What you need to know about the Windows 7 Release Candidate

Microsoft has finished its work on the Windows 7 Release Candidate and has announced a distribution schedule. For those who are thinking of evaluating this release, I’ve put together this FAQ.

What is the Windows 7 Release Candidate?

The Release Candidate (RC for short) is the most recent milestone build in the Windows 7 development process. The official build string is 7100.0.090421-1700. It is available in x86 and x64 formats.

Will there be additional release candidates after this one?

That’s not in the plan of record, and it’s unlikely to happen. Interim builds will be prepared between now and the final release for testing internally at Microsoft and externally by OEM partners. But this is the final version that will be made publicly available before Windows 7 is released for manufacturing and sent to retail channels and OEM partners.

Is the Release Candidate feature-complete?

Yes. Rumors that Microsoft is holding back a secret feature or radical change in the Windows 7 user interface are unfounded. Although it’s possible that Microsoft will add some new desktop backgrounds or screen savers, what you see in the Release Candidate is what you’ll get when the product is released. Microsoft’s work from now until then is in fixing the last round of bugs, most of which will be related to OEM configurations and hardware support.

What’s changed from the beta release?

A lot, actually. I’ll have details in a follow-up post.

Will the RC be available to the general public?

Yes. Just as with the beta release, the public will be able to download and install this release for evaluation purposes.

Do I have to pay anything to use the Windows 7 RC?

No.

When will the RC be officially available for download?

Participants in the technical beta program are scheduled to get access to the RC bits on or before April 30. If you have a TechNet or MSDN subscription, you will be able to sign in using your credentials and download the RC code beginning April 30. The public download site is set to go live on May 5.

What format will the download be available in?

Downloads will be disk images in ISO format, which can be burned to DVD. You can also mount the file to a virtual drive using a program like Virtual Clone Drive. Your CD/DVD burning program may offer this capability as well.

Can I install the Windows 7 release candidate over an earlier beta release?

That depends. If you use the setup files as distributed, you will be blocked from upgrading over any build prior to 7077. That includes the beta release (build 7000) and most leaked interim builds from April 4 or earlier. There is a workaround, however, which I’ll document in a follow-up post.

Can I upgrade my existing copy of Windows XP?

No. The XP-to-7 upgrade path is not officially supported. Microsoft has advanced deployment tools to assist with XP migrations in enterprise settings, but for the RC you’re better off using the Windows Easy Transfer utility to copy your data and settings to external storage, then restore it (and reinstall your programs) after performing a clean install of Windows 7.

Can I upgrade my existing copy of Windows Vista?

Yes, with some caveats. First, you must have Windows Vista Service Pack 1 installed; the original (RTM) release of Vista can’t be upgraded. In addition, you can upgrade only within the same processor family: Vista x86 to Windows 7 x86, and Vista x64 to Windows 7 x64. You cannot upgrade an x86 machine to x64 or vice-versa. An upgrade installation preserves user accounts and passwords, Windows settings, installed programs, and data files but might replace some device-specific drivers with generic Windows 7 versions. In my tests, Vista upgrades have worked very well across the board. That’s not surprising, given that Windows 7 is based on the same core platform and the same driver model as Windows Vista.

Can I install Windows 7 in a virtual machine?

Virtual machines have their uses, and all of the virtualization platforms I looked at currently support Windows 7 as a guest OS. One major caveat is that virtualized hardware does not offer support for Aero graphics and thus doesn’t give a true picture of the desktop experience. VMs also don’t support direct connections to some hardware devices such as TV tuners. VMs are ideal for testing software compatibility and creating simulated networks.

Can I install Windows 7 on an external USB or IEEE 1394 (FireWire) hard drive?

No. Windows 7 cannot be installed on any removable drive.

Can I choose which edition to install?

The release candidate image is configured to install Windows 7 Ultimate Edition. If you want to choos a different edition, copy the installation files to a different location, delete the Ei.cfg file from the Sources folder, and then run setup from that location.

