Microsoft Exchange 2010 Beta

Download a 360-day trial to test in your own environment—or test drive online.

	Trial Software The new Exchange Server 2010 Beta is here. Download this 360-day free beta version and try the new features on your own environment.
	Online Trial Experience the new world of Software plus Services through Microsoft Exchange Online, which enables you to try all the messaging and calendaring functionality you need with none of the administrative burden.

Read More... »»

Change Windows 7 Themes

Just wanted to take a moment to highlight Mike Swanson’s amazing theme pack for Windows 7. Mike is a colleague, friend who works just down the corridor from me. His primary role with the company is as a content owner for our developer conferences (he’s responsible for the MIX09 keynotes).

When he’s not focusing on his day job, Mike is also an amazingly talented macro photographer; in particular, he has developed a reputation as the “desktop wallpaper” man. He’s one of the most popular and regularly downloaded photographers on interfacelift.com, which is the kind of site you can spend hours perusing in search of that “perfect” shot to customize your machine. Windows 7 offers a perfect opportunity for Mike to showcase his talents to the world in ensemble fashion, through the introduction of “theme packs”.

What is a theme pack? Glad you asked! A theme pack is essentially a single compressed file containing one or more desktop background images, along with optional customizations for the Aero glass, sounds, screen saver, icons, cursors, etc. To create one, all you do is set your own desktop up with the appropriate choices, and then click the “Save theme” link on the Personalization page in Control Panel. (One important caveat: make sure you choose the “theme pack” type in the drop down list – otherwise it will save just the theme choices without the images themselves.)

When you’ve saved the file, you should wind up with a single file with a .themepack extension. This file is actually a CAB-compressed archive, containing the relevant resources and a .theme text file in INI-format that describes how they are used. You can send this file to a friend or host it on the web, and any Windows 7 user can just open the file to install a new theme on their system. Easy, huh?

To get back to Mike, he’s created the nicest theme pack I’ve yet seen, containing twenty of his best macro images. They’re beautiful pictures, full of vibrant colors and light, and they are also very well suited for desktop backgrounds.

Want to check these out for yourself? Here’s the download link:
http://blogs.msdn.com/mswanson/archive/2009/01/25/my-windows-7-theme-pack.aspx

source :http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2009/01/25/windows-7-theme-packs-customize-your-desktop.aspx

Read More... »»

Internet Explorer 8 Features

Has tried Internet Explorer 7? or at the time was to switch to Internet Explorer 8. For some people, not many knows the difference between IE 7 and IE 8 and what you can do with IE 8. Here are some of the features available in IE 8, you can distinguish yourself with IE 7

• Accelerators
  How many steps does it take with your current browser to map an address, translate a word, or perform other routine tasks online? Until now it was likely a series of cutting and pasting information from one webpage to another. Now there's a better way. The new Accelerators in Internet Explorer 8 help you quickly perform your everyday browsing tasks without navigating to other websites to get things done. Simply highlight text from any webpage, and then click on the blue Accelerator icon that appears above your selection to obtain driving directions, translate and define words, email content to others, search with ease, and more. For example, with the "Map with Live Search" Accelerator in Internet Explorer 8, you can get an in-place view of a map displayed directly on the page.
  You can discover other useful Accelerators by selecting the More Accelerators option on the right-click menu, or visit our Accelerators gallery. You can easily delete, disable, or enable Accelerators by clicking on Manage Add-ons from the Tools button on the upper right-hand corner of your browser window.
  Internet Explorer 8 includes a number of useful Accelerators to get you started. Simply highlight text from any webpage, and then click on the blue Accelerator icon The Accelerator icon that appears above your selection to get things done faster than ever. You can add more by going to the Internet Explorer Gallery to customize the browser with Accelerators from Live Search, eBay, Yahoo!, Wikipedia, Amazon, Facebook, and other sites in a way that works for you.


