Microsoft Announces the Availability of Vista SP1, XP SP3 and Windows Home Server
Microsoft is currently hard at work cooking the first service pack for Windows Vista and the third and final service pack for Windows XP. On top of these two refreshes for its last releases of the Windows client, Microsoft has also debuted in the area of home servers in July 2007, with the RTM of Windows Home Server.
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9.10.2007 Windows Vista Home Basic vs. Home Premium vs. Business vs. Ultimate
Microsoft applauded shipping in excess of 60 million Windows Vista licenses in the operating system's first six months of general availability. However, the Redmond company is right on track to correct this little slip up.
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20.8.2007 Home Computer - Home Network - Home Server
In the 1960s & 70s the idea of a home computer was unheard