Windows Server 2008 R2 Product Overview
Windows Server 2008 R2 builds on the award-winning foundation of Windows Server 2008, expanding existing technology and adding new features to enable IT professionals to increase the reliability and flexibility of their server infrastructures. New virtualization tools, Web resources, management enhancements, and exciting Windows 7 integration help save time, reduce costs, and provide a platform for a dynamic and efficiently managed data center. Powerful tools such as Internet Information Services (IIS) version 7.5, updated Server Manager and Hyper-V platforms and Windows Power Shell version 2.0 combine to give customers greater control, increased efficiency and the ability to react to front-line business needs faster than ever before.
Improving the Web Application Platform
Windows Server 2008 R2 includes many enhancements that make this release the most robust Windows Server Web application platform yet. It offers an updated Web server role, Internet Information Services (IIS) 7.5, and greater support for .NET on Server Core. Design goals for IIS 7.5 concentrated on improvements that enable Web administrators to more easily deploy and manage Web applications that increase both reliability and scalability. Additionally, IIS 7.5 has streamlined management capabilities and provides more ways to customize your Web serving environment. The following improvements to IIS and the Windows Web platform are included in Windows Server 2008 R2:
- Reduced Effort to Administer and Support Web-Based Applications
- Reduced Support and Troubleshooting Effort
- Improved File-Transfer Services
- Ability to Extend Functionality and Features
- Improved .NET Support
- Improved Application Pool Security
- IIS.NET Community Portal
Learn more about the Web Application Platform in Windows Sever 2008 R2.
Enabling Server and Desktop Virtualization
Virtualization is a major part of today’s data centers. The operating efficiencies offered by virtualization allow organizations to dramatically reduce operational effort and power consumption. Windows Server 2008 R2 provides the following virtualization types: Client and Server virtualization provided by Hyper-V and Presentation virtualization with Remote Desktop Services.
Hyper-VWindows Server 2008 R2 introduces a new version of Hyper-V. Hyper-V in Windows Server 2008 R2 includes a number of core areas of improvement for creating dynamic virtual data centers including increased availability and performance, improved management, simplified methods for deployment and new features including live migration.- Remote Desktop Services (formerly known as Terminal Services)Remote Desktop Services provides users and administrators with both the features and the flexibility necessary to build the most robust access experience in any deployment scenario. To expand the Remote Desktop Services feature set, Microsoft has been investing in the Virtual Desktop Infrastructure, also known as VDI. VDI is a centralized desktop delivery architecture, which enables Windows and other desktop environments to run and be managed in virtual machines on a centralized server.
Learn more about the Virtualization Platform in Windows Sever 2008 R2.
Improving Power Management and Streamlining Management
The ongoing management of servers in the data center is one of the most time-consuming tasks facing IT professionals today. Any management strategy you deploy must support the management of both your physical and virtual environments. To help with this problem, Windows Server 2008 R2 has new features to reduce the ongoing management of Windows Server 2008 R2 and to reduce the administrative effort for common day-to-day operational tasks. These include:
- Improved data center power consumption management
- Improved Management of File Services
- Improved remote administration
- Reduced administrative effort for administrative tasks performed interactively
- Enhanced command-line and automated management by using Power Shell version 2.0
- Improved identity management
- Improved compliance with established standards and best practices
Learn more about Improving Power Management and Streamlining Management in Windows Sever 2008 R2.
Scalability and Reliability
Windows Server 2008 R2 is capable of unprecedented workload size, dynamic scalability, and across-the-board availability and reliability. A host of new and updated features will be available, including leveraging sophisticated CPU architectures, increased operating system componentization, and improved performance and scalability for applications and services.
- Leveraging sophisticated CPU architectures
- Increased operating system componentization
- Improved performance and scalability for applications and services
- Improved Storage Solutions
- Improved Protection of Intranet Resources
Learn more about Scalability and Reliability in Windows Sever 2008 R2.
Making the Experience Better Together with Windows 7
Windows Server 2008 R2 has many features that are designed specifically to work with client computers running Windows 7. Windows 7 is the next version of the Windows client operating system from Microsoft. Features that are only available when running Windows 7 client computers with server computers running Windows Server 2008 R2 include:
- Simplified remote connectivity for corporate computers by using the Direct Access feature
- Secured remote connectivity for private and public computers
- Improved performance for branch offices
- Improved security for branch offices
- Improved virtualized desktop integration
- Higher fault tolerance for connectivity between sites
Learn more about Making the Experience Better Together with Windows 7.
