Here are two keys words for Microsoft Windows shops to remember come this Patch Tuesday: “six” and “restart.” Six is the number of a critical bulletins Microsoft will release on February 9 that affect all the currently supported versions of Windows on both the desktop and server. And a system restart will be required for these Windows patches, which will mean down time for servers. In fact, 10 of the record-tying 13 bulletins require a restart. In all, five are listed as critical, seven important and one moderate. Microsoft getting better at Patch Tuesday updates, experts say The last time Microsoft had so many bulletins was in October 2009. In the preliminary patch information issued Thursday, Microsoft does not say how many total vulnerabilities are in those 13 bulletins. In October, the number was 34. Experts say on average there are two vulnerabilities per bulletin. “Bulletin six is definitely key, we can see that both server teams and desktop teams are going to be impacted,” says Don Leatham, senior director of solutions and strategy for Lumension. Leatham says IT teams should look at their maintenance windows and see how and when they can get these critical patches out. “With bulletin six it might be worthwhile to move up the maintenance window if need be,” he says. Many organizations with patching policies time server maintenance with patch releases. Leatham says users should not wait to scramble on Tuesday but instead should start prepping as soon as possible. “Usually when there have been bulletins like this in the past that cover every single Windows platform it means it could be fairly low level in the OS,” he says. This month, the other trend is that there are fewer patches on the applications side. Only two patches address applications and both are for Microsoft Office. Microsoft had a single patch last month, which was in the font engine of Windows. Follow John on Twitter: twitter.com/johnfontana
Archive for the Category ◊ 7 ◊
Microsoft plans to release the final version of its free antivirus software soon, according to a note sent to testers late Sunday.
“The final version of Microsoft Security Essentials will be released to the public in the coming weeks,” Microsoft said in the note.
Microsoft first announced its plans for the product, then code-named Morro, last November, at the same time the company said it was scrapping its paid Windows Live OneCare product.
Public beta testing of Security Essentials started in June, with Microsoft reaching its goal of 75,000 testers just one day after it issued a call for them.
SAN FRANCISCO–Dell is launching its first laptops with Intel’s new Core i7 processor for laptops.
The Intel “Clarksfield” Core i7 processor boasts four cores and is the chipmaker’s first mobile chip based on its new Nehalem microarchitecture. Most Intel processors will move to this design in 2010.
Dell is trying to take an early lead in embracing the new technology. Dell’s flagship product for the mobile Core i7 will be the 15-inch Alienware M15x gaming laptop. Dell is also offering the chip as an option on other laptop models worldwide, including the Studio 15 and Studio 17.
At the Intel Developer Forum today, David Perlmutter, executive vice president and co-general manager of Intel Corporation’s Intel Architecture Group, is discussing Intel’s mobile Nehalem platform that also includes a future chip codenamed “Arrandale,” which will integrate graphics into the CPU, or central processing unit.
The Core i7 is packaged with the Intel PM55 Express chipset–companion silicon that assists the processor in communicating with the rest of the system. Two features that differentiate Core i7 from Core 2 Duo processors (the most-widely-used chips in laptops today) is Turbo Boost and Hyper-Threading. Turbo Boost speeds up and slows down individual cores to meet processing and power-efficiency needs, respectively. Hyper-Threading can double the number of tasks–or threads–a processor can execute.
The Alienware M15x configurations include the Intel Core 920XM CPU and 1GB NVIDIA GeForce GTX 260M graphics chip.
The Dell Studio 17 will feature the Intel Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz processor, a 1GB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4650 graphics chip, 17.3-inch HD+ (1600×900) display, and 9-cell battery.
The Studio 17 starts at $1,099.
Dell will also offer the Studio 15 with Core i7. Configurations include Core i7 720QM 1.6GHz, 512MB ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4570 graphics chip, and 4GB of memory. Pricing start at $999.
And the Dell Studio XPS 16 will come with a Core i7 option, with a starting price of $1,249, Dell said.
No reader question, this time. Just a rant.
We all hate Windows Genuine Advantage. Not only is it a hassle that might accuse you of stealing something you legitimately bought, but its very name adds insult to annoyance. It’s obviously an advantage to no one but Microsoft.
But with a simple change in policy, the folks in Redmond could use it to eliminate a far more serious problem: The difficulty in obtaining an actual copy of Windows to go with your legally-purchased license.
If Windows came with your computer, you probably have no way to restore it beyond a complete reformat. If you lost the restore discs that came with your PC, or altered your partition table and thereby rendered your restore partition unbootable, you can’t even do that. And you almost certainly don’t have the options and utilities that come with a genuine Windows CD or DVD.
And why not? Because Microsoft acts as if giving away Windows discs is the same as giving away licenses to run Windows. And yet the company must know that’s not true. Otherwise, Microsoft wouldn’t make you go through the activation process, or keep hitting you with Windows Genuine Annoyances. It’s the product key–that long number you have to enter when you install Windows–that defines and proves your purchase of the operating system.
So why can’t Microsoft simply give the disc away. Make it downloadable as an .iso file. Charge $5 to mail a physical disc to those who don’t like long downloads. Make it known that anyone can give the disc to anyone else.
I’m not suggesting that Microsoft give away Windows. You’d still need a unique product key to activate it, and you would get that project key either by paying Microsoft or buying a PC with Windows pre-installed (all such computers already come with a product key sticker). Or you’d already have the product key, but still need a product to install.
This could work just fine with XP, Vista, and (when it ships) Windows 7. Microsoft doesn’t even have to keep selling XP to freely give away the discs; I know plenty of people who “own” XP but need a way to install it.
A great many commercial programs, perhaps a majority of them, are now sold this way. You download the program, install it, try a limited version, then pay for a key that will unlock the full version. They used to call this shareware or demoware. Now its just the way software is sold.
Microsoft: Are you listening?