Windows Vista Problems and Troubleshooting [download os]

This vista problem troubleshooting article guide you how to troubleshoot various windows vista error problem and in detail windows vista troubleshooting solution.
There are lots of problems with windows vista and those are vary difficult to troubleshoot for a layman user. Here are the list of windows vista problems and troubleshooting guide for those vista problems.
Vista problem kernel data inpage error status no such device
During re-enumeration of a previously enumerated ide controller, a race condition exists between atapisys and pciidexsys or between Ataportsys and Pciidex.sys. In this race condition, the following conditions are true:

Atapi.sys and Ataport.sys use the stm method to select a transfer mode on a channel. The stm method is in the advanced configuration and power Interface bios. pciidex.sys verifies whether that channel exists by checking for the ide decode enable bit.

If the bios implementation of the stm method has cleared the ide decode enable bit, pciidex.sys determines that the channel does not exist. When this behavior occurs, pciidexsys does not enumerate the channel.

vista troubleshooting guide for this error

Because atapisys and ataportsys never run the stm method as long as there is i o on the channel, the stm method does not have to clear the ide decode enable bit. Therefore, BIOS manufacturers should not clear the ide decode enable bit in the stm method.

Path maximum transmission unit black hole router detection.The following is a list of black hole router detection changes that are included in windows server 2003 sp2.

By default, black hole detection is turned on.

Black hole probing is performed only for connections in established or advanced states.

Black hole probing is performed only for connections on which there is no full-size segment acknowledgement.

If black hole probing fails, the tcp maximum segment size of the connection is restored to what it used to be before probing.

• With black hole router detection turned off in versions of Windows that are earlier than windows server 2003 sp2, a connection times out approximately after 63 rtt. In windows server 2003 sp2, connections time out after 71 * rtt.

Remove Hibernation in Windows Vista troubleshooting

Hibernation is not made unavailable when you set the value of the hibernate after setting to never by using the power options item in windows vista control panel.

To make hibernation unavailable on windows vista, follow these steps:

1. Click start, and then type cmd in the start search box.

2. In the search results list, right-click command prompt, and then click run as administrator.

3. When you are prompted by user account control, click continue.

4. At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe hibernate off, and then press enter.

5. Type exit, and then press enter.

To make hibernation available, follow these steps for vista troubleshooting:

1. Click start on windows vista, and then type cmd in the start search box.

2. In the search results list, right-click command prompt, and then click run as administrator.

3. When you are prompted by user account control, clicks continue.

4. At the command prompt, type powercfg.exe hibernates on, and then press enter.

5. Type exit, and then press enter to close the command prompt window.

I am windows vista admin and I like to share my vista problem troubleshooting knowledge with others.

Article from articlesbase.com

This tutorial will take a look at the “Hyper-v Manager” built-in to Windows Server 2008 R2. !! For this to work your computers/servers CPU will have to support hardware assisted “Virtualization” and have it enabled in the BIOS. !!
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Announcing the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Customer Preview Program (CPP) [download os]

In late October I announced the Beta  of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 - beginning with a small group of Technology Adoption Program customers. This week we're opening up the beta to a broader audience. Starting today, MSDN and TechNet subscribers will have access to the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta to begin testing.  
Beginning Thursday Dec. 4^th, we will be making the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta available to everyone through a Customer Preview Program (CPP). The CPP will launch on TechNet and be available to anyone interested in trying out this service pack. The CPP is intended for technology enthusiasts, developers, and IT Pros who would like to test Service Pack 2 in their environments and with their applications prior to final release. For most customers, our best advice would be to wait until the final release prior to installing this service pack.
For those of you who choose to test this service pack, we encourage you to install the beta as soon as you can; your feedback will help us to ship a solid and stable service pack for Windows Vista.
Windows Vista SP2 builds on the solid foundation of Windows Vista SP1, and represents our ongoing commitment to Windows Vista today. Windows Vista SP2 includes all of the updates that have been delivered since the release of Windows Vista SP1, and incorporates improvements discovered through automated feedback from the Customer Experience Improvement Program (where users voluntarily opt-in to sending Microsoft error reports from their systems).  In addition to these updates, SP2 also includes support for new types of hardware and emerging standards that will grow in importance in the coming months. For specific changes in Windows Vista SP2 - see my previous post on Windows Vista SP2 or check out the notable changes document.
Your feedback from testing will help us deliver the highest quality release possible. As of today, we are tracking to ship Windows Vista SP2 in the first half of 2009.
Tags: Windows Vista, Announcement, Developers, IT Pro, Technology Enthusiasts, SP2, Service Pack, Service Pack 2