How to Install Windows Server 2008 RC
Installing Windows Server 2008 is pretty straightforward and is very much like installing Windows Vista, but I thought I’d list the necessary steps here for additional information. For those of you who have never installed Vista before, the entire installation process is different than it used to be in previous Microsoft operating systems, and notably much easier to perform.
Using Vista’s installation routine is a major benefit, especially for a server OS. Administrators can partition the system’s hard drives during setup. More importantly, they can install the necessary AHCI or RAID storage drivers from a CD/DVD or even a USB thumb drive. Thus, error-prone floppies can finally be sent to the garbage bin.
Note: Windows Server 2008 can also be installed as a Server Core installation, which is a cut-down version of Windows without the Windows Explorer GUI. Because you don’t have the Windows Explorer to provide the GUI interface that you are used to, you configure everything through the command line interface or remotely using a Microsoft Management Console (MMC). The Server Core can be used for dedicated machines with basic roles such as Domain controller/Active Directory Domain Services, DNS Server, DHCP Server, file server, print server, Windows Media Server, IIS 7 web server and Windows Server Virtualization virtual server. For Server Core installations please see my "Installing Windows Server 2008 Core" article.
To use Windows Server 2008 you need to meet the following hardware requirements:
Component
Requirement
Processor
• Minimum: 1GHz (x86 processor) or 1.4GHz (x64 processor) • Recommended: 2GHz or faster Note: An Intel Itanium 2 processor is required for Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems
Memory
• Minimum: 512MB RAM • Recommended: 2GB RAM or greater • Maximum (32-bit systems): 4GB (Standard) or 64GB (Enterprise and Datacenter) • Maximum (64-bit systems): 32GB (Standard) or 2TB (Enterprise, Datacenter and Itanium-based Systems)
Available Disk Space
• Minimum: 10GB • Recommended: 40GB or greater Note: Computers with more than 16GB of RAM will require more disk space for paging, hibernation, and dump files
Drive
DVD-ROM drive
Display and Peripherals
• Super VGA (800 x 600) or higher-resolution monitor • Keyboard • Microsoft Mouse or compatible pointing device
Upgrade notes:
I will not discuss the upgrade process in this article, but for your general knowledge, the upgrade paths available for Windows Server 2008 shown in the table below:
If you are currently running:
You can upgrade to:
Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2)
Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Standard Edition
Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2)
Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Enterprise Edition
Windows Server 2003 Datacenter Edition (R2, Service Pack 1 or Service Pack 2)
Full Installation of Windows Server 2008 Datacenter Edition
Follow this procedure to install Windows Server 2008:
1. Insert the appropriate Windows Server 2008 installation media into your DVD drive. If you don’t have an installation DVD for Windows Server 2008, you can download one for free from Microsoft’s Windows 2008 Server Trial website.
2. Reboot the computer.
3. When prompted for an installation language and other regional options, make your selection and press Next.
4. Next, press Install Now to begin the installation process.
5. Product activation is now also identical with that found in Windows Vista. Enter yourProduct ID in the next window, and if you want to automatically activate Windows the moment the installation finishes, click Next.
If you do not have the Product ID available right now, you can leave the box empty, and click Next. You will need to provide the Product ID later, after the server installation is over. Press No.
6. Because you did not provide the correct ID, the installation process cannot determine what kind of Windows Server 2008 license you own, and therefore you will be prompted to select your correct version in the next screen, assuming you are telling the truth and will provide the correct ID to prove your selection later on.
7. If you did provide the right Product ID, select the Full version of the right Windows version you’re prompted, and click Next.
8. Read and accept the license terms by clicking to select the checkbox and pressing Next.
9. In the "Which type of installation do you want?" window, click the only available option –Custom (Advanced).
10. In the "Where do you want to install Windows?", if you’re installing the server on a regular IDE hard disk, click to select the first disk, usually Disk 0, and click Next.
If you’re installing on a hard disk that’s connected to a SCSI controller, click Load Driver and insert the media provided by the controller’s manufacturer.
If you’re installing in a Virtual Machine environment, make sure you read the "Installing the Virtual SCSI Controller Driver for Virtual Server 2005 on Windows Server 2008"
If you must, you can also click Drive Options and manually create a partition on the destination hard disk.
11. The installation now begins, and you can go and have lunch. Copying the setup files from the DVD to the hard drive only takes about one minute. However, extracting and uncompressing the files takes a good deal longer. After 20 minutes, the operating system is installed. The exact time it takes to install server core depends upon your hardware specifications. Faster disks will perform much faster installs… Windows Server 2008 takes up approximately 10 GB of hard drive space.
