Windows XP/5.1.2416.idx01.010104-1958/FEATGUID.DOC
Whistler Feature Guide for Beta 1
Whistler is the Microsoft project name for the next version of Microsoft Windows beyond Windows 2000 and Windows Millennium. Whistler is an important next step in the evolution of the Windows operating system as it marks the convergence of the business and consumer operating systems. Performance, flexibility, scalability and reliability of the Windows NT platform continue to be improved in Whistler.
This feature guide is a high-level overview of the new features of Whistler Beta 1. It is intended to assist the selected customers, Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM), and Independent Software and Hardware Vendors (ISV/IHV) who receive this beta product for review. This document, in concert with the Whistler Beta 1 Release Notes, is intended to summarize many of the new features of the product and describe scenarios for the new feature’s use.
This feature guide is not intended to be final product documentation. Prior to the final product release, this information will be incorporated into various elements of Help files, printed documentation, resource kits, etc.
The Whistler Beta 1 Release does not reflect all features that are being considered for the final Whistler product. Features of the product, including those described in this document, might change prior to the final product release.
Feedback or comments regarding the Whistler Feature Guide for Beta 1 can be sent to featguid@microsoft.com.
NOTICES
The features and plans described in this document are the current direction for the next version of the Microsoft® Windows® operating system, a project currently called Whistler. This is not a specification for this product and features and plans are subject to change. There are no guarantees, implied or otherwise, that these features will be included in the final product release.
For some features, this document assumes that the reader is familiar with Windows 2000 client and server features and services. For background information about Windows 2000 features and services, see the Windows Web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ or see the Windows 2000 Resource Kit that is available from Microsoft Press.
DISCLAIMER
THIS IS NOT A PRODUCT SPECIFICATION.
The information contained in this document represents the current view of Microsoft Corporation on the issues discussed as of the date of publication. Because Microsoft must respond to changing market conditions, it should not be interpreted to be a commitment on the part of Microsoft, and Microsoft cannot guarantee the accuracy of any information presented. This document is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS DOCUMENT.
Microsoft Corporation may have patents or pending patent applications, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights covering subject matter in this document. The furnishing of this document does not give you any license to the patents, trademarks, copyrights, or other intellectual property rights except as expressly provided in any written license agreement from Microsoft Corporation.
Microsoft does not make any representation or warranty regarding specifications in this document or any product or item developed based on these specifications. Microsoft disclaims all express and implied warranties, including but not limited to the implied warranties or merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and freedom from infringement. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, Microsoft does not make any warranty of any kind that any item developed based on these specifications, or any portion of a specification, will not infringe any copyright, patent, trade secret or other intellectual property right of any person or entity in any country. It is your responsibility to seek licenses for such intellectual property rights where appropriate. Microsoft shall not be liable for any damages arising out of or in connection with the use of these specifications, including liability for lost profit, business interruption, or any other damages whatsoever. Some states do not allow the exclusion or limitation of liability or consequential or incidental damages; the above limitation may not apply to you.
Active Directory, ClearType, Direct3D, DirectDraw, DirectInput, DirectMusic, DirectShow, DirectSound, DirectX, DirectVA, Exchange, IntelliMirror, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Microsoft Word, MS-DOS, NetMeeting, Office, Paint, SQL Server, Visual Basic, Win32, Win64, Windows, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows 2000 and Windows NT are trademarks or registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Other product and company names mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.
© 2000 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
Improving the End User Experience 13
Command Prompt: Accessibility Support 14
Control Panel: Account Management Enhancements 15
Device Drivers: Imaging Drivers Additions 16
Device Drivers: Last Known Good Files 17
Digital Media: Digital Video Enhancements 17
Fast User Switching for Multiple Users of a Computer 19
Feedback Link for Comments from Beta Users 19
File Associations: User Interface Improvements 19
File Management Improvements 20
Hardware: Battery Life Improvements: Mobile Computer 21
Hardware: Enhanced Keyboard Buttons 22
Hardware: High Resolution Monitor Support 22
Hardware: Multifunction Device Installation Improvements 22
Hardware: Processor Power Control 23
Hardware: Wake on Battery Support 24
Help and Support Services: Extensible Search Mechanism 24
Help and Support Services: Favorites 25
Help and Support Services: Feedback Submission 25
Help and Support Services: Full Text Search 26
Help and Support Services: Multiple Instances 26
Help and Support Services: Printing Node 26
Help and Support Services: Remote Assistance 27
Help and Support Services: Remotely Access Help 27
Help and Support Services: Sysinfo 27
Help and Support Services: Troubleshooting Diagnostic Tool 28
International: Locale Support Additions 28
International: Regional Options Enhancements 28
Internet: Auto-Configuration for Multiple Networks Connectivity 29
Internet: Connection Manager Favorites 29
Internet Connection Sharing 30
Internet: Home Networking Wizard 30
Internet: Personal Firewall 31
Internet: Residential Broadband Client Access Improvements 31
Media Folders (My Music, My Pictures) 32
My Pictures Folder Enhancements 33
Paint Accessory Enhancements 34
Printer and Fax Folder with WebView 34
Printer Enhancements for Multi-Function Peripherals 35
Printing: High-End Color Printer Support 35
Printing: Universal Printer Driver Enhancements 35
Taskbar Notification Area Enhancements 36
Terminal Services: Remote Desktop 37
Terminal Services: Remote Desktop Connection 38
Visual Appearance Improvements 38
Improving Fundamentals and Technology 40
Applications: Handling Non-Responsive Applications 40
Disk Defragmenter Enhancements 41
Encrypting the Offline Files Database 41
Internet: TCP/IP Name Resolution over RAS without WINS/DNS 43
Network Device Driver Enhancements 43
Printer Access With NetCrawler 44
TAPI: Audio Streaming Enhancements 44
TAPI: Streaming on IP Service Providers Improvements 45
TAPI: Video Streaming Enhancements 45
Terminal Services: Audio Redirection for RDP 46
Terminal Services: Remote Desktop Resource Redirection 46
Terminal Services: Resolution and Color Enhancements 47
TWAIN Compatibility for 64-bit Applications 47
Wake on LAN: Select Wake Event Improvements 48
Enhancements for IT Administration 49
Access Control List Editor Enhancements 49
Access Control List UI: Usability Display Changes 49
Active Directory Administration: Object Picker UI Improvements 50
Active Directory Administration: WMI Providers for Replication and Trust Monitoring 50
Active Directory: Application Naming Contexts 51
Active Directory: Behavior Versioning 51
Active Directory: Global Catalog Not Required for Logon 52
Active Directory: Group Membership Replication Improvements 52
Active Directory: Improved Inter-Site Replication Topology Generator 53
Active Directory: Install Replica from Media 53
Active Directory: LDAP Improvements 54
Active Directory: Synchronization Improvements 55
Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in: Saved Queries 55
Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in: Editing Multiple User Objects 56
Backup and Restore with DHCP 57
Certificate Enrollment Enhancements 58
Certificate Revocation List Duplication Points 58
Certificate Revocation List Enhancements 58
Cross Certification Enhancements 59
DHCP: Classless Source Routing 60
DHCP: Database NetShell Migrations 61
DHCP: UI for Backup and Restore 61
Diagnostics: Network and Connectivity Test 61
Distributed File Service Administration Improvements 62
DNS: Basic Compliance with DNS Security Extensions 62
DNS: DCPromo Supporting DrDNS Functionality 63
DNS: Manage DNS Client Using Group Policy 63
DNS: Stub Zones and Conditional Forwarding 64
DNS: Support for EDNS0 Protocol 64
Editable Certificate Templates 65
FIPS Kernel-Mode Crypto Module 65
Group Policy: Administrative Templates Snap-In Enhancement 66
Group Policy: Folder Redirection of My Documents 66
Group Policy: Full Install of User Assigned Applications at Logon 66
Group Policy: Network and Dial-up Connections 67
Group Policy: New Policy Settings 67
Group Policy: Policy Features for Distributed Eventing 68
Group Policy: Resultant Set of Policy Wizard 68
Group Policy: Support URL for Software Deployment 68
Group Policy: Support for 64-bit Software Deployment 69
Group Policy: Terminal Server 69
Group Policy: WMI Filtering 70
Headless Server: Emergency Management Service Support 70
Headless Server: Remote Installation Services 71
Internet Information Services: Capacity Planning Tracing 71
Internet Authentication Service as a RADIUS Proxy 72
IPSec Monitoring Improvements 73
Logical Volume Management Enhancements 74
Migration of Third-Party Mass Storage Drivers 75
NetMeeting 3.1: Bridging Enhancements 77
Network Client: Unattended Install Enhancements 78
NTFS SetShortName for Backup 80
Performance Monitor: Current Processor Power Activity Report 80
Performance Monitor: Logging to SQL Server 80
Performance Monitor: Select Multiple Instance and Objects 81
Performance Monitor: Trending Analysis 81
Performance Tools Additions 81
Power Management Settings: Unattended Configuration 82
Print Driver Installation on Server Clusters 83
Printing: 32-bit and 64-bit Interoperability 83
Printing: Remove MacPrint from 64-bit Whistler Server Product 83
Printing: Scripts for Print Systems Management 84
Printing: Universal Printer Driver Pseudo Vector Support 84
RAS: Connection Manager Administration Kit Improvements 84
RAS: Integrated Services over Slow Link Layers 85
Removal of Legacy Networking Protocols 85
Roaming User Profiles: 64-bit Enhancements 86
Route Management Using Connection Manager 86
Secure Wireless/LANs and IAS/RADIUS Server 87
Security Accounts Manager: Record Identification Limit 88
Security Improvements for Servers on Ethernet or Wireless LANs 88
Snapshots: Backup Integration 89
Snapshots: File System Support 90
System Monitor: Performance Logging Enhancements 90
TCP/IP Support on IEEE 1394 Serial Bus 91
Terminal Server: Services Redirection 92
Terminal Server: Standby Power Support 92
Terminal Server: Terminal Services Manager Improvements 92
Terminal Services: Load Management 93
Terminal Services: Remote Access Permission Changes 93
Windows Installer: Digital Signature Support 95
Windows Installer: Improved File Comparison Method 95
Enhancements for Developers 95
Accessibility: MSAA Document Services 95
Accessibility: SAPI 5 Speech Recognition and Text-To-Speech API 96
Active Directory: Admin Extensibility Enhancements 96
Cluster Server: Resource Scripting Host 97
COM and Shared DLL Isolation Support 97
COM+: Resource Manager Support 98
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Applications As Windows NT Services 98
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Application Partitions 99
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Application Process Dump 99
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Component Aliasing 100
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Configurable Isolation Levels 100
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Memory Gates 100
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Process Recycling 101
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Public/Private Components 101
Convert OpenHCI to new Port/Miniport USB Stack 101
Digest Access Authentication 102
Digital Media: DirectShow Performance Improvements 102
Digital Media: DirectX 8 Gaming Platform 103
Digital Media: Microsoft TV Technologies for Windows 103
Digital Media: Video Mixing Renderer 104
Driverless-Cameras That Use PTP 15740 Protocol 105
Driver Installation for 64-Bit 105
Encrypted File System Support for Applications 106
Event Tracing Enhancements 106
File Association Improvements 107
Internet Information Services: Application Recycling 107
Internet: Integration Modifications for IPv6 Add-ons 108
Internet: IPv6 Protocol Support for Software Development 108
Kernel-Mode Debugging via IEEE 1394 108
Printing: Spooler Improvements 109
RAS: Dial-in with Third-Party Components 110
Roaming User Profiles: Application Support Enhancement 110
Scriptable API to Configure Internet Authentication Server 111
Secure Sockets Layer: Client Authentication Improvements 111
Universal Plug and Play: Control Point 112
Universal Plug and Play: Control Point API 113
Windows Sockets: ConnectEx/TransmitPackets and TCP/IP 113
Windows Sockets: Direct Path for System Area Networks 113
WMI: Distributed Event Subscriptions 114
WMI: Guaranteed Delivery of Events 115
WMI: Set Date and Time Remotely 116
WMI Provider: CHKDSK Functionality 116
WMI Provider: Distributed File System (DFS) Shares 117
WMI Provider: Formatted Performance Counters 117
WMI Provider: Internet Information Services 118
WMI Provider: Network Share Connections and Sessions 119
WMI Provider: Static IP Route Information 120
WMI Provider: Terminal Server 120
Of Interest to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) 122
Cluster Services: 64-bit Support 122
Cluster Services: Installation Simplification 122
Customer Information Added to unattend.txt 123
Modem Country or Region Select 125
Pre-Install Process Improvements 125
Printer PostScript Data Processed by OEMs 126
Printers: Multi-Color Ink Printer Support Improvements 126
Sysprep Modifications to Handle Factory Floor Pre-Installation 127
USB DirectInput Genre Descriptor Support 127
Unloading of ASL Tables Support 128
Introduction
This Feature Guide for Whistler Beta 1 describes many of the new features of this product release. The organization of this feature guide is described below.
Although many readers might be interested in all of the new features in this guide, for easier reading the features are grouped into the following categories:
- Improving the End User Experience
- Improving the Fundamentals and Technology
- Enhancements for IT Administration
- Enhancements for Developers
- Of Interest to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
Each feature in this guide is presented in a format that includes the following elements:
- Feature Name – This is the short title of the feature.
- Description – This briefly explains the feature.
- Scenario – This provides some example uses of the feature. There may be instances where a scenario is not provided.
- Product – This provides information on which product the feature is found. Products include: Personal, Professional, and Server. Note: Server includes the family of server products.
- 64-bit Information – This identifies whether the feature applies to the 32-bit or 64-bit operating system.
- How to Start – This includes how to start or find the feature (if applicable).
This document intentionally does not have page breaks so that worldwide audiences can easily view or print this document.
The definition of commonly used acronyms is included below rather than within this document.
ACRONYMS
ACRONYM | TITLE | ACRONYM | TITLE |
---|---|---|---|
API | Application Programming Interface | LAN | Local Area Network |
CD | Compact Disc | MMC | Microsoft Management Console |
COM | Component Object Model | NIC | Network Interface Card |
CPU | Central Processing Unit | NTFS | Windows NT File System |
DHCP | Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol | OEM | Original Equipment Manufacturer |
DNS | Domain Name System | PC | Personal Computer |
DVD | Digital Video Disc | RAS | Remote Access Service |
IEEE | Institute of Electrical & Electronics Engineers, Inc. | TAPI | Telephony Application Programming Interface |
IHV | Independent Hardware Vendor | TCP/IP | Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol |
I/O | Input/Output | UI | User Interface |
IP | Internet Protocol | USB | Universal Serial Bus |
ISP | Internet Service Provider | WIA | Windows Image Acquisition |
ISV | Independent Software Vendor | WINS | Windows Internet Name Service |
IT | Information Technology | WMI | Windows Management Instrumentation |
Improving the End User Experience
Feature Name |
Automatic Updates |
Description |
This feature will enable multiple users in separate sessions to automatically install Windows downloads on the same computer (previously, only one user per computer could take advantage of automatic updates). This feature is used for the delivery of critical operating system updates, such as security fixes, patches, and so on. Updates are downloaded to the user's computers in the background, although the user is notified prior to install and given the opportunity to postpone it as the install might require them to restart the computer. This feature also includes:
The feature provides the following for clients:
|
Scenario | If a user has administrative privileges and more than one account on a computer and the AutoUpdate feature has not been disabled in the Control Panel, AutoUpdate will launch automatically to check if there are any updates available for download or installation. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | AutoUpdate starts automatically when a user with administrative privileges logs on to the computer. User: Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – Automatic Updates |
Ref. No. | WH0806-0807-0809-0810-1061M101800 |
Feature Name |
CD Burning |
Description | This feature enables users to save information to a CD, also known as "burning," as easily as saving to a floppy disk or a hard disk. Photos and software can now be copied to CDs without need for third-party software. As CD-Read (CD-R) burners and CD-Read/Write (CD-RW) drives are now inexpensive options on computers, this will enhance the standard conveniences that Windows offers to users. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – My Pictures |
Ref. No. | WH0731C-0242B101800 |
Feature Name |
ClearType Support |
Description | This feature provides support for ClearType, a new text display technology. ClearType triples the horizontal resolution available for rendering text through software so that the result is clearer display of text on a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen with digital interface. |
Scenario | A user with a mobile computer turns on ClearType and they will experience clearer display of text. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel – Display – Appearance - Effects |
Ref. No. | WH0857C101800 |
Feature Name |
Command Prompt: Accessibility Support |
Description | This feature enables people with disabilities much improved text accessibility. Without this, users with disabilities might not use certain applications. This provides improved text accessibility. |
Scenario | Users with disabilities can obtain information about a particular user interface and use its application from a command prompt. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Command Prompt |
Ref. No. | WH0680C101800 |
Feature Name |
Control Panel: Account Management Enhancements |
Description | The account management feature of the Control Panel enables users to add, delete and modify user accounts and passwords for a computer. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts |
Ref. No. | WH0694C101800 |
Feature Name |
Control Panel: WebView |
Description | WebView technology is used in Whistler to help users more successfully manage files and the file namespace. WebView is the Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) view of file folders. |
Scenario | A user can use WebView to view files in folders. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Folder Options - General |
Ref. No. | WH0722C101800 |
Feature Name |
Credential Management |
Description | The Credential Management feature provides a secure store of user credentials, including passwords and X.509 certificates. This will provide a consistent single-sign on experience for users, including roaming users. |
Scenario | A user accesses a line-of-business application within their company’s network. The first attempt to access this application requires authentication and the user is prompted to supply a credential. After the user provides this credential, it will be associated with the requesting application. In future access to this application, the saved credential will be re-used without prompting the user. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – Credential Manager |
Ref. No. | WH0632-0631-0613S101800 |
Feature Name |
Device Driver Rollback |
Description | This feature provides the capability of replacing a device driver with the previously installed version. |
Scenario | A user installs a new device driver that causes system instability. The user merely restores, that is rolls back, the previous device driver and continues using the system. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – System - Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0142B101800 |
Feature Name |
Device Drivers: Imaging Drivers Additions |
Description |
This feature adds drivers that use the Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) common system dialog boxes and provides four dialog boxes as follows.
