Welcome to Windows 7 1 1
You told us what you wanted. We listened. This Windows 7 Product Guide highlights ® the new and improved features that will help deliver the one thing you said you wanted the most: Your PC, simplified.
Contents INTRODUCTION TO WINDOWS 7 DESIGNING WINDOWS 7 Market Trends that Inspired Windows 7 WINDOWS 7 EDITIONS Windows 7 Starter Windows 7 Home Basic Windows 7 Home Premium Windows 7 Professional Windows 7 Enterprise / Windows 7 Ultimate Windows Anytime Upgrade Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack Windows 7 Editions Comparison GETTING STARTED WITH WINDOWS 7 Upgrading a PC to Windows 7 WHAT’S NEW IN WINDOWS 7 Top Features for You Top Features for IT Professionals Application and Device Compatibility WINDOWS
WINDOWS 7 FOR IT PROFESSIONALS WINDOWS 7 FOR IT PROFESSIONALS: MAKE PEOPLE PRODUCTIVE ANYWHERE Remove Barriers to Information Access Information from Anywhere 88 92 92 95 WINDOWS 7 FOR IT PROFESSIONALS: MANAGE RISK THROUGH ENHANCED SECURITY AND CONTROL Protect Data on PCs and Devices Protect Workers and Infrastructure Builds on Windows Vista Security Foundation 100 100 102 103 WINDOWS 7 FOR IT PROFESSIONALS: REDUCE COSTS BY STREAMLINING PC MANAGEMENT Easier Deployment Keep PCs Running Smoothly Better Su
PCs are an integral part of the daily lives of billions of people around the world. They are used for more functions than anyone could have imagined just a few years ago, and as PCs become more deeply woven into our everyday lives, our expectations keep increasing. With Windows® 7, you told us what you expect from a PC. And we listened. In Windows 7 we’ve developed hundreds of little improvements and a few big ones that add up, frankly, to a whole lot less.
Designing Windows 7 More than a billion people use Microsoft Windows every day. You use it in significant ways, like earning a living. You use it in personally meaningful ways, such as using a webcam to visit with a faraway loved one. And you experience it in small ways, like playing your favorite song or whiling away a few minutes with a game. Though each situation might be different, your satisfaction relies on one thing: that your PC works, plain and simple.
Designing Windows 7 Market Trends that Inspired Windows 7 As we planned Windows 7, we took a hard look at how the world of technology is changing and what that means for you. In doing so, we identified some key themes that influenced our engineering design efforts and helped us to focus on where we could deliver the highest value to you. • Hardware advances. Since Tablet PCs with touch screens were introduced more than five years ago, a whole range of new devices has made touch technology more popular.
Windows 7 Editions Different people expect different things from their PCs, which is why we offer multiple editions of Windows 7. And because your needs can change over time, we have designed Windows 7 so that you can move up to editions with more features, without giving up the features you already have. Windows® 7 Enterprise/Windows® 7 Ultimate Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 Ultimate are no-compromise editions for people who want everything Windows 7 has to offer*.
Windows 7 Editions Windows 7 Starter Windows 7 Starter makes small notebook PCs and other PCs with limited hardware easier to use because it puts less between you and what you want to do—less waiting, less clicking, and less hassle connecting to networks. Windows 7 Starter is designed to meet basic needs and combines the latest in reliability and responsiveness with the familiarity of Windows.
Windows 7 Home Premium The best edition for consumers, Windows 7 Home Premium provides the best entertainment experience on your PC. You’ll find easy ways to connect to other PCs and devices, all in a visually rich environment that makes everyday use simpler and more engaging. With Home Premium you can create a homegroup to share all of your favorite photos, videos, and music with other networked PCs running Windows 7.
Windows 7 Editions Windows 7 Enterprise / Windows 7 Ultimate Windows 7 Enterprise and Windows 7 Ultimate are the most versatile and powerful editions and are designed to address the needs of both enterprise customers and consumers who want every feature of Windows 7. While the features in these editions are the same, Windows 7 Enterprise includes volume activation capabilities and is only available to customers with a Microsoft Software Assurance Agreement.
Windows Anytime Upgrade Sometimes you want to be able to do more with your PC. That’s why we’ve made it easier for you to move from one edition of Windows to the next. For example, you may have purchased a small notebook PC with Windows 7 Starter but decide soon after that you want to customize your desktop or create a homegroup. With Windows Anytime Upgrade, you can add features to Windows 7 in as few as 10 minutes.
Windows 7 Editions Windows 7 Editions Comparison This table summarizes the key differences between the editions: Key Features Windows Taskbar and Jump Lists Internet Explorer 8 Join a homegroup Home media streaming, including Play To ^ Starter Home Premium Professional Enterprise/Ultimate ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Aero Glass and improved desktop navigation Windows Media Center^ and Internet TV ¹ Create a homegroup Windows XP Mode Doma
Getting Started with Windows 7 Whether you’re buying a new PC or upgrading your current PC to Windows 7, you probably want to get through the setup process as quickly as possible. Windows 7 is designed to get you up and running fast. Windows 7 includes a new Getting Started experience that points you in the right direction by highlighting some common tasks associated with setting up your new PC. You’ll see Getting Started on the Start menu when you first use Windows 7.
Getting Started with Windows 7 Migrating from Windows XP Windows 7 is best experienced on a new PC with the latest hardware, but if your computer meets the minimum specifications, you can install Windows 7 on a PC running Windows XP. Windows 7 must be “custom” installed (also known as a “clean” installation) over Windows XP. Before beginning the installation, you’ll need to copy your files and settings to an external drive.
