Windows Vista Hardware Assessment Beta Program Now Available for Download

February 02, 2007

If you are planning on deploying Vista this is a tool for you. If you are doing it in house or for a customer this tool will tell you if your hardware is Vista ready or not.

It works without installing an agent and runs from a single, centralized server. It scans your network and evaluates the hardware for Vista readiness. For those computers that are on the network but are not Vista ready it recommends specific hardware upgrades that need to get them Vista ready.

This is a beta, but it is a public beta so it should be fairly stable.

The beta is two parts the actual tool/solution accelerator and a presentation on how to submit bugs.

They are also having a contest for those that test.

"To encourage you to file feedback and bugs to our development team during this Public Beta period, we are announcing the official Windows Vista Hardware Assessment Beta-Fest Contest.

How Does It Work?

The Windows Vista Hardware Assessment team will evaluate each submission for its impact to the overall development program and the winners of each of the following 3 categories (see below) will each receive a special Windows Vista memorabilia gift and an Award Certificate hand-signed by the Windows Vista Hardware Assessment management and development team.

What Are the Categories? Who Can Win?

1) Most Prolific (Top 3 individuals with the most # of bugs filed)

2) Most Impactful (Top 3 individuals with the most impactful bugs filed)

3) Best Overall Feedback (Best bug for the entire Public Beta program)

Beta-Fest Contest Time Frame:

1) Start Date - February 1, 2007

2) End Date - February 12, 2007 "

Download the tool here, and the presentation here.

Here is a webcast for enterprise customers on the tool, and here is a partner webcast on using the tool.

Windows Vista Hardware Assessment will recommend specific actions that are needed to get a client computer ready for Windows Vista or to improve the Windows Vista experience. For example:

Upgrade to 512MB of system memory to get the Windows Vista Capable experience
Upgrade to 256MB of graphics memory to get the Windows Vista Premium experience for a single PC monitor at resolution higher than 2,304,000 pixels
Upgrade from a CD-ROM drive to a DVD-ROM drive to get the Windows Vista Premium experience
Upgrade the graphics card if required

Target Audience

End Customers: IT Professionals working in companies with up to 5,000 PCs
Partners: System Integrators, Value-Added Partners and other partners with desktop deployment projects

Key Benefits

Give clear guidance to customers on what client hardware assets they have and their present capabilities to run Windows Vista
Offer recommendation steps to enable PCs that are not able to run Windows Vista
Provide partners with a tool that allows them to engage with customers to assess and pitch Windows Vista deployment projects
Provide an unobtrusive, centralized method of capturing the information, quickly and specifically for that customer
Complement, tools like the Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.0 (ACT) and Business Desktop Deployment (BDD), and Windows Vista Security Guide

Regards,

Anthony

Anthony Clendenen | Technical Consultant | Microsoft Practices | Dimension Data