The installation process will reboot your computer, so, if in step #10 you inserted a floppy disk (either real or virtual), make sure you remove it before going to lunch, as you’ll find the server hanged without the ability to boot (you can bypass this by configuring the server to boot from a CD/DVD and then from the hard disk in the booting order on the server’s BIOS)
12. Then the server reboots you’ll be prompted with the new Windows Server 2008 type of login screen. Press CTRL+ALT+DEL to log in.
13. Click on Other User.
14. The default Administrator is blank, so just type Administrator and press Enter.
15. You will be prompted to change the user’s password. You have no choice but to press Ok.
16. In the password changing dialog box, leave the default password blank (duh, read step #15…), and enter a new, complex, at-least-7-characters-long new password twice. A password like "topsecret" is not valid (it’s not complex), but one like "T0pSecreT!" sure is. Make sure you remember it.
17. Someone thought it would be cool to nag you once more, so now you’ll be prompted to accept the fact that the password had been changed. Press Ok.
18. Finally, the desktop appears and that’s it, you’re logged on and can begin working. You will be greeted by an assistant for the initial server configuration, and after performing some initial configuration tasks, you will be able to start working.
Backstreet Boys’ new music album (THIS IS US)
![Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable [Deluxe Edition] Front](http://blogsutras.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Backstreet-Boys-Unbreakable-Deluxe-Edition-Front2-300x293.jpg "Backstreet Boys - Unbreakable [Deluxe Edition] Front")
The Backstreet Boys are an American vocal group. They were formed by boy band producer Lou Pearlman, and have been together since 1993. They have 14 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 and have sold over 100 million albums worldwide, making them one of the biggest selling artists of all time, and best selling boy band/vocal group. According to US Billboard 200, the Backstreet Boys are the first artist since Sadeto have their first seven albums reach top 10 on the chart. Their earlier songs still remain very popular. When they returned to the pop scene in 2005, their sound had changed drastically, incorporating only live instruments (some of which they play themselves) and a more guitar and piano driven pop-rock sound. After the 2005–2006 tour, original member Kevin Richardson left the group on June 23, 2006, to start a family, But the four-piece refused to rule out a possible return for the singer. The now four-member group consists of Nick Carter, Howie Dorough,Brian Littrell and A. J. McLean. The quartet has since released two albums, the most recent on October 6, 2009, titled This Is Us, which went back to pop music, although is still considerably different from their classic sound, with This Is Us being more R&B.
This Is Us: 2009–present
In 2009, the group began working on a new album that was released on October 6, 2009[29]and were confirmed to be working with Max Martin, One Republic singer Ryan Tedder,RedOne,Ne-Yo, Brian Kennedy, Pitbull, Claude Kelly, Jim Jonsin, Eddie Galan, T-Pain, Rami Yacoub,Kristian Lundin, many others.
In an interview with Extra TV the Backstreet Boys confirmed the title of their seventh album to be This Is Us. The Backstreet Boys formally announced the dates for the European leg of the new tour for the album. This Is Us Tour started on October 30 2009.
Top 10 Things You Can Do to Reduce Global Warming
Burning fossil fuels such as natural gas, coal, oil and gasoline raises the level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and carbon dioxide is a major contributor to the greenhouse effect and global warming.
You can help to reduce the demand for fossil fuels, which in turn reduces global warming, by using energy more wisely. Here are 10 simple actions you can take to help reduce global warming.
1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Do your part to reduce waste by choosing reusable products instead of disposables. Buying products with minimal packaging (including the economy size when that makes sense for you) will help to reduce waste. And whenever you can, recycle paper, plastic, newspaper, glass and aluminium cans. If there isn’t a recycling program at your workplace, school, or in your community, ask about starting one. By recycling half of your household waste, you can save 2,400 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.
2. Use Less Heat and Air Conditioning
Adding insulation to your walls and attic, and installing weather stripping or caulking around doors and windows can lower your heating costs more than 25 percent, by reducing the amount of energy you need to heat and cool your home.
Turn down the heat while you’re sleeping at night or away during the day, and keep temperatures moderate at all times. Setting your thermostat just 2 degrees lower in winter and higher in summer could save about 2,000 pounds of carbon dioxide each year.
3. Change a Light Bulb
Wherever practical, replace regular light bulbs with compact fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs. Replacing just one 60-watt incandescent light bulb with a CFL will save you $30 over the life of the bulb. CFLs also last 10 times longer than incandescent bulbs, use two-thirds less energy, and give off 70 percent less heat.
If every U.S. family replaced one regular light bulb with a CFL, it would eliminate 90 billion pounds of greenhouse gases, the same as taking 7.5 million cars off the road.
