical files on your home PC’s.
One way included in Windows 7 is the Backup Applet in the Control Panel. There are two types of backups available to you. The first is your file by file back up process which you can set to incrementally back up your system each day, week, month etc.
The second one is what I am going to cover today and that is creating a System Image of your Windows 7 installation that can be restored in case of a catastrophic failure of your hard drive which has Windows installed on it.
The process is quite simple, only has a few steps and takes about 30 minutes or so. I base that 30 minutes on my system which backed up 69GB to my extra internal hard drive. Your mileage will vary based on the size of your installation and whether you back up to hard drive or DVD (lots of DVD’s). I recommend an external or spare internal hard drive.
So to get started you need to bring up the backup/restore applet in the control panel which is located at Control Panel>System and Security>Backup and Restore. Easy way to get there is via the Start Menu search bar and just type in Backup.
Select the Create System Image link.
Select the media you want to store your back up on.
Once selected it summarizes what will be backed up. Start the back up.
System Image in the process of being created.
Once the image is created you will be prompted to create a system repair disc that will allow you to restore your system image as well as a few other things top repair your system.
Select the drive to use for creating your repair disc. Notice no hard drive options – that is on purpose.
System repair disc being created.
Final dialog showing the disc is created. Label it and store it in a safe place and hope you never have to pull it out 
There ya go – just a handful of steps to have a solid system image of your computer in case of a system crash. I think this process in combination with a daily file based back up will keep your data safe.
Windows 7 and Federated Search
Dec 1st
Back in February 2009, Brandon Paddock and Alwin Vyhmeister authored the Windows 7 Federated Search Provider Implementer’s Guide and described federated search as follows:
Federated search enables users to search remote data sources from within Windows Explorer. Remote data sources make themselves searchable with a simple web front end that exposes their search capabilities.
Windows® 7 introduces support for search federation to remote data stores using OpenSearch technologies that enable users to access and interact with their remote data from within Windows Explorer.
Imagine being able to open Windows Explorer on your PC and search popular sites directly from there. Instead of opening a browser window, going to a site, finding the search box, entering your search words and getting your results you would just open Windows Explorer and search right there using the search connector for that site.
What are the benefits of this method compared to the normal search methods? We will let Brandon and Alwin answer that:
The benefit of integrating your data source with Windows Explorer is that users can get at all of their information by using the already familiar Windows Explorer user interface. Your users will be able to see files from your remote data source just as they would local files, with the right application icons and context menus. They can preview documents or web pages, see thumbnails of images, and drag and drop a file directly to the desktop or into an email.
We are not sure about you but that sounds pretty handy to us.
We did some digging online and found several search connectors that are already built – all you have to do is install them on your Windows 7 system and you will have access to them in your Searches folder in Windows Explorer.
