So far I have looked at two ways of installing Windows 7 RC on your PC – Clean/Custom Install or In-Place Upgrading. Many persons will be buying Windows 7 on a new PC when its released and would like to get their personal data from an old PC to the new PC running Windows 7. Windows 7 offers an easy, convenient way to make the move with the built in Windows Easy Transfer utility. As you can see in the screenshot below, I have a lot of files on my Windows 7 beta PC, and I would like to get those files over safely over to my other computer running the Windows 7 Release Candidate. First lets find out what it is Windows Easy Transfer:

Windows 7 beta build 7000 Desktop (old computer).

Windows Easy Transfer guides you through the process of transferring files and settings from one Windows computer to another. Using Windows Easy Transfer, you can choose what to transfer to your new computer and how to transfer it. You can transfer most files and program settings. Specifically:

• Files and folders. Everything within the Documents, Pictures, and Shared Documents folders. Using advanced options, you can select additional files and folders to transfer.

• E‑mail settings, contacts, and messages.

• Program settings. Settings that keep your programs configured as you had them on your old computer. Windows Easy Transfer does not transfer the programs themselves. Some programs might not work on this version of Windows, including security programs, antivirus programs, firewall programs (your new computer should already have a firewall running to help ensure safety during the transfer), and programs with software drivers.

• User accounts and settings. Desktop backgrounds, network connections, screen savers, fonts, Start menu options, taskbar options, folders, specific files, network printers and drives, and accessibility options.

• Internet settings and favorites. Internet connection settings, favorites, and cookies.

• Music. Electronic music files, playlists, and album art.

• Pictures and video. Pictures—which includes any visual file type (for example, .jpg, .bmp, .gif)—and personal videos.

Windows Easy Transfer sounds like just the solution I am looking for to move my personal data from Windows 7 Beta to RC.

Launch Windows Easy Transfer

Launching Windows Easy Transfer utility

1. You can find the Windows Easy Transfer utility by clicking Start > type Transfer. Or click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Windows Easy Transfer.

2. When you start the Windows Easy Transfer, a wizard gives you an overview of what you can transfer and what will happen after the process is completed. Click Next to begin.

3. You have three methods of transferring your data from your old computer using Windows Easy Transfer:

• An Easy Transfer cable is specifically designed to work with Easy Transfer to move your personal data from an old PC to a new computer.
• Network – which is the method I will be using for this tutorial, requires that both PC’s have a network port installed and using a CAT5 cable to connect both computers.
• If you have an external hard disk with sufficient space, you can let Easy Transfer backup your data in a single file.

4. After clicking the Network option, you are asked to identify the computer you are using now. In this case, I am on the Windows 7 Release Candidate, which is the new computer.

5. Next you will be asked to install Windows Easy Transfer on the old computer, my old computer is already running Windows 7, so I will click that option.

Our next step now as the instruction says is to get an authorization key from the old computer before continuing.

On the old PC, follow the same procedures by selecting the same method you will be using to transfer your files, with the exception of identifying the Old computer when asked.

6. Once the authorization code has been generated, go back to your new Windows 7 PC, click Next and enter it and click Next.

Entering authorization key on new computer.

 

Easy Transfer analyzing the old Computer

7. A connection will now be established between both computers and Windows Easy Transfer will do a set of scans on the old PC to determine what can be transferred. You will be able to select accounts and shared files that you might want to transfer.

 

Creating an account on the new computer

8. Choose Advanced Options if there is some specific options you like to apply such as Creating a specific account for your personal files on the new computer. My old computer has the account 'Andre Da Costa’, I would also like that account on the new computer, so what I will do is click in the ‘User account on the new computer:’ list box and click Create User, enter appropriate information and click Save.

New Computer left, Old Computer right, Transfer in progress

Recommendations:

• Do not use the old and new Computer’s during the Transfer process.

Errors during Transfer, you can retry transferring, if you continue experience errors, check all files and click skip and transfer the file or files manually.

When the Transfer process is complete, you can view a report of what was transferred along with what you will need to reinstall.

The time it takes will vary depending on the amount of information you have stored on the old computer in addition to the user accounts that you might be transferring. I must say the transfer was a success except for an error I had with Easy Transfer reporting Windows Live Mail open on the old computer, refusing to transfer my storage folder. But after loading Windows Live Mail on the new computer, everything seemed to be ok, I could access all my messages and newsgroup post just fine.

Windows 7 Release Candidate Desktop, successful transfer..

And there you have it, an easy, convenient, secure and reliable process of transferring personal files and settings from your old computer to your new PC running Windows 7. My default wallpapers, taskbar layout, account picture, even my Firefox Bookmarks, Windows Live Writer settings were all transferred successfully.The only thing I need to do now is reinstall the applications recommended by the Windows Easy Transfer utility.

Related:

Upgrading: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate
Installation: Starting the Move to Windows 7 Release Candidate
Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade – Unlocking more benefits with less effort
A few more changes from Beta to RC…
Some Changes Since the Beta for the RC

Resources:

How to successfully burn or write an ISO-image to cd or dvd
Getting your PC ready for Windows 7 Release Candidate
Windows Easy Transfer Resource: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd446674.aspx

Previously:

Interacting with the Windows 7 Desktop – Fun Time Savers
In depth look at the Windows 7 Taskbar and Start Menu
Windows Explorer – What’s new in Windows 7?
Networking made easy with HomeGroups in Windows 7
A Look at Windows Backup and Windows Update in 7
Playing with Windows Media Player 12

 

At the Microsoft Learning Windows 7 portal, you’ll find links to numerous training resources related to Windows 7, including links to five free chapters from upcoming Microsoft Press books. You can grab these chapters now:

• Chapter 21, “Performing Routine Maintenance,” from Windows 7 Inside Out
• Chapter 23, “Support Users and Remote Assistance,” from Windows 7 Resource Kit
• Chapter 29, “Deploying IPv6,” from Windows 7 Resource Kit
• Chapter 1, “Explore Windows 7,” from Windows 7 Step by Step
• Chapter 2, “Navigate Windows and Folders,” from Windows 7 Step by Step

Learn more here

The PressPass Q&A we posted today addressed a number of questions around Windows XP Mode. I wanted to clarify in more detail the differences between Windows XP Mode and MED-V and how specifically MED-V v2, a component of the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP), adds management to Windows XP Mode.

