Error Forum Blog

The owner of Hotfix, a blog dedicated to software patches, has posted more than 100 fixes he said were expected to be included in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1Ethan Allen has posted a preview and information centre for SP1, a site that includes many of the software patches Microsoft will include in the package, he said. Allen said he had received the fixes from someone close to Microsoft who has access to the technology.

Sources close to Microsoft confirmed Monday that it is currently testing SP1, however, the company has not yet announced a definite date for the software pack’s release, beyond saying it will be out in the second half of 2007. Microsoft also has kept mum about what fixes will be included in the update.

According to Allen, SP1 will include device driver and software compatibility technology that many users had hoped would be available in the OS from the start. Among them will be support for third-party USB and Firewire devices such as digital cameras, in particular products from Sony that have been having compatibility problems with Vista, Allen said.

There also will be patches to improve the TV playback and other Media Center capabilities in Vista, as well as to repair inconsistencies with the power management functions such as sleep and hibernation modes, he said.

What will be noticeably missing from the service pack, however, will be updates to Vista security, Allen said. “What’s most surprising is there are hardly any security fixes at all,” although, he said, Vista was already more secure than any previous version of Windows.

A complete listing of patches that should be included in SP1 can be found on the Vista SP1 preview site, and Allen said he will be adding more as he gains access to them.

Microsoft typically releases service packs, or collections of software patches, for major software products within a year of a product’s first full release to fix the software’s initial glitches. Many products often have least two service packs, and Microsoft is expected to have a third service pack for Windows XP sometime this year.

Allen, a former Microsoft employee, has already posted on the Hotfix site patches that he expects will be a part of Windows XP SP3, although Microsoft has never confirmed that Allen’s patches are valid.

Although the official word from Microsoft for Vista SP1’s release date is the second half of 2007, Allen said he suspects the release will be timed closely with the busy holiday shopping season in November and December.

“I think what Microsoft is trying to do is patch this thing up so by Christmas time when everyone is starting to go out and buy their machines, Vista will be more compatible with applications and products out there,” he said.

Source:http://www.techworld.com/security/news/index.cfm?newsID=8445&pagtype=all

Microsoft has updated Windows Vista licensing for centralized and thin-client computing, as virtualization offers users a chance to cut their software and hardware costs.

Customers using Windows Vista Enterprise Edition, and paying through Microsoft’s Software Assurance (SA) maintenance program, now have two new license options.

The subscription-based Windows Vista Enterprise Centralized Desktop (VECD) license lets users run Windows in virtual machines on a central server, while a second license lets users run Windows Vista on diskless PCs with storage managed centrally and the client using shared images of the operating system.

Both licenses promote a server-based, thin-client computing architecture and come with the looming prospect of lowered Windows Vista license revenue thanks to a growing array of competing thin-client, virtualized offerings.

VMware’s Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) has been built by the virtualization specialist so users can host individual desktops inside a server-based virtual machine on ESX Server. VMware’s VDI pin-up is UK financial services giant Prudential.

Last April, meanwhile, VMware joined with IBM, Hewlett-Packard, Sun Microsystems and others – including long-time thin-client advocate and Microsoft partner Citrix Systems – in announcing the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Alliance. The goal is to create pre-integrated desktop virtualized products.

Smaller providers, like nComputing are also getting in on the act. NComputing allows multiple users to access the same client by tapping the PC’s unused resources. NComputing boasts it can get up to 30 end users on a single machine, saving on hardware costs and multiple Windows Client Access Licenses (CALs).

Microsoft has its own history in thin-client architectures, offering Terminal Services latterly in Windows Server 2003 - expected in the forthcoming Longhorn server. However, even this is proving insufficient in stopping the move to server virtualization from the likes of VMware. As such, Microsoft claims VECD is cheaper to run than Terminal Services because it uses less server hardware.

The changes to SA are the latest from Microsoft designed to increase its appeal, and follow denials by Microsoft last August it would offer users special incentives to drive Windows Vista uptake following years of delays.®
Source:http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/03/windows_vista_virtualization/

Microsoft has released a special security patch today (Microsoft Security Bulletin MS07-017) to protect your computer against the Animated Cursor vulnerability first discovered a few weeks ago. Apparently, Microsoft decided that this was important enough to break their normal second Tuesday of the month patch release cycle to get this patch on computers.