Windows Compatibility Center You may want to know if your devices and software will work with your computer, and that you have all the latest updates so your stuff works the way it’s supposed to. First introduced with Windows Vista, the Windows Compatibility Center is a single location where you can quickly and easily verify that your existing devices and applications will work—and double-check to make sure that your new purchases work too.
Getting Started with Windows 7 Windows Easy Transfer Windows Easy Transfer helps you move files, folders, program settings, and system settings from your old PC to your new one. With the newest version of Windows Easy Transfer, you can leave the transfer unattended. If Windows encounters a file or setting that it can’t transfer, it will complete the rest of the migration and then show you any items that failed to transfer and give you the option to try again.
What’s New in Windows 7 Top Features for You We’ve designed Windows 7 to be the easiest, fastest, and most engaging version of Windows yet. We focused on helping your PC perform the way you want it to—quickly, easily, and with less effort. Although many of the new improvements are under the covers, Windows 7 also includes many more visible enhancements that will help you play with, work with, and manage your PC. The following table highlights some of the features that we think you’ll really like.
What’s New in Windows 7 Key Feature What You Can Do Internet and Digital TV Watch Internet TV content and turn your PC into a digital video recorder by using the support in Windows Media Center for many new broadcast TV tuners.* Internet Explorer 8: Visual Search See rich, relevant, visual suggestions as you type search terms. Internet Explorer 8: Web Slices Get the information you want from the Web updated and available at your fingertips, without leaving the page you’re on.
Top Features for IT Professionals From networking to security and search to user management, Windows 7 offers IT professionals a wide range of new and improved features. These include the following: Key Feature What You Can Do AppLocker Control which applications are allowed to run on user PCs. BranchCache Improve application responsiveness and end user productivity at branch offices while reducing the load on your Wide Area Network (WAN).
What;’s New in Windows 7 Application and Device Compatibility We recognize that your PC experience involves programs and devices from many different providers, so we’ve made a significant effort to ensure that the applications and devices you use and love are compatible with Windows 7 and work the way you’d expect them to. Windows 7 helps address application compatibility in several ways. Perhaps most importantly, we worked to minimize changes in the way applications and devices interact with Windows.
Windows 7 for You Windows 7 is more than just engineering and innovation—it’s the product that you asked for. You’ve told us you want everything you do on your PC to be faster and easier. You’ve said that you’d like it if the technology and devices in your home worked better together.
Windows 7 for You
Simplifies Everyday Tasks Windows 7 streamlines and simplifies the tasks you do most often. Its enhanced Start menu and Windows Taskbar put the files and programs you use most within easy reach, so they don’t clutter your desktop. And the desktop’s new streamlined interface puts you in control so you can get where you want to go faster. With an improved search engine and Windows Explorer in Windows 7, you don’t have to wade through multiple results to get the files or programs you’re looking for.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks In Windows 7, we set out to streamline and simplify the things you do every day—and you’ll find you can get more done with a lot less effort. The user interface is nimbler and more responsive, with navigation that gets you where you want to go—fast. Connecting PCs and devices is easier. Networks are simpler to discover and use.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Simple to Navigate Windows Taskbar The taskbar is one of the most familiar aspects of Windows. When you open files and programs, their icons show up on the taskbar so you can switch between them. Previous versions of Windows, however, automatically decide where on the taskbar to place each item, and the locations sometimes change with new sessions. In Windows 7, the taskbar puts what you want to do at your fingertips.
When you have a large number of windows open for a program, the open windows for that program are displayed as a list. We’ve enhanced this list view by adding the ability to peek at a highlighted window or even close a window directly from the list. Programs use the new taskbar to provide more information in more intuitive ways. For example, you can see progress bars on a taskbar icon, so that you can stay aware of progress without keeping the window visible.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Simple to Navigate Jump Lists Do you keep a lot of documents on the Windows desktop or in your Documents folder? If so, you know how hard it can be to find that one file you need. Jump Lists can help. These dynamic lists automatically show you files based on how often and how recently you’ve done things, so you’ll spend less time looking for your favorite song or that document you worked on yesterday.
Desktop Enhancements One of the many benefits of Windows is the ability to work with large numbers of documents and programs at the same time. But have you ever had to wade through a dozen open windows to get to the right document? Or had to minimize a number of windows to view a gadget on your desktop? Or do you often line up two windows so that you can easily compare their contents? With desktop enhancements in Windows 7, working with multiple windows on your desktop is easier than ever.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Simple to Navigate Want to get all but one window out of the way? Try Aero Shake. Grab the top of that window and shake it, and all the other windows on your screen will minimize to the taskbar. Shake the window again to restore the windows to their original sizes. You can also snap open windows to screen borders, so you’ll no longer have to click tiny objects in the corner of a window to change the window size.
Windows Explorer As you use your PC more and more, you may find the number of files you have to manage getting larger. Windows Explorer in Windows 7 give you a central place to view and organize all the files on your PC. The new layout of Windows Explorer reduces clutter and makes better use of space, while an improved navigation pane helps you find and organize your files—even when those files are on other PCs in your home network.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easier to Find Things Easier to Find Things Windows 7 helps you search more efficiently, regardless of whether what you’re looking for is on your PC, on another PC running Windows 7, on your home network, or on the Web. The new Libraries feature and Windows Search enhancements go hand-in-hand with improvements to the Aero Desktop and Windows Explorer to make finding what you want a breeze.
