Windows Media Center gained exposure and popularity after being included in the  Home Premium and Ultimate editions of Windows Vista. Now, Microsoft is providing WMC with the Windows 7 Business and Windows 7 Enterprise editions with several new and improved features.

And in the latest version, one can avail goodies like TV show images throughout the guide and Recorded  TV; Media Center desktop gadget; trick play functions like fast forward, rewind, and skip; streamlined schedule of recordings; guide button in Window mode; use of movie library without any registry hack and support for more file types; and resumption of various video types except dvr-ms and wtv.

More features and applications that make the Windows 7 Media Center so entertaining are as follows.

With the new WMC one can avail the option of scheduling TV recordings with any browser. With the help of a TV tuner installed, Windows Media Center or Home Server makes for a decent hardcore DVR device, without the monthly fees. Make it simplified to catch good TV when one thinks of it at work with Web Guide, a cost-free scheduling program which shows you what’s there in the future, streams what’s available now, or else delivers your media center’s TV usage to wherever you happen to be at anytime, anywhere.

There are also Windows 7 Media Center remotes available for phones. It would be better to  go the easy route and buy an infrared-based, media-center-friendly physical remote for TV-attached setup, however if you’d prefer a bit more functionality—and, more importantly, real typing input—there’s is a free or cheap remote for Wi-Fi powered phone or iPod. Gmote turns an Android phone into a multi-system remote, taking into view that you don’t mind a quick software installation. iPod/iPhone owners have their choice from many XBMC-compatible remotes in the App Store, the free Boxee remote, and MediaMote correctly  handles your Windows Media Center remote.

The router can also be made more media-friendly. The router treats all net traffic the same, can’t tell exactly how much one has downloaded in a month, and is fairly difficult to turn into anything other than an agent of a cable modem. Install DD-WRT or Tomato on a little antenna box and it can be a wireless bridge for your entertainment center, as well make sure that Hulu and Netflix get all the bandwidth that is needed with quality of service rules.

One can also easily convert and transfer tracks to a portable player with the Windows Media Center. The finest  media centers can play just about any video or audio format that is available, but even the coolest phones and media devices have a limited format range, with just as little storage space. Among the five best media converters that was surveyed upon, Super and Format Factory can match most devices and file types, but  MediaCoder and HandBrake get the job done on any platform.The doubleTwist media manager is the best in getting the file on a phone or a device. It is also  the easiest drag & drop solution that is around.

Although Windows 7 doesn’t include the number of new, highly visible security features that were added to the Windows arsenal with Windows Vista, it has improved upon several of those features such as User Account Control, Windows Defender, and Windows Firewall sport new, simpler interfaces and new capabilities. In addition, Windows 7 also has numerous under the hood improvements and security features for computers on large networks that are of interest primarily to software developers and information technology professionals and hackers, who now have many additional challenges and obstacles to face. Among the key security improvements are these:

Windows Firewall: Windows Firewall is substantially changed from the version in Windows XP. As in Windows Vista, it is a two-way firewall, monitoring outbound traffic as well as inbound, and it fully supports Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6) In Windows 7, Windows Firewall adds multiple access firewall profiles, a feature that provides appropriate protection for each connected network when you’re connected to more than one at a time an increasingly common situation. With an advanced configuration console for Windows Firewall, administrators have granular control over firewall rules and other settings.

User Account Control: UAC reduces the inherent danger of using an administrator account for everyday tasks by requesting your consent when an application needs to do something with system wide effect. Furthermore, architectural changes wrought by UAC make it practical for most people to use a standard account for daily computing. In Windows 7, UAC is far less intrusive than in Windows Vista because fewer tasks trigger UAC prompts, and new configuration options make it easier to control UAC so that it doesn’t control you.

Windows Defender: Windows Defender, an anti-spyware program, continuously monitors system settings to prevent the installation of known spyware and to alert you to the presence of spyware-like activity. The new interface in the Windows 7 version has fewer confusing options which is appropriate for a program that normally runs silently in the background.

Internet Explorer: Internet Explorer runs in Protected Mode, which lessens the likelihood of installing malicious code. Effectively, it runs isolated in a “sandbox” with reduced privileges, able to write data only in locked-down temporary folders unless you grant permission to act outside the protected area. Other security improvements to Internet Explorer include restrictions on ActiveX controls, a Smart Screen phishing filter, and In-Private Filtering and In-Private Browsing to prevent information about your browsing habits from being tracked.