• Search suggestions
  
  Have you ever forgotten the complete title of a book you were hoping to find or the first name of the actor in last night's movie? The new search capabilities in Internet Explorer 8 will offer relevant suggestions as you type words into the search box to help save time. Click on a suggestion at any time to immediately execute the search without having to type the entire word or phrase.
  


• Visual Suggestion
  Internet Explorer 8 is partnering with top search providers like Live Search, Wikipedia, Yahoo!, Amazon, and more to deliver visual suggestions that provide you with immediate answers. For example, typing "Isaac Newt" with Wikipedia visual suggestions will instantly show you a preview of the results directly in the Search Box drop-down. Look for more visual suggestion results with your preferred search providers.


• Better Find On Page
  Internet Explorer 8 includes a completely redesigned Find On Page toolbar, which is activated by pressing Ctrl-F or choosing Find On Page from the Edit menu or Search box drop-down. Press the Alt key if you do not see the Edit menu option.
  The toolbar is integrated below the tab row, so that it does not obscure any content on the page. Instead of waiting for you to type an entire search term and hit Enter, the toolbar searches character-by-character as you type. Matches are highlighted in yellow on the page so that they're easy to identify.


• Increased performance
  Internet Explorer 8 includes many performance improvements that contribute to a faster, more responsive web browsing experience in the areas that matter most. Internet Explorer 8 starts quickly, loads pages fast and instantly gets you started on what you want to do next by using a powerful new tab page. In addition, the script engine in Internet Explorer 8 is significantly faster than in previous versions, minimizing the load time for webpages based on JavaScript or Asynchronous JavaScript and XML (AJAX).
  
  See how Internet Explorer 8 stacks up against other popular browsers in real world benchmark testing.
  
  Want to take a deeper dive into the performance improvements in Internet Explorer 8? Download this whitepaper for all the details.


• Smarter Address Bar
  
  Can't remember the full address of a new website you visited last week? Type a few characters in the new Address Bar and Internet Explorer 8 will automatically recall sites you've already visited based on your entry. It searches across your History, Favorites, and RSS Feeds, displaying matches from the website address or any part of the URL. As you type, matched characters are highlighted in blue so you can identify them at a glance. In addition, you can delete any address in the drop-down box by clicking on the red X. This is especially useful for getting rid of misspelled URLs.

Read More... »»

Microsoft Launch Hardware features for Windows 7

REDMOND, Wash. --June 2, 2009-- Microsoft Hardware today announced that its current line of award-winning mice, keyboards, LifeCams, gaming devices and notebook accessories will be fully compatible with Windows 7 once the operating system is launched to retail customers on Oct. 22, 2009.1 Making everyday tasks faster and easier, Microsoft Hardware created new, timesaving features for Windows 7 to ensure that anyone using the new operating system gets a better experience.


Microsoft Hardware will launch several new features for Windows 7 in the coming months for its peripherals; the first of which is a timesaving feature called Taskbar Favorites that gives Microsoft keyboard users a smart new way to access their most frequently used programs and documents. Taskbar Favorites will map to the location of applications on the improved Windows taskbar. The applications in the taskbar can be easily rearranged just by clicking and dragging, and Taskbar Favorites will automatically adapt to the applications’ new locations. Additional new benefits of the Microsoft Hardware and Windows 7 connection include the following:

• Device Stage. Microsoft Hardware mouse and keyboard products will support Device Stage, a Windows 7 feature that gives customers quick and easy access to common tasks, including product information, registration, settings and more for popular device categories such as cell phones, cameras, printers, portable media players and input devices.


• Windows Flip. Microsoft mouse and keyboard users can easily see a thumbnail preview of all open windows with the press of a button. A full-screen preview of the application will automatically display, enabling the user to better identify and select the desired application.


• Windows Live Movie Maker and Windows Live Photo Gallery. LifeCam users will be able to do more with photos and movies. With Movie Maker they can start a movie project with one click, and then upload video to social networking sites. Photo Gallery access will enable them to easily upload a photo that they can edit, tag and share with friends and family.


