VistaJuice

I've been running Vista for some time now, since 24th, and right away there were some updates available. These below are all of the updates Vista currently installed from 24th of January, 2007 - 1st of February, 2007.

Some were expected and highly awaited, like the two Windows Vista Ultimate Extras and one update, but we also got couple of patches and enhancements as well, so here are all of them:

1. NVIDIA GeForce Go 7400 driver has been updated
2. Mail Junk Filter for January 2007
3. Windows Malicious Software Removal Tool update for January 2007
4. Three Definition updates for Windows Defender (1.14.2120.1 / 1.15.2220.1 / 1.15.2224.9)
5. Update for Windows Vista (KB931573) - Fixes an issue where you may be prompted to activate Windows Vista on a computer on which Windows Vista activation was not previously required.
6. Update for Windows Vista (KB929427) - Fixes some of the know application compatibility issues with Vista.
7. Update for Windows Vista (KB928089) - Fixes a performance issue with Internet Explorer Phishing Filter when visiting pages with multiple frames.
8. Update for Windows Vista (KB930857) - Fixes an issue with Windows Error Reporting that may cause some information about application errors to be sent to Microsoft without notifying you.
9. Update for Windows Vista (KB929685) - Fixes an issue of High Definition Audio Devices from initializing after system resumes from sleep, hibernation or stand by.
10. Update for Windows Vista (KB929735) - Fixes an issue where you may not find the file that you want when you use Advanced Search to search by date if you use a non-Gregorian calendar format in Windows Vista.
11. [Ultimate Only] Update for Windows Vista (KB929327) - DreamScene Package
12. [Ultimate Only] BitLocker and EFS enhancements -The Windows Ultimate Extra includes two tools that make it easier to use some of the security features that come with Windows Vista Ultimate: Windows BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool, and Secure Online Key Backup for your BitLocker recovery key and EFS certificates.
13. [Ultimate Only] Hold 'Em Poker Game

Make sure you keep the system Up to Date, but then even if you do not - you can always find out here when the updates come out. Do note, these are 32bit Version updates. I bet there are some other different ones streaming for the 64bit versions, so if you are in that camp - you better check out Windows Update directly.

I wonder how many of these small patches we are going to receive before the first Service Pack kicks in ... Any guesstimates?

All rite! I love when a new product like Vista gets released and then all of these cool things start arriving from Microsoft to even further improve our experience.

This time it's Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC). The update will be available through the Windows Update by the end of this week, but if you're like me and want to jump that wagon right away, click on the link below and get it right now:

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/devicecenter.mspx

Note that you should uninstall any previous version of WMDC before doing the upgrade, so don't forget ;)

WMDC is a nice app which lets you synchronize content and manage all of your multimedia with Windows Mobile powered devices. A nice thing is that Windows Mobile Device Center is only supported on Vista.... Well, not nice for those of you who do not have it yet, but there you go, one more reason to upgrade ;)

For those not familiar with it, PowerShell is a command line application and scripting tool which provides administrators with amazing tools for automating system tasks through use of scripts. It incorporates numerous utilities; especially a lot better navigation through the Registry and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI).

It was first announced on August 2005 and after a lot of feedback gathering on how it should work, Microsoft released it.

The cool thing is that everything is done via command line interface and the administrative GUI is layered on top of those commands. Administrators will benefit from this since they can script even the most complicated tasks, so for example, a whole Exchange Server could be set up on a machine with administrator running the setup and a script.

Download it now if you need it:

Good thing I stopped by my Vaio's Support Page today since otherwise I would not have noticed that main software updates I've been waiting for have been posted.

The only thing left now is to wait for that Vista Update DVD to come in the mail (for God knows what purpose), since I already have Full Vista Ultimate installed already.

So, all of you who are waiting for your computer manufacturer to issue some updates - it's about the time to check those support sites.

If you got Sony VAIO SZ-370 like I do, you can go to http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-swu.pl?mdl=VGNSZ370PC, and for all other Sony's just go to http://esupport.sony.com/

So, finally I got around and the Sony software for my Vaio is now installed. It was really tricky since there is no information on what should go first, what is required by other applications, etc., but I just followed common sense - and I was lucky.

So, I did not update my Windows but rather, I installed a fresh copy from the DVD I bought at Microcenter. Maybe with the update some things will be easier - or maybe you should apply these updates before installing Vista, so check that out.

