Archive for the ‘Windows’ Category
Running Windows Live Messenger 2009 beta
I just updated my Windows Live Messenger to the 2009 beta. I've only been using it for a few seconds and as with the last update (to 8.5 if I remember correct) it has received a visual upgrade. As you can read in my Twitter stream, the installation kinda annoyed me.
Here's a look at the chat window:
The Beta can be obtained from http://download.live.com/messenger.
Related postsTags: Messenger, Microsoft, News, Software, Windows, windows live messenger, Windows-Live
Windows Live Messenger 8.5 Beta is here
Just upgraded my Windows Live Messenger 8 to the 8.5 beta. So far I haven't seen any new features but mostly design improvements.
I found the installer at FileHippo.com (it's also available from Microsoft's Live.com site) and I could log in without any problems, but that may be because I'm enrolled at the Windows Live Messenger 8 beta testing (?)
Read the release notes for Windows Live Messenger 8.5 Beta.
Anyways, it looks better than version 8 :-) Screen shot of the login window below:
Tags: Instant messaging, Microsoft, Windows, Windows-Live
Cracking Windows using a bootable Vista DVD
MSBlog has an interesting, and incredibly disturbing, blog post about how much you can do with a Vista bootable DVD.
All a person has to do is to boot a computer into the recovery mode using the command prompt, which doesn't require user name or password. This means, that the cracker can get full access to the hard drive.
Here you have full access to this computer, not only as an administrator but also as a system account user. After this you can insert usb-memory and copy any non-encrypted file from this computer to usb-memory and steal information without leaving any marks to the system or event viewer logs.
Also, you could for example copy SAM-file (contains names and passwords of local users) from c:\windows\system32\config to usb-memory and start cracking computer’s user password at remote computer.
A cracker can:
- copy files from hard disk to USB, floppy or network server
- create / modify / delete files and folders
- use most of the MS-DOS like commands
- use this method in Vista, XP, 200x
As a means of protection Patrick S from MSBlog advices you to the following:
- setup bios boot order so that booting from other media than hard disk is not possible
- setup startup password from your bios (mainly in home computers)
- use hard disk encryption software, if possible (such as bit locker)
- encrypt files and folders using EFS, if mechanisms above are not possible
Tags: Microsoft, Security, Software, Windows
Ubuntu vs. Windows Vista
Is Ubuntu (Linux) ready for the desktop?
I haven't read it yet, but InformationWeek has done a comparison between Ubuntu and Windows Vista.
It's quite a long article, but you can skip right to the conclusion. :-)
Update 1:
Ubuntu News also has a take on the comparison.
Tags: Linux, Microsoft, Open source, Ubuntu, Vista, Windows
Windows Media Player introducing new .wav icon?
Just got a notification in my Windows Media Player, that an update was available. After the upgrade all of my wave files (.wav) now have this logo:
I'm guessing this is Windows Media Player's work, since the same icon is used inside the media player. I like it.
Related postsAnnoying things in Vista
If you consider upgrading/installing Microsoft Vista, perhaps you should take a lisk of "The Most Annoying Things About Windows Vista" at PC World.
Related postsTags: Microsoft, Vista, Windows
Vista satire
If you're a Mac person (I'm not) and can understand Danish (I can) then you might appreciate this joke cartoon from Engineering Weekly.
Basically, the guy standing up is saying: »I think it's working now. But isn't it just a poor copy of Apple's Dashboard?«
And the guy on the floor says: »It just needed more RAM«.
I think this is the way a lot of people look at Vista. A Mac look-a-like who needs tons of memory. At least the folks I've talked to. So much for the "wow"…
Related postsTags: Apple, Mac, Microsoft, Vista, Windows
Test drive Windows Vista directly in your browser
I found this via Computerworld Denmark, but apparently you can test drive Windows Vista in your browser at WindowsVistatestdrive.com.
The test drive requires Internet Explorer 6 at least, and apparently it doesn't work if you live in Denmark. Here's the error box I got, when I tried to click around the in-browser Vista:
Looks like something the journalist should have written in the article…
Related postsWant a Vista signed by Bill Gates?
Found via Mike Walker's blog.
Related postsTags: Microsoft, Vista, Windows
Windows updates slowing my PC?
Recently I got a new laptop.
As the first thing I installed a firewall and went to Windows Update — only to find out, that there (not surprisingly) was a bunch of updates ready.
Now, after I've installed all these updates, I've noticed that it takes my laptop longer time to boot. The time from when the desktop picture is displayed to Windows XP is in a state of readiness has increased and Windows takes longer time to shut down.
Has anyone else experienced the same?
Related postsTags: Microsoft, Windows, Windows-Update