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Vista SP2 and Windows 7 More Secure than Linux and Mac OS X Leopard

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is the absolute apex in security when it comes down to operating systems, Kevin Turner, chief operating officer for Microsoft, has indicated at the Midmarket CIO Summit earlier this week.
windows - comments - 12.4.2009

Vista SKIN for windowblinds 5

Customize the look and feel of Windows XP with WindowBlinds. It's a Windows utility that enables users to personalize nearly every aspect of the Windows graphical user interface.
download - comments - 21.2.2006

5imple WindowBlinds skin

I made this skin for the PlanetAMD64 Skinning Contest (got second place) http://www.planetamd64.com/ Link This is version have some small changes like some settings tweaks to make the skin faster and more. I tried a design to make the skin easy to use everyday, all parts are skinned.

5imple
Click for full size

download - comments -

Border Skin - Enable Aero Glass Transparency Effects in Windows XP

Ever wondered how could you get the famous Aero Glass experience on your Windows XP machine? komalo of deviantArt has released a skin for Windows XP users called Border Skin which will give you Aero Glass UX from Windows 7 and Vista right on your PC running Windows XP!
windows - comments - 30.7.2009

Capture Windows 7 and Vista SP2 Images with ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 Beta

Capturing Windows 7 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 images, but also client assessment, updating and deployment are tasks that can be performed with System Center Configuration Manager 2007.
windows - comments - 15.6.2009

Windows Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2 download

Microsoft has released a standalone installer for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 today.
download - comments - 27.5.2009

Notable Changes in Windows Server 2008 SP2 RC and Windows Vista SP2 RC

Microsoft® continuously improves the Windows Vista® and Windows Server® 2008 operating systems by providing ongoing updates while working with software and hardware vendors to help them deliver improved compatibility, reliability, and performance. These updates are provided to customers by Microsoft’s hardware and software partners, as well as directly from Microsoft in the form of regularly distributed updates delivered via Windows Update. Updates to Windows are also delivered directly to some affected customers and preinstalled by PC manufacturers.
windows - comments - 1.3.2009

Vista Most Secure OS

Microsoft has applauded Vista from the get go as the most secure Windows platform, but according to a comparison put together by Jeff Jones, Security Strategy Director in Microsoft’s Trustworthy Computing group, the status quo is also valid for rival operating systems.
windows - comments - 23.6.2007

Where is Vista SP2?

Even though Microsoft seems increasingly reticent to say the “V” word (Vista), some users still do care. I’ve had several readers ask me when the Redmondians are going to release Vista SP2 on the Microsoft Download site.
windows - comments - 20.5.2009

Microsoft Must Turn To Virtual OS After Vista

Microsoft can't afford five-year gaps in between major operating system releases, Gartner says, and the way around the delays is with modules.
microsoft - comments - 8.9.2006

CompUSA Guarantees Vista, Will Reinstall Old OS If Necessary

CompUSA will guarantee that customers are satisfied with their Windows Vista update or the retailer will refund the purchase price and reinstall the PC's original operating system, the company announced Monday.
windows - comments - 23.1.2007

My Expose - cool OS X application for Vista

Thanks to Steve Jobs for this download. My Expose - Apple EXPOSE! from OS X Expose for Vista and its for free.
download - comments - 7.5.2007

Mac OS X Leopard vs. Windows Vista

HardwareLogic has partnering up with Newegg to sponsor the User Guide Of The Month.
windows - comments - 8.5.2007

Last OS Standing: Make the Most of Windows Vista

Now that Windows XP is no longer being sold by Microsoft, PC users will be stuck with Windows Vista. Here's a roundup of PC World's best tips for making Vista easier to use.
windows - comments - 3.7.2008

OS X versus Vista, RAM division

As I noted earlier this week, I’ve begun using a MacBook (the basic white model) and keeping a log of my experiences.
windows - comments - 26.10.2008

What is inside of Vista SP2?

Microsoft is continuing to broaden the pool of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) testers beyond the fairly small, select group who’ve been working with test builds for the past few months.
windows - comments - 4.12.2008

Windows Vista Beta 1 vs. Mac OS X "Tiger

From Paul Thurrotte's SuperSite:

In part one of my comparison of Windows Vista Beta 1 and Mac OS X 10.4 "Tiger," I looked at three key aspects of each system: Look and feel, desktop search, and data visualization and organization. For the most part, OS X came out well ahead of Windows Vista, as you'd expect, since it's a polished finished product. Vista, meanwhile, is all knees and elbows, an awkward teenager on its way to maturity.