• “These new benefits continue a longstanding tradition of Microsoft integration,” said Brett Ostrum, general manager of Microsoft Hardware. “Microsoft Hardware devices have been enhancing life on the PC for more than 25 years — from a mouse designed for the first version of Microsoft Word and LifeCam exclusive features for Windows Live to keyboard design inspiration taken from Windows Vista. Our collaborative effort among all Microsoft teams ensures that the Microsoft Hardware lineup is an excellent choice for Windows 7 users.”

Availability

When choosing peripherals for their Windows 7-based PCs, consumers can feel confident that all current Microsoft Hardware products are compatible with the new operating system.1 Hardware products tested under Microsoft specifications for compatibility with the new operating system will display a Windows 7 logo on the product.

Beta versions of Microsoft mouse, keyboard, controller and webcam software are available now for Windows 7. Final versions of product software, which include Taskbar Favorites, Device Stage, Windows Flip, Windows Live Movie Maker and Windows Live Photo Gallery, will be available June 26 for mice and keyboards and July 31 for LifeCam products. For people currently using the Windows 7 release candidate, beta versions of software can be downloaded at Microsoft Hardware

Read More... »»

Windows 7 Keyboard Shortcuts

Congratulations to you who have been using Windows 7. many people say "I will not go back again to the vista." If you're one of them?

we will try to provide tips & tricks keyboard shortcuts make it easier for you to understand and explore the facilities provided by windows 7

Here is a quick summary of what I’ve found so far for Windows 7:

Window Management

• Win+Left Arrow and Win+Right Arrow: Dock a window to the left or right half of the screen.


• Win+Shift+Left Arrow and Win+Shift+Right Arrow: Move a window from one monitor to another, keeping them in the same relative location to the monitor’s top-left origin.


• Win+Up Arrow and Win+Down Arrow: Maximizes and restores/minimizes a window.


• Win+Shift+Up Arrow and Win+Shift+Down Arrow: Maximizes and restores the vertical size of a window.


• Win+Home: Minimize all the non-active background windows, keeping the window you’re using in its current position. (Press Win+Home again to restore the windows to their original locations.)


• Win+(plus key) and Win+(minus key): Zoom in or out using Windows Magnifer.


• Win+E: Opens Windows Explorer.


• Win+U: Opens the Ease of Access Center.


• Win+D: Show/hide the desktop.


• Win+F: Opens the Search Results window.


• Win+L: Locks the computer.


• Win+B: Sets focus to the “Show hidden icons” button on the task bar.


• Win+M: Minimizes all windows.


• Win+Ctrl+F: Opens the Active Directory Find Computers dialog.

Taskbar

• Win+Space: Use “Aero Peek” to see any gadgets or icons you’ve got on your desktop.


• Win+R: Opens the Run dialog.


• Win+T: Move the focus to the first taskbar. (Pressing again will cycle through them.)


• Win+Shift+T: Move the focus to the last taskbar. (Pressing again will cycle through them.)


• Ctrl+(mouse click on a single application icon in the task bar): Toggle through each of the open windows in order. The best example of this is Internet Explorer. If you have five tabs open in a single IE instance, holding the Ctrl key while repeatedly clicking on the single IE icon in the task bar will toggle through each of the five tabs in order.


• Ctrl+Shift+(mouse click on an application icon in the task bar): Launch that application with full administrative rights. You can also use Ctrl+Shift+Enter for commands from the search bar for the same action.


• Shift+(mouse click on an application icon in the task bar): Launch a new instance of the application rather than switching to the existing application. (You can also middle-click with the third mouse button or scroll wheel.)


• Win+1 .. Win+5: Launch a new instance of the any of the first five icons on the task bar. (By the way, the icons can be reordered to suit your needs by simply dragging them around and can be pinned shortcuts or running applications.)


• Shift+(right mouse click on an application icon in the task bar): Show the Window menu. (You get different menus depending on whether the application is running or has multiple instances open.

