MIX Online wasn’t the only website getting a refresh this week as Microsoft.com’s own frontpage is experimenting with a little redecoration. “tfraser” from the Channel9 forums noticed he was randomly redirected to a new page at Microsoft.com where they’re testing a newer itteration of the homepage.

Currently there’s not that much different except the instant fly-out navigation tabs which makes diving down to sub-sites much easier compared to the current “live view” solution. Search and the recognizable green Live Search search button also receives more attention on the header. Other than that it’s still fairly uninteresting.

Hello all from the Los Angeles Convention Center. Just a reminder six other Microsoft bloggers - Ed Bott, Mary Jo Foley, Kip Kniskern, Rafael Rivera, Paul Thurrott, Tom Warren and I will be liveblogging all four keynotes. Join us for that on this site at Monday 27 October at 8:30am. If you’re more of an audiovisual person then check out microsoftpdc.com for livestream webcasts.

Vista is Microsoft's current flagship version of Windows, but that doesn't mean XP has been put out to pasture just yet. The operating system that brought new experiences in reliability and stability for consumers is 7 years old today. That's a long time in the software world. Thinking back to when the product RTMed in August 2001, I had just finished high school, the terrible tragedy of September 11, 2001 had occurred and then the Anthrax scare started happening, a whole lot was going on at the time. Windows XP over the years has grown into a beloved product and regardless of the bumps along the way such as Code Red, Nimda and Welchia that occurred in 2003, the product garnered a massive user base that is still strong.

Windows XP has seen numerous updates in its life in particular the security heavy Service Pack 2 that some would describe as a brand new release of the in itself. Looking back at its development history, Windows XP formerly code name Whistler was targeted as a major release building on the fundamentals of Windows 2000, not introducing incompatibilities and bringing the investments that consumers and businesses made in Windows 9x and Windows NT into the new millennium. Today's Internet at the time was in its infancy the plethora of blogs dedicated to Windows today was quite small although there were still major enthusiast web sites like ActiveWin.com, NeoWin.com and WinSupersite around at the time giving us the latest details on what to expect.

Today, the information overload of Windows has reached a height of disbelief sometimes. Examples include the recent fiasco over Windows 7's kernel version which was not even an issue for Windows XP which is NT 5.1. People cared about the fundamentals of Windows back then and a lot do today, but we have seen a shift in how Windows is perceived over the past couple years since Vista was released. Yet, still, Windows XP remains in the news with good commendation while its future successors try to communicate there amazing benefits in security, ease of use, features and reliability and advanced technologies like 64-bit computing and Multi-touch.

Windows XP is still available to OEMs through Media until January 2009 and the OS will continue to be supported on the new notebook form factors called Netbooks until 2010.

Happy B-day XP!

Previously:
Windows XP Matures - 5 Years Later

Resources:
Microsoft Windows XP Website
The GUI Gallery
ActiveWin: Windows XP Review

Wow, this was a long time coming, but its finally here. For the past couple of weeks now, I have been encountering problems trying to get the most recent Windows Vista Ultimate DreamScene Content Pack 4 to show in Windows Update. I don't know what was causing the delay on my machine running Vista x64, but its now finally here.

Yep, its finally here.

Previously:
Where are my Ultimate Extras and DreamScene Content Pack 4?

Resources:
Microsoft releases new Ultimate Extras - Microsoft Tinker
Windows Vista Ultimate Extras
Ultimate PC
New Ultimate Extras: Microsoft Tinker and Dreamscene Content Pack 4

Sharp eye reader Long Zheng just posted about the availability of the Windows 7 Logo requirements. Microsoft is on a aggressive move to get third party ISV's ready for this major update of Windows. No doubt this also applies to IHVs and there conference is just little bit after next weeks PDC.

The major highlights Long took the time to point out include:

1. Install and uninstall cleanly
2. Install to the correct folders by default
3. Support x64 versions of Windows
4. Follow User Account Control (UAC) Guidelines
5. Do not load Services and Drivers in Safe Mode
6. Digitally Sign Files
7. Do not prevent an installation or application from launching because of OS version checking
8. Prevent unnecessary reboots
9. Support multiuser sessions
10. Minimize application failures

I must say that 64-bit support is probably the most welcoming. Microsoft has been trying to get developers on this bandwagon for a long time and it looks like Windows 7 will be the golden brick road to Windows 64-bit compatibility and ubiquity. Some deep efforts have been made so far with Vista x64 and I have been an exclusive user of the platform since the OS RTMed in November 2006 and I have been using it since Build 5308 released in February of 2006.