. Microsoft will iron out the details, I'm sure, but the end result will likely not change much. Specifically, OS X will always be elegant, and Windows will almost certainly lag behind in the fit and finish department. The only questions are how much Vista will improve when compared to previous Windows versions, and whether it will be enough to keep customers from moving to OS X.
windows - comments - 29.11.2005

Microsoft To Ship All OS Bits With Every Version Of Vista

Microsoft plans to market several versions of Vista but will distribute all of the OS bits with every product shipped so users can easily unlock and step up to more full-featured versions using electronic keys, sources said.

"No matter which edition you buy you get all the bits and a key to unlock it. Everyone will have all the bits," said one source familiar with Microsoft's plans. "Right now we maintain master images for each version of Windows XP and it's a lot of work. Now there's just one master image."
windows - comments - 9.1.2006

Windows Vista Bitlocker encrypts only OS partition

Just had a great session on Integrity in Windows Vista from Steve Riley. This security guy from Microsoft is allways great to listen to.
windows - comments - 13.6.2006

Microsoft Helps Those Upgrade to Vista from a Legacy OS

Microsoft launched a page that clearly explains how to upgrade your existing system in-place from a legacy Windows OS to any Windows Vista version; or, in the case of certain systems, whether you'll need to perform a completely clean installation.
windows - comments - 20.7.2006

Ballmer Dispels Notion of Vista as Last Client OS

Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today attempted to end rumors that Windows Vista will be the last Windows client operating system, claiming that Microsoft has "plenty more where that came from" at a press event to mark the consumer launch of the new OS and Office 2007 in New York.
microsoft - comments - 30.1.2007

Microsoft's new OS Vista spurs computer sales

US sales of computers carrying Microsoft's new operating system Vista soared in the week after it was launched, defying the expectations of analysts who gave Vista lackluster reviews.
windows - comments - 10.2.2007

Microsoft: Windows Vista Safer than OS X, Linux

Microsoft security strategy director Jeff Jones this week published a report comparing the security vulnerability profile for various high-profile operating systems in the 90 days of their existence.
windows - comments - 26.3.2007

Contest winner: Vista more secure than Mac OS

Dino Dai Zovi, the New York-based security researcher who took home $10,000 in a highly-publicized MacBook Pro hijack on April 20, has been at the center of a week’s worth of controversy about the security of Apple’s operating system.
windows - comments - 1.5.2007

Vista use grows as Mac OS X stays flat

Windows Vista's share of online users has increased every month this year, while rival Mac OS X -- to which Vista has often been compared -- has shown little, if any, growth, a metrics company reports.
windows - comments - 24.7.2007

Mac OS 10.5.2 = Vista made in Apple?

I’ve heard many different complaints about Mac OS 10.5.2 since it was released, from my own Skype/podcasting problems to issues with just about everything else, including: printing, third-party wireless routers, software freezing and problems with Time Machine.
windows - comments - 5.5.2008

Vista SP1 RC1 Flies Past Vista RTM and Windows XP SP2

Despite the fact that Microsoft has expressed its official position regarding testing Windows Vista Service Pack 1 ahead of its finalization, there is simply too much of a hunger for the service pack.
windows - comments - 27.12.2007

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.
windows - comments - 10.6.2009

Get ready for Vista and Win2k8 SP2!

Just a heads up to prepare for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2.
windows - comments - 21.5.2009

No Critical Patches for Vista SP2

Come June 9, 2009, Microsoft plans to release no less than 10 security bulletins for various supported releases of Internet Explorer, Windows client and server operating systems and the Office System.
windows - comments - 5.6.2009

XP SP2 vs. Vista RTM vs. Vista SP1: Gaming benchmark

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Here are the benchmark results that many of you have been waiting for - a look at how well ten popular games work on XP SP2, Vista RTM and Vista SP1.



Its been nearly a year since I took a look at the state of gaming under the Vista OS. The last time I compared XP SP2 to Vista, I was disappointed with Microsofts new OS as a gaming platform because I could get far more bang for my bucks out of XP than I could out of the new OS. Partly I put this down to immature drivers, but on the whole I was convinced that at the core of the problem was Vista.