The main facts:

Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small-business users to run their Windows XP applications on their Windows 7 desktop.

• Windows XP Mode is available for Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Enterprise customers.
• Windows XP Mode combines Windows Virtual PC and a pre-installed virtual Windows XP environment to allow users run many older applications.
• Windows Virtual PC will enable users to launch virtual applications seamlessly from the Windows 7 Start menu.
• Windows Virtual PC includes support for USB devices and is based on a new core that includes multi-threading support.

Learn more at the Windows for your Business blog here

CNET’s Ina Fried provides more details about the soon to be released in beta virtualization compatibility solution for Windows 7.

As far as technical requirements, XP Mode needs a beefier system than that required to just run Windows 7 or XP alone, including at least 2GB of memory and a system that has chip-level virtualization from either Intel or AMD. One of the challenges is that today it is often not that easy to tell whether one's PC has such support.

At its core, XP mode consists of two things, the Windows Virtual PC engine and a licensed copy of Windows XP Service Pack 3 as a packaged virtual machine. Although neither piece will be included in the Windows 7 box, XP Mode will be a free download for those who have a license to Windows 7 Professional, Windows 7 Enterprise, or Windows 7 Ultimate.

Learn more here

Things to take into account here is the fact that Windows XP is actually the full operating system, which means, users will have to keep it updated and secure just like a standalone installation of Windows.

 

As some of our readers are well aware, Conficker and other malware is taking advantage of the AutoRun functionality as a spreading mechanism. Furthermore, over the last couple of months, there has been a significant increase of this threat, as more malware is abusing this functionality. Further information about this specific threat has been highlighted in the recent Security Intelligence Report (look for Win32/AutoRun) and the Microsoft Malware Protection Center (MMPC) blog.

Background

Before going into the specifics changes, it is important to understand the difference between AutoRun and AutoPlay:

• AutoRun is a technology used to start some programs automatically when a CD or another media is inserted into a computer. The main purpose of AutoRun is to provide a software response to hardware actions that a user starts on a computer.
• AutoPlay is a Windows feature that lets a user select which program starts when a specific type of media, such as music CDs, or DVDs containing photos, is inserted. During AutoPlay, the Autorun.inf file from the media is also parsed. This file (if available) specifies additional commands that will be displayed in the AutoPlay menu. Many companies use this functionality to help initiate their installers.

Changes

In order to help prevent malware from spreading (such as Conficker) using the AutoRun mechanism, the Windows 7 engineering team made two important changes to the product:

1. AutoPlay will no longer support the AutoRun functionality for non-optical removable media. In other words, AutoPlay will still work for CD/DVDs but it will no longer work for USB drives. For example, if an infected USB drive is inserted on a machine then the AutoRun task will not be displayed. This will block the increasing social engineer threat highlighted in the SIR. The dialogs below highlight the difference that users will see after this change. Before the change, the malware is leveraging AutoRun (box in red) to confuse the user. After the change, AutoRun will no longer work, so the AutoPlay options are safe.

Learn more here

Microsoft today announced the availability of two major updates to Windows Vista and Office 2007 today.

Office 2007 SP2 download:

Overview

The 2007 Microsoft Office Suite Service Pack 2 (SP2) provides customers with the latest updates to the 2007 Office suite (the products that are affected by this update are listed below). This download includes two types of fixes:

• Previously unreleased fixes that were made specifically for this service pack.
  • In addition to general product fixes, this includes improvements in stability, performance, and security.
  • You can find out more information in Knowledge Base Article 953195, where product-specific changes are described.
• All of the Public Updates, Security Updates, Cumulative Updates, and Hotfixes released through February 2009.

Before installing this service pack, you are strongly encouraged to read 953195, which describes some big improvements introduced by SP2, and also calls out some important information that you should be aware of before installing.

Top of page

System Requirements

• Supported Operating Systems: Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 2; Windows Server 2008; Windows Vista Service Pack 1; Windows XP Service Pack 3

Download Office 2007 SP2 here

Windows Vista SP2 availability:

Although Windows Vista SP2 has RTMed, it will not be immediately available until sometime in Q2 ‘09.

Today we are announcing the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. SP2 represents the latest step in Microsoft’s commitment to continuous improvement. It includes all updates that have been delivered since SP1, as well as support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards. 

As we have mentioned before, here are some of the key benefits of Windows Vista SP2:

• Windows Search 4.0 for faster and improved relevancy in searches
• Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack supporting the most recent specification for Bluetooth Technology
• Ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista
• Adds Windows Connect Now (WCN) to simplify Wi-Fi Configuration
• Windows Vista SP2 enables the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones.

And since it comes with a single installer for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, SP2 will be easy for IT Pros to manage, deploy, and support. For a complete overview of the changes introduced in SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, check out the notable changes document on TechNet.

You can learn more at the Windows Vista Team Blog here

 

Brandon Leblanc of the Windows Experience Blog introduces a new Windows 7 related site called ‘Talking About Windows’ that showcases members of the Windows Team’s experience building the next version of Windows along with customer testimonials.

“I get the extreme pleasure of exclusively revealing a new Microsoft community website on Windows today specifically designed for IT Professionals: Talking About Windows.

