Windows Updates

Windows Updates not only update your computer to the most recent version of the operating system they also provide a method to keep the drivers on your computer current.

The drivers will depend on the hardware that you are using. Therefore it is good idea to run the optional updates so that the driver/hardware related drivers are downloaded.

Some specific device functionality cannot be made to work by applying Windows updates. Often a BIOS update needs to be made. An example of this is the activation and recognition of 6 and 8 cores in processors that are so equipped.

SP1 becomes kb2533552

This information is now covered on other posts.

Please search for kb2533552

Clean Install of Windows 7

I am not suggesting that you install a "bootleg" copy of Windows 7 as a "clean install" on your new computer (although it seems to work really well!) - I AM suggesting that you abandon the image that was supplied to you on your new computer and install a copy of Windows 7 without all the OEM/Manufacturer nonsense.

This may well require you to purchase a legitimate licensed copy of Windows 7 from Microsoft. This may sound like an unnecessary up-front cost, but in the long-run it is a wise investment.

I have found the restore and recovery using a "clean install" takes less than half the time than that a restore using the manufacturers recovery media. Even when you use the recovery media from the manufacturer you will only restore the computer to the state it was when you purchased it - you will them still have to apply all the updates and customization that you applied to it before you made the restore.

I have found that ALL drivers and configuration for Windows 7 has been located by the MS install for a range of computers including Acer, Asus, Lenovo and other custom built computers using are wide range if hardware (BIOS, Motherboard, graphics etc).

This represents a change from the way things were and there is no need for all the countless driver "download" websites.

KB971033 breaks RemoveWAT?

I have updated the information on this post to be relevant for 2012

• For an update to this post - please see this new post. 

It would appear that the Hazar forum is no longer and the entry on mydigitallife is now somewhat dated.

The release of KB971033 seems to be key to the operation of the Windows 7 Activation hack. As I am using the Daz loader I had not cause to try the Hazar solution.

All my computers where I have installed 7 and applied the Loader KB971033 has been downloaded and installed - ALL the systems are indicating that they are Genuine and nothing seems to have been detected by the process installed as a consequence of the Microsoft update.

Is this the case with RemoveWAT?
If you are a user of RemoveWAT and found that it has now stopped working since KB971033 please comment.

Also the procedure for making Windows updates could do with some experienced description (i.e. restoring WAT applying updates and removing WAT again)

What you see if you turn off VT in BIOS

This is what you see with Virtual Box trying to run a 64 bit guest:


This is what you see for Windows 7 Virtual-PC trying to load XP-Mode


Both VMs have been successfully configured with AMD-V (SVM) enabled in BIOS - you will not be able to configure the VMs shown above if your processor or BIOS does not allow you to enable virtualization.

The Sun VirtualBox will run a 64 bit guest o/s ONLY if AMD-V or Intel VT is present and enabled. Microsoft Virtual-PC can ONLY host a 32 bit guest irrespective of the virtualization capabilities of the system.
In addition, the Sun VirtualBox will host a 32 bit guest even though virtualization techologies are not present.
This means that if you have a licensed copy of 32 bit XP you can run XP in a VM using VirtualBox on a Windows 7 64 bit o/s machine and then run DVD decryption programs such as DVD43.

XP-Mode Hardware Requirements

Unlike the page on Tomshardware the requirements are NOT particularly stringent!

All you need is a microprocessor that supports virtualization and a motherboard that allows it BIOS to use it!

As for the endless discussion about the relative merits of Dual Booting or Virtualizing........
Microsoft advertised that it was an option and the consumer WANTS IT!

The Intel T4200 and T4300 do not support this!

Karmic Koala Server in a Virtual PC

Ubuntu 9.10 Server (64bit) - the notes on the WikiP page for MS Virtual server don't say that Linux is supported (in any form) by the MS Virtual-PC (the one that comes with Windows 7)

However, of the guest systems that are supported include 64 bit versions of Windows 7 (I guess you might want to virtualize a copy of Home Premium 64 bit or Home Basic 64 bit [not that it exists for the likes of me and you!] from Windows 7 Professional 64 bit and above).

Never-the-less I am downloading the server image and will try and set it up in a Virtual Machine.
I am really curious to see what the Cloud computing features are all about and I may want to set-up a LAMP server.

I will have to see what I think about the new version of Ubuntu - despite the posting earlier on ZDNet (Dana Blankenhorn - Ubuntu Karmic Koala launches)

It might not work (this is from the WikiP page):
".....no release has been able to virtualize a 64-bit guest; Microsoft has thus far reserved this functionality for Hyper-V, which runs only on 64-bit (x64) editions of Windows Server 2008."

Which is a pity, as I don't really want to spend that much time with Desktop version - Jaunty works well enough for my present needs.
Also I have a copy of Snow Leopard that I want to try as well!

Links:

• Linux on The Technology Muse
• Ubuntu

ERP systems not compatible with Windows 7

Quote from AMD w/s on Client-Side Virtualization

"Many companies will find XP Mode to be helpful - from smaller companies with custom developed inventory tracking applications to large enterprises that have implemented large ERP systems incompatible with Windows 7. "

Anyone know what these ERP systems are?

Current Computer product is VT deficient

A quick recap on the processors that were being sold in PC equipment in September/October 2008 and comparing to that available September 2009 (just before the release of Windows 7) indicates that more have Intel Virtualization™ Technology enabled than they do now?????

For example: Core 2 Duo 65nm processors T7100 T7300 T7400 T7600 all had VT enabled
Core 2 Duo 45nm P8600 T8100 T8300 had VT

Now T3400 T4200 T6400 and others --- DO NOT SUPPORT VT

Is this a coincidence or don't Intel and Microsoft want users to try out XP-Mode?????

