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My server has been randomly freezing ever since I upgraded the memory. So, I wanted to run a memory test. For some reason, my bootable copy of Memtest x86+ wasn’t working… probably because it’s scratched from the awful way I stored it.
Anyway, off I went to burn a new bootable ISO. Vista can burn DVDs, but I don’t know of any way to burn a bootable DVD. Of course, the tool I normally use–Roxio (it was on my Dell when I bought it, with Windows XP)–wouldn’t work in Vista. So, I was off to find a new tool to burn bootable CD/DVD images.
I found three free tools that work with Vista:
- DeepBurner. The free version works great. This is the one I ended up using.
- ImgBurn. Another free tool reported to work.
- Magic ISO Maker. A more robust tool for coverting, editing, and burning CD/DVD image files.
If you prefer a different tool, add a comment to let us know why.
I’ve always thought Windows guys should put more time into learning scripting. That’s always been one of the big advantages of UNIX–the platform has had an incredible scripting infrastructure, and UNIX admins always knew how to create scripts to automate their work.
Windows XP, Windows Server 2003, and especially Windows Vista have greatly improved scripting. Now, you can do almost anything from the command-line or a script. Windows PowerShell takes those capabilities to the next level. If you’re in IT, I highly recommend reading up on it–you’ll save yourself time in the long run. If you have development or scripting experience, it’ll be that much easier to learn. If you don’t, it’s still very much worth your time.
Download the 32-bit version here, and the 64-bit version here. Also, check out the Windows PowerShell blog.
This isn’t the usual batch of security updates–these improve reliability when transitioning between power states (if you use HD audio, like me–whew), application compatibility (I couldn’t get to the KB article, so I have no more specific information), and some other more minor improvements.
Also, two Ultimate Extras are available for those of us who ponied up for Windows Vista Ultimate Edition:
- Hold Em Poker Game. Haven’t played it, I’m not much of a poker guy.
- BitLocker and EFS Enhancements. BitLocker Drive Preparation Tool (which partitions your drive for BitLocker, making these instructions obsolete), and Secure Online Key Backup, which stores your BitLocker and EFS keys on a Microsoft server in case you lose them. Losing encryption keys means you can’t access your files, so it’s nice that MS is offering to keep a copy for us. In business environments, you can do this internally with the Active Directory.
I hate antivirus software. It costs money, slows everything down, and prompts you with 1,000 false alarms for every real alarm.
Still, you probably need it. Information Week points us to several vendors who are offering free trials of antivirus software:
PC-cillin from Trend Micro. A beta version of PC-cillin 15.3 can be downloaded for free.
Windows Live OneCare. Free 90-day trial here.
CA, the former Computer Associates. Free CA Anti-Virus Beta For Vista here.
McAfee Total Protection For Small Business. Free beta of what’s billed as an “integrated security software as a service — providing virus, spyware, firewall, and now browser protection, as well as centralized management.”
F-Secure Anti-Virus Beta For Vista. They call their free download the “7.0 Beta”.
So, give them a shot, if you want. I think I’ll pass for now. Antivirus software is only one way to manage the risk of malware. For me, I think the built-in features like UAC and Internet Explorer Protected Mode will do enough. Also, I test any questionable software in virtual machines. If I do get bitten by malware, I’ve got nightly backups, and restores are easy to do in Vista. Basically, I’m betting that running antivirus software would waste more of my time than it would save.
We’re starting to see more reliable gadgets, so I thought I’d give another quick overview of my favorites (in order shown in the above screenshot):
- Remote Desktop Gadget. Lets you type a hostname and connect using Remote Desktop. I wish it had a drop-list of recently used names.
- Ping Gadget. Gives you an idea of your current network performance by showing ping latency to a host you specify (yahoo.com works if you can’t find a closer host).
- Memory Meter. Shows your current memory utilization, your total memory, and the size of your paging file. Multi Meter (the next gadget) also shows you the memory utilization, so you can get away with just using that and save some space.
- Multi Meter. Shows your processor and memory utilization. There are versions of this for quad, dual, and single-core computers (I have the dual-core). Check out the Gadget Gallery for other options.
- Presto’s Hard Drive Monitor. Shows you the free space on any of your hard disks. View the options to pick the hard disks you view. I liked DriveInfo, too, but Presto’s is a little simpler.
- IPConfig. Shows you your current IP address (you can pick from multiple network adapters). Great if you’re a mobile user, or if you use VPNs a lot.
- Windows Firewall Profile (not shown above). Shows whether your current network profile is public, private, or domain. Good for mobile users who access public networks sometimes.
I also like the Outlook Upcoming Appointments gadget for Outlook 2007.
‘Bout time! Business Desktop Deployment 2007 is ready to download–the real release version 1.0. If you have more than a handful of Windows Vista or Windows XP computers to deploy, you’ll want to download BDD and Windows Automated Installation Kit (WAIK), and follow the guidance in BDD. For more information, read this Vista Deployment Overview.
I was one of the documentation authors, writing the Security and Plan, Build, & Deploy guides.