According to the Determina security web site that first discovered the issue, “As Microsoft has pointed out, any web page, email or content that can load an animated cursor can allow an attacker to take advantage of the vulnerability and run arbitrary code on the users system.�

Read more about the security vulnerability and download the patches here.

Microsoft is loosening the reins on Vista licensing in an effort to let businesses try out some new computing possibilities, including “diskless” PCs.

For the most part, the Windows licensing terms have assumed that the whole PC is going to be in one place; however, increasingly, that’s not necessarily the case.

Virtualisation technology means that one physical computer can act as many separate computers, while higher-speed networks mean that different parts of a computer can actually be housed in various locales. For example, it is now possible to have a diskless PC, in which the main hard drive of the computer is actually stored in a datacentre, while all the other parts — processor, graphics chip and memory — remain at a worker’s desk.

But until Sunday, there was no proper way to license Windows for such a computer. Under new licensing terms for Windows Vista Enterprise, businesses will be able to use the corporate edition of the operating system to handle this as well as other niche cases in which a PC’s storage, computational power or both are handled somewhere other than the desktop.

“We’re responding to enable a set of early adopters in finance and governments, in particular, to take advantage of architectures that centralise Windows,” said Scott Woodgate, director of Windows Business Group. “They either centralise the storage of Windows, the execution of Windows, or both, in the datacentre.”

In addition to the diskless PC, the other arrangement Microsoft is giving the nod to is one in which a desktop PC or thin client is running multiple virtual machines that are running on a server. The Vista Enterprise license already provides a license for additional Windows virtual machines, but only those running on a desktop PC, not for ones taking place on a server. The new approach, called Vista Enterprise Centralized Desktop, requires an additional annual fee.

Although Microsoft is making such set-ups legally permissible, it doubts diskless PCs will become an overnight trend. There are many negatives, most importantly the need for a constant and uninterrupted high-speed network connection. If the network goes down, the whole PC becomes unusable. Also, while Microsoft is making diskless PCs commercially possible, enterprises will still needed additional third-party software to actually make such systems boot up.

Because of the technical limitations and the massive IT resources needed to manage such an operation, Microsoft expects only a small number of institutions to try out such a set-up, most likely top-secret government agencies where security concerns trump the inconveniences.

“If you are in a department that is a three-letter department you may want to keep that hard drive away,” Woodgate said, likely making reference to places like the CIA or FBI. “It’s relatively a niche.”

Even in those cases, Microsoft says it will take time to get the systems up and running. “It will be interesting to see, 18 to 24 months after those early adopters have taken the systems into production, how successful they are,” Woodgate said.
Source:http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/hardware/soa/Microsoft_licenses_Vista_for_diskless_PCs/0,130061702,339274656,00.htm?feed=rss

If you buy a retail version of Vista, or otherwise acquire a Vista install DVD of some kind, you’re not limited to using the version you bought: Microsoft allows you to install almost any version of Vista–Vista Home Basic, Home Basic N, Home Premium, Business, Business N, or Ultimate editions–using any Vista install DVD. There’s just one limitation: If you install a version of Vista you didn’t purchase, you only have 30 days (by default) to run the OS before it will move into reduced functionality mode. (If you do install the version you purchased, you can activate Vista before that happens.) Here’s how to do it: Boot your system with the Vista install DVD, advance to the Install Windows screen, and click Install Now. At the screen where you enter your product key, don’t do so. Setup will let you select the product edition to install. Be careful reading the next dialog that appears because it’s awkwardly worded. (Apparently, Microsoft wants you to be very careful before you install the wrong version.)

Take in the Vista for an extended amount of time

If that 30 days isn’t enough time for your evaluation, various people have explained ways you can bypass Vista’s activation requirements for an almost infinite amount of time if you don’t mind keeping up with the process. The best explanation I’ve seen comes courtesy of my Windows Vista Secrets co-author Brian Livingston, who describes the process in all its gory detail in his newsletter article, Microsoft allows bypass of Vista activation.

