vista

One of the most visible changes in Windows 7 is that the User Account Control (UAC) system has been made less irritating than with Vista. However, a security firm says that less hassle comes with a price. The UAC system, which debuted in Vista, ... means that once installed, software is not automatically able to run without restraint. Instead, when it wants to perform an action which will change Windows itself, a pop-up box asks the user for permission. The user must be logged in under an administrator account to give this permission. Vista Users: UAC Most Annoying The idea was to put a block on ... (view more)

One of the most anticipated aspects of the forthcoming Windows 7 will be its security features . According to Andrew Storms, director of security operations of nCircle Network Security, three specific security facets are the hot items to look for ... when first experimenting with Windows 7, due to be released tomorrow. More Secure, Less Bothersome The first new security improvement can be seen in the presentation of security measures. With Vista, people were always being asked to review their decisions via an "are you sure?" window request. With Windows 7, the user controls the extent with which ... (view more)

Although prominent tech research firm Gartner recently reported that Windows 7 is "not a major architectural release," it suggests the imminent expiry of Windows XP should push most businesses to upgrade to the new operating system (OS) within the ... next two years. In an October 13th presentation discussing the impact of Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 (due for release October 22nd), research firm Gartner remarked that Windows 7 is "not a major architectural release," but instead more of an improvement "on top of Windows Vista's architectural changes." In other words, Windows 7 will not ... (view more)

According to a new study, almost 9 out of 10 PCs currently used by businesses are capable of running Windows 7. That's almost double the equivalent proportion when Vista launched. The figures come from IT assessment firm Softchoice. Rather than ... conduct an opinion poll, it gathered the information from the actual set-ups of 248 clients with a total of more than 450,000 Windows computers. The research found that 88 per cent of the computers met the minimum specifications for running Windows 7. That compares with a similar study the firm carried out on Vista's release which found just 50 per ... (view more)

Microsoft is taking a two-pronged approach to making sure customers know which hardware and software is compatible with Windows 7. It's launching a database of compatible products as well as running a special labeling scheme. The campaign is mostly ... aimed at making up for the Vista debacle, where many applications and devices had compatibility problems when the OS first launched in early 2007, creating a bad impression that lasted even after many of those problems were fixed. The firm will be anxious to ensure customers do not view Windows 7 in the same manner. Windows 7 Compatibility Center ... (view more)

Microsoft is scrambling this morning to find and release a fix for a newly discovered flaw that could end in the unraveling of a new and possibly devastating Windows worm. According to reports breaking late last night, hackers have made known the ... release of a new attack code capable of exploiting a bug in the Windows operating system (OS). The weakness has been public knowledge since the beginning of September, but until this week no one seemed to be taking advantage. That has changed now that Harmony Security Senior Researcher Stephen Fewer has developed an attack that allows a hacker to run ... (view more)

Microsoft has been cleared of wrong-doing by Russia's federal anti-monopoly service, FAS. It was announced yesterday that the investigation into the Redmond-based company had been closed, with the software giant found not guilty of any violations in ... the way it distributed and marketed Windows XP. The FAS investigation began earlier this summer, with the Russian body announcing that it suspected Microsoft of several antitrust violations in relation to the supply and pricing of the Windows XP operating system (OS). FAS felt that Microsoft might have broken the law when it discontinued the ... (view more)

Vista Services Optimizer By default, Windows Vista (out of the box) runs very slow on a new PC. To optimize Vista, you can disable unwanted Windows Vista services, reduce CPU usage and save system memory using Vista Services Optimizer. ... http://smartpcutilities.com Search Select Select text in a document or website and then search for it with favorite search engine using CTRL + SHIFT + C. No more having to copy the text, open a web browser, go to Google (or similar), paste text into search box, and hit enter. Just highlight and press a key combo. Easy! Switch search engines with a click of the ... (view more)

Iso Disk Mount and create ISO disk images with this handy little tool. ISODisk is a free and powerful ISO disk image file utility that allows you to create up to 20 virtual CD/DVD drives. With it you can mount an .ISO disk image and access the files ... contained within the ISO image as if it were burned to CD or DVD. http://www.isodisk.com Mute Vista Do you find it annoying that Vista only lets you mute individual apps? If that's your dilemma then check out Mute Vista, is a simple VB.NET program to mute or un-mute the entire operating system. Click the 'freeware' link near top of the page, then ... (view more)

A senior Microsoft figure recently made the statement that the success of Windows 7 could lead critics to change their minds about 'ol Vista. But a major newspaper is predicting Vista's unpopularity means the upgrade process to Windows 7 will be ... "frustrating, tedious and labor-intensive" for many. Steve Guggenheimer is Microsoft's vice president in charge of OEM, meaning he oversees the way the company's products are pre-installed by computer manufacturers. In an interview with ChannelWeb, he argued that once Windows 7 is released in October, people will realize that Vista had its strong ... (view more)