Microsoft

You are currently browsing the archive for the Microsoft category.

CONTEST – Call of Duty: World at War Beta Code

October 26, 2008 in Call of Duty, CoD, CoD4, CoD5, Contest, Download, Games, Microsoft, Videogames, WaW, World at War, XBL, Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox Live, beta, code, software | 17 comments

OK here goes,

I have a Call of Duty: WaW beta code that I don’t need.

I’m going to do a random draw from the first 25 responses, then give it away!

So far, the beta is awesome. This isn’t CoD4, but pretty darn good just the same.

Just so you guys know I’m not pulling your legs, here’s a pic of the email I got, as well as the text from the email:

Xbox 360 Multiplayer Code!

Thank you for registering on CallofDuty.com and welcome to the Call of Duty: World at War Xbox 360™ Multiplayer Beta*!

Here is your unique Xbox 360 multiplayer code:
XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX

In order to participate in the Xbox 360 Demo:

   1. Receive your Xbox Live® Marketplace Token (above) and write it down.
      You will not be able to download the Beta without it
   2. Log into Xbox Live with your gamer profile
   3. Access Xbox Live Marketplace through the Xbox 360™ Dashboard
   4. Click Redeem Code
   5. Enter your Xbox Live Marketplace Token when prompted
   6. Start the download
   7. Join the fight!

Download the instruction manual (432 kb PDF).

And remember, we want to hear from you! Please come back to CallofDuty.com and give us your feedback, what you like and what you’d change to make Call of Duty: World at War the best experience possible!

* The PC Beta is coming up next! Stay close to CallofDuty.com and check your email for details soon to come!

Connect To a Console RDP / Terminal Server Session

April 22, 2008 in Console, Howto, MSTSC, Microsoft, RDC, RDP, Remote Desktop, Shadow Session, TS, Terminal Server, Windows 2000, Windows Server 2008, Windows Vista, Windows XP, software | No comments

1) Regardless of connection limits or licensing issues, you will always be able to connect to a server using a console session and an administrator account

2) The console session will often allow you to see errors and popups that won’t appear in other sessions

3) As documented in this MSKB article, you will also be able to have the local user see what you are doing in this session, and vice-versa. This is called a shadowed console session, and is very handy.

There are a few ways to get a console session in Windows 2000, XP, and Vista:

Open your default.rdp file (typically in My Documents) and add the following line to the bottom: connect to console:i:1
In the RDC window, after the address, use the switch /console
From start, run, type: mstsc /console
Make a shortcut to RDC, edit it, and add the /console switch to it
If you are using visionapp Remote Desktop, there is a console session checkbox that you can use per connection

Cisco to Implement Regular Patching

March 12, 2008 in Cisco, IOS, Microsoft, Patches, Router, Switch, software | No comments

In a security notice posted on Cisco’s web site recently, the networking giant unveiled its new patch program that will see them regularly updating its IOS software for Cisco switches and routers on a timely basis, similar to Microsoft’s “patch Tuesday”.

From the note:

“This schedule change will not restrict us from promptly publishing an individual IOS Security Advisory for a serious vulnerability which is publicly disclosed or for which we are aware of active exploitation.
Cisco is adopting this approach in response to extensive feedback from customers, who seek further predictability for support planning and deployment cycles.

The current format of IOS Security Advisories will remain the same. The software table in the Advisory includes a list of recommended releases (where possible) for each software train that addresses all of the security vulnerabilities included in the bundle.”

Microsoft to Enter VDI Market with Kidaro Acquisition

March 12, 2008 in Acquisition, Desktop Virtualization, Kidaro, Microsoft, VDI, Virtual Computer, software, vDNA | No comments

UPDATE – it looks like the figure on this one is around 100M.

Microsoft has announced that they are planning to acquire VDI solution provider Kidaro today, according to Reuters.

From the Reuters article:

“Microsoft said Kidaro’s technology will be incorporated into its desktop virtualization product, which allows companies to deliver over an Internet network a “virtual” computer desktop different from the software running on the local machine.”

The VDI market is starting to be the place everyone is buying into, with a bunch of companies operating below the radar just waiting for things to happen and hoping for an offer.

Kidaro brings some nice features to the table including vDNA – the “self-cleaning” virtual desktop, and virtual desktops for enterprise data recovery.

It’s warming up in here!

An overview of vDNA from Kidaro:

Kidaro’s desktop virtualization platform works by running an encrypted, corporate-controlled virtual machine (VM) image on top of any PC, providing a secure and standardized environment for enterprise computing. Because the VM runs locally on corporate or third party PCs, the platform enables user mobility and disconnected use, without the need for expensive server farms.

Kidaro vDNA enables a stable, self-cleaning desktop by virtualizing and isolating two different kinds of “virtual DNA”:

Personal data: includes end user files, passwords, configurations, bookmarks, and registry settings that make a desktop “yours.”
Corporate desktop image: includes operating system, applications, configurations, and security tools that make up the standardized enterprise desktop.

By encapsulating and managing personal data separately, Kidaro vDNA enables the underlying virtual desktop image to be continually repaired and updated. In contrast to normal PC operation, where errors, corruptions, and unwanted software continually degrade performance, Kidaro vDNA insures that desktops always run clean, while enabling ongoing updates and upgrades from corporate IT. Users retain the ability to personalize their virtual desktop environment and to run personal applications on the underlying host PC.

So from what I can tell, this is a type of “sandbox” or “jail” technology similar to the “bubbles” in the SoftGrid product – a good match for Microsoft for sure, and the end of my quotes and italicized text!

IE8 Beta Download

March 6, 2008 in IE8, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Standards, beta, software, windows | No comments

A nice offshoot of MIX 08 is the public availability of Internet Explorer (IE) 8 Beta 1 as of yesterday. While the new browser has many features, the standards support is what has me tickled pink, and you’ll be happy to hear blandname still renders properly in the new version.

So head on over to the IE8 page Microsoft has put up, and grab the first beta of the new next thing.

Some general info from the release notes, including some help on using certificates from within Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1, as well as a quick heads-up that the help is merely copied from IE7:

General information

Help content

Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 contains help content from Internet Explorer 7. Some topics will be broken or irrelevant. The help content will be updated in a later release of Internet Explorer 8.

New home page in home page set

Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 will add a new page to the home page set. This page will be automatically removed from the home page set two weeks after you install Internet Explorer Beta 1. You can remove this additional home page from your home page set at any time. Uninstalling Internet Explorer Beta 1 earlier than its automatic removal will not remove the additional home page. In that case, you can remove the home page manually.

Turning off the in-page WebSlice button

You can turn off the in-page WebSlice button in Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1 by using the following method:

However, when you turn off the in-page WebSlice button, WebSlice discovery is also turned off in the Feed Discovery button that is located on the frame.

Viewing certificates in Windows Internet Explorer 8 Beta 1

Windows XP

When you click the View certificates icon after you click the Security Status Indicator lock icon in the address bar, you incorrectly receive the following message:

This type of document does not have a security certificate

To view the certificate, follow these steps:

1.	Right-click the document, and then click Properties.
2.	In the Properties* dialog box, click Certificates.*

Windows Vista

To view the certificate of an encrypted page, click the View certificates icon after you click the Security Status Indicator lock icon in the address bar.

If you right-click the document, you click Properties, and then you click Certificates, the certificate is not displayed.

« Older entries