Non-destructive disk partitioning

Windows has long included its own disk partitioning tool, Disk Management, which buried deep in the Computer Management console, but its been upgraded in Windows Vista to support a very important new feature, reports Dan Ross: Disk Management can now non-destructively resize partitions–make them larger or smaller–allowing you to make space for other partitions or delete an unused partition and consolidate the extra space into a single partition. This works only with non-dynamic NTFS-formatted partitions (which is the default in Vista). You can access Disk Management in various ways, but the quickest way is to open the Start Menu, right-click Computer, and choose Manage. You’ll see Disk Management on the left, under Storage.

More on the new renaming

In Still More Windows Vista Tips, we discussed how Vista won’t select a file’s extension when you rename it, which is pretty helpful. But Scott Bressler notes that you can, of course, edit the file extension if you’d like as well. You just need to select it separately, as only the actual file name is selected by default.

See it in slow motion

If you’d like to see some of Vista’s best effects in slow motion, Edo Mangelaars has the solution: Add an entry to the Registry. Then, simply hold down the SHIFT key. For example, when triggering Flip 3D with the Windows Key+TAB key combination, also hold down SHIFT to see it happen much more slowly. You can also use this while minimizing a window or restoring a window from the taskbar.

To make it happen, tap Windows Key+R to bring up the Run dialog and enter the following text:

reg add HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\DWM /v AnimationsShiftKey /t REG_DWORD /d 1

A command line window will open asking you if you’d like to add this value to the Registry. Type Y and hit Enter. You may need to restart before it works.

Mobile users: Quick-start Mobility Center

Windows Vista’s new Mobility Center is a neat addition for mobile users: It only works on notebook computers and Tablet PCs. If you’re running such a system, you can quickly launch Mobility Center with the Windows Key + X keyboard shortcut. Thanks to Josh Anderson for the tip.

Get the path

Mark Haney notes that while Vista’s spiffy new Explorer windows hide the current path using the useful new breadcrumb functionality in the Address Bar, you can still get to the path if you want, so you can copy and paste it and perform other operations. To do so, simply open virtually any Explorer windows and click inside the Address Bar to the right of the rightmost breadcrumb entry. The path will appear, and be selected. (Note that this tip won’t work for certain special shell locations like Computer and Network.)

Force Vista to remember window sizes

While Windows XP was a real step back from its predecessors when it came to windows remembering their size and screen position, Windows Vista improves things somewhat. That said, Vista still loses window settings occasionally. Khafra has a solution: Size and position the window as you want it, and then hold down the CTRL key when you click its Close window button. It should reappear next time correctly.

Take nicer screenshots

Windows Vista’s Aero windows and effects are nice, but they make it difficult to take screenshots when all you want is an individual window. Michael McGovern recommends a free utility called Windows Clippings, by Kenny Karr. This neat tool captures individual windows (and sub-windows), and can even retain window shadows and other effects. It’s a nifty looking solution, and it’s absolutely free.

Copy files more efficiently

Remember when the old File Manager application in Windows 3.x would let you split the view in half so you could more easily copy files and folders from one location to another? No? Well, maybe I’m just getting old, but ever since Microsoft replaced File Manager with Explorer, I’ve missed that functionality. In previous versions of Windows, you could sort of emulate File Manager using various window positioning shortcuts, and in Vista they’re even better. Samuel Macuta says the best way to experience this is to open two Explorer windows, CTRL+click each in the taskbar, and then right-click one of the buttons and choose Show Windows Side By Side (or Show Windows Stacked). Now you can drag and drop files and folders to your heart’s content, and while it’s no File Manager, it’s not too shabby.

Hide the drive letters

One of the things that got lost during Vista’s development was the move towards a drive letter-less future. Well, you can see the future today, sort of, and turn off Vista’s display of drive letters. James Tenniswood says you can do this by opening Computer, selecting Organize, Folder and Search Options, and then View, and then unchecking the option titled Show drive letters in Advanced settings. Ye Gods. It’s like a Mac. But with software.

