Posted 08/07/09 at 09:46:33 AM by Paul Lilly

For the most part, Windows 7 has been met with considerable praise from those who have given the beta and RC releases a spin, but all those good vibes are in jeopardy following the discovery of a major bug. According to DailyTech, RTM build 7600.16385 suffers from a "massive" memory leak in the frequently used chkdsk.exe application.

The bug rears its ugly head when scanning a second hard disk on a non-boot partition or second physical drive using the "/r" parameter. Doing so triggers a nasty memory leak, with the term "leak" being used loosely. Some users have reported the dreaded blue screen of death, while others note a memory usage of about 98 percent within seconds of running the app, but without the system crash.

DailyTech says the bug has been confirmed on a variety of hardware configurations, including netbooks and Core 2 Duo notebooks, and it affects both 32-bit and 64-bit versions.

Steven Sinofsky, president of Microsoft's Windows division, downplayed the bug saying:

"In this case, we haven’t reproduced the crash and we’re not seeing any crashes with chkdsk on the stack reported in any measurable number that we could find. We had one beta report on the memory usage, but that was resolved by design since we actually did design it to use more memory. But the design was to use more memory on purpose to speed things up, but never unbounded — we request the available memory and operate within that leaving at least 50M of physical memory. Our assumption was that using /r means your disk is such that you would prefer to get the repair done and over with rather than keep working."

More info here.

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Posted 08/03/09 at 12:43:59 PM by Paul Lilly

According to news and rumor site DigiTimes, Taiwan-based OEM PC makers are still waiting on Windows 7 tools from Microsoft as well as final validation tests from independent software and hardware vendors (ISVs and IHVs), putting them behind schedule. Previously, OEMs had hoped to roll out PCs with Windows 7 by the middle of this month, but are now shooting for September.

Although major OEMs were given RTM copies of Windows 7 around July 24th, the staggered release schedule is forcing ISVs and IHVs to wait until August 6th for the same code. That means OEMs hoping to include third-party software, like antivirus software, or drivers for specific hardware devices have to wait as well.

In preparation for Windows 7's October 22nd retail release, OEMs planned to have 10 million units of notebook and desktop PCs ready to go. In order to meet that goal, they would have to produce 2,000 PCs in a single month, which sources say isn't likely to happen.

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Posted 07/26/09 at 01:56:37 PM by Justin Kerr

It’s official, Windows 7 is in the bag and the first boxed copies have gone out the door. OEM’s arrived in droves on Friday to pickup large bundles containing all the code and supporting documentation they will need to begin integrating Windows 7 into their upcoming hardware designs. OEM’s are typically the first Microsoft customers to receive RTM code as it often takes months to properly tweak their drivers and software to ensure maximum compatibility.

The Official Windows Blog posted pictures of the event for those who are interested. Pictures included representatives from HP, Lenovo, Asus, Acer, Dell, Sony, and Siemens all posing with their debut copies. Officially the focus of the OEM’s at this point is to ensure hardware / software compatibility, but we all know a certain amount of trialware will inevitably be tested and slipped into new machines as well. Microsoft kicked off a new initiative last year in the hopes of educating OEM’s on the danger of over bundling trialware with a new PC, lets just hope they listen. Just in case they don’t, check out our Clean Start Guide on How to decrapify any new machine.

Have you purchased a new OEM build machine recently? Have things gotten any better? Let us know what you think.

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Posted 07/24/09 at 06:21:39 PM by Paul Lilly

If you're like us, you've been patiently awaiting official word on when Microsoft will make available Windows 7 RTM (Release To Manufacturing). We're not the only ones pressuring Microsoft for an answer, and thanks to a blog post by Brandon LeBlanc, a Windows Communications Manager at Microsoft, we now have some concrete dates to play with.

According to LeBlanc, ISV (Independent software vendor) and IHV (Independent hardware vendor) Partners will be able to download Windows 7 RTM from Microsoft Connect or MSDN starting on August 6th. Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified Members can snag the RTM in English through the Microsoft Partner Network (MPN) Portal a little later beginning August 16th (all remaining languages will be available on October 1st). If you're a Microsoft Action Pack Subscriber, you can grab your copy in English starting August 23rd, and again October 1st for all remaining languages. OEMs will receive Windows 7 RTM software images beginning about 2 days after Microsoft makes the RTM official.