Will Windows 7 work with my software?

That’s one big reason to evaluate this release, isn’t it? Most mainstream business and entertainment programs that work on Windows Vista will also work on Windows 7. Programs that are likely to fail (at least until patches are available) are system utilities that interact with hardware at a low level, such as disk defragmenters, and some security software. If you run Windows 7 Setup from an existing copy of Windows Vista and choose the upgrade option, you’ll get a report listing any known incompatibilities.

Where can I find Windows 7 hardware drivers?

The drivers included with the Windows 7 RC cover a very wide range of devices, and others are available through Windows Update. If you find that a particular device isn’t supported, you should be able to use the Windows Vista driver, although you might have to jump through some hoops to bypass compatibility checks. Some vendors have released beta versions of Windows 7 drivers. Both Nvidia and ATI, for example, have released WDDM 1.1 video drivers for Windows 7. Creative Labs has released Windows 7 drivers for some devices and has announced a release schedule for others.

How long does installation take?

That depends on your hardware and the installation type. A clean installation on a fast desktop system should finish in a half-hour or less. On slower hardware, it could take up to an hour. When performing an upgrade, you’ll need to allow additional time for migrating data files and settings. I haven’t seen any upgrade take more than two hours.

Do I need a product key?

Technically, no. At the end of the installation process you’ll be prompted to enter a product key. If you leave this box blank, setup will continue and your copy of Windows 7 will work with no restrictions. You will have to enter a valid product key before activating.

I have a product key from the Windows 7 beta. Can I use it on the Windows 7 RC?

Yes, in my testing product keys acquired as part of the beta program work just fine for clean installs and upgrades.

Do I have to activate my installation?

By default, Windows 7 will activate automatically three days after you install it. You can disable automatic activation during setup by clearing the check box below the product key box. If you do not activate at the end of the 30-day grace period, you can continue to use the RC, but you’ll have to put up with nag screens and a forced black background. You can reset the 30-day grace period up to four times, using the same technique that works with Windows Vista.

How long can I use the Release Candidate?

The software will stop working on March 1, 2010, which should be long after the official release is available. You must either uninstall the RC or replace it with a licensed copy of the final RTM code before then.

When will Windows 7 be released to manufacturing?

Your guess is as good as mine. In the words of a Microsoft executive, “Those who know, won’t say. Those who say, don’t know.”

Source : zdnet.com

Free alternative to Adobe Reader

1. Foxit Reader Foxit Reader is small in size (approximately 3.5 MB) but features almost everything Adobe Acrobat Reader has. This FREE PDF viewer allows users to view and print out their PDF documents. PDF documents can be opened at lightning speed and users can convert PDF document to its original document. It works well with Windows Me/2000/XP/2003/Vista. Download Foxit Reader 2. Cool PDF Reader I bet this is the smallest PDF reader with only 600 KB++ in size and it is reflected on its simple installation. Cool PDF Reader can do common PDF reader job; view, print ect. Interestingly it can also convert PDF files to other extension such as TXT, JPG, BMP, GIF, WMF, PNG and EPS. It works in 68 different languages and supports all version of PDF files. Download Cool PDF Reader 3. PDFescape No installation required. Seriously, all you need is only a browser. PDFescape is a new way to open PDF files and escape from the typical software requirements for using the de facto document file format. With PDFescape, you can fill in PDF forms, add text and graphics, add links, and even add new form fields to a PDF file. 4. PDF Hammer PDF Hammer is another Free online PDF application. It functions as a reader and also allows users to edit PDF documents. Users can combine or merge PDF documents together, reorder, rearrange and delete pages. You can also lock your PDF files with password-based security and edit or add document information fields including author, subject, title and keywords. 5. Perfect PDF Reader Perfect PDF Reader is a free download and it runs on both 32and 64 bits Windows platforms. The Visual C++ 2008 runtimes are required for it to function properly and it can be downloaded during installation. Basically there are three views to choose from - reading view, standard and a full screen reading. With Perfect PDF extraction of images and text is made easy. Either type of element can be copied, selected and pasted elsewhere. Download Perfect PDF Reader 6. Sumatra PDF Sumatra has a minimalistic design. It is small and launches itself very fast. It is great for portable use because it is just a one file with no external dependencies. You should include this in your USB pen drive. Download Sumatra PDF 7. PDF-XChange Viewer This PDF viewer is is smaller, faster and more feature-rich than other available readers. You might be surprised just how quickly your large PDF files open and pages smoothly refresh as they are scrolled. * Add comments and annotations to any PDF file * Type directly on any PDF page * Markup pages with text and objects * Export PDF pages or entire files to BMP, JPEG, TIFF, PNG and more * Make your navigation of large PDF files both simple and enjoyable with the Loupe and Pan tools * Extract text from a PDF page or file Download PDF XChange Viewer Source http://blog.eches.net/