Talking About Windows is a new website that offers a behind-the-scenes look at the making of Windows 7 from the Microsoft engineers who helped build product as well as showcasing real IT Professionals talking candidly about their implementations and experiences in considering a more modern OS. This is done through a series of videos hosted within the Talking About Windows Website.“

Learn more here

Related:

• Springboard Series Blog - Commentary, share community best practices and keep informed about Windows.
• Windows 7 Blog for Developers - The ‘one stop shop’ on the road to get yourself familiar with what Windows 7 has to offer for developers.
• Windows 7 Engineering - Conversation with Steven Sinofsky and Jon DeVaan around the successor to Windows Vista.

 

Windows Vista provides some fun animation and effects to the Windows Desktop, (Flip 3D and Alt-Tab-2D). Windows 7 adds further pizzazz with a set of entertaining visual cues that makes working with Windows a great time on the PC. Let’s check some of them out!

Click image to enlarge

Aero Peek – Allows you to see behind windows revealing the desktop without the need to minimize windows by simply placing your mouse pointer in the right hand corner of the screen.

Tip for this visual effect: (Windows Key + Space)

Click image to enlarge

Aero Snaps - For persons who often do data comparisons with content from two windows on screen, Windows 7 has made this a cinch by simply making it possible to drag the window to opposite sides of your screen; automatically each window will fill its half of the screen.

Tip for this visual effect: (Windows Key + arrow)

Click image to enlarge

Aero Shake - Grab a window title bar, shake it and all windows behind the active window will minimize to the Taskbar, shake it again and all windows will return to the screen.

Desktop Slideshow – This is not really a time saver, but if you want to use up some idle time at work before the clock hit’s 5 P.M. here’s is a nice feature of the Windows Desktop you definitely will enjoy. In 7, Microsoft provides in addition to window colour, the ability to choose pre-packaged themes that matches the bundled wallpapers. Glass colour options have increased from 8 in Vista to 16 now in 7. The Personalization explorer supports changing your desktop wallpaper automatically at timed intervals or you invoke it manually by right clicking the desktop and click the ‘Next Desktop Background Picture’ contextual menu option. You can selectively choose different wallpapers you would like to be added to the slideshow, you can even create your own themes and save them. The Personalization explorer itself is more centralized providing a one stop approach to customizing your Desktop Background, Sounds and Screen Saver while you are at it. Let me show you how to setup a Slideshow and Save a theme in Windows 7.

Right click Desktop > click Personalize

In the Personalization shell, click Desktop Background 

Hover over wallpaper and check the box that appears, do this for more than one wallpaper.

Then click in the ‘Change picture every:’ list box and select a timed interval > Save Changes.

You can also save custom backgrounds and Aero Glass colour by simply selecting the ‘Save theme’ in Personalization.

The Windows Team has promised additional improvements to the effects in Windows 7 Release Candidate expected May 5th. This includes Alt-Tab thumbnail supporting full preview’s of windows when invoked. You can get more themes and backgrounds online if you are not satisfied with the pre-bundled collection at the Windows 7 beta Personalize your PC website.

Related:

In depth look at the Windows 7 Taskbar and Start Menu

Resources:

Desktop Experience in Windows 7
A few more changes from Beta to RC…
Some Changes Since the Beta for the RC

Previously:

Windows Explorer – What’s new in Windows 7?
Networking made easy with HomeGroups in Windows 7
Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade – Unlocking more benefits with less effort
A Look at Windows Backup and Windows Update in 7
Playing with Windows Media Player 12

 

Originally posted on Teching It Easy: March 9th

Two critical elements that have been revamped for the better are the Taskbar and Start Menu. Some persons I have had conversations with about Windows 7 think it’s a minor release and it’s just Windows Vista reloaded. Yes, it is built on Vista and that’s a very good thing, which means, your investments in that version of Windows will be brought forward in areas of application and device driver compatibility. Apart from that, what new user experiences does Windows 7 introduce? What about the learning curve? Office 2007, Microsoft’s desktop productivity suite revamped the user interface in applications such as Word and Excel, there was a small learning curve, but there were huge benefits because of what the new Office Fluent UI did for the Standard and Formatting toolbars by exposing more features that some end users didn’t even know exist in the suite. Windows 7 is pretty much based on some of those principles, exposing more benefits in the Windows interface.

The improved Taskbar and Start menu

Taskbar

What is the Taskbar? First introduced in Windows 95 as a replacement for Program Manager that was a part of previous Windows releases, it houses your running applications as buttons that you can use to switch between windows on screen. Releases of Windows over the years have added new features and functionality such as the ‘Quick Launch’ desk band in Windows 98, ‘Taskbar Grouping’ in Windows XP and ‘Taskbar Thumbnail previews’ in Windows Vista. Windows 7 combines all those innovations and made them even better. When you load the Windows 7 Desktop for the first time, everything might seem familiar except for the Taskbar which has grown a few inches in size. Shortcuts for applications such as Internet Explorer and the User Folder might look like enlarged Quick Launch icons; well it’s a combination of both. By default, application shortcuts, running applications and non-running applications are not labelled. In previous versions of Windows, a running program would display an icon along with the name of the button on the Taskbar. The Windows Team have changed this based on the probability of users experience identifying programs by clear pictorial representations, the Internet Explorer ‘e’ for web browser, a blue ‘w’ for Microsoft Word, the stacked CD icon with the play identifier for Windows Media Player.

