Category: Latest

If you answered yes, then have I got a deal for you.

Microsoft is offering students either Windows 7 Home Premium or Windows 7 Professional for $29.99.

This offer ends January 3rd, 2010.

To be eligible for this offer, you must either have a .EDU email address, or be a student at a qualifying institution.

To check eligibility go to: http://windows7.digitalriver.com/store/mswpus/en_US/DisplayHomePage

For more offers for students visit http://www.win741.com or http://www.microsoft.com/student

Interesting find that a friend of mine let me know about. Apparently, somebody at Microsoft has reserved the blog “e8” on MSDN blogs.

When browsing to http://blogs.msdn.com/e8 , there is no content, and the title is <TBD>. I’ve included a picture below.

Does this mean that Microsoft is already going to start the discussion about Windows 8, or are they just holding on to this for a later date and time? Only time will tell.

Through the Microsoft Store, all PCs are sold with the Microsoft Signature experience. This service is provided at no-cost to the consumer and consists of software and PC setup assistance (physical stores only).

Software provided on all PCs sold by the Microsoft Store:

• Internet Explorer 8
• Internet TV Update for Windows Media Center
• Microsoft Security Essentials
• Silverlight
• Flash Player
• Adobe Reader
• Bing 3D Maps
• Zune 4.0
• Live ID Sign-In Assistant
• Windows Live Essentials
• Windows Live Sync
• Office Live Add-In

In-stores the Microsoft Signature experience also includes initial setup of your new computer, as well as the ability to get any questions that you have about your new computer answered by a store employee.

Overall, I think this service provides great value to the consumer by providing them with everything that they need to begin their experience with their new PC right out of the box.

It will be interesting to see how the Microsoft Signature service evolves over time.

This past Thursday, October 22nd, Microsoft opened its first retail store in Scottsdale, Arizona. Fortunately for me, I live in Scottsdale, so I decided to make a trip over to the new Microsoft Store to see what it was all about.

I must say that I am impressed. When I walked into the store I was greeted by several store employees, and was given a special souvenir, a Bing t-shirt.

The store was laid out into multiple zones, and each featuring a different category of PC, from low-cost netbooks, all the way to the super expensive desktop replacement notebooks. Along one wall there were multiple XBox 360s and the screens for these consoles were projected through the walls on the sides of the store in stunning high-definition. Also featured were 4 Microsoft Surface tables, focusing on different aspects of the Microsoft experience.

Directly in the back of the store is the Microsoft Theatre, where there are presentations on Windows 7, Zune, Windows Phone, Office, and Windows Live. I sat in on a presentation about Windows 7, and I was impressed by the breadth and depth of the presenter. He gave an excellent presentation and all participants walked away to purchase either a new PC with Windows 7, or copies of Windows 7 itself.

Microsoft also offers the Microsoft Answers service, where customers can book 30 minute appointments to get technical support or just some questions that they have answered.

For all PCs sold in the store, they come with Microsoft’s new Signature service. According to Microsoft’s own literature, Signature is described as a “uniquely enjoyable experience.” As part of Microsoft Signature, each new PC comes with Windows Live Essentials, Zune music software, Microsoft Security Essentials, and a store employee helps each customer when they buy a new PC by setting up their PC and walking them through some of the features of Windows 7.

Microsoft also offers other services, which I will detail in another post.

Being as this is Microsoft’s first foray into the retail space on its own, I am going to have to give them a 9 out of 10 for their efforts. (1 point loss due to no literature and no demo setup next to either of the HP MediaSmart Servers on display.)

And now, I will leave you with some pictures of my trip to the new Microsoft Store.

Are you trying to decide which version of Windows 7 you should buy? Considering upgrading from Windows Vista? Confused as to which version you’ll be upgrade to? Be confused no more. Below is a list of all of the Windows Vista versions and which versions can be upgraded to the new versions of Windows 7.

Source:Windows 7 Upgrade Paths whitepaper published by Microsoft.

Update: Added step to change “Sectors to Load” field in Bootable Disc tab

For those of you who have downloaded Windows 7 through the Microsoft Store and used the download option that only provides you with the contents of the DVD and not the actual ISO, here are some steps you can follow to build your own DVD, as well as save time and bandwidth.

NOTE: These steps were only tested on the 32-bit editions, as I do not have the 64-bit editions in the format that the Microsoft Store provides.

Tools Required:

– Windows 7 installation files (obtained through Microsoft Store download)

– ImgBurn (available at http://www.imgburn.com)

– Windows 7 DVD boot image (available here)

DVD Creation Steps:

1. Open ImgBurn and click “Create Image from Files / Folders”

2. Click on the Add Folder button on the Source Column and select the folder where you’ve extracted the Windows 7 installation files

3. Click the Labels tab, and you can use your own label, or if you want your DVD to be just like the Retail DVDs, use the following labels. For 32 bit – GRMCFRE_EN_DVD | For 64 bit – GRMCxFRE_EN_DVD

4. Click the Advanced Tab, and then click the Restrictions Tab, then check the options as shown in the below screenshot

6. Click the Bootable Disc tab, and then check the box labeled “Make Image Bootable”

7. Click the Browse button next to “Boot Image” and then browse to where you downloaded the BootImage.ima file, and select it

8. In the “Sectors to Load” field change the 4 to an 8

9. Select a Destination to save your Windows 7 ISO

10. Click the big Build button

11. You will see the following error message. Click NO. If you do not click NO, your DVD will not work correctly.

12. After your ISO is created you can use ImgBurn to burn your newly created ISO.

Good luck and happy installing!

-Tom