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – System - Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0496C101800 |
Feature Name |
Device Drivers: Last Known Good Files |
Description | When a user updates a driver, a copy of the original “good” files (the previous driver) will be saved in a special sub-directory. If the new driver does not work properly, the user can restore the driver to the previous driver as the last known good driver. The user has to boot into Safe Mode to use this feature. |
Scenario | A user installs an updated driver for their boot device, but the new driver doesn’t work correctly. The user boots into Safe Mode and uses the Last Known Good feature to restore the driver to its previous version, allowing the system to boot and enabling the user to continue using their system. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – System - Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0130B101800 |
Feature Name |
Digital Media: Digital Video Enhancements |
Description | This feature provides efficient transmission of large data buffers for variable-payload and variable-data isochronous streams, such as the data stream associated with the digital video format. |
Scenario | A user has a digital video camcorder and wants to do video editing on the computer. This feature provides improvements in transmitting the camcorder stream to the computer. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Sounds and Audio Devices |
Ref. No. | WH0103B101800 |
Feature Name |
Digital Media: Movie Maker |
Description |
Windows Movie Maker version 1.1 provides base-level features for Windows Media capture and file creation, simple editing of video and audio, and the saving and publishing of Windows media files. The utility produces output only in the Windows Media format, but it will import all file formats and compression types supported by the DirectShow architecture. If a user’s computer does not contain any video capture hardware, all other non-video capture-related features of the application are fully functional and they allow for the importing and editing of media assets that exist on the user’s computer. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Windows Movie Maker |
Ref. No. | WH0385-1156D101800 |
Feature Name |
Facsimile Sharing |
Description | Fax sharing enables users to send faxes using their network. The user can print to fax from any application, can send a cover fax page, and can track and monitor their fax. New Wizards enable simpler configuration and fax sending. Administrators can fully control the fax capabilities using the COM API. Developers can use the Object Model to send faxes programmatically. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Microsoft Fax |
Ref. No. | WH1030-1032-1033-1034-1035-1053-1036P101800 |
Feature Name |
Fast User Switching for Multiple Users of a Computer |
Description | Using the Fast User Switching feature, multiple users can share a computer without closing all of their applications. This enables multiple users to simultaneously use the same computer. |
Scenario |
A family shares a computer. The mother is using the computer to do some financial records and has to leave the computer for a short period of time. Her son wants to use the computer to play a game during this time. Using Fast User Switching, the mother can leave the financial application open in her computer account while her son plays a game from his separate computer account. All of this is done without logging off. Note: this feature does not function in a configuration that includes a domain (for example, in a business environment). |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
If in a workgroup: Start – Control Panel – User Accounts – Fast User Switching Then Logoff – Select User |
Ref. No. | WH0695-0685C101800 |
Feature Name |
Feedback Link for Comments from Beta Users |
Description |
This feature enables Beta 1 users to conveniently send a comment to Microsoft as to how a dialog box or warning message could be improved. Users have reported seeing boxes and messages with unintelligible wording or no instructions as to what the user should do to fix the problem. When such a box or message is seen, the user need only click on a "Comments" link in the upper-right corner of the box or message. That link that will open a dialog box in which the user can make a suggestion. The user can then send it by simply clicking on "Submit." |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Comments of the dialog box or warning message, Submit |
Ref. No. | WH0684C101800 |
Feature Name |
File Associations: User Interface Improvements |
Description | This feature focuses on improving the UI regarding File Associations. It includes uninstall retention of file associations, control of file associations at install time, inclusion of certain basic file types (ZIP, PDF, CAB, CSS), control of reserved file classes (such as Audio CD), and helping a user with un-associated files. |
Scenario | A user wants to use an alternative program to open a file of type JPG. From the Open With dialog from the context menu, the Recommended Programs that are known to open a JPG file is listed. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – Folder Options – File Types |
Ref. No. | WH1040C101800 |
Feature Name |
File Management Improvements |
Description |
Whistler’s file UI leverages WebView and ListView technologies to deliver a higher level of usability. It enables more people to successfully manage files in My Documents and other file folders. File Management improvements include:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel |
Ref. No. | WH0737-0739-0740-0741-0742C101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: AutoPlay |
Description |
The AutoPlay feature enables users to simply connect a new device or simply insert media, and they can start using it right away. When Windows senses a connection, such as flash cards, Zip disks, and CDs, it determines the content, such as pictures, music, or video, and automatically starts the appropriate application. The supported media types include:
|
Scenario | When a user inserts a media or a device with media, it just works. The appropriate application automatically starts to utilize it. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Add New Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0718C101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: Battery Life Improvements: Mobile Computer |
Description |
This feature improves the battery life of mobile computer computers by the following means:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Automatically done when the lid of a mobile computer is closed |
Ref. No. | WH0145-0146B100300 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: Enhanced Keyboard Buttons |
Description | This feature enables new-technology keyboards to work with Windows, by supporting new Human Interface Device (HID) specifications for the PS/2 and USB interface keyboards. As the standard keyboard has been enhanced with additional features over the last few years, especially driven by new technologies such as multimedia, Web browsing, application launch, and power management, the standards groups have identified new specifications for keyboards. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware - Keyboard |
Ref. No. | WH0090B101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: High Resolution Monitor Support |
Description | This feature enables Windows to utilize the new high-resolution monitors that are built to display up to 200 Dots Per Inch (DPI). Therefore, the Windows Control Panel DPI setting is increased accordingly, which makes text not only more legible, but of much higher quality than an equivalent 96 DPI monitor (because there are more dots to play with). Items that utilize this font feature are, for example, dialog boxes, buttons, title bars, and input by pen and speech. |
Scenario | Users can now set their Windows display settings to take full advantage of the new monitors coming on the market to display sharp and crisp text and graphics. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Appearance and Themes – Display – Settings – Advanced Monitor |
Ref. No. | WH0679C101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: Multifunction Device Installation Improvements |
Description | Multifunction devices are hardware devices that combine two or more functions, such as a combination modem-NIC device or a multifunction printer that has both printing and scanning capabilities. This feature improves the installation of multifunction devices by removing the iterated pop-ups, but presenting the UI and prompting the user for the distribution media only once. |
Scenario | A user gets a new multifunction printer that has both printing and scanning capabilities. The multifunction device installation improvements require the user to go through the new hardware installation process only once. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0137B101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: Processor Power Control |
Description | This feature enables support for microprocessor power management. |
Scenario | A user has a mobile computer with newer hardware. While the CPU runs at full speed on Alternating Current (AC) power, the mobile computer can be made to run with lower CPU speeds while on battery power. Mobile users, such as someone on business travel who do not have full access to AC power, will benefit with longer period of use for their mobile computer. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Power Options |
Ref. No. | WH0151B101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware UI Improvements |
Description |
Hardware User Interface (UI) improvements in Whistler include:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Add New Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0140B101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: Wake on Battery Support |
Description | When a system is running on batteries and enters a low battery situation, a wake event will be triggered. This will allow the system to enter hibernation and preserve data. |
Scenario | A user steps away from their computer while it is in standby and running on batteries, and isn’t able to return before the batteries run down. The system will automatically enter into hibernation and the users application data will not be lost. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Power Options |
Ref. No. | WH0154B101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Extensible Search Mechanism |
Description |
This feature enables a user to search for content across multiple remote and on-line providers. For example, a user can locate information on “Virtual Private Networking,” which is resident on their computer, located remotely in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, or located remotely in a participating OEM’s Knowledge Base. This feature standardizes the Help and Support Service’s interfaces on which a search query is performed and results returned. It provides a more unified user interface and experience for locating help content. This feature includes:
|
Scenario | A user has problems setting up their new cable modem. The user goes to Help and Support Services to try and understand how to rectify the problem. The user searches on the term “cable modem” and locates Help content that is resident on their computer, several articles from the Microsoft Knowledge Base and some documents from a participating OEM’s Web site. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Help and Support, Search Help and Support Services |
Ref. No. | WH0815M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Favorites |
Description | This feature enables users to mark any topic or link in the Help and Support Services as a Favorite. Users can create a list of favorites and remove favorites from the list as well. This will aid users in quickly finding frequently visited Help items. |
Scenario | A user can access a frequently used Help topic, such as Microsoft DOS (MS-DOS) commands, by marking it as a Favorite. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Help and Support, Favorites |
Ref. No. | WH0861M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Feedback Submission |
Description |
This feature will enable users to conveniently send feedback to Microsoft relating to Whistler Help and Support content and organization. When a user sends a comment, the feature will also send a session trace along with it that can help Microsoft staff understand the user’s self-service session, prior to feedback submission. This can include previous topics visited and search keywords used. When users identify inaccuracies and gaps in content, their feedback will help make Whistler easier to use and increase the quality of Help content, categorization, and navigation. |
Scenario | A user who does not have very much experience using a computer wants to "download" a Word file from their hard drive to a floppy disk. Not realizing that the key word that will find their information in the Windows Help and Support Services is "copy" or "move," they are unable to find information that will assist. Wanting to be constructive while still in the Help and Support Services, the user clicks on the link that will display a dialog box in which he can type in a suggestion and immediately send it to Microsoft. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Help and Support |
Ref. No. | WH0851M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Full Text Search |
Description | This feature enables users to search across the entire Windows user assistance compiled HTML Help files base, using Boolean operators, and returns an aggregate list of results. |
Scenario | An IT administrator, who is looking for help in deploying Active Directory using Group Policy, can use this feature to obtain a more complete search in Active Directory. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Help and Support – Search Help and Support Services |
Ref. No. | WH1042M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Multiple Instances |
Description | This feature allows users to open two sessions of the Help and Support Services at the same time. This enables them to submit incident reports while at the same time looking at Help or system information. |
Scenario | A user who is unable to resolve a problem using Help information can refer to that information while at the same time submitting an incident report through another session of the Help and Support services. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Help and Support |
Ref. No. | WH0862M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Printing Node |
Description |
This feature enables users to print an entire chapter of the Help and Support Services with one print command; that is, it can iteratively print all available topics in a specified node. Some topics may not be available due to network connection issues, in which case it will print only the available content. |
Scenario | A user who wants to study a feature in depth prints the entire feature’s Help node, including all topics within it. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Help and Support – Printing and Faxing |
Ref. No. | WH0863M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Remote Assistance |
Description | This feature enhances peer-to-peer help experience by allowing chat, file transfer, and view of the computer requiring remote assistance. |
Scenario | A user has experiences a problem with the operating system and, over the Internet, invites another person to help. The person who is helping can chat, do a file transfer and remotely view the computer with the problem. With the computer owner’s permission, the person who is helping can be given permission to share control of their computer. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Help and Support – Interactive Support |
Ref. No. | WH0013M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Remotely Access Help |
Description | This feature provides a mechanism to easily view server Help content from a desktop computer. |
Scenario | From a desktop computer running Whistler Professional, an IT administrator can access Help content that is located on a server, via a Whistler CD or access to a network share containing the relevant content. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Click Start, Help and Support, Options |
Ref. No. | WH0822M100400 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Sysinfo |
Description | This feature provides end users with an easy to comprehend, highly accessible view of personalized software and hardware information specific to their computer. |
Scenario | A user is on the telephone with a product support engineer and is asked to relate BIOS information about their computer. The user accesses the Sysinfo feature and can quickly relate relevant BIOS information to help resolve their issue. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Help and Support - Interactive Support - My Computer Information |
Ref. No. | WH1223M101800 |
Feature Name |
Help and Support Services: Troubleshooting Diagnostic Tool |
Description | This feature provides a troubleshooting diagnostic tool that will simplify troubleshooting tasks that might normally be beyond their ability of end users. It can help troubleshoot problems with the operating system by automating the standard troubleshooting steps. Users can complete basic troubleshooting steps from one location. The tool does this by using a series of check boxes to apply step-by-step system changes and it enables more advanced troubleshooting and problem resolution. |
Scenario | When end users experience a problem with their computers, they can make this feature the first stop on their troubleshooting trail. It should reduce the need for users to seek outside help at such times. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Help and Support - Tools |
Ref. No. | WH0917-0990M101800 |
Feature Name |
International: Locale Support Additions |
Description | Locales are a set of cultural and regional preferences that correspond to a user’s language and sub-language (examples: Canadian French, UK English). This feature adds support for the following locales: Galician, Gujarati, Kannada, Kyrgyz, Mongolian (Cyrillic), Punjabi, Divehi, Syriac and Telugu. |
Scenario | A user can customize their computer to use the cultural preferences of one of these locales. This includes sorting, calendars, keyboards, currency, number, date and time formatting. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel – Date, Time, Language and Regional Options |
Ref. No. | WH0545-0547-0548C101800 |
Feature Name |
International: Regional Options Enhancements |
Description |
This feature enhances the Regional and Language Options control panel to provide the following:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel – Date, Time, Language and Regional Options |
Ref. No. | WH0544C101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: Auto-Configuration for Multiple Networks Connectivity |
Description | This feature provides easy access to network devices and the Internet. It also provides the mobile computer user seamless operations on both office and home networks without having to manually reconfigure TCP/IP settings. This feature specifies that TCP/IP will use an alternate configuration if a DHCP server is not found. The alternate configuration is useful in situations where the computer is used on more than one network and one of those networks does not have a DHCP server and an automatic private IP addressing configuration is not desired. |
Scenario | A user has a mobile computer that is used at their office and at home. While at the office, the computer uses a DHCP-allocated TCP/IP configuration. While at home, where there is no DHCP server present, the computer automatically uses the alternative configuration. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Network Connections |
Ref. No. | WH1020N101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: Connection Manager Favorites |
Description | The favorites feature for Connection Manager enables users to eliminate repetitive configuration of the Connection Manager properties when switching between common dialing locations. The favorites system provides a method for storing and easily accessing settings. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Internet Connection Wizard |
Ref. No. | WH1065N101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet Connection Sharing |
Description | Whistler provides the ability to share a single Internet connection with multiple computers on a home or small business network through the Internet Connection Sharing feature. This feature also provides addresses for network clients vai Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and serves as a Domain Name System (DNS) proxy. |
Scenario | A user wants to share their Digital Subscriber Line (xDSL) or cable modem connection with the computers on their home network. The user enables Internet Connection Sharing on the computer and all the other computers on this home network can access the Internet through this connection. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Internet Connection Wizard |
Ref. No. | WH0363N101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: Home Networking Wizard |
Description | Whistler provides a simple way for home users and small business users to create a shared Internet connection and configure clients on a home or small business Local Area Network (LAN) with the Home Networking Wizard. No knowledge of networking technology is required. |
Scenario | A user buys a new computer with Whistler installed as the operating system. This new computer is connected to the Internet and the user can easily configure the new computer to share files with computers running Windows 95 and Windows Millennium in the user’s small business. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start |
Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Home Networking Wizard OR Start – Control Panel – Network Connections – Home Networking |
Ref. No. | WH1224C101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: Personal Firewall |
Description | Whistler provides Internet security in the form of a firewall. Designed for use in the home and small business, Personal Firewall provides protection on computers directly connected to the Internet or behind an Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) host computer that is running the Personal Firewall feature. This feature is available for Local Area Network (LAN) or dial-up connections. It also prevents scanning of ports and resources (file and printer shares) from external sources. |
Scenario | A user wants to protect a Remote Access Server(RAS) connection when dialing directly into an Internet Service Provider (ISP), protect a LAN connection that is connected to an Asynchronous Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) or cable modem. They can also enable Personal Firewall on a public Internet Connection Sharing interface to provide protection to the ICS host computer. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Home Networking Wizard OR Start – Control Panel – Network Connections – Home Networking |
Ref. No. | WH1253N101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: Residential Broadband Client Access Improvements |
Description | This feature enables connecting multiple computers through the same access device and use residential broadband services. This includes functionality similar to dial-up service using Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). It also enhances network access with access control, billing, type of service can be done on a per-user basis, rather than a per-site basis. This feature also provides a cost effective methodology of using Point-to-Point Protocol Over Ethernet (PPPOE). |
Scenario | A user can use broadband connectivity from their home or other location using PPPOE. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Network Connections – LAN or High-Speed Internet |
Ref. No. | WH0529N101800 |
Feature Name |
Media Folders (My Music, My Pictures) |
Description |
Media Folders include:
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Scenario | Users can take a series of photos with a digital camera, transfer them to their computer with a flash card, and then sort and delete the photos before posting them on their personal Web sites or storing them in a folder. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
Start – My Pictures Start – My Music |
Ref. No. | WH0747C101800 |
Feature Name |
Migration Wizard |
Description |
This feature enables the convenient transfer (migration) of files, documents, and settings (state) from one computer to another. It does this by providing a Migration Wizard that is designed to walk users through migrating these from, for example, their old computers to their new computers. This is usually done when the computers are side-by-side, or during a replacement, or for a "wipe and load." The Migration Wizard has two paths: state collection and state application.