4. Drive Less and Drive Smart
Less driving means fewer emissions. Besides saving gasoline, walking and biking are great forms of exercise. Explore your community mass transit system, and check out options for carpooling to work or school.
When you do drive, make sure your car is running efficiently. For example, keeping your tires properly inflated can improve your gas mileage by more than 3 percent. Every gallon of gas you save not only helps your budget, it also keeps 20 pounds of carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere.
5. Buy Energy-Efficient Products
When it’s time to buy a new car, choose one that offers good gas mileage. Home appliances now come in a range of energy-efficient models, and compact florescent bulbs are designed to provide more natural-looking light while using far less energy than standard light bulbs.
Avoid products that come with excess packaging, especially molded plastic and other packaging that can’t be recycled. If you reduce your household garbage by 10 percent, you can save 1,200 pounds of carbon dioxide annually.
6. Use Less Hot Water
Set your water heater at 120 degrees to save energy, and wrap it in an insulating blanket if it is more than 5 years old. Buy low-flow showerheads to save hot water and about 350 pounds of carbon dioxide yearly. Wash your clothes in warm or cold water to reduce your use of hot water and the energy required to produce it. That change alone can save at least 500 pounds of carbon dioxide annually in most households. Use the energy-saving settings on your dishwasher and let the dishes air-dry.
7. Use the "Off" Switch
Save electricity and reduce global warming by turning off lights when you leave a room, and using only as much light as you need. And remember to turn off your television, video player, stereo and computer when you’re not using them.
It’s also a good idea to turn off the water when you’re not using it. While brushing your teeth, shampooing the dog or washing your car, turn off the water until you actually need it for rinsing. You’ll reduce your water bill and help to conserve a vital resource.
8. Plant a Tree
If you have the means to plant a tree, start digging. During photosynthesis, trees and other plants absorb carbon dioxide and give off oxygen. They are an integral part of the natural atmospheric exchange cycle here on Earth, but there are too few of them to fully counter the increases in carbon dioxide caused by automobile traffic, manufacturing and other human activities. A single tree will absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide during its lifetime.
9. Get a Report Card from Your Utility Company
Many utility companies provide free home energy audits to help consumers identify areas in their homes that may not be energy efficient. In addition, many utility companies offer rebate programs to help pay for the cost of energy-efficient upgrades.
10. Encourage Others to Conserve
Share information about recycling and energy conservation with your friends, neighbours and co-workers, and take opportunities to encourage public officials to establish programs and policies that are good for the environment.
These 10 steps will take you a long way toward reducing your energy use and your monthly budget. And less energy use means less dependence on the fossil fuels that create greenhouse gases and contribute to global warming.
source from about.com
Schwarzenegger says states key to climate fight
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger says countries cannot solve the problem of climate change without the help of states, cities, regions, activists, scientists and universities.
In a speech planned Tuesday before the UN climate conference in Copenhagen, Schwarzenegger will encourage international agreements but say that won't be enough to combat global warming.
"The world's governments alone cannot make the progress that is needed on global climate change," Schwarzenegger says in remarks prepared for delivery at the 192-nation conference. "They need the cities, the states, the provinces, the regions. They need the corporations, the activists, the scientists, the universities."
President Barack Obama and more than 100 other national leaders were heading to Copenhagen in hopes of forging the framework of a plan to limit the causes of global warming.
Schwarzenegger was invited to address the conference to highlight the efforts of states and other local governments, said his spokesman, Aaron McLear.
Schwarzenegger committed California to cutting greenhouse gas emissions three years ago.
California is on track to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, about a 30 percent cut from projected emissions. The statewide mandate was the first in the United States. (Photo of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger: Scanpix/Getty)
List Of Top 10 Antivirus Programs
Here is the list of Best 10 Antivirus Applications of 2009. Most of these come with following testing certifies …
- ICSA Certified
- VB100% Certified
- W.C.L Level 1 Certified
- W.C.L Level 2 Certified
Kaspersky Antivirus often treated as the best available Antivirus application and has a special version for file servers. It covers almost all sections needed for a top class security. Kaspersky provides hourly virus definition update to keep you up-to-date.
BitDefender is one of the best antivirus with top class defending ability. It provides hourly definition updates for latest threats. BitDefender comes with P2P File Sharing and Registry Startup Protection but lacks Email scanning.
03. Trend Micro
Trend Micro is a well known and popular antivirus with Spyware and Adware Protection. It has some great features including Remote File Lock that safeguards your private files in case your laptop is lost or stolen. But lacks P2P File Sharing and Registry Startup Scanning.
