Code 5 Error on Installing Windows 7

DreamensioN (the guy that does my music mixes ) sent through something that he discovered today.

Here is what he sent me:

I turned on my old AMD XP 2400+ PC, and I’m trying to put Windows 7 on it.

However, when I try to boot off the CD, I get an error "Unable to boot from CD.  Code 5" or words to that effect.

It turns out, they’ve changed the boot sector on Windows 7, and some older bios/motherboards can’t read it.

Here is the fix, by taking the boot sector off a Vista DVD, and using it to create your own custom Windows 7 dvd.

http://www.unawave.de/windows-7-tipps/code5-error.html?lang=EN

Thanks Dreamy – great tip!

Cheers

Kyle

What price Windows?

In particular – what price Windows 7? well that question has been answered!

For the US the pricing will be (in $US):

Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade): $119.99
Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade): $199.99
Windows 7 Ultimate (Upgrade): $219.99

Windows 7 Home Premium (Full): $199.99
Windows 7 Professional (Full): $299.99
Windows 7 Ultimate (Full): $319.99

For Australia (in $AU)

Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade): $ 199
Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade): $399
Windows 7 Ultimate (Upgrade): $429

Windows 7 Home Premium (Full): $299
Windows 7 Professional (Full): $449
Windows 7 Ultimate (Full): $469

And if you buy a PC/Laptop after today then you will be able to get an upgrade to Windows 7 after 22nd October – this may or may not be completely free – at worst it will probably cost something for shipping.

One issue that I have (and that I guess I always have with the pricing of technology here in Australia. The pricing in the US vs the pricing in AU does not reflect the  cost based on the exchange rate at all – you look at the difference to the price of the upgrades – Home Prem to Professional in the US – $US80 – same thing here? $A200 – yup $A200 difference! and before you suggest shipping costs – a lot of the stuff that we have here comes out of Singapore – so closer to us than the US!

sources of pricing and details:

http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/06/25/announcing-the-windows-7-upgrade-option-program-amp-windows-7-pricing-bring-on-ga.aspx and http://www.itwire.com/content/view/25936/1231/

Cheers

Kyle

TechEd Australia 2009

Hopefully I will have some further updates in a couple of days on breakout sessions at the conference – I have submitted a couple of sessions around Windows 7 – so we will see!

But – if you are considering coming to TechEd AU this year I have a couple of things to mention.

1. It is on the Gold Coast – great venue and traditionally has always led to a really good TechEd

2. Lots of IT Pro material around Windows 7, Windows 2008 R2, Exchange 2010 and lot more – there will also be exciting Dev stuff I am sure.. but others will be able to mention those much better than I!

3. 2 day precon on Windows 7 – this is my deep dive for this year – signup for it is going pretty fast so make sure you get in soon! Basically by the end of 2 days you will have the reasons why and the methods how to deploy and manage Windows 7 in your enterprise.

4. If you get in quick then you can get a discount of at least $400 off the entrance price – until the 14th July you can get the earlybird discount. http://www.msteched.com/australia/public/registration-info.aspx

In addition to that we will have once again a huge range of Hands on Labs and even more seats for the  Instructor Led Labs. Look forward to seeing you there!

Cheers

Kyle

Windows 7 Beta expiring soon!

From the Springboard blog

“Still on the Windows 7 Beta,? You need to move to the RC and fast. Starting July 1^st, the Beta will start to reboot every 2 hrs and expire Aug 1^st.

Want to download the RC? . The RC download program closes August 15th. After that, you won’t be able to get the download, but you can still install the RC and get a key if you need one. (To get a key, just go to the Downloads page and follow the instructions.)

If you’re using the Windows 7 Release Candidate, we hope you like what you see. Let us know — go to http://input.microsoft.com and tell us what you think. You’ll be able to give feedback on various aspects of the operating system.”

So what does that mean? Well .. it means you need to get your skates on to get the RC build installed!

cheers

Kyle

Bring in the search engine that goes Bing

Microsoft have launched a new search engine.. BING.. www.bing.com

Looks similar to www.live.com – until you hover over the dot to the right of each result.. then the next level of the search appears.. (in fact Live now takes you to Bing.. so Live is dead – which is a kinda weird thing to say – Live is dead, long live Live)

I am not convinced by a long shot that this is a Google killer.. but it seems better than live so far.. and besides .. saying “I can Bing that” sounds much better than “I can Live that” – mind you, my wife did comment today that the first thing she thought of was Chandler from the TV show “Friends”!

