Windows 7 64-Bit Install Gotcha

The release of a new version of Windows always brings a frenzy of tech activity. Windows 7 seems even more buzz worthy than a usual Windows release, partly because many people avoided upgrading to Windows Vista and are overdue for an operating system upgrade. Within the SU IT community several people have commented favorably after installing the new OS.

But as with every computing upgrade there is a potential for trouble. Nationwide some students have had difficulty upgrading from Windows XP to Windows 7. The specific problem occurs when people who have the 32-bit Windows XP try to upgrade to the 64-bit version of Windows 7. Switching from a 32-bit operating system to a 64-bit operating system adds a level of complexity: the Windows 7 64-bit installer needs to run in a 64-bit environment - thus, you can't run it from within 32-bit Windows XP. To solve the issue, boot from the Windows 7 DVD or purchase the 32-bit version of Windows 7 when upgrading from XP. For more details, see this Computer World article.





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Microsoft Windows 7 Available Today

Microsoft released its latest operating system, Windows 7, today. Students, faculty and staff of Salisbury University may order their copy for their home computers through the MSELA website.

Windows 7 is not currently a part of the Salisbury University-owned computer installations. At this time, the University has no timeframe or plans for switching from Windows XP to any other operating system.

Because this is a new version of Windows, ResNet and Wireless users should be aware that this operating system has not been tested with and may not work with our ResNet or wireless systems. Please keep this in mind before upgrading, and make a backup of your current installation before upgrading.

Also, the Help Desk is unable to provide support for this new operating system at this time, beyond the standard "best effort."
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Which version of Windows 7 should you buy?

Which version of Windows 7 should you buy? Techradar has a great article comparing the different versions of Windows 7, which should help anyone looking to upgrade or buy a new computer with the new operating system installed.

Unfortunately, the article is a little off for Salisbury University, as the only version of Windows 7 available through the MSELA is Windows 7 Ultimate. It makes sense though, as their review is geared towards home users and people buying new computers who won't have access to such great discounts! So if you're looking to upgrade and want to purchase using your student, faculty or staff discount through the MSELA, you can avoid the article altogether.

Luckily, they do have another article that reviews Windows 7 Ultimate, so you can get a feel for the version you'll get through the MSELA.

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Microsoft Update causes security hole in Firefox

Part of Microsoft's major patch released last Tuesday (October 13th) creates a vulnerability in Firefox, according to ComputerWorld. The security flaw is apparently related to the patch installing a plug-in for Firefox to work with the .Net framework. Further complicating matters, the plug-in is unable to be uninstalled on any Windows OS besides Windows 7.

Full article can be found here: http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9139459/Sneaky_Microsoft_plug_in_puts_Firefox_users_at_risk
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[Comic] This Hardly Ever Happens

Click for full comic.
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Microsoft Office Training Fall 2009

The IT Help Desk offers training on how to use the most popular programs in the Microsoft Office 2007 suite. The topics covered include basic features of Word 2007, Excel 2007 and PowerPoint 2007. IT Peer Training Sessions are geared toward SU students, but SU faculty and staff are welcome to attend. Each session is limited to 30 participants and preregistration is required.

We are currently offering the following courses:

MS Word - Wed, October 21, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B
MS Word - Thu, October 22, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm. TE-110B
MS Excel - Wed, November 4, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. TE-110B
MS Excel - Wed, November 4, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B
MS PowerPoint - Wed, November 18, 4:30 pm – 5:30 pm. TE-110B
MS PowerPoint - Wed, November 18, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B
MS Potpourri* - Tue, December 8, 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm. TE-110B
MS Potpourri* - Wed, December 9, 6:30 pm – 7:30 pm. TE-110B

* This is a combination of Word, Powerpoint, and Excel (questions required before hand).

Visit our training page to sign up.
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Thousands of Hotmail Passwords Hacked

Part of what is believed to be a larger stash of hacked usernames and passwords from Hotmail accounts has been posted online; believed to be gathered from phishing attempts.

Read the full story at http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/10/05/hotmail_passwords_leaked/ and don't forget to change your passwords!!
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