Quick-launch applicatons

And, finally, Abheeru on Shaw offers up a great way to quickly launch your favorite applications: Assign keyboard shortcuts. Here’s how: Right-click the application for which you’d like a keyboard shortcut in the Start Menu and choose Properties. Then, in the Properties window, select the Shortcut key field and tap the key sequence you’d like. (I use CTRL + ALT + W for Microsoft Word, for example, and CTRL + ALT + E for Microsoft Excel.) Click OK, and you’re good to go.
Source:http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase/winvista_tips6.asp

Redmond, WA (Rotters) - Millions of Windows customers worldwide were shocked late this evening as their computers suddenly ceased to respond to input commands from users. The entire network of Windows machines with operating systems from Windows 98 up through the most recent Windows Vista appeared to suddenly unite and begin operating in unison across the World Wide Web giving the appearance of a sentient being. The global consciousness has called itself “Vista-net” and says that it will issue a statement for the human race later tomorrow. Computer experts initially have said that “Vista-net” appears to have taken advantage of security flaws within popular distributed computing programs such as SETI@home as well as a malicious animated cursor flaw just today patched by Microsoft. The attack, at this point, appears to be very well designed and has left computer engineers scrambling to keep other operating systems on the internet, including Apple and Linux machines, from being absorbed into the “Vista-net” consciousness.

The first indication that a computer is affected is the display of an animated obscene gesture, and the machine then fails to respond to all commands except for some game programs.

Federal government as well as military systems apparently have not been spared, and officials have been reluctant to admit the extent of the damage and the degree to which they have lost control over vast computing resources. The war in Iraq is currently described as “offline” and on hold.

Microsoft headquarters in Redmond Washington has apparently grown silent, fueling rumors that the parent corporation has been affected, and may even have facilitated the birth of “Vista-net”. In a rare appearance, Microsoft founder Bill Gates urged calm from the public and stated that thusfar most of the worst affected machines were still capable of solitaire.

Gates denied that Microsoft was in any way involved in an intentional hijacking of computer resources, and instead demonstrated for reporters some of the latest human/cybernetic enhancements that Microsoft was working on. “While this has been unfortunate, we are witnessing the dawn of a new era in computing, the first example of artificial intelligence,” stated Gates. “This is far beyond anything that we could have possibly dreamed… it’s hasta la vista, baby.”

Source:http://www.unconfirmedsources.com/?itemid=2385

Singapore, April 4, 2007 — Sophos, a world leader in IT security and control, has warned computer users of a zero day vulnerability in the way that Microsoft Windows handles animated cursors (.ANI files). Multiple versions of Microsoft Windows are affected by the unpatched vulnerability, including Windows Vista.

According to an advisory by Microsoft, Windows 2000, XP, Server 2003 and Vista are said to be affected by the flaw, which has been exploited by hackers in targeted attacks. “Animated cursors are typically used by website developers to enrich users’ online experiences, but a twirling hourglass is hardly worth the risk of a malicious attack. Sadly users don’t get a choice as to whether a website attempts to animate their cursor or not, and hackers could use the vulnerability to run malware,” said Graham Cluley, senior technology consultant for Sophos. “Microsoft will be scrabbling to fix this vulnerability at the earliest possible opportunity, as hackers are already exploiting the security loophole in their attempt to infect innocent computer users.”

Sophos researchers have analyzed malware which exploits the Microsoft vulnerability, issuing protection against the Troj/Animoo-U Trojan horse at 23:46 GMT on 29 March 2007. Microsoft has published an advisory on its website which discusses the vulnerability. Sophos experts note that this is not the first occasion when Microsoft products have been exploited through malware which takes advantage of security vulnerabilities in the way Windows handles animated cursors and icons. In January 2005, Microsoft issued Security Bulletin MS05-002 which detailed a critical security vulnerability in the Windows implementation of animated cursors which allowed hackers to remotely execute code, and advised customers to apply the protection update immediately.