The main thing, I suppose, is to install applications in this order (it worked for me):

1. Sony Shared Library Update
2. Sony Utilities DLL Update
3. Sony Video Shared Library Update
4. Sony LAN Setting Utility Update - which by the way is the stupidest piece of shit poop in the world
5. Vaio Event Services Update
6. Intel PRO/Wireless Network Connection Driver
7. Nvidia Display Drivers Update
8. Roxio PxEngine Update
9. Sony Battery Check Utility Update
10. Toshiba Bluetooth Stack Update
11. VAIO Media AC3 Decoder
12. SigmaTel High Definition Audio CODEC Update
13. Intel PRO/Wireless Network Connection Driver
14. and then all else you may require - the order should not matter any more

So, here is the outcome:

1. My Fn Key works - I can FINALLY control the Brightness of the screen, volume, etc. straight from the keyboard. In Vista, under Power Management, I get a nice setting bars for brightness, etc. so it integrates really nice. It was not done in too much of a hurry.
2. However, I do not get the Wireless Fn Button Control so I cannot use the keyboard to switch the Bluetooth/WIFI/WLAN around. I suppose since Cingular Connection Manager is not yet available, I do not get this piece of functionality - but soon we should, I suppose.
3. SonicStage Mastering Studio works just fine (thank God, cuz I love it)
4. Roxio Easy Media Creator also works super well! I am really glad I got this thing back on track.
5. The only things still missing are: Fingerprint Software (c'mon SONY), Notebook Control Center and the use of the upper buttons: S1, S2, and Graphics Card Chooser.

Hope that Sony gets these out soon. Can't wait for everything to work as before :)

Oh, and that Sound issue I talked about here, it's gone now. It turns out that SigmaTel;s drivers were making this happen after all - not Microsoft!

It seems that the DreamScene is not yet complete, but Microsoft is giving us all some (well deserved) love by making the DreamScene Technical Preview available in the Windows Update. So all of you with Vista Ultimate editions - fire up that Windows Update and get your groove on.

Also - StarDock just released the DeskScapes, a DreamScene add-on which enables you to have a more dynamic content in the background besides the video itself!

Simply - WOW :)

Source: WindowsUltimate.com

Get your DeskScapes at dream.WinCustomize.com

ZDNet's Ed Bott reports on Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) problems in Vista. There are some actions a user may perform that may trigger Vista into thinking that someone is messing around with it's license and prompt a user to Activate Vista.

It's now a known issue, as reported by Microsoft, in the Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 931573, and it can be avoided by installing the update.

Corrine from SecurityGarden reports:

... I am disappointed that Microsoft has not released KB 931573 at least as an "Important" update. First and foremost, if you operate Windows Vista, visit Windows Update: http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com or the Microsoft Download Center for Windows Vista:

• Update for Windows Vista 32-Bit Systems
• Update for Windows Vista 64-Bit Systems

Cause (straight from Msoft):
- This problem may occur because a specific system setting is removed when a program runs with administrative credentials. The removal of this system setting may cause a BIOS validation check to fail. The BIOS validation check is part of the system activation process. Therefore, you may be prompted to activate Windows Vista, even though the system did not previously require activation. For example, this problem is known to occur when you use Intuit QuickBooks 2007. However, this problem may also infrequently occur when you install other programs or device drivers.
Note This problem does not occur because of an issue in the installed program or device driver. This problem is caused by a system problem in Windows Vista.

Therefore - you've been warned :) Get the update and don't worry about it any more. Corrine also points out at three articles of Ed Bott - where you can get more info about a History of Anti-Piracy at Microsoft, Problems with Vista's Validation, and the post about Vista's WGA Issues.

Thanks!

Via: Security Garden

It's been some time since we've all wanted an SP1 for Vista. The not-so-final version, but mostly good enough for public testing has been released today.

As with every "beta" software, you should be careful and not install this on any mission critical systems, but if you are like me - you won't care less and just go for it and see what Microsoft's kitchen has in store for us.

Here's the download link: http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=529d992a-d69e-4c73-9213-7a7f3852c0ca&displaylang=en&tm

Also, you might be interested in reading up about it first on ZD-Net: http://blogs.zdnet.com/microsoft/?p=1106

P.S. Is Microsoft trying to show us how good Vista is meant to be just a day before the MacWorld 2008? :)