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Scenario | A home user buys a new computer to replace an old one that has less power and speed. By following the instructions in the Migration Wizard on the new computer, a non-technical user can easily migrate their files, documents, and settings from the old computer to the new computer via a floppy (or other removable media), home LAN, or a known Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Program – Accessories - System Tools - Migration Wizard |
Ref. No. | WH0828M101800 |
Feature Name |
My Pictures Folder Enhancements |
Description |
This feature enhances the user experience when using scanners, still digital cameras, and streaming cameras that produce stills, such as digital video camcorders and Web cameras. It includes:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – My Pictures |
Ref. No. | WH0472-0736C101800 |
Feature Name |
My Pictures Screen Saver |
Description | This feature adds a screensaver option called My Pictures Slideshow. It enables a user to integrate personal pictures they save in the My Pictures folder into a screen saver slideshow that can support transitions, traverse folder hierarchies, turn on password protection, and more. |
Scenario | A user has saved pictures on their computer in several folders. This feature provides a static location to save these files. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Appearance and Themes – Display - Screensaver |
Ref. No. | WH0482C101800 |
Feature Name |
Paint Accessory Enhancements |
Description |
Microsoft Paint was modified to support Windows Image Acquisition (WIA). This feature allows users to retrieve pictures directly from WIA devices. Enhancements include:
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Scenario | This feature helps users deal with scanners, digital still cameras, and streaming cameras that produce still pictures (such as digital video camcorders and Web cameras). |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories - Paint |
Ref. No. | WH0474C101800 |
Feature Name |
Printer and Fax Folder with WebView |
Description | This feature will increase the usability of printing and give the user the information they need to print successfully. It includes some new functions for the Printers Folder and the ability to rename this as the Printer and Fax Folder |
Scenario | A user in a business receives many facsimiles and uses the Printer and Fax Folder to manage this information. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware – Printers and Faxes |
Ref. No. | WH0558C101800 |
Feature Name |
Printer Enhancements for Multi-Function Peripherals |
Description | This feature promotes connectivity with new models of Multi-Function Peripheral (MFP) that often perform printing, scanning, copying, and faxing in the same device. This implements standards for IEEE 1394 printing protocol for supporting IEEE 1394-based printers to enable legacy-free computer-hardware advances. It enhances Dot4 protocol to be fully IEEE 1284.4-compliant and adds a Dot4 layer to USB to support MFP architecture. |
Scenario | A user can purchase a new MFP and scan and print a picture to the same device. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware – Printers and Faxes |
Ref. No. | WH0572C101800 |
Feature Name |
Printing: High-End Color Printer Support |
Description | This feature leverages Universal Print Driver (Unidrv) functionality to enable monochrome devices that support high-end color printers. In Windows 2000, Unidrv converted files to bitmaps, whereas this feature will utilize vector drawing, which is faster, output file sizes are smaller and results in higher throughput. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware – Printers and Faxes |
Ref. No. | WH1170C101800 |
Feature Name |
Printing: Universal Printer Driver Enhancements |
Description | This feature provides enhancements to the Universal Printer Driver, including mirroring. |
Scenario | A user wants to print a transparency. The mirroring functionality of this feature enables this. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printing and Other Hardware – Printers and Faxes |
Ref. No. | WH1140C101800 |
Feature Name |
Publishing to the Web |
Description | This feature will enable users to publish to the Web as a seamless and consistent experience. Files can be shared with friends and family, users can roam between computers, and users can have a common storage location. |
Scenario | Users can easily publish their family pictures on the Web to share with friends and other family members in distant locations. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – My Documents or Media Folders – Publish this folder to the Web |
Ref. No. | WH0730C101800 |
Feature Name |
Start Menu |
Description | The Start Menu has been redesigned to make access to important and frequently used tasks easier. In addition to prominent Internet and E-mail links, there is now a Frequently-Used Programs list that displays the most frequently used programs. Important user folders, such as My Documents, My Pictures, and My Music are also given prominent positions on the new menu. |
Scenario | A user can quickly and easily view a web page, read or send E-mail, launch applications, or find files. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Appearance and Themes – Taskbar and Start Menu – Start Menu |
Ref. No. | WH0850C101800 |
Feature Name |
Taskbar Notification Area Enhancements |
Description |
User Notification improvements are intended to provide more meaningful user notifications and to reduce clutter on the taskbar. Icons that are not clicked on become hidden. The behavior of particular icons is configurable in the Taskbar and Control Panel. Taskbar grouping consolidates all windows that are open in a particular application into a group. When space on the taskbar runs out, the taskbar buttons form a menu to provide more space and facilitate switching from one window to another. Note: Developers and ISVs should deliver meaningful notifications to the user via the notification area. The notification area should not contain icons that are launch points or are the only access points for running utilities; launch points should be made accessible in the Start menu. The Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) is a good source for more guidelines on this topic. |
Scenario | A user has a lot of open windows. Instead of having a row of buttons that contain only icons, the taskbar has fewer buttons sorted by application. Each button is able to convey more information and it is therefore easier to switch between the open windows. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Appearance and Themes – Taskbar and Start Menu - Taskbar |
Ref. No. | WH0728-0726C101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Services: Remote Desktop |
Description |
Remote Desktop provides access to a desktop from any Terminal Services client. This allows access to the full set of installed applications, work in progress, and all connectivity usually found from a workstation or a server. Remote Desktop is an extension of Windows 2000 Terminal Services functionality. It will still allow access to sessions on a computer running Server products that can be used for computer administration or server-based computing. In addition, Remote Desktop allows Remote Console access, allowing one to redirect the primary screen output to a Terminal Server client. APIs are available that allow an application to determine if it is running on the local console or as a Remote Desktop. Additional Terminal Services APIs provide general session information. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
Privileges: Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – System - Remote User: Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications - Remote Desktop Connection |
Ref. No. | WH0082M101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Services: Remote Desktop Connection |
Description | The Remote Desktop Connection is the end-user tool for establishing connections to computers running Terminal Services. It is now included in all product platforms. Remote Desktop Connection replaces the Terminal Services Client. |
Scenario | Corporate employees, using a line-of-business application that is hosted on a Terminal Server, can use the client connection manager to do a RAS connection to this application while working from home. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications - Remote Desktop Connection |
Ref. No. | WH1051M101800 |
Feature Name |
Visual Appearance Improvements |
Description | The visual redesign for Whistler will provide a new appearance that includes changes to the User Interface. Users can also switch between classic and professional visual styles in Whistler. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel – Appearance and Themes – Display - Audiences |
Ref. No. | WH0701C101800 |
Feature Name |
Welcome Screen |
Description | The Welcome Screen enables the ability to have a single computer set up with multiple user accounts. These accounts are created during Setup or from the Control Panel. The separate accounts are profiles that separate each users data. By default, the accounts are not password protected, but the user’s can set a password on their specific account if desired. |
Scenario | A family has one computer that they all share. Each family member can be set up with a separate logon account. If desired, this helps ensure that other family members do not use files within each family member’s account. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel |
Ref. No. | WH0693C101800 |
Feature Name |
Windows Preview Applet |
Description |
The Windows Preview Applet is an application that allows a user to view, print, and rotate multiple file types. Some of the file formats it handles include: multi-page TIFF, JPEG, BMP, GIF, and PNG. The user can annotate the image based on the file format standards (such as multi-page TIFF) or based on standard Windows Explorer-based file properties. In Whistler, the Windows Preview Applet is the default image preview for My Pictures folder. It will also provide the slideshow feature for this folder. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – My Pictures |
Ref. No. | WH1066C101800 |
Feature Name |
WebDAV Redirector |
Description | The Web Digital Authoring & Versioning (WebDAV) redirector is a new mini-redirector that supports the WebDAV protocol for remote document sharing over HTTP. The WebDAV redirector supports the use of existing applications and allow file sharing across the Internet (through firewalls, routers, etc.) to HTTP servers. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
The redirector is started automatically. User: Start – Control Panel – Tools – Map Network Drive |
Ref. No. | WH1057B101800 |
Improving Fundamentals and Technology
Feature Name |
Applications Compatibility |
Description |
Ensuring that third-party applications work on Whistler is a key goal for this release. For Whistler, a set of technologies and support infrastructure that isolates Operating System (OS) differences and application bugs. This will help ensure that applications that worked on Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition and Windows 2000 will continue to work on Whistler. One of these technologies, called AppFixes, solves problems such as applications incorrectly detecting the OS version and specific application problems such as referencing memory after it has been freed. The infrastructure support enables AppFixes on what would otherwise be incompatible applications and these do not require user intervention. A database of applications, problems and fixes drives which AppFixes are enabled and this database is updated from the Web via Auto Update. In addition, the end user can enable an applications compatibility mode for custom-built applications. Selecting the option in the property page of the application does this. |
Scenario | A user has an application that worked under Windows 95. From Whistler, the application reports, “this application requires Windows 95 or greater”. The user can select “Run in Windows 95 compatibility mode” on the application property sheet, re-launch the application and start using it. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0079W101800 |
Feature Name |
Applications: Handling Non-Responsive Applications |
Description | This feature reduces the impact to a user when an application stops. If this occurs, the user is allowed to move, size, minimize and close the window that has gone into this state. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0683C101800 |
Feature Name |
Disk Defragmenter Enhancements |
Description |
Disk Defragmenter tool enhancements include:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – System Tools – Disk Defragmenter |
Ref. No. | WH0221B101800 |
Feature Name |
Encrypting the Offline Files Database |
Description | This feature provides an option to encrypt the Offline Files database. Offline files are also known as Client Side Cache (CSC). This is an improvement over Windows 2000 where either CSC or encryption was allowed, but not simultaneously. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – Folder Options – Offline Files |
Ref. No. | WH0216B-0626S101800 |
Feature Name |
FAT32 on DVD-RAM |
Description | This feature enables recognition, mounting, and formatting of 32-bit File Allocation Table (FAT32) volumes on Digital Video Disk-Random Access Memory (DVD-RAM) disks in super-floppy format. |
Scenario | A user can use a DVD-RAM disk with FAT32 format. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options - System |
Ref. No. | WH0239B101800 |
Feature Name |
Hardware: DualView |
Description | DualView is an extension to the multi-monitor feature in Windows 2000. Some high-end display adapters, and many mobile computer computers, support two interfaces to the same display adapter. In mobile computers, this is the internal display, and the external connector for a monitor or other display. DualView enables the two interfaces to display different outputs at the same time. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Add New Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0091B101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: Network Bridge |
Description | Whistler provides the ability to use multiple network media types to form a single network without configuration. Ethernet, HPNA, IEEE 1394, and wireless networks can be interconnected with no user configuration requirements. A Spanning Tree Algorithm is included in this feature to prevent bridging loops. |
Scenario | A home user can connect multiple dissimilar Local Area Networks (LANs) to create one network or IP sub-network. This allows all networks Internet access through Internet Connection Sharing and full network connectivity in the home without further configuration |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Home Network Wizard Or Start – Control Panel – Network and Internet Connections – Network Connections |
Ref. No. | WH1242N101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: TCP/IP Name Resolution over RAS without WINS/DNS |
Description | This feature provides the capability for a RAS client to resolve TCP/IP names on a LAN without the use of WINS or DNS. NetBEUI was a method on Windows 2000 to resolve TCP/IP names on a local LAN without WINS or DNS. Because NetBEUI is removed from Whistler, this solution was derived as an extension to the NetBT name resolution Proxy. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1160N101800 |
Feature Name |
Network Device Driver Enhancements |
Description |
This feature adds network device drivers that are commonly used in home networking and removing legacy device drivers that are no longer relevant. It also includes improving the quality of networking drivers. Driver categories include:
|
Scenario | A home user upgrades their computer to Whistler and discovers that the network devices they currently use are already supported on this new operating system. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – System - Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0353-0368-0369-0370N101800 |
Feature Name |
Printer Access With NetCrawler |
Description | This feature enables NetCrawler to find and automatically connect to printers; printers at home or business network appear automatically. The NetCrawler enables users who are unfamiliar with networking to have easy, automatically configured access to computers and devices in their workgroup. It does this by searching out and providing links to network resources. |
Scenario | A user at a corporation wants to print documents after setting up a new computer. NetCrawler finds the available printers and displays this to the user. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
NetCrawler runs in the following situations:
|
Ref. No. | WH0573C100900 |
Feature Name |
TAPI: Audio Streaming Enhancements |
Description |
This feature provides improved streaming quality for IP-based audio conferencing. This includes:
|
Scenario | Audio conferencing experience will improve for users with these audio-streaming enhancements. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Sounds and Audio Devices |
Ref. No. | WH0580N-0422D101800 |
Feature Name |
TAPI: Streaming on IP Service Providers Improvements |
Description |
This feature improves streaming and management aspects of TAPI version 3 multicast and H.323 service providers. It includes:
|
Scenario |
A user of a TAPI-based application can use this feature to:
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Network and Internet Connections – Phone and Modem Options - Advances |
Ref. No. | WH0586N101800 |
Feature Name |
TAPI: Video Streaming Enhancements |
Description | This feature provides improved streaming quality for IP-based video conferencing. It includes new codecs to improve quality and interoperability, support for some new cameras, support for DirectDraw to improve video performance, support for lip-synchronization to improve synchronization of video and voice, and support for larger video sizes. |
Scenario | To avoid travel costs, a business team located in five cities uses video conferencing for a weekly meeting. This feature will improve the overall video quality of the meeting and enable them to use more types of video hardware. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Sounds and Audio Devices |
Ref. No. | WH0587N101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Services: Audio Redirection for RDP |
Description |
This feature enables sound reproduction on a client computer with any application that attempts to play a wave sound inside a Terminal Server session. This includes the following:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Remote Desktop Connection |
Ref. No. | WH1006M101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Services: Remote Desktop Resource Redirection |
Description |
When using Terminal Services Remote Desktop from a Whistler-based client or other RDP 5.1-enabled client, many of the client resources are available within the Remote Desktop connection. This feature includes:
Terminal Services Virtual Channel APIs make it simple to extend client resource redirection for custom applications. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
Redirection must be enabled on both the server and client. Default settings vary and can be examined or changed through the Terminal Services Configuration tool on the Client Setting tab. User: Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Remote Desktop Connection |
Ref. No. | WH1228M101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Services: Resolution and Color Enhancements |
Description | Terminal Services now supports greater color depth and screen resolution. Using the Remote Desktop client, color depth can be selected from 16 colors to True Color and resolution can be set from 640x480 to the highest level supported by the client video. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
Resolution and color limits must be enabled on both the server and the client. Default settings vary and may be examined or changed through the Terminal Services Configuration tool on the Client Settings tab. User: Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications – Remote Desktop Connection |
Ref. No. | WH1236M101800 |
Feature Name |
TWAIN Compatibility for 64-bit Applications |
Description | This feature enables scanner imaging functionality for 64-bit native applications, 64-bit native user mode drivers that fully support 32-bit Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) applications, and provides minimally acceptable support for 32-bit legacy TWAIN applications. Support for 32-bit WIA drivers is not included. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to support imaging functionality on 64-bit applications. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0505C101800 |
Feature Name |
Wake on LAN: Select Wake Event Improvements |
Description |
Wake on LAN (WOL), introduced in Windows 2000, is a hardware capability of WOL-enabled NIC whereby the NIC can cause bus power management wake-up events upon the receipt of certain patterns in network packets. Improvements to this functionality are included in Whistler including:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Add New Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0366N101800 |
Feature Name |
Windows Error Reporting |
Description |
If a user encounters a Stop error, also known as a blue screen crash event or General Protection (GP) faults, a user can optionally have the error automatically reported to Microsoft for analysis. By analyzing the submitted information, the Windows Online Crash Analysis team can categorize each event report by its signature and, in most cases, identify the source of the blue screen crash event. The customer receives automatic notification of the analysis status and any changes made. As a result, the Online Crash Analysis team is able to provide resolutions, workarounds, and general troubleshooting information for users. |
Scenario | If a blue screen crash event occurs, the user can submit the resulting event report to Microsoft for analysis when the system is restarted. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options – System – Advanced – Error Reporting |
Ref. No. | WH1218W-1138M101800 |
Enhancements for IT Administration
Feature Name |
Access Control List Editor Enhancements |
Description |
This feature provides enhancements to the standard Access Control List editor User Interface (ACLUI), including:
|
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this tool to improve their management of ACLs. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in, Security |
Ref. No. | WH0667-0592-0601-0593-0594S101800 |
Feature Name |
Access Control List UI: Usability Display Changes |
Description |
This feature improves usability in Access Control Lists (ACL) UI (security properties page) with the following improvements:
|
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to more easily manage ACL inheritance. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Active Directory Users and Computers snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH1049S101800 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory Administration: Object Picker UI Improvements |
