Hewlett Packard is coming to some early decisions about how it will market the next version of Microsoft Windows on their popular line of Netbooks. Netbooks are small form factor notebooks used for light activities such as surfing the Internet, email and instant messaging.

In a vote of confidence for Windows 7 's suitability for use on netbook PCs, Hewlett-Packard Co. says it likely will offer at least three different editions of the upcoming operating system on future models of its Mini netbooks.

That includes the Professional and Home Premium editions, which Microsoft Corp. last week said will be the two primary versions of Windows 7 , and the low-end Starter edition, which will limit users to running three applications at a time.

Kyle Thornton, category manager for business notebook PCs at HP, said in an interview late last week that the vendor also has been testing the beta version of Windows 7 Ultimate - an edition aimed at gamers and PC enthusiasts - on the Mini netbook line.

Read the entire article here

I don’t find this surprising it all, considering that Windows 7 Ultimate will become an OEM type product when its finalized. Microsoft however expects major OEMs like HP to run specials that allow users running any of the lower SKU’s to acquire the upgrade to Windows 7 Ultimate. Mary Jo Foley of All About Microsoft reported the status on Windows 7 Ultimate availability at RTM:

Veghte told me that Microsoft is anticipating Ultimate to be one of the less popular SKUs with a run-rate in the “low single digits). Microsoft is positioning Windows 7 Ultimate as the preferred SKU for consumers who need enterprise features (but aren’t volume-license customers), as well as for OEMs or retailers with “specific offers” they want to sell around. With Vista, the Ultimate SKU was also aimed primarily at enthusiasts, but was Microsoft’s preferred high-end offering for consumers — one to which it tried to convince customers to upgrade.

Windows 7’s Anytime Upgrade improvements makes it very easy to upgrade to a another SKU with more features.

• %Windows\macfee_.exe
• %Windows\System32\macfee_.exe
  If you have any of these files in running process from task manger, end the process before removal.
  Note: if task manager is disabled
  Download the following file [ Right click and select “Save Target as” ]
  Click to Download - Enable Registry.reg
  Open it with Regedit.exe [%system32\regedit.exe], then it Confirms Add to registry Yes or No, Confirm Yes, then click Ok.

Note: If the registry editor fails to open the threat may have modified the registry to prevent access to the registry editor.
Download UnHookExec.inf, [ Right click and select “Save Target as” ] and then continue with the removal.
Save it to your Windows desktop. Do not run it at this time, download it only.
After booting into the Safe Mode or VGA Mode
Right-click the UnHookExec.inf file and click Install. [This is a small file. It does not display any notice or boxes when you run it.]

HKEY_USERS\S-1-5-21-XXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXXX-XXXXXXXXX-XXXX\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
Delete Entry with any Listed file name Above

A few weeks back we posted an entry on how to boot from a Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 VHD.  Booting from VHD is new to Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 but one of the caveats was you needed a “clean” VHD to boot from.  There is a very simple way to create this VHD using an open source tool available on the MSDN Code Gallery called WIM2VHD.

WIM2VHD is a command line tool that converts the WIM image into a VHD you can use to boot off.  It does have a few requirements…

• The prep machine has to be running Windows 7, Server 2008 R2, either of which could be running in a Hyper-V VM
• A Windows 7 or Server 2008 R2 installation media
• The Windows 7 Automated Install Kit Beta

There are a number of switches you will need to know as well in order to create the VHD file…

• /wim: specifies the path to the WIM file
• /sku: which version (ServerStandard, Ultimate etc…)  You can also use the SkuIndex if you retrieved that with the ImageX tool
• /vhd: specifies the path and the name of the VHD to be created
• /size: specifies the size of the VHD in MB
• /disktype: specifies the type of disk, Dynamic or Fixed

There are some additional switches which you can find on the WIM2VHD documentation that allow you to further customize the VHD to be created.

So let’s say we wanted to create a Windows 7 Ultimate VHD on a 40GB fixed disk; we’d use the following command:

cscript wim2vhd.wsf /wim:X:\sources\install.wim /sku:ULTIMATE /vhd:C:\Win7Ultimate.vhd /size:40960 /disktype:Fixed

Or if we wanted to create a Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard VHD on a 40GB dynamically expanding disk we’d use the following command:

cscript wim2vhd.wsf /wim:X:\sources\install.wim /sku:SERVERSTANDARD /vhd:C:\ServerStandardR2.vhd /size:40960 /disktype:Dynamic

You can download WIM2VHD and the release documents here.

Just got the update in my inbox, Windows Live Calendar will be coming soon and the Windows Live Team would like you to start preparing for the transition.

Windows Live Calendar

Dear Calendar Customer,
You spoke and we listened! We took valuable feedback from customers like you and made the next generation of our online calendar even better, which some of you have already been using in its beta form. Windows Live™ Calendar is an easy-to-use online calendar that helps you keep in sync with the people and events you care about. Now out of beta, it has a new look and some improved features:

 

• Calendar sharing and to-do lists: Coordinate easily with family and friends by setting up shared calendars and to-do lists.
• Public calendar subscription: View automatic updates on your calendar when information from your public calendars changes. Subscribe to a concert, weather, sports, or other public calendar¹?. Windows Live Calendar will sync changes from that calendar to your calendar list.

So what do you need to start preparing for the move?

Please prepare for the move.
In preparation for the move, we'll need your help with one item. You may have added attachments (such as presentations, documents, and spreadsheets) to your calendar through Microsoft Outlook Connector or the MSN® Premium client; if you did, any attachments you added will not be copied to your new calendar.

Original calendar will be retired.
When we finish moving all your original calendar information to Windows Live Calendar, the original calendar will officially retire so we can focus on delivering a more feature rich Windows Live Calendar to you. Once your information has been moved, you will need to 're-share' your calendars with your family and friends in Windows Live Calendar.

