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Sysinternals Process Explorer v11.12, Process Monitor v1.30 Released

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Process Explorer v11.12, Process Monitor v1.30, Handle v3.31, and a new blog post from Mark

Process Explorer v11.12: This update includes a number of minor enhancements and bug fixes, including support for tracking commit and non-paged pool limits.

Process Monitor v1.30: This major update adds support for importing and exporting filters, records system information in log files, presents more information about specific operations, includes translation of additional operation error codes, and tracks CPU and memory activity that it displays in a revamped process summary dialog.

Handle v3.31: This update unifies the drivers used by Handle and Process Explorer.

Marks Blog: “The Case of the System Process CPU Spikes” – See Mark’s latest blog entry where he demonstrates how he used Process Explorer to track down a device driver causing CPU usage spikes.

The Vista license “loophole” that isn’t

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Ed Bott discusses the issue of using a Vista upgrade disk when doing a non-upgrade install.

Look, you can argue that Microsoft’s prices are inconsistent and illogical, but that has nothing to do with the issue at hand here. An upgrade license is intended to replace a previous license, period. Advising readers to violate the terms of a license agreement is pure sensationalism, and it’s wrong.

I know it isn’t a popular stance but I agree with him 100%. I pretty much said the same thing February of last year in my Installing Windows Vista guide.

3 – Do I need an Upgrade or Full version?
If you intend on installing Vista on a machine that already has a Windows operating system, and you intend to upgrade (install over it) then get an upgrade version. Otherwise the license requirement says you need a full version. Yes you can do a clean install using an upgrade disk (instructions below). Please note, the Vista license agreement states that if you use an upgrade version then the OS you installed Vista over is no longer valid. This may or may not be a technicality based on your own set of morals. Example, I recently got a new laptop from Dell which came with XP installed and a free upgrade to Vista when available. Since I wanted to dual-boot (run both OS’s) XP and Vista I could not legally use the upgrade disk so I had to buy the full version.
(please do not write to me and whine about how expensive Vista is to justify your using an upgrade disk. Vista is not a “must have”. Stick with XP or try Linux, it’s free.)

Microsoft's Vista Blogger Quits…

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Nick White, Microsoft’s in-house blogger who wrote about all things related to the Windows Vista operating system, has resigned. It’s the latest in a series of key departures from the software maker.

Geeze, whatever the reason he left it doesn’t look good image wise for Microsoft and Vista. I don’t care what you think about Vista as an OS, it’s karma just seems awful.
Microsoft’s Vista Blogger Quits As Redmond Exodus Builds

SIW 2008-04-02 is available

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SIW – System Information for Windows is a free tool that gives you detailed system specs.

4/1/2008
* Added “Security” module.
* Added WinPE 2.1 Support.
* Added U3 Support.
* Enhanced “Updates” module. It shows “Installed Updated” and “Missing Updates”. The “Missing Updates” module will connect to windowsupdate.microsoft.com
* Enhanced “Ports” module.
* Added detection of Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2007. Thanks to Jan Romanowski.
* Fixed “/silent” option.
* Support for new hardware and software.
* Support for the latest Intel and AMD CPUs.
* Updated device database.
* Minor improvements.
* Bugfixes.

Download & Info

Vista-capable lawsuit paints picture of buggy NVIDIA drivers

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This article revels an interesting Microsoft memo. There is a chart with the breakdown of Vista’s crashes. The main problem? Yes, you already know, DRIVERS.
Vista-capable lawsuit paints picture of buggy NVIDIA drivers

NVIDIA drivers were identified as the cause of over 479,000 crashes, or just under 29 percent of all the crashes Microsoft logged. Microsoft’s own drivers follow, at 17.9 percent, and the “Unknown” category takes third place at 17 percent. ATI is in fourth place (9.3 percent) and Intel in fifth place (8.83 percent).

Random Musings, 19 March, 2008

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I’ve installed the official Vista SP1 via Windows Update on 4 machines in the last 2 days. All installs went fine. My vote for SP1 is Thumbs Up.
I’m working on a revision of the Vista tweak guide. Updated for SP1 of course, and a few additions and clarifications. Got any tips you think should be in there? Please post it in this post’s comments.
Here are some articles on Vista SP1 from around the web:
It’s Here! Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Arrives (Paul Thurrott)
Want Vista SP1? Here’s what to expect (Ed Bott)
Seems like some folks are having issues:
Vista SP1 horror stories start to appear (pcpro)
Windows Vista SP1 Wreaks Havoc On Some PCs, Users Complain (infoweek)
Windows Vista SP1 Meeting Sour Reception In Places (where microsoft can never do anything right)

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