November 20, 2009 - Windows 7 Updates

It’s interesting to see that bug fixes, patches and updates are available so early after official RTM of Windows 7. These updates may also been slipstreamed directly by OEM computer manufacturers into factory-installed PCs and branded OEM DVDs when computer with Windows 7 preinstalled are shipped. It looks like Windows 7 SP1 (Service Pack 1) should come soon rather than later.

Note: BuildLab and BuildLabEx can be checked at HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion registry branch.

Users who interested to download and install these updates can download using the download links below.

Windows 7 Updates (32-bit x86 MSU packages): Win7Updates_x86.zip
Windows 7 Updates (64-bit x64 MSU packages): Win7Updates_x64.zip
Windows 7 Updates (All 32-bit and 64-bit MSU packages): Win7Updates.zip

October 22, 2009 - Windows 7 Released to the World!

Ruggiero AV Services is now fully supporting Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows 7, as pre-load on any new computers we build.  We still have some stock of Windows Vista, and can support Home Premim and Business versions.  As for Windows 7, we will load Windows Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate, as requested.  Windows XP users cannot easily upgrade to Windows XP, without doing a clean install; to that end, we can offer customers OEM licenses of Windows 7 with new PCs or with computers less than 6 months old.  Call or e-mail us for details.

March 13, 2009 - Windows 7 Beta/RC1 in Testing Phase
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/
It has been a year since this page has been updated, and while Ruggiero AV Services continues to support Windows XP, and Vista as installed on our own computers (and in some cases those of third-party OEMs), we are also looking at the forthcoming release of Microsoft's next operating system.  On the heels of Vista, Windows 7 promises to be an OS that consumers really do want and need based on the feedback from users of Vista, as well as XP. Some of the "improvements" we have noted thus far with the Beta and RC include the following:

• Modest system requirements as compared to Vista, although the final requirements are most likely going to be in line with what Vista requires now.

• Faster installation, startup and display of "first desktop" than with Vista, even on a modest system.  Installation of applications is also faster than on Vista.

• User Account Control is not as intrusive if you are making changes on your own system, and the notifications can actually be set on a more granular level

• Unscientific measurement of resource and memory management has shown Windows 7 Betas and the RC to be better on the same hardware than Vista

 We will report here with additional findings of the beta and RC versions, which obviously may change before the final released code. 

March 4, 2009 - Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RC is now available.  You must have a genuine copy of Windows Vista with SP1 installed in order to use the RC.  From Microsoft:

• Windows Server 2008/Windows Vista SP2 is applicable and recommended to individuals, organizations, and technical enthusiasts who are comfortable evaluating pre-release software
• This pre-release software is provided for testing purposes only
• We do not recommend installing this software on primary, production or mission critical systems
• We recommend that you have a backup of your data prior to installing any pre-release software
• If “vLite” was used to customize your Windows Vista installation, you may have removed required system components which prevent Service Pack 2 from installing; if you wish to install SP2, a reinstall of SP1 without vLite is recommended

Five Language SP2 Standalone: for computers with one or more of the following five languages: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish only (other languages installed on your computer will not work).

• ISO for Windows Server 2008 x86/x64/ia64 and Windows Vista x86/x64

• x86 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x86

• x64  for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x64

• IA64 for Windows Server 2008 ia64

All Language SP2 Standalone: for computers with any of the 36 supported Windows Server 2008/Windows Vista languages.

Windows Update installation of SP2 for Windows Server 2008 x86/x64/ia64 and   Windows Vista x86/x64

• ISO for Windows Server 2008 x86/x64/ia64 and Windows Vista x86/x64

• x86 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x86

• x64   for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x64

• IA64 for Windows Server 2008 ia64

March 2008 - Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is now available!
Windows Vista SP1 is now available from Windows Update and via Standalone Installer from the Microsoft Download Center.
All systems preloaded with Windows Vista will now ship with Windows Vista Service Pack 1 already installed.
The links below are provided to update a pre-SP1 System.

