Tag: Operating Systems

Windows 7 installation

Eddlogic

Hi a lot of people seem to be having problems installing windows7, there are many ways to complete this;

fresh install

Network

3 party (usb, ext HDD) etc

Local pre install

and

Upgrade

The latter seems to be what I would suggest to the public and most end-users, yes this was the least favourable option in the overall Microsoft Operating Systems but proven to be the most stable. You get the updates to the install files and keep your existing drivers, which you can update later, for example your Graphics driver. Many users and professionals are reporting driver problems with the RC with regarding the Fresh install option and network install, because the DVD image (which you should burn with ISO Burn, Nero, or something similar) has to provide the generic drivers for your system, if there is an issues with the DVD then the setup will not complete, also the downloaded image supplied from Microsoft will not always automatically create the partitions needed for the install so you would get an error code like “0x80070570” indicating that you do not have enuff space to place Windows 7. so you can see if you are not sure or want some reliability in your new installation use the upgrade option in the Windows 7 install and have fun.

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

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/get/upgrade-advisor.aspx

Windows 7 v’s Vista v’s XP

Eddlogic

Hey there fellas, I have some results on Windows 7!! Thanks to people like Nicholas Wilkinson and others for dropping me a message, I’ve built some information up for you, I hope you enjoy it.

How does Windows 7 beta 1 compare to Vista and XP in terms of performance? That’s a question that’s been hitting my inbox regularly over the past few weeks. Let’s see if we can’t answer it!

Important note: Before I go any further I feel I need to make a point, and make it clear. The build I’m testing of Windows 7 (build 6.1.7000.0.081212-1400) is a beta build, and as a rule beta builds are usually more geared towards stability than performance. That said, the performance of this build should give us a clue as to how the OS is coming along.

Rather than publish a series of benchmark results for the three operating systems (something which Microsoft frowns upon for beta builds, not to mention the fact that the final numbers only really matter for the release candidate and RTM builds), I’ve decided to put Windows 7, Vista and XP head-to-head in a series of real-world tests to find out which OS comes out top.

The tests

There are 23 tests in all, most of which are self explanatory:

  1. Install OS – Time it takes to install the OS
  2. Boot up – Average boot time to usable desktop
  3. Shut down – Average shut down time
  4. Move 100MB files – Move 100MB of JPEG files from one hard drive to another
  5. Move 2.5GB files – Move 2.5GB of mixed size files (ranging from 1MB to 100MB) from one hard drive to another
  6. Network transfer 100MB files – Move 100MB of JPEG files from test machine to NAS device
  7. Network transfer 2.5GB files – Move 2.5GB of mixed size files (ranging from 1MB to 100MB) from test machine to NAS device
  8. Move 100MB files under load – Move 100MB of JPEG files from one hard drive to another while ripping DVD to .ISO file
  9. Move 2.5GB files under load – Move 2.5GB of mixed size files (ranging from 1MB to 100MB) from one hard drive to another while ripping DVD to .ISO file
  10. Network transfer 100MB files under load – Move 100MB of JPEG files from test machine to NAS device while ripping DVD to .ISO file
  11. Network transfer 2.5GB files under load – Move 2.5GB of mixed size files (ranging from 1MB to 100MB) from test machine to NAS device while ripping DVD to .ISO file
  12. Compress 100MB files – Using built-in ZIP compression
  13. Compress 1GB files – Using built-in ZIP compression
  14. Extract 100MB files – Using built-in ZIP compression
  15. Extract 1GB files – Using built-in ZIP compression
  16. Install Office 2007 – Ultimate version, from DVD
  17. Open 10 page Word doc – Text only
  18. Open 100 page Word doc – Text and images only
  19. Open simple Excel doc – Basic formatting
  20. Open complex Excel doc – Including formula and charts
  21. Burn DVD – Win 7 beta 1 .ISO to disc using CDBurnerXP
  22. Open 10 page PDF – Text only, using latest Adobe Reader 8
  23. Open 100 page PDF – Text and images, using latest Adobe Reader 8

These series of tests will pitch Windows 7 build 7000 32-bit against Windows Vista SP1 32-bit and Windows XP SP3 32-bit. The scoring for each of the tests is simple. The winning OS scores 1, the runner up 2 and the loser scores a 3. The scores are added up and the OS with the lowest score at the end wins.