Description |
The object picker is a component UI that other administrative UIs can launch to allow an administrator to select one or more users, computers, groups, or contacts from the Active Directory. The object picker is used by numerous UIs and is available for use by third-party developers. To that end, it provides public and private interfaces that the launcher can use to customize the behavior to their needs. For example, it can be launched in single-select mode or in multi-select mode or it can be launched to allow only one specific type of object (such as Users) to be selected. For Whistler, the Object Picker has been redesigned and enhanced, with the following results:
More flexible querying capabilities for finding objects in the directory based upon their attributes |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to add members to groups, re-target snap-ins to work with remote computers, add security principals to Access Control Lists (ACLs), work with snap-ins that require the selection of objects from the directory service. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Active Directory Users and Computer snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0662S101800 |
Feature Name |
=== Active Directory Administration: WMI Providers for Replication and |
Description | This feature provides Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) classes to monitor whether Domain Controllers are successfully replicating Active Directory information among themselves. Because many Windows 2000 components, such as Active Directory replication, rely on inter-domain trust, this feature also provides a method to monitor that trusts are functioning correctly. |
Scenario | An IT administrator or independent software developer can use this feature to write scripts or applications that monitor the health of Active Directory replication and inter-domain trust. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0668-0637-0644S101800 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Application Naming Contexts |
Description |
This feature provides the capability of hosting dynamic data in Active Directory without significantly impacting network performance by providing the ability to control the scope of replication and placement of replicas. Active Directory services will allow the creation of a new type of Naming Context (NC), or partition, referred to as Application Partition. This NC can contain a hierarchy of any type of objects except security principals (users, groups and computers), and can be configured to replicate to any set of Domain Controllers in the forest, not necessarily all in the same domain. |
Scenario | An IT administrator will benefit from this feature. Dynamic data from network services such as RAS, RADIUS, DHCP and COPS can reside in a director so that applications can access them uniformly with one access methodology. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0439-635S101800 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Behavior Versioning |
Description | Similar to Native Mode in Windows 2000, this feature will provides a versioning mechanism that can be used by Active Directory core components to determine what features are available on each Domain Controller in a domain and in a forest. It is also used to prevent pre-Whistler Domain Controllers from joining a forest that has Whistler-only Active Directory feature activated. |
Scenario | Two new features in Active Directory cannot be activated until all the Domain Controllers in a forest are upgraded to Whistler. This includes: Active Directory: Group Membership Replication Improvements and Active Directory: Improved Inter-Site Replication Topology Generator (both features are described in this Feature Guide). After all of the Domain Controllers in a forest have been upgraded, an IT administrator can advance the forest behavior version to Whistler Forest Native Mode, which automatically activates these new features. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Accessed from the NTDSUTIL utility |
Ref. No. | WH0445S100600 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Global Catalog Not Required for Logon |
Description |
In Windows 2000, when processing a logon for a user in a native mode domain, a Domain Controller had to contact a Global Catalog server in order to expand a user’s Universal Group membership. This requirement compelled some organizations to deploy Global Catalog servers into remote offices in order to avoid logon failures if the network link that connected the remote site to the rest of the organization was disconnected. In Whistler, Domain Controllers in a site that does not contain a Global Catalog server can be configured to cache Universal Group membership lookups when processing user logons. This allows a Domain Controller to process logons without contacting a Global Catalog and when a Global Catalog server is unavailable. Group memberships for users that log on to the Domain Controller in the site will be cached. The cache will be refreshed on a periodic basis as determined by the replication schedule. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to avoid placing Global Catalog servers in remote offices. This also results in reducing the amount of bandwidth used for replication. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Configure a site to use Global Catalog-less logon in the Active Directory Sites and Services snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0440S101200 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Group Membership Replication Improvements |
Description |
In Windows 2000 Active Directory, the membership of a group is stored and replicated as a single unit. As a result, a change to a group with large membership caused the entire membership to replicate, consuming a less-than-optimal amount of network bandwidth and processor load. In addition, if the membership of a group was updated simultaneously on two or more domain controllers, then some of the membership updates could potentially be lost during replication conflict resolution. When a forest is advanced to Whistler Forest Native Mode (see description of the feature Active Directory: Behavior Versioning), group membership is changed to store and replicate values for individual members instead of treating the entire membership as a single unit. This results in lower network bandwidth and processor usage during replication and virtually eliminates the possibility of lost updates during simultaneous updates as described above. |
Scenario | When an IT administrator makes updates to security groups or mail distribution lists to a Domain Controller running in Whistler Forest Native Mode, integrity of the updates are maintained. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0432S100600 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Improved Inter-Site Replication Topology Generator |
Description |
In Windows 2000, the process that automatically created replication connections between Domain Controllers in different sites could not be used when a forest contained a large number of sites. Instead, administrators had to create an maintain manual inter-site replication topologies. In Whistler, the Inter-Site Topology Generator (ISTG) has been updated to use improved algorithms and will scale to support forests with a greater number of sites than in Windows 2000. Because all Domain Controllers in the forest running the ISTG role must agree on the inter-site replication topology, the new algorithms are not activated until the forest has advanced to Whistler Forest Native Mode (described in the feature Active Directory: Behavior Versioning). |
Scenario | An IT administrator can advance the forest to Whistler Forest Native Mode and have Active Directory automatically create the inter-site replication topology. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1235S100600 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Install Replica from Media |
Description | This feature enables faster creation of replica Domain Controllers (DCs) for a pre-existing domain. Instead of replicating a complete copy of the Active Directory database over the network, this feature allows an administrator to source initial replication from files created when backing up an existing Domain Controller or Global Catalog server. The backup files, generated by any Active Directory-aware backup utility, can be transported to the candidate Domain Controller using media such as tape, CD, DVD, or file copy over a network. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Run the Active Directory Installation Wizard in Advanced Mode (dcpromo.exe/adv) |
Ref. No. | WH0451S101800 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: LDAP Improvements |
Description |
Whistler includes several enhancements to the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) client and server implementation:
|
Scenario | A developer can use these features for flexible and secure access to data stored in Active Directory. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0436S101800 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Synchronization Improvements |
Description |
With Windows 2000, the Global Catalog (GC) Partial Attribute Set (PAS) requires that upon propagation of extended PAS (addition of an attribute to the PAS), the GC initiates a full synchronization cycle of its Read-Only (RO) Naming Context (NC). This is done to become up-to-date with the attribute-extended replica image on other Domain Controllers (DC). This feature provides a mechanism to preserve the GC synchronization state (rather than re-setting it) and minimizes the work generated when an extended PAS is propagated across the enterprise. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to scale their enterprise more effectively. When the PAS is extended, such as for a line-of-business application deployment or any administrative action, this new feature will minimize the impact to the administrator’s network infrastructure, especially important for administrators with large directories and those with global networks that include slower speed links. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Active Directory Users and Computer snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0437-0433S101800 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in: Saved Queries |
Description | A query is a search against a data set (the directory) for items that match particular criteria (such as directory object attribute values). This feature will allow queries to be saved, reopened, refreshed and E-mailed. Query objects and results can be viewed and manipulated in the User Interface. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Active Directory Users and Computer snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0659S101800 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory Users and Computers Snap-in: Editing Multiple User Objects |
Description | This feature will provide the capability to select multiple user objects, and then bring up a set of property sheets that will allow the clearing or setting of object attributes across all the selected objects. Only specific property sheet and attributes will be available for this multi-object editing. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to simultaneously change attributes for a large number of objects. The administrator takes only a few steps to make these changes en masse. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Active Directory Users and Computer snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0660S101800 |
Feature Name |
Authorization APIs |
Description |
This feature simplifies the administration of authorization policy with an authorization framework. It is the foundation on which roles are implemented and other features designed to hide the complexity of underlying Access Control List (ACL) and other policy data. The authorization framework includes a set of APIs for use by system components and applications to perform customizable access checks using standard Windows NT 4.0 ACLs with significantly higher performance than supported by previous APIs. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0824S100300 |
Feature Name |
Automated System Recovery |
Description | Automated System Recovery (ASR) feature provides the ability to save and restore applications. This feature also provides the Plug and Play mechanism required by ASR to back up Plug and Play portions of the registry and restore that information to the registry. |
Scenario | An IT administrator finds a server has had a hard disk failure and it has lost all configuration parameters and information. ASR is applied and the backup of the server’s data is restored. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0235-0132B100400 |
Feature Name |
Backup and Restore with DHCP |
Description |
This feature will ease the process of doing backups and restores by providing a User Interface (UI), enabled by a DHCP snap-in, that will expose two new menu items at the server: Backup and Restore. When the user chooses either of these menu items, a browser window appears to offer the selection of a location, or new folders can be created as well. This will be present only if the DHCP server is a Whistler-based server. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to do Whistler-based server backups and restores. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DHCP snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0775N101800 |
Feature Name |
CardBus Wake on LAN |
Description | This feature allows a computer to be resumed from standby by a CardBus LAN card. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to aid in managing a group of servers. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0159B101800 |
Feature Name |
Certificate Enrollment Enhancements |
Description | This feature will enable applications to expect the existence of certificates and they do not need to develop alternative enrollment processes. This is intended to make it easier for users to deal with certificates. This feature includes user auto-enrollment, user auto-renewal, delegated enrollment, and manual certificate requests. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0619S100300 |
Feature Name |
Certificate Revocation List Duplication Points |
Description | This feature provides the ability to specify Certificate Revocation List (CRL) Distribution Points (CDP). In this case, it is possible to change the location of the file of where the CRL is published. |
Scenario | An IT administrator has to move the published point of the CDP from a file server to a Web server in a project to improve services for his company’s users. This feature will enable this change. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0605S101400 |
Feature Name |
Certificate Revocation List Enhancements |
Description | This feature enhances Certificate Revocation List (CRL). A Delta CRL model is created that provides the ability for a client to efficiently retrieve the delta CRL on a frequent basis. In addition, if the retrieved Delta CRL is based off of a base that the client does not have, then the client can retrieve a new updated base. |
Scenario | A user’s CRL has expired. With these enhancements, the user can now retrieve a new certificate more easily. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0620S100300 |
Feature Name |
Configure Your Server |
Description |
This feature makes it easier for an administrator or end user to set up a server by helping users finish installing optional components that they choose during the Windows setup. They can use it to perform the following:
|
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Occurs during Windows Server setup |
Ref. No. | WH0906S102000 |
Feature Name |
Cross Certification Enhancements |
Description | This feature enhanced the Windows 2000 client cross certification feature by enabling the capability for department level and global level cross certifications. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0618-0607-0618S100300 |
Feature Name |
DHCP: Classless Source Routing |
Description | This feature allows Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) to configure a client with multiple classless routes with the use of a sub-network mask. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to allow clients to split tunnel through a Virtual Private Network (VPN) and the Internet. This makes it possible for traffic destined for the Internet to not have to go through the VPN at the same time allowing the user to access their corporation’s private network resources. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DHCP snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH1253N101800 |
Feature Name |
DHCP: Database Backups |
Description |
This feature enables backups of a Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) database while the service is running. A DHCP server that will support private APIs makes this possible. The API will take a directory location on local disk (remote paths are not allowed) and the service will back up the current state of the database onto the specified location, creating the directory if it did not exist. The corresponding API for restoring the database will take the same disk location where a backup was performed before, and restore the database to the current working location. This will effectively bring the database state back to where it was when the backup was performed. Whatever is not stored in the database will not get backed up or restored by the operations above. For instance, any configuration stored in the registry will not get reverted when a restore is performed. Examples of configurations not affected by restore include audit-log settings and database locations. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to backup a DHCP server without impacting DHCP services. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DHCP snap-in – Backup or Restore |
Ref. No. | WH0523N101800 |
Feature Name |
DHCP: Database NetShell Migrations |
Description | This feature enables an easier migration of a DHCP database from one server to another if it is imported into NetShell (NETSH). This eliminates most manual configurations, such as manually editing the registry or recreating scopes. The command-line tool, NETSH, is used to locally configure remote access servers and routers, and can also use script files to automate configuration tasks. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs - Accessories – Command Prompt - type NETSH |
Ref. No. | WH1062N101800 |
Feature Name |
DHCP: UI for Backup and Restore |
Description | This DHCP snap-in to MMC provides new menu items for Backup and Restore of DHCP databases. These items will be present only if the DHCP server is a Whistler-based server. |
Scenario | This feature simplifies an IT administrator’s work on this MMC snap-in. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DHCP snap-in - Backup or Restore; a browser window enables the selection of a location (and new folders will also be created). |
Ref. No. | WH0775N101800 |
Feature Name |
Diagnostics: Network and Connectivity Test |
Description | This feature allows common network and connectivity testing. Network information and test results can be viewed with a browser interface from Control Panel or from a command line interface. |
Scenario | An IT help desk professional can use this feature to validate a user’s network configuration and the connectivity to the network. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server, Advanced Server, Datacenter, Embedded |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0379N101800 |
Feature Name |
Distributed File Service Administration Improvements |
Description |
This feature exposes more functionality of the File Replication Service (FRS) through a new Distributed File System (DFS) MMC snap-in. This includes:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DFS snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0666S101800 |
Feature Name |
DNS: Basic Compliance with DNS Security Extensions |
Description | The Whistler DNS server provides basic compliance with the Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard DNS Security Extensions protocol as defined in RFC 2535. The server can store the record types (KEY, SIG, and NXT) defined in the IETF standard and return those records to an RFC 2535-aware client. The server does not provide full compliance and does not perform the cryptographic operations specified in RFC 2535 (KEY/SIG record generation, or message signing). However, the server can accept standard KEY and SIG records generated by third-party software. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use a Whistler-based DNS server and safely interoperate with other DNS server implementations that support the DNS Security Extensions protocol (RFC 2535). |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DNS snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0441S101800 |
Feature Name |
DNS: DCPromo Supporting DrDNS Functionality |
Description |
DrDNS (pronounced “Doctor DNS”) is a new tool intended to simplify debugging of the Domain Name System (DNS). It includes:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DNS snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH1139S101800 |
Feature Name |
DNS: Manage DNS Client Using Group Policy |
Description |
This feature allows administrators to configure the DNS client settings on Whistler-based computers using Group Policy. This simplifies the steps required to configure domain members when adjusting DNS client settings such as enabling and disabling dynamic registration of the DNS records by the clients, using devolution of the primary DNS suffix during name resolution and populating DNS lists. In addition to the simplification of the administration, Group Policy support for the last parameter (DNS suffix search list) is considered a strategic feature, which will be required in a transition to the NetBIOS-less environment. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this Group Policy feature to configure DNS clients. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Active Directory snap-in - Group Policy (on the properties of any domain, organizational unit or site object) |
Ref. No. | WH0444S101800 |
Feature Name |
DNS: Stub Zones and Conditional Forwarding |
Description |
Stub zones and conditional forwarding are two DNS server features that provide the ability to control the routing of DNS traffic on a network. A stub zone allows a DNS server to be aware of the names and addresses of servers that are authoritative for the full copy of a zone, without that server having to hold a complete copy of that zone, or having to send queries to the DNS root servers. A Windows 2000 DNS server can only be configured to forward DNS queries to one set of DNS servers. The conditional forwarding feature in Whistler provides improved granularity supporting name-dependent forwarding. For example, a DNS server may be configured to simultaneously:
|
