If you wanted to snag a release candidate copy of Windows 7 via Microsoft’s Web site, you’ve missed your chance. As of this morning, a message on the site reads:
“Sorry, the Windows 7 RC is no longer available for download. If you’ve got the download and need a product key, they’ll be available until October 21, 2009.”
In other words, if you can retrieve the RC download via other (legal) means, a product key is still available through the Microsoft distribution site.
Filed under News, Windows 7 by on Aug 20th, 2009. Comment. 
Some users have reported an issue in which Windows 7 computers that are connected to Active Directory domains crash when users attempt to unlock them. A poster to the Microsoft TechNet discussion forums writes:
“The computer is connected to an Active Directory domain, and I lock it every time I leave my desk. Unfortunately when I come back and unlock it, 90% of the time, lsass.exe has crashed, and the PC reboots a minute later.”
The problem appears to only occur when the system is connected to an Active Directory domain.
If you are experiencing a similar issue, please let us know at info@windowsfixup.com.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Aug 20th, 2009. 1 Comment.
Several users have reported an issue in which Windows 7 Internet (network) connections die or drop out randomly during routine use. This can cause Web browsers to suddenly stop loading pages; network drives to disappear; and other network-enabled applications to lose functionality. The problem may be especially prominent with the Atheros L1 Gigabit Ethernet 10/100/1000Base-T Controller used on Asus p5k motherboards. There are two potential fixes for this issue:
Fixes
Install a new driver This driver (FTP Link), intended for Windows Vista, has been reported to solve this issue under Windows 7 in a variety of cases.
Use a new network card Unfortunately, if the aforementioned fix does not work, you may need to use a different network card (NIC). The Dynex DX-PCIGB, available for roughly $30 from Best Buy, has been reported to work well under Windows 7.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Aug 19th, 2009. 3 Comments.
Old .hlp (Windows help) files cannot be natively opened in Windows 7. Although Microsoft offers winhlp32.exe for the Windows 7, it generally displays the following message when attempting to open .hlp files:
“The Help for this program was created in Windows Help format, which depends on a feature that isn’t included in this version of Windows. However, you can download a program that will allow you to view Help created in the Windows Help format.”
Fortunately, Komeil Bahmanpour has patched together a solution that can open these files in Windows 7. To use it, extract the CAB file’s content (from the previously mentioned link) into a folder and run (as administrator) Install.cmd.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 30th, 2009. 1 Comment.
Some users have reported an issue in which the Windows 7 Start Menu or “All Programs” listing is suddenly blank, displaying no icons, nor the names of any programs, shortcuts, etc.
It appears that this problem is due to Windows 7′s inability to handle a large number of listings, in some cases.
Fix
Greg Duncan has posted a fix for this issue. It involves moving a number of shortcuts/folders from Start Menu/Programs into a new subfolder, such as Start Menu/Programs/Stuff, and then restartng Windows Explorer. The process must be repeated until the icons appear. You can read the full fix at Greg’s blog.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 26th, 2009. 5 Comments.
It appears that Windows 7 beta testers who are using the publicly available release candidate of the new OS will need to uninstall the pre-release software and re-install their valid Windows XP or Windows Vista edition before applying the final Windows 7 upgrade.
Microsoft states:
“When you install the final version of Windows 7, you’ll need to do a clean installation. So plan on backing up your data then reinstalling your applications and restoring your data.”
However, if you are purchasing a discounted, upgrade edition of Windows 7, you will need to first perform a clean install of a genuine edition of Windows XP or Vista before proceeding with the final Windows 7 upgrade. Windows Vista can be directly upgraded to Windows 7, while Windows XP requires a clean installation.
Microsoft provides instructions on how to uninstall the Pre-release version of Windows 7 and revert to a previous genuine operating system.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 26th, 2009. 1 Comment.
Windows 7 is available in two flavors: 32-bit and 64-bit. The differences between these two editions boil down to one primary subject: memory. 64-bit systems can address more than 4GB of RAM, while 32-bit systems are generally limited to using roughly 3.2GB of RAM. In other words, if your system can run Windows 7 64-bit, you probably should do so.
The easiest way to check whether or not your computer is 64-bit capable is to download the tool SecurAble and run it. The program will instantly tell you the “maximum bit length” of your processor. If it’s 64, you can run Windows 7 64-bit. If it’s 32, you can only run Windows 7 32-bit.
Note that the only significant drawback to Windows 7 64-bit is that some hardware drivers may not be compatible with the architecture. Make sure you check the manufacturer websites for third-party peripherals, graphics cards and other components of your system to ensure 64-bit compatibility or download new 64-bit compatible editions.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 25th, 2009. 2 Comments.
Neowin reports that Windows 7 beta users who are still on build 7000 will start to experience bi-hourly shutdowns on July 1, 2009. The shutdowns are Microsoft’s mechanism to remind users to upgrade to build 7100. On August 1st, all betas will expire, and begin to show the “Windows not Genuine” message.
You can avoid this issue by downloading the public release candidate of Windows 7, which will be available until August 15, 2009.
Filed under News, Windows 7 by on Jun 25th, 2009. Comment.
Here’s a free, easy and quick method for routinely eliminating performance bottlenecks in Windows 7.
Download and install Process Explorer, which is part of the Microsoft SysInternals package. Launch the program, and you’ll be presented a beautiful display of all processes currently running on your system, along with a bevy of information about each process, including which files it has open, how much processor time it is using and more.
The tool works just like Task Manager, in that it can quickly kill processes that are hung or sucking up lots of processor usage, thereby speeding up your system dramatically. To kill a process, just right-click it and select “Kill” (you can also suspend it). Look for any items that are using lots of processor time (in the CPU column) and aren’t
However, Process Explorer holds a few key advantages over task manager.
Read more on Speeding Up Windows 7 with Process Explorer…
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 18th, 2009. Comment.
If you are experiencing slow Windows 7 shutdowns, there is an easy way to identify the potential culprit (an antivirus program, driver, or other process).
Navigate to: Control Panel > All Control Panel Items > Performance Information and Tools > Advanced Tools. In some cases, this screen will display the problem files.
Failing that, open the “View Performance Details” option in the Event Log (Event Viewer). As described by BurrWalnut of the WindowsBBS forums, events in the 100 series are boot events and items in the 200 series are shutdown events. You will see an indicator of performance-slowing problems here.
Filed under Windows 7 by on Jun 9th, 2009. 4 Comments.