Taskbar with interactive Thumbnail Previews

Improved ways of controlling Notification Behaviour

Of course, if you don’t recognize a program shortcut on your Taskbar, you can hover over its icon which displays a floating balloon describing its purpose. One of the immediate benefits I discovered using the improved Taskbar with applications is a feature called Jump List. What it does is combine the ‘Recent Items’ menu from past versions of Windows and allows each application to have an individual Recent Items menu or Task list right click contextual menu with common activities that you might often associate with the program. Not all applications currently support the new feature, but I have discovered a handful that take advantage of it immediately, such as Microsoft Word, Adobe Photoshop, Windows Media Player, Windows Live Messenger, Live Writer, Windows Programs such as WordPad, Paint and Notepad to name a few. Not all programs will reveal radical features in Jump List, as programs are updated, third party developers I am sure will add functionality to programs to harness the benefits of Jump List.

Preview your windows without distractions (left), get a glance at your desktop and Gadgets (right)

Right now, users will mostly see ‘Recent files’ for some applications or your browser History for Internet Explorer, you will discover unique functionality in programs such as Windows Media Player which displays a list of Frequent activity such as your recently played media, search queries, artiste played and Task for playing your library of music in shuffle mode. Windows Live Messenger which is available as a part of Windows Live Essentials includes Task such as changing your status, signing in/out, going to your home page, viewing your Windows Live Profile or check your email. Jump List on the Taskbar is not only restricted to applications, Folders also support it too; users can appreciate seeing a list of the most frequently accessed folders within a directory. If you want to add your favourite application, you can do so by clicking Start, right click a program from the recent programs list or all programs and click the ‘Pin to Taskbar’ link.

Color Hot tracking

Appearances – Thumbnail Previews

The Taskbar for some persons might seem radical at first, but I have adjusted to it just fine, beyond Jump List, you will discover some cool effects and features when working with your applications. Thumbnail previews have become interactive. Internet Explorer for example which supports tabbed based browsing benefits from it immediately by displaying previews when you hover over its button on the Taskbar without the need to activate the window. You will be able to see a thumbnail preview of all open tab windows along with the ability see a full size preview when you hover the mouse pointer over each thumbnail. It’s a beautiful effect that saves time and makes working in Windows much faster. Applications and folders that are consolidated into groups automatically compose a group of thumbnails. Windows Media Player 12 Thumbnail supports unique functionality such as Previous, Pause and Next controls when playing an album. In addition to Thumbnail Previews, users can benefit from another significant productivity effect; the enhanced ‘Show Desktop’ button called ‘Desktop Preview’ allows you to get a glance at your Desktop or Gadgets by simply hovering the mouse pointer in the right hand corner of the screen. Your windows will immediately become transparent frames revealing the contents of the desktop. Another key feature is the progress bar which has been integrated into folder activities. For instance, when you are copying files from folder to folder or a network location or downloading a program in Internet Explorer, a progress indicator is displayed on the Taskbar button for that activity.

Various Jump List Activities by supported applications.

New Capabilities and Settings

Notification Area or System Tray features new options, in addition to showing full time and date, users can gain more real estate by controlling notification icon behaviours. A ‘Show hidden icons’ button reveals a floating balloon with a small gallery of icons and option for customizing the behaviour. This leads to a new Notification Area Icons Control Panel item. What I like in particular about this new setting is the clear organization of your notifications and ease of controlling the behaviours, from here you can choose to hide or show an icon at all times or show just the notification. To further clarify things, a link to a separate area available just for Windows 7 System Icons such as Clock, Volume, Network, Power and the new Action Center allows you to turn these settings on or off. If you mess something up or get confused, you can simply click the Restore default icon behaviours. The new ‘Eject’ device contextual is more informative too, displaying the name of the device instead of just the drive letter. Safely ejecting a device can be done more confidently too, in prior versions of Windows, you always closed all open programs and windows launched from a USB device before ejecting yet Windows kept insisting that you need to close all activities before removing the device. Now you can ignore that and force a device close and eject without any concern.

 
Default appearance – Always Combine, hide Labels

 
Combine when Taskbar is full

Never combine

Never combine with small icons 

One of the most requested functionality for the Taskbar over the years has been the ability rearrange your Taskbar buttons just the way you want. Sometimes we have programs setup up a certain way and would like to set a priority over which is closest to the Start button, now you can with a simple drag and drop action rearrange shortcuts and running applications on the fly. The Taskbar adapts the most predominate RGB value of an icon, making each program use a distinguishing colour effect when hovered over. Taskbar Properties appearance includes options for controlling how and where it is displayed on screen. For novices, you can have your Taskbar positioned on the right, top or left of the screen power users can still use the familiar dragging capabilities that you have known since prior releases. Taskbar button behaviour can also be controlled here too, the default layout in Windows 7 is ‘Always combine, hide labels’, in addition to this, there is a more classic look called ‘Combine when taskbar is full’ which simply enables labels with the large pictorial representations. If you want an even more classical yet familiar Vista style layout the third option ‘Never Combine’ along with ‘Use Small icons’ restores this behaviour.

Improved Start menu supports Jump List, along with new Power Option Settings

Start Menu
The Start menu has been through a few changes throughout the years, also introduced for the first time in Windows 95, the most radical update since was Windows XP which featured a two pane menu with links to recent applications along with common locations such as My Documents, Music, Pictures and default applications for common programs such as Web Browsing and Email and the ability to set default programs for common activities such as Email, Music and Web browsing. Windows Vista introduced additional functionality such as built in Search, a Connect to link for all your network connections and a simplified Power Options area. A major departure in Vista was the cascading Programs menu which was replaced by a hierarchical listing of programs and application groups. Windows 7’s Start menu is more about refining these features. The Start menu integrates Jump List functionality similar to the Taskbar.