Windows Biometric Service: The Windows Biometric Service provides support for fingerprint biometric devices so that you can use a fingerprint reader to access your computer and to enter administrative credentials in response to UAC elevation prompts.

Data encryption: In Windows 7 BitLocker Drive Encryption encrypts entire hard drives making the data they contain completely inaccessible to a thief who makes off with a computer. In Windows 7, BitLocker can also be used to protect removable storage drives, such as portable hard drives and USB flash drives. Now, users do not have to worry regarding the loss of data in case their pen drive is stolen.

An Operating System is the pivotal component in the functioning of a computer. It is basically a software program which plays the key role in communicating and operating between the computer hardware and computer software. A computer is actually invalid without an operating system. That is the extent of influence it has on a computer. With the rapid progress and advancement of computers, the operating systems have also been quick to respond to the change by regularly coming up with new operating systems to meet the standards. The different types of Operating Systems along with a few examples have been listed below with each classified into categories. The operating systems will overlap and will fall into more than one.

GUI(Graphical User Interface) — A GUI Operating System includes graphics and icons and is usually navigated by using a computer mouse. System 7.x, Windows 98, Windows CE are some examples of GUI Operating Systems.

Multi-user — A multi-user operating system gives the option to multiple users to use the same computer at the same time. Linux, Unix and Windows 200 are examples of MU.

Multiprocessing — An operating system which can support and use more than one computer processor. Linux, Unix and Windows 200 are examples of Multiprocessors as well.

Multitasking — An operating system which can allow multiple software processes to run at the same time like Unix and Windows 2000. Multithreading — Operating systems capable of allowing different parts of a software program to run concurrently. Linux, Unix and Windows 2000 again are examples of such.

Upgrading an Operating System is not much of a task but one should always remember to make a back-up of all data before initializing the installtion process to be on the safer side. This will save a lot of careless blunders playing spoilsport to the operating system upgrade party. For starters, the upgradation process starts automatically by itself once the ‘Upgrade CD’ has been inserted into the CDROM. The next step is to choose ‘Upgrade’ option and not the ‘Fresh Install’ when prompted. There will be a prompt to upgrade and it will also ask which ‘File System’ to choose from. At this point, remember that using the same file system is always a safer option instead of taking the option of a new file system. This is the most valid way for upgrading an operating system.

The upgrade process does not take too long and after the operating system has been completed, the first thing to do should be to do a quick check on all the applications and see if they work. Reinstall them if they fail to respond or work. Any other complications with it can be resolved by checking up on the operating system vendor’s website. One should also do a quick check on the hardware devices and figure out if they function properly. In the event of any hardware device failing to function after the upgrade on the operating system, then immediately the right driver should be deployed for the hardware. This support is also available on the manufacturer’s website. A user can always get back to it for further reference.

Gartner is telling users to upgrade to Windows 7 and the latest Office, but adds that it may make sense to at least think about the alternatives and move toward a more reliable operating system neutral stance. In a talk at the Gartner IT Symposium in Orlando, Gartner analyst Michael Silver knead much of what the research firm revealed last week. However, Silver seemed to advocate that customers at least think a more mixed source environment. For example, an enterprise can have Microsoft Office but use Google Docs or OpenOffice.org as a subsidiary to lower overall costs. Same for operating systems, but the cost equation is a little more complex. Silver said that most programs in an enterprise will still need Windows well beyond 2011 so the appeal of the Mac OS and Linux have limited appeal. Virtualization is changing that equation somewhat, but the costs can be more with other operating systems when support if factored in. Silver said that Macs will enter the enterprise through the back door, but it is possible that a company will standardize on the Mac OS. The other issue is the question of the operating system’s significance. By 2014, 20 percent of customers will primarily use a browser-based product as their primary office tool. As for optional office software, Web-based optionals are not going to be mature enough to change Microsoft Office until 2014. But these alternatives can be a tool to lower costs. Silver has said that there have been many companies that have investigated moving off Microsoft Office, usually to a distribution of OpenOffice.org, but comparatively few have actually made the migration. Obstructions have switching costs, problems with macros, stationery, databases and mail clients. For better or worse, for the last 15 years, companies have chosen to overprovision and deploy a product that can do everything the most-enhanced user requires to every user for the sake of Uniformity uniformity. Companies that want to deploy OpenOffice.org need to come to terms with the fact that some users will still require MS Office and they will be forced to support a mix of products. To Gartner, it makes sense to take advantage of feasible perpetual licenses for Microsoft Office for as long as possible. The costly product you already own will be cheaper than the cheap or free products that you need to spend money to which to migrate.

