Windows 7 RC!

[Alistair]

Gang,

If anyone is anyone is interestsed in tryin' Windows 7 or that missed the beta, the RC just went out last night for public consumption!

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/download.aspx

Keep in mind, this "version" will last until June 1, 2010, but bi hourly shut downs will start March 1 2010 so it will be effectivly ended in March, anyways. Also, just a little tip use IE for it or it will end in a endless loop of verfication.

So far I have the beta release, and plan to update sometime over tonight to see how it goes. So far, I'm really really impressed for MS, it's actually stable and for most part most of the issues work out of the box. =D

G'Luck,
Ali

 

[Malice]

dear lord I was about to post this!
I am currently downloading....at about 35%

 

[Dev]

Damn mine has reached 12%. You lucky guys with your high bandwidth.

 

[Malice]

Damn mine has reached 12%. You lucky guys with your high bandwidth.

actually, I started at 6:30 am this morning and took 4 hours

 

[Alistair]

Malice,

Sorry to steal your thunder, I was in the proccess of downloading it as I typed it up, so I thought I had something to deal. =P

Dev,

I had a pretty crappie bandwidth, plus, I got it when the servers we're being slammed (I read it on another board it just got released so I thought what the heck) so it took a few hours, like Malice.

So far, so good except I get a BSOD when trying to install Vista Sound Drivers, but that's just a glitch I'm sure for I still have sound, but apparently just dosen't like that. No biggie, tho. It's a notebook so sound isn't great anyways.

Like all the other programs I've used in the past, work, with more response. The only thing I'm noticing is RMCLock dosen't appear to be undervolting Windows 7 x64, but it did in beta. A bug or something I have to work out, not sure.

So far, so good, tho.

Ali

 

[Kahoot]

Classic Start Menu has been removed I knew it was coming but I hate the huge cluncky Start Menu fron XP on.

Wiki - In Windows 7, the classic Start menu has been removed. Several users have protested the removal of an option to enable the classic start menu. Microsoft has stated it is 'Time to move on'. Search results are now overlaid on both columns of the Start menu. There is now a single power-related button (instead of two buttons in Windows Vista) with all other power actions accessible from the secondary pop-up menu. The right column links to the respective Libraries instead of ordinary folders. Items on the Start menu also support Jump lists through cascade buttons on their right.

If the users want it then let them have it god damn it! You have to listen to your users.

 

[Dev]

^Hey the RTM isn't out until October so you still have chance to get that.

 

[Malice]

I had an ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS install on my HP laptop.
It found the wireless card...sound...video...you name it.

I was pretty stunned it worked completely.

 

[Dark Helmet]

Is the RC worth trying on an PC ? How is Driver & Program compatibility ? The reason why I did not try Vista is due to everyone complaining about the Driver's & Program's

 

[Malice]

Is the RC worth trying on an PC ? How is Driver & Program compatibility ? The reason why I did not try Vista is due to everyone complaining about the Driver's & Program's

This is FAR better then Vista was at this same timeframe in its development.
If you have a PC you are willing to try it on, I say try it.

 

[Dev]

I might run it on a virtual machine. I don't have dual boot set up on my PC.

 

[Alistair]

Dev,

I think it's worth it, IMO. I won't think you'll be able to get all the Aero Peak, and things like that if ya run in VM, but...it's still pretty snappy without it and such. It's not very hard on the RAM, or the alike, despite what some Vista haters still say.

Malice,

Awesome. I've had a few minor bugs from Beta to RC, but it's all good. Nothing I couldn't work out in the end, or live with.

Ali

 

[Dev]

Maybe it isn't.



From IGN.com
Researchers claim new operating system's boot up sequence is flawed and completely unfixable.
This week the world's leading cybersecurity professionals gathered in Dubai at the Hack In The Box Security Conference to discuss the state of the industry, identify new threats, share pro-tips, and play Dungeons and Dragons. Ok, probably not that last part, but you get the point; high-nerdery was clearly afoot at the Sheraton Dubai Creek. One of the more prominent topics of discussion was Microsoft's latest operating system, Windows 7. While a number of exploits and potential vulnerabilities of the system were discussed at the conference, one identified loophole in the system has security professionals troubled…and morbidly fascinated.

A team of researchers located an exploit within the new operating system that can allow hackers to take control of a user's machine during the startup process. The problem was identified by Vipin Kumar and Nitin Kumar, who created a program called VBootKit 2.0 that exploits the weakness and allows a hacker to bypass the machine's hard drive entirely, making it nearly impossible to detect. Once hackers can implement the software, they can then change access permissions, passwords, and gain access to a user's sensitive information. What's worse, a program like the one created by Vipin and Nitin Kumar can be as small as 3KBs, and thus can be spread rapidly. Naturally, problems like these are common during the pre-release beta stages, but Vipin and Nitin Kumar claim that this vulnerability is unique and completely unfixable.

"There's no fix for this. It cannot be fixed," said Vipin during his presentation in Dubai. "It's a design problem."

Microsoft has yet to comment on the exploit or formally acknowledge its existence, however, if Vipin and Nitin's claims are true, it could mean serious trouble for the forthcoming operating system's sales.

http://gear.ign.com/articles/976/976242p1.html

 

[Dark Helmet]

That scares me because I just installed it & I did get the Blue Screen Error once during installation. Maybe I should go back to XP & I am having Flash problems with Firefox 3. I can't find a Windows 7 Flash Player

 

[Alistair]

Dev,

Hyper Reaction, IMO. Any programming flaw, even if it's a design can be fixed, espically in coding. Now if was a structure, then there would be an issue, and also...IGN isn't the most known source for info like that. =/ It just might be a simple service that MS hasn't disabled as of yet, I mean, it's all relative.