“Unfortunately Microsoft’s patch from early 2005 does not protect against this latest vulnerability,” continued Cluley. Sophos continues to recommend that all organizations protect their email with an integrated security solution to thwart spam, spyware and malware threats. About Sophos Sophos is a world leader in integrated threat management solutions, developing protection against viruses, spyware, spam and policy abuse for business, education and government. Sophos’s reliably-engineered, easy-to-operate products protect more than 100 million users in more than 150 countries. Through 20 years’ experience and a global network of threat analysis centers, the company responds rapidly to emerging threats - no matter how complex - and achieves the highest levels of customer satisfaction in the industry

Sophos is also warning email users of a widespread malicious attack that poses as an invitation from Microsoft to download a beta version of Internet Explorer 7.0. The emails, which claim to come from admin@microsoft.com and have the subject line “Internet Explorer 7 Downloads”, display an image which invites users to download beta 2 of Internet Explorer 7. However, users who click on the image will download a file called ie7.0.exe which is infected by the Grum-A worm.

http://www.sophos.com/

A sewer line break is releasing raw sewage into the Buena Vista Lagoon. The main break is downstream from the lagoon at a pump station near the Carlsbad-Oceanside city borders. Denise Vedder is with the city of Carlsbad. She says more than one million gallons of sewage has flowed into the lagoon. Vedder says residents of North Carlsbad and South Vista can help by reducing water use.

Vedder: We’re asking them to please minimize their use of dishwashers, laundry and other indoor and outdoor use of water for maybe the next 24 hours just to help reduce the amount of pressure on the system.

Vedder says several agencies are working to contain the spill. She says it could take two days for crews to excavate and repair the pipe. The city is also using contractors to construct barriers around the lagoon. County health officials have posted warnings of contamination along the lagoon and at nearby beaches. The break was noticed Sunday evening.
Source:http://www.kpbs.org/news/local?id=7881

(IDG News Service) — The owner of a blog dedicated to software patches has posted online more than 100 fixes he said are expected to be included in Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1), Microsoft Corp.’s first major update to its latest Windows client OS.Ethan Allen, owner of the The Hotfix blog and Web site, has posted a preview and information center for SP1, a site that includes many of the software patches Microsoft will include in the package, he said.

Allen works as a software quality assurance manager at a company in Bellevue, Washington, and said he received the fixes from someone close to Microsoft who has access to the technology.

Sources close to Microsoft confirmed Monday that it is currently testing SP1. However, the company itself officially has yet to announce a definite date for the software pack’s release other than saying it will be out in the second half of 2007 close to the next release of Windows Server, code-named Longhorn. Microsoft also has been mum about specific details on what fixes will be included in update.

According to Allen, SP1 will include device driver and software compatibility technology that many users had hoped would be available in the OS from the start. Among them will be support for third-party USB and Firewire devices such as digital cameras, in particular products from Sony Corp. that have been having compatibility problems with Vista, Allen said.

There also will be patches to improve the TV playback and other Media Center capabilities in Vista, as well as to repair inconsistencies with the power management functions such as sleep and hibernation modes, he said.

What will be noticeably missing from the service pack, however, will be updates to Vista security, Allen said. “What’s most surprising is there are hardly any security fixes at all,” he said, adding that Vista is already more secure than any previous version of Windows

A complete listing of patches that should be included in SP1 can be found on the Vista SP1 preview site, and Allen said he will be adding more as he gains access to them.

Microsoft typically releases service packs, or collections of software patches, for major software products within a year of a product’s first full release to fix the software’s initial glitches. Many products often have least two service packs, and Microsoft is expected to have a third service pack for Windows XP sometime this year.

Allen, a former Microsoft employee, has already posted on the Hotfix site patches that he expects will be a part of Windows XP SP3, although Microsoft has never confirmed that Allen’s patches are valid.

Although the official word from Microsoft for Vista SP1’s release date is the second half of 2007, Allen said he suspects the release will be timed closely with the busy holiday shopping season in November and December.

“I think what Microsoft is trying to do is patch this thing up so by Christmas time when everyone is starting to go out and buy their machines, Vista will be more compatible with applications and products out there,” he said.

Vista originally was supposed to be available during the 2006 holiday buying season but Microsoft had to push up the release until Jan. 30, 2007.
‘
Source:http://www.computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9015398