So, is Vista worth bothering with as a gaming platform?




winbeta.org - 28.02.2008

Microsoft releases Windows Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2

Microsoft has released a standalone installer for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 today. The software giant posted some things to know about the service packs last month, one of the warnings is if "vLite" was used to customize your Windows Vista installation, you may have removed required system components which prevent Service Pack 2 from installing. Microsoft has a workaround for this issue. Microsoft is expected to post the bits to Windows Update in the coming weeks but if you are eager to install SP2 today then the download links are listed below. Download: Vista SP2/Server 2008 SP2 32 bit Download: Vista SP2/Server 2008 SP2 64 bit

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 26.05.2009

Microsoft readying RC of Vista SP2 for February 2009

Citing a source at Microsoft, Techarp has revealed that Microsoft is targeting a release candidate (RC) version of Windows Vista SP2 for February 2009. Microsoft sent invites to testers in mid October asking them to take part in the SP2 beta. Build 16489 was released to special group of testers in late October but Microsoft has been quiet since then. TechArp also believes the RTM of Vista SP2 will be in April 2009. Microsoft is readying SP2 so there are additional incentives for customers to upgrade to Window Vista now, instead of waiting for Windows 7.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 24.11.2008

Microsoft: Vista SP2, Windows Server SP2 betas Thursday

Not one half-hour after Microsoft responded to BetaNews' inquiry, the company reversed its position, effectively announcing that the first public betas of Vista SP2 not in February, but next Thursday...
betanews.com - 03.12.2008

Windows Vista SP2 RC to be released to public next week

Last week we had a rumor that Windows Vista SP2 RC was released to select testers. It turns out that it might be just a notification from Microsoft a week ahead that RC is done and available for testing or it might have been a near final RC made available for testing to select testers. Microsoft has announced today that the RC of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 is available to TechNet and MSDN subscribers to test prior to final release. Microsoft will make SP2 RC available to the general public via TechNet during next week. As expected the final version of SP2 will be made available in the 2nd quarter of 2009.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 26.02.2009

Microsoft to deliver Windows Vista SP2 before Windows 7

Microsoft has delivered a beta of Vista Service Pack 2 to select hardware and software partners according to sources close to Microsoft.

Last week the company put a place holder online for information about Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2. In it Microsoft acknowledges the existence of the beta and claims "No formal product support is available from Microsoft for this beta product".

According to All about Microsoft writer Mary Jo Foley the company will deliver SP2 before the highly anticipated Windows 7 release rumoured in the second half of next year.

It is widely expected that Hyper-V will be included with Vista SP2 alongside the usual OS improvements and hot fixes that a service pack brings.

Microsoft could reveal further information about Vista SP2 at the company's professional developers conference (PDC) next month.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 16.10.2008

Windows Vista vs Windows XP SP2 Vulnerability Report 2007

Jeff Jones: In the wake of my Windows Vista One Year Vulnerability Report, I have received many questions regarding the current vulnerability record of Windows Vista as compares with Windows XP SP2.



This short paper is a compilation of vulnerability data for Microsoft Windows Vista and Microsoft Windows XP SP2 for calendar year 2007 and a brief analysis to see if any benefit is apparent for users of one OS over the other.




winbeta.org - 15.05.2008

Vista SP2: What's inside?

Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft is continuing to broaden the pool of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) testers beyond the fairly small, select group who’ve been working with test builds for the past few months.



Over on the jkOnTheRun blog, Kevin Tofel posted the most complete list I’ve seen of what’s in Vista SP2. In addition to the known Vista SP2 features such as the ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista and the addition of Windows Connect Now for simpler wifi configuration Tofel says SP2 also will include...




winbeta.org - 03.12.2008

SP2 for Vista, Windows Server 2008 coming next week

It's the latest signal that Vista's time as Microsoft's principal client OS is winding up fast.

..
betanews.com - 26.02.2009

Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 RC released

Last week the Windows Team Blog announced that the availability of SP2 RC for Vista would be available soon. Today they have posted that the download is now live and you can find the information needed here. If you have a beta install of SP2 loaded on your computer it must be uninstalled before attempting to load the RC. It should also be mentioned that this, while close, is not a final product and a few hiccups may occur along the way. You can download the RC directly from the Customer Preview Program or use the Windows Update Experience Kit to obtain the RC for your personal computer.

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neowin.net - 05.03.2009

Vista SP2: Microsoft to push via Windows Update in 'the coming weeks'

Microsoft still isn't saying anything more about why Vista SP2 still isn't available yet on the Microsoft Download site, but company officials are telling customers that Microsoft will push SP2 automatically via Windows Update "in the coming weeks"...




winbeta.org - 21.05.2009

Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2: watch this space

As some of you may recall, Windows Server 2008 shipped with SP1 already installed. Microsoft made this decision in order to synchronize the Windows client and server release schedule. As such, SP2 will be released simultaneously for both Vista and Server 2008. Earlier this month Microsoft put up Knowledge Base Article 948465, a placeholder for both Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008...




winbeta.org - 15.10.2008

Windows Vista SP2 RC build released to testers

TechARP predicted last month that RC-Escrow build of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 will be released between the dates Jan 26-30 and the RC build between the dates Feb 16-20. The RC Escrow build of SP2 was sent to testers at the end of January and the rumor is that now Microsoft has released the RC build of SP2 to Microsoft Connect testers exactly between the dates predicted by TechARP. Ars reports that RC build is available for download as a standalone installer package or via Windows Update or as a slipstreamed download which includes 691 individual hotfixes.