You can even arrange and view the files in your Libraries by some of its metadata. For example the “Month” and “Day” views in the Pictures Library group together the photos taken on the same date. And the Videos Library features a way to arrange the files by length so you can separate the shorter clips from the longer movies. Libraries are automatically indexed by Windows Search so viewing and searching is fast.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easier to Find Things Improved Search Relevance When searching for something, you probably want to find it quickly without spending a lot of effort wading through extraneous items. Windows 7 makes search results more relevant and easier to understand. The search engine uses an improved algorithm to determine relevance and rank results.
Easy to Browse the Web As people spend more time online, their demands on the browser have increased. Since Microsoft delivered Internet Explorer 7, millions of people around the world have taken advantage of its tabbed browsing, the built-in search box, and other features to improve their Web browsing experience. Internet Explorer 8 takes these features a step further to help meet your browsing expectations.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easy to Browse the Web Web Slices E-mail, weather, sports scores, stock quotes, or auction item status—there are Web sites we visit multiple times during the day to get updates. Web Slices in Internet Explorer 8 make it simple to access this information without having to navigate to the Web site again and again. Web site owners can now mark parts of their pages as Web Slices.
Smart Address Bar If you use Internet Explorer 7, you know that the Address Bar presents matching Web addresses from your history as you type. However, you have to type the same beginning of the Web address to display the same results—and there’s no way to delete an entry if you’ve mistyped it.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easy to Connect PCs and Manage Devices Easy to Connect PCs and Manage Devices More than half of all U.S. households have more than one PC. If you live in one of those households, you may have experienced trouble setting up a network or found that the PCs in your home don’t work together as well as they could. Even when your PCs are successfully networked together, sharing content and devices such as printers doesn’t happen automatically.
After you’ve created your homegroup, accessing and sharing files among the various PCs—or other devices—in your home is like having all your data on a single hard disk drive. For example, you might have digital photos stored on a PC in your den. With HomeGroup, you can easily access those photos from a laptop or any other PC in the homegroup from anywhere in your home. Similarly, if there’s a printer connected to a PC in your homegroup, the printer is set up automatically on PCs that join the homegroup.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easy to Connect PCs and Manage Devices Windows Connect Now The first step in sharing information between PCs is to connect them to a network. Windows Connect Now is a feature of Windows 7 that makes it fast and easy to set up your home or office network and connect additional PCs. In the past, it’s been difficult to get a new network up and running. Now, all you have to do is turn on a router that has the Compatible with Windows 7 logo and click “Connect.
The Devices and Printers Folder The Devices and Printers folder is a single location where you can access and interact with all your devices. When Windows 7 detects a device it automatically downloads and installs any required drivers. After your device has been installed, it will appear in the Devices and Printers folder with a photo-realistic icon. From there you can access any task you want to perform, such as customizing your mouse or webcam settings.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easy to Connect PCs and Manage Devices Device Stage Do you have a lot of digital devices like phones, music players, or digital cameras? Device Stage helps you manage all of your devices more efficiently by showing you the status of each and displaying the common things you can do with them in a single familiar window. When you connect portable devices such as digital cameras and cell phones to your PC, you’ll see a photo realistic image right on the taskbar.
Improved Support for External Displays If you have a laptop, you may want to connect it to an external display to watch a movie at home or give a presentation at work. Windows 7 makes it easier to connect to external displays because all of the common display-related features are gathered in one place, under Display in Control Panel. You can use the Windows key + P shortcut to toggle between your laptop screen and an external display.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easy to Communicate and Share Easy to Communicate and Share With Windows 7 and Windows Live Essentials, your PC will help you stay connected to the people and things you care about and do it safely. Windows Live Essentials is a free suite of programs for e-mail, photos, instant messaging, and more. It can be downloaded from the Web and, for some new PCs, comes pre-installed.
Windows Live Messenger Windows Live Messenger makes it effortless to connect to your favorite people or groups, chat via IM, video or voice, play games, share photos and monitor what’s new with your circle of friends. The latest release of Messenger doesn’t just feature a brand new look and feel—it’s also designed so that you can personalize nearly everything.
Windows 7 for You: Simplifies Everyday Tasks Easy to Communicate and Share Windows Live Photo Gallery After you import photos to your PC running Windows 7, use Windows Live Photo Gallery to edit, organize, and publish them to the Web. You can even tag photos in Photo Gallery so that you can easily find them later.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want More than anything else, you’ve told us that you care about the basics. No one has the time to deal with PCs that aren’t snappy and responsive or fall short of expected performance—like taking too long to wake up from sleep. And we’d all like to feel more secure, online and off. In other words, everything should just work—and work the way you want it to. Windows 7 takes the improvements we made in Windows Vista and extends them.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want Speed, Reliability, and Responsiveness Start, Shutdown, and Resume Windows 7 is ready when you are. It’s designed to start, hibernate, and shut down faster than Windows Vista. We also focused on ways to resume from sleep more quickly and reliably. And because resuming from sleep is much faster than rebooting your PC, you can use sleep when you really need your PC to come to life quickly.
Windows Experience Index The Windows Experience Index measures the capabilities of your PC’s hardware and software, and expresses this measurement as a number called a base score. A higher base score generally means that your computer will perform better and faster than a computer with a lower base score. In Windows 7, the Windows Experience Index has been updated to reflect advances in processor, graphics, and hard disk technology.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want Speed, Reliability, and Responsiveness Power-Saving DVD Playback With Windows 7, your PC will use less power when playing a DVD. Windows 7 requires less processing power than previous versions of Windows and is more efficient when it spins discs. Wake on Wireless LAN Having your PC go into Sleep state when idle is a good way to conserve power.
