Well It’s Here: Windows 8 Consumer Preview

Well it’s here. Microsoft is at the Barcelona Spain for the Mobile World Congress, and it is bringing out the Windows 8 big guns. The Windows 8 Consumer Preview is available.

Yes, Windows 8. The next OS version that is expected to make big changes to the computer PC market because the OS is different. So what is supposed to come out?

First the download of the Consumer preview (beta) is available. If you are anxious to test the OS, you can download it here. You can also download the Visual Studio “11” for developing programs for Windows 8 because that is also available today.

Is ARM ready to go?

Not at this time. That is because ARM is a hardware element, which will be part of the Windows 8 on ARM. Since the hardware has to be developed by manufacturers, Microsoft instead is focusing only on the software side now. These manufacturers are by invitation only. And it remains to be seen whether there will be demonstrations of the ARM side. But to download it, no that is not available today.

What Changes are expected?

Aside from the GUI interface, which has drawn a lot of attention, there is the touch screen feature, but most importantly, is how it will work with existing Laptops and PC’s. This is important, because notwithstanding the expected new development in hardware to match the software, if the OS doesn’t work well on existing units, then it’s a bomb now not later.

If everything is alright, is this the final deployment?

That’s hard to say. This is called beta because Microsoft expects to make further tweaks and changes to the system. However, it is also true that the core foundation will not change, meaning that the cake is baked, but there may need to be changes to the icing. That said, the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) should be out soon, with a release to the public by the 3rd or 4th quarter, 2012.

resource: http://www.windows8news.com/2012/02/29/windows8-consumer-preview/

Reset Forgotten Windows Password with a Linux Live CD

Forgetting your Windows password means losing access to important files and settings. A password hint can provide clues to help you remember the password again while a password reset disk allows you to change the lost Windows password in seconds.
Whether you are the administrative user or another account on a Windows machine, if you are a little more technical you might want to simply use the excellent System Rescue CD, which is based on Linux, you can use a Linux LiveCD to reset your password so you can access your account again. If you need to burn a Linux LiveCD and you do not have access to a friend's computer, sign in to your Windows installation as a guest so you can download and burn the ISO file.
Reset Windows password - Use Linux LiveCD
If you are not in favor of the methods listed above, another option is also available. That's to use Linux live CD. Here's how to reset Windows password with Linux Live CD.
Step 1: Just download the live .iso file for any Linux distribution and burn it into CD.
Note:Make sure the Linux LiveCD you choose has "chntpw" included.
Step 2: Insert the Linux LiveCD into the computer you want to access and boot your computer from this CD. You may need to configure your BIOS to boot to a CD before the hard drive.
Step 3: On the command prompt, type the following command to mount your Windows drive:
ntfs-3g /dev/sda1 /mnt/windows -o force
Note: Sda1 refers to your Windows partition. To get a list of the partitions on your machine, use the following command:
cat /proc/partitions
Substitute the name of your Windows partition for "sda1" in the command above.
Step 4: Run the following command to move into the Windows password file directory:
cd /mnt/windows/Windows/System32/config
Step 5: Type "chntpw -l SAM" to list the Windows user account names.(If you are running Trinity Rescue Kit, use this command instead: windpass –l) Replace "username" with your exact user name. This command brings up a text-based wizard.
Step 6: Reset the password for the target account by using the following command:
chntpw -u "username" SAM
Note: Replace "username" with your exact user name. This command brings up a text-based wizard.
Step 7: Press the "2" key on your keyboard to change the password, and enter the new password when prompted. Press "Enter." Press "y" to save the changes. Your Windows password has been reset.
Step 8: Type "reboot" to restart your computer. Remember to remove the boot CD.
Reset Windows Password - Use Windows Password Unlocker
That's all. If you are newbie, it's highly suggested to use Windows Password Unlocker, an efficient Windows password recovery program for all Windows platforms, including Windows 7/Vsita/XP/2008(R2)/2003(R2)/2000. This tool comes with GUI interface and it's easier for you to reset a forgotten password.
By using Windows Password Unlocker, you are able to safely reset Windows password in 5 minutes by taking the following steps:
Step 1: Download Windows Password Unlocker Professional and install it in any computer.
Step 2: Burn a bootable password reset with CD/DVD or USB flash drive in seconds.
Step 3: Insert the disk in the computer you want to reset password of and boot from the disk.
Step 4: Select your Windows installation; select the target user account to reset its password to blank.
Note: Click Reboot to restart computer. Please remember to remove the CD/DVD or USB drive.
Step 5: Log into Windows as normal. Select the target user account icon on the logon screen, press Enter. No password will be prompted for.