Windows Vista Team Blog : Windows Vista, Drivers

Microsoft Readying Customers with New Assessment and Deployment Tool for the Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista SP1 Launch!

Baldwin Ng — Wed, 27 Feb 2008 11:43:00 GMT

Hello IT Pros!

February 27 is a big day. Windows Server 2008 will be officially launching in Los Angeles with Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO, kicking off in just a few hours.

In support of this very important technology milestone as well as the Windows Vista SP1 release, the Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team has just released the third-generation of the agent-less infrastructure assessment platform called Microsoft Assessment and Planning Solution Accelerator 3.0 (or simply MAP). Through the use of remote WMI calls and secure inventory engines, the MAP tool enables you to quickly inventory a wide variety of networks (AD-managed, IP ranges, and workgroups), securely assess IT environments of servers, desktops, applications and devices, and auto-generate specific and actionable reports and proposal documents in a matter of hours.

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE BLOG POST...

GO HERE TO DOWNLOAD MICROSOFT ASSESSMENT AND PLANNING (RTM BITS)

Thank you,

Baldwin Ng (Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Assessment and Planning)

Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 2.0 Public Beta Now Available for Download!

Baldwin Ng — Thu, 07 Jun 2007 20:51:00 GMT

Hi all,

The Microsoft Solution Accelerators Team is happy to announce the release of the Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 2.0 Public Beta. Windows Vista Hardware Assessment is an automated software tool that helps business customers and consultants make informed decisions about desktop deployment and migration to Windows Vista. Specifically, this tool provides users a very quick way to inventory and assess PCs network-wide for their hardware and device readiness. Through auto-generated readiness reports, organizations can more quickly identify computers that can migrate to Windows Vista “as is” without any hardware upgrades and others with recommended hardware upgrades.

The Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 2.0 Public Beta, an agent-less network-wide assessment tool, includes three frequently-requested features:

· Customized Inventory – Users may now choose computers of specific organizational units (or OU’s) within an Active Directory domain/forest where the inventory would be conducted.

· Flat-File Import of Computers – Users can now target a specific set of computers for the inventory and assessment by importing a specific flat file of computers (such as computer host names, NetBIOS names, or Fully Qualified Domain Names - FQDN).

· Office 2007 Hardware Assessment – Users may now assess their desktop computers for compatibility with Office 2007 system.

In addition, Windows Vista Hardware Assessment users may now inventory up to 10,000 per domain/workgroup per scan (Note: you can inventory a few times to assess a network larger than 10,000).

So, why wait? Download our 2.0 Public Beta here and give us your feedback! Make sure you use your Live ID (or Passport credentials) and register for this beta program before starting the download process. To download the already-released Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 1.0, you may visit here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/wvha.

This tool is one of many Solution Accelerators that were recently launched for Windows Vista. Please visit the Solution Accelerators Home Page to download other tools including Business Desktop Deployment 2007, Data Encryption Toolkit for Mobile PCs, Windows Vista Security Guide and more.

One more thing – if you are attending TechEd 2007 in Orlando, please attend our breakout session and hands-on lab throughout the week and test drive Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 1.0. See you there!

Baldwin Ng

Sr. Product Manager, Microsoft Solution Accelerators

Certified for Windows Vista Devices and Software

Ben Reed — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 22:10:00 GMT

Have you been wondering how you can tell which software and devices will be compatible with the premium features of Windows Vista? You can easily identify these products by looking for the devices and software that are Certified for Windows Vista. Read below for more specifics on the program, and then enter to win thousands of dollars worth of Certified for Windows Vista products.

What does it mean to be Certified for Windows Vista?

You all have probably seen the Designed for XP logo that appears on PCs. The Windows Vista Logo Program is the next generation, however, we’ve made two important changes. First, Microsoft has worked with industry partners to develop new standards and device categories so Windows Vista can take full advantage of dramatic advances in hardware and devices to enhance the types of computer activities people have become accustomed to. Secondly, we’ve set up a certification process, so that devices and software need to go through Microsoft compatibility tests before they qualify for the logo. So, yes, there are there thousands of applications and devices that are compatible with Windows Vista, however, Certified for Windows Vista devices and software have been tested to help ensure that they are compatible with the premium features of Windows Vista. Devices and software that carries the Works with Windows Vista logo are tested for baseline standards of compatibility with all PCs running Windows Vista.

Devices:

To talk a bit more specifically about device drivers, they have undergone Microsoft compatibility tests for ease-of-use, better performance and enhanced security. We are continuing to add approximately 1,600 device drivers per month. These devices will install easily on Windows Vista and can automatically download device driver software. Wireless devices are also intuitive to set-up and security-enhanced.

Devices are tested to deliver performance and quality beyond basic compatibility, so you can have high-definition experiences with photos, music, videos and communications. For example, they are able to take advantage of Windows Vista features like native DVD burning, Network and Sharing Center and Windows Aero user experience. Color sensitive devices like monitors and printers work together with the Windows Color System so when you print pictures, they look like what’s on your screen. Certified of Windows Vista wireless routers provide reliable connectivity for demanding applications like on-line gaming and HD media streaming, while wireless networks are security-enhanced.

