C Data Blog

Windows XP End of Sale coming!

admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:39:14 +0000

A small post to remind all that Windows XP is really coming to the end of sale on the 22nd October. Currently, its available as a downgrade when buying Windows 7 Professional on an OEM license to allow users with XP compatible programs to roll back to XP in order to use them. From the 22nd October, this will not be possible.

This means that if you are running a business application that is only compatible with Windows XP, consider choosing a different application that is Windows 7 compatible, or if your current vendor offers a patch that lets the application run in Windows XP, consider downloading that and testing it.

Customers that still have volume licenses with Microsoft may still be able to download Windows XP, but over a period of time this will also come to an end.

If you are supported client, we will of course help you through any desktop migration to Windows 7. If you aren’t and would like to discuss your options and how we may be able to help, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01489 589924.

Windows XP Mode without Virtualisation hardware requirements

Mat — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:36:40 +0000

Microsoft have released a patch that allows Windows XP Mode to be installed on Windows 7 Professional, Ultimate and Enterprise without the need for you hardware to support virtualisation. The Register report is here. Originally your hardware had to support virtualisation, but now this does not necessarily have to be the case.

Older hardware may still have a problem, but certainly newer machines should be able to run Windows XP within Windows 7. This has made it easier for small businesses to move over to Windows 7, while being able to run legacy applications (i.e. applications designed to run in Windows XP) within a virtual environment.

Why? A lot of programs that were designed to work with Windows XP are still being used today, and while Vista’s compatibility list was an issue, Windows 7 has improved on this. However, some programs may still have a problem. Windows XP Mode is basically an operating system that runs inside another operating system, in this case, Windows XP inside of Windows 7. Now, you can install programs designed to run in XP, onto XP, and run them from XP.

Take a look at the Microsoft Windows XP Mode. It is advisable that your hardware supports virtualisation, but now no longer necessary.

Hacked Twitter accounts

admin — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 17:42:29 +0000

Although we are not one of them, there have been a series of “Twitter” accounts that have been compromised through a scam whereby users were lead to enter their log in details at a fake Twitter site, thus handing account details straight to someone else.

These details were used to send spam through direct messaging. We recieved three direct messages and notified the users immediately to change their password.

The Register report is here.

As details were handed over unwillingly via a phishing attack, even a strong password wouldn’t have prevented this. So how do you avoid this kind of attack?

A phishing attack is one where the user is lured into handing over account details to a site that looks completely legitimate. This can be either through E-Mail, or clicking through somewhere which then guides you to the fake site.

Therefore, if you recieve anything via e-mail from anyone like Twitter, Facebook, or even the major banks such as Lloyds or HSBC, asking you to click on a link to verify account details (or similar words), the chances are its fake as they, especially banks, will not ask for your personal details via e-mail.

Also, just be wary of the web address you are visiting. ‘twitter.com’ is what your looking for. ‘twitter.something.somethingelse.domainname.net’ is not legitimate.

Check these reports on the Sophos website, here and here.
If you are a supported client and you are ever unsure, give us a call.

Internet Explorer Security – update

Mat — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 09:51:28 +0000

Microsoft have now released an “out of band” security update that addresses the vulnerability in Internet Explorer that was responsible for the attacks on Google China recently. The security issue lead to German and French authorities recommending alternative browsers, such as Firefox or Chrome.

Now, with this patch, users minimise the risk of exposing themselves to harmful code found on infected sites. If you are a Vista or Windows 7 user and you have automatic updates on, then the patch will download automatically. If you haven’t activated automatic updates, or you wish to manually update, either visit the update.microsoft.com website or, if you are a Vista or 7 user, go to Start -> All Programs -> Windows Update. Download the update Internet Explorer KB 960714 patch.

More information can be found here at the Microsoft Security site.

Internet Explorer Security

Mat — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 11:38:20 +0000

It has been reported both by the BBC and The Register that a bug in IE, namely “Zero Day”, was part of the cause for the security issues at Google’s Chinese offices. Following these reports, the German authorities have suggested users to switch to a different browser as Microsoft are yet to release a fix, although they have released a Security Advisory.

