Just got off the phone with the launch registration people to confirm their policies on bags/cameras and such. Well contrary to my expectations there will be NO BAGS and NO CAMERAS permitted in today’s events. I will still have a synopsis of the events but unfortunately no pictures :(.
Archive for the 'Windows Vista' Category
Print This Post
So Windows Vista is launching (officially) tomorrow, and at midnight tomorrow night people all over the world will be able to go to their local retailer and pick up a copy of Vista (insert SKU here). I will be attending the main launch event in NYC tomorrow along with a few other people.
Speaking of, Kristan Kenney should be there too. I told him to call me when he landed tonight but I think the r-tard forgot to write my # down. So canuck, if you read this YOU FAIL!
Anyway look out for pictures and a synopsis of the events to be posted tomorrow night :).
Print This Post
With all the rush of releasing new products, Microsoft forgot to make the Zune’s software work on Vista. According to the official Zune website, it’s only supported for Windows XP. Even though Vista is not officially released yet, the new operating system is in the RTM stage. It will be released to businesses in just a couple of weeks, and I don’t think it’s likely the Zune will be ready in time.
Windows Vista is not supported at this time. Check back soon for updates.
However if you’ve already bought it, there is hope yet. A blogger has come up with a few steps to get it working. Apparently the software is compatible, but not officially.
1. Don’t let the Zune CD autorun - instead right click on it in my computer and choose open
2. On the Zune setup .exe right click and go to properties
3. Click on the compatibility tab, then check “run this program in compatibility mode for:” and select Windows XP SP2
4. Hit apply, then ok and now go back to the opened Zune folder and run the Zunesetup.exe
Not exactly sure why Microsoft couldn’t take the time to work out all the bugs, but this work around seems to work for now.
Source: Cyber-Knowledge
Print This Post
Well some of you have probably been wondering what happened to the Vista guides after build 5536. To be honest, I got lazy. Betweem that and working a lot I just didn’t have time to pump out new guides for new builds that were, quite frankly, not much different from 5536. Instead I decided to move my focus on something that I am working on which will be based on Vista RTM. I’m not going to say what it is exactly (can’t have anyone stealing my idea now, can I?). I just figured I’d post this to let everyone know theres a good reason for all of this and I think you will all be pleasantly suprised when I do come out with what I’ve been working on :).
Print This Post
It’s done! The tweak guide for 5536 has been finished. I would like to thank Kristan Kenney for his many contributions as well as Dena Reiter for helping me out with the wording as well as proofreading the guide as a whole :).
This guide has a lot of tips to help you get the most from your Windows Vista experience. I really hope you enjoy it and as always, feedback is more than welcome.
Print This Post
In my previous post on this topic, I discussed the screensaver in Vista (as well as XP MCE 2k5) not working with the Microsoft Cordless Laser 6000 KB/Mouse combo from Microsoft. Since then I have been doing some further investigation into what exactly is the cause of the issue. Well, I found it. It turns out that with this KB/Mouse setup and a few others released around the same time they introduced a new “Microsoft Wireless Desktop Receiver 3.0A”. Previous wireless sets had the 2.0A receiver, and I just happened to have one of these old receivers lying around. Plugged it in, aquired signal with my devices and walked out of the room. When I came back 5 minutes later, the screensaver was working as I would expect it to. So it’s the receiver, not the keyboard or the mouse. When I called Microsoft support about the issue, they said it is known but have no plans to fix the issue and outright refused to send me a working receiver. I guess they don’t need the business, or they just like pissing people off, but either way, they know about the problem but they don’t want to do anything about it as usual.
Apparently the issue is something to do with the 3.0A receiver conflicting with the ehtray.exe process on any version of XP/Vista equipped with Media Center.
Just figured everyone should know, so now you can at least stop pulling your hair out trying to find the real culprit.
Print This Post
As you have probably already seen over at Brandon Leblanc’s blog, we had a rather interesting discussion about our expectations for RC1. We all pretty much agreed on the fact that RC1 has to prove to be stable, and I mean REALLY stable. But on top of that there has to be consistency throughout the whole user interface. As people have already pointed out, things like the Install new fonts dialog are reminiscent of Windows NT 3.51 (NT 3.51 because of the long filename support). Vista is Microsoft’s chance to change their reputation of horribly inconsistent UI’s and give us something that is truly unified and looks like it all fits together in the same puzzle.
People wonder why Apple users always poke fun at the Windows UI? Well it’s because of inconsistency (and the fact that Luna was just plain ugly but that’s another story for another day).
So in short, my expectations for Vista RC1 are for it to be very stable and have the performance of an OS that the average person can use day to day (mind you I have been using Vista full time since 5342). I also want to see a unified interface, no more dialogs or icons from ancient versions of windows. Windows team, I am not asking you to change the underlying code at all, just make everything consistent! Laziness is not the way to create a good operating system.
Print This Post
Microsoft have announced the availability of Windows Vista beta 2 (build 5384.4) and Office 2007 Beta 2 (build 12.0.4017.1006). Currently Vista beta 2 is only available to WinHEC attendees, MSDN subscribers and Beta testers. The build will be made available to the public within the next few days.
However Office 2007 Beta 2 has been made public today, proceed to the link below to get your copy of the next generation version of office!
Print This Post
I have finished the 5381 guide. It’s not much and a lot is reused from the 5365 guide. There are two main reasons for this. One is the fact that 5381 is not much different from 5365, and that I am concentrating efforts on something special myself and Kristan will be doing for beta 2. So here’s the guide for now, next one up: Beta 2 
.
Print This Post
Vector Glass is really coming to Vista, like myself and many others have been saying for so long. Except this time, there is hard proof. y_notm on aeroxp made a rather interesting discovery when digging around inside Vista’s DLL’s, specifically DWM. Read about it HERE.
Here is the registry info that he posted. Reposting it for easiness sake, in case people don’t want to click the link 
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Avalon.Graphics]
“EnableDebugControl”=dword:00000000
“UseDX9LText”=dword:00000000
“BreakOnUnexpectedErrors”=dword:00000001
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Avalon.Graphics\DISPLAY1]
“PixelStructure”=dword:00000064
“GammaLevel”=dword:00000003
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Avalon.Graphics\Tier00010000]
“MemorySize”=dword:00020000
“PixelShaderVersion”=dword:00000003
“VertexShaderVersion”=dword:00000003
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Avalon.Graphics\Tier00020000]
“MemorySize”=dword:00020001
“PixelShaderVersion”=dword:00000003
“VertexShaderVersion”=dword:00000003
NOTE that playing with these values seems to make vista try and trigger vector glass but it fails. Maybe we need a specific set of values or there could still be a few odds and ends missing.
On another note, the 5381 Tips and Tricks guide should be posted tomorrow evening. Stay tuned for it 
.
Print This Post