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Release Notes for Windows "Longhorn" Beta 1 and Windows Server "Longhorn" Beta 1

Posted By: ActiveWin.com
Date: July 28, 2005

 

How to Use These Notes

These release notes address late-breaking issues and information about Microsoft® Windows® Code Name "Longhorn" beta 1 and Microsoft Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn" beta 1. Unless otherwise specified, these notes apply to both versions of the product.

Features Not Included in "Longhorn" Versions of Windows

The following components and features are being phased out and are not present in this beta release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows operating systems.

  • The Computer Browser Service used to find other computers in My Network Places. It is disabled starting with this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows.

  • The concept of interactive services is being phased out, starting with "Longhorn" versions of Windows. Session 0 is now reserved for services and system processes, and users can no longer interactively log on to session 0. Services that assume session 0 is an interactive session might no longer work correctly. Windows and dialog boxes that were displayed directly from services will not be visible to the user, and the service might stop responding if the user interface (UI) requires user input.

  • The following video components and features are being phased out, starting with this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows, so you should not use them:

    • IP data (IPSink, SLIP, NabtsFec, MPE, StreamIP, or NDisIP)

    • Video port-based captions

    • VBI bit slicing

    • Teletext rendering

    • MSWebDVD

Accessibility

The following issues and workarounds pertain to non-Microsoft assistive technology applications that you can use in conjunction with "Longhorn" versions of Windows.

Screen Readers

JAWS for Windows 6.0

You cannot install JAWS for Windows 6.0 with the option to have the voice synthesizer on during setup (the default option). If you choose this option, you will be asked to restart on every subsequent logon or whenever you start JAWS for Windows 6.0.

To avoid this, install JAWS for Windows 6.0 without the voice synthesizer on during setup. You can use Narrator to aid in the installation process. To start Narrator, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click Accessibility, and then click Narrator.

Important:
See the Applications section in this document for important information about using JAWS with Internet Explorer.

JAWS for Windows 5.0

You can install JAWS for Windows 5.0, but if the computer has an ATI video card, the system will not restart.

To prevent this problem, install an accelerated ATI video driver for Microsoft Windows XP.

Window Eyes 5.0 Professional

Default installations of Window Eyes 5.0 Professional do not have speech functionality.

To prevent this problem, install IBM ViaVoice synthesizer before you install Window Eyes.

Screen Magnifiers

Screen magnifiers such as ZoomText 8.1, ZoomText 7.11, and Supernova 6.51 do not start or function correctly in "Longhorn" versions of Windows. This is a known issue that Microsoft is working to solve in conjunction with non-Microsoft screen-magnification manufacturers.

If you need screen magnification, you can use the Magnifier application included with Windows. To start Magnifier, click Start, click All Programs, click Accessories, click Accessibility, and then click Magnifier.

Speech Input

Dragon Naturally Speaking 7.0 Preferred

You cannot install Dragon Naturally Speaking 7.0 Preferred on "Longhorn" versions of Windows.

There is currently no known solution to this problem.

Dragon Naturally Speaking 5.0 Preferred

After you install Dragon Naturally Speaking 5.0 Preferred on "Longhorn" versions of Windows, a dialog box opens indicating that the installation was not complete and that you should reinstall the application. This occurs even after you reinstall it.

To prevent this problem, install Spchapi.exe from the Microsoft speech application programming interface (SAPI) software development kit (SDK).

Learning Aids

Aurora Talk

After Aurora Talk is installed, the Aurora RealVoice option produces unintelligible speech. Microsoft voices, such as Microsoft Anna, do not produce output at all until ViaVoice drivers are installed.

To correct this, install an IBM ViaVoice text-to-speech speech engine. For more information, see the Support link on the IBM Web site.

iCommunicator

iCommunicator cannot be installed. The application continues to ask for the hardware dongle even after it is connected.

No workaround is known at this time.

Read and Write Gold 6

The automatic screen reader does not function. The screen reader does function when you point at screen objects and click.

Alternative Input

Qpointer

Qpointer cannot be installed. Qpointer generates two error dialog boxes when you start it. These errors prevent Qpointer from running.

No workaround is known at this time.

Active Directory

This information about known directory services issues applies only to Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1.

  • You must prepare your Active Directory forest and domain with Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1 updates prior to promoting your first Windows Server "Longhorn" domain controller into an existing environment. Use the Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1 version of the Active Directory Preparation Tool (adprep) located in %WINDIR%\System32\Adprep to prepare the environment. For information about how to use Adprep, see the Microsoft Web site.

Important:
The Active Directory Forest and Domain Schema updates for this beta 1 release of Windows Server "Longhorn" are not compatible with subsequent "Longhorn" versions of Windows. If you prepare the environment with this version of Adprep, you will not be able to upgrade a Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1 environment to any future beta or release version of Active Directory.

