The problem with XP mode though is that it requires hardware virtualisation support on the motherboard, and a great many business PCs simply don’t have support for this.

To aid with this Microsoft have been providing developers with all the help and support they can to get their software compatible with Windows 7 and Windows 7 Server, and have been sending out a series of Green Light emails to partners.

They’ve launched the ISV Application Compatibility Centre with tools and support aplenty.  They are also making it much easier for companies to get their software ‘certified’ to work with Windows 7.

In addition they’ve also set up teams of programmers to work with software houses who are experiencing difficulties in getting their software compatible with Windows 7.  They’ve also been offering incentives such as prizes for companies that make the October 22nd deadline or even beat it.

In reality there’s very little software that would be affected by this, and most of it will be bespoke applications used exclusively by big business.  Until those applications either fully work in Windows 7, or can be replaced by ones that do, those companies will simply stick with Windows XP.  I doubt they’ll worry too much about this either as they don’t traditionally make the move to a new operating system until the first service pack comes out about a year after its release.

Hopefully this will all make a difference to us, the end user.  One of the problems however is that software development can be a lengthy and expensive business and some companies simply don’t have the funds to be able to delve into this the way they would like to.

This is probably why Microsoft’s focus on the ‘green light’ project is to…

Stay ahead of the competition, win new business and keep your customers satisfied

Sounds good enough to me!  Microsoft has certainly been pushing hard in this space to get companies to migrate both their software and their business PCs to Windows 7 and it’s easy to see the benefits in doing so.

It’s good though that it’s not just words but that they are also backing this initiative up with legions of helpful support personnel.

Not only that, but Microsoft has stated that this should be one of many application compatibility updates (let’s hope that this promise isn’t like the Vista Ultimate promise), so users (and businesses) whose programs are still incompatible can safely look to the future and hope that their product will eventually be supported in Windows 7.

To learn more about which programs were specifically improved in terms of compatibility, you can take a look at the Knowledge Base Article or the list below:

• Alcohol 52% – Update enables Windows 7 compatible Alcohol 52% versions to work

• Altiris and Symantec Virtual Software up to version 6.1.499.x – Upgrade Block to avoid errors during Windows upgrade

• ZoomText version 9.18 – Driver hard Block to prevent an error

• Dell Printer Driver (Models-V105, V305 and V505) – Upgrade Block to avoid setup failure

• Trend Micro Internet Security 2007 – Upgrade Block to avoid error during Windows upgrade

• Trend Micro Internet Security 2008 – Upgrade Block to avoid error during Windows upgrade

• Trend Micro Internet Security 2009 – Upgrade Block to avoid error during Windows upgrade

• YiDongFeiXin version 2.2.x and version 3.5.x – Enables application to work

• PGP Desktop up to version 9.x – Soft Block to warn about possible issue after Windows upgrade

• Trend Micro VirusBuster 2008 – Upgrade Block to avoid errors

• Windows Live Photo Gallery – Update Windows Live Photo Gallery to avoid file association issue with Windows Media Player OCX

The “soft block,” “hard block,” and “upgrade block” lingo are also explained in the Knowledge Base article:

• Hard block – The update puts a hard block on the application. A hard block prevents an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 from running on the system (only if the manufacturer of the application gives its consent).

• Soft block – The update puts a soft block on the application. A soft block notifies you when an application that is incompatible with Windows 7 starts to run.

• Update – The update improves the application’s functionality in Windows 7.

Wzor has placed the download links to the Windows 7 RTM on their home page, and it definitely the real deal. The build string is:
6.1.7600.16384.win7_rtm.090710-1945

1234...192021►

This build string is a huge jump from the build before the RTM, and it also has a valid digital signature (cannot be faked). This is straight out of Microsoft, and has been leaked to major P2P sites (x64 only so far) (the original torrent is on Wzor). Windows 7 Server 2008 has also been leaked (again, only as x64), and the Beta version of Office 2010 has been leaked too (x86 and x64).

Although the title for the Office 2010 Beta still says “Technical Preview,” the build number confirms the Beta (14.0.4302.1000).

Now, onto the file details (the good stuff):

Windows 7 7600 RTM (x64):
7600.16384.090710-1945_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD.iso
Size: 3,224,717,312 bytes
CRC32: 1EE7DC6F
MD5: E6CE9644D0C7A8E1C950D257A7B2C8A4
SHA-1: 31849B315290EFABFD81F967ED3C553D82925E4C

Windows 7 Server 2008 RTM (x64):
7600.16384.amd64fre.win7_rtm.090710-1945.serverenterprise_en-us_vl. serverenterprise.vhd or file-tracker.ru
SIZE: 6,857,337,856 bytes
CRC: 2AA7974F
SHA1: EA13B569AD4EA4F34955D1FB8A7ADFF8A30297E6
MD5: EC65EE9F3B18F7A232F8B0073A02216A

Office 2010 Beta (x86):
14.0.4302.1000_Mondo_volume_ship_x86_en-us_wzt
Size: 798,101,835 bytes
CRC32: 8BE7AB28
MD5: 874AE2B75AD8FAF169784AFEC099B526
SHA-1: E8E13E9DF771314C2B8A615B4952A49DDE3C9117

Office 2010 Beta (x64):
14.0.4302.1000_Mondo_volume_ship_x64_en-us_wzt
Size: 893,402,501 bytes
CRC32: 7CBEF7DF
MD5: 24A46B000B79520969508CF940D6D581
SHA-1: E22690C6E63ACF0D0BDF9588E8308C5C855A38BC

Keep watch here on Windows 7 News for the report of the x86 leak of the Windows 7 RTM and the Server 2008 RTM.

The latest manufacturer to become ready for Windows 7 is ATI, whose ATI Catalyst 9.3 drivers now include full support for Windows 7, including Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM) 1.1 compliance for ATI Radeon HD 4000, 3000, and 2000 series of graphics cards.

In the latest ATI Catalyst drivers, gaming performance is also improved which should keep performance users happy.

It probably started with Mary-Jo Foley’s article over at Zdnet which basically stated that it was confirmed that Microsoft would skip Windows Server 2008 R2 and publish Windows 7 Server directly. Three days later Mary-Jo backpedaled on her initial article stating that Windows Server 2008 R2 was alive and on schedule to be released roughly 2 years after the release of Windows Server 2008. (That’s roughly 18 months from now).

On the other hand the internal codename for Windows Server 2008 R2 is Windows 7 Server which has definitely some irony it it because it’s also the name of the next installment of Windows Server after Windows Server 2008 R2 for the general public.

To rest the case: Windows Server 2008 R2 will be published as scheduled and the Windows Server product coming after that release will be Windows 7 Server which will probably have a different name by then.

This could mean a projected release date of 2011/2012 for Windows 7 Server, almost 4 years away from today and 1-2 years after the release of Windows 7.

There is not much to see and it’s definitely more of a “here we go again” post than anything else but we are happy with every tidbit that we can find out about Windows 7 and Windows 7 Server especially when they come from official Microsoft employees or internal sources.

Brian posted some additional information about this early build like the product name (Windows Server (R) 2008 Enterprise) and build ( 6608.winmain_win7m2.080511-1400)