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Windows XP Mode in Windows 7

// May 15th, 2009 // 1 Comment » // Reviews

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Running XP in windows 7 XP mode

Windows XP Mode (formally Virtual XP) is a new feature in Windows 7. It’s a licensed, virtualized copy of Windows XP Service Pack 3 running inside Microsoft’s own Virtual PC framework. Windows XP Mode is specifically designed to help small businesses move to Windows 7. Windows XP Mode provides you with the flexibility to run many older productivity applications on a Windows 7 based PC.

When I heard about this feature I thought “what’s new in this? We can install other OS using MS Virtual PC or VM ware”. But now I understand why this is a new feature.

The core of XPM are Virtual PC 7 (VPC) and the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) protocol. All you need to do is to install suitable applications directly in Windows XP Mode which is a virtual Windows XP environment running under Windows Virtual PC. The applications will be published to the Windows 7 desktop and then you can run them directly from Windows 7.

Client virtualization software, like Windows Virtual PC  is a pre-requisite to use Windows XP Mode. So first I installed a Windows update – Windows Virtual PC (Beta)(KB958559) : Windows Virtual PC (Beta) is the latest Microsoft virtualization technology that allows you to run many productivity applications on a virtual Windows environment, with a single click, directly from a Windows 7-based PC.

After rebooting my system, I installed Windows XP Mode Beta . It’s a single executable file, 445MB of size. Installation was straight forward, need to set only few setting like where you want to install, password etc. If anybody tried installing XP or any other operating system using MS Virtual PC or VMWare or any other virtual achine in any other operating system, you know that that installation is just like normal OS installation, have to set all those settings, need normal installation time etc etc. Also after installationn you need to allocate a good amount of RAM and other system resources for the virtual machine,  which degrades overall system performance. But Windows XP Mode surprised me.

Installation took only few minutes and launched XP. It is so fast, and taking only very less system resource, just like a normal medium windows application. Since it uses Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) protocol, the interface is little different from previous Virtual Machine mode, it’s like lognined into an XP machine using Windows Rremote Desktop application.

Now if you want to use XP machine, you can install Windows 7 with Windows XP Mode

Files:

Windows Virtual PC: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=65e1c5eb-df9b-415f-b2d6-27f6ef5dceb9&displaylang=en

Windows Virtual PC Beta: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=0E8FA9B3-C236-4B77-BE26-173F032F5159&displaylang=en

Windows 7 RC Review

// May 8th, 2009 // 7 Comments » // Tech News

Today I installed Windows 7 RC in my desktop PC.

Installation

First thing I noticed is the graphics, a cool installer background image. From windows vista onwards, installation is not a big task, need to set few regional and account information and the partition (and GUI tool for managing partition).

Started installation at 1AM and got my desktop at 1.15. So installation took only 15mnts.

7 GB for windows 7 files

Booting and shutdown

I got my login screen in 32sec and then the desktop in 13sec. So the total booting time is 45sec. But this is without any additional applications. This will change when we install other applications. Shutdown time is around 13sec… Starting windows screen is a new animation screen showing windows and login screen got a new background image.
Other big change is in the taskbar, it can be compare with the dock in mac. It groups items and shows preview of all the items on mouse over. Windows media player can be controlled from the preview itself. We can control the system tray icons from the “Notification area icons” in control panel.

My computer properties

My system rating

Desktop

Design, Graphics & Other Improvements

Design and graphics have a significant change in windows 7. Up to windows vista, the 1st thing i do after installation is disabling all the animations and effects. Even though windows vista have aero theme, it is not much impressive especially in transparency and all. But in windows 7, animations and other screen effects are good. I am not feeling to disable those effects especially its transparency.
We can easily change the aero colour settings; new slide show enabled desktop background with some new background theme sets like Windows 7, Architecture, characters, scenes, nature etc..

Ms paint toolbar

Another change is in the MS paint, it got new ribbon style tool bar and some new additional tools.
I wonder why they are not updated the notepad, it is still the same
They have also added some new sound themes and in that my favorite theme is Raga.