64-Bit Computing Support If you’ve gone PC shopping lately, you’ve probably noticed more computers with 64-bit processors and wondered what advantages they offer. Put simply, a 64-bit PC can handle larger amounts of information than traditional 32-bit systems. Because it can use more RAM (4 GB and up) a 64-bit PC can be faster and more responsive depending on the workload.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want More Secure More Secure Whether your hard disk drive contains irreplaceable family photos or the financial data critical to your business, the information on your PC is valuable. Viruses, spyware and other unwanted software, root kits, and phishing scams pose a constant risk today. In Windows Vista, we created multiple layers of defense to help protect you against online and offline threats.
Parental Controls If you’re a parent, Windows 7 Parental Controls can give you greater peace of mind and confidence in your ability to manage what your kids can do on the PC. You can specify which PC games your children can play and which programs they can use. You can even specify the times when your child is allowed to use the PC. Windows Live Family Safety is a free download that works with Windows 7 and gives you tools to manage and monitor what your children do on the Web.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want More Secure Internet Explorer Security The Web can be a dangerous place, with sites that attempt to download malicious code, trick you into divulging personal information, or track your actions without your knowledge or consent. Internet Explorer 8 improves your defense against security and privacy threats, and includes the ability to help identify malicious sites and block the download of malicious software.
Cross-Site Scripting Filter You could do everything right with respect to security—such as always installing the latest security updates—yet still remain vulnerable to some types of security threats. For example, cross-site scripting attacks are a leading threat against Web sites and can be used to steal cookies or other data, deface pages, steal credentials, or launch more exotic attacks.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want More Secure InPrivate Filtering You probably know that the Web sites you visit can track your activity, but you may not be fully aware of the degree to which additional Web sites and content providers can track you as well. Most Web sites today are mosaics of content that come from many different sites. As a result, the sites you visit often pull in content from third-party sites, which can track your activity even though you’re not aware of it.
Windows Filtering Platform The Windows Filtering Platform (WFP) architecture in Windows 7 helps software companies create firewalls, antivirus software, and other types of applications and services that work with Windows. For example, third-party developers can use the WFP to create a product that selectively turns parts of the Windows Firewall on or off, which allows you to choose which software firewall you want to use and have it coexist with Windows Firewall.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want More Secure Backup and Restore Even the most reliable PC can be subject to a hardware failure, and even the most careful person can delete a file by mistake. When these things happen, it’s important to have a recent backup of important data—yet many people forget to back up their PCs regularly. Windows 7 helps streamline the backup process.
Compatible With You A cluttered Windows desktop is like a cluttered desk—it can make it harder to focus on the task at hand. When you start using Windows 7, you’ll immediately notice its clean and uncluttered appearance. For example, the Notification Area in the lower-right corner displays only four icons by default. New icons don’t appear automatically when you install programs. Instead, you control what gets placed where, so your desktop stays clean and reflects your personal preferences.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want Compatible With You Ever wanted to turn your desktop background into a photo slideshow? Then you’ll love Aero Background, the new feature in Windows 7 that lets you choose photos from your PC and display them as your desktop background. Desktop samples Gadgets Windows 7 improves the Gadget feature first found in Windows Vista by making gadgets easy to position anywhere on the desktop and simple to resize.
Global and Cultural Relevance Windows 7 offers many desktop themes tailored to different regions and languages, with special wallpapers, sounds, and Aero Glass colors to provide a more locally relevant experience. In addition, Internet Explorer favorites and RSS feeds automatically show you locally relevant content, so you feel right at home.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want Compatible With You Access Your Windows 7-based PC’s Network Connections You can still access the Internet when you’re working in Windows XP Mode because the network connections of your Windows 7-based PC are always accessible. In addition, you can also connect your virtual machine to your company network.
Better Troubleshooting and Problem Solving We created Windows 7 to help give you a trouble-free computing experience. But if problems do arise, Windows 7 notifies you in more intelligent ways and makes resolution easier and faster. When something in Windows 7 needs your attention, you’ll have one place to go, with troubleshooters that help solve many common problems. Action Center In previous versions, Windows notifies you that something needs attention on your PC by using pop-ups or other messages.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want Better Troubleshooting and Problem Solving Windows Troubleshooting Wouldn’t it be nice if your PC could recognize and solve many common problems, so that you could stay productive rather than calling for help? Windows Troubleshooting—new in Windows 7—diagnoses and resolves common operating system and hardware issues by using built-in troubleshooters for several different types of problems.
Built-in Troubleshooters in Windows 7 Troubleshooter Description Aero Troubleshoot problems that prevent you from experiencing Aero animations and effects. Browse the Web Troubleshoot problems that prevent you from browsing the Web with Internet Explorer. Connection to a Shared Folder Access shared files and folders on other PCs. Connection to a Workplace Troubleshoot problems that prevent you from connecting to Using Direct Access your workplace network over the Internet using DirectAccess.
Windows 7 for You: Works the Way You Want Better Troubleshooting and Problem Solving Startup Repair Startup problems can be difficult to troubleshoot, because if you can’t start the operating system you can’t use the built-in troubleshooting tools. In the past, you or your support professionals may have found it easier to reinstall your operating system than troubleshoot, even though the solution may be as simple as replacing a single file.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible As new technologies emerge, we’re busy translating them into exciting new experiences that are sophisticated, yet fun and easy to use. We’re providing new ways for you to view TV, listen to and share music, and bring your PC to life with multi-touch technology. And when you need to work remotely, you’ll have more ways to maintain productivity and stay connected with your family and colleagues.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible Media the Way You Want It Windows Media Center With a streamlined user interface and support for new content types and digital TV, Windows Media Center in Windows 7 makes viewing TV, movies, and other media content on your PC easier than ever. The new Electronic Program Guide (EPG) in Windows Media Center brings together both broadcast and Internet TV so you can find all your favorite programs in one place.