Shared Windows Live Calendar in Microsoft Outlook

I have been playing with with Windows Live Calendar a bit last week, and looks really robust, the tight integration with Microsoft Outlook should help users become easily familiarized with the service. All you need to install is the Office Outlook Connector which is a part of the Windows Live Essentials Suite.

System Tuner is rogue optimization software from the same developers as XpyBurner and HDriveSweeper. System Tuner is promoted via Trojan horses which are usually designed as video codec’s.
The main purpose of System Tuner is to steal money from simple-hearted computer users. Parasite uses scare tactics to achieve this goal. Under scare tactics we mean falsified scan results, fake security alerts, and annoying pop-ups.
Once System Tuner gets in touch with your system it will automatically configure itself to run automatically every time you turn on your computer. It is important to notice that after installation System Tuner may slow computer performance.
We strongly recommend you to remove System Tuner manually or using -

Type: Rogue Optimization Software
Malware Author: Unknown
Threat Level: High
Screenshot:


How to remove System Tuner manually:
It's possible to remove System Tuner manually, but you have to be very experienced in dealing with registry entries, program files and .dll files.

The files to be deleted:

%Program Files%\SystemTuner\config.udb
%Program Files%\SystemTuner\SystemTuner.exe
%Program Files%\SystemTuner\Uninstall.exe
%Program Files%\SystemTuner\Fonts
%Program Files%\SystemTuner\Languages
%Program Files%\SystemTuner\presale
%Documents and Settings%\All Users\Application Data\35E2E24EBleeping.dat

Remove registry entries:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SystemTuner
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SystemTuner
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run “SystemTuner”

Please be careful because manual removal of System Tuner may seriously damage operational system and sensitive data. Also there is a big possibility of incomplete removal, because some files could be hidden and program could re-install itself after you delete files and registry entries. -="-?item=11719-8&.&linkid=mrasystu">-.

Description of System Tuner and consequences of its residing on your PC

System Tuner (SystemTuner), despite of the professional appearance of its website, is a malicious software developed by rascals whose only aim is to rob credulous users. Their product System Tuner pretends to reveal privacy risks and programs slowing down your computer, but in reality it discovers that privacy risks or objects slowing down your computer are particular files listed in its scan results. If you take a close look on them, you may wonder how, for instance, media files may slow down your computer? The point is that files listed among scan results of System Tuner are selected randomly as System Tuner comprises group of files which association is a mere random files selector and its scan window represents these randomly selected files. These files may by chance by harmful, but it is obvious that chances are higher that they are valuable for you. Remove System Tuner for that instead of discovering real threats this rogue lists false positives and slows computer down by issuing conflicting commands. It also attempts to detect and disable installed security tools. Since System Tuner has far not perfect mechanisms for identification of programs performing functions of computer security, it may by chance disable any program. The disabling for System Tuner is the deterioration of the program so that System Tuner removal is also a matter of securing your useful programs from hard damaging. Click here to start free scan and get rid of System Tuner at the earliest opportunity.

System Tuner Technical Details

• Full name: System Tuner, SystemTuner, System-Tuner
• Version: 2009
• Type: Rogue anti-spyware
• Origin: Russian Federation / http://system-tuner com

System Tuner screenshot:

Signs of being infected with System Tuner:

System Tuner may be installed as a trial version. User may download it at the websites of System Tuner, but trojans also serves this malware: one day a user may wonder what is that annoying program that generates scan window and states there have been found dozens of errors to repair? In case of trojan participation in the download of System Tuner you are likely to be infected with other rogue programs as the trojans is the program-mediator in the installation of many rogue applications and does not serve System Tuner only. You need to remove System Tuner subservient trojan as a program even more harmful than System Tuner.
Having been installed, System Tuner adjusts Windows settings to be the first program launched automatically as Windows warms up. Owing to this, user has to look at System Tuner window with scan for privacy threats and errors every time the Windows has been loaded. It is thus hard to pay no attention to the presence of this malware. Click here to identify threats posing actual challenge to your computer and remove System Tuner and other infections as appropriate.

Automatic Removal of System Tuner from your PC:

System Tuner is associated with other rogue applications, e.g. its close relative HDriveSweeper and trojans. If you would like to remove System Tuner and other rogues at once, follow the link below and get rid of System Tuner in the appropriate way.

Download System Tuner Removal Tool

Manual Removal of System Tuner:

If you believe that System Tuner is the only threat you are going to get rid of, you may remove System Tuner manually. In order to make sure the System Tuner removal has been successful, follow the link above in to perform free scan that would reveal any threat, incl. System Tuner (if the removal has not been successful).
You need to see the instructions for System Tuner removal, but it is recommended to close every program while removing System Tuner. Thus, please have System Tuner removal instructions printed out.

Remove System Tuner files and dll’s

SystemTuner.lnk
Online Support.lnk
Uninstall.lnk
User Guide.lnk
config.udb
SystemTuner.exe
Uninstall.exe
Fonts
Fonts\MyriadPro-Bold.otf
Fonts\MyriadPro-Regular.otf
Fonts\tahomabd.ttf
Languages
Languages\Deutsch.lng
Languages\English.lng
Languages\Spanish.lng
presale
index.html
style.css
images
images\box.png
images\bullet.png
images\footer_bg.png
images\footer_bg2.png
images\iepngfix.htc
images\logo.png
images\paysys.jpg
images\price_1.png
images\price_2.png
images\support.png
images\top_bg.png
images\top2.jpg
images\warning.png
img
blank.gif
35E2E24EBleeping.dat

Unregister System Tuner registry values:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Uninstall\SystemTuner
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\SystemTuner
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run “SystemTuner”

System Tuner Remover with free scan