Detailed Search Results Windows 7 Start menu (above), comparison in Windows Vista (below) click to enlarge

Search is more detailed displaying more categorized results with total listings within each category. New Categories include Documents, Music, Control Panel Items, Pictures and Videos. Appearances have also changed, instead of utilizing just the recently used application pane for search results; the entire pane is utilized for results. An even more simplified Power Options allows users to set the default setting whether you want it to be Shutdown, Hibernate or Sleep, you can still choose another option from a pop out menu. Searching from the Start menu features a new option; you can search for Task Pane links along with the ability to use natural language queries. New Search areas include Public Folder along with the option to display links and menus for Recorded TV and Videos. Old links that have been turned off include ‘Recent Items’ which makes sense since applications carry their own recent activities and the ‘Connect To’ link now replaced by the more convenient Network notification icon which reveals available wireless Networks, Dial up and VPN connections.

So this was a look at using the new Taskbar and Start menu and realizing its new benefits. It’s radical for the better. It makes application switching less of a puzzle while also enhancing the general user experience of working with your programs in a more convenient way. The Taskbar has come a long way since its days of ‘it works just like switching channels’. Users expect a rich experience and the compelling aesthetics such as interactive thumbnail previews and enhanced search functionality provide a cohesive application experience for end users.

Updated: April 26th 2009.

Related:

UPDATE: Windows Internet Explorer 8 RTM Review

Previously:

A Look at Windows Backup and Windows Update in 7
Playing with Windows Media Player 12

 

Windows Explorer has gone through some significant enhancements in Windows 7, featuring a more refreshing, cleaner design that focuses on simplicity and accessibility. Some of the changes might seem controversial such as the new text only Command Bar buttons and Libraries which focuses on aggregating data from desperate locations shared between multiple PC’s within your home network. Windows Vista introduced changes to how you navigated Explorer. The Bread Crumb address bar introduced in Vista featured a great way to move between folders and different paths within a folder hierarchy, nothing has changed here but the Address bar is more customizable allowing users to resize the Search box or Address Bar region. The Navigation pane has been simplified into multiple categories such as Favorites, Libraries, Home Group, Local Computer and Network, while the details pane at the bottom of the window is much thinner in height.

The improved Windows Explorer shell in Windows 7

The Search Field in each Explorer shell now features the name of the area in which you’re searching, for e.g. Search Documents, Search Music, Search Pictures etc. Activating the Search form also reveals small improvements such as saved searches called Search Scopes criteria based filters for content in the different Explorer shells, such as Authors, Date Taken, delivering more accurate results.  Command bar in the shell folders seem radically different, over the years Microsoft has adopted a slightly improved look and feel with each release of Windows, Windows 98 introduced a web inspired Command Bar and Vista featured a more static less controlling change. Windows 7 is not much of an improvement; menus are now text only arranged on the left with buttons on the right for configuring icon previews and window layout.

More customizable, you can address the Address Bar/Search field region size

An even more simplified Command Bar with simplified layout for organization and customization.

Shell Folders

Common Shell folders such as Documents, Music, Pictures, Videos and Downloads are known as Libraries. Modifications have been made to how data that might be scattered across your hard disk and network locations are viewed and accessed. For instance, the old Shared Documents folder from XP or Vista’s Public folders are less prominent in Windows 7. They still exist and are critical when sharing data with multiple computers on a network. But what has happened is that Libraries makes accessing the data from these disparate locations much easier, a file added to the Public Document folder is automatically aggregated into the Documents Library. Of course, you might say, there are some things I don’t want to have mixed up with my Personal Data and prefer to keep them in separate locations. No worry, you still have access to your Personal Shell folders under your User folder. You can create your own Library too and add specific locations to them and data from those locations will be automatically aggregated from there. Only you can decide whether you want information from your personal Libraries to be shared and you change this setting even after setting up a HomeGroup. Libraries takes advantage of new technologies such as Home Groups and will be an asset especially if you are the type of user who has a laptop that connects to a Domain at work, but still want to access data on your home network without having to mess with your workgroup settings just to do so.

 

Common Library folders on their pedestals.

Inside of the Documents Library.

More about Libraries

Adding a networked folder to my Library Locations from another PC for easy access and searching.

Libraries are a new experience in Vista that streamlines the process of managing the array of information users have scattered across their PC. Organization was a key focus of Vista, but regardless you tried your best to keep your files in their appropriate locations photos in the Pictures directory, videos in the Videos directory, audio in Music directory, etc. You still ended up having a lot of files stored in folders you either create or parts of the system such as the desktop out of quick convenience. With Libraries, you don’t have to remember exactly where you stored a particular photo or search multiple places to find what you need. You don’t even have to keep multiple copies of the same file around. With Libraries, you can not only organize, but view and manage files that that are stored in more than once place. This reduces the need to view files even when they are stored in different folders. Libraries are so powerful that they even span different disk drives, PCs on your home network. There are a range of options for organizing and browsing, by type, date taken or genre depending on the file type. The power of Libraries grows when combined with rich capabilities of Home Groups, meaning; families can get in on the fun by accessing a shared library with the right permissions setup.

Search Explorer

Windows 7 Explorer Search features expanded search capabilities, options such as Saved Searches and Search Scopes make finding information even more accurate and detailed. 

The Search Explorer is very minimalist in Windows 7, showing only a blank canvas with the Search box activated for a few seconds. It’s all about simplicity, previously in Vista, the Search Explorer displayed common criteria’s such as Documents, Pictures and Music. Because of the tight integration with Libraries, you can search beyond the PC right at the Start menu. When Searching across multiple PC’s in a corporate setting, Administrators can fine tune how a search is executed with the ability to define up to five search destinations. All of the search processing is handled on a remote server and results are presented to you within your comfort zone. This sounds complex and it is, but Windows 7 is subtracting the complexity out of it and presenting you only with ease of use part of the equation.

Search highlights - a wicked cool feature that makes criteria based searching a fun activity.

You can even search other locations on the fly while you are at it! Yes, I am a big 80’s fan – so what?!?