Roaming users count on VPNs (virtual private networks) to offer a secure connection between their computer and the company Intranet. When a user is sitting in a hotel room, or in a conference room at a customer site, and makes a VPN connection, the user’s PC will generally remain connected unless there is some other network issue that interrupts the connection. However, users who count on wireless broadband connectivity to make a VPN connection while on the go are faced with frequent dropped connections and cumbersome process for reauthenticating and reestablishing the VPN connection every time.

The VPN Reconnect tool allows Windows 7 to automatically reestablish active VPN connections when Internet connectivity is interrupted. As soon as Windows 7 reconnects with the Internet, Windows 7 will also reconnect with the VPN. The VPN will still be unavailable as long as the Internet connection is not available, and the process of reconnecting will take a few seconds after Internet access becomes available again, but VPN Reconnect will make sure that users stay connected with the network resources they need access to. VPN Reconnect is basically an IPSec tunnel using the IKEv2 (Internet Key Exchange) protocol for key negotiation and for transmission of ESP (Encapsulating Security Payload) packets. ESP is part of the IPSec security architecture that offers confidentiality, authentication of data origin, and connectionless integrity. In situations such as viewing streaming video over a VPN connection while riding on a commuter train, users typically lose all buffered data and have to start the video over every time connectivity is lost. The features of the IKEv2 IPSec tunnel and ESP help ensure a persistent connection even if the IP address changes during the reconnect and allows the streaming video to resume from the point it was at when VPN connectivity was lost. Nothing is better than a VPN that automatically reconnects and retains its connection state? How about not needing a VPN in the first place? DirectAccess is one of the most compelling and game changing features of Windows 7, both for users and for administrators faced with a remote and roaming work force.

DirectAccess offers a persistent and seamless bidirectional connection between the internal network and the Windows 7 system, as long as that Windows 7 system can connect to the Internet. With DirectAccess, remote and roaming users experience the same access to corporate shares, intranet sites, and internal applications as they would if they were sitting in the office connected directly to the network. IPv6 is required in order to use DirectAccess. DirectAccess connectivity is built on the foundation of globally routable IP addresses that IPv6 gives. IPv6 has been around for a while, and most systems and network devices are ready for IPv6, but the actual adoption of IPv6 as a replacement for IPv4 networking has been slow. The software giant was aware that IPv6 is not available everywhere, so the company came with the DirectAccess to take advantage of IPv6 transition tools such as 6to4, Teredo, and ISATAP. Within the network, DirectAccess depends on NAT-PT (Network Address Translation-Protocol Translation) to provide connectivity between DirectAccess and IPv4 resources. DirectAccess uses split-tunnel routing to intelligently route network traffic based on the intended destination.

Only traffic destined for the corporate network is routed through the DirectAccess server, while traffic intended for resources on the public Internet is routed directly to its destination. Split-tunneling ensures that the resources of the DirectAccess server are not consumed by unnecessary network traffic.

Windows 7, Microsoft’s latest operating system, is due to be released on 22 October 2009. Much of the appearance of Vista has been maintained and the basic functionality in Windows Vista has improved 7. Windows 7 has been designed to be compatible with Windows Vista’s hardware, applications and device drivers.

So what’s new in Windows 7? Microsoft has banished the Quick Launch toolbar to replaced it with a toolbar with large icons and improved the ability to set shortcuts to it. The icons are larger Windows 7 to allow users to take advantage of touch screen monitors.

Three new features enhance the functionality of Windows:

· Aero Peek – click or hover over this button to enable transparent windows in order to show the desktop. This feature replaces the “Show Desktop shortcut in the Quick Launch toolbar.

· Aero Shake – Highlight a window with the mouse, then Shake It – all open windows are minimized. Shake again to reopen the document view.