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neowin.net - 20.02.2009

Microsoft Vista SP2 beta: Nothing new has been added (yet)

If you install the beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) expecting to see visible changes to your version of Vista, you'll be sorely disappointed. At least in this initial beta, all the changes are under the hood, and even they are far from earth-shaking. Microsoft says that it has fixed compatibility problems with the third-party Spy Sweeper and ZoneAlarm security applications, enhanced hardware support for Direct X, improved Wi-Fi connections after a system resumes from sleep, improved Windows Search, added support for the newest Bluetooth specification (2.1) and rolled up all previous Vista updates.

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neowin.net - 09.12.2008

Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 reaches RTM

Microsoft has finally finished and compiled the RTM version of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008. The full version string being 6.0.6006.18005, which company officials have confirmed is the final RTM version of SP2. Currently circulating around popular BitTorrent websites, the final version is available in 32 and 64 bit versions. Microsoft is expected to announce public availability later this week. Screenshots of the file properties: Thanks to Neowin user Vask for the heads up.

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neowin.net - 29.04.2009

Microsoft sends Vista SP2 invites - beta release in 4 weeks

Thanks to a tipster we have learned Microsoft has started sending Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 invites to select testers today.

Earlier this week it was revealed the company will release SP2 before Windows 7. Microsoft recently put a placeholder online for the upcoming betas of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2.

Microsoft will include Windows Search 4 in Vista SP2 along with Bluetooth wireless support (including latest BT 2.1 fixes), support for the new VIA 64-bit CPU and additional application compatibility updates.

For Windows Server 2008 SP2, Microsoft will include Backwards compatibility with Terminal Services licensing keys, improved manageability features with DFS/FRS console, and Storage Resource Manager, print server and spooler performance improvements for printers in Windows Vista and Server 2008 and improved error reporting in DFSR to help identify incorrectly configured deployments which lead to failed replication.

Both builds are "anticipated" to be released within the next four weeks.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 18.10.2008

Windows Vista SP1 outperforms Windows XP SP2 in file copy.

"Its interesting that people seem to think that Vista under performs in every area of the system which is quite an incorrect perception. In this demo I show how Vista outperforms Windows XP and I show the under the covers process traces of just how it achieves it."

"Demo environment consists of two images. One Vista SP1 and the other Windows XP SP2 both on the same HDD IO and communicating across my home wireless network to a Windows Server 2008 box on my main LAN. Once the two images get going latency gets introduced and things start to slow down....except Vista doesnt slow down." Watch and see at Edge TechNet.

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neowin.net - 27.05.2008

Windows Installer 4.5 for Vista SP2, 5.0 for Windows 7

In June 2008, Microsoft released Windows Installer 4.5 on the Microsoft Download Center for XP SP2+, Server 2003 SP1+, Vista, and Server 2008. Now, with yesterday's release of the SP2 RC-Escrow build, it has been confirmed that the new version will also be bundled with the second service pack for Vista and Server 2008.




winbeta.org - 29.01.2009

Vista SP2 to be Delivered Before 7

According to Mary Jo Foley, Microsoft is aiming to release a second service pack for Vista, supposedly even before 7 ships:

"The Windows team is readying second service packs (SP2) for Vista — and for its server complement, Windows Server 2008 — and is aiming to deliver these SP2s before it releases Windows 7, according to my sources.

I’m hearing that Microsoft already has delivered a beta of at least Vista SP2 to select hardware and software partners, the same way that it has been providing a hand-chosen few with early builds of Windows 7."


jcxp.net - 19.10.2008

Exclusive: Windows Vista SP2 RC released to general public

As expected, Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RC and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 RC is now available to general public for download. You can download the SP2 RC for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 below: ISO for Windows Server 2008 x86/x64/ia64 and Windows Vista x86/x64x86 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x86x64 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x64IA64 for Windows Server 2008 ia64 The service pack is delivered as a single release for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. There will be a single 32-bit standalone installer (302 MB to 390 MB) for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

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neowin.net - 04.03.2009