Windows 7 RTM Availability

Brandon LeBlanc – the writer behind The Windows Team Blog has just posted more details on the availability of Windows 7 RTM bits:

• Microsoft Connect, MSDN and TechNet subscribers will be able to get their hands on Windows 7 RTM on 6th August.
• Microsoft Partner Program Gold/Certified Members will get it on August 16th.
• Microsoft Action Pack Subscribers on 23rd August.
• For Business Customers with access to Volume License Service Center (VLSC) will get their hands on the final bits on 7th August.
• Retail Customers on 22nd October.

Microsoft is yet to publicly announce the final RTM Build of Windows 7. The fact that they didn’t call the latest leaked Windows 7 Build 7600.16385.090713-1255 as fake or not the final RTM makes me wonder whether Build 7600.16385.090713-1255 is indeed the final Build which Microsoft has already signed-off? Windows 7 Build 7600.16384 was previously quickly brushed off as not RTM when it was leaked on 12th July.

via - redmondpie

Windows 7 Media Center and Windows Home Server PP3

Windows Home Server Power Pack 3 Beta was released last week and it brought much needed and improved Media Center integration with Windows Home Server. Power Pack 2 added the functionality of making it easier to access content stored on a Home Server from a Media Center PC, Power Pack 3 takes it a step further!

Once you have installed and configured the new Media Center Connector which ships with Power Pack 3, Windows Media Center will prompt you to install Media Center Connector:

After installation is completed, restart Media Center and you should now have a new “Home Server” tab on the Home screen of Media Center which includes the following two sub menus:

a. TV Archive

In addition to recording tv directly to the Home Server, you can now also move recordings from an existing Media Center PC to your Home Server with a click of a button. You can either move individual TV shows, a series of shows, or all the TV recordings to be automatically moved from Media Center PC to the Home Server. Moreover, you can also convert the recordings to play them back on a compatible portable device such as a Zune or a Windows Mobile phone (No support for iPhone or iPod Touch).

Read more