The Search engine in 7 uses an improved algorithm to determine relevance and rank results. Within those results, words from the search query you make are highlighted with parts of a file or even a path to it to give you a clearer idea of what’s happening and if its meeting your expectation. Search operates multiple ways by offering results based on multiple Libraries if you search through the Start menu if you search specifically from Windows Explorer; it stays within that particular library. For persons who have data stored on multiple devices, Windows 7 Search is a dream come through, a new feature called Search Federation allows you easily add a location; these include multiple PCs, external hard drives, servers and even websites.

My good friend John Tweedle created a few including one for ActiveWin.com, you can find them at the following link:

http://xxhiroshi21xx.blogspot.com/2009/01/opensearch-provider-listings.html

Network Explorer

An even more simplified Network and Sharing Center

Network Explorer in Windows 7 is even more organized. One of the things I didn’t like about Windows Vista’s Network and Sharing Center was the abundance of network related Task a user had to contend with. Windows 7 adds simplicity to this by consolidating Task in the Network and Sharing Center to a separate area called Change your network settings:, here you will find familiar options such as Connect to a network, Setup a new connection or network, Diagnose and repair (now 'Fix a network problem). Sharing and Discovery now has its own dedicated Explorer shell, located under task called ‘Change advanced sharing settings'.

Conclusion

Windows 7 brings some very welcome changes to working in the Windows interface. Small, subtle changes to Search, navigation and even customization make Windows 7 a joy to work with on a daily basis. Users today have an overwhelming amount of information stored on their PCs and various devices, keeping it all organized and accessible can be a chore, Windows 7 takes the complexity out of that and I think its the gem of this release a lot of users will discover they could never do without.

Resources:

Desktop Experience in Windows 7

Previously:

Networking made easy with HomeGroups in Windows 7
Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade – Unlocking more benefits with less effort
In depth look at the Windows 7 Taskbar and Start Menu
A Look at Windows Backup and Windows Update in 7
Playing with Windows Media Player 12

 

The Windows Team Blog announced this evening a new Compatibility Utility for Windows 7 that will help customers still running applications designed for XP.

Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small businesses move to Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides you with the flexibility to run many older productivity applications on a Windows 7 based PC.

All you need to do is to install suitable applications directly in Windows XP Mode which is a virtual Windows XP environment running under Windows Virtual PC. The applications will be published to the Windows 7 desktop and then you can run them directly from Windows 7.

You can learn more here

Paul Thurrott provides a gallery with additional screenshots showing how the software works and information about availability here. This seems like a really cool idea, in fact, it even includes a USB subsystem, so you are most likely able to use devices that are not compatible with Windows 7. Requirements right now call for a full Windows XP Professional license that will support the compatibility layer in Windows 7. Windows XP Mode and Windows Virtual PC will only be available to customers of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate – Microsoft please change that policy.

 

 

Microsoft has announced the availability dates for the next milestone in the Windows 7 development and when you will be able to get the bits:

There certainly has been a lot of discussion about Windows 7 in the last few weeks. A lot of folks want to know when they can get their hands on the official RC, when we are going to RTM, and what I had for breakfast.

I’m pleased to share that the RC is on track for April 30th for  download by MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Broader, public availability will begin on May 5th.

Learn more here

If you just came back from planet Mars, a new build of Windows 7, purported to be RC (build 7100) leaked today.

 

Q: What is a Home Group?

In Windows 7, the Windows Team has added improvements to networking and sharing data among multiple computers in the home. You can easily share information and resources such as Documents, Pictures, Music, Videos and Printers with just a password. If you own a laptop that connects to a Windows Server domain at work and you carry that PC home, you can also benefit from HomeGroups too.

How do I setup a HomeGroup?

To successfully setup a Homegroup, you need more than one PC running Windows 7. Both PC’s must be within the same the workgroup, network discovery must be enabled and network locations set to Home.

  

Getting your network ready for Windows 7 HomeGroup

• Click the Network icon in the Notification area.
• Click ‘Open Network and Sharing Center’.
• Under View your active Networks > click the link to your Network type (usually defaulted to as unidentified).
• When the ‘Set Network Location’ window appears, select ‘Home Network’ from the available options.
• After selecting this option, the Homegroup wizard should appear prompting you to create a homegroup and requesting the type of information and resources you would like to share.
• Next, the wizard generates a password, please print or write this down since it will be used by other PC’s to gain permission to your Home group.

 

HomeGroup setup Wizard (click to enlarge)

Joining the Homegroup

Once you have successfully setup the Homegroup, other PC’s can join it and start sharing data and accessing shared resources on your network with ease. Here’s how you do it?

• Click the Network icon in the Notification area.
• Click ‘Open Network and Sharing Center’.
• Under ‘Change your network settings’, click the ‘Choose homegroup and sharing options’ link.
• A wizard will appear asking you to join the homegroup you created.
• Click ‘Join now’ (See Troubleshooting if this option does not appear).
• Your PC now has the option of sharing data and resources too, select the Libraries and devices you want to share within the Homegroup and click Join Now.
• You are now prompted for the homegroup password, enter it and click ‘Join now’.
• If you forgot your password, you can retrieve it by going to the computer you setup Homegroup on, open the Network and Sharing Center, under ‘Change your network settings’ click ‘‘Choose homegroup and sharing options’ > click ‘View other homegroup options’ click ‘View or print the homegroup password’ link.

Joining a HomeGroup (click to enlarge)

Q: I have successfully setup my HomeGroup, how do I share and view data?

You can share and view data automatically by browsing the Libraries folder. Click Start > click your User name. There you will see all your Library folders; the number will vary, there are Libraries for Downloads and Communications depending on how your Windows 7 PC is setup. Any data saved within these locations are automatically shared with other PC’s within your HomeGroup.