Check out Long Zheng's blog for more information here

Download the Windows 7 Logo Requirement Document here (Microsoft Word Docx format)

Description of Antispyware XP 2009 and consequences of its residing on your PC

Remove Antispyware XP 2009 (AntispywareXP2009 or AntispywareXP 2009) as soon as you can as this is rather dangerous system devastator than just annoying adware. In contrast to rather moderate predecessors, this application acts very sharply aiming to shock users with evident system disordering and data damaging. Many users have complained, for instance, that files, usually with doc and avi extensions are reported damagaed and cannot be rendered by corresponding programs.
Methods of Antispyware XP 2009 installation are various. Such proved by time technique as spamming and such inherent to fake virus removers only and novel  method as redirection to online scan page are both not ignored.  It is hard if not impossible to assess precisely ratio of hidden and authorized installations of Antispyware XP 2009 trialware. However, experts conducted approximate evaluation and made a conclusion that  Antispyware XP 2009 is more often installed without autorization. Other interesting observation is short-lasting so called doormancy period, but this rather relates to signs of Antispyware XP 2009 presence thus please go to the next sections to get more detailed explanation.
At the same time, the above details already presents sufficient background to remove Antispyware XP 2009 (AntispywareXP2009 or AntispywareXP 2009) as soon as you can. Click here  to initiate free scan and to get rid of Antispyware XP 2009 once and for all.

Antispyware XP 2009 Technical Details

• Full name: Antispyware XP 2009, AntispywareXP 2009, AntispywareXP2009
• Version: 2009
• Type: Rogue anti-spyware
• Origin: Russian Federation

Antispyware XP 2009 Screenshots (click to enlarge):

Signs of being infected with Antispyware XP 2009:

Antispyware XP 2009 demonstrates free scan in progress every time when PC is started and Windows is loaded, except some exceptional cases that are explained either by Antispyware XP 2009 trialware malfunctions or by unique system adjustments at victim’s computer. Demonstration is quite appropriate word to apply in conjunction with Antispyware XP 2009, because Antispyware XP 2009 indeed just demonstrates or imitates scan for viruses, actually listing imaginary names drawn from data file included into the Antispyware XP 2009 trial. The scan is supported with alerts stating your PC is in danger and similar cliches.
Doormancy period is the time between upload and installation of illegitimate application like fake malware remover in case of installation with trojan or any other kind of unauthorized invasion of malicious application. This period lasts quite long in case of many similar to AntivirusVIP roges. However, AntivirusVIP is not long to install after upload according to preliminarty trests, however this time varies and experienced users may detect some strange changes during the dormancy period, like system freezes and reboots, also marking of disks borderlines  may disappear. In any case, these events can hardly be associated with any particular malware or virus, but are good reasons to conduct detailed computer scan.
On order to detect free of charge and to remove Antispyware XP 2009 regardless of time of its presence and of harm done by this rogue, click here.

Automatic Removal of Antispyware XP 2009 from your PC:

Save and fast way to destroy malware like Antispyware XP 2009 is to get rid of Antispyware XP 2009 by means of automatic removal tool. In addition, and that is very important, removing Antispyware XP 2009 with trusted malware removal tool (the appropriate link is below) you can detect and remove other threats.

Download Antispyware XP 2009 Removal Tool

Manual Removal of Antispyware XP 2009:

Be careful with manual removal of Antispyware XP 2009. Reboot your system and do not start any programs after you log on to Windows before completion of Antispyware XP 2009 removal. When you finished to remove Antispyware XP 2009 according to the guide below, reboot your system again. Download free copy of Antispyware XP 2009 removal tool to check whether Antispyware XP 2009 removal campaign was duly effected (it is a recommendation; if decided to follow this advice, click the appropriate link above).

Remove Antispyware XP 2009 files and registry entries

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\Antispyware XP 2009

AntispywareXP2009.exe,
AVEngn.dll,
antispywarexp2009

Antispyware XP 2009 Remover with free scan