Windows Explorer

• Ctrl+(mouse scroll wheel): Change the view/zoom in Windows Explorer. (This is the same as clicking the Views button or selecting one of the view options from the button’s dropdown list.)


• Shift+(right mouse click on any folder or file): Displays an expanded context menu:
  
  (The additional Open options only appear for folders but the “Copy as path” option appears for both folders and files.)


• Alt+P: Show/hide the preview pane.

Miscellaneous

• Win+P: Display the project options, which you can then use the arrow keys (or keep hitting Win+P) to switch to the different options.
  
  


• Win+X: Open the Windows Mobility Center.


• Win+G: Bring gadgets to the top of the Z-order. (Sets the focus to a gadget.)

Read More... »»

15 things you need to know about Windows 7

Windows 7 has been making headlines for a few months now. If you've read one or two of the stories and reviews dedicated to it, you might think that you know about all that it contains: new touchscreen features, a revamped taskbar with larger thumbnail previews, Internet Explorer 8, easier networking and so on.

While that sounds reasonable enough, it's not exactly exciting. It might even have given you the impression that Windows 7 isn't very different from Vista. That assumption, however, would be a mistake.

The reality is that Windows 7 is packed with new developments – it's just that most people aren't talking about them.


Would you like to be able to defrag multiple hard drives at the same time, or create a sandboxed PC user account for your kids so that they won't be able to mess up your Windows or program settings any more?

What about working with – and even booting from – virtual hard drive (VHD) files, the ability to encrypt USB flash drives to protect the data you're carrying, and tools for calibrating your display to ensure that you're seeing accurate colours and crisp, clear text? Windows 7 has all these features, and a whole lot more.

Security

1. Keep your PC clean

If you share your PC with less experienced computer users then you'll know the problems that can arise as they mess up your settings and unknowingly install dodgy software. Windows 7 can help you to avoid these problems.

Enable PC Safeguard on the kids' account and they'll be able to log on and play as normal – but when they log off , any settings they've changed are reversed, files they've saved are deleted and your hard drive is returned to its original state.

2. Restrict other users

If Safeguard isn't enough, try AppLocker. It gives you even more control, restricting users to only the programs you specify. It's able to automatically create rules for your installed programs, and other rules can be added in seconds.

3. Action Center

Windows 7 replaces the Security Center with the more all-purpose Action Center, which warns you of PC maintenance and back-up issues as well as potential security problems. It's prone to complaining if your security settings don't meet its approval, but at least now there's an effective solution.

If you regularly see messages telling you that you've turned the Windows firewall off , say, then you can choose to disable just those while leaving the more useful alerts active.

4. Tone down UAC

User Account Control irritated many Windows Vista users with its constant warnings that 'Windows needs your permission to continue'. Windows 7 improves the situation by displaying fewer warnings and providing additional UAC tweaks.

Tell the system not to raise warnings if you change Windows settings and you'll be able to use the Control Panel without any prompts. Alerts will only appear if a program tries to perform a similar action.

5. BitLocker to go

Encryption isn't just for hard drives anymore: the Windows 7 version of BitLocker can protect removable (and easily lost) devices such as USB flash drives, too.

Right-click the device in Explorer, select 'Turn on BitLocker' and then enter and confirm a password to protect your data from snoopers.

6. 'Run as' returns

Right-click a program in Windows XP and you'll see a 'Run as' option that allows you to run the program as a different user. This is very useful if you'd like to run an app that requires different privileges to your current account.

The option disappeared in Vista, but Microsoft has relented: hold down [Shift] while right-clicking a shortcut and you'll see that the 'Run as' option has returned.

7. Find and fix problems

Windows has always had plenty of troubleshooting tools, but they've been scattered around many different places. Windows 7 brings order to this situation by placing all of the most important troubleshooters in the new Find and Fix Problems applet, located in the Control Panel.

These fix common problems, check for incorrect settings, clean up your PC and more. Developers can create additional troubleshooters, too. You can read more about that at Within Windows.