The test systems

I’ve used two desktop systems as the test machines:

  • An AMD Phenom 9700 2.4GHz system fitted with an ATI Radeon 3850 and 4GB of RAM
  • An Intel Pentium Dual Core E2200 2.2GHz fitted with an NVIDIA GeForce 8400 GS and 1GB of RAM

The results

Here are the results of the tests for the two systems:

Conclusion

The bottom line is that the more I use Windows 7 the more I like it. Sure, we’re looking at a beta build here and not the final code, so things could change between now and release (although realistically final code ends up being faster than beta code). Also I still have some nagging issues relating to the interface, and some concerns that the UAC changes will break applications and other code, especially installers, but overall Windows 7 beta 1 is a robust, solid bit of code.

Sure, Windows 7 is not XP, and never will be (thankfully). And if you’re put off by things such as activation and DRM, then Windows isn’t the OS for you (good news is there are others to choose from). But if you’re looking for a solid OS then Windows 7 seems ready to deliver just that – a fast, reliable, relatively easy to use platform for your hardware and software.

Final curtain for UIQ Symbian interface

Eddlogic

According to a report by Swedish online magazine mobil.se, the Swedish software company UIQ has given notice to all of its 270 employees. UIQ produces one of the two interfaces for the Symbian OS smartphone operating system. Smartphones with this interface were produced by UIQ’s owners Motorola and Sony Ericsson, among others, but both vendors recently decided to abandon the platform.

Sony Ericsson had already announced the end of UIQ at the Symbian Smartphone Show last October. The Japanese-Swedish vendor still plans to provide financial support for UIQ for some time to give the company a chance for negotiating a partial or complete takeover by an investor. Individual employees are also to receive support, for example if they decide to start their own business. Motorola is restructuring its mobile phone sector and plans to exclusively use its own P2k platform as well as Android and Microsoft Windows Mobile in the future.

The Symbian Foundation was initially formed to create a uniform platform with a common user interface framework from the competing UIQ and S60 interfaces. In the meantime, however, Nokia has presented an improved S60 interface that is optimised for touch screen operation.

Reinstall Ubuntu after Windows wipes it out!

Eddlogic

If your install of Linux is a dual boot setup with windows you have run into this problem before.  You reinstall windows and suddenly you can no longer access your Linux partition or the Grub bootloader. You can always go through the entire install of Ubuntu again, or you can try to repair the bootload, but how do you repair the bootloader?

Well if you have the live CD for which ever distro you are using (that installed Grub) it is quite easy and can save you hours of reconfiguration as well as install time.
1. Find your Live CD and boot it up (set your BIOS to boot from CD first, or if your BIOS allows it you can select the boot device.
2. After the Live CD does its thing you will need to open a terminal screen and type in the command: sudo grub.  This command will bring you into the grub prompt

3. Type the following commands assuming sda0 is which ever partition you are using (hd0,0 would be first hard drive and first prompt, hd1,1 would be the second hard drive and second partition).

> root (hd0,0)
> setup (hd0)
> exit

4. Reboot the system and remember to remove your Live CD before your system reboots

5. At reboot you should now see the Grub boot loader along with all your previous setting.

If with the new setup you now see Ubuntu but no longer see a windows menu item follow the following steps.

If Ubuntu was installed before your Windows version there will be no information in the Grub configuration for your windows setup. To get windows setup in Grub you will need to do a bit more tweeking.

Boot into Ubuntu and run the following command:
sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

Inside this file you will see an example for a windows choice for when Grub runs.  *COPY* the example and remove the “#” from the beginning of each line

# title   Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root   (hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader   +1
Remember you will need to change the hd0,0 to which ever if your windows partition, it may take a few try’s, but if you were able to select the correct partition for Linux when resetting up Grub you should be able to figure out the correct partition for Windows.