New wallpaper themes

New sound themes

Speed, Stability & Compatibility

I am feeling a lot of speed change in windows 7 compared to Vista. Booting, application loading time are faster in Windows 7.
I have installed only few basic applications in windows 7, so i can’t talk much about Speed, Stability & Compatibility. I installed MS office, winzip, Acrobat reader, multimedia codec and other basic home applications. All those applications are working fine. I tried to install AVG free and Norton internet security 2009, both have known compatibility issues but Norton is running. I want to install and try other development applications when I get time.

Preview in taskbar

Controll panel- All items. Some new features added

Windows-7-RC2 Booting image

This is a basic review of Windows 7 RC or say first look. I didn’t get much time to review in deep so i didn’t get any bugs . I will try the new features and post it when i get time. Please share  you experience

Testing Wondows 7 Beta

// January 14th, 2009 // No Comments » // Reviews

I am testing Windows 7 in a virtual machine, so it is very slow. But since I dont have a free partition in my Dell XPS laptop I have to use virtual machine. I am using Microsoft Virtual PC 2007 SP1. 

Touching Windows 7

// November 4th, 2008 // No Comments » // Reviews

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRqeBhPw2bA&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]

Create PDF or XPS files using MS Office 2007

// March 7th, 2008 // 1 Comment » // Tips & Tricks

This office add-in allows you to export and save to the PDF and XPS formats in eight 2007 Microsoft Office programs. It also allows you to send as e-mail attachment in the PDF and XPS formats in a subset of these programs.

This add-in is available to customers running genuine Microsoft Office.

Download Microsoft Save as PDF or XPS Add-in

Run Linux applications on Windows or OS X with Lina

// March 3rd, 2008 // No Comments » // Tips & Tricks

Lina is a Linux virtual machine that allows users to run applications with the native look of their host operating system. It also lets you install applications with a mouse-click, no need to compile software from source code.

The features are

Native look and feel

With LINA, Open Source applications developed in a Linux environment can run on Windows, Mac OS X, and UNIX operating systems, as well as any flavor of Linux. Compiled and run on the LINA platform, these Linux applications adopt the appearance and interface characteristics of applications written for the underlying operating system. With LINA, users get the native look and feel of the operating system they are accustomed to.

Fully portable

LINA runs invisibly wherever installed, offering a fully integrated solution for development and deployment of cross-platform executables.

Secure and stable

With LINA installed, programs written for Linux will run securely, regardless of changes made to the underlying operating system. LINA insulates the underlying operating system from the applications running on LINA, and protects the user’s other programs and data from unexpected modifications.

Visit Lina Website

Microsoft DreamSpark

// February 28th, 2008 // No Comments » // Tech News

DreamSpark is simple, it’s all about giving students Microsoft professional-level developer and design tools at no charge so you can chase your dreams and create the next big breakthrough in technology – or just get a head start on your career.

Who can get this right now?

Currently t.hey are giving this to students from 11 countries.United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Germany, France, Finland, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Belgium. If you are not residing in one of the countries listed keep checking they will add more countries soon.

What do I have to do to get this software?

• just select a product
• Sign In with your Windows Live ID.
• Get verified as a student.
• Download your products.

The following products are availabele now

• Expression Studio
• Sql Server 2005 Express
• Sql Server Developer Edition
• Virtual PC 2007
• Visual Basic 2005
• Visual C++ 2005
• Visual C# 2005
• Visual J# 2005
• Visual Studio 2008
• Visual Web Developer 2005
• Visual Studio 2005 Professional
• Windows Server 2003
• XNA Game Studio

Goto: https://downloads.channel8.msdn.com/

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3 SP3 Release Candidate 2 beta

// February 23rd, 2008 // No Comments » // Tech News

Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers experience with the operating system.

Instructions:

Download the script and run it on a machine currently running Windows XP Service Pack 2. The script sets a registry key on your system. The registry key is required for Windows Update to recognize your machine as a valid target for Windows XP Service Pack 3 RC2. Versions of Windows XP Service Pack 3 prior to Release Candidate 2 should be removed before attempting to use the registry key. Windows Update will not offer Release Candidate 2 to machines with previous versions of the Windows XP Service Pack 3 beta.

Download

Linux vs M$ Windows Vista

// October 23rd, 2007 // No Comments » // Reviews

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC5uEe5OzNQ&rel=1]

Punish your Microsoft developer- SHARE THE PAIN Technology

// September 24th, 2007 // No Comments » // Fun