04. Norton Antivirus/ Internet Security
Norton Antivirus is one of the most popular and well known antivirus application. The latest version has the ability to map your wireless home network and safeguards your wifi networks. Recently Norton has introduced a special version for gaming PCs known as Norton 2009 Gaming Edition. It comes with daily virus definition update but no support for P2P File Sharing and Registry Startup Protection.
05. McAfee Antivirus
McAfee is one of the leading antiviruses in security industry. McAfee introduced 2 features ScriptStopper and WormStopper. But it has no support for P2P File Sharing, Instant Messenger and Registry Startup. The inbuilt updater updates virus definitions on a regular basis to keep your up-to-date.
Panda Antivirus comes with a new feature call UltraFast scan engine that scan almost 30% faster compared to other antivirus applications. It has few unique features as follows
- Identity protection through Anti-Phishing Filter and Anti-Banking Trojans Engine
- Panda Antivirus has an advanced heuristic scan which maximum possible identity theft
- Inbuilt Personal Firewall
The latest version of ZoneAlarm antivirus comes with strong removal ability of most dangerous viruses and multilayer security for your PC. But it is not certified by any of the three major independent testing labs Virus Bulletic, Checkmark, or ICSA. Zone Alarm scans uses lesser possible system resources.
NOD32 is one of the leading antivirus applications with feature like …
- Blocking all attempts to collect and forward your personal and confidential data
- Provides best protection against zero day threat and attacks
- Virus definition updates comes in very small size compared to others
- Multi layered protection including real time email scanning
09. AVG Antivirus
AVG is one of oldest and widely used antivirus. Latest version of AVG comes with a clean interface and the core scanning engine changed for better performance with multi-core processors. Now the AVG Antivirus comes with two separate stand alone applications AVG Antispyware and AVG Antirootkit to give your best possible security.
F-Secure Antivirus is quite easy to use and comes with pre-defined options for known threats. F-Secure heuristic scanner is considered as one of fastest. It provides new definition update on every two hours to provide you best possible security from most latest threats. It supports emails scanning for both Outlook and Thunderbird.
Linkin Park- Dead By Sunrise
Dead by Sunrise is the side project of Linkin Park's vocalist, Chester Bennington. The band also features Amir Derakh, Ryan Shuck, Brandon Belsky and Elias Andra from Julien-K and Anthony "Fu" Valcic. Dead by Sunrise's debut album, Out of Ashes, was released worldwide on October 13, 2009.
Dead by Sunrise started to form in 2005 while Chester Bennington was writing songs for Linkin Park's album Minutes to Midnight. According to Bennington, "I came up with a few songs that felt and sounded really good, but I knew they weren’t right stylistically for Linkin Park. They were darker and moodier than anything I’d come up with for the band. So I decided to work on them on my own rather than turn them over and have them transformed into Linkin Park tracks." However, the foundation for Dead by Sunrise was laid much earlier, when future bandmate Shuck met Bennington during the recording of Linkin Park's first album Hybrid Theory. In an interview, Shuck states that "I always used to go to his house and hear him play acoustic guitar. And I always thought to myself, 'Oh my God, these are such good songs.'
The band's name, which was previously "Snow White Tan," reflects the time during the album's recording. In an interview, Bennington stated that:
| “ | I came up with the band name because in the beginnings of making this album, I was partying ... we'll call it partying. It wasn't much fun, but we partied a lot. And there was a lot of times where I was kind of in a really self-destructive place, and sometimes it felt like you weren't sure if you were going to make it to the next day. The name kind of evolved from that lifestyle, and the title of the record, Out of Ashes, is kind of coming out of that self-destructive path I was on, and rising from the ashes, so to speak. | ” |
On May 10, 2008, Dead by Sunrise performed three songs ("Walking In Circles", "Morning After", and "My Suffering") at the 13th anniversary party for Club Tattoo in Tempe, Arizona. The song titled "Morning After" was written by Chester Bennington and originally performed on December 9, 2001 at the Live in Berlin concert. This was the first time that Chester had "officially" performed the song under a new name—Dead by Sunrise. In addition, this band has recently started touring with Linkin Park in Europe and Japan. In an interview with MTV, Bennington stated that "we're actually going to be jumping in the middle of [Linkin Park]'s set, playing a few songs, then jumping out and letting LP finish out the set." During their debut European tour the band took time out to send a message to the German Armed Forces.