Software:

And now on to some software specifics. I want to emphasize here that Certified for Windows Vista software products are tested to Microsoft’s compatibility standards to help make software easy to install, better performing and more secure. For example, software is specifically tested to minimize the number of crashes, hangs and reboots that are typically experienced by users. It also installs without degrading the performance of Windows Vista or other applications. I also think it’s important to mention that Certified for Windows Vista software should continue to improve over time, because we require that they not just include error reporting, but that they also use this data to continually update their product. Certified for Windows Vista software is also designed to work with advanced security features in Windows Vista, as well as meets the Anti-Spyware Coalition privacy guidelines.

I’m planning on posting information about specific Certified of Windows Vista products on a regular basis, so continue to check back for product highlights and deeper spec information. This is a just an introduction to the program. Don’t hesitate to let me know if you have any questions. In the meantime, enter each week for a chance to win a ton of great products from our partners.

Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 1.0 Released

Baldwin Ng — Tue, 20 Feb 2007 16:54:00 GMT

Hello,

Let me first introduce myself. I'm Baldwin Ng, Product Manager for Microsoft Solution Accelerator team. Our team has been developing great tools such as Business Desktop Deployment 2007 and guidance on client security such as the Windows Vista Security Guide. Today, another IT pro tool is born - Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 1.0.

Now that Windows Vista is launched and made available, customers are asking many of these deployment questions:

How many of my existing PCs are currently ready for Windows Vista?
How many more PCs can be upgraded to Windows Vista?
What upgrades are required in terms of memory, hard disk and graphics cards?
How much would it cost and how long would it take to upgrade these PCs?

Indeed, one way to answer these questions would be to manually check each computer. Another way would be to run automated readiness tools that can check one PC at a time against the Windows Vista hardware specifications, like the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor. However, most businesses and IT consultants told us that they much prefer an easy-to-use network-wide assessment tool. Many of the IT consultants also stressed the need for a tool that would not require deployment of software agents to individual PCs being assessed.

NEW TOOL - Windows Vista Hardware Assessment 1.0
To tackle this challenge head-on, our development group teamed up with Windows Vista team and Microsoft Partner group and developed a network-wide assessment tool for Windows Vista migration called Windows Vista Hardware Assessment. This tool helps organizations make informed decisions about desktop deployment and migration to Windows Vista by quickly assessing PCs on a network and generates detailed readiness reports of their hardware and device compatibility.

Please read on to find out more about how this tool works and learn ways to leverage the power of assessment to accelerate your desktop migration projects! (Of course, if you can't wait to try this tool, we understand. Feel free to jump to tool's web site and CLICK HERE!)

HOW DOES IT WORK?
The Windows Vista Hardware Assessment consists of three core components: Hardware Inventory, Compatibility Analysis and Readiness Reporting.

Hardware Inventory
* Through the use of WMI, AD and other Windows Networking Protocols such as NetServerEnum, this tool discovers both computers on a domain as well as workgroup computers.
* Once inventory is completed, all system resources and device information are stored in a SQL Server 2005 Express database.
* AD domain membership and WMI credentials are required for you to conduct a successful inventory.
* The current release of this tool supports network discovery of up to 5,000 machines.

Compatibility Analysis (with Windows Vista)
* Using the most up-to-date device and BIOS database from the Windows Team, Windows Vista Hardware Assessment analyzes each PC's readiness around hardware and device compatibility for Windows Vista. Driver information is pulled from online through a regularly updated Web service so that you can get the latest devices information each time you run the tool.
* Each PC is analyzed for its ability to run Windows Vista as well as the two different levels of experience: Windows Vista Capable and Windows Vista Premium Ready. For more information regarding the details of hardware requirements, please visit the Windows Vista Hardware Planning Guidance site: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsvista/aa905075.aspx

Readiness Reporting
* The last step of the readiness assessment is the auto-generation of a set of readiness reports.
* Summary Report in the form of Microsoft Word document provides a concise summary for business decision makers in an organization to understand the existing PCs' readiness for Windows Vista and what it takes to upgrade them to the new operating system.
* Detailed Report in the form of Microsoft Excel workbook provides IT implementers and consultants the detailed analysis results, PC by PC, so they can better estimate and implement the desktop migration by completing the required hardware upgrades such as addition of memory and more hard-disk space. Detailed information is also provided so one can understand the number of device drivers that are required to get device updates and where to get them. For example, this tool will tell you if a certain device driver can be updated via Windows Update, Windows Vista DVDs or through the device manufacturers.

