[Updated Sun., April 26th; 1:30 PM PST]
The unofficial release candidate edition of Windows 7, available to authorized beta testers, has leaked. The new release, build 7100, includes a number of significant enhancements and resolves some bugs extant in previous releases. It also provides some significant feature enhancements.
What’s new
- Better performance Several users have reported increased speed from Windows 7 build 7100, particularly with regard to startup times and gaming performance.
What’s fixed
- Erroneous “Read-only” message Previous builds of Windows 7 would sometimes state that Office documents were “read-only” when users attempted to save them, when in fact they were not read-only. This bug has been fixed in Windows 7 build 7100.
- Dropped connections Windows 7 build 7100 fixes an issue in which the Internet Connection would persistently drop when using some WiFi cards.
- Spotify, an online music discovery service, now works. It had issues with previous Windows 7 builds.
What’s broken
- ThinApp Users report that VMWare ThinApp (virtualized applications distributed as a single executable) still do not work with this build of Windows 7.
- Windows Media playback On some systems, Windows Media has problems playing back .mov and mkv files after the Windows 7 build 7100 update. In some cases, this issue can be resolved by removing the K Lite codec pack and instead installing CCCP.
- McAfee VirusScan Some users have reported problems with McAfee VirusScan Enterprise and other editions of the antivirus software after updating to Windows 7 build 7100.
- Upgrading If you had a previous, pre-release version of Windows 7 installed, you cannot directly upgrade to Windows 7 build 7100. However, there is a workaround.
- Upgrading If you had a previous, pre-release version of Windows 7 other than build 7077 installed, you cannot directly upgrade to Windows 7 build 7100. However, there is a workaround.
- DAEMON Tools Lite Several users have reported that DAEMON Tools Lite v4.30.4 causes an endless BSOD loop after the update to Windows 7 build 7100.
Noticed any other improvements or changes? Drop us a line at info@windowsfixup.com.
Filed under News, Windows 7 by on Apr 24th, 2009. 3 Comments. 
If various games and other applications quit immediately after launch, a simple system setting may be to blame. Toggling the setting, which may be automatically done by some driver updates, resolves the issue in many instances.
Fix
Open the control panel. Next, go to Hardware and Sound>Sound. In the recording tab, enable Stereo Mix.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 23rd, 2009. Comment.
Many freezes under various versions of Windows are the result of problematic third-party system services. Forget registry cleaners and other paid tools for “cleaning out” your system; a simple procedure can get you back to the basics and, likely, freeze-free. From that point, you can add back the services you desire and check for continued system stability.
Follow these steps:
- Click the Start button and type MSCONFIG then press enter in Windows Vista and Windows 7 (in Windows XP, click the Start button, then click “Run” and type MSCONFIG then press enter)
- Go to the startup tab
- Uncheck any third-party and nonessential startup items. Click to select the Hide All Microsoft Services check box, then click Disable All, and then click OK. Apply the changes and press OK, then restart the system if it does not happen automatically.
- If the problem not occur, go back to MSCONFIG and start re-enabling items in groups. Enable a few items, then restart and check to see if the problem. If it does disable some of those items then restart again. Keep enabling items until you find the culprit, then leave that service turned off permanently or uninstall it.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 22nd, 2009. 1 Comment.
Perhaps the biggest challenge facing Windows 7 upgraders involves hardware incompatibility. Many devices will be rendered temporarily unusable by the new OS or exhibit compatibility problems that will make them not worth using.
Fortunately, there are a few tips you can use to increase your chances of getting that mouse, graphics card, monitor, hard drive or printer to play nicely with Windows 7. And here… we… go:
Temporarily turn off antivirus software The presence of antivirus software scanning can block proper installation of drivers that are necessary for device function. Try turning off any antivirus or anti-malware/spyware software temporarily while you install or update device drivers, then turn it back on. Remember to use one and only one solid antivirus package. The presence of multiple, overlapping packages can create system conflicts and actually leave your system more vulnerable.
Run Windows Update Click the Start button then type Windows Update and press enter. Run the automatic update mechanism and check updated drivers for any connected devices.
Check manufacturers’ websites Check the websites of manufacturers of devices connected to your system. Final or pre-release Windows 7 drivers may be available.
Try Vista drivers Many Windows Vista-compatible drivers offered on device manufacturer websites work well with Windows 7. Check for any Vista drivers and install them on your Windows 7 system. This procedure is especially useful for users who were running Windows XP or another version of Windows other than Vista before installing Windows 7.
Install drivers in compatibility mode Try installing your device drivers in compatibility mode. To do this, right-click the driver installation .exe file (e.g. setup.exe) and click on Properties, then click on the Compatibility tab. Next, enable Compatibility Mode and select “Windows Vista RTM” from the drop-down then click OK. Double-click the .exe file and proceed with installation.
Install drivers in admin mode Try installing your device drivers in admin mode. To do this, right-click the driver installation .exe file (e.g. setup.exe) then select “Run as Admin.” Proceed with installation.
Check the Microsoft hardware support page If you are using a Microsoft-made hardware device, check the company’s Windows 7 hardware support page for drivers, workarounds and other helpful information for getting the devices up and running.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Apr 20th, 2009. 2 Comments.
Several users have encountered an issue in which Windows 7 installation fails at the very end of the process, with the system rebooting automatically as soon as the Windows 7 splash screen appears. The system then displays a message indicating that it was not shut down properly.
