Windows 8.1 General announcements

• Link
  Windows 8.1 Now Available
  Anthony_Mann Thursday, October 17, 2013 11:11 AM

  See the Windows Team Blog and the Windows for your Business Blog.
• Link
  New Microsoft Press Windows 8.1 for IT Professionals eBook Available for Free Download
  Anthony_Mann Wednesday, October 16, 2013 11:16 AM

  http://blogs.msdn.com/b/microsoft_press/archive/2013/10/14/free-ebook-introducing-windows-8-1-for-it-professionals.aspx
• Link
  Windows 8 Availability to MSDN / TechNet subscribers
  Anthony_Mann Wednesday, August 15, 2012 5:23 PM

  Windows 8 is now avaialable to MDSN and TechNet subscribers. We are in the process of moving all the threads in the Windows 8 forums to a new "Pre-release" forum. This process is expected to happen today (8/15/2012) around 3pm Pacific time, so please bear with us as these are moved.

  Are you looking for Windows 8 Pro? See this forum post.

Windows 7 Installation, Setup, and Deployment announcements

• Link
  End of license approaching for some Windows 7 versions
  Carey Frisch Tuesday, September 16, 2014 3:58 PM

  
  October 31, 2014, is the end of license (EOL) date for Windows 7 Ultimate, Windows 7
  Home Premium, and Windows 7 Home Basic. After this date, system builders will
  no longer be able to order these products from authorized distributors. Windows
  7 Professional will continue to be available from authorized distributors until
  its EOL date is announced.

  
  
  Learn about EOL and the Windows lifecycle.
• Link
  Now Available: Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit v.7.0
  Carey Frisch Wednesday, July 11, 2012 8:19 PM

  The Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit makes it easy to assess your current IT infrastructure for a variety of technology migration projects. This Solution Accelerator provides a powerful inventory, assessment, and reporting tool to simplify the migration planning process.

  • Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit v.7.0

• Link
  Microsoft Deployment Toolkit (MDT) 2012 Now Available
  Anthony_Mann Wednesday, April 18, 2012 2:27 PM

  MDT 2012 is now available at http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?displaylang=en&=tm&id=25175

Windows 7 Hardware Compatibility announcements

• Link
  Windows 7 Compatibility Center
  Anthony_Mann Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:40 PM

  Find Windows 7 compatibility status for thousands of hardware devices and direct links to drivers.
• Link
  Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 Available
  Anthony_Mann Tuesday, July 14, 2009 6:02 PM

  Determine if your hardware is compatibile with Windows 7 - - Details about the MAP toolkit can be found on this post.

Windows 7 Application Compatibility announcements

• Link
  MED-V removes application compatibility road blocks to Windows 7
  Anthony_Mann Thursday, June 24, 2010 10:12 PM

  Are you making plans to deploy Windows 7 in your enterprise in the next 6 – 18 months? Are your plans being delayed or complicated by applications that will not work on Windows 7? Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) can be used to address the “compatibility gaps” of your enterprise and accelerate the move to Windows 7. 

  Get an overview of the MED-V solution at www.microsoft.com/medv. To learn about the MED-V v.2 release and participate in TAP or Beta programs email medvtap@microsoft.com.

   

• Link
  Windows 7 Application Compatibility Downloadable list for IT Pros
  Anthony_Mann Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:59 PM

  Investigate the current compatibility status of third party applications using the downloadable Windows 7 Application Compatibility list for IT Pros in XLXS format.
• Link
  Windows 7 Compatibility Center
  Anthony_Mann Thursday, December 10, 2009 6:58 PM

  Find Windows 7 compatibility status for thousands of applications and direct links to updates.
• Link
  Microsoft Assessment and Planning Toolkit 4.0 Available
  Anthony_Mann Tuesday, July 14, 2009 6:02 PM

  Determine if your applications are compatibile with Windows 7 - Details about the MAP toolkit can be found on this post.
• Link
  Ready for Windows 7: Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.5
  Anthony_Mann Friday, April 03, 2009 9:26 PM

  Inventory, assess, and prepare your applications for Windows 7!  ACT 5.5 allows you to assess Windows 7 and IE8 compatibility, control information sent to the Compatibility Exchange, and label data collection packages by role. Want the inside scoop? Check out this Springboard Series blog interview with Jeremy Chapman, Windows Senior Product Manager.
  