• DOWNLOAD WINDOWS VISTA SP1 STANDALONE - 5 LANGUAGE VERSION

• Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is not available for installation from Windows Update and is not offered by Automatic Updates

• Overview of Windows Vista SP1

October 25, 2007 - Updates for Windows Vista:
Install this update to resolve an issue where Omniquad Firall and TT Firewall Version 2.0.3 fail to install on systems running Windows Vista.
Update for Windows Vista (KB942089) 
Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB942089)

Install this update to resolve an issue where an indexing service query, using a LIKE predicate, returns an incorrect result on a system running Windows Vista.
Update for Windows Vista (KB940069)
Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB940069) 

Install this update to resolve an issue where a duplicate or incorrect date is displayed on the Windows Vista Sidebar Calendar gadget.
Update for Windows Vista (KB943544)
Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB943544)

Install this update to resolve an issue where connecting to a non-UNC (Uniform Naming Convention) printer fails on a system running Windows Vista.
Update for Windows Vista (KB941542)
Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB941542)

Install this update to resolve an issue where the computer continually restarts with Microsoft Windows Pre-installation Environment (Windows PE) 2.0 on an AMD Barcelona processor, and the Operating System Capabilities ( _OSC ) method enabled in the BIOS.
Update for Windows Vista (KB942813)
Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB942813)

Install this update to resolve suspend and resume issues on Windows Vista systems configured with a digital cable tuner.
Update for Windows Media Center for Windows Vista (KB938929)
Update for Windows Media Center for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB938929)

Install this update to resolve suspend and resume issues on Windows Vista systems configured with a digital cable tuner.
Update for Windows Media Center for Windows Vista (KB927084) 
Update for Windows Media Center for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems (KB927084) 

An update is available that improves the compatibility, reliability, and stability of Windows Vista

• KB941649 - Read the MSKB article and download the update now
  Note: This package has been updated to version 2. An issue was identified in which certain computers that have specific combinations of older AHCI USB chipsets and CD or DVD drives that use the Serial ATA interconnection bus may not start after the installation of the original version of this package. Version 2 of this package has removed the fix that caused this problem. If you are using a computer that experienced this issue, you can restart the computer by using a bootable Windows Vista DVD and by selecting the Repair/System Recovery options. If your computer has already installed the original version of this update and has successfully restarted, you do not have to install version 2 of this update.

October 23, 2007 - Device Driver Updates causing Vista to Deactivate:
By James Bannan, APCMag.com -- After weeks of [grueling] troubleshooting, I've finally had it confirmed by Microsoft Australia and USA -- something as small as swapping the video card or updating a device driver can trigger a total Vista deactivation  . . . READ MORE

Setember, 2007 - Windows Vista SP1 Beta:
A pre-release version of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 was released to Beta testers in early September, 2007.  It is expected to RTM in the first quarter of 2008.  A full description of Windows Vista SP1 can be viewed in this white paper.

August 7, 2007 - Performance and Reliability Updates Released (pre-SP1):

• KB938194: An update is available that improves the compatibility and reliability of Windows Vista
• KB938979: An update is available that improves the performance and reliability of Windows Vista

Windows Media Player 11 and Internet Explorer 7:
When you attempt to play streaming audio or video files from the Internet, and Windows Media Player is set as your default media player, Internet Explorer 7 may display an error page, indicate that the file may be corrupted, or otherwise fail to launch Windows Media Player.  The solution is to explicitly select Windows Media Player as default by using Windows Vista's Default Programs Control Panel:

• Click the START orb, and click DEFAULT PROGRAMS

• Click SET PROGRAM ACCESS AND COMPUTER DEFAULTS - if you get prompted from User Account Control, click CONTINUE.

• Double-click the CUSTOM configuration.

• Under choose a default media player, click the option for Windows Media Player.

• Click OK, then close the DEFAULT PROGRAMS window.
  

Wireless Connection Problems:
Mobile (notebook) computers preloaded with Windows Vista may have difficulty connecting with certain wireless routers or access points.  These problems are more common when the notebook is running on battery power, due to the way Windows Vista handles wireless adapter power management.  Read the following MSKB article for details: 
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928152
In addition to the steps listed in the article linked above, routers and access point firmware, as well as wireless network card drivers may be updated to support the new power management specifications.  Contact your specific router manufacturer for information on these updates.