Sharing TV around the Home If you have multiple PCs running Windows Media Center in your homegroup, you can access recorded TV Libraries—in addition to your music, photos, and videos—on those different PCs. You can also copy a TV show to your laptop to enjoy on the go. Windows Media Center in Windows 7 makes sure that all unprotected Windows TV recordings can be discovered, played, and copied by any PC running Windows 7 in your homegroup.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible Media the Way You Want It Windows Media Player Windows Media Player in Windows 7 plays more media and delivers a richer media experience than earlier versions. Whether you want to listen to your favorite songs while you’re working or watch a DVD in full-screen mode, playback starts quickly and remains consistent.
Improved Content Filtering In Windows 7, content that cannot be played, such as Apple’s Lossless .M4A or H.263 MPEG-4 content, will no longer appear in the music or video library view so you don’t get distracted by files that won’t work. But if you need to get them for some reason, these files will still be listed in the Other Media library in Windows Media Player. Better Access to your Media With Windows 7, you always have quick access to media and how it’s played.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible Media the Way You Want It Media Streaming As you acquire more PCs and devices, you’ll have more physical places to store your music, photos, and video. But what if all your music is on a laptop, yet you want to play it on your main PC with the great speakers? Now, with Media Streaming, you can.
For example, say you’re sitting on your couch, using your laptop to read e-mail or surf the Web, and you’d like to listen to some music, but your laptop speakers don’t sound good enough. With Windows 7, you can open Windows Media Player, right-click the song, album, or playlist you’d like to hear, select Play To, and you’ll see a list of supported devices and PCs on which you can play your music.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible Media the Way You Want It Remote Media Streaming If you’re like most people, your home PC is the central place where you store and enjoy your photo, music, and video collections. But you probably also often take your laptop to other locations such as hotels, airports, or coffee shops. Windows 7 offers Remote Media Streaming, which allows you to access your home-based digital media Libraries over the Internet from another PC running Windows 7 outside the home.
Outstanding Sound Whether you’re playing music, watching a video, or listening to voicemail through your PC, you want a high-quality sound experience. With improved sound management features in Windows 7, you’ll get great sound for both entertainment and communications. For instance, Windows 7 automatically routes sounds—such as music, calls, and Windows sounds—to the right devices.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible Media the Way You Want It Games Explorer Games Explorer is the center for gaming on Windows 7. Just type games in the Windows Search box, and you’ll see all your games organized in one central location. Games Explorer provides information about games, such as game play statistics, ratings, and requirements. In addition, you can find new games or more information about your favorite games from online Game Providers right from Games Explorer.
A notification appears any time an update is available. 64-bit Gaming If you’re a gamer, you know how graphics, sound, and interaction capabilities are becoming richer. You probably also know that the hardware limitations of 32-bit PCs can limit your gaming experience. As more people start using 64-bit PCs, more games will be available to take advantage of its powerful processing. And because Windows 7 fully supports 64-bit PCs, you’ll be ready when they arrive.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible Work Anywhere Work Anywhere We live in a mobile world, taking our laptops and devices with us as we move between home, work, and other places. With Windows 7, you can easily get online and stay online as you move from place to place. Whether you’re switching from one network to another, attempting to access the Internet from a device, or taking advantage of mobile broadband, Windows 7 helps keep you connected.
DirectAccess With Windows 7, working from locations other than your office becomes even simpler. With DirectAccess, you can more securely connect to your corporate network over any Internet connection—without having to use VPN technology. It’s easy to connect to corporate resources whenever you have an Internet connection and, in most cases, it will seem as if you are connecting from your desktop computer at work. You can also still access public Web sites without going through your work network.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible Work Anywhere XPS Documents XML Paper Specification (XPS) documents are fixed-format documents that you can share and archive in a high-quality, efficient format. XPS documents can be opened without having the original program in which the document was created, so you can easily share your work. You can preview XPS documents within the Windows Explorer or Microsoft Office Outlook® messaging and collaboration client preview panes.
New Ways to Engage As new technologies emerge, Microsoft is working to translate them into exciting new experiences. Windows 7 builds on the work we’ve done in next-generation user interfaces, moving beyond the mouse and keyboard so that you can interact with your PC with multitouch gestures, handwriting, or voice. In addition, Microsoft continues to add support for Tablet PCs and to extend and improve accessibility options. Windows Touch Humans are tactile beings, with brains that are wired for touch.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible New Ways to Engage Windows 7 is touch-friendly throughout. For instance, the Start menu, Windows Taskbar, and Windows Explorer all have bigger icons that are easier to select with your finger. You can use your finger to arrange the pictures in a photo album or scroll through and select recorded TV in Windows Media Center. You can also control what happens on the screen by using more than one finger.
Tablet PC Enhancements Windows 7 improves the Tablet PC with greater accuracy and speed for handwriting recognition, support for handwritten math expressions, personalized custom dictionaries for handwriting recognition, and more. Improved Handwriting Recognition The Tablet PC writing surface has been completely re-designed so that handwriting is converted to text automatically as you write.