Cheers

Kyle

Xmas is coming early!

It seems like only yesterday that I said that the word was Windows 7 was coming for Xmas – well that date has been moved up – retail release is now going to be October 22, 2009 according to Brandon LeBlanc and the Windows team – http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/06/02/the-date-for-general-availability-ga-of-windows-7-is.aspx. So yes – the holiday season will be early this year!

Cheers

Kyle

6416 Links

For the guys in my 6416 class last week in Sydney – here is the collection of links discussed from the course:

Multipathing I/O http://www.microsoft.com/WindowsServer2003/technologies/storage/mpio/faq.mspx

Windows Server 2008 WDS – Step by Step – http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/library/7d837d88-6d8e-420c-b68f-a5b4baeb52481033.mspx?mfr=true

Windows Deployment Guidance – (imaging, deploying) http://www.microsoft.com/deployment

Server Core Blog http://blogs.technet.com/server_core/default.aspx

Server Core step-by-step: http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/library/47a23a74-e13c-46de-8d30-ad0afb1eaffc1033.mspx?mfr=true

Allowing NETSH commands to a Server Core Server http://www.petri.co.il/configuring-firewall-on-server-core-for-remote-management.htm

NAP Further reading – http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/network/bb545879.aspx

Limit VPN connection to one per user http://blogs.technet.com/rrasblog/archive/2008/07/17/limit-one-connection-to-the-vpn-server-per-user.aspx

Standalone Hyper-V server http://www.microsoft.com/hyper-v-server/en/us/default.aspx

Hyper-v in Windows 2008 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc753637.aspx

Hyper-V in Windows 2008 R2 http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd446676(WS.10).aspx

ADFS Further reading http://technet2.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/servermanager/activedirectoryfederationservices.mspx

Auditpol.exe settings and subcategories http://support.microsoft.com/kb/921469

WSUS Offline tool http://www.vulnerabilityassessment.co.uk/ctupdate.htm

RSS Feeds – Videos

Deployment http://www.microsoft.com/feeds/technet/en-us/how-to-videos/Deployment_How-to_Videos_image.xml

Client http://www.microsoft.com/feeds/technet/en-us/how-to-videos/Windows_Client_How-to_Videos_image.xml

Windows Server 2008 http://www.microsoft.com/feeds/technet/en-us/how-to-videos/Windowsserver2008_How-to_Videos_image.xml

Fun Stuff

Middle Ages Help desk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Cd7Bsp3dDo&feature=related

Every O/S sucks http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d85p7JZXNy8

Cheers

Kyle

(thanks to Wayne for the initial list of links!)

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

I am at TechEd North America this week. The keynote is currently on and there has  been a big announcement..

So here it is .. it is going to be a Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 Xmas.. I know what I am getting my wife for xmas now.. yep.. you bet .. a copy of Windows 7. Just no one tell her eh? I want to keep it a surprise!

More to come..

Cheers

Kyle

I see, RC

So – the RC of Windows 7 is coming.. official word is that on the 30th April (US time I am presuming – so late on the same day for those down under – or early on the 1st May) Windows 7 RC will be released to MSDN/TechNet subscribers. Then open to public beta testers on the 5th May. At which point you will be able to check out all the changes/modifications/improvements that are in the RC.

If that has not got you excited enough and on the edge of your seats in anticipation then check out the Engineering 7 blog for the changes that have been made since the beta build (7000) http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/

Everyone I talk to about Windows 7 tells me that they have not been this excited for ages about a new operating system – personally I think that is a bit unfair to Vista and Server 2008 – but yep I cant wait to test the new build out.

Cheers

Kyle

Watchu talking ‘bout Willis?*

Well.. Windows 7 of course.. a new website has been set up to get you even more excited about Windows 7. Basically people like you and me talking about their experiences so far with Windows 7 – good points, pain points and of course excitement points. Tune in to hear Mark Russonovich chat openly about how he has influenced Windows 7 from the inside.

The Site? Talking about Windows

This is a living site and will be growing over the next few weeks and months as we head past RC and then towards RTM. So check it out and then of course – check it out again later! (also when you hit the site for the first time – wave to Stephen Rose – the Senior Community Manager for the Windows Client O/S – IT Pro – if you wave hard enough he might wave back)

Cheers

Kyle

*if you are not old enough to have deployed Windows 3.11 then you probably don’t get the above reference – if so then click here