Vista SP1 Evolves with New Reliability and Performance Boost
Microsoft is indeed starting to deliver an increasing volume of details related to the upcoming Windows 7 client and Windows 7 Server releases, but the end of 2009/ the debut of 2010 is still not even on the horizon, and neither are the next iterations of the Windows platforms.
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19.8.2008 Boost Vista's Performance, Responsiveness, and Reliability ahead of Vista SP1
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 RTM is without a doubt in sight. But the fact that the service pack's availability is contouring on the immediate horizon, and is now but a month away, provides little comfort for the users of Windows Vista RTM.
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14.2.2008 Vista SP1 Gives Extenders a Speed Boost
Word is that Vista SP1 is giving Linksys Extenders a bit of a speed boost, especially in the transition and animation field.
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25.3.2008 Vista, IE7 help Microsoft boost search market share
In a rare bit of good news for Microsoft on the search front, web metrics firm comScore reported that for the month of March, Microsoft's search engines saw their first market share increase in nearly a year.
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19.4.2007 Vista SP1 will deliver big network speed boost
I downloaded the release candidate of Vista Service Pack 1 yesterday and was prepared to wait till its public debut next week before writing about it.
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6.12.2007 Windows 7 Performance Tools - Performance Tools Kit 4.1.1
Internet Explorer 8 will be not only an apex of performance, but also the next major iteration of the Windows client, according to Microsoft.
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1.9.2008 Microsoft looks to Halo 3 to boost Crackdown sales
Interest in upcoming free-roaming adventure Crackdown should soar on release this February, with the game disc including a key to download a beta test of Halo 3.
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4.1.2007 Intel 2-way servers to get 45nm boost in 4Q
The 2-way server market can expect a boost of holiday season cheer in the fourth quarter as Intel is lining up to launch 12 new processors based on its latest 45nm designs, according to sources at server makers.
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1.9.2007 Vista SP1 a Performance Dud
With the initial performance characteristics of Windows Vista leaving much to be desired (see our previous post on the subject), many IT organizations have put off deploying the new OS until the first service pack (SP1) is released by Microsoft early next year.
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20.11.2007 Another Vista Reliability & Performance Update
Vista’s performance is one of those topics that won’t be exhausted until Windows Seven hits RTM. It all comes down to trade-offs.
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12.12.2007 Windows Vista Performance and Tuning
Windows Vista and SP1 focus on delivering greater performance and overall system responsiveness. By striking a balance between speed and responsiveness, Windows Vista and SP1 deliver a level of performance that has the greatest positive impact on the system’s usability.
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31.7.2008 Vista Performance Post SP1
Poor performance was one of the sins associated with Windows Vista RTM, especially in comparison to Windows XP throughout 2007.
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9.10.2008 Analysis: Vista's Ready Boost is no match for RAM
There's a new way to enhance your cache in Vista - simply plug in your Flash memory stick. But how much performance gain can you really expect? TG Daily ran an average PC through a benchmark parcours and discovered that the old rules still apply: There is no substitute for an adequate amount of system memory. Period.
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13.2.2007 Sony promises more games to boost PS3 demand
Sony expects at least 380 new PlayStation 3 games to hit the market this business year and says that should rev up demand for the console that has so far lost out to Nintendo's wildly popular Wii.
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21.6.2007 eBoostr - Boost Windows XP with Flash Memory
MDO Ltd. announces the release of eBoostr, a complete replacement for Microsoft ReadyBoost technology for Windows XP. Upgrade the performance of your PC without upgrading its components. Get ReadyBoost-like technology in Windows XP.
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14.11.2007 Microsoft hopes new photo tool will boost Windows
Microsoft likes digital photography enthusiasts as customers, and on Thursday plans to release a free new utility designed to keep them wedded to Windows.
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1.5.2008 Windows Vista Imaging and Installation Performance
Ideally, installation of an operating system is two fairly simple steps. First, copy all the OS files to the hard disk.