BackTrack Live Linux OS

Eddlogic

WELL HELLO THERE

BackTrack is the most Top rated Linux live distribution focused on penetration testing. With no installation whatsoever, the analysis platform is started directly from the CD-Rom and is fully accessible within minutes.
It’s evolved from the merge of the two wide spread distributions – Whax and Auditor Security Collection. By joining forces and replacing these distributions, BackTrack has gained massive popularity and was voted in 2006 as the #1 Security Live Distribution by insecure.org. Security professionals as well as new comers are using BackTrack as their favourite toolset all over the globe.
BackTrack has a long history and was based on many different Linux distributions until it is now based on a Slackware Linux distribution and the corresponding live-CD scripts by Tomas M. (www.slax.org) . Every package, kernel configuration and script is optimised to be used by security penetration testers. Patches and automation have been added, applied or developed to provide a neat and ready-to-go environment.
After coming into a stable development procedure during the last releases and consolidating feedbacks and addition, the team was focused to support more and newer hardware as well as provide more flexibility and modularity by restructuring the build and maintenance processes. With the current version, most applications are built as individual modules which help to speed up the maintenance releases and fixes.
Because Metasploit is one of the key tools for most analysts it is tightly integrated into BackTrack and both projects collaborate together to always provide an on-the-edge implementation of Metasploit within the BackTrack CD-Rom images or the upcoming remote-exploit.org distributed and maintained virtualisation images (like VMWare images appliances).
Being superior while staying easy to use is key to a good security live cd. We took things a step further and aligned BackTrack to penetration testing methodologies and assessment frameworks (ISSAF and OSSTMM). This will help our professional users during their daily reporting nightmares.
Currently BackTrack consists of more than 300 different up-to-date tools which are logically structured according to the work flow of security professionals. This structure allows even newcomers to find the related tools to a certain task to be accomplished. New technologies and testing techniques are merged into BackTrack as soon as possible to keep it up-to-date.
No other commercial or freely available analysis platform offers an equivalent level of usability with automatic configuration and focus on penetration testing.

So go and GET IT!!!!!!!

DownLoad

NLiteOS

Eddlogic1 Comment

Ger Day ALL

If you want to make your own Windows OS or ever thort about using an fully automated install then NLiteOS has the rite software for you. Nlite uses an fully customisation list of most tasks used in the all known famous Microsoft OPK’s! I recently became a Microsoft Partner and thort Way Hey, I’ve got the best way of deploying windows LEGALY! but to my disadvantage this was not the result I found, as I said the OPK’s has just the same tools as Nlite. so if you want to check it out for your-self you can here as these web addresses:

I have found that these have the beat advantages than most, I have created all know main stream Operating Systems available through these methods and integrated Office 07 into them, although the best Office integration method is  Microsoft configuration software supplied on the Office disk or BDD software. So if you want some advice on unattended installations then you can use the IM Messenger in my Events page link on this page or just leave me a comment. There are so many things you can do if you just put your mind to it, you might know you can customise you desktop before you install you OS or put your logo on the Billboard screens /  make your own web hosted pages to use in the setup / install process, create your own explorer or even make a ultimate Boot Disk with all your needed tools on it to stop any further mishaps from forming ether in your home or office.

Goodbye Vienna Hello Windows 7.

Eddlogic

 

Hello world!

Or that’s what Microsoft should be saying, as we all know Bill Gates is planning to reveal next year "2010" HA HA ! Some people say the so called Windows 7 is just an remake of Vista (spit), now Microsoft is taking the piss and admitted that Vista (spit) is just a prototype of OS7,(So all you dumb ass’s that paid for Vista (spit) got ripped off, because a prototype is known in IT as a beta (testing copy) so go and get your money back NOW) all though OS7 boots up like Media centre and basically behaves just like it. It looks like Vista (spit) and has its explorer.exe and we don’t know yet about wether they are keeping the network settings and we hope NOT! This OS7 dose look good and sounds OK but I can see it having a heavy dependency on memory, HDD, and cache, just like its predecessors. It will have a streamlined Kernel (NT), an inbuilt virtualisation server for the support of older programs and is also an X86 platform so in other words it runs on all 32 bit processors and it will be compatible to run on Memory sticks also known as Flash cards, sticks and dongles. Personally I am quite interested on finding out more information on this OS and in the mean time you can find out more on it at his site OS News and here Think Next and I have a little video on the fabulous Windows 7, so if you would like any other information on it just drop me a line.

YouTube – Windows 7