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Category: Tech Update

  • Extract Windows 7 System Image Files

    How to Extract Windows 7 System Image Files Using Disk Management
    Information
    When you create a system image, Windows 7 creates a Virtual Hard Disk VHD file that contains all of your files. This will show you how to attach (mount) this VHD file using Disk Management to manually extract and restore specific files of your choice from the system image instead of doing the default full system image recovery.

    Note
    System images are saved in this format:
    (selected backup location’s drive letter)\WindowsImageBackup\(your computer name)\Backup (year-month-day) (time)
    For example, if your computer name is Windows7-PC, your backup image location is on hard disk or partition (network or local) D: , and you backed up on September 14th 2008 at 4:39:45 AM (it uses 24 hour time), then that system image VHD file will be located in the D:\WindowsImageBackup\Windows7-PC\Backup 2009-09-14 043945 folder.
    OPTION ONE
    To Attach the VHD to Extract Files from System Image
    1. Open the Control Panel (All Items View).
    A) Click on the Administrative Tools icon, and click on Computer Management.
    B) Go to step 3.
    OR
    2. Open the Start Menu.
    A) In the Search box, type compmgmt.msc and press Enter.
    3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.
    4. In the left pane, right click on Disk Management, and click on Attach VHD.  
    NOTE: You can also click on Disk Management, Action on the menu bar, and Attach VHD.
    5. Click on the Browse button.  
    6. Navigate to the drive or partition that you selected to save the created system image to, then select a listed VHD file for the disk that you want to extract files from.  
    NOTE: See the NOTE box at the top of the tutorial to see where to find your system image VHD file at.
    Note
    There will be a VHD file for each hard disk that was included in the system image backup when it was created.
    You will not be able to open the VHD for the 100 MB System Reserved partition if you had one created during the installation of your Windows 7.
    7. Click on OK.  
    NOTE:
    Be sure to leave the Read only box unchecked.
    8. You will now notice that the VHD file has been attached (mounted) as a separate virtual disk with it’s own drive letter (ex: F: ) in Disk Management. Close Disk Management.
    9. You may also get a AutoPlay pop-up window. Double click on the Open folder to view files option.  
    NOTE: If you did not get a AutoPlay pop-up, then you can open the new attached VHD virtual disk (ex: F) from the Computer window like any other hard drive or partition.
    10. You can now copy any files that you want from the attached system image VHD disk (ex: F: ) to restore back to your Windows 7 C: drive.  
    OPTION TWO
    To Detach the VHD in Disk Management
    NOTE: This will show you to detach the VHD file in Disk Management from OPTION ONE above without affecting the system image.
    1. Open the Control Panel (All Items View).
    A) Click on the Administrative Tools icon, and click on Computer Management.
    B) Go to step 3.
    OR
    2. Open the Start Menu.
    A) In the Search box, type compmgmt.msc and press Enter.
    3. If prompted by UAC, then click on Yes.
    4. In the middle pane, right click on the Disk # of the attached VHD (ex: F: ), and click on Detach VHD.  
    5. Click on OK.  
    WARNING:
    DO NOT CHECK the Delete the virtual hard disk file after removing the disk box. If you do, you will destroy the created system image. Leaving this box unchecked will leave your created system image intact an unharmed so you can still be able to use it to do a full system image recovery.
    6. You will now notice that the VHD (ex: F: ) has been detached in Disk Management.  
    7. Close Disk Management.

  • Tech Updates: Windows 7 introduces voluntary antipiracy update



             Microsoft will be releasing “Windows Activation Technologies (WAT) Update for Windows 7” which, as its name implies, is an update for WAT, the set of built-in activation and validation components, in Windows 7. The update will detect “more than 70 known and potentially dangerous activation exploits” that attempt to bypass or compromise WAT and will determine whether the copy of Windows 7 that is installed on a PC is genuine. It is also supposed to improve the integrity of key licensing components on the OS and will run periodic validations every 90 days.