If you are using Internet Explorer 8, your operating system is Windows 7 and you are fully patched and updated (run Windows Update to find out), you are least at risk. For all users, we suggest performing the following to minimise any impact to your machine(s):

Ensure that Windows is fully patched and updated. If you are using older versions of Internet Explorer, we highly recommend updating to version 8.
Check to make sure your anti-virus is up to date too.
To maximise protection, you could change your Internet Explorer security settings to “High”. You may have to add legitimate sites to the “trusted sites” list as high security settings may even block legitimate content.
Be wary of the sites you are visiting and the adverts you are clicking on. If you are unsure at any stage and you are a supported client, call us for assistance.
Alternatively, you can use a different browser. Google Chrome is fast and easy to use, while Firefox is the favourite for many.

We are keeping an eye on this one and will post updates to this story as and when they are released. If you are a supported client, call or e-mail us if you have any concerns or questions with regards to the above.

Microsoft Office 2010

Mat — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:23:05 +0000

As we approach the end of 2009, we have a lot to look forward to in 2010, especially on the Microsoft front. We all experienced the release of Windows 7 earlier this year, with businesses already upgrading to take advantage of all the new features, promising to be more user-centric and easier to work with. Not only that, but some companies are making the most out of their Windows 7 purchase by upgrading to Server 2008 R2 and benefiting from features such as Direct Access*. Not to mention a range of other features including the Active Directory Recycle Bin, improved management tools and virtualisation support, including Live Migration.

Next year will see the release of three new products – Office 2010, SharePoint Server 2010 and Exchange 2010. Communication and efficiency will be the key behind these products, making it easier for team members to communicate and collaborate, no matter where they are based. Today I will focus on Office 2010.

Office 2010

The beta version of Office has been available to download for a little while now, and it boasts some cool new features. For example, Outlook 2010 will be able to manage multiple mailboxes from multiple services, including Hotmail and GMail. Also, there will be strong integration with SharePoint for collaboration purposes. Exchange 2010 will also work seamlessly with Outlook, allowing voicemails and faxes to be sent directly to your inbox.

PowerPoint 2010 need no longer be a simply case of slide after slide of text – there will be some advanced image editing features included, as well as the ability to add video.

Closing a Word document that you haven’t saved since you started working on it 3 hours ago can be a nightmare – Word 2010 boasts a feature that allows you to recover draft versions of recently edited files so that you can jump back to the most recently drafted version. Also, if more than one user needs to work on a document, you no longer need to edit, save, send, open and vice-versa – with an Instant Messenger application, or Office Communicator 2007, more than one user can work on a document at the same time, allowing for greater efficiency and collaboration.

Excel 2010 newest feature is caled Sparklines – the creation of small charts within a single cell that allows you to quickly identify patterns within your data and spot trends at a glance. The integration with SharePoint 2010 will also be greatly improved, allowing team members to share business critical data quickly.

From the screenshots, Office 2010 is looking great – however, Office Ribbon lovers will be eager to know that the Office Ribbon is back. However, Office 2010 is set to make things easier by allowing users to customise their ribbon to suit the way they work.

No release date has been given yet, but expect news in the early part of 2010. In the meantime, why not give it a try yourself? I’ve been testing the beta and I’ll say one thing – if you have been running 2007, the layout will be familiar and getting around will be easy. If you are running 2003, you have a learning curve ahead of you but you’ll get used to the new look in no time at all.

*Direct Access feature only with Windows 7 Ultimate / Enterprise

Black Screen of Death update

Mat — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:05:04 +0000

Following on from my post yesterday, it seems as though the issue, dubbed “Black screen of death”, has been narrowed down to a Malware issue, and not a security update as previously reported. Microsoft have written a brief report on what they believe is the cause.

Prevx are still offering their “fix” from their website, together with instructions on how to run the tool. However, should the fix not work, some users have had to resort to reinstalling Windows.

Black Screen of Death

Mat — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 14:41:23 +0000

BBC News have reported on an issue with Windows 7 whereby when a user logs in, all he / she is presented with is a black screen with the “Computer” desktop icon, no taskbar and no other icons. This has also affected Vista and XP users, and has apparently been caused by a security update that was released on the 25th November.