Intel Processors that Will Not Support XP-Mode

In the run-up to the release of Windows 7 there is a proliferation of hardware being sold that does not support the virtualization required for XP-Mode to be used with Windows 7

Mobile processors that DO NOT support VT: P7350 P7450 T3200 T3400 T6400 T4200 T6500 (T4300 seems to be OEM for Toshiba - so can't say)

Desktop processors that DO NOT support VT: Q8200 (Core 2 Quad) E2200 E2210 E5200 Q8300 E7500 E1500

Those that do:
mobile: P8600 P8700 Q9000 (SU3500 does have VT - strange as this is low-end?) SU9400 SP9400
d/t: E8400 E8500 i5-750 i7-920 i7-860 i7-975 ----- all i5 and i7 maybe QX9770

This is not a complete list, please visit www.tempusfugit.ca for a full discussion on how to determine if the computer that you are considering supports "XP-Mode"

Nothing you can download will make computers that are shipped with processors such as the T4200 or T6400 will allow XP-Mode to run. If you find yourself in this position either return the computer to the place of purchase or at least voice your displeasure to the manufacturer or retailer of the computer or with Intel directly.

A complete list of all the processors that support virtualization can be found on www.tempusfugit.ca

How to Determine if an AMD CPU Supports AMD-V

Not all AMD and Intel processors support Virtualization.

This is required if you wish to run Windows 7 in XP-Mode.

Links will be available via www.tempusfugit.ca and comment will be placed on this blog regarding processors that do support VT or AMD-V. Processors installed in notebooks and desktops that are being sold in the "run-up" to the Windows 7 release.

For example: the AMD ZM-82 does not support AMD-V and will not allow XP-Mode

Windows 7 on an eeePC 900HD

This post is my original notes from 2009 when I attempted to install Windows 7 on a eeePC 900HD

UPDATE June 2010 - It is pretty certain if I tried it now then it would be successful.
I have installed Windows 7 on multiple Netbooks since the time that this post was first made.
The key is to ignore the Upgrade Adviser and install regardless. Windows 7 performs perfectly on a Netbook with the eeePC 900HD's processor and 1G of RAM

---

Original Post:
I tried, but the Win 7RC setup balked at the fact that it had a processor that was only 900MHz. There was another cryptic message about backup up and doing a custom install. I tried the install couple of ways - running the setup from a USB DVD drive and by booting from that drive.

I ran the Windows 7 upgrade Adviser and that told me what I already knew, the minimum processor speed was 1GHz.

There are posts on the Internet, mostly very blurry YouTube uploads (I am sure that you have seen them - if you are reading this!), claiming that it has been done. I don't doubt that, but all I can say it is not that easy - although there was quite a lengthy tutorial on how to install from a boot-able memory stick (most of which revolved around the preparation of the stick).

Still the 900HDB-BLK002X was only bought to see if could be done. It does support the 1024 by 768 resolution however, which is better than the competing models at the time.

There is talk of a Windows 7 specially optimised for Netbooks, but I guess we will have to wait until the O/S gets released on the 22nd of October - we might even see Windows 7 being sold on new Netbooks.

---

Update June 2012 - It is highly likely that the 900HD would have difficulty in displaying the full resolution as do some of the current (2012) Netbook and Notebook models with similar problems in obtaining the VGA drivers.

I also may have been incorrect in stating that the 900HD was capable of 1024 by 768 resolution as the WikiP page that all these earlier Asus eeePCs were only 1024 by 600. However, the WikiP page also states categorically that none of them will run Windows 7 (I don't believe this to be the case)

Links:

• All pages relating to Windows on The Technology Muse
• How to install the same copy of Windows 7 on multiple computers

Intel T4200 and XP Mode in Windows 7

The T4200, like a lot of the processors that are used in laptops sold currently, does not support VT.

If you want to run Windows 7 in XP-mode then you will want to check if the processor in your prospective computer supports Intel® Virtualization Technology (of buy a computer with an AMD Dual Core)

A comparison chart of all processors that support VT was formerly to be found on  my web site, www.tempusfugit.ca


Links:

• Windows 7 and XP Mode on The Technology Muse

BootPRO - Win7BootPro

The boot loader for Win7 seems to be the same as Vista and VistaBootPro can be used in the same way and entries in the BCD Registry can be manipulated so that you can get a Win7, Vista and XP treble boot or just a dual boot.

Alternatively why not try Virtualization?

BootPro license for private use is $9.95 (the old VistaBootPro was free) - no doubt there will be torrent download s - see the Tempusfugit website for details.

I have configured many dual boots and Virtual Machines

  Other pages on this blog (alternates to Dual Booting):

• Virtualization - techniques and tricks
• The difference between vt-x and vt-d
• Sun Virtualbox and MS Virtual PC compared

SSHTunnel Stability

It has been observed that SSHTunel.exe is more stable on Windows XP Home than on XP Pro.

The title of this post is SSHTunnel as that seems to be the most popular spelling of the SSHTunel process. SSHTunnel is a product from RS4U dot com - SSHTunel shows as $h@d0W's Software (when the process is viewed with MS Sysinternals)

SSH is NOT as protocol. SSH is a Secure Host that is configured using SSL protocol

SSL protocol and "Tunneling" are aspects of TCP/IP security - above the heads of most users of TorrentPrivacy.

The stability of a process wrt the operating system is often a "hit and miss" endeavor. To expect SSHTunel to be stable on a computer running a Beta release of an operating system (Windows 7) is very optimistic! Expecting a process to be stable when it was developed for the expressed purpose of downloading in an anonymous manner is also.

SSHTunel and TP has not been tried on Vista, as, like most torrenters, the computer used for torrenting is likely to be an 'old' pc that has been dedicated to the torrenting activity. It is also likely to be a computer where the beta version of Windows 7 is evaluated.