· Aero Snap – drag a window to the left or the right of the screen next door closure – repeated across two documents side by side tiles. Drag to the top to maximize and restore drag.

Changes have been made to the familiar concepts – all the security flaws and notification system has been consolidated into a single area, the Windows Action Center. The user has more freedom to customize the amount of messages are handled in Windows 7.

You may be surprised to learn that some popular applications are missing from the installation of Windows 7 – Calendar, photo gallery and even Windows Mail All are part of Windows Live applications Essential, available for download from the Microsoft website. This may sound strange at first, why did Microsoft ignore these? The reason is simple – these applications, because they are independent, they are easier to update that if it were integrated into the operating system. Another change is affecting users in Europe – due to legal problems of the EU, Windows 7 in Europe are the standard MS Internet Explorer. Browsers have to be loaded from alternative sources of media such as CDs in order to gain access to the Internet.

First impressions suggest an elegant, faster operating system Windows 7, with more polish than Vista. Microsoft seems to have listened to criticism and delivered what they did with Vista.

Upgrading a Windows PC is difficult. As noted in a recent column, only a relatively small number of computer owners can upgrade to Windows 7 in a way that leaves all your programs intact. Buying a new computer really rather not make things better, still has to find and reinstall all applications.

Laplink PCmover can greatly ease the pain. It’s not perfect (the plan in some toys everything works fine after using it either to update an “in situ” or the creation of a new PC). But it is a great improvement over Microsoft’s (MSFT) built-in option, Windows Easy Transfer, which moves files and settings, but not programs.

Windows users can only envy Mac owners, as Apple (AAPL), establishes the gold standard for ease of updating. Unlike Easy Transfer Limited, Mac Migration Assistant is a dream. It runs when you get a new Mac and find the old Mac on the network, transfers all its programs to the new machine, and moves to their preferences and data. For a variety of technical reasons Windows programs are much more difficult to transfer, and Microsoft has not offered much help.

Laplink Perhaps success in this task, because the company has been making file transfer programs from the first days of notebook computers. PCmover comes in three versions: a $ 20 edition to help you upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7 into an existing team; $ 40 version called PCmover Home that can handle either an upgrade or a transfer to a new team (the right choice for most people), and a $ 60 Professional Edition that provides more control over what moves, especially in equipment used in a corporate environment.

PCmover tried under a variety of scenarios, including upgrading a computer from XP to Windows 7, the transfer of applications and files from one Windows XP to a new PC with Windows 7, and improved 32-bit Vista 64-bit Windows 7. (See my recent column in Win 7 updates for more than 32-bit vs 64-bit.) Each of these configurations encountered technical problems of one kind or another, but in any case PCmover made the process easier.

When you upgrade an existing computer, PCmover stores information to be transferred to the built-in hard drive or an external drive. When configuring a new computer, the easiest method is to link their new and old equipment with a special USB cable ($ 40, but is included with the Pro version).

Some applications, including antivirus programs are designed to work in a specific version of its operating system and cannot be moved. Other applications will take a bit of concern in the new computer. For example, Microsoft Office PCmover transfer, both versions 2003 and 2007 in all scenarios for the mail accounts in Outlook and other programs preferences presented in the new or updated systems. But I had to find and fall back on a 25-character installation key to activate Office. A word to the kinds of creativity: Adobe professional programs such as Photoshop, you must be disabled on the old computer before moving or upgrading, or may have trouble getting to work on the new system.

It’s a bit more of a mystery why Microsoft has not made it easier to migrate to a new version of Windows. After all, Windows only makes money when buying a new computer or upgrade from an earlier version. It is equally surprising that computer manufacturers have not stepped on the plate, as it facilitates the transfer of your stuff to a new system can only make more people willing to buy computers. When you’re spending $ 120 for an upgrade from Windows or several hundred dollars or more for a new team should not have to pay extra for a tool to configure it. But complaining aside, I’m happy PCmover is about to make the task easier.

For more information click given below link..

Operating System Upgrade

If you want to restore windows xp to fix windows xp operating system hardware and software problems. The System Restore feature resembles the Last Known Good Configuration feature, except that the System Restore feature enables you to select a date before the last successful shutdown. You can use it to select a “restore point.” A restore point is like a snapshot of your computer that Windows XP records periodically. System Restore uses the information in that snapshot to restore your computer to the earlier date.