  You can download ACT 5.5 here.

Windows 7 Security announcements

• Link
  FYI: Security Vulnerabilities in Gadgets
  Carey Frisch Wednesday, July 11, 2012 8:14 PM

  • Security flaws signal early death of Windows Gadgets
  • Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerabilities in Gadgets could allow remote code execution

Windows 7 User Interface announcements

• Link
  FYI: Security Vulnerabilities in Gadgets
  Carey Frisch Wednesday, July 11, 2012 8:12 PM

  • Security flaws signal early death of Windows Gadgets
  • Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerabilities in Gadgets could allow remote code execution

Windows Virtual PC and XP Mode announcements

• Link
  MED-V removes application compatibility road blocks to Windows 7
  Anthony_Mann Thursday, June 24, 2010 10:42 PM

  Are you making plans to deploy Windows 7 in your enterprise in the next 6 – 18 months? Are your plans being delayed or complicated by applications that will not work on Windows 7? Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V) can be used to address the “compatibility gaps” of your enterprise and accelerate the move to Windows 7. 

   

  Get an overview of the MED-V solution at www.microsoft.com/medv. To learn about the MED-V v.2 release and participate in TAP or Beta programs email medvtap@microsoft.com.

• Link
  Windows XP Mode will no longer require hardware virtualization technology to run
  Anthony_Mann Friday, March 19, 2010 6:15 PM

  Details can be found on the Windows Team Blog.

Windows 7 Optimized Desktop Deployment Proof of Concept announcements

• Link
  PoC 2.0 released
  Anthony_Mann Friday, May 07, 2010 6:48 PM

  The Desktop POC Kit v2.0 is a customer focused offering available as free download via the Microsoft download center (http://go.microsoft.com/?linkid=9728107). The kit enables customers to drive an accelerated desktop deployment by providing a ready to run deployment server with the full suite of Microsoft desktop deployment tools installed and ready to use.

  The Desktop POC Kit v2.0 provides enhancements and new products to the POC kit. This version of the POC kit introduces 2 new technical modules. These new modules are “Managing Desktop Policies” which features the Security Compliance Manager tool and product security baselines to drive rapid implementation of Microsoft recommended group policy settings. The other new module is the “Zero Touch Deployment” module which features deployment using the zero touch deployment method using System Center Configuration Manager.

  The updated version of the POC also brings additional products to the deployed desktops. The following products are now included in the POC kit:

  ·         Visio Premium 2010

  ·         Forefront

  ·         Project Professional 2010

  The kit provides new features increasing the value of the kit. These features include:

  ·         Visio deployment dashboard – single view of all deployment tools and deployment progress

  ·         Office 365 Readiness – the deployed image requires the required elements to prepare the deployed desktop for connection to the Office 365 beta services

  ·         Expanded image build & customization

  The existing Desktop POC v2 content has been updated to provide increased understanding of the deployment process. This includes improvements in the technical execution guidance providing deeper explanations and providing improved explanations of why the actions are required. The technical tools are also updated to the latest available versions.

  The following recaps what is delivered on the POC deployment server:

  ·         Assessment/Compat Tools

  o   Microsoft Assessment & Planning Toolkit 5.5

  o   Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.6

  o   Office Migration Planning Manager 2010 Update 1 Beta

  o   Office Environment Assessment Tool 2010 Update 1 Beta

  o   Office Compatibility Code Inspector 2010 Update 1 Beta

  ·         Image Build

  o    Security Compliance Manager

  o   Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1

  o   Office Customization Tool & Config.xml

  ·         Image Deployment

  o   Microsoft Deployment Toolkit 2010 Update 1

  o   System Center Configuration Manager 2007 R3

  ·         Supporting products

  o   Windows Server 2008 R2

  o   SQL Server 2008 R2

  o   Forefront Server

  o   Microsoft Office 2010

  o   Visio Premium 2010

  o   Custom Visio deployment dashboard

  ·         The Desktop POC provides and is ready to the deploy the following components to connected clients in the POC environment

  ·         Windows 7 Enterprise

  o   Language Packs

  o   Custom drivers

  ·         Office Pro Plus 2010

  o   Customized feature installation

  o   Custom help solution template

  o   Customized ribbon

  o   Office 365 required updates

  ·         App-V 4.6

  o   Office 2010 sequenced package

  o   DSC Office Add-ins: PowerPivot

  ·         Visio Premium 2010

  o   Deployment dashboard

  ·         Project Professional 2010

  ·         Forefront client security

  ·         Microsoft Online Services Sign-in Assistant (365 Readiness)