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta [windows vista]

As you know we are getting ready to talk about Windows 7 at the PDC next week.  Before we do that, I thought I would give you an update on our latest work for Windows Vista.
We are committed to continually improving Windows, and we've been getting some questions about the timing of the next service pack for Windows Vista.  Following the success of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 last spring, we have been working hard on Windows Vista Service Pack 2. As a part of the development and testing process, we're going to start by providing a small group of Technology Adoption Program customers with Windows Vista SP2 Beta for evaluation next Wednesday, October 29. The final release date for Windows Vista SP2 will be based on quality. So we'll track customer and partner feedback from the beta program before setting a final date for the release.
Windows Vista SP2 Beta contains previously released fixes focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues. We expect Windows Vista SP2 will retain compatibility with applications that run on Windows Vista and Windows Vista SP1 and are written using public APIs. 
Because we've adopted a single serviceability model, these improvements are integrated into a single service pack covering both Windows Vista (client) and Windows Server 2008 (server) versions. This should also minimize deployment and testing complexity for our customers.
In addition to previously released updates since the launch of Windows Vista SP1, Windows Vista SP2 contains changes focused on supporting new types of hardware and adding support for several emerging standards:

• Windows Vista SP2 adds Windows Search 4.0 for faster and improved relevancy in searches.
• Windows Vista SP2 contains the Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack supporting the most recent specification for Bluetooth Technology.
• Ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista.
• Adds Windows Connect Now (WCN) to simplify Wi-Fi Configuration.
• Windows Vista SP2 enables the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones. 

One question I know that you will ask is "should I wait for SP2?" The reality is that Windows Vista SP1 is a great platform that is both available on new Windows PCs and available as a free download for systems that are running the "gold" release of Windows Vista.  While we will recommend SP2 when it ships, your best bet today is Windows Vista SP1.
I look forward to sharing more about Windows Vista SP2 in the future - stay tuned!

Tags: Windows Vista, Announcement, Featured News, Windows Vista SP1, Windows Vista SP2

Why 7? [windows 7]

There's been a lot of lively discussion since I confirmed yesterday that the official name for the next version of the Window client operating system will be "Windows 7" about how we got to the number "7."
I'll say up front, that there are many ways to count the releases of Windows and it's been both a trip down memory lane and quite amusing to read all the different theories about how we got to the number "7."
Anyway, the numbering we used is quite simple.  The very first release of Windows was Windows 1.0, the second was Windows 2.0, the third Windows 3.0.
Here's where things get a little more complicated.  Following Windows 3.0 was Windows NT which was code versioned as Windows 3.1. Then came Windows 95, which was code versioned as Windows 4.0.  Then, Windows 98, 98 SE and Windows Millennium each shipped as 4.0.1998, 4.10.2222, and 4.90.3000, respectively. So we're counting all 9x versions as being 4.0.
Windows 2000 code was 5.0 and then we shipped Windows XP as 5.1, even though it was a major release we didn't' want to change code version numbers to maximize application compatibility.
That brings us to Windows Vista, which is 6.0.  So we see Windows 7 as our next logical significant release and 7^th in the family of Windows releases.
We learned a lot about using 5.1 for XP and how that helped developers with version checking for API compatibility.  We also had the lesson reinforced when we applied the version number in the Windows Vista code as Windows 6.0-- that changing basic version numbers can cause application compatibility issues. 
So we decided to ship the Windows 7 code as Windows 6.1 - which is what you will see in the actual version of the product in cmd.exe or computer properties.
There's been some fodder about whether using 6.1 in the code is an indicator of the relevance of Windows 7.  It is not.
Windows 7 is a significant and evolutionary advancement of the client operating system.  It is in every way a major effort in design, engineering and innovation.  The only thing to read into the code versioning is that we are absolutely committed to making sure application compatibility is optimized for our customers.
We're just over a week away from showing off Windows 7 at PDC and WinHEC.  I look forward to sharing more soon!

Tags: Featured News, Windows 7

Windows Vista SP2 RTM + Windows Vista SP1 Blocker Tool Removed [download os]

Today we are announcing the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. SP2 represents the latest step in Microsoft’s commitment to continuous improvement. It includes all updates that have been delivered since SP1, as well as support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards. 
As we have mentioned before, here are some of the key benefits of Windows Vista SP2:

• Windows Search 4.0 for faster and improved relevancy in searches
• Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack supporting the most recent specification for Bluetooth Technology
• Ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista
• Adds Windows Connect Now (WCN) to simplify Wi-Fi Configuration
• Windows Vista SP2 enables the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones.