This post provides windows xp support to use system restore if Windows XP does not Start follow the steps

Windows XP does not start
If Windows XP does not start, follow these steps to use the System Restore feature:
1. Restart the computer.
2. As the computer is restarting, repeatedly press the F8 key until you see the Windows Advanced Options screen.
3. Use the arrow keys to select Safe Mode with Command Prompt, and then press ENTER. For more information about safe mode, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
315222  (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/315222/ ) A description of the safe mode boot options in Windows XP
4. Log on to the computer as an administrator.
5. Click Start, and then click Run.
6. Type the following command in the Open box, and then press ENTER:
%systemroot%\system32\restore\rstrui.exe
7. Follow the instructions that appear on the screen to restore the computer settings to a previous configuration.

If Windows XP starts for you, follow these steps to use the System Restore feature:
1. Log on to the computer as an administrator.
2. Click Start, point to All Programs, point to Accessories, point to System Tools, and then click System Restore. System Restore starts.
3. On the Welcome to System Restore page, click Restore my computer to an earlier time if this option is not already selected. Then, click Next.
4. On the Select a Restore Point page, click the most recent system checkpoint in the On this list, click a restore point list, and then click Next. You may receive a message that lists configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click OK.

Note You may receive a message that lists the configuration changes that System Restore will make. Click OK.
5. On the Confirm Restore Point Selection page, click Next. System Restore restores the previous Windows XP configuration, and then System Restore restarts the computer.
6. Log on to the computer as an administrator.
7. The System Restore Restoration Complete page appears, click OK.

New York, NY (PRWEB) September 16, 2009 — iYogi, the on-demand tech services company with a unique global delivery model, announced today the results of a consumer poll regarding support concerns and predictions for the upcoming launch of the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system. Based on responses from more than 1,000 Windows XP and Windows Vista users, 52 percent think that moving to a new operating system and moving their data is a hassle, suggesting some real frustrations on the near horizon. Nearly half (47 percent) think upgrading to Microsoft Windows 7 may require a call to technical support – potentially causing a huge backlog of support needs, as up to 40 million copies of Windows 7 are expected to be sold in 2009, according to IDC.

“We predict that more than 40 percent of XP users will generate support calls and inquiries globally this year and even more in 2010 as mass adoption kicks in and people face the prospect of dealing with an entirely new interface,” said Vishal Dhar, President Marketing & Co-founder of iYogi. “We estimate twice as many support calls for current Windows XP users than Windows Vista users, since Microsoft Windows XP users will require a ‘clean’ install including migrating applications, settings and drivers–a potentially arduous, time-intensive task.”

We predict that more than 40 percent of XP users will generate support calls and inquiries globally this year and even more in 2010 as mass adoption kicks in and people face the prospect of dealing with an entirely new interface

Additional survey findings reveal:

* 58 percent of users think they will or may upgrade to Windows 7, an encouraging number considering some of the backlash surrounding Vista

* Only 39 percent of users are aware that Windows 7 is launching soon, suggesting an increased flurry of help questions in the coming months as more people become aware of the upgrade options

iYogi has more has more than 90,000 annual subscribers and provides thousands of single incident sessions every day on a 24/7 basis. Its Global Delivery Platform delivers on the highest customer satisfaction benchmarks in the industry and gets smarter with every customer interaction, building a powerful knowledge base that provides unique customer insights on predictive needs to tech support.

ABOUT IYOGI
iYogi is a global on-demand services company that provides personalized computer support for consumers and small businesses in United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. iYogi’s unique model, including proprietary technology iMantra and highly qualified technicians, is designed to eliminate computer-related stress and keep millions of digitally dependent consumers and small businesses always protected and productive. Only iYogi — with its proven global expertise delivery model, intelligent customer insight systems, easy-to-use self-help tools and automated PC optimization and computer support services – offers users a simple yet comprehensive path to digital serenity. iYogi has perfected the remote technical support model to overcome the current limitations of in-store, on-site, or call center services to become the fastest growing provider of support in the industry. Major resellers and technology companies are increasingly turning to iYogi to improve customer satisfaction, reduce return rates, and deliver a compelling new-value added offering to customers. For more information on iYogi and a detailed list of technologies supported, visit: www.iyogi.net.