Recording of the band's debut album began in July 2008 after touring for Linkin Park had finished. Working simultaneously on his solo album and Linkin Park's next record, Bennington recorded Out of Ashes with producer Howard Benson (who has also worked with My Chemical Romance, Daughtry, and simultaneously Full Circle by Creed) and bandmates from Julien-K. Bennington wrote most of the songs on anacoustic guitar before working with his band to reshape the track into hard rock, a ballad, or even removing all rock influence and creating a synth-driven track. Linkin Park bandmate Mike Shinoda confirmed that Out of Ashes is "much more of a rock album [than Linkin Park's albums]." Also of note, Bennington participated in all aspects of creating the record, including programming and production.
Videos have been filmed for "Crawl Back In" and "Let Down" with the former serving as the album's first single. "Crawl Back In" has reached the 11th spot on the Mainstream Rock chart. On August 16, "Crawl Back In" debuted on Dead By Sunrise's MySpace; the song can currently be found on iTunes in the US. On September 1 the song "Fire" was uploaded to Dead By Sunrise's MySpace. Also that song is offered if the album is pre-ordered. On September 8 2009, the video for "Crawl Back In" was released. On October 8, 2009 (just 4 days before the official release of the album) Dead By Sunrise released Out of Ashes on their myspace page.
Major Benefits of Windows 7 Ultimate
Accessibility improvements. Microsoft has revamped the accessibility features in Windows 7 with improved speech recognition and a new Magnifier utility with full-screen and lens-mode views.
Action Center. While previous versions of Windows included a feature called Windows Security Center that monitored the various security features of the system, Windows 7 takes this functionality to the next level with Action Center. In addition to monitoring security, Action Center also monitors the OS's maintenance features and consolidates alerts from numerous Windows features into a single interface.
Aero Peek. This replacement for Show Desktop in Windows 7 lets you "peek" behind all of the open windows on your desktop and easily view and Windows Gadgets or files on your desktop. You can also peek into the contents of specific open windows.
Aero Snaps. By dragging open windows in certain ways, you can "snap" them to the edges of the screen, maximize, or minimize. This obviates the need to click tiny onscreen elements, making these features more accessible to users.
Backup and Restore. Windows Vista's stellar backup and restore features have been streamlined and simplified in Windows 7. Like its predecessor, Windows 7 supports both data backup and image-based system backup, but now the UIs are more segregated.
Bitlocker To Go. The full-drive encryption feature that first debuted in Windows Vista has been updated in Windows 7 to support removable USB storage devices like flash memory drives and portable hard drives.
Blu-Ray support. Windows 7 natively supports Blu-Ray optical discs and enables you to write to Blu-Ray recordable media.
Calculator. The Windows Calculator utility inexplicably receives a major upgrade in Windows 7 with calculation history, unit conversion, calculation templates, data calculations, and other new features.
Device Stage. This Longhorn-style user experience will be made available for multi-function devices such as smart phones, multifunction printers, portable media players, and the like. Through this UI, you'll be able to access the features that are unique to each device. Each Device Stage page can be extensively customized by the device maker.
Devices and Printers. This activity center provides a central location for interacting with any hardware devices--digital cameras, mice, displays, keyboards, and the like--that may be attached to your PC.
DirectAccess. This feature is aimed at business users who need to securely access corporate network resources while away from the office. Essentially a simple replacement for VPN connections, DirectAccess requires Windows Server 2008 R2 on the server-side.
DirectX 11. Windows 7 includes the latest version of the DirectX multimedia libraries.
Display improvements. Windows 7 includes numerous improvements related to computer displays, including integrated display color calibration, improved high DPI support, ClearType, and improved support for external displays. A new Windows Key + P keyboard shortcut helps you easily switch between connected displays.
Getting Started. This replacement for Windows Vista's Welcome Center no longer appears the first time you boot into the Windows desktop, but it still provides a central location for discovering new features, personalizing the system, transferring data from your previous Windows PC, and discovering and launching other common tasks.
HomeGroup. Microsoft has consolidated the most common network-based sharing tasks into a single simple interface called HomeGroup. Computers in a HomeGroup can easily share documents, digital media files, and printers over a home network.
Internet Explorer. Windows 7 ships with the latest version of Microsoft's Web browser, Internet Explorer 8.
Libraries. In Windows 7, Microsoft has realized a long-term goal to replace the static special shell folders from previous Windows versions and replace them with virtualized shell locations that aggregate content from a variety of physical locations. Libraries are implemented as virtual folders and the views they present are the results of search queries. Libraries are also the basis for HomeGroup file and digital media content sharing.
Location-Aware Printing. Windows 7 utilizes different default printers for each of the network locations you've configured on the system so you won't mistakenly print a child's school project to the work printer. When you're at work, you'll print to the work printer, and when you're at home, you'll print to the home printer.