POSTAL IDENTITY CARD

Many working peoples often shift their houses. For them, it is difficult to produce an address proof issued by Govt with latest address. Our India post (post office) has come up with a solution. Now you can get an Address proof along with your photo from India post. Since the ID proof is issued by India post which is a central government organization, it is similar to Govt ID cards like Driving license, Voters ID etc. It can be used for opening bank accounts, for getting telephone/internet connections etc. The total cost for getting this ID card is Rs.250/ (Rs.10 for application and Rs.240/- processing fee). But unfortunately this service is started only by Tamilnadu Postal Circle & we should hope that it will be implemented all over India.

For further information please visit http://www.tamilnadupost.nic.in/psvc/adproof.htm

No time for gym? Lose weight anyway

"It often happens that we end up missing on time to indulge in calorie-burning in an anticipation of triggering off a full-on fitness regime," says fitness exert Kiran Swahney. So, why not dig out occasions some where in the course of the day and cash in some real time to burn the fat. We recommend you 20 physical and foodie alterations for weight loss... embrace them and staying fit won't be a long cherished dream any more! "On foot is a stylish way to exercise as its easy, versatile, kind to your joints and doesn't require conjuring too much of paraphernalia. So involve walking as much as you can in your routine." says L.Balasubramaniam, Technogym Olympic Master Trainer. 1. Get up and walk around your office or home: This should happen at least every two hours for 5 minutes. This brisk five-minute walk every two hours will give you an extra 20-minute walk by the end of the day without making any special efforts. 2. Wash something thoroughly once a week: Be it the floor, a couple of windows, the shower stall, bathroom tiles or your car...anything that makes you don your cleaning gloves and exert some pressure on your hands and elbows burns nearly four calories for every minute spent on cleaning. A washing session of 30 minutes and you've worked off nearly 120 calories. 3. Drop a movie for an active date: Yes, it's a weekend and you're planning to spend time with your love. Why not head to the local park rather than sit idle in a movie hall? This will not only give you a chance of walking hand in hand, but will also avoid the calories that a large bucket of butter popcorns holds in. What's more? Explore other active dating ideas like cycling together; enjoying a tennis match or a swimming championship...even losing to your love will be fun here! 4. Take a walk before dinner: Yes, you are reading it right! Walking post dinner helps in digestion and burning calories, walking before gorging on your favourite dinner cuts down on your appetite. "Twenty minutes of walking reduces appetite and increases sensations of fullness as effectively as a light meal," informs Balasubramaniam. 5. Make the most of your TV time: This one is for the cricket crazy men and soap obsessed women who spend hours being a couch potato. Now make the most out of the commercial breaks to burn some calories and tone-up your body with the following set of exercises:

• As the break starts, do 25 jumping jacks.

• Then jog on the spot for the count of 30.

• Do 25 abdominal crunches.

• Lastly, get on the floor and place your feet up on your coffee table and do 25 hip lifts. By the time the break ends, you would have burnt a major chunk of calories.