8. The Problem Steps Recorder

As a knowledgeable PC user, it's likely that you're called upon to troubleshoot friends' computer problems, which can be tricky if they find it difficult to describe what's going on. Windows 7 has a handy tool to solve this problem.

If an application is misbehaving under Windows 7, all the flummoxed PC user needs to do is launch the Problem Steps Recorder, click 'Record' and work through whatever task they're trying to complete.

Every click and keypress that they make will be recorded, packaged up with screen grabs and saved into a single zipped MHTML file, ready for emailing to you. It's a simple tool that's going to save many people hours of time.

9. Extended System Restore functionality

System Restore has always been a very handy troubleshooting tool, and Windows 7 extends it in a couple of useful ways. A single click will now tell you exactly which programs and drivers will be restored or deleted if you choose a particular restore point, and there's now an interface that lets you configure the amount of disk space allocated to System Restore.

You can also decide not to back up Windows settings. This means that only files will be backed up, so you'll be able to squeeze more restore points into the available disk space.

10. Discover bottlenecks

If your Windows 7 PC seems sluggish, the new and extended Resource Monitor should help you to sort things out. It's like a more powerful version of Task Manager that not only shows you the processes running on your PC, but also reveals how they're using your CPU, RAM, hard drive and network.

A couple of clicks can show you who the biggest resource hogs really are.

11. DIY system discs

Windows 7 includes a new option to burn a bootable system repair disc. If your PC won't start, pop in the repair disc and it'll do its best to restore normal operations. There's no new technology involved – it's just a CD version of the Start-up Repair tools on your Windows Vista disc – but this functionality will be useful for people who never get a full Windows 7 DVD.

It's also safer to carry one of these around with your laptop rather than risk damaging or losing your original Windows disc.

12. Faster IE startups

Some heavyweight Internet Explorer add-ons can take a while to start. IE8 can help you spot the worst off enders.

Click 'Tools | Manage Add-ons', peruse the Load Time column and you'll immediately see which extensions are putting a brake on your browsing.

13. Simultaneous disk defrags

Ever wondered why you can't defrag both your hard drives at the same time? There's no reason why not – and now in Windows 7 you can through the command-line defrag tool. Other new switches run the defrag at a higher priority and provide regular progress reports. Enter 'defrag /?' in a command-line window to fi nd out more.

14. Multithreaded Robocopies

The command-line Robocopy tool also sees new optimisations, including an '/MT' switch that can improve performance by carrying out multithreaded copies (you can specify up to 128 threads).

Enter 'robocopy/?' at the command line for the full details, though Robocopy newbies should be aware that there are an enormous number of switches to examine.

15. Search connectors

Windows 7 adds support for search connectors. These are small configuration files that extend the Windows Search tool to include online resources. To add Flickr support, for example, visit www.istartedsomething.com/flickr search to download and open the connector.

This will add a Flickr Search option to your Searches folder, and you'll be able to search the site from within Explorer.

http://blogs.msdn.com/tims/archive/2009/01/12/the-bumper-list-of-windows-7-secrets.aspx

Read More... »»

Download Windows 7 RC

Windows 7 RC “Release Candidate” is available. It is now available as a free download

Download it here when you're ready.

Read More... »»

Installing Windows 7 RC

Thank you for helping us test the Windows 7 RC. To help make sure you have a great experience, please read this section before you install the software.
What you need to know before you begin:

* If you’ve installed Windows 7 Beta on your PC, you’ll need to back up your data, and do a clean installation of the RC. Then you’ll need to reinstall your programs and restore the files, settings, and other information you want to use for testing.
* While we consider this a stable and high-quality pre-release version of Windows, the RC is not the finished product. It could crash your computer or cause you to lose important files or information.
* You’re pretty much on your own as you test the software. You need to be comfortable setting up and troubleshooting a PC. If you have a problem, you can find a lot of help from other testers online, but we’re not providing formal tech support. Before installing the software please read these two documents for important information: Things to Know and Release Notes.
* IMPORTANT: The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you'll need to rebuild your test machine using a valid version of Windows before the software expires. You'll need to rebuild your test PC to replace the OS and reinstall all your programs and data. (To learn more, see Frequently asked questions.)