Windows 7 for You: Makes New Things Possible New Ways to Engage Accessibility Windows 7 enhances the accessibility options that are so important to people with special needs. From more personalized speech recognition to a new on-screen layout, Windows 7 is more accessible to everyone. Speech In Windows 7, we’ve improved the accuracy of Windows Speech Recognition so that you can dictate to your PC in many common programs and tell it what to do.
Windows 7 for IT Pros As people become increasingly computer-savvy, they expect more from the technology they use at work. They expect to be able to work from home, from branch offices, and on the road, all without a decrease in productivity. As their needs have grown, so have the demands placed on IT professionals, who are being asked to deliver new capabilities and support greater flexibility, while continuing to reduce risk and minimize costs.
Windows 7 for IT Pros
Make People Productive Anywhere Windows 7 helps your people be productive no matter where they are or where the data they need resides. They won’t have to look in multiple places to find information because a single search can examine a Microsoft SharePoint® team services site on a company intranet in addition to files on their PCs. With DirectAccess, mobile workers can more simply and securely access corporate resources when out of the office, without dialing a VPN.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Make People Productive Anywhere With Windows 7, you can respond to the need to make your workers productive on a range of applications, locations, and devices. They can access information more easily whether they’re on the road or in branch offices, and they can search in more places, including remote data sources and locations within the enterprise.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Make People Productive Anywhere Remove Barriers to Information Search and Federated Search In Windows 7, search is better integrated with enterprise infrastructures to help people more easily find the information they need. They can search in more places more easily—including remote data sources and within encrypted files—and IT professionals can publish important search locations through Group Policy.
Federated search uses OpenSearch 1.1 Enterprise Search Scopes Making it easy to discover and search intranet sites can help organizations maximize their return on these investments. With Windows 7, you can deploy up to five pre-defined links or search scopes through Group Policy on worker PCs to direct them to the right data sources and help them more easily find what they need.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Make People Productive Anywhere Access Information from Anywhere Access Information from Anywhere Whether traveling for business, taking work home at night, or simply bringing a portable computer to a meeting in the conference room down the hall, mobility is essential to a worker’s computing experience. As a result, more organizations are helping their people work from anywhere.
By default, Windows 7 does not deploy DirectAccess automatically. If you choose to enable DirectAccess, you will need to deploy Windows 7 Enterprise Edition or Windows 7 Ultimate Edition on worker PCs. You will also need to deploy Windows Server 2008 R2 DirectAccess Server on the edge of your network. Note: For more information on this feature, please see the “Windows 7 for You” section of this document. DirectAccess clients access the intranet using IPv6 and IPsec.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Make People Productive Anywhere Access Information from Anywhere Folder Redirection and Offline Files Using Folder Redirection and Offline Files is a convenient way for people not connected to the corporate network to access files stored on a central server. Windows 7 reduces initial wait times and improves branch office and remote access scenarios by operating in a Usually Offline mode when users are not connected to the same local area network (LAN) as the central server.
BranchCache For branch offices, network bandwidth limitations and latency in application response times can negatively affect productivity. We introduced Background Intelligent Transfer Service in Windows XP and the Distributed File System Replication service in Windows Server 2008 to help resolve these issues. BranchCache in Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 is the next step for improving worker productivity in branch offices and giving them an experience more like working in the main office.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Make People Productive Anywhere Access Information from Anywhere BranchCache supports the same network protocols that are commonly used in enterprises—HTTP(S) and SMB—so that any applications based on these network protocols will automatically benefit from the technology. Examples of these applications include Microsoft Office SharePoint 2007, Internet Explorer, CopyFile, and others.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Manage Risk Through Enhanced Security and Control As we become more connected and our IT infrastructures become more complex, the risks to systems and data continue to increase. Windows 7 builds on the security we developed in Windows Vista, retaining the multiple layers of defense that made Windows Vista the most secure version of the Windows client to date.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Manage Risk Through Enhanced Security and Control Protect Data on PCs and Devices Easier Deployment and Management of BitLocker In Windows 7, we enhanced core BitLocker functionality in many ways. One improvement is the ability to right-click a drive to enable BitLocker protection.
Protect Workers and Infrastructure People who run unauthorized software often experience a higher incidence of malware infections and generate more help desk calls. We understand how difficult it can be for IT departments to make sure that user PCs are running only approved, licensed software. With Windows 7, you’ll get even greater control over which applications can run on PCs.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Manage Risk Through Enhanced Security and Control Builds on Windows Vista Security Foundation Builds on Windows Vista Security Foundation Windows 7 builds on the proven security lineage of Windows Vista, retaining the multiple layers of defense that have made it the most secure version of the Windows client to date.
Improved Smart Card Support Although password-based authentication has well-understood security limitations, deploying strong authentication technologies remains a challenge for many organizations. Building on the smart card infrastructure advances made in Windows Vista, Windows 7 eases smart card deployment through the support of Plug and Play.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Manage Risk Through Enhanced Security and Control Builds on Windows Vista Security Foundation 104 105
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Reduce Costs by Streamlining PC Management The PC life cycle has a direct impact on costs, service levels, user productivity, and the ability to deliver business value. Organizations are constantly struggling to streamline all stages of the PC life cycle, including operating system and application deployment, ongoing management, and troubleshooting.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Reduce Costs by Streamlining PC Management Easier Deployment Easier Deployment Windows 7 enhances desktop and application deployment in several ways, beginning with improvements in application and hardware compatibility that reduce the evaluation and readiness cycle. New system imaging tools expand on the advances made in Windows Vista, helping you manage operating system images by using a single, consolidated toolset.