Troubleshooting:

Unable to connect to your HomeGroup?

• Check your Windows Firewall to make sure that HomeGroup and Network discovery are not blocked.
• Make sure you enter the case sensitive password correctly.
• Are both PC’s properly networked? Ethernet cable connected properly, are you connected to your wireless access point? You can check by clicking Network icon in the Notification Area.
• Ensure that your Network Location is set to ‘Home Network’. In Network and Sharing Center, under View your active Networks > click the link to your Network type (usually defaulted to as unidentified). When the ‘Set Network Location’ window appears, select ‘Home Network’ from the available options. After selecting this option, the Homegroup wizard should appear prompting you to jpin an available HomeGroup and requesting the type of information and resources you will be able to share and access.
• If you encounter a problem with your HomeGroup Password, try changing it on the computer you setup HomeGroup on and try joining again.
• If none of the above works, try running the HomeGroup Troubleshooter, In Network and Sharing Center under ‘Change your network settings’, click ‘Fix a network problem’ under ‘Network’, click HomeGroup troubleshooter and follow the wizard that appears.

Resources:

Setting Up a Home Network in Windows 7

Previously:

Windows 7 Anytime Upgrade – Unlocking more benefits with less effort
In depth look at the Windows 7 Taskbar and Start Menu
A Look at Windows Backup and Windows Update in 7
Playing with Windows Media Player 12

 

If you are a Windows Enthusiast, you are probably seeing it all over the blogsphere, Windows 7 Release Candidate is coming soon. Some sites have speculated that build 7100 which was actually mentioned in a recent post on the Windows 7 Engineering blog will be the candidate.

Well, you better start preparing if you have not yet, check out my recent Getting your PC ready for Windows 7 Release Candidate for more details.

 

Some great downloads for Windows 7 and Windows 64-bit users today:

Microsoft Office OneNote 64 Bite Print Driver:

Short version: I have a solution for those of you needing a 64 bit OS solution for printing to OneNote. Read on for details.

Well… it’s been a long time between posts. Without making excuses, suffice it to say we’ve been crazy busy working on the next release of OneNote. And given strong feedback about the 64 bit print driver issue, I decided to put what little spare time I had into trying to develop a 64 bit OS solution for printing to OneNote 2007 for you, rather than blogging.

So after spending some time over Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations and more than a few evenings coding I now have a solution you can download to enable you to print to OneNote 2007 from 64 bit Vista (and Windows 7 beta if you have it…).

You can see the details, download, installation and usage instructions for the XPS2OneNote 64 bit OneNote print driver solution on codeplex.

Learn more HERE

DAEMON Tools Lite Version 4.30.4 is released with Windows 7 Support

What’s new in this version:

• Windows 7 beta supporting (SPTD 1.58);
• Protected images creation: “Password” field on Disc Imaging dialog;
• Compressed images creation: “Compress” option on Disc Imaging dialog;
• “Image Catalog” item was moved to the first level of Main Menu;
• MDF-file type association option;
• Languages updates.

Bugs fixed:

• Devices speeds detection;
• Lite-ON DHXXXXX drives supporting;
• Large RAID volumes issue;
• Mounting B6T DVD images;
• Setup improving: Unicode supporting;
• Some minor interface bugs.

You could learn more about DAEMON Tools Lite Commercial 4.30.4 or download free version for personal and non-commercial use at Download section.

I think the only thing I have worry about before upgrading to Windows 7 RC is my Antivirus.

 

Ed Bott takes a look at the improved Windows Anytime Upgrade feature in Windows 7, first introduced in Vista. The Windows Team have done an excellent job with the user experience as Ed notes. I attempted it once under Vista when I tried to do Anytime Upgrade from Vista Home Basic to Business on my sister in laws notebook, but discovered this was not supported. I got an opportunity to take it for a spin under Windows 7 to see if all Ed said was really true and I must say I am very impressed and I know you will be too if the need arises.

In practice, the Vista version of Anytime Upgrade was a spectacular failure. The upgrade process itself was a cumbersome kludge that required physical media and a full Windows reinstall (a process that can take hours), the price tag was way too high, and there was no perceived benefit in it.

You can check out Ed’s experience here

The amazing thing about Anytime Upgrade is how quick and simple the process is, Microsoft estimates at least 10 minutes in comparison to Vista’s 30 minute or more process. Based on my trial, it was at least 7 minutes, some persons have even reported at least 5 mins for Anytime Upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium to Ultimate.

If you are running supported SKU’s such as Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium or even Professional, you will have the option of upgrading to a higher SKU. Microsoft has made each of the SKU’s a subset of features, so a user can do an Anytime Upgrade from Windows 7 Home Premium to Professional, unlike Vista which only allowed Anytime Upgrades from certain SKU’s:

Vista Home Basic – Home Premium or Ultimate
Vista Business – Ultimate

All that has changed, if you want to move from Home Premium to Professional, you will have that option. No need to reinstall your applications or backup your personal data.

Just like Windows Vista, you can launch the Anytime Upgrade wizard from the Start menu > All Programs group or from within the Control Panel. The wizard provides two methods to unlocking a higher SKU, you can go online, purchase a license or if you already have a key, just enter it. This is major positive for customers who might not have a credit card or Internet Access.

Enter your product key

Verifying product key

Accept License Agreement

During the Anytime Upgrade Process, your computer will be restarted.

10 minutes? Try 7!

And there you have it, a smooth upgrade, no issues.