Fix
This issue is, in most cases, due to a graphics card driver issue. One potential remedy is as follows:
- Turn your system off
- Disconnect your monitor from the DVI port and instead connect it to the VGA port on your system (this will require a different cable)
- Turn your system back on and reinstall Windows 7–the process should complete properly
- Disable Windows Update automatic update (in control panel>System>Automatic updates)
- Go to your motherboard or graphics card manufacturer’s website and download the latest Windows Vista driver(s); install the driver(s).
- Turn your system off and connect your monitor via the DVI port again
Filed under Windows 7 by on Apr 20th, 2009. 1 Comment.
Windows 7 may fail to install, giving the error message “Setup was unable to create a new system partition or locate an existing system partition. See the Setup log files for more information.” Generally this error occurs in situations in which multiple disks are connected to the system.
Fix
In order to eliminate this issue, disconnect any disks that are formatted as “dynamic disks.” Dynamic disk volumes cannot be changed back to partitions, causing the Windows 7 installation process to fail. Simply disconnect any external or internal hard disks that are formatted as dynamic disks then re-attempt installation.
Alternatively, you can convert the dynamic disk back to a basic disk using this process.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Apr 20th, 2009. 58 Comments.
Several users have reported an issue in which Windows Mobile Devices (HTC, HP, etc.) are not recognized by computers running Windows 7. In many cases, a driver installation error will occur.
Fix
This issue can generally be solved via the following process:
- Disconnect the device if it is connected
- Uninstall the Windows Mobile device driver (if it exists) by opening the Control Panel then selecting the Device Manager. Find the proper driver, then right-click it and select “Uninstall.”
- On the Windows Mobile device itself, go to Start>Settings>Connections>USB to PC and deselect “Enable advanced network functionality.”
- Reconnect the Windows Mobile device and allow Windows 7 to automatically setup the device
You may also need to download and install the Windows Mobile Device Center after performing the above process.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Mobile by on Apr 20th, 2009. 3 Comments.
Beta testers of Windows 7 report that recently released security updates pushed through the Windows Update mechanism cause blue screens of death (BSOD) at startup, with a failure on kl1.sys.
Fix
It appears that, in some cases, this problem may be caused by a conflict with the Kaspersky Antivirus package. Follow these steps to disable the software:
- Startup in safe mode (tap the F8 key on your keyboard repeatedly as the computer is starting up)
- Select a method of safe booting from the menu (first try with networking; if the crash still occurs, try without networking)
- Once the system has booted, click the Start button and type MSCONFIG then press enter in Windows Vista (in Windows XP, click the Start button, then click “Run” and type MSCONFIG then press enter)
- Go to the startup tab
- Disable Kaspersky and any related items (e.g. kl1.sys), then press OK, then restart the system if it does not happen automatically. Startup normally (i.e. not in safe mode)
Alternatively, you can launch the Kaspersky application and set it to not start at startup.
If you wish to continue using Kaspersky, you can try installing the technical preview for Windows 7, although it may exhibit similar issues.
Filed under News, Viruses/Malware, Windows 7 by on Apr 16th, 2009. 11 Comments.
Several users have reported an issue in which various Web browsers (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Google Chrome) cannot connect to websites despite the presence of an otherwise valid, working Internet connection.
Many users find that, when this problem occurs, they can ping the network, access email and perform other network functions, but browsers are dead in the water.
Fixes
Disable link scanning in antivirus/malware software The number one cause of this issue is problematic link scanning functions in various antivirus/malware software packages. Try disabling any link scanning components, then restart and check for Internet access.
For example, you can disable AVG’s link scanner by clicking on the AVG icon in the task bar (lower-right hand corner) then selecting “Link Scanner” and unchecking the “Enable AVG Search-Shield” box.
Look for a similar Web “link scanner” or “web shield” component in your antivirus/malware package and temporarily disable it, then restart your computer and check to see if the problem still exists.
Remove conflicting antivirus/malware software Conflicts created by the presence of two antivirus or malware packages that duplicate each other’s functionality can cause this problem. Install one, and only one strong anti-malware package. The presence of multiple packages can create conflicts that decrease system stability and can actually make your system more vulnerable.
First, uninstall all antivirus and malware programs from your system, then reinstall one, solid package and check for persistence of the issue.
Filed under Internet Explorer 8, Viruses/Malware, Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 16th, 2009. 2 Comments.
The Start button and Taskbar in various version of Windows may suddenly become unresponsive or frozen, failing to respond to clicks or other user input.
Fixes
Try the hotfix Microsoft has provided a hotfix for this issue as it occurs under Windows Vista. Unfortunately, a number of users report that the hotfix only temporarily cures the issue.
Remove problematic startup items/services Follow these steps:
- Startup in safe mode (tap the F8 key on your keyboard repeatedly as the computer is starting up)
- Select a method of safe booting from the menu (first try with networking; if the crash still occurs, try without networking)
- Once the system has booted, click the Start button and type MSCONFIG then press enter in Windows Vista (in Windows XP, click the Start button, then click “Run” and type MSCONFIG then press enter)
- Go to the startup tab
- Uncheck any third-party and nonessential startup items–on most systems, this would include all items on the list. Apply the changes and press OK, then restart the system if it does not happen automatically. Startup normally (i.e. not in safe mode)
- If the problem not occur, go back to MSCONFIG and start re-enabling items in groups. Enable a few items, then restart and check to see if the problem. If it does, boot into safe mode again and disable some of those items then re-attempt a normal startup. Keep enabling items until you find the culprit, then leave that service turned off permanently or uninstall it.
Filed under Windows 7, Windows Vista, Windows XP by on Apr 15th, 2009. Comment.