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4.10.2006 Vista Compatibility, Performance and Reliability Pack
Windows Vista Compatibility, Performance and Reliability Packs – SP1 Preview - Microsoft offers fresh Vista updates to testers.
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31.7.2007 New Performance and Reliability Updates for Vista SP1
A reliability and performance update is available for download for Windows Vista Service Pack 1. This specific release targets all Windows Vista editions, provided that they have the first service pack integrated.
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25.6.2008 x64 Vista SP2 JPG Rendering Performance Inferior to x86 Vista SP2's
The JPG rendering process on 64-bit flavors of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is inferior to that on the 32-bit variants of the operating system.
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10.6.2009 Vista's ReadyBoost flash drives lack significant boost
Windows Vista's Windows ReadyBoost sounds too good to be true, and based on our extensive lab tests, it is. The technology promises to let you speed up Windows by plugging an inexpensive USB flash drive into your PC. But we found that while ReadyBoost may speed up Vista a tiny bit, it can also slow it down in some instances.
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18.5.2007 Final Names for Windows Vista Performance Features
Windows PC Accelerators is the new term that encompasses Windows Vista's new performance-enhancing technologies.
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7.4.2006 Performance Results Mixed with Vista Service Pack 1
Files copied faster in our initial tests, but other performance was slightly slower with the SP1 installed.
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7.2.2008 Windows 7 to boost PC shipment growth by more than 10% in 2010, says paper
Windows 7 is expected to boost global PC shipments by more than 10% on year from the on-year growth of negative 5% this year, according to a Chinese-language Commercial Times report citing sources at market watchers.
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16.3.2009 12 Tweaks - Squeeze Every Last Drop of Performance Out of Windows Vista
Windows Vista is a resource hog. Microsoft’s latest operating system will swallow every last bit of hardware resources you throw at it in the race for a top user experience, a concept synonymous with high performance.
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15.9.2007 Install Vista SP1 RC Refresh for the Added Performance
According to Microsoft, one reason to install Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Release Candidate Refresh and test drive it is the added performance.
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15.1.2008 Check PC Performance Details with WinSAT in Windows 7 or Vista
Since Windows Vista, including in Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows System Assessment Tool (WinSAT) has been added into the operating system. WinSAT is a free benchmarking tool that measures various computer performance ratings, characteristics and capabilities, and display the ratings as Windows Experience Index or WEI score.
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20.4.2009 Microsoft releases the Windows Vista Performance and Reliability fix packages
These are the fixes that leaked last week, now the fix packs are publicly available (Validation Required).
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8.8.2007 Windows XP SP3 Yields Performance Gains Over Vista SP1
After a disappointing showing by Windows Vista SP1 (see previous post), we were pleasantly surprised to discover that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (v.3244) delivers a measurable performance boost to this aging desktop OS.
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24.11.2007 Windows 7 Search Performance – Superior to Vista SP1 and XP SP3
Get ready for the Windows 7 indexer on steroids, as Microsoft will deliver the first taste of the operating system to the world at the end of this month.
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14.10.2008Windows XP SP3 Yields Performance Gains Over Vista SP1
After a disappointing showing by Windows Vista SP1 (see previous post), we were pleasantly surprised to discover that Windows XP Service Pack 3
(v.3244) delivers a measurable performance boost to this aging desktop OS. Testing with OfficeBench showed an 10% performance boost vs. the same
configuration running under Windows XP w/Service Pack 2.
Since SP3 was supposed to be mostly a bug-fix/patch consolidation release - unlike
w/Vista SP1, Microsoft made no promises of improved performance for XP - the unexpected speed boost comes as a nice bonus. In fact, XP SP3 is
shaping-up to be a "must have" update for the majority of users who are still running Redmond's not-so-latest and greatest desktop
OS.
Of course, none of this bodes well for Vista, which is now more than 2x slower than the most current builds of its older sibling.