  • You cannot use the Active Directory Domain Controller Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe) on server core installations. Instead, use the unattended version of dcpromo (Dcpromocmd.exe) to install or remove the domain controller role on servers running a server core installation. Using Dcpromocmd.exe requires an answer file. For more information, see the Microsoft Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn" Beta 1 Server Core Step-By-Step Guide on the Microsoft Connect Web site.

  • You cannot use the Active Directory Domain Controller Installation Wizard (Dcpromo.exe) to promote a read-only domain controller. Instead, use the unattended version of dcpromo (Dcpromocmd.exe). For more information, see the Read-Only Domain Controller Step-by-Step Guide on the Microsoft Connect Web site.

  • When you promote a server core installation to the domain controller role in a new forest and domain, Domain Name System (DNS) is not installed, even if you elect to install it during the promotion. Instead, you must configure DNS manually after you have installed the domain controller role. To enable and start the DNS Server service in Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1, run Dnsserverrole.cmd from a command line.

Applications

Internet Explorer

This information about known issues in Internet Explorer applies to Windows "Longhorn," and not to Windows Server "Longhorn."

  • When using JAWS for Windows in conjunction with Internet Explorer, you might encounter the following issues.

    • CTRL+F opens the Internet Explorer Find dialog box instead of the JAWS Find dialog box. To work around this, press INSERT+CRTL+F.

    • INSERT+A does not read the Internet Explorer address bar. To work around this, press ALT+D to set focus on the address bar.

    • INSERT+A, INSERT+A does not move the JAWS cursor to the address bar. To work around this, press ALT+D to set focus on the address bar.

For more information about installing JAWS, see the Accessibility section earlier in this document.

Outlook

When Outlook is configured to connect to an Exchange mailbox using HTTP, it might be very slow to connect and authenticate to the server, and it might appear to have stopped responding.

To correct this, configure Outlook to use On Fast Networks, connect to HTTP then fall back to TCP in Exchange Proxy Settings.

Non-Microsoft Security Applications

Non-Microsoft firewall, filtering, and antivirus products might not function properly in this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows. Products known to have issues include the following:

  • BlackICE PC Protection 3.6 CRJ

  • eTrust EZ Antivirus 2005 6.2

  • eTrust EZ Armor 2005 2.3

  • F-Secure Antivirus Client Security 5.52

  • MacAfee Personal Firewall Plus 2004

  • Norton SystemWorks Professional 2004

  • Panda Titanium Antivirus 2004

  • Symantec Antivirus Corporate Edition 9.0

  • Trend Micro PC-cillin Internet Security 2004

  • ZoneAlarm Security Suite 5.0.590.043

Other products might also be affected.

Check with your non-Microsoft software vendors for updated versions of their products.

Change and Configuration

In this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows, the Group Policy engine uses a new diagnostic logging system, so portions of diagnostic events viewed in Userenv logs might not be visible.

You might be able to view some of the information by using the Group Policy Management Console remotely from a computer running Windows Server™ 2003 or Windows XP.

Desktop Technologies

East Asian scripts

When vertical text mode is used with East Asian scripts, the glyphs that are substituted for vertical forms do not change.

There is no workaround at this time.

Tablet PC

This information applies to Windows "Longhorn" beta 1; it does not apply to Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1.

Windows "Longhorn" beta 1 does not include Tablet PC functionality. You can add pen input, inking, and handwriting recognition to this release by installing the Tablet PC Input Panel. You can download the Input Panel from the Microsoft Connect Web site.

eHome

The following eHome video features have been verified in this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows:

  • Analog TV (both NTSC and PAL) capture and playback in GraphEdit.

  • DVR-MS playback in GraphEdit and Microsoft Windows Media® Player.

  • AVI, WMV, and MPEG1 playback in GraphEdit.

  • DVD playback in GraphEdit.

The following video capture boards have been verified to work in this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows:

  • Leadtek Conexant NTSC version 5.13.22.6104

  • Hauppauge 32552 NTCS version 1.18.21.22266

The following features have not been verified to work in this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows:

  • Digital TV capture (ATSC and DVB).

  • 64-bit TV capture and playback.

File Systems

UDFS

This release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows does not include a tool to close the last session/border on write-once media (CD/DVD +/-R). Data recorded by packet writing on write-once media cannot be read by ROM drives when the session/border is not closed. This data can be read by rewritable (RW) drives. Rewritable media (CD/DVD +/-RW) are not affected and function normally.

To avoid this, you can either read the data with a rewritable drive or use any non-Microsoft tool that is capable of closing the session/border on write-once media.