Scenario | An IT administrator can uses this feature to control the routing of DNS traffic on their network. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | DNS snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0443S101800 |
Feature Name |
DNS: Support for EDNS0 Protocol |
Description | This Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard protocol defined in RFC 2671 allows DNS servers to accept and transmit User Datagram Protocol (UDP) DNS messages with a payload size greater than 512 octets. This feature provides support for this functionality. |
Scenario | This feature is useful for an IT administrator when DNS responses, such as Service Location record (SRV) queries used to local Active Directory Domain Controllers are larger than 512 octets. Prior to Whistler, these responses required extra round trips to setup and teardown a Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) session. In Whistler, using the EDNS0 protocol, many of these responses can be returned in a single UDP round trip without requiring TCP session setup and teardown. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0442S101200 |
Feature Name |
Editable Certificate Templates |
Description | This feature provides the capability to edit a Certificate template. It also includes changes to meet the X.509 standard to include deployment specific information in the certificates and certificate templates. |
Scenario | An IT administrator has created a certificate template three months ago. Business requirements dictate a modification to that template. This feature enables those changes to be made. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Security snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0609S101800 |
Feature Name |
Encrypted Domain Passwords |
Description | This feature provides enhancements to computer security by encrypting the Administrator and the Join Domain passwords that are stored in the setup answer file. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0182-0186B101200 |
Feature Name |
FIPS Kernel-Mode Crypto Module |
Description | This feature is a cryptographic module that runs as a driver in kernel-mode and implements the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS)-approved cryptographic algorithms. The algorithms include: SHA-1, DES, 3DES, and an approved random number generator. The kernel driver will go through testing so it can be on the list of FIPS 140-1 Level 1 certified cryptographic modules. |
Scenario |
This feature will enable government sectors to deploy FIPS 140-1-compliant Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) implementations using:
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0628-0654S101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Administrative Templates Snap-In Enhancement |
Description | This feature enhances the Group Policy Administrative Template extension snap-in so that it is more clearly understood in the User Interface where each policy is supported. This information will be displayed on the property sheet for each policy and in the WebView pane. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to quickly view more policy information. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy – Administrative Templates snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH1222M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Folder Redirection of My Documents |
Description | Through Group Policy, this feature provides the capability to redirect a user’s My Documents folder to their home directory. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to transition users from a legacy deployment of home directories to the My Documents model while maintaining compatibility with the existing home directory environment. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy snap-in - User Configuration - Windows Settings - Folder Redirection - My Documents |
Ref. No. | WH1247M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Full Install of User Assigned Applications at Logon |
Description | The Application Deployment Editor will contain a new option that allows a user assigned application to be installed completely at logon, instead of on demand. |
Scenario | An IT administrator is planning to deploy an application to a group of mobile computer users and wants to ensure that all possible features are present on the users computers. The users logon while connected at the home office, and the app is immediately installed in full at logon. Later, while using the application offline, all features are fully installed and the user is not prompted for any install on demand features. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy snap-in - Software Installation - Deployment Properties |
Ref. No. | WH1244M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Network and Dial-up Connections |
Description | This feature provides the ability to apply Group Policy to specify via a UI which components of Whistler networking functionality for specific users. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH1131N101300 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: New Policy Settings |
Description | Whistler includes over 100 new policy settings. These policies provide the capability to customize and control the behavior of the Operating System for groups of users. These new policy settings affect functionality such as Control Panel, error reporting, Terminal Server, networking and dial-up connections, Domain Name System, network logon, Group Policy and roaming profiles. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can specify which Control Panel applets appear on computers for a group of users. |
Product | Professional, Server, Advanced Server, Datacenter |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0675M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Policy Features for Distributed Eventing |
Description | This feature expands the Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) eventing infrastructure to operate in a distributed environment. It consists of components that will enable configuring subscription, filtering, correlation, aggregation and transport of WMI events. |
Scenario | An ISV can enable health monitoring, event logging, notification, auto recovery and billing with the addition of a UI and definition of a policy type. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Accessed through WBEMTest |
Ref. No. | WH0029M100400 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Resultant Set of Policy Wizard |
Description | The Resultant Set of Policy (RsoP) wizard guides an administrator through the steps necessary to create an appropriate target, generate RSoP data, and start the RSoP tool to use that data. This basic tool can determine the state of an existing target and run scenarios by manipulating the way in which Group Policy might be applied. It allows access and inspection of RSoP for a given target, allows generation and inspection of RSoP for a given target in an artificial environment, and allows easy inspection of differences under new criteria. |
Scenario | This new snap-in tool allows an IT administrator to examine typical groups of users by sampling target computers, such as those in the Accounts department, and then target them for suitable upgrades and new deployments. The logging mode allows an IT administrator to examine what actually was processed on a given computer. The planning mode allows an IT administrator to perform “what if” analysis for a specified location in the directory, security group membership and WMI filtering properties. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0062-0065-0066M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Support URL for Software Deployment |
Description | This feature provides a capability to edit and add a support URL for the package. When the application appears in the Add/Remove Programs on target computers, the user can then select the Support Information URL and will be directed to a support Web page. This feature can assist in reducing calls to a helpdesk or support team. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
From the Group Policy snap-in - Software Settings to set the URL and Add/Remove Programs – Support URL View the URL: Add/Remove Programs - select the application - Support URL |
Ref. No. | WH1245M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Support for 64-bit Software Deployment |
Description | This feature provides support for 64-bit software deployment with Group Policy. New options in the Application Deployment Editor (ADE) will aid in determining if 32-bit applications should be deployed to 64-bit clients. The ADE will also allow existing Windows 2000 deployments to be managed with the same level of functionality provided by Whistler. |
Scenario | An IT administrator is planning to deploy a Windows Installer package to a group of users. The Windows Installer package is for 32-bit operating systems and application but some of the users have 64-bit computers and operating systems. The IT administrator knows the 32-bit package works correctly on 64-bit computers and operating system and uses the new “Make 32-bit x86 Windows Installer Application Available to IA64 machines” option in ADE, and the package is deployed to all users. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy Editor – User or Computer Configuration – Software Setting – New Package – Deployment - Advanced |
Ref. No. | WH1246M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: Terminal Server |
Description | Terminal Services now provide Group Policy settings for most configurations. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use Group Policy to manage how a Terminal Server can be used, such as enforcing redirection capabilities, password access and wallpaper settings. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH1239M101800 |
Feature Name |
Group Policy: WMI Filtering |
Description |
The Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) Filtering is an addition to the Group Policy infrastructure to enable the ability to specify a WMI-based query to filter the affect of a Group Policy Object (GPO). This will be an addition to the GPO Properties page as a new tab where a filter can be specified, created and edited. Additionally, support is included to allow Resultant Set of Policies (RsoP) to display existing WMI filters as well as specify alternate WMI filters. This is similar in concept to the Security Group filtering implemented in Windows 2000. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to create, delete, update, import and export filter objects. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Group Policy snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0070M101800 |
Feature Name |
Headless Server |
Description | Headless server provides the ability to install and manage a computer without a VGA display, keyboard, or mouse. Support for management controllers and management ports allow servers to be managed even during system start or when the system has crashed. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0092B100600 |
Feature Name |
Headless Server: Emergency Management Service Support |
Description | A headless server is one that can be completely administered remotely and therefore does not require a local keyboard, mouse, video card or monitor. Emergency Management Service (EMS) is the first headless implementation in Whistler. A dependency on local console hardware and the ability to run Attended in Text Mode Setup with Unattended Graphical User Interface (GUI) Mode Setup is removed. All communications with the remote headless server is via text mode. |
Scenario | A corporation has a remote site in which there are IT servers but no IT staff locally is available to handle any issues with the servers. EMS provides increased functionality for more operational situations and thus reduces IT staff travel time and reduces time to remotely restore services that might have failed. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1133B101300 |
Feature Name |
Headless Server: Remote Installation Services |
Description |
Headless Remote Installation Services (RIS) is a feature that provides:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0100B101300 |
Feature Name |
Internet Information Services: Capacity Planning Tracing |
Description | This feature enables the ability to make an assessment of the demand on various parts of the system, which can then be used in planning the reallocation of resources or adding new ones, such as hardware. This method is widely used in e-commerce solutions to track application workload against Application Service Provider (ASP) script-resource usage. |
Scenario | An IT administrator has two different Web applications on a server. At certain times during the day, the server freezes because the CPU is at 100 percent usage. After enabling the tracing on the server and starting up the site, the IT administrator can check the log file produced by the tracing and determine which application is causing the problem. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1134P100400 |
Feature Name |
Internet Authentication Service as a RADIUS Proxy |
Description |
This feature allows the functionality of the Internet Authentication Service (IAS) for forward RADIUS authentication and accounting requests to another RADIUS server. This functionality includes:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0524N100800 |
Feature Name |
IPSec Monitoring Improvements |
Description |
This feature improves Internet Protocol Security (IPSec) monitoring capabilities. It does this through a use of a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in that provides detailed IPSec policy configuration and active security state. This feature replaces the ipsecmon.exe monitor program found in Windows 2000. An IPSec policy consists of a set of main mode policies, a set of quick mode policies, a set of main mode filters that are associated with the set of main mode policies, and a set of quick mode filters (both transport and tunnel mode) that are associated with the set of quick mode policies. The IPSec policy applied to the computer can come from the directory storage if the computer is part of a domain, or it can come from the local storage if the computer is not part of any domain. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature for improved IPSec monitoring. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0371N101200 |
Feature Name |
Kerberos Extended Errors |
Description | Kerberos extended errors facility makes more information available for diagnostic and troubleshooting of authentication errors in a domain-based environment. |
Scenario | This feature enhances the ability for an IT administrator to resolve authentication errors. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0630S101800 |
Feature Name |
Key Archival and Recovery |
Description |
Key archival and recovery enables data recovery in the event of end-entity losses. It includes:
|
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to more easily archive and recovery keys. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0608S100800 |
Feature Name |
Large Log Files |
Description | Large Log Files feature provides full read and write support for log files greater than 1GB in size. A new log file format will be supported that allows performance data to be appended to an existing log file format. The source of the data to be stored in the header records and no restriction on file size when reading or writing collected data. For compatibility reasons, the old format will be supported. The new format will become the default binary log file format type. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can now select and process log files greater than 1GB in size. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0115B101800 |
Feature Name |
Logical Volume Management Enhancements |
Description |
Logical Volume Management (LVM) is a function that provides a mapping layer between the disk driver and the file system. This feature is a collection of enhancements that improves performance or availability of storage and file systems, including:
|
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0234B101800 |
Feature Name |
Migration of Third-Party Mass Storage Drivers |
Description | This feature adds support for new mass storage devices that are released by hardware vendors. This will aid upgrade migrations from Windows 2000 servers. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0191B100300 |
Feature Name |
MSMQ: Distribution Lists |
Description | In Whistler, Message Queueing (MSMQ) adds support for sending messages to Distribution Lists that are hosted in the Active Directory. |
Scenario |
|
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1147P101800 |
Feature Name |
MSMQ: Internet Messaging |
Description | In Whistler, the Message Queueing (MSMQ) provides a new feature called Internet Messaging. This feature supports sending messages to queues on the Internet or within an Intranet by introducing a URL-style format name DIRECT=HTTP://sitename\msmq\queuename. For MSMQ to support Internet/Intranet messaging using URL-named queues, proper configuration of the Internet Information Server (IIS) is required. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1146P101800 |
Feature Name |
MSMQ: Queue Alias |
Description | The feature introduces a new Active Directory object: Queue Alias. This object can act as a reference to any Message Queueing (MSMQ) queue. This is useful to allow private queues to be elements of MSMQ Distribution List objects. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1254P101800 |
Feature Name |
MSMQ: Triggers |
Description |
In Message Queueing (MSMQ) 1.0 and MSMQ 2.0, the Triggers feature was delivered by the platform Software Development Kit (SDK) as an add-on module. With Whistler, the MSMQ Triggers module has been incorporated into the core product. The goal of MSMQ Triggers is to provide a simple facility to automatically connect messages with functionality in a COM component or standalone EXE. It thus provides a way to invoke business rules in response to MSMQ messages without writing any infrastructure code. Likewise, it is a simple and scalable mechanism to expose business logic in COM+ packages via MSMQ. |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature to automatically monitor messages arriving at a queue for certain property values and, based on those values, dispatch the appropriate component to process matching messages. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1255P101800 |
Feature Name |
Native Mode IDE Switch |
Description | Windows 95,Windows 98 and Windows Millennium Second Edition support compatible mode Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) controllers while Whistler supports Native Mode IDE controllers. The Native Mode IDE Switch is a feature that will dynamically switch IDE controllers from Compatible Mode to Native Mode. |
Scenario | An IT administrator will find that Plug and Play reliability is improved with this feature. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0859B101800 |
Feature Name |
NetMeeting 3.1: Bridging Enhancements |
Description |
This feature enables a user of Microsoft NetMeeting version 3.1 to communicate with another person using Microsoft Exchange 2000 multicast conferencing. These programs let people communicate and collaborate over the Internet and corporate intranets, holding real-time meetings where they can see, hear, and exchange information with each other. NetMeeting 3.1 is included on the Whistler. However, any operating system that currently has it installed will get an automatic upgrade to NetMeeting 3.1. NetMeeting also offers a platform for real-time communication, enabling third-party vendors to easily integrate Internet conferencing into their applications and services. |
Scenario | NetMeeting 3.1 allows users to be in different locations and conduct meetings as if everyone were in the same room, even if some of them use Microsoft Exchange multicast conferencing. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – Communications - NetMeeting |
Ref. No. | WH0581N101800 |
Feature Name |
Network Client: Unattended Install Enhancements |
Description | This feature modifies the unattended setup to allow for more flexibility in the configuration of networks. The Whistler implementation allows information in the answer file to be merged with or appended to existing system data. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0350N100900 |
Feature Name |
Network Location Awareness |
Description |
This feature enables client computers to determine their location in a network, which then allows them to perform the following with that location information:
|
Scenario | End users in a corporate environment can more easily configure their new computers to interface with the corporate computer network. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Network and Internet Connections – Network Connections |
Ref. No. | WH0345N101800 |
Feature Name |
Network Packet Scheduler |
Description | Packet scheduling is the means by which packet data transmission governing a key function of Quality of Service (QoS) is achieved. The packet scheduler is the traffic control module that regulates how much data an application or flow is allowed. This essentially enforces QOS parameters that are set for a particular flow. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use the Packet Scheduler (Psched) for multimedia applications such as NetMeeting and TAPI conferencing. This can be used to schedule transmission of data packets on time and prioritizing them over other traffic both in the end system and in the network (via packet marking). |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0371N101700 |
Feature Name |
NTFS Read-Only Volumes |
Description | This feature provides the ability to indicate an NTFS volume as read-only. |
Scenario | An IT administrator occasionally requires the need to indicate an NTFS volume as read-only during backup operations. This enables the backup utility to mount the NTFS volume snapshot as read-only. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0215B100400 |
Feature Name |
NTFS SetShortName for Backup |
Description | NTFS allows both short and long filenames. The short filenames are implicitly created by NTFS when an application creates the file, subject to the tunnel cache state. Currently, when files are copied, backed up or restored, the short filenames are not preserved. There are also applications that use these short filenames to refer to files and they are not correctly backed up or restored. This feature enables the use of short file names to be preserved and correctly copied, backed up, restored. |
Scenario | A user backs up a file server that includes registry entries that refer to short filenames and later needs to restore the files. All file names are correctly preserved and restored. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0224B100300 |
Feature Name |
Performance Monitor: Current Processor Power Activity Report |
Description | This feature will present processor (CPU) power activity information in the performance monitor. |