MinWin. The componentized core of Windows 7, which includes both the traditional operating system kernel as well as the minimum necessary surrounding support technologies to create a bootable (and, for Microsoft, testable) system. Note that, in Windows 7, MinWin isn't a feature per se but is rather the foundation upon which the rest of the OS is built.
Paint. The Paint utility that's been in Windows from the very first version receives its first significant upgrade in decades, and now sports the new Scenic Ribbon toolbar.
Parental Controls. The parental control functionality that debuted in Windows Vista is updated in Windows 7 to support multiple games rating systems and parental control providers.
Power Config. Windows 7 includes a new Power Config utility that provides reports identifying problems, settings, applications, and other things that may be reducing the power efficiency of your PC.
Problem Steps Recorder. Windows 7 includes a new utility called the Problem Steps Recorder that captures screen shots of the steps a user is taking so that help desk personnel can provide a fix without physically having to visit the desktop.
ReadyBoost. ReadyBoost first appeared in Windows Vista, providing users with a way to cheaply and easily improve the performance of their PCs by utilizing a USB memory key as a memory cache. In Windows 7, ReadyBoost is improved in numerous way: It supports multiple memory devices, can work with USB memory keys, Secure Digital (SD) memory cards, and other internal flash devices, and supports over 4 GB of storage.
Scenic Ribbon. Microsoft has evolved the Ribbon toolbar from Office 2007 and made it part of the operating system in Windows 7. This new version of the Ribbon, called the scenic Ribbon, is used by two Windows 7 applications, Paint and WordPad, and can be used by third party applications going forward as well.
Sensor support. Windows 7 includes support for hardware-based sensors, including GPS-based location sensors.
Start Menu (Enhanced). The Windows 7 Start Menu is an enhanced version of the Start Menu that debuted in Windows Vista.
Startup Repair. While this useful tool did debut with Windows Vista, it wasn't installed on PCs by default. In Windows 7, it is installed into the OS partition automatically and appears automatically when the system can't boot properly, fixing any problems and returning the system to its normal booting state.
Sticky Notes. The Sticky Notes utility loses the bizarre Windows XP-style interface from previous Windows versions and supports ink and text input.
Styles. In Windows 7, Microsoft combines various system preferences--including the desktop background, the Aero glass window color, the system sounds, and the screen saver--into styles you can customize, save, and share with others.
System Restore. The Windows 7 version of System Restore works as before, providing a way to non-destructively return a PC to a previous point in time, but is more reliable, predictable, and effective than its predecessors.
Tablet PC. After making Tablet PC functionality available more broadly in Windows Vista, Microsoft is improving this technology in Windows 7 with better handwriting recognition that has improved accuracy, speed, and support for math expressions, personalized custom dictionaries, and 13 new languages.
User Account Control. While much reviled by certain users, the User Account Control (UAC) feature that debuted in Windows Vista played a huge role in making that system the most secure Windows version yet. In Windows 7, UAC is extensively updated to be less annoying, and the overall system has been fine-tuned to minimize the number of UAC prompts that interrupt users.
View Available Networks. Windows 7 includes a new Jump List-based utility for finding and connecting to Wi-Fi, mobile broadband, dial-up, and VPN connections. Unlike the similar UI in Windows Vista, this utility, called View Available Networks, does not require you to navigate through a series of dialogs and windows.
Virtual Hard Disk support. Windows 7 allows you to mount a Virtual Hard Disk (VHD) as a drive in Explorer so that you can navigate its contents like a physical hard disk. It also supports the ability to boot from VHD images.
VPN Reconnect. Windows 7 users who still need to make traditional VPN connections will benefit from a new VPN Reconnect feature that automatically reestablishes a VPN connection when you temporarily lose Internet connectivity.
Windows Anytime Upgrade. This utility debuted in Windows Vista but was found to be too confusing for most users, so the electronic upgrade capability was removed. In Windows 7, Windows Anytime Upgrade returns to electronic upgrading and Microsoft promises you'll be able to upgrade from one version of Windows 7 to another in about 10 minutes now.
Windows Defender. The malware and spyware protection utility from Windows Vista continues in Windows 7 with a few changes: It's been integrated into the new Action Center and its centralized notification system. But Defender also drops the useful Software Explorer feature, so users will have to look elsewhere for a way to prevent unwanted applications from running a startup.
Windows Easy Transfer. The Windows Easy Transfer utility that debuted in Windows Vista has been substantially updated with a new user interface and new capabilities. As before, Easy Transfer helps you transfer files, folders, and program and system settings from your previous Windows install to your new one. This time around, however, the process is simpler and more streamlined.