Offline Files

This information applies to Windows "Longhorn," not to Windows Server "Longhorn."

When you access a file on a server in offline mode (such as when the connection to the server is lost), you might experience delays of up to 30 seconds for file actions.

There is no workaround at this time.

Help and Support

This information applies to Windows Server "Longhorn" only.

Help and Support documentation is not included in this release of Windows Server "Longhorn." Specifically:

  • Server-related assistance is not available.

  • Assistance documentation cannot be reached from the table of contents.

  • Search results that include online results return information that pertains to Windows "Longhorn," which is the client version of this product.

For more information about Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1, you can download Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1 Server Step-by-Step GuidesStep-by-Step Guides from the Microsoft Connect Web site.

Network and Communications

Known network issues include:

  • Routing and Remote Access: When the Routing and Remote Access service is configured, performing a walk/browse with Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) will cause the SNMP application to stop unexpectedly. There is no workaround at this time.

  • Network Connections Folder: Received Packet statistics are not updated for network connections in the Network Connections Folder. The Received Packet statistics in the Activity section of the General tab of the network connection will be 0. To verify network traffic, use the Networking tab in Task Manager.

  • Infrared (IrDA) Devices: There are known issues with IrDA devices There are no workarounds at this time. These issues include the following:

    • When you transfer files using an IrDA device, they are saved in C:\Users\Default User\Desktop instead of the desktop for your account.

    • Certain devices can take up to 20 minutes to discover each other.

    • Certain IrDA device drivers cannot be uninstalled successfully.

    • Certain IrDA devices can cause the system to stop responding for up to 40 seconds if the infrared transmission is interrupted.

Printing

Printer Setup

The Add Printer Wizard disables the option to install a local printer when your account is part of the Administrators group and User Account Protection (UAP) is enabled. Plug and Play and network printer installation work normally.

In addition, there is no obvious way to change printer properties for local printers.

To prevent this problem, use the following procedure.

To add a printer using elevated permissions
  1. Open the Printers and Faxes folder.

  2. Hold down the SHIFT key and right-click in the folder.

  3. Point to Run As, and then click Add Printer.

  4. In the elevation dialog box, select your user account.

  5. Enter your password, and then press ENTER.

The Add Printer Wizard will now run with full Administrator permissions.

Another issue is that there is no obvious way to change printer properties for local printers.

To correct this issue, use the following procedure.

To change printer properties using elevated permissions
  1. Open the Printers and Faxes folder.

  2. Hold down the SHIFT key and right-click the printer icon.

  3. Point to Run As and click Properties.

  4. In the elevation dialog, select your user account.

  5. Enter your password, and then press ENTER.

Security

IPsec

The following is a known issue concerning Internet Protocol security (IPsec) in this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows.

  • Netsh ipsec: If you use the command-line tool netsh ipsec to configure a policy that contains Internet Protocol (IP) address ranges, the IP Security Monitor graphical interface will not show the correct specific filters for a main-mode generic filter. When you click the generic filter corresponding to a particular range of subnets, you will see all the specific filters for the range rather than just the specific filters that match the subnet.

User Account Protection and Limited User Accounts

This information applies to this release of Windows "Longhorn," and not to Windows Server "Longhorn."

User Account Protection (UAP) (or Limited User Accounts (LUA)) is a new security feature of Windows "Longhorn" that can help protect the system by running applications without Administrator permissions. When UAP is turned on, applications will only run with Limited User permissions, even if the user is a member of the local Administrators group. Without Administrator permissions, applications cannot inadvertently or intentionally change the system. You can run applications that do require Administrator permissions (such as Administrator tools) at any time by starting them with elevated permissions, which requires user approval.

The following are known UAP issues:

  • You might be unable to install ActiveX controls in Internet Explorer. To solve this problem, use the following procedure.

To temporarily elevate Internet Explorer permissions
  1. Start Internet Explorer with elevated permissions: click Start, point to All Programs, right-click Internet Explorer, and then select Run Elevated.

  2. Perform the ActiveX installation.

  3. Exit the current instance of Internet Explorer.

  4. Start a new instance of Internet Explorer normally (without Administrator permissions).

  • Users without Administrator permissions cannot create files on the system root drive. You can solve this problem in two ways:

    • Create the files in the user's profile (in \Users\User or \Users\Public) instead of the system rood drive. This is the preferred method.

    • Right-click Command Prompt, select Run Elevated, and then create the directory from the resulting command window with elevated permissions.

  • If you are unable to install a printer, use Control Panel. In this version, you should always install printers from Control Panel.

  • If you are unable to install a network, use Control Panel. In this version, you should always install networks from Control Panel.

