Microsoft Windows News
New feature in the Vista Service Pack 1:
The new administrative tool in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 provides is the ability to create a recovery disc. It is the “Windows repair disc”, to repair windows Vista OS. This tool creates merely a slimmed-down Windows installation disc. It takes a normal Windows installation disc image and strips out all the “installation” functionality leaving only the repair tools and common system files.
You can find the tool in the “Start menu” > “All programs” > “Maintenance” > “Create a Recovery Disc”. You will need either a blank CD or DVD along with your original Windows installation disc. It will take approximately 5 minutes to complete.
If you boot this CD/DVD, it will look identical to your Windows installation disc. You will be asked to choose a language and even present you the “Install now” button. If you do decide to go on, you won’t get very far before an error stops you.
To enter the Windows Recovery Environment, click the “Repair your computer” link at the bottom of the welcome screen and select the Windows partition you wish to repair. After this, it will present you with a list of options including startup repair, system restore and command prompt. This is identical to the repair screen you would see in your installation disk. From here, you can even do a literally last-minute backup by sticking in a USB flash drive and copy documents across. Because it runs Windows, most USB drivers are available for windows.
The application in SP1 is
%systemroot%\system32\recdisc.exeSource:
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Vista search functionality:
After Google’s strong opposition about the Vista search functionality and antitrust proceedings with U.S. and state officials Microsoft change some functionality in the Vista’s search system.
Microsoft said it made the changes so that a customer who uses a third-party desktop search product (Google Desktop Search, Copernic Desktop Search etc.) instead of Vista's built-in feature can have "easy and direct access" to those offerings through the Windows user interface.
To know more about the new changes search protocol in Windows Vista SP1 see:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941946/. See the detailed explanation about this:
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Internet Explorer 8 The first beta of Internet Explorer 7 was delivered at the end of July 2005. The first release candidate for IE7 became available in August 2007, almost a year after.
There are absolutely no signs indicating that IE8 has evolved past the alpha phase. But one thing is for sure, Microsoft started building IE8 in January 2007.
Internet Explorer 8 could be made available by the end of 2008, or even in the beginning of 2009. But, the IE team is now closing in to a whole year of unnatural silence.
As per various blog post by Microsoft IE team blog it seems that IE8 appears to be heading for 2009 release.
As per the current status in the browser market Mozilla is getting closer to release Firefox 3.0 (code name Gran Paradiso) and Apple is releasing Safari 3.0 in this month end and Opera is continuing with its version 9.50 alpha and heading for final release soon. And the most competitive party with Microsoft IE, i.e. Netscape is losing its popularity continuously and with its current version of 9.0.
The latest statistics, as of August 2007, reveal that IE accounted for a share of 78.7% of the browser market, Firefox for 14.5%, Safari for 4.7% and Opera for 0.9%. No info about Netscape.
Ok let’s wait and see for a winner among these five players.
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Life of Windows Operating Systems:
Microsoft-imposed deadline for system vendors to cease offering Windows XP on all new OEM machines till June 30, 2008. (But System builders had a longer deadline till January 30, 2009.) Microsoft has extended the OEM and retailer cut-off date for XP to June 30, 2008.
Vendors selling XP Starter Edition on low-cost PCs get a longer reprieve and can sell XP through 2010.
Microsoft will support Windows Vista: Microsoft will provide mainstream support through 2012 and extended support through 2017.
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