Suffice to say that performance-minded users will likely choose to stick with the now even speedier Windows XP - at least until more "Windows
7" information becomes publicly available.
Read full story.....
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24.11.2007Firefox to get massive JavaScript performance boost
Mozilla is leveraging an impressive new optimization technique to bring a big performance boost to the Firefox JavaScript engine. The code was merged
today (but is not yet ready to be enabled by default in the nightly builds) and is planned for inclusion in Firefox 3.1, the next incremental update
of the open-source web browser.
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23.08.2008Overview Series: Windows Vista Performance and Tuning
Windows Vista and SP1 focus on delivering greater performance and overall system responsiveness. By striking a balance between speed and
responsiveness, Windows Vista and SP1 deliver a level of performance that has the greatest positive impact on the systems usability. This guide looks
at the following areas of performance improvement:
- Making configuration changes that help a computer feel more responsive when you
use it.
- Using hardware to boost the actual physical speed of a computer.
- Making configuration changes that help a computer to start
faster.
- Making the computer more reliable may help increase performance.
- Monitoring performance occasionally so that you can stop
problems before they get too big.
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29.07.2008Microsoft denies Sony's Vista hardware claims
Microsoft has denied Sony's
claim that the current release
of Vista supports neither
Intel's Turbo Memory
technology nor hybrid hard
drives.
The spat
between the companies arose
after Sony revealed to
ZDNet.co.uk that it would not
include Turbo Memory an
embedded flash memory module
formerly known by its code
name Robson in this summer's
Vaio notebooks because Vista
will not allow the benefits of
Turbo Memory to be utilised
until Service Pack 1 (SP1) of
the operating system is
released later this year.
Turbo Memory is an
optional component of Intel's
Centrino Pro/Duo platform
(previously known as Santa
Rosa), which makes use of
Vista features such as
ReadyBoost and ReadyDrive.
These features use
non-volatile "third-stage"
memory alongside a computer's
RAM and traditional hard drive
to boost performance and
start-up time. Most
manufacturers are ready to
release Centrino Pro notebooks
that include Turbo Memory,
although HP has turned it down
due to worries over cost
efficiency and the limitations
it places on users who want to
use external flash memory to
boost performance...
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07.06.2007Vista SP1 benefit will be stability and reliability, not performance
The problem is one of the major issues with Vista is performance...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Will Vista SP1 and how this
wont bring any relief to those who find Vista a bit slow or sluggish? Not really, but then again service packs arent about performance increases;
theyre about reliability and stability.
Ive seen a lot of service packs in my time. Windows 95 and ME both got one service pack,
NT 4.0 saw six, Windows 2000 had four and XP has so far seen two. But what I dont remember regarding any of these service packs is installing it onto
a system and then seeing any significant boost in performance. Service packs dont really work that way. Sure, youll feel specific improvements as a
result of some of the tweaks and fixes contained in the service pack, and you might feel the benefit of having your operating system refreshed by
loading the service pack onto it, but a service pack should not be looked upon as a performance upgrade. If your system cant run an OS, what it needs
is upgrading or replacing, not the application of a service pack.
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26.11.2007Samsung, Microsoft in talks to speed up SSDs on Vista
Samsung isn't just pushing the envelope in storage capacity of SSDs (solid-state drives), it is also working with software makers to boost SSD
performance on operating systems.
The company on Wednesday said it was in talks with Microsoft to improve the performance of SSDs
on the Windows OS.
The speed and way in which SSDs fetch and cache data are different than hard drives, said Michael Wang, flash
marketing manager at Sun. Samsung hopes to work with Microsoft to boost SSD performance on Windows by discovering optimal packet sizes for data
transfers and the best ways to read and write files, for example.
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07.08.2008Windows Vista: The Facts
When choosing a new operating system, the first thing many people ask is, "What will it help me do?" In answer, much of this site shows you the
great experiences Windows Vista helps you have. The second thing many people say is, "Prove that it's better." In particular, many of you have
asked about performance and safety improvements. The following information provides specific proof that Windows Vista is faster and safer.