Microsoft has made this such a convenient procedure, no need for physical media, no need to go online, just enter your key and forget about it. What’s most impressive is how quick the process is. Other standing issues left to be resolved about Anytime Upgrade for Windows 7 Ed mentioned is pricing. I agree it needs to be a sensitive issue that must be handled carefully, especially for a customer who has already invested in the operating system and is just looking for some additional key functionality that is not currently available in their current SKU. If you spent $200 for Windows 7 Home Basic, are you willing to spend another $200 just to get Domain Join and Encryption in Professional resulting in over $400 spent on Windows 7 alone? What about Windows 7 Enterprise? For persons who might have acquired a notebook with a retail SKU and would like to take advantage of the home use rights or a University program but have a lot of data stored on their systems. Will they be allowed to do an Anytime Upgrade from Starter, Home Basic and Premium to Enterprise without backing up and wiping first? I guess we will learn more as Windows 7 approaches RTM.

 

I just got a chance to read Ed Bott’s insightful experience with the controversial edition of Windows 7 that has been causing a lot noise lately…Starter. Apparently Starter Edition has an application limit of 3 programs open. But its not as bad as it sounds, Ed explains:

For starters, that three-app limit isn’t as cut and dried as it sounds. Several people who e-mailed me with questions assumed that the limit means you can only have three windows open at once. Nope. At the moment, in fact, I have 16 separate windows open at once (and multiple tabs within some of those windows as well).

Read the entire article here

I hope this puts a lot of the concerns to rest, I know mine are. :) The only other issue is probably the unattractive Aero Basic theme which makes the OS a non-starter for me (no pun intended). I recently wrote a post about user experience improvements coming in Office 2010, which shows Microsoft cares deeply about UI and understands the end users feelings towards great UI not only as aesthetics but also as a tool that provides visual cues and ease of use. I personally am a aesthetics nut and I find the Aero Basic theme in Vista and Windows 7 distasteful, I hope Microsoft improves this theme, in fact it has even taken a step back in Windows 7 based on my experiences using it for more than a couple of months. 

Microsoft first introduced Starter Edition of Windows with the release of the Windows XP operating system back in 2004, restricting it specifically to certain developing and emerging markets such as Russia, Africa and parts of Asia. The product sku under Windows XP and Vista were preloaded on new systems. Windows Starter edition includes restrictions such as being 32 bit only, Intel Celeron, Atom and AMD Sempron processors. Windows 7 is expected to continue that trend with support for mainstream markets such as the USA, especially for the currently popular Netbook form factor. Microsoft does note that all Windows 7 SKU’s will support Netbooks. Microsoft at the Professional Developers Conference 2008 displayed a Netbook running the Windows 7 Ultimate SKU with Aero Glass graphics.

 

From TechNET Magazine

The Microsoft Learning team has come out with a great series of bite-sized “Learning Snacks” to help introduce you to new features coming in Windows 7. They’ve just released a new series of Snacks this week, and we thought you might enjoy them!

Desktop Experience in Windows 7

Setting Up a Home Network in Windows 7

Implementing User Account Control in Windows 7

Introducing BitLocker and AppLocker in Windows 7

Introducing the Troubleshooting Platform in Windows 7

Using the Deployment Image Servicing and Management Tool for Servicing Windows 7 Images

Of course, for more information on new security features coming in Windows 7, take a look at Chris Corio’s article in this issue of TechNet Magazine: An Introduction to Security in Windows 7.

 

I don’t think I would have seen this one if I wasn’t reading CNET, where I learnt that Windows Live Hotmail now includes Web Messenger. Prior to this new functionality, users accessed MSN Web Messenger by going to http://webmessenger.msn.com. Now you can access it right from within the Windows Live Mail web page beside the Options link.

Signing into Web Messenger

Once signed in, you can manage your status and start communicating with your contacts. The only bummer is, it changes the Hotmail page to your Live Contacts, I would appreciate if it had opened this in a different window or tab.

Status menu in Windows Live Hotmail with Web Messenger

You can start a conversation from within the People contact list pop out menu. Web Messenger even provides toast messages.

Chatting using the new Windows Live Web Messenger

Its quite basic as the previous MSN Web Messenger, but for persons who want just the fundamentals, especially at work, its a definite plus. I would have liked if could maintain the Messenger like contact window experience. I notice that working with it in Internet Explorer 8 on Windows 7 causes some problems, I tried ungrouping the conversation window, but it refused, will try it a little later on Vista to see if its same. Its good that its utilizing the People contact list, but I don’t like the idea it automatically changes the Windows Live Hotmail page without the users consent.

Resources:

Web IM in Hotmail!
Windows Live Hotmail – New Improvements!
UPDATE: Windows Live: Talking about Duplicate Entries in your What’s New Page

 

Paul Cooke provides further details about the benefits of using Windows 7 new security technologies:

Along with 17,000+ other security- minded professionals, I’m at RSA in San Francisco this week. For those who are not familiar with the RSA Conference, it’s the premier information security conference of the year. It attracts the best and brightest security folks from around the world. In addition, it is a great place to keep up with what’s going on in the information security marketplace. I’m at RSA to not only see what’s going on in the industry, but to also talk about some of the cool new security features in Windows 7.

Learn more here

Related:

Windows Team Blog: Windows 7: A New Approach to Securing Today’s Enterprise
Enhanced Security features in Windows 7

 

Gavriella Schuster discussed some of the improvements Windows 7 brings to the Enterprise where security is concerned and how the synergies between both the client and Server 2008 R2 can further simplify management and better regulate systems.

“RSA is here again, and presents a great opportunity to discuss the security in Windows 7: specifically how certain features in the OS address key security-related enterprise scenarios. In today’s economic times, businesses and their shareholders need to know that when they make an investment in a product, they are doing so responsibly and securely, and the investment is sound. Windows 7 is this sound investment: it includes features that allow workers to work anywhere, while leaving IT Pros confident that business-related data and content are secure.”

Learn more here

Related:

Enhanced Security features in Windows 7

 

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