Scenario | End users and IT administrators will be able to manage, monitor and troubleshoot processor-power issues for individual computers or within an IT infrastructure. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Performance – Performance Logs and Alerts |
Ref. No. | WH0158B101800 |
Feature Name |
Performance Monitor: Logging to SQL Server |
Description | This feature allows performance data collected by Performance Monitor (PerfMon) to be written and read directly to SQL databases via Open Database Connectivity (ODBC) data connections allowing performance data collection on an enterprise rather than per- server basis. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to produce enterprise-wide performance reports for Whistler-based servers running their applications. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Performance – Performance Logs and Alerts |
Ref. No. | WH0825B101800 |
Feature Name |
Performance Monitor: Select Multiple Instance and Objects |
Description |
The select multiple objects in Performance Monitor (PerfMon) feature is an enhancement to the visualization/analysis of performance data using the Performance logs and alerts service. This feature will make it easier to select multiple objects, counters and instances for logging to a file. This feature will not be available in SysMon for real-time monitoring where selecting multiple object counters and instances displays too much data. |
Scenario | An IT administrator wants to collect performance counter data for a group of servers. Using this feature, the IT administrator can select all performance objects, counters and instances. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Performance – System Monitor |
Ref. No. | WH0118B101800 |
Feature Name |
Performance Monitor: Trending Analysis |
Description | Trending Analysis is a feature enhancement to the visualization/analysis performance and event tracing data of Performance Monitor (PerfMon). It will include the ability to view data from multiple log file data sources. |
Scenario | An IT administrator wants to analyze the CPU, memory and disk utilization of a group of servers that are running a specific business application. With this enhanced feature, the IT administrator can select more than one file to process, can designate a specific timeframe, and view the reports. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Performance – Performance Logs and Alerts |
Ref. No. | WH0124B101800 |
Feature Name |
Performance Tools Additions |
Description |
New performance tools include:
|
Scenario | An IT administrator, developer, OEM, and other system support teams in diagnosing and resolving problems reported by users. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools - Performance |
Ref. No. | WH0126B101800 |
Feature Name |
Power Management Settings: Unattended Configuration |
Description | On Windows 2000, Power Management is built in and set manually on a per user basis. This new feature provides power management settings that can be pre-configured on a per system basis. This feature will also enable an override these default settings so that individual users can make any necessary adjustments. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Power Options - UPS |
Ref. No. | WH0199B101800 |
Feature Name |
Print Driver Installation on Server Clusters |
Description | In Windows 2000, each printer had to be installed “manually” on every node of the cluster. This feature provides a method to create a printer on one node of a cluster and fail over to another node and still maintain the created printer. |
Scenario |
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Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH1043C101800 |
Feature Name |
Printing: 32-bit and 64-bit Interoperability |
Description | This feature provides the ability for 32-bit applications to be able to print via a 64-bit print server. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1041C101800 |
Feature Name |
Printing: Remove MacPrint from 64-bit Whistler Server Product |
Description | The Services for Macintosh component includes a print server that allows Macintosh clients to print to Windows NT or Windows 2000 print shares via the AppleTalk protocol. In additions to the print server, there is a 300 DPI Postscript RIP engine that allows Macintosh generated Postscript print jobs to be sent to non-Postscript printers (for example, inkjet printers). This feature removes this functionality from 64-bit Whistler Server. |
Scenario | Not applicable |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Not applicable |
Ref. No. | WH1141N100400 |
Feature Name |
Printing: Scripts for Print Systems Management |
Description | This feature provides a command-line utility that allows management of printers and print queues. Using a Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider, scripts or batch files can be developed to manage printers in an unattended or automated manner. |
Scenario | An IT administrator needs to change the current properties for some printers. Using this tool, the IT administrator can get the current settings and then reset the parameters without using a Graphical User Interface (GUI). |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | WMI |
Ref. No. | WH1056C101800 |
Feature Name |
Printing: Universal Printer Driver Pseudo Vector Support |
Description |
This feature enhances Unidrv as a new universal printer driver. Its sub-features include the following:
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Scenario | Users can avoid installing drivers for more printers due to this feature. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware – Printers and Faxes |
Ref. No. | WH0564C101800 |
Feature Name |
RAS: Connection Manager Administration Kit Improvements |
Description |
This feature enables a network administrator, using the upgraded Connection Manager Administration Kit (CMAK), to create custom dial-up profiles for RAS connections with a dial-up or virtual private networking. This feature relieves administrators of the former manual tasks of creating a profile, locating associated files, manually configuring the files to enable these features, and constructing a new profile from the edited files. The profiles contain a self-installing package which typically includes the following:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Connection Manager Administration Kit |
Ref. No. | WH0521N101800 |
Feature Name |
RAS: Integrated Services over Slow Link Layers |
Description | Some applications generate additional traffic across a network that can cause end-to-end latency issues. In real-time multimedia applications, for example, this type of latency can interfere with the use of the application. Lower speed networks are especially susceptible to latency issues under these circumstances. The Integrated Services over Slow Link Layer (ISSLOW) over Remote Access Service (RAS) networks feature addresses this problem. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to improve the user experience of applications, especially real-time multimedia applications, on slower speed networks. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1262N101700 |
Feature Name |
Removal of Legacy Networking Protocols |
Description |
The following legacy networking protocols are removed from Whistler Beta 1:
The following legacy networking protocols are removed only from 64-bit Whistler:
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Scenario | Not applicable |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | See description |
How to Start | Not applicable |
Ref. No. | WH1054N101800 |
Feature Name |
Roaming User Profiles: 64-bit Enhancements |
Description |
This feature provides 64-bit support for Roaming User Profiles in Whistler including:
Note: Roaming from a Whistler-based 64-bit computer with 64-bit applications installed to a Windows NT 4.0-based computer is the same as roaming to a Windows 2000-based computer, with the usual restrictions on Windows NT 4.0 roaming. |
Scenario | From a Whistler-based 32-bit Windows 2000 computer, a roaming user logs onto a Whistler-based 64-bit computer and has a 64-bit application and it works properly. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1220M101800 |
Feature Name |
Route Management Using Connection Manager |
Description |
This feature provides the following:
|
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to add more control for RAS users into a corporation’s private network. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Connection Manager |
Ref. No. | WH0537N101800 |
Feature Name |
Secure Wireless LANs |
Description | This feature provides security and performance improvements for wireless LANs, such as automatic key management, user authentication and authorization prior to LAN access. It will also provide access control for Ethernet networks when wired Ethernet is used in public locations. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel – Network and Internet Connections – Internet Options - Security |
Ref. No. | WH0365-1018N101800 |
Feature Name |
Secure Wireless/LANs and IAS/RADIUS Server |
Description | The Internet Authentication Server (IAS) is a RADIUS server that enables management of user authentication, authorization, and of users connecting to a dial-up, Virtual Private Network (VPN), firewalls and other connectivity technologies. In Whistler, it has been enhanced to allow authentication and authorization of users and computers connecting to Wireless and Ethernet LANs (IEEE 802.1X). |
Scenario | A user has a mobile computer that is used at both work and home. From home, the user can use this computer on their ADSL connection to access the office network via the company’s IAS/RADIUS Proxy. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1050N101200 |
Feature Name |
Security Accounts Manager: Record Identification Limit |
Description | This feature allows a greater number of users to be assigned security identifiers by the Security Accounts Manager (SAM). The limit in Windows 2000 was approximately one billion users. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can add more users to the SAM due to this feature. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | SAM snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0450S101800 |
Feature Name |
Security Improvements for Servers on Ethernet or Wireless LANs |
Description |
This feature is an enhancement to the feature “Secure Wireless LANs”. It allows servers to be deployed on Ethernet or Wireless LANs. With Secure Wireless/Ethernet LAN, a computer typically will not get access to the network until the user logon happens. However, if a computer has computer authentication enabled, then the computer can get access to the LAN after the computer is authenticated and authorized by IAS/RADIUS server. It is supported by the use of public certificates deployed by auto-enrollment or smart cards. This feature implements security for both wired and wireless Local Area Network (LAN) that is based on the 802.11 specifications. It is supported by the use of public certificates deployed by auto-enrollment or smart cards. This, in turn, enables access control for Ethernet networks where wired Ethernet is used in public places such as malls or airports. It supports authentication of computers within the Extensible Authentication Protocol (EAP) operating environment. |
Scenario | Users in airports with mobile computers can log onto the Internet using either a wireless or wired Ethernet LAN and be ensured of secure access. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | User: Start – Control Panel – Network and Internet Connections – Internet Options - Security |
Ref. No. | WH1142N101800 |
Feature Name |
Snapshots |
Description |
A snapshot of a storage volume is a point-in-time copy of the original entity. The snapshot is typically used by a backup application so that it can backup files that are made to appear static, even though they are really changing. With Whistler, the following snapshot components are being implemented:
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Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0236-0241B100400 |
Feature Name |
Snapshots: Backup Integration |
Description |
This feature adds improvements to the backup/restore accuracy, repeatability and reliability. Improvements include:
|
Scenario | An IT administrator has applications that cannot be backed up since the files are open. They must either shut down the application for the duration of the backup (the “backup window”) or purchase special backup agents that can backup these special files online. With snapshots, these files can be backed up, with minimal downtime for the applications and data. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0237B101300 |
Feature Name |
Snapshots: File System Support |
Description | This feature supports snapshots for NTFS and File Allocation Table (FAT) file systems by ensuring a common point in time for all snapshot volumes on the system and the file systems are in a clean flushed state. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature for NTFS and FAT snapshots. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0238B101300 |
Feature Name |
System Monitor: Performance Logging Enhancements |
Description |
This feature provides enhancements to performance data collected by the System Monitor (Sysmon). This includes the ability to display counter data from a log file, select those counters of interest and then write them to a new supported log file format. Saving of data displayed in real time to a log file is not supported. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use Sysmon to collect log file performance counters during a specific time interval and then save the data to a log file. The IT administrator can then analyze the data from the log file. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Performance – System Monitor |
Ref. No. | WH1229B101800 |
Feature Name |
System Restore |
Description | System Restore is an automatic, change-based monitoring feature which keeps a recent “safety net” of changes to the computer to allow rolling back harmful system or application changes. System Restore automatically creates meaningful restore points so users never have to remember to take a backup. The intuitive wizard-like restore UI enables users to undo harmful changes by just remembering a day and a point in a day when their computer was performing optimially. System Restore will undo harmful changes without impacting a user’s personal data files, such as E-mail and browsing history or favorites. |
Scenario | A user downloads an application from the Internet and then discovers the performance of the system and other applications do not work properly. The user uses Add/Remove programs to uninstall the application but this does noe fix the problem. Using System Restore, and remembering when the computer worked well prior to downloading this application from the Internet, the user elects to restore the system to the previous timeframe. After the restore is completed, the computer works properly. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Programs – Accessories – System Tools - Backup |
Ref. No. | WH0852M11100 |
Feature Name |
TCP/IP Support on IEEE 1394 Serial Bus |
Description | This feature enables the use of the IEEE 1394 serial bus as a network media for the TCP/IP protocol suite. This feature is a compatible implementation of Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) RFC 2734. |
Scenario | At IT administrator can use this feature to connect computers together using IEEE 1394 and the computers automatically establish TCP/IP networking. File sharing, Internet Connection Sharing, Printer Sharing and all the other networking features are available using IEEE 1394 as the network. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0380N101800 |
Feature Name |
TCP/UDP Port Ownership |
Description | This feature provides a new NETSTAT option to display the process that owns the Transmission Control Protocol/User-Datagram Protocol (TCP/UDP) port. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature for configuring secure servers, security audits and performance improvements. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1021N101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Server: Services Redirection |
Description | Terminal Services Redirection extends the Plug and Play capability so that it works for remote printing devices that are physically attached to a Terminal Server client computer. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to enumerate client-side printers and obtain their associated Plug and Play IDs using Plug and Play APIs. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0076M100300 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Server: Standby Power Support |
Description | This feature enables systems running Terminal Server to go into standby power states. |
Scenario | A user is running Terminal Server from a system that is on battery. The power is running low after the user has stepped away from their desk. The system will go into standby power or hibernation. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools - Services |
Ref. No. | WH0156B101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Server: Terminal Services Manager Improvements |
Description | To improve usability, the Terminal Services Manager tool no longer enumerates the Terminal Servers on the current domain by default. The improvements in Whistler enable an administrator to specify a particular server or to enumerate a specific domain. This tool also supports Favorite Servers that enables the ability to establish a list of frequently used servers to select. |
Scenario | An IT administrator opens Terminal Services Manager across a lower bandwidth network and does not have to wait for the servers to enumerate. The IT administrator can select the target server from the small list of servers typically administered. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance - Administrative Tools, Services |
Ref. No. | WH1238M101800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Services: Load Management |
Description |
Session-based and server-based load management is available for Terminal Server. Server load management uses WMI to provide metrics to network or hardware load balancing services. These metrics provide information on server availability and load, including server up, server down, and number of additional sessions the server can support. The load balancer or router can then use this data to better control server use. Session load management provides a Session Directory facility to re-route disconnected users back to their session in progress. The Session Directory is a replaceable COM object. |
Scenario |
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Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start |
Terminal Server metrics are available through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). The Session Directory must be started as a service on one computer, often one of the Terminal Servers in a group of servers, though it may be on a separate computer. The service is started through the Computer Management MMC snap-in. Each Terminal Server in the cluster must enable the Session Directory access and specify the name of the server hosting the Session Directory and the name of the cluster that Terminal Server is joining. This can be done through the Terminal Services Configuration tool, under Server Settings, or by using WMI. |
Ref. No. | WH1227M100800 |
Feature Name |
Terminal Services: Remote Access Permission Changes |
Description |
Terminal Services introduces the Remote Desktop Users group to grant remote access permissions. Remote Desktop Users is a built-in group that can be administered via policy. Placing a user or group into Remote Desktop Users gives that user the ability to remotely connect to a computer without requiring local login privileges. The Permissions tab in Terminal Services Configuration can still be used to add specific users and to set particular permissions for users. However, users must then be granted the Remote Interactive Logon using the Security policy editor. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Services |
Ref. No. | WH1237M101800 |
Feature Name |
User State Migration Tool |
Description |
The User State Migration Tool (USMT) aids deployments of Whistler as it provides a means for an IT administrator to capture and restore user’s settings, files and documents (that is, the “state”). This helps reduce time for the user after the new operating system is deployed since the users do not have to reconfigure desktop settings for such things as E-mail server, proxy server, desktop color scheme desktop wallpaper. USMT is useful for a “wipe and load” and computer replacement deployment strategies. The command line tool is driven by INF files that can be customized. The default INF files migrate the majority of the shell settings, Internet and E-mail connectivity settings and common Office file types. Sources for the migration include Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4.0, Windows 2000 and Whistler. Whistler is the only destination for the migration. |
Scenario | An IT administrator, doing a large-scale deployment of Whistler, needs to quickly migrate many user’s states from their old desktops to their new desktop computers. USMT is used to save time with the initial setups and reduce support calls after the deployment. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0828M101800 |
Feature Name |
Windows Installer: Digital Signature Support |
Description | This feature enables the capability for Windows Installer packages and external cabinets to be digitally signed. This will increase security. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can provide a more secure Windows Installer package if that package has to be used across the Internet. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1079M100400 |
Feature Name |
Windows Installer: Improved File Comparison Method |
Description | The Windows Installer version 1.5 has improved the performance of the file copy process relating to un-versioned files. This is done via the use of file hashes. This can reduce the time required to install large applications and reduce network bandwidth use if installing the application over a network. |
Scenario | If a file is being updated, but has no version, the Windows Installer can now compare files via their hash to determine if they are different and need to be copied. In this instance, IT administrators will likely result in fewer issues from users and users will find a new application installation to be completed faster. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0071M100400 |
Enhancements for Developers
Feature Name |
Accessibility: MSAA Document Services |
Description |
Microsoft Active Accessibility (MSAA) version 2.0 is a core component of Windows 2000. It defines a standard mechanism for applications to exchange information with Active Accessibility clients about their user interface elements. This COM –based technology provides a mechanism for MSAA clients to interact with a server in a consistent manner regardless of the type of content or controls it contains. Enhancements in Whistler include:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0867-0957W100400 |