  • You might be unable to delete files from the public Startup menu. To solve this problem, use the following procedure.

To edit the Startup folder
  1. Right-click Command Prompt, and then select Run Elevated.

  2. Navigate to \Users\Public\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup folder, and then delete the files of interest.

  • You might find that applications that reside in the notification area and are started with Administrator permissions do not appear. To have these items appear in the notification area, right-click Command Prompt, select Run Elevated, and then start the notification area by typing systray.exe.

  • You might find that applications started with Administrator permissions do not appear in the taskbar. Press ALT+TAB to switch between the elevated applications and other active applications.

  • Setup detection might not detect and elevate all setups. If this occurs, you can elevate the setup by doing the following: right-click Command Prompt, select Run Elevated, and then start Setup by typing setup.exe. This instance of Setup will run with full Administrator permissions.

If you start an application that is marked as requiring elevated permissions from a non-elevated command window, the application will not run with the elevated permissions. To start the application with the correct permissions, click Start, click Run, and in Run, type the name of the application.

  • If you start Task Manager from the task bar, you might find that it does not display processes for all users or any elevated processes that are running on your desktop. To correct this, start Task Manager from the logon screen. You can access it by pressing CTRL+ALT+DELETE or by pressing CTRL+SHIFT+ESC.

Server Core Installation

For information about server core installations, download the Microsoft Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn" Beta 1 Server Core Step-By-Step Guide.

Server Management

Microsoft Windows System Resource Manager (WSRM) is included in all versions of Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1. However, the WSRM administrative snap-in is not available in the 64-bit versions.

You can still administer the WSRM service running on 64-bit Windows Server "Longhorn" in two ways.

  • Run the WSRM snap-in or command-line application (Wsrmc.exe) on an x86-based version of Windows Server "Longhorn" beta 1, and connect remotely to the 64-bit computer running the WSRM service.

  • Run the WSRM command-line application (Wsrmc.exe) locally on the 64-bit computer that is running the WSRM service.

Sounds and Audio Devices Control Panel

Sounds associated with Windows Program Events or Sound Schemes cannot be changed in this release of "Longhorn" versions of Windows.

There is no workaround for this version.

Terminal Services

Terminal Server

This information applies to Windows Server "Longhorn" only.

To install or uninstall Terminal Server, you must use the Oobe.exe tool. You must also restart the server to apply the settings. To install Terminal Server, use the following procedure.

To install Terminal Server
  1. From a command line, run Oobe.exe.

  2. In the window that opens, click Add Server Roles, and then click the Enable button next to the Terminal Server Application Server role.

  3. Restart the server.

To uninstall Terminal Server, do the following.

To uninstall Terminal Server
  1. From a command line, run Oobe.exe

  2. In the window that opens, click Add Server Roles and click the Disable button next to the Terminal Server Application Server role.

  3. Restart the server.

Windows Product Activation

  • Internet Explorer Proxy Settings: This information applies to Windows Server "Longhorn." If Internet Explorer is configured to automatically detect proxy settings, and no proxy is configured, successful product activation might take up to one minute. You might want to clear the Automatically Detect Proxy Settings box to speed up the process. This affects only those users who are directly connected to the Internet. Users connected through a LAN are not affected.

  • User Account Protection: This information applies only to Windows "Longhorn," and not to Windows Server "Longhorn." Windows activation will fail if Least User Access is manually enabled. To successfully activate Windows, ensure LUA is disabled, log on as Administrator, and proceed with activation.

Copyright

This document supports a preliminary release of a software product that may be changed substantially prior to final commercial release, and is the confidential and proprietary information of Microsoft Corporation.  It is disclosed pursuant to a non-disclosure agreement between the recipient and Microsoft. This document is provided for informational purposes only and Microsoft makes no warranties, either express or implied, in this document.  Information in this document, including URL and other Internet Web site references, is subject to change without notice.  The entire risk of the use or the results from the use of this document remains with the user.  Unless otherwise noted, the example companies, organizations, products, domain names, e-mail addresses, logos, people, places, and events depicted herein are fictitious, and no association with any real company, organization, product, domain name, e-mail address, logo, person, place, or event is intended or should be inferred.  Complying with all applicable copyright laws is the responsibility of the user.  Without limiting the rights under copyright, no part of this document may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), or for any purpose, without the express written permission of Microsoft Corporation.

Microsoft may have patents, patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document.  Except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft, the furnishing of this document does not give you any license to these patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property.

© 2005 Microsoft Corporation.  All rights reserved.

Active Directory, Microsoft, MS-DOS, Visual Basic, Visual Studio, Windows, Windows NT, Windows Server and Windows Media are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.

All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.


 

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