  ·         Silverlight

  ·         Office 2010 Interactive Ribbon guide: Word

  ·         Office Excel Add-in: PowerPivot

  The Desktop POC v2 delivers enhanced technical guidance divided into 14 technical modules. These modules include:

  1.  Setup Guide

  2.  Benefits of an Optimized Desktop

  3.  Justify the Upgrade

  4.  Evaluate Hardware Readiness

  5.  Windows Compat

  6.  Office Compat

  7.  Application Virtualization

  8.  Manage Desktop Policies

  9.  Image Build

  10.  Deploy: Lite Touch

  11.  Deploy: Zero Touch

  12.  Test Windows

  13.  Test Office

  14.  Next Steps

Service Pack 1 RC for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 announcements

• Link
  This forum is now read-only
  Anthony_Mann Tuesday, February 22, 2011 9:31 PM

  Now that Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 has been released, this forum is now marked read-only. This enables users to search, but not post. If you have any questions, please ask your questions in the other Windows 7 or Windows Server 2008 forums.

Windows Vista Announcements announcements

• Link
  Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7
  Carey Frisch Tuesday, February 21, 2012 4:18 PM

  • Tutorial: Upgrading from Windows Vista to Windows 7

  
  
• Link
  Windows 7 Test Drive for IT Professionals
  Carey Frisch Sunday, November 28, 2010 4:57 AM

  Test drive the most advanced Microsoft operating system, instantly!

  Windows 7 Test Drive for IT Professionals

• Link
  End of support for Windows Vista RTM
  Anthony_Mann Thursday, February 25, 2010 10:14 PM

  More information can be found on the Windows Enterprise Product Support Page or the Support Lifecycle Blog.

Windows Vista Service Packs/Windows Server 2008 Service Packs announcements

• Link
  Announcing Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
  Anthony_Mann Wednesday, April 29, 2009 12:08 AM

  Today we are proud to announce the Release to Manufacturing of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.  Service Pack 2 (SP2) represents the latest step in Microsoft’s commitment to continuous improvement.  It includes all of the updates that have been delivered since SP1, as well as support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards.  And since it comes with a single installer for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, SP2 will be easy for IT Pros to manage, deploy, and support.  For an overview of the changes introduced in SP2, check out the notable changes document.
  
  Business customers with Windows Vista will find that the transition to Windows 7 will be significantly more straightforward due to the high degree of compatibility between Windows Vista and Windows 7.  If your Windows Vista SP1 deployment is already underway we recommend you continue with SP1 as planned.  Then you can deploy SP2 using your systems management infrastructure.  If you are in the early stages of deployment or still planning Windows Vista deployment our best advice is that you plan on testing and deploying Windows Vista SP2.
  
  More information can be found on the Windows Team Blog.

Windows Vista Application Compatibility Toolkit announcements

• Link
  Ready for Windows 7: Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) 5.5
  Anthony_Mann Friday, April 03, 2009 9:24 PM

  Inventory, assess, and prepare your applications for Windows 7!
  
  ACT 5.5 allows you to assess Windows 7 and IE8 compatibility, control information sent to the Compatibility Exchange, and label data collection packages by role. Want the inside scoop? Check out this Springboard Series blog interview with Jeremy Chapman, Windows Senior Product Manager.
  
  You can download ACT 5.5 here.

Windows Vista Desktop UI announcements

• Link
  FYI: Security Vulnerabilities in Gadgets
  Carey Frisch Wednesday, July 11, 2012 8:05 PM

  • Security flaws signal early death of Windows Gadgets
  • Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerabilities in Gadgets could allow remote code execution

Windows Vista Security announcements

• Link
  Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows Vista
  Carey Frisch Monday, March 04, 2013 5:25 AM

  Microsoft Security Essentials for Windows Vista: Download
• Link
  FYI: Security Vulnerabilities in Gadgets
  Carey Frisch Wednesday, July 11, 2012 8:09 PM

  • Security flaws signal early death of Windows Gadgets
  • Microsoft Security Advisory: Vulnerabilities in Gadgets could allow remote code execution