- The
majority of Windows Vista-based PCs boot in less than a minute, which can be an improvement over Windows XP boot times. And the new Windows Vista
sleep and resume features can bring your PC to life in a snapin fact, the vast majority of all Windows Vista-based PCs resume from sleep in less than
6 seconds.
- PCs running Windows Vista that are equipped with 512 MB memory experience a performance boost of up to 40 percent with Windows
ReadyBoost. Just plug a USB flash drive into your computer, and Windows Vista will automatically start using it to speed up memory access to important
data.
Read full story.....
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20.01.2008Windows XP SP3 Yields Performance Gains
After a
disappointing showing by Windows Vista
SP1, we were pleasantly surprised to discover that Windows XP Service Pack 3 (v.3244) delivers a measurable performance boost to this aging desktop
OS. Testing with OfficeBench
showed a
10% performance boost vs. the same configuration running under Windows XP with Service Pack 2.
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24.11.2007Vista SP1 will be stability and reliability, not performance
The problem is one of the major issues with Vista is performance...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Will Vista SP1 and how this won’t bring
any relief to those who find Vista a bit slow or sluggish? Not really, but then again service packs aren’t about performance increases;
they’re about reliability and stability.
I’ve seen a lot of service packs in my time. Windows 95 and ME both got one service
pack, NT 4.0 saw six, Windows 2000 had four and XP has so far seen two. But what I don’t remember regarding any of these service packs is
installing it onto a system and then seeing any significant boost in performance. Service packs don’t really work that way. Sure, you’ll
feel specific improvements as a result of some of the tweaks and fixes contained in the service pack, and you might feel the benefit of having your
operating system refreshed by loading the service pack onto it, but a service pack should not be looked upon as a performance upgrade. If your system
can’t run an OS, what it needs is upgrading or replacing, not the application of a service pack.
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27.11.2007Google searches for holy grail of Python performance
Google has launched a new project called Unladen Swallow, which aims to bring a major performance boost to the Python programming language by making
runtime speed five times faster. The project is being implemented as a branch of the conventional CPython runtime and will be fully source-compatible
with regular Python applications and native extensions. This will make it possible to eventually merge the improvements into Python trunk.
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27.03.2009Microsoft: Another Vista Reliability & Performance Update
Vista’s performance is one of those topics that won’t be exhausted until Windows Seven hits RTM. It all comes down to trade-offs. Ever
since the features of Vista were finalized, Microsoft tried to tip the scale the other way by focusing on performance, with the obvious limitation of
not disabling any services. Updates regarding performance and stability are numerous, but most have not hit Windows Update as they are not quite ready
(preview releases). The Windows Serviceability Team wants feedback on one such update, available for download at the Microsoft Download Center, before
its expected release on Windows Update in January.
Read full story.....
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13.12.2007WinXP SP3 Yields Performance Gains Over Vista SP1 Again
exo.blog has at
the request of their members re-run
the
original OfficeBench test, this time with 2GB of RAM in the test system. Unfortunately the outcome is unchanged bar a 4% improvement on the
previous score. One can argue that Windows XP system requirements are quite a bit lower than its successor, and thats probably got a lot to do with
it. This, coupled with claims that Vista SP1
will
not improve on performance but will in fact be all about stability and reliability instead, doesn't offer much hope for those people on older
systems.
Make of it what you will, I personally don't have performance issues at all. I use Vista with 2GB of RAM and I have a Sandisk
2GB memory stick that is used for the "Ready Boost" feature, maybe they should re-run the test with that scenario.
Chris Pirillo
had this to say on all those negative articles
surrounding Windows Vista, enjoy!
Read full story.....