    The update will be for all editions of Windows 7, although it will be distributed for Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, and Enterprise editions first. It will be available online at Microsoft.com/Genuine starting on February 16, and on the Microsoft Download Center the following day. Later this month, the update will also be offered through Windows Update as an “Important” update, but it will not be directly offered through Windows Server Update Services (WSUS). The update will be voluntary (meaning that you can choose not to install it) and can also be uninstalled at any time. Enterprise customers use WSUS to manage the distribution of software updates in their IT environment, so it’s surprising that Microsoft is skipping this area, though the company noted a WSUS administrator can import this update from Microsoft Update.

    Microsoft also promised that the update will not jeopardize the user’s privacy since none of the information sent to Microsoft’s servers includes personally identifiable information. If the update spots known activation exploits and the copy of Windows 7 is found to be nongenuine, the antipiracy notifications built into the OS will spring to life. 

    PCs running genuine Windows 7 software with no activation exploits won’t see any prompts since the update runs quietly in the background. Microsoft also says the customer will see no reduced functionality in their copy of Windows: applications work as expected and access to personal information is unchanged. During the quarterly validation, Windows will download the latest “signatures” that are used to identify new activation exploits (think antivirus software). The WAT update will run a check and repair weekly, however, if it discovers tampering, disabling, or missing licensing files.

  • How to Audit (log) Access to Shared Folder’s in Windows 7

    Information
    Auditing access to your shared folders makes it possible to keep track of what’s happening; who visits your shared folders, when, doing what. It might not be needed on a “Me and my laptop” networks, although in my opinion it adds a bit to general security of your system and network. When needed, the information is there. Auditing logs are very small files, taking almost no space on hard disk. Auditing does not “eat” the resources of your computer, does not make it slower.
    Auditing options can be edited using Windows 7 built-in Group Policy Editor, included in Seven Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise editions. There are also several third party alternatives, for instance ShareAlarmPro. This tutorial is however about how to do it with gpedit.
    This article works for Windows 7,may or may not work for Windows Vista and  Windows XP.

    Here’s How:
    1. Open Group Policy Editor by typing gpedit.msc to Start menu’s search field or Run dialog window and hit Enter
    2. Go to Local Computer Policy > Computer Configuration > Windows Settings > Security Settings > Local Policies Audit Policy, double click to open Audit Object Access
    3. Check both options (Success and Failure) under Audit these objects, click OK
    4. Close Group Policy Editor
    5. Open the Properties of a shared folder you want to audit, choose Security tab, click Advanced
    6. Choose Audit tab, click Continue
    7. Click Add, click Locations to choose from which location you want to audit, write the computer name and name of a user or group you want to audit, for instance PC-3\Administrators or XPPro-upstairs\Kari. Click Check names to “spellcheck”, to check validity of your input
    8. Click OK to close Select User or Group dialog, click OK to close Advanced Security Settings, click OK to close Folder Properties
    That’s it. To read audit log, open Event Viewer by typing Event Viewer to Start menu’s search field or Run dialog window and hit Enter. Go to Windows Logs > Security
    This article works for Windows 7,may or may not work for Windows Vista and  Windows XP.

  • Tech Update: Windows 7 on Gaming Deck

      
                As expected, Just when you thought you’d see every possible way to implement Windows 7. Technology evolution “CES” and a company called OCOSMOS. 

     
                    Engadget is reporting that an unknown company who made a vaporware splash in last years Consumer Electronics Show is getting ready to preview a handheld gaming device that runs a version of Windows 7. That’s right we are not talking about Windows Phone 7 it Microsoft Windows 7.

            It’s not a surprise that we favour Windows 7 as an operating system, but we are very wary of Windows 7 on any tablet-like devices and especially a gaming handheld. we just don’t see the point of this, but we will have to wait and see before making any judgement on their device. For right now, check the picture and the scant details. What are your thoughts on using Windows 7 on a portable gaming device?