Things you need to have before you start:

* Dedicated test PC: Please don’t test the RC on your primary home or business PC.
* Data backup: The information on your PC will not be saved during installation. Back up your PC before you start, and frequently during testing. You can back up files to an external hard disk, a DVD or CD, or a network folder. (See How to back up a PC.) If you're running Windows 7 Beta on the PC you'll use for test, you can use Windows Easy Transfer to create a backup on an external drive. To find and launch Windows Easy Transfer, just type "easy" in the Start search box.
* Recovery disc: A recovery disc restores your computer to its out-of-the-box state. Most computers come with one. If yours didn't, contact your PC maker.
* Antivirus program: Make sure your antivirus program is up-to-date, run it, then disable it before installing Windows 7 RC. When you finish the installation, remember to re-enable the antivirus program.
* Internet connection: Be sure to connect to the Internet after you finish the installation. Being connected helps make sure you get useful security and hardware updates. We recommend you keep your PC set to automatically check for updates through Windows Update.

Getting ready to install the Release Candidate
What you'll need:
* A blank DVD
* A PC with a DVD burner
* A PC for testing with these system requirements:
o 1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
o 1 GB RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
o 16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
o DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Please note: Some product features of Windows 7, such as the ability to watch and record live TV or navigate through the use of "touch," might require advanced or additional hardware.

Read More... »»

Windows 7 Release Candidate

Download instructions

Welcome to Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) testing. We’re on our way to Windows 7, and the RC is a great opportunity for IT professionals like you to take Windows 7 and begin testing it in your real environment. You get to see what’s coming, and we get to see if our changes and fixes from the Beta testing are working correctly. We want to encourage you to install and actively test the RC code. This will help us ensure Windows 7 is the best possible release, and help you get ready for Windows 7 deployment.


Here’s what you need to know:
This is pre-release software, so please read the following to get an idea of the risks and key things you need to know before you try the RC.

* You don’t need to rush to get Windows 7 RC. The RC release will be available at least through June 2009 and we’re not limiting the number of product keys, so you have plenty of time.
* Watch the calendar. The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You’ll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use. (Learn more about installing Windows).
* Protect your PC and data. Be sure to back up your data and please don’t test Windows 7 RC on your primary home or business PC.
* Technical details/updates: Before installing the RC please read the Release Notes, and Things to Know for important information about the release.
* Keep up with the news. You can keep up with general technical information and news by following the Springboard Series blog or Windows team blog. Want technical guidance, tips, and tools? Visit the Springboard Series on TechNet.
* Keep your PC updated: Be sure turn on automatic updates in Windows Update in case we publish updates for the RC.
* Microsoft Partners: Learn more about Windows 7 on the Microsoft Partner Portal.


Here’s what you need to have:

* Internet access (to download Windows 7 RC and get updates)
* A PC with these minimum recommended specifications:
- 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor or higher
- 1 GB of system memory or more
- 16 GB of available disk space
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme)
- DVD-R/W Drive
Please note these specifications could change. And, some product features of Windows 7, such as the ability to watch and record live TV or navigation through the use of "touch," may require advanced or additional hardware.


Get the download

The 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC are available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish. (Note: The RC version will not be available in Hindi or Arabic.) Just choose the version that fits the system you'll be using and pick your language to register for and download the RC.

Downloading the Windows 7 RC could take a few hours. The exact time will depend on your provider, bandwidth, and traffic. The good news is that once you start the download, you won't have to answer any more questions – you can walk away while it finishes. If your download gets interrupted, it will restart where it left off. See this FAQ for details.


Existing TechNet Plus subscribers, download the Windows 7 RC software.
Not a subscriber yet? Learn more about TechNet Plus.

Read More... »»