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 a complete overview of the changes introduced in SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, check out the notable changes document on TechNet.
Business customers with Windows Vista will find that the transition from Windows Vista 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. For more, I suggest reading this blog post from Gavriella Schuster in regards to guidance on Windows deployments.
We expect Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 to be publicly available in Q2 2009.
As a quick reminder, Windows Vista SP1 Service Pack Blocker Tool is being removed today, as we announced back in January. For customers who previously had the blocker tool in place, Windows Vista SP1 will now be offered to them via Windows Update.
Tags: Windows Vista, Announcement, Windows Server 2008, Windows Search 4.0, Windows Vista SP2, Service Pack 2, Service Pack Blocker Tool, exFAT

How to Activate the God Mode in Windows 7 [download os]

The Control Panel in Windows 7 is a great improvement over its Vista and XP predecessors, but it is still far from perfect. Considering it is boldly name a ‘control’ panel, there are still many things that users are unable to actually access from this folder. Admittedly, not everyone wants to control every aspect of their Operating System and have an all-in-one master access, but for those that require more command over the Window 7 features, there is a way to create an all-seeing Control Panel.
Activating the God Mode
Calling this ‘God Mode’ is probably a bit dramatic and over the top, but what this feature does allow you to do is to create a single folder where you should be able to access everything you could ever want. The good news is that Microsoft have made is very simple to turn on this feature and create a ‘King of all Folders’.
Here’s what to do:
Create a new folder and then rename it ‘God Mode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}’. You do not actually have to use ‘God Mode’ for the initial part of the rename, you could call it whatever you want, it’s the ‘.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}’ that’s important. Make sure you include the full stop “.” after your folder name and enclose the extension in curly brackets “{}”as shown. The extension must be identical to the example.
Now hit ‘Enter’ to confirm the rename and you will see that the extension has disappeared, leaving only the title that you chose for this new folder. Double-click the folder to access and you will start to see why it has been labelled ‘God Mode’.
The folder has been automatically populated with over 260 separate actions that can be accessed from this one folder. There are shortcuts to the various functions for Power Options, the Action Centre, user accounts, the Network and Sharing Centre, Windows 7 troubleshooting and a whole host of other goodies.
If you are the type of person who enjoys having total control and everything right at your fingertips, all in one handy, easily accessible place – this great little Windows 7 trick should be right up your control-freak street. The Control Panel has now finally become a ‘total control’ panel.

How to Use Windows Vista and Windows 7 in Any Language You Want [download os]

Since Windows XP, multilingual computing has become considerably easier to achieve. With the Ultimate and Enterprise versions of Windows Vista and Windows 7, you can choose from a wide variety of interface languages. This is especially useful for those whose native language is not yet available in an off-the-shelf copy of Windows. It is also useful for those who have an English language edition of Windows but want to be able to use the operating system in their own language.
Multilingual user interfaces are also an essential in environments where there are different users of the same computers who need to work in different languages. This is made possible because you can install any number of interface languages you want. Each user account can have its own interface language. Different interface languages are also available for Microsoft Office. All of the language packs available for Windows are provided free for supported operating systems.
For Windows 7 and Windows Vista, there are two types of language packs available. The MUI (multilingual user interface) packs are available only for the Ultimate and Enterprise editions of these operating systems. They can be downloaded via Windows update as optional extras. There are 34 MUI language packs available for Windows 7. These are available for both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of Windows and will work with any original language of the copy of Windows that you have. The MUIs translate the vast majority of the Windows interface (including help files) into the target language.
The other type of language pack available is the LIP (language interface pack). These are smaller installation files for less common languages and they will work on any edition of Windows. They do, however, have specific requirements regarding the original language of your copy of Windows (usually English). LIPs only translate the more commonly used parts of the user interface. There are many LIPs available for more obscure languages from Armenian to Welsh.
Every user account can have its own language. To change the language for the user account that you are currently logged in on, simply go to the control panel and click the ‘Change display language’ link. In the classic start menu, this can be found in the ‘Keyboards and Languages’ tab when you double click on the ‘Region and Language’ icon. You can install or uninstall new languages from here as well as select the interface language from the ones available. For the language interface to change, you only need to log off and back on again. You do not need to restart the computer.