User State Migration Tool The User State Migration Tool (USMT) is a command-line tool you can use to migrate user profiles, files, and system and application settings from one operating system installation to another. For Windows 7, USMT adds a Hardlink Migration feature that migrates files from one operating system to another on the same PC without physically moving those files on the disk, providing significant performance gains compared to previous file-moving methods.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Reduce Costs by Streamlining PC Management Easier Deployment Flexible Deployment of Internet Explorer 8 With Internet Explorer 8, organizations will get the flexibility they need to deploy Internet Explorer 8 in ways that make sense for their particular needs.
Keep PCs Running Smoothly One of the best ways to minimize desktop support costs is to maintain a stable, secure desktop configuration, but this can be a challenge. Windows 7 builds on enhancements in Windows Vista to help IT organizations more effectively manage desktop and mobile PCs. Features such as Windows PowerShell 2.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Reduce Costs by Streamlining PC Management Keep PCs Running Smoothly •P owerShell Remoting. Windows PowerShell uses the standard management protocol WS Management (WS-MAN) to invoke cmdlets on client PCs. It supports two types of remoting: fan-out remoting, which provides one-to-many remoting capabilities so you can run management scripts across multiple PCs from a single console, and one-to-one interactive remoting, for remotely troubleshooting a specific computer.
Group Policy Preferences Group Policy Preferences extend the reach of what Group Policy can manage and how settings are applied. With Group Policy Preferences, system administrators can manage Windows components that are not Group Policy-aware, such as mapped network drives and desktop shortcuts. Windows 7 contains new Group Policy Preferences for flexible power management and more advanced task scheduling. You can also use Group Policy Preferences to deploy registry settings for managing applications.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Reduce Costs by Streamlining PC Management Keep PCs Running Smoothly Troubleshooting and Support Windows 7 provides richer built-in troubleshooting capabilities so consumers can resolve more technical issues on their own. If a call to the help desk is unavoidable, Windows 7 gives you the tools you need to resolve the issue quickly.
Windows Troubleshooting Platform Windows 7 delivers a comprehensive, extensible troubleshooting platform that uses a mechanism based on Windows PowerShell to troubleshoot problems. Key components of the Windows Troubleshooting Platform are as follows: • Windows Troubleshooting Packs. Windows troubleshooting packs are collections of Windows PowerShell scripts and related information.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Reduce Costs by Streamlining PC Management Better Support for Client Virtualization Better Support for Client Virtualization With VDI, you can run user desktops running in virtual machines on centralized servers. VDI provides an alternative to traditional desktop environments for nonmobile workers, with benefits that include flexibility (including user access from multiple locations) and increased business continuity.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack In addition to providing new enterprise benefits in each release of Windows, Microsoft regularly delivers new enterprise technologies through the Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) for Software Assurance.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack Microsoft Application Virtualization Application virtualization turns programs based on Windows into centrally managed virtual services that can be delivered to any physical or virtual desktop or portable computer worldwide. With application virtualization, you can deploy new applications in days instead of months, without worrying about whether the application will play work with other programs.
Microsoft Asset Inventory Service To remain compliant and optimize IT budgets, organizations must effectively manage their softwareasset inventory, and the first step toward upgrading to a new version of Windows is to get an accurate inventory of all their applications. The Microsoft Asset Inventory Service provides advanced software inventory scanning capabilities, with a robust database of software titles that translates application data into useful, IT-friendly information for on-demand access.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management With Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management (AGPM), IT professionals can take control of user PCs through effective change management, versioning, and rollbacks—all based on Group Policy Objects (GPOs) and a robust, role-based administration and delegation model.
Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset The Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset aids IT professionals in quickly diagnosing critical infrastructure problems so you can reduce support costs and keep people productive. It provides advanced diagnostic tools that can restore unbootable PCs, clean computers infected with malicious software, and help recover lost data.
Windows 7 for IT Pros: Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization (MED-V), enables deployment and management of Microsoft virtual PC Windows desktops to address key enterprise scenarios. Primarily, MED-V helps enterprises upgrade to the latest version of Windows even when some applications are not yet functional or supported.
Windows 7 Hardware and Software Logo Program With millions of choices in PCs, software, and devices, it can sometimes be time-consuming to find high quality products that are easy to use. The Windows 7 logo program helps you make better purchase decisions by identifying products that have passed Microsoft designed tests for compatibility and reliability with Windows 7, for both 32-bit and 64-bit systems.
Windows 7 Hardware and Software Logos Windows 7 Logo for PCs PCs with the Windows 7 Logo are tested to run and ship with Windows 7. If you see this logo, you’ll know that the PC meets the logo certification process, it has passed our comprehensive logo tests, and it can be upgraded to any edition of Windows 7. The Windows 7 Logo is your assurance that the PC meets or exceeds the system performance requirements for the Windows 7 operating system.
Recommended System Requirements Microsoft recommends the following minimum system requirements to make sure you get all the benefits of Windows 7. Windows 7 System Requirements • 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor • 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit) • 16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit) • DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.
Recommended System Requirements • Music and sound require audio output • Windows XP Mode requires the following: • Additional 1 GB of RAM • Additional 15 GB of available hard disk space • Processor capable of hardware virtualization, with Intel-VT or AMD-V turned on Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware. For more information, visit http://windows.microsoft.com/ systemrequirements.