6. Kiss your partner passionately: Lock your lips in passion at least 10 times a day. Not only it will keep your love life buzzing, but every minute spent kissing will burn 6.4 calories. Ten minutes a day of kissing can burn approximately 23,000 calories in a year...that's the power of love! Source : Timesofindindia.com

What is recession?

This Story is about a man who once upon a time was selling “Wada-Pav” by the roadside.

He was illiterate, so he never read newspapers.

He was hard of hearing, so he never listened to the radio.

His eyes were weak, so he never watched television.

But enthusiastically, he sold lots of “Wada-pavs”.

He was smart enough to offer some attractive schemes to increase his sales.

His sales and profit went up..

He ordered more a more raw material and buns and use to sale more.

He recruited few more supporting staff to serve more customers.

He started offering home deliveries. Eventually he got himself a bigger and better stove.

As his business was growing, the son, who had recently graduated from College, joined his father.

Then something strange happened.

The son asked, "Dad, aren't you aware of the great recession that is coming our way?"

The father replied, "No, but tell me about it." The son said, "The international situation is terrible.

The domestic situation is even worse. We should be prepared for the coming bad times."

The man thought that since his son had been to college, read the papers, listened to the radio and watched TV.

He ought to know and his advice should not be taken lightly.

So the next day onwards, the father cut down his raw material order and buns, took down the colourful signboard,

removed all the special schemes he was offering to the customers and was no longer as enthusiastic.

He reduced his staff strength by giving layoffs.

Very soon, fewer and fewer people bothered to stop at his “Wada-Pav” stand.

And his sales started coming down rapidly, same is the profit.

The father said to his son, "Son, you were right".

"We are in the middle of a recession and crisis. I am glad you warned me ahead of time."

Moral of The Story: It's all in your MIND! And we actually FUEL this recession much more than we think we do!!!!!!!!!! !!

What can we take away from this story??

1. How many times we confuse intelligence with good judgment?

2. Choose your advisors carefully but use your own judgment

3. A person or an organization will survive forever, if they have the 5 Cs

* Character

* Commitment

* Conviction

* Courtesy

* Courage

The tragedy today is that there are many walking encyclopedias that are living failures.

The More practical and appropriate views on this economic recession is:

"This is the time to reunite together for any small or a big organization,

this is the time to motivate and retain people which are the biggest asset,

this is the time to show more commitments to the customers,

this is the time show values of our company to the world,

and this is the time to stand by our Nation".

Personal loan: Things you MUST know

1. What is a personal loan?

A personal loan can be obtained for any purpose be it for a cruise holiday or a wedding expense.

It is handy when you have an urgent need for money in a lump sum.

It is very useful when you can repay the money to the bank in the shortest time span possible as the interest rates are quite high compared to other loans. You can take a personal loan for up to 5 years. The loan does not require elaborate paperwork. The amount of loan one is eligible for is dependent on the individual's income.

2. How is a personal loan different from a loan against property, shares or gold?

LAP - Loans against Property, loans against shares or gold are a more sensible option in comparison to an unsecured personal loan if one needs to pay back the bank over a longer time frame. The loan amount one is eligible for is dependent on the value of the property and the interest rates are much lower.

It gives the loan taker ample time to repay the loan but the catch is failure to do so will result in the property being auctioned to secure repayment by the bank/financial institution.

On the other hand, the advantage of a personal loan is that it requires minimum documentation and is quicker to process.

Source :

Attach Files to Google Apps Calendar Events

Google Apps users can now add attach Google Documents and Picasa Web Album pictures to their Google Calendar appointments, helping to explain or illustrate shared events.

The attachment option, which might not be enabled for all Apps users, appears just below the description box. Perhaps that's an intentional suggestion that if that box is looking stuffed, a doc or picture with directions, meeting details, and other important details might be a more sensible and courteous route. For those already keen on Google's Docs and Picasa services, or those who really dislike Evite, this is a handy way of sending all-details-included party invitations—whenever it arrives on personal, non-App accounts, that is.

Source : lifehacker.com