Customer Reviews

Windows Vista(TM) Resource Kit

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Windows OS Resource Kits have always proved invaluable to the administrator, and the Vista RSK is no different; over 1500 pages in this edition and a DVD as well.

This RSK is much more inclusive than some previous Windows Desktop RSKs. Part 1 starts off with an tour of Vista's changes over XP, and an overview of the OS' security components. Part 2 is all about automated deployment (over 250 pages dedicated to it), outlining general preparation and environmental requirements, use of the Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows AIK), and Windows Business Desktop Deployment 2007 (Windows BBD 2007). Both AIK and BBD are included in the DVD. Part 3 covers desktop management, geared mostly for network administrators managing Vista clients, and includes additional Microsoft services such as Windows Meeting Space, Search and Internet Explorer 7. Part 4 covers desktop maintenance (and coverage of an oddly placed Remote Assistance). Part 5 deals with networking and includes a section on deploying IPv6. The final section provides around 200 pages of troubleshooting, divided into startup, hardware / driver, network, and Stop messages.

Besides the aforementioned, the accompanying DVD also provides a PDF version of the book, several sample chapters of other books, and over 170 scripts and tools (mostly VBS scripts) aimed at both showing the intrinsic administrative capabilities of Vista as well as additional tools to assist in deployment, management, and troubleshooting.

Unlike the first two attempts at an XP RSK, this RSK starts things off right with in-depth information that is easy to find and easy to understand. A must have for administrators.

The Vista Resource Kit is a decent resource for Enterprise Class customers. Unfortunately, past product resource kits did not focus entirely upon the enterprise distribution functionality, and could be used to benefit the management of stand-alone systems.

Much of this edition requires the use of Ultimate, Business, or Enterprise editions of Vista. Implementation focuses upon group policy management in lieu of more detail access to registry settings, as was done in prior resource kits.

It is still a valuable tool, but if you are an individual user looking for detail insight of the funtionality and control of the Vista operating system, you will need to look for another book.

Vista Resource Kit isn't exactly the kind of book you sit down and read cover to cover. There are better books for that purpose. What this book is good for - and I'll risk saying exceptional for - is digging in to exactly how things wrok. Great resource for research!

The Windows Vista Resource Kit is excellent regardless of your skill or comfort level is with computers or Windows. If you are a new user, you may find yourself reading every page. If you already have experience with the Resource Kit, then this book (and software) is the perfect detailed reference for just about any Vista problem you may run across.

This resource kit is very informative, but I've never seen a book with so many typographical errors. Fortunately, almost all of the errors are not material in that they do not affect the accuracy of the content. But the book should have undergone a proofreading or at least a comprehensive spelling/grammar check.
Typo issues aside, the book is a very useful resource. The coverage of Vista's new (file) image-based deployment is comprehensive. Changes such as KMS (for licensing), admx (for Group Policy), file/registry virtualization (under UAC and IE Protected Mode), and BCD (replaces boot.ini) are discussed. Key additions to the collection of Group Policy objects are highlighted. And, of course, there is a lot of trivia-type information that, though interesting, may not find actual day-to-day use.
The resource kit tools are focused mainly on enterprise deployment and scripting. If you are looking for the types of tools included with previous Windows resource kits, you will be disappointed.

One of the first good, early reference manuals for Windows VISTA which I purchased in May, 2007. There will be better ones, perhaps, after more of the problems in VISTA become known. As of now, this is the best book out there.

Perfect reference manual for the experienced IT person. As always, Microsoft has kept up the quality of their Resource Kits.

Beginners, or light users, this book is not for you. It is not a learning tool, rather it is a wonderful, complete, reference guide.

The Vista RK is full of good information that can be difficult to find in other places. However, it being a MS book, some of the content comes directly from MS whitepapers. The deployment content seems very disorganized although most of the needed content is included in one section or another. Still a very useful resource for anyone supporting Vista.

I just passed the 70-624 delpoying vista and office 2007. I could not find a book that solely focused on this exam. But this resource kit, not only provides all of that information, but more than you need.

The hardest thing for me was trying to figure out what I needed for the exam. But trust me, all of it was there. The book was helpful because it explained the concepts thoroughly and took its time. I had to use some other test prep just to get a feel for the kind of questions that were on the exam, but I could not have studied without this book. I cant stand reading everything on technet, because the computer screen glare works my eyes. Give me an old fashioned book and let me work at the pages. Good book!

Just what I needed. Setup the Vista deployment test center and all is well. Just the correct amount of details.