Feature Name |
Accessibility: SAPI 5 Speech Recognition and Text-To-Speech API |
Description | This feature enables Narrator and other Text-to-Speech applications to be written using the new Speech API (SAPI 5). |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0870W101200 |
Feature Name |
Active Directory: Admin Extensibility Enhancements |
Description | Active Directory allows any class of object to be a member of a group. |
Scenario |
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Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0661S100300 |
Feature Name |
Cluster Server Extension |
Description | This feature provides an extension of the DeviceIOControl call that allows an application to determine whether a given disk is a cluster disk. The intended usage of the call is by applications and services that intend to write to the disk in question. |
Scenario | This feature provides developers and IT administrators with improved methods to manage and use cluster servers. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0167S100600 |
Feature Name |
Cluster Server: Resource Scripting Host |
Description |
The Cluster Resource Scripting Host feature simplifies the process of clustering applications. By providing a run-time environment that takes care of all complex issues, it allows for easy creation of new resource types. This is the new scripting host software "generic script" resource type. This feature includes:
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Scenario | A developer can use this feature to create line-of-business applications. Faster prototyping will enable the application to be completed faster. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0162S101300 |
Feature Name |
|
Description |
Whistler has a new folder under Windows called “WinSxS” (Windows Side-by-Side). This area is used to store versions of Whistler components that are built to reduce configuration problems with Dynamic Link Libraries (DLL). Multiple versions of components are stored in this folder. Whistler allows Win32 components and applications to use the exact version of Microsoft components with which they are tested and not be impacted by other application or operating system updates. |
Scenario | This feature provides developers and IT administrators with improved methods to manage and use servers. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1225B101800 |
Feature Name |
COM+: Resource Manager Support |
Description |
This feature enables COM+ transactions to be supported by one-phase transactions in the Microsoft Distributed Transaction Coordinator (DTC), instead of having to implement two-phase transaction support, as required previously. This feature enables quick and efficient development of modifications of existing resource managers to support COM+ transactions. The Microsoft DTC security configuration feature allows administrators to enable and disable certain features of Microsoft DTC to minimize the risk of security attacks on the system. Administrators can disable features such as network access to minimize the risk of denial-of-service attacks and the potential of unauthorized users hijacking the system. The "Last Resource Manager Support" in Microsoft DTC provides hooks to allow a resource manager that can only do one-phase transactions to participate in transactions coordinated by Microsoft DTC. There can only be one such participant in the transaction. |
Scenario | The security functionality is useful if Microsoft DTC is running on domain controllers or perimeter networks. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1013-1014P101300 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Applications As Windows NT Services |
Description | This enhancement of COM+ 1.x enables the ability to configure a COM+ server application as a Windows NT service and implement the Windows NT service as a COM+ server application. This provides more control over when the COM+ application starts. Marking the application to run as a Windows NT service means that the component’s Dynamic Link Library (DLL) is loaded into memory when the system boots. This results in making a COM+ application highly available as it can also be installed on a clustered server. |
Scenario | An Application Service Provider (ASP) wants to increase security levels of applications. Applying privileged operations under the Local System account in the Windows NT service enables this. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015-1016P100600 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Application Partitions |
Description | COM+ 1.x Application Partitions provides support for application partitions, which allow multiple versions of COM+ applications to be installed and configured on the same computer. This results in more cost-effective methods to manage server applications. |
Scenario | A developer can use application partitions for an application hosted at an Application Service Provider (ASP). Rather than creating multiple versions of the application on separate servers, multiple partitions can be created on the same server to host these versions. Each partition then acts as a virtual server. User Identity determines the set of partitions available to that user as well as a default partition where activations occur when no partition is explicitly specified. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015-1016P101800 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Application Process Dump |
Description | COM+ 1.x Pause/Disable Applications provides a new process dump, which enables a dump of the entire state of a process without terminating that process. |
Scenario | A developer at an Application Service Provider (ASP) cannot resolve an application problem. With the process dump, the ASP can take a non-intrusive snapshot of the running processes. The details are saved in a log file and are used by the developer to isolate and resolve the problem. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015-1016P101800 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Component Aliasing |
Description | COM+ 1.0 provided the ability to configure a particular implementation of a component once on any one computer. COM+ 1.x provides component aliasing. This allows the ability to configure one physical implementation of a component multiple times. |
Scenario | A developer is creating a component that only takes calls to stored procedures in a database. This component is going to be used by several applications that use different databases. Rather than copy this component code into each of the applications, component aliasing can be used to configure the same physical implementation of the component for each of these different applications. This results in less code to develop and maintain as well as faster development time. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015-1016P100600 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Configurable Isolation Levels |
Description | Configurable Isolation Levels – COM+ 1.0 only allowed the highest isolation level, which can be serialized. COM+ 1.x provides the ability to configure the desired isolation level. |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature increase concurrency, performance and scalability of applications by using configurable isolation levels. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015-1016P100800 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Memory Gates |
Description | COM+ 1.x prevents situations in which error paths might be run on a server. Rather than wait for memory allocations to fail in a section of code, COM+ checks memory before it creates a COM+ server or object. If the percentage of virtual memory available to the application falls below a fixed threshold, the activation fails before the object is created. |
Scenario | A developer needs to increase system reliability. Using memory gates, which fail activations that would normally run, previous reliability issues are avoided. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015-1016P100600 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Process Recycling |
Description | Process recycling – This COM+ 1.x enhancement provides the ability to configure process recycling administratively through the COM+ UI, or programmatically through the COM+ administrative Software Development Kit (SDK). Processes can be shut down or recycled based on several criteria, including elapsed time, memory usage, number of calls, and the number of activations. |
Scenario | A developer can use process recycling to increase stability of applications. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015-1016P101800 |
Feature Name |
COM+ 1.x Enhancement: Public/Private Components |
Description | COM+ 1.x Public/Private Components provides the ability to mark components as private, which can only be seen and activated by other components in the same application. Private components can also be marked so there is no access from outside the application (but still taking advantage of COM+ services). This provides more control over functionality of an application. |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature to mark certain components as private so these components cannot be used by other applications. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1015P100400 |
Feature Name |
Convert OpenHCI to new Port/Miniport USB Stack |
Description |
This new port mini-port model was created to reduce the complexity of creating a new USB host controller driver. The OpenHCI driver was re-written in Whistler as a mini-port. This will therefore reduce the time it will take to add a new host controller as well as the time required to back-port a new host controller to an older operating system. This will also facilitate third-party users that want to create random USB host controllers, such as 16-bit, remote or Ethernet. This feature will change the default driver for OpenHCI cards from the former monolithic port driver to the mini-port driver. This new architecture will make it easier to add a new host controller, such as Extended Host Controller Interface (EHCI) or USB 2.0. |
Scenario | This will make the addition of USB 2.0 hardware support easier. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0247B101800 |
Feature Name |
Digest Access Authentication |
Description |
The Digest Access Authentication feature provides a Light Weight Access Protocol (LDAP) for wireless and remote wireless devices. This feature includes a package with four primary functions of the Security Support Provider Interface (SSPI):
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Scenario | An OEM has a new wireless device and can use this feature to enhance its security. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0645S100400 |
Feature Name |
Digital Media: DirectShow Performance Improvements |
Description |
DirectShow provides APIs for client-side capture, transformation, and playback of a wide variety of data formats. These APIs will support performance enhancements for media manipulation. Functionality of this feature includes:
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Scenario | An ISV that develops media capture/editing applications. The developer can use this feature to improve support for Digital Video cameras and the addition of MPEG 2 streaming, provide better audio/video synchronization, provide precise run-time control over rapidly changing media parameters, and leverage new filters. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0425D101300 |
Feature Name |
Digital Media: DirectX 8 Gaming Platform |
Description |
This feature allows Whistler to be a compelling consumer gaming platform by incorporating DirectX 8 APIs. These APIs will support enhancements to performance and increase compatibility with popular multimedia games. This feature includes:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0455-456-457D101300 |
Feature Name |
Digital Media: Microsoft TV Technologies for Windows |
Description |
This feature provides the core platform components for developing digital television and DVD solutions. This feature requires that the television receiver device drivers support the new Broadcast Driver Architecture. It includes the following functionality:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0386-0385D100400 |
Feature Name |
Digital Media: Video Mixing Renderer |
Description |
The new Video Mixing Renderer replaces the Overlay Mixer and provides enhanced quality and support for video playback. It includes the following:
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Scenario | This new Video Mixing Renderer improves playback performance and provides enhanced video features to application developers of television and DVD applications. It also enables new presentation capabilities by enabling video to utilize the 3-D capabilities in graphics hardware. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0411-0405-086D101300 |
Feature Name |
Driverless-Cameras That Use PTP 15740 Protocol |
Description |
This feature enables an IHV to install a Windows Image Acquisition (WIA) device driver through the device manager, creating a device object. This newly install device object allows the application to communicate with the hardware, one of which is the driverless-camera driver. This feature also enables a user to plug in a digital still camera to their computer and download images, even though the camera manufacturer has not included a driver for the host computer. This driver is targeted at digital still cameras that meet the WIA generic PTP 15740 protocol. WIA recognizes all PTP 15740 digital still cameras. |
Scenario | A user can connect a digital still camera to their computer and download images, if it meets the PTP 15740 protocol, even though the camera manufacturer does not include a driver. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0495C100400 |
Feature Name |
Driver Installation for 64-Bit |
Description | In order to allow for the installation of device drivers on both 32-bit and 64-bit computers, the INF file definition supports the new .NTIA64 platform extension, which is used to designate a driver for installation only on 64-bit computers. |
Scenario | A developer can create an INF file that installs a 64-bit driver only on 64-bit computers. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0131B100800 |
Feature Name |
Driver Versioning |
Description | This feature improves the ability to provide two device drivers and have the system differentiate the correct driver without intervention from the user. |
Scenario | An OEM/IHV is providing a device driver for both Windows 2000 and Whistler. The Whistler driver has different binaries due to some changes in the Operating System (OS). Because the Whistler INF file format provides a method to differentiate between the two Operating Systems, the IHV can provide a single INF file that will install the appropriate binary on each OS. After it finds the media, Windows Plug and Play will install the correct driver without user intervention. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0143B100500 |
Feature Name |
Encrypted File System Support for Applications |
Description | This feature enables an application, such as Microsoft Office and other applications that work similarly, to copy encryption metadata from old files to new files. |
Scenario | This feature enables multi-user EFS of certain applications. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0626S100300 |
Feature Name |
Event Tracing Enhancements |
Description |
Event Tracing enhancements for performance data collection and analysis include:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0123-120-125B100400 |
Feature Name |
File Association Improvements |
Description |
This feature includes a number of improvements integrates applications better with Windows. These include the following:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0720C100400 |
Feature Name |
Internet Information Services: Application Recycling |
Description |
This feature supports the reliability and health of a server. It does this by enabling administrators to refresh their applications so as to prevent possible resource leaks that could lead to server lockups. More specifically, it enables administrators to isolate their application Internet Server API (ISAPI) extensions from the server by using COM+ Object-Oriented Programming (OOP). These applications often see their performance degrade over time due to poor algorithms, memory leaks, and so on. This feature enables process rotation that addresses these issues by periodically refreshing the application to release resources. It will work on both pooled and isolated out-of-process applications. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to ensure their OOP applications do not drain their system of resources. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1135P100800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: Integration Modifications for IPv6 Add-ons |
Description |
This feature integrates modifications for add-ons of GetAddrInfo and GetNameInfo from TCP/IP of IPv6. This feature is based on the IEEE 2553 specification “Basic Socket Interface Extensions for IPv6.” The socket interface makes the size of the IP address visible to an application and with IPv6 increasing the address size to 128-bits (versus 32 bits for IPv4 addresses). This feature provides the modifications for this. |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature with applications that need a longer IPv6 address size. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0343N101800 |
Feature Name |
Internet: IPv6 Protocol Support for Software Development |
Description | Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) is the next generation of the TCP/IP protocol widely used today. For applications developers, Whistler provides Developer Edition of the IPv6 protocol driver and utilities, API set and IPv6-enabled key system components such as Internet Explorer, Telnet, FTP, RPC and others. |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature to develop applications for the next-generation Internet. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1234N100500 |
Feature Name |
Kernel-Mode Debugging via IEEE 1394 |
Description | This feature provides support for kernel-mode debugging using IEEE 1394 standards. This is in addition to the current Windows support for debugging using legacy COM ports. |
Scenario | A developer or an OEM can use this feature to develop kernel-mode debuggers on computers that do not have COM ports. This feature allows using one host for debugging multiple targets without special equipment and debugging processing where high speed and throughput are necessary. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0110B101800 |
Feature Name |
MMC: View Extensions |
Description | This feature provides a new MMC snap-in extension mechanism called View Extensions. This snap-in can add user interface elements to an existing snap-in view, or add completely new views to an existing snap-in. The User Interface provided by View Extensions is HTML-based so it can include scripting to take advantage of object model objects and events. |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature to enhance their MMC snap-in. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0014M100400 |
Feature Name |
OLE Automation Update |
Description | This feature updates Object Linking & Embedding (OLE) automation on 64-bit operating systems. |
Scenario | A developer can use the OLE files on a 64-bit operating system. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0923- 0924-0925-0926P100400 |
Feature Name |
Printing: Spooler Improvements |
Description | A printer driver’s UI module can optionally export DrvDocumentEvent functions to perform pre-processing and post-processing of GDI calls associated with rendering a document. This feature implements use of the DrvDocumentEvent’s event filter support that results in improved overall performance due. |
Scenario | With the DrvDocumentEvent’s event filter support, a developer can create drivers to inform the spooler which events they are interested in, and then at job rendering time the spooler will only call the driver’s DrvDocumentEvent function for those events. The overhead of function calls for uninterested events are therefore eliminated. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0563C100400 |
Feature Name |
RAS: Dial-in with Third-Party Components |
Description |
This feature enables OEMs or ISVs to create their own dialing UI for RAS. This feature allows developers to create a custom-scripting Dynamic Link Library (DLL) that can communicate with the server during the process of establishing a dial-up connection before Windows starts Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP). This has two benefits:
This feature is also useful for OEMs implementing solutions that connect to older RAS servers or to X.25 PADs over analog modems or X.25. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0538N100400 |
Feature Name |
Roaming User Profiles: Application Support Enhancement |
Description | This feature is an enhancement for Roaming User Profiles relative to applications support. In Windows 2000 there are cases whereby some applications and services have open keys in the registry and these result in leaking registry keys (the open keys in the registry prevent userenv from unloading the hive). This feature makes sure that userenv behaves correctly when the application or service owner fixes these processes. |
Scenario | This feature is useful for developers writing line-of-business applications. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1221M101800 |
Feature Name |
Scriptable API to Configure Internet Authentication Server |
Description | This feature makes available in the Internet Authentication Server (IAS) Platform Software Developers Kit (SDK), a scriptable API that allows configuration of the service. |
Scenario |
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Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH1064N101800 |
Feature Name |
Secure Sockets Layer: Client Authentication Improvements |
Description | In Whistler, the Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) session cache is shareable across multiple processes. This will reduce the number of times a user has to re-authenticate with applications and reduces CPU cycles on the application server. |
Scenario | From Internet Explorer, a user launches an application that is secured with SSL. The user does not have to re-authenticate with an SSL certificate with the application. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0639S101800 |
Feature Name |
TAPI: H.323 Enhancements |
Description | This feature provides H.323 version 2 enhancements to enable third-party gatekeepers or gateways to communicate with Windows-based unified messaging servers. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Network and Internet Connections – Phone and Modem Options - Advanced |
Ref. No. | WH0582N101800 |
Feature Name |
TAPI: MMC Enhancements |
