Download Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 for Windows 7 RC

The Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 is an integral part of Microsoft's focus to drive a high level of application compatibility for its next iteration of the Windows client, the Release Candidate build. Still, Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 is by no means limited to Windows 7, as the resource also streamlines the deployment of Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 8. The resource is designed to provide a comprehensive inventory that spans from apps to hardware and even devices in order to check their compatibility with Windows 7, Vista, Window Update and IE8. At the same time, ACT is not limited to just checking the compatibility of applications and websites, but also offer mitigations to resolve issues, including Compatibility Fixes or “shims.

Jeremy Chapman, a senior product manager in the Microsoft Core Infrastructure Solutions team, explained that the Windows 7 compatibility evaluators were in fact approximately identical to what ACT 5.0 had to offer for Windows Vista. “We made the process of sending and receiving files to the application compatibility web service much more transparent in ACT 5.5. Now you can tell exactly what are sending through to the web service from your application inventory,” Chapman stated. “This is the fastest way to sync application data with the same data used in the Windows Compatibility Center. This is what you see now when using the “Send and Receive” function of ACT 5.5.”

ACT 5.5 will allow customers to use labels in order to differentiate Data Collection Packages (DCP), in accordance with the inventory performed. When it comes down to information on the hardware infrastructure land on the devices in an environment, ACT will report to customers whether the drivers are available in-box with Windows or if they can be grabbed via Windows Update.

But the fact of the matter is that Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 is simply a stepping stone to the next iteration of the solution according to Microsoft, this despite being already tailored to Windows 7. “We will have a version 6.0 of the tool coinciding with Windows 7’s release. ACT 5.5 is a point release, but expect to see more enhancements and coverage in ACT 6.0,” Chapman promised.

Application Compatibility Toolkit 5.5 is available for download here.