Plus, as the article said, this is after all, well known in beta stages of an OS for this is what's tested for. Plus, no OS is protected. I'm nor a Linux, nor a MS lover, but it's the truth for anyone. Plus, that's where you use 3rd party software, as in firewalls. I won't trust MS firewall far as I can throw it. =P It's all about safety in computing, anyways.

Dark,

Don't worry about it, it's normal for it's a beta, plus, if ya need a flash player, look up for Vista and it should work, with no issues at all. Also, did you use 32 bit or 64 bit? There is some driver issues, so it depends on what your installing. But if there is a generic MS driver, ya shouldn't have an issue at all.


G'Luck,
Ali

 

[Dev]

Believe me if its a design flaw as described in the article it can't be fixed unless MS decides to start all over from scratch and redesign the OS from the ground up. This is a problem that exists on boot up which will be very difficult to patch by any MS update. But then again any OS can be hacked once you're good at programming and knows how MS OS's are designed.

 

[Alistair]

Dev,

Not to be a hater, or start a flame war...,

But IGN isn't a very good source, ATM. Please look at what I put in bold, okay? I think IGN forgot this little tidbit, which was very critical, and bashing for no reason, or I should say, scare tactics.

PC World: Business


Thursday, April 23, 2009 6:30 AM PDT

Security researchers demonstrated how to take control of a computer running Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 operating system at the Hack In The Box Security Conference (HITB) in Dubai on Thursday.

Researchers Vipin Kumar and Nitin Kumar used proof-of-concept code they developed, called VBootkit 2.0, to take control of a Windows 7 virtual machine while it was booting up. They demonstrated how the software works at the conference.

"There's no fix for this. It cannot be fixed. It's a design problem," Vipin Kumar said, explaining the software exploits the Windows 7 assumption that the boot process is safe from attack.

While VBootkit 2.0 shows how an attacker can take control of a Windows 7 computer, it's not necessarily a serious threat. For the attack to work, an attacker must have physical access to the victim's computer. The attack can not be done remotely.

VBootkit 2.0, which is just 3KB in size, allows an attacker to take control of the computer by making changes to Windows 7 files that are loaded into the system memory during the boot process. Since no files are changed on the hard disk, VBootkit 2.0 is very difficult to detect, he said.

However, when the victim's computer is rebooted, VBootkit 2.0 will lose its hold over the computer as data contained in system memory will be lost.

VBootkit 2.0 is a follow-up to earlier work that Kumar and Kumar have done on vulnerabilities contained in the Windows boot process. In 2007, Kumar and Kumar demonstrated an earlier version of VBootkit for Windows Vista at the Black Hat Europe conference.

The latest version of VBootkit includes the ability to remotely control the victim's computer. In addition, the software allows an attacker to increase their user privileges to system level, the highest possible level. The software can also able remove a user's password, giving an attacker access to all of their files. Afterwards, VBootkit 2.0 restores the original password, ensuring that the attack will go undetected.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...rs_show_how_to_take_control_of_windows_7.html

If your dumb enough to let that happen, then, yeah. Ya deserve it, BTW. =D Also, any software can be fixed, it's just how much you wanna fix it. Like I've said before, programming is not like a building, it can be changed, and altered.


Enough said,
Ali

 

[Dev]

^If its done in the design phase of the OS it can't be changed.

 

[Malice]

Dev,

Not to be a hater, or start a flame war...,

But IGN isn't a very good source, ATM. Please look at what I put in bold, okay? I think IGN forgot this little tidbit, which was very critical, and bashing for no reason, or I should say, scare tactics.

PC World: Business


Thursday, April 23, 2009 6:30 AM PDT

Security researchers demonstrated how to take control of a computer running Microsoft's upcoming Windows 7 operating system at the Hack In The Box Security Conference (HITB) in Dubai on Thursday.

Researchers Vipin Kumar and Nitin Kumar used proof-of-concept code they developed, called VBootkit 2.0, to take control of a Windows 7 virtual machine while it was booting up. They demonstrated how the software works at the conference.

"There's no fix for this. It cannot be fixed. It's a design problem," Vipin Kumar said, explaining the software exploits the Windows 7 assumption that the boot process is safe from attack.

While VBootkit 2.0 shows how an attacker can take control of a Windows 7 computer, it's not necessarily a serious threat. For the attack to work, an attacker must have physical access to the victim's computer. The attack can not be done remotely.

VBootkit 2.0, which is just 3KB in size, allows an attacker to take control of the computer by making changes to Windows 7 files that are loaded into the system memory during the boot process. Since no files are changed on the hard disk, VBootkit 2.0 is very difficult to detect, he said.

However, when the victim's computer is rebooted, VBootkit 2.0 will lose its hold over the computer as data contained in system memory will be lost.

VBootkit 2.0 is a follow-up to earlier work that Kumar and Kumar have done on vulnerabilities contained in the Windows boot process. In 2007, Kumar and Kumar demonstrated an earlier version of VBootkit for Windows Vista at the Black Hat Europe conference.

The latest version of VBootkit includes the ability to remotely control the victim's computer. In addition, the software allows an attacker to increase their user privileges to system level, the highest possible level. The software can also able remove a user's password, giving an attacker access to all of their files. Afterwards, VBootkit 2.0 restores the original password, ensuring that the attack will go undetected.

http://www.pcworld.com/businesscent...rs_show_how_to_take_control_of_windows_7.html

If your dumb enough to let that happen, then, yeah. Ya deserve it, BTW. =D Also, any software can be fixed, it's just how much you wanna fix it. Like I've said before, programming is not like a building, it can be changed, and altered.


Enough said,
Ali

Nice...so you are saying, if I goto your PC, I can take control of it?
I could do that with ANY OS.