Description | This feature improves the Microsoft Management Console (MMC) for TAPI Server to improve the display of all active ports on a TAPI-based application. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to more easily and quickly get a list on a TAPI-controlled Private Branch eXchange (PBX). |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | TAPI snap-in |
Ref. No. | WH0578N101800 |
Feature Name |
Universal Plug and Play: Control Point |
Description |
Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) control point includes:
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Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs - Add/Remove Windows Components - Networking Services - Universal Plug and Play |
Ref. No. | WH1241N101800 |
Feature Name |
Universal Plug and Play: Control Point API |
Description | Universal Plug and Play (UPnP) includes a control point API for discovery of UPnP devices, description, control and receiving events from a UPnP device. |
Scenario | A developer can write an application to discover and control a certain type of device, or multiple devices in some scenarios, that would work with those devices regardless of the manufacturer of the device. For example, a UPnP Video Cassette Recorder (VCR) device from several manufacturers can work with the same UPnP application. |
Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start - Control Panel - Add/Remove Programs - Add/Remove Windows Components - Networking Services - Universal Plug and Play |
Ref. No. | WH1240N101800 |
Feature Name |
Windows Sockets: ConnectEx/TransmitPackets and TCP/IP |
Description |
This feature is a Microsoft-specific extension to the Windows Sockets 2 specification. It includes two functions:
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Scenario | |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0358N101800 |
Feature Name |
Windows Sockets: Direct Path for System Area Networks |
Description | This feature enables Windows Sockets applications that use TCP/IP to obtain the performance benefits of System Area Networks (SAN) with out making application modifications. The fundamental component of this technology is a Windows Sockets layered service provider that emulates TCP/IP semantics over native SAN service providers. |
Scenario | A developer within a corporation has a line-of-business application that will be used across a SAN. The developer can use this feature to handle the TCP/IP requirements. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0360N101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI: Distributed Event Subscriptions |
Description | This feature allows a user of WMI to create a distributed event subscription. This event subscription defines a scope of management (the set of computers that fit specified criteria based upon a WMI filter) for the subscription to be active upon, the event of interest, and where and how the event should be delivered. WMI will distribute and register the event subscription to the correct computers, and deliver the event to the specified computer when the event occurs. This can be used in conjunction with the WMI Correlator and Guaranteed Delivery features to create powerful eventing solutions. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to identify servers that are experiencing CPU utilization above their designated threshold (for a designated time interval) and forward “CPU utilization exceeded” events to a specific computer. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0027M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI: Event Correlation |
Description |
This feature provides a correlation component for WMI eventing. This component can detect a pattern of activities based upon the composition of certain events and data conditions within specified intervals of time. This enables the following specific benefits:
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Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to distill a stream of events into a less dense event stream by aggregating groups of similar events within an interval. The IT administrator can use this feature for statistical analysis of key server indicators such as an Internet portal, identify when a disk stays below certain thresholds for a period of time, error reporting for higher level error events across the enterprise and start an event, such as when three different events received within five minutes of each other. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0028M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Filters |
Description |
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) filters will be used by Group Policy Objects (GPO) to target policies based on inventory and other information pertaining to the target. Unlike filtering using security filters, these WMI filters will not require manual operations of determining the properties of a target and then including/excluding it from security groups. Examples include targeting filters on software inventory, operating system, hardware inventory, resources, computers, asset tags, hardware configuration, configuration, file attributes, time zone, hot fix, and ping. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0019M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI: Guaranteed Delivery of Events |
Description | This feature allows the user of WMI Distributed Eventing Service to specify the level of delivery when events are moved between computers. By integrating WMI with MSMQ, it is now possible to specify that events should be guaranteed when sent between computers, resending the event if it wasn’t received, and storing events when offline. |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0030M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI: Set Date and Time Remotely |
Description | This feature enables administrators of server appliances, such as headless computers, to remotely set the date and time on them using the Web user interface Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). |
Scenario | An IT administrator does not have to physically visit each server site to set its date and time. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0793M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: CHKDSK Functionality |
Description | This Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) feature allows CHKDSK to be invoked for any disk on a computer system as well as schedule/exclude a CHKDSK at the next boot. CHKDSK checks file systems for errors. |
Scenario | A developer can create a WMI application or script to invoke a CHKDSK operation on any disk, detect if the file system considers a disk “dirty”, schedule drive(s) for CHKDSK at next boot, and exclude drives from CHKDSK at next boot. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0054M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Disk Quotas |
Description | This feature allows user disk quotas to be monitored and configured through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). This includes setting default disk quotas for drives and setting user-specific quotas for each disk |
Scenario | A developer can use WMI to enable/disable quotas, configure user disk quotas remotely, determine which users are exceeding their quota and receive events when a user reaches their warning or quota limit. This can be done programmatically or through writing a script. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0052M101800 |
Feature Name |
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Description | This feature allows the creation, configuration and deletion of Distributed File System (DFS) shares through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature to enable applications and scripts to create, modify and monitor DFS links, add new DFS folders to a DFS link, remove DFS folders from a DFS link and manage DFS replicas. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0051M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Formatted Performance Counters |
Description | This feature provides access Windows performance counters as they appear in the System Monitor tool through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0060M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Internet Information Services |
Description |
This feature facilitates cross-application administration of servers that are running Internet Information Services (IIS). WMI enables scripting to manage all aspects of a Web application including system configuration, application files, and databases. The IIS WMI provider enables access through COM object interfaces to IIS meta-base data and methods, on objects instantiated from the meta-base. Windows 2000 management tools and scripts use WMI to manage systems composed of numerous devices, resources, and applications. The IIS WMI provider is intended to provide similar functionality to the IIS Active Directory Service Interfaces (ADSI) provider for the meta-base, which it will replace over time as the preferred interface for IIS administration. |
Scenario | An IT administrator of an ISP can use this feature to automate management of a group of servers. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH1025P101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Job Objects |
Description | This feature allows the configuration and monitoring of job objects through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). |
Scenario | A developer can use the Job Objects WMI Provider to create applications and scripts to monitor and configure Job Objects, relate Job Objects to the processes they contain, monitor Job Object performance and statistical information, configure Job Object resource limits, configure Job Object security limits, and receive events about Job Objects (such as new job process, and job memory limit reached). |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0057M101800 |
Feature Name |
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Description | This feature allows network share connections and sessions to be monitored through Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). |
Scenario |
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0053M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Ping |
Description | This feature allows the invocation of a ping command, using the ICMP network protocol, from a remote computer. The results are received as Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) data. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this feature to identify a network connectivity problem between a user’s computer and another network resource, ping multiple devices at once and receive results for all, and perform simple pings or specify any ping options including information such as the number of hops taken and how long each hop took. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0058M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Printing |
Description | The purpose of this feature is to add more functionality onto the existing Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider for printing components. This includes an in-box scriptable interface for management of the major functions in printing. |
Scenario |
An IT administrator has a network of computers with WMI installed. An IT administrator can use this feature to:
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Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0557C101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Static IP Route Information |
Description | This feature allows static IP route information to be created, modified and deleted on a system using Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). |
Scenario | A developer can use this feature to create an application or script to list all routes defined on a system. The developer can also add, modify and delete static routes and receive events when routes are added, modified, or deleted. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0053M101800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Provider: Terminal Server |
Description |
The Terminal Server Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) provider allows configuration and control of Terminal Server properties. Properties that are exposed through the Terminal Server Configuration tool can now also be controlled through WMI. Properties that are Group Policy-based or can be over-ridden by a server, can also be configured via this WMI provider. |
Scenario | An IT administrator can use this tool to make changes to a Terminal Server configuration. |
Product | Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | The WMI provider is enabled with Terminal Services. |
Ref. No. | WH0074M100800 |
Feature Name |
WMI Software Tracing |
Description |
Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI) software tracing provides a means to minimize the need for checked builds in the field. It includes the following:
There is a kernel debugger extension that has the ability to display the trace elements that remain in memory at the time of a break point, system crash, or from a crash dump. |
Scenario | An IT administrator wants to automate tracing. This feature enables the administrator to use a set of macros and a PERL pre-processor that will scan code, generate message numbers, and prepare the definition file. |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Performance and Maintenance – Administrative Tools – Computer Management |
Ref. No. | WH0163S101800 |
Of Interest to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs)
Feature Name |
Battery Life Monitoring |
Description | Battery life monitoring includes a current battery activity report: Information such as the rate of drain, battery remaining will be reported in the performance monitor. |
Scenario | An OEM developer can use this feature to track battery performance statistics to determine how much power they are using. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Other Control Panel Options - System |
Ref. No. | WH0148-0149B101800 |
Feature Name |
Cluster Services: 64-bit Support |
Description | This feature provides 64-bit support of clustering services on Whistler. |
Scenario |
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Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0164S101800 |
Feature Name |
Cluster Services: Installation Simplification |
Description | This feature provides a new Cluster Configuration wizard that simplifies the process of installing and configuring the cluster. |
Scenario |
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Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Cluster Configuration Wizard |
Ref. No. | WH1063S101800 |
Feature Name |
Customer Information Added to unattend.txt |
Description | Unattend.txt is used for unattended installations of Windows 2000 and Whistler. It also enables a majority of the options to be customized in the operating system. This feature provides more customizations an OEM or IT administrator might need, including a subset of the unattend.txt options, IEAK customizations, and customer-specific personal information. |
Scenario | An OEM wants to produce custom computers based on a specific customer order. Customization based on the customer’s personal information can be added during the build of the customer’s computer. When the user receives the computer, their specified personal information is already pre-loaded into the computer and they thus have less time to get started on their new computer. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | unattend.txt |
Ref. No. | WH0195B101800 |
Feature Name |
Hot Plug PCI |
Description | This feature will support OEMs who implement Hot Plug via Advanced Configuration & Power Interface (ACPI) 1.0b mechanisms. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | User: Start – Control Panel – Add New Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0135B101800 |
Feature Name |
IGMPv3 Support |
Description | The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) standard for Internet Group Management Protocol version 3 (IGMPv3) adds the ability to join and leave specific source/group pairs that enable an application to joining and leaving specific source/group pairs instead of group addresses or individual sockets. IGMPv3 also allows joining a group of arbitrary sources and then excluding one or more sources for that group. This latter functionality is useful for such things as multi-cast backbone network devices (such as routers). This feature adds this IGMPv3 functionality to Whistler. |
Scenario | An OEM wants to include IGMPv3 into a new network router. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH1022-0539N101800 |
Feature Name |
INF Search Cache |
Description | INF Search Cache feature optimizes the method by which Plug and Play Manager searches through the INF files. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0136B101800 |
Feature Name |
Memory Mirroring |
Description | Memory mirroring provides the ability to take snapshots of independent memory sub-systems so they can have the same replicated memory. |
Scenario | An OEM wants to implement high availability or fault tolerant systems with replicated memory sub-systems. Memory mirroring will enable this. OEMs will use this type of technology for corporations who have services that can tolerate no down time on their servers (for example, call centers, order entry systems, financial transaction tracking systems, telecommunications servers, process control servers such as in chemical plants or traffic control systems). |
Product | Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0107B101800 |
Feature Name |
Modem Country or Region Select |
Description | This feature provides a dialog box to retrieve a list of countries or regions in which the modem is currently functioning. Countries are identified in the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) defined country and regions format. |
Scenario | An OEM can include this feature to provide a standard method to allow users to select the country or region in which they are using a modem. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Network and Internet Connections – Phone and Modem Options |
Ref. No. | WH0373N101800 |
Feature Name |
One Parallel Driver |
Description | One parallel driver provides the ability for a single driver to become both a port arbiter and a bus driver. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware |
Ref. No. | WH0088B101800 |
Feature Name |
Pre-Install Process Improvements |
Description | This feature includes a new pre-install process, which makes installation easier, especially for end users and small corporations that have minimal technical resources. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0170B100900 |
Feature Name |
Printer PostScript Data Processed by OEMs |
Description | This feature provides the ability to create plug-ins for printer post-process output data; that is, for bi-directional communication with PostScript devices. It also enables an IHV to replace the standard Windows printer driver UI with a template to maintain consistency. |
Scenario | IHVs for computers can enhance their printer drivers with plug-ins to differentiate and increase the value of their products. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0566C100400 |
Feature Name |
Printers: Multi-Color Ink Printer Support Improvements |
Description | This feature provides support for color inks with more than 2 levels (usually 4-8 levels) on some newer printers. This means the printer is able to print different shades of the printer inks for each dot. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Start – Control Panel – Printers and Other Hardware – Printers and Faxes |
Ref. No. | WH0568C101800 |
Feature Name |
Setup Enhancements |
Description | Setup enhancements enable users to more quickly and easily start home-computing activities with little or no intervention on their part. This feature includes user assistance, an improved mouse tutorial, and an overall status indicator. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0194B100900 |
Feature Name |
Sysprep Modifications to Handle Factory Floor Pre-Installation |
Description | Sysprep allows computer OEM to quickly install an Operating System (OS) in the factory that will start up the first time without prompts. It reduces the startup and imaging time and reduces restarts. This feature makes modifications to Sysprep to enable OEMs to more quickly and efficiently install the OS to get to a full Windows environment. |
Scenario | OEMs can take advantage of this feature by taking a base image with a regular install, run the Sysprep program on it, and then quickly copy the image to every computer they sell. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Sysprep |
Ref. No. | WH0196B101800 |
Feature Name |
USB DirectInput Genre Descriptor Support |
Description | Microsoft DirectInput, a subset of the DirectX family, provides this new feature that reduces the effort needed to make an association between game actions and controls on a game pad. This feature enables this descriptor support. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0085B101800 |
Feature Name |
Unloading of ASL Tables Support |
Description | This feature allows the system to dynamically change the ACPI Source Language (ASL) tables to account for changes in the computer configuration. |
Scenario | This feature addresses the scenario where some devices are removed, such as with hot-plug, and more of the components of the operating system will now handle the change appropriately. This will result in less administration of computers. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | Integral to the operating system |
Ref. No. | WH0152B101800 |
Feature Name |
UDF 2.01 Read-Only |
Description | UDF is the key media format on all DVD media, including DVD-Read Only Memory (DVD-ROM) and DVD Videos, as well as on CD media (especially packet-written media). There are a number of revisions of the UDF standard. Windows 2000 can only read UDF 1.02 and 1.5 disks; this feature enables reading the soon-to-be-adopted UDF 2.01 standard. |
Scenario | Consumer electronics companies have announced plans to introduce products such as camcorders and Video Cassette Recorders (VCR) based on DVD-write-able formats such as DVD-Random Access Memory (DVD-RAM) and DVD-Read/Write (DVD-RW). Many of these vendors will use the UDF 2.00 and UDF 2.01 standard in doing this. DVD-RAM and CD-Read/Write (CD-RW) are also increasingly becoming widespread for interchange with PC data and there are third-party tools that generate these formats. The UDF 2.01 feature will support end users who want to take advantage of this new technology. |
Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0228B100400 |
Feature Name |
USB Phone Support |
Description | IP Telephony currently requires the end user to wear a headset to eliminate echo induced by separate speakers and microphone on the computer being used with this technology. This feature provides support for USB phones so that OEMs can develop and produce telephones that use IP telephony with a familiar form factor. |
Scenario |
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Product | Personal, Professional, Server |
64-Bit Information | Applies to 32-bit and 64-bit |
How to Start | |
Ref. No. | WH0584N100400 |