The Many Flavors of Vista

Windows XP-based PCs purchased or built within the last 6 months have a good chance of properly running Windows Vista, especially if the PC features a Windows Vista Capable label.   The presence of the label ensures that the current PC meets minimum to basic requirements for Vista.  Additional hardware may need to be added to enjoy some of Vista's higher-end graphics features, like the Aero desktop interface and Flip3D.  A Vista Capable PC includes at least:

• A modern processor in the Intel or AMD Family, running at 800mhz or higher
• 512MB of system memory
• A DirectX 9 capable graphics processor
  
  

If the computer has a Windows Vista Premium Ready label, that means the computer can handle the new graphics features in Vista.  Features available in specific editions of Vista, such as watching and recording TV, might require additional hardware, unless your Vista Premium Ready PC already includes a TV tuner card, or the system came preloaded with Windows XP Media Center Edition.  A Vista Premium Ready PC includes:

• 1ghz 32bit or 64bit x86 processor in AMD or Intel Family
• 1GB of system memory
• Support for DirectX 9 Graphics including Pixel Shader 2.0, 32 bits per pixel, with 128MB minimum graphics memory
• DVD-ROM drive
• Audio Output
• Internet Access Capability

When the final Vista code was evaluated by Ruggiero AV Services, Microsoft's system requirements were pretty much on par with our experiences, although we have modified Microsoft's requirements to come up with our ideal configuration, which is stated below. 

• 2ghz or higher 32bit or 64bit x86 processor in AMD or Intel Family
• 2GB of system memory, especially if you plan to install Vista Ultimate and / or use Aero Glass.
• A high quality power supply, at least 450 watts.
• Support for DirectX 9 Graphics including Pixel Shader 2.0, 32 bits per pixel, with at least 256MB graphics memory (Some system RAM is used for Aero, even if your video card has dedicated RAM)
• DVD-ROM drive (Vista also supports DVD burning, and a DVD burner is recommended)
• Audio Output (most AC97 onboard audio chipsets are supported; dedicated PCI or USB audio device is recommended.
• Broadband Internet Access Capability

This configuration should yield an average WinSAT score of 4 or higher.  Click the link to learn about the Windows System Assessment tool built in to Vista (courtesy of Wikipedia), or click to read about the Windows Experience Index from Windows Vista Help or on the Windows Vista Team Blog

At this point, your best way to install Vista on an existing PC is to perform a clean install, formatting your primary hard disk and installing a fresh copy of Vista.  Upgrading from within Windows XP works*, but you could end up with a mixed-up file system, especially if you tweaked your system and changed the default folders for documents, pictures, and music.  BACK UP your vital information whatever the case.  The other item users need to address after a clean install is to make sure their video card drivers are up to date, even if it means using "beta" drivers from your video card manufacturer, such as Nvidia or ATI.  Preliminary testing indicates that although Vista-ready video drivers provided by the above-mentioned vendors are in beta form at this writing, they ARE stable enough for production use.  Of course, your results may vary.  Feedback would be appreciated on individual installation attempts. 

*NOTES on Windows XP "Upgrades" -

• Using a lower-cost UPGRADE version of Vista, you can upgrade, using the following table as a guide.  If a section does not have an X, it means that a clean install is required.
• Unlike previous versions of Windows, Vista will not ask for "proof of upgrade" if you use an upgrade disc to perform a clean install. 
• If you wish to use your Vista Upgrade disc to perform a clean install, you must essentially install Vista TWICE.  First, perform a regular clean install, but DO NOT ENTER YOUR PRODUCT KEY.  Once Vista is installed, install Vista AGAIN over the existing installation, and supply your correct product key.

Microsoft has stopped offering Windows XP directly to us.  However, genuine Windows XP can and will be made available if customers request it.  In addition, Ruggiero AV Services' support contracts for existing Windows 2000 and XP-based PCs will continue until January 2011.   This will ensure that our customers have sufficient time to upgrade their computers, slowly migrating from the older operating systems.  Our phone and e-mail technical support options are available for Windows Vista when installed on a PC built by us.  For other systems, we ask that they seek assistance from their system builder/OEM, or from Microsoft directly.

DID YOU KNOW?  You can now access the "help system" of Windows Vista at any time, even on computers that do not have Vista installed.  Simply go to:  http://windowshelp.microsoft.com

We thank you for choosing Ruggiero AV Services as your personal computer builder and technical support center!

RELATED:  Listen to the latest GRC "SecurityNow" podcasts which discuss Windows Vista:
Episode #66 - Windows Vista Security
and
Episode #67 - Kernel Patch Protection

THIRD PARTY: Fine Tune the Windows Vista Firewall for OUTBOUND protection:
Vista Firewall Control

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Last Edit 11/23/2009 08:34 AM