Windows Explorer. Microsoft has significantly updated Windows Explorer yet again in Windows 7, this time with a new toolbar, a resizable search box, and a new navigational pane.
Windows Gadgets. The Windows Sidebar disappears in Windows 7, but the Gadgets continue on and are integrated with the desktop.
Windows Live. Windows 7 integrates with a growing collection of Windows Live services, including Windows Live Photos, Windows Live Profile, Windows Live People, Windows Live Spaces, Windows Live Home, Windows Live SkyDrive, Windows Live Groups, Windows Live Calendar, Windows Live Events, Windows Live Hotmail, and more.
Windows Live Essentials. Available as an optional download, Windows Live Essentials is an application suite that includes a number of new versions of classic Windows applications, including Windows Live Mail (email and calendar), Windows Live Photo Gallery (photos), Windows Live Messenger (instant messaging), Windows Live Movie Maker (video editing), Windows Live Family Safety (enhanced parental controls), and more.
Windows Media Center. Microsoft's ten-foot UI for digital media content is improved with a slightly enhanced user interface, multi-touch support, HomeGroup integration, and various global broadcast TV standards.
Windows Media Player. Microsoft's media player received a major makeover in Windows 7 with several new features, including enhanced DVD playback, a new lightweight playback mode, dramatically improved format compatibility (including AAC and H.264), Windows Taskbar Jump List customization, PC-to-PC and media streaming, and a new Play To feature.
Windows PowerShell. Windows 7 ships with the Windows PowerShell 2.0 scripting environment and the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE).
Windows Search. Windows 7 comes with the latest version of Windows Search, and unlike the version that first shipped with Windows Vista, you can now obtain instant search results from network-based file shares as well as local hard drives. Microsoft has also improved the performance of local searches, sorting, and grouping.
Windows Taskbar (Enhanced). The Windows Taskbar has been dramatically enhanced in Windows 7 to minimize clutter. New Taskbar features like Jump Lists, fly-over and full-screen icon previews, and more.
Windows Touch. Windows 7 builds on the Tablet PC and touch capabilities from previous Windows versions and adds pervasive support for multi-touch. All of the major UI components, including the Start Menu, Windows Taskbar, and Explorer, are touch-friendly in Windows 7.
Windows Troubleshooting. This new Windows 7 feature diagnoses and resolves common operating system and hardware issues. It works automatically, or you can visit the Troubleshooting control panel to find problems to troubleshoot. Windows Troubleshooting integrates with Action Center so you'll be notified when relevant new troubleshooters from Microsoft and third parties are made available.
Windows Update. Microsoft's utility for downloading and installing system updates has been enhanced in Windows 7 to take advantage of changes in the security model and to better expose optional and featured updates.
Wireless Device Network. Finally, Windows gains a way to use your wireless-equipped laptop as a wireless access point for other PCs when you're connected to a wired network.
WordPad. The simple word processor continues into Windows 7 with the new Scenic Ribbon UI and several editing improvements.
XPS Viewer. While Windows Vista users are forced to use Internet Explorer to view XML Paper Specification (XPS) documents--essentially Microsoft's PDF knock-off--Windows 7 gains a dedicated XPS Viewer application.
LINKIN PARK
Linkin Park is an American Metal band from Agoura Hills, California, formed in 1996.
Musical style
Both Hybrid Theory and Meteora combined the alternative metal, nu metal, and rap rock sound with influences and elements from hip-hop, alternative rock, andelectronica, utilizing programming and synthesizers. William Ruhlmann from All music regarded it as "a Johnny-come-lately to an already overdone musical style," whereas Rolling Stone called "Breaking the Habit" "risky, beautiful art".
In Minutes to Midnight the band experimented with their established sound and drew influences from a wider and more varied range of genres and styles, a process Los Angeles Times compares to a stage in U2's work. In it, only two of the songs feature rapping, and the majority of the album can be considered alternative rock rather than nu metal or rap rock. It is also their first studio album to feature guitar solos.
In concert the band has covered songs by artists as varied as The Cure, Deftones, Guns N' Roses, and Nine Inch Nails.[citation needed]
Linkin Park's use of two separate vocalists has become a large part of their music. Chester Bennington is most known for using screaming vocals common in various forms of metal and hardcore, while also using more melodic singing, and was placed 46th in Hit Paraders list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists".
Mike Shinoda is the group's MC and does all of the rapping. Mike has also done all of the backing vocals live, and in their latest album, Minutes to Midnight, he sings lead vocals on "In Between", "Hands Held High", and the B-side "No Roads Left". Shinoda has also been placed in Hit Parader's list of "Heavy Metal's All-Time Top 100 Vocalists" at number 72.