MORE ON READINESS REPORTS
The Windows Vista Hardware Assessment provides 2 reports for each network/network segment:

Summary Report (in Microsoft Word)
* The Executive Overview section provides a high-level view of Windows Vista readiness for each PC discovered as-is (i.e. without any hardware upgrades) and after you decide to invest in some minor upgrades such as memory, disk space, etc. Note that CPU change is considered a major upgrade - a typical buy-new scenario as supposed to an upgrade scenario. For example, in this report, you may find that if you were to invest in the recommended upgrades, you can migrate up to 342 PCs to Windows Vista. That is good news if you are looking to reduce your desktop management cost and migrate most PCs to a single operating system - i.e. Windows Vista.

* How about hardware upgrades for the various experience levels of Windows Vista? What you'll find is that Hardware Analysis section of this readiness report would give you much of the details that you need to estimate the upgrade cost including number of PCs requiring increase of System RAM, Hard Disk Capacity, upgrade of Graphics Card or Optical Drive, etc. This really helps the business decision makers of any organization to better understand the cost it takes to roll out Windows Vista.

* On the Device Compatibility side, we provide the insights into how many device drivers would be available for updates and where one can find the updates. This makes it easier for any organization to implement the migration. An OS analysis summary is also provided, which is especially valuable to organizations where asset management and system management software are not used. You may find this summary useful when considering various Volume Licensing options with Microsoft as well.

Detailed Report (in Microsoft Excel)
* The Client Assessment worksheet provides assessment results, PC-by-PC regarding current readiness and reasons for the current "rating." For example, take a look at the Computer_00001 in the spreadsheet below. You will find that this computer is not upgradable to Windows Vista Capable experience because its CPU speed is lower than 800MHz, a Windows Vista minimum requirement. Computer_00003, however, can be upgraded to Windows Vista Premium Ready.

* The Capable After Upgrades worksheet provides detailed recommendations for each PC that can be upgrade to Windows Vista Capable such as 1) Upgrade to 512 MB RAM or 2) Free up 15 GB of disk space (with a disk drive capacity of at least 20GB). For example, if you take a look at the report below, you will find that Computer_00003 can be upgraded to Windows Vista Premium Ready by clearing the hard drive to make room for 15GB of disk space.

* Aside from hardware assessment, Windows Vista Hardware Assessment also gives you a detailed look into device compatibility on each PC as well as organization-wide. The Device Assessment Summary worksheet makes it easier for you to identify devices that you need to investigate further (e.g. devices with no known device compatibility information).

OPERATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS
It is important to note the following before you start scanning your network:
1) Information is encrypted end to end, providing a secure way to inventory each PC.
2) There is minimal impact on the network and PCs during the inventory process.
3) Currently, there is no technology available to allow remote/agent-less detection of Bit-Locker and Aero-Glass features of a specific PC. You are advised to use other tools available for single-PC readiness assessment for such features, such as Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor.

OTHER WINDOWS VISTA DEPLOYMENT TOOLS
Aside from hardware and device compatibility, you may also want to try out two other tools that are crucial to the success of any desktop deployment projects: Business Desktop Deployment 2007 and Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0.

Don't forget, if you want to further harden your Windows Vista PC environment, our team has also produced the Windows Vista Security Guide that gives you the best practices and guidance you need.

SUMMARY
As you can see, Microsoft is readying IT professionals with a suite of deployment tools including the brand new Windows Vista Hardware Assessment. So, why wait? Download the Windows Vista Hardware Assessment tool and guidance today and accelerate your Windows Vista desktop migration project planning!

For any suggestions on future releases, please write to us at: wvhafdbk@microsoft.com . We'd love to hear from you!

LifeCam drivers for Windows Vista are available

Nick White — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 19:45:00 GMT

They're here! The Windows Vista-compatible drivers for MS; LifeCams are now available for download.

And I can verify that they work great :)

Sven Hallauer: Windows Vista, Windows Update and Beyond

Nick White — Wed, 13 Dec 2006 00:37:00 GMT

I was recently able to sit down and talk to Windows Release Manager Sven Hallauer to discuss next steps now that Windows Vista has RTM'd, in particular regarding product updating via Windows Update. Sven discusses the goals behind instituting Windows Update as well as the process entailed in pulling down security updates, fixes and, of course, device drivers. In terms of driver updates, he notes that many hardware manufacturers had decided to wait until Windows Vista's code was finalized at the RTM milestone before focusing their efforts on developing drivers for the new OS. Since Windows Vista went RTM, many manufacturers are now working fast and furiously to push out new device drivers that fully support Windows Vista.

Sven has quite a bit to share, so give the interview a listen yourself :)

Sven Hallauer Podcast #2 (WMA)

Sven Hallauer Podcast #2 (MP3)

Microsoft LifeCam Support Coming for Windows Vista

Nick White — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 13:26:00 GMT

I've noticed a few discussions out in the community on how Microsoft’s great new LifeCams don’t quite work yet with Windows Vista.

Well, to find out for myself, I just bought the Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 this weekend. I’m happy to say I am currently testing beta drivers for the LifeCams, to which Windows Vista Technical Beta testers also have access to (via Microsoft Connect). No need to worry if you're not part of that program -- drivers are coming full-speed ahead for these neat new webcams which will work very well on Windows Vista.