How to Find More Information Although this guide provides a summary of the new and improved features in Windows 7, we realize that some of you might want to delve deeper into certain areas. A number of great resources are available to you to further your knowledge of these subjects. Resources for Everyone Whether you want to learn more about individual features or check out new security features to safeguard your precious information, there’s a wealth of information about Windows 7 online.
How to Find More Information Resources for IT Pros The Springboard Series on TechNet is the resource for Windows desktop IT professionals, offering dynamic content and monthly features about structured guidance and resources to ease your implementation experience wherever you are in the Windows Client adoption and management life cycle. Visit http://www.microsoft.com/springboard to access these resources today.
Appendix A Expanded Editions Feature Comparison The following table shows some of the most significant differences between the editions to help you determine which edition is right for you.
Appendix Key Features Starter Home Premium Professional Enterprise/Ultimate Switch between users without having to log on and off ✓ ✓ ✓ Connect to other PCs in your vicinity without a network access device ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Windows Mobility Center (without presentation settings)* ✓ ✓ ✓ Aero Glass & simpler window navigation ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ Premium games, including Chess Titans and Internet Backgammon ✓ ✓ ✓ Snipping Tool, Sticky Notes
Key Features Starter Join a Domain and Group Policy controls Remote Desktop Host Advanced Backup and Restore (Network Backup & Group Policy) Encrypting File System Windows Mobility Center* (with Presentation Mode) Offline Folders BitLocker and BitLocker To Go AppLocker DirectAccess BranchCache Multilingual User Interface Packs Enterprise Search Scopes Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) Enhancements ** Direct Boot from VHD Home Premium Professional Enterprise/Ultimate ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Appendix Appendix B Feature Comparison Chart The following table compares features of Windows 7 with those in Windows Vista with SP1 and Windows XP with SP3.
Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 Wake on Wireless LAN no no yes Smart Network Power no no yes Power Efficiency Diagnostics no no yes User Account Control no yes improved Parental Controls no yes yes Windows Filtering Platform yes yes improved BitLocker no yes improved BitLocker To Go no no new Backup and Restore no yes improved limited yes improved Aero Themes and Aero Background no yes improved Compatible Gadgets no yes improved with You Global and Cult
Appendix Benefit Access Information from Anywhere Windows XP Windows Vista Windows 7 RemoteApp and Desktop Connections yes yes improved Folder Redirection and Offline Files yes yes improved Roaming User Profiles yes yes improved BranchCache no no new Transparent Caching no no new Feature SP3 SP1 Windows 7 for IT Professionals: Manage Risks Through Enhanced Security and Control Protect Data on PC BitLocker no yes improved and Devices BitLocker To Go no no new Protect Wo
Appendix C New Keyboard Shortcuts Windows 7 introduces several new shortcut keys to help save you time and improve your productivity. To perform shortcut key strokes, just press and hold the keys. For example, hold the Windows key and press the arrow to maximize the selected window. Windows Taskbar +T Brings focus to the fi rst item in the taskbar. Press again to cycle through each item. + 1–9 If a program in the 1–9 slot is running, the keystroke will launch it.
Appendix Appendix D Installation Options for Upgrading Your PC to Windows 7 Your upgrade option will vary depending on what operating system you are currently using. 7 7 7 Upgrade FROM : Upgrade Custom Upgrade Custom Upgrade Windows XP/Windows Vista® Starter/32-bit to 64-bit Custom Installation Upgrade Installation Custom Upgrade Custom Custom Custom A custom installation enables dual boot or gives the option to replace your existing operating system with Windows 7.
Index 64-Bit 9, 16, 54, 80, 122, 123, 124 DirectAccess 13, 15, 22, 68, 82, 91, 95, 96, 111, 130, 132, 133 64-bit Gaming 80 DirectX 54, 80, 87, 124 Accelerators 9, 39, 112 DirectX: Direct3D 11 54, 80 Access Information from Anywhere 95, 132 DirectX: DirectCompute 54, 80 Accessibility 87, 126, 133, 134 Display 38, 40, 46, 48, 51, 52, 62, 63, 64, 75, 83, 129 Action Center 66, 67, 128, 132 Domain Name Highlighting 58 Adaptive Display Brightness 52, 131 Domain Name System Security Extensions 104, 13
Index Libraries 21, 35, 36, 37, 72, 74, 77,131 Location Aware Printing 12, 81, 129, 132 Magnifier 87, 133 Manage Devices 41, 131 MDOP 91, 100, 106, 116 Media Streaming 12, 15, 20, 21, 75, 128, 129 Microsoft Advanced Group Policy Management 119 Microsoft Application Virtualization 14, 117 Microsoft Asset Inventory Service 14, 118 Microsoft Desktop Optimization Pack (MDOP) 14, 91, 92, 100, 116 Microsoft Diagnostics and Recovery Toolset 14, 120 Microsoft Enterprise Desktop Virtualization 14, 121 Microsoft Sy
Windows 7 Logo Program 122 Windows 7 Professional 10, 12 Windows 7 Starter 10, 11, 14, 123 Windows 7 Ultimate 10, 13, 96, 130 Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor 16, 17, 124 Windows Anytime Upgrade 14, 123, 131 Windows Compatibility Center 18, 23 Windows Connect Now 43, 131 Windows Easy Transfer 16, 19, 131 Windows Experience Index 51, 52 Windows Explorer 27, 34, 35, 37, 83, 85, 93, 131 Windows Filtering Platform 60, 132 Windows Live Family Safety 49, 56 Windows Live Mail 47, 49 Windows Live Messenger 48 Windows Live
DISCLAIMER The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corp. on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented after the date of publication. This guide is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
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