Other availability dates include:

• Volume License (VL) customers with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license: August 7th
• IT Professionals with a TechNet Subscription: August 6th
• Developers with a MSDN Subscription: August 6th

LeBlanc also went on to confirm the availability of a "Family Pack" for Windows 7, which will allow installation on up to 3 PCs, but did not say how much the package will cost.

More info here.

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Posted 07/23/09 at 08:01:59 AM by Paul Lilly

It's official - Windows 7 has been released to manufacturing (RTM), meaning the code is finished and ready to be pressed on CDs. After significant testing, build 7600 met all the validation checks required for RTM, which also includes having all languages of that build completed, says Brandon LeBlanc, a Windows Communication Manager at Microsoft.

"Today's release is the result of hard work and collaboration with our partners in the industry to make Windows 7 a success," LeBlanc wrote in a blog post. "We delivered Windows 7 with a predictable feature set on a predictable timetable that allowed OEMs to focus on value and differentiation for their customers."

LeBlanc went on to give credit to the "million of people who tested Windows 7," noting that over 10 million people chose to opt-in to the Customer Experience Improvement Program (CEIP).

According to LeBlanc's previous blog post, OEMs can expect to receive Windows 7 RTM software images in just a couple of days now that build 7600 has gone RTM. LeBlanc also listed a bunch of other dates detailing when specific segments can get their hands on a copy, which can be viewed here.

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Posted 07/22/09 at 05:23:58 PM by Andy Salisbury

Thanks to a recent posting on the Windows 7 Team Blog, we finally have a confirmation on a family pack, and plenty of detailed information on just how everyone will get their copy of the new OS.

Those of us that are run of the mill consumers will be able to get our hands on Windows 7 starting October 22nd, for both retail and pre-order. And, if you beta tested it, let it be known that you “will not automatically receive a free copy of Windows 7. Many beta testers are already subscribers to TechNet; those of you who fit that description will be able to download Windows 7 RTM shortly after RTM happens for free as part of your subscription.”

And, giving in to the swirling rumors, solid information on the family pack is finally available. “I’m happy to confirm that we will indeed be offering a family pack of Windows 7 Home Premium (in select markets) which will allow installation on up to 3 PCs,” wrote Brandon LeBlanc on the blog.

If you’re looking for any additional information, be sure to check it out here.

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Posted 07/14/09 at 11:00:36 AM by Paul Lilly

Despite what you might have read, Windows 7 has not yet hit RTM (Release to Manufacturing), although it is getting very close, Microsoft says.

"As we've said all along, we will RTM Windows 7 when it's ready," Brandon LeBlanc, a Windows Communications Manager at Microsoft, wrote in a blog post. "As previously stated, we expect Windows 7 to RTM in the 2nd half of July."

LeBlanc's statement would seem to contradict the Windows 7 7600 build that has been running rampant on torrent sites, but LeBlanc insists that "just because a single build may have 'leaked' it does not signal the completion of a milestone such as RTM." Before Windows 7 reaches that stage, all languages must be completely finished and Microsoft needs to get to a point of "global readiness," LeBlanc added.

Once Windows 7 is complete, there are a few ways you can get your hands on a copy, depending on which category you fall into. MSDN and TechNet subscribers will be able to download the final version of Windows 7 a few weeks after Microsoft announces RTM, Volume License (VL) customers can get a copy starting September 1st, and everyone else will have to either wait until October 22nd, or trust that the inevitable torrent downloads are legit.

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Posted 07/06/09 at 09:40:12 AM by Paul Lilly

Up until July 11 (that's this Saturday, folks), you can preorder upgrade versions of Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional at reduced rates, but just because you can already buy the next-gen OS doesn't mean it's finished yet. It is, however, getting very close.

Several sources are reporting that Microsoft has confirmed Windows 7 will reach RTM (release to manufacturing) on July 13, two days after the preorder pricing ends. This is significant because once Windows 7 goes RTM, Microsoft can then distribute final versions to computer manufacturers in anticipation of the October 22nd release date.

In the meantime, you can still download the polished Windows 7 RC (release candidate) and run the OS until March 1, 2010. Once March 1st of next year rolls around, PCs running the RC will shut down every two hours before completely expiring on June 1, 2010.

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