If you are suffering with this problem, Prevx have released a fix that may or may not work which can be found at their blog here*. Microsoft are currently investigating, and have suggested users are to contact Microsoft Customer Support line should they experience an issue. If you are a C Data supported client, then do contact us if you are experiencing any problems highlighted in this blog.

*Please note that C Data are not responsible for content found on external sites. Using this tool is at your own risk.

Free AV security software from Microsoft

Mat — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:53:52 +0000

For the home user, Microsoft have released “Microsoft Security Essentials” (MSE), a no cost antivirus software that will protect home users against viruses, malware and spyware. It succeeds Microsoft Live OneCare, which was a subscription based anti virus solution.

Having tried and tested it ourselves, and based on the reviews, it is actually quite good – it runs quietly in the background without taking too much of your system resources, it can be scheduled to check your system on a regular basis, or you can perform manual checks yourself. So long as you keep it up to date (as you should with any antivirus software), MSE should keep your system safe from the latest threats.

There are limits:

You must be a home user. The business alternative is Microsoft Forefront Client Security, part of the Microsoft Forefront range of security solutions.
It is available only on Windows XP, Vista and 7. Your operating system must also be legitimate and registered with Microsoft.

Remember to keep your antivirus software up to date!

Find MSE for download here – http://www.microsoft.com/Security_Essentials/.

C Data are not responsible for the content of external sites

Which edition is right for you?

Mat — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:03:10 +0000

As outlined in one of our previous posts (Windows 7 editions), the new version of Windows comes in a variety of flavours, in the same way as previous Microsoft operating systems have (XP Home Premium, XP Professional as an example). If you are buying new hardware, or purchasing a license of Windows, it is important to understand that different editions offer different features. The edition you buy is dependant on what you will be using your computer for.

Here is a list of common tasks that users will perform on their computer, and the edition that is right for them in order to perform their tasks.

Media experiencing (listen to music, watch videos)

Windows Home Premium. Home Premium includes Windows Media Centre, enabling you to listen to music and watch videos, supporting a wide variety of codecs. Also, users with an XBox can stream media to their XBox with the native Windows Media Extender.

Playing games

Windows Home Premium. Home Premium is ideal for the average gamer wanting to install and play games on their home machine. Windows 7 should support the majority of the latest video cards, with the drivers pre installed and ready to go. If this is not the case, Windows will automatically connect to the internet, find the relevant drivers and install them.

Join a company domain

Windows 7 Professional. If your new machine is to be used for business purposes, and requires joining a company domain to gain access to company resources, Professional is the way forward for you as Home editions do not include this ability.

Direct Access and BitLocker

Windows 7 Enterprise / Ultimate. To take full advantage of all the features Windows has to offer, including Direct Access and Bit Locker, Enterprise or Ultimate is the product for you. Enterprise and Ultimate are, in theory, the same edition, except Enterprise is available to businesses on a Volume Licensing agreement, and Ultimate is available to the home user on a single license basis

I’m still not sure…

Remember, Professional includes all the features of Home Premium, Enterprise / Ultimate include all the features of Professional and Home Premium. The simplest way of narrowing down which edition you should go for is:

If you are going to be using Windows at home for word processing, media playing, gaming, browsing the internet, shopping online, use Home Premium
If you are going to be working from home or in the office, and you need to gain access to resources on a company network (that uses Windows Server, Active Directory), go for Windows Professional. If you are unsure on what your company uses, contact your network administrator or IT support company
If you want everything Windows can offer and you are a home user, buy Ultimate edition
If you want everything Windows can offer and you are purchasing for company use, check to see if your company has/can start a Volume License agreement that you can purchase Windows Enterprise on.

What is Starter / Home Basic?

These are basic editions of Windows 7. First thing to point out about Home Basic is that it is only going to be available in “Emerging Markets”, which excludes the UK. It is, as the name suggests, purely back to basics, with no added features (even no Media Centre!).

Starter will be available, but only as an OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer). This edition will be distributed mainly on Netbooks, offering the most basic of services.