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28.11.2007JavaScript to get 3x speed boost in iPhone OS 3.0
Regardless of whatever new hardware Apple might introduce this summer, existing iPhone users will see an average 300 percent speed increase in
JavaScript performance in Mobile Safari. The increased speed will be helpful for iPhone-specifc web apps as well as general web performance.
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28.03.2009Intel to Boost Itanium Single-Core Performance
An Intel engineer, speaking at the Gelato Itanium Conference and Expo, says that Intel has plans to
increase the
performance of individual cores in the Itanium, not just increase the number of cores.
Speaking at the Gelato Itanium
Conference and Expo held in Singapore on Tuesday, Cameron McNairy, principal engineer of Itanium Processor Architect at Intel, said: "We have not
abandoned single-core performance and we're looking to increase that with each generation (of the Itanium processor) as we go forward, some with
greater transitions than others.¯
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04.10.2007Some systems showing incredible SP1 performance boost
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Some systems onto which Im installing Windows Vista SP1 are showing significant performance gains.
One
system in particular on which Im seeing a significant is the AMD Phenom system which I have in the lab.
Heres the spec of that
system...
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13.02.2008Could Squashing Piracy Boost
Economies?
Software study suggests
countries would enjoy economic
boost if they clamp down on
illicit sales...
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14.12.2005Inside CNET Labs: Windows Vista SP1 performance
The long-awaited Service Pack 1 update for Windows Vista brings with it a number of significant bug fixes and other improvements. Microsoft promises
that with it you will also see a number of noticeable performance improvements as well. In
our initial round of testing, we saw a mixed bag of results:
we saw a few notable performance improvements under some conditions as well as significant performance degradations in others. For the most part,
however, we saw little difference in performance between Vista and the Vista SP1 update.
As we dug a little deeper into
Microsoft's claims, we discovered that many of the performance improvements being touted aren't actually directly attributable to SP1. Many
of the claimed performance improvements, such as improved boot-time, are actually more a function of improved third-party drivers and applications
that are benefiting from a year's worth of programming for Vista and from the programmers getting continued feedback and guidance from Microsoft. So
as long as you have been diligent about keeping your Vista system current with the latest Windows updates and third-party drivers, you likely
already have many of the potentially performance improving enhancements.
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14.02.2008Apple rolls out double-quad-core Mac Pro, Xserve
The company introduced a version of its top-of-the-line desktop that is twice as fast as its predecessor, as well as a server that will offer a
similar performance boost...
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08.01.2008Analysis: Vista's Ready Boost is no match for RAM
There's a new way to
enhance your cache in Vista -
simply plug in your Flash
memory stick. But how much
performance gain can you
really expect? TG Daily ran an
average PC through a benchmark
parcours and discovered that
the old rules still apply:
There is no substitute for an
adequate amount of system
memory. Period.
Yes, the title is a bit
obvious and yes, the above
quote isn't exactly earth
shattering either.
Nonetheless, TG Daily has put
together a fairly in-depth
analysis of how well Vista's
Ready Boost works and then
some. It also includes a
comparison of how Ready Boost
affects Outlook 2007, iTunes 7
and Adobe Acrobat 8 startup
times. Although the conclusion
isn't a mind bender, the
article is a very good place
to start if you want to learn
more about the feature in
Microsoft's latest OS. Have a
look.
neowin.net -
13.02.2007Web browsers get a 12% speed boost in Windows 7 over Vista
If you've been testing the final Windows 7 Release Candidate on your own physical platforms, and you wonder what's giving you that feeling that
it's just a bit peppier, a tad zippier, it's not an illusion. Betanews tests all this week, concluding today, comparing all the major stable
release and development Windows-based Web browsers, running on exactly the same physical computer with fresh Windows Vista SP2 and Windows 7 RC
partitions, confirmed what our eyes and gut feelings were telling us: On average, most browsers ran 11.9% faster in Windows 7 than on the same machine
running Vista SP2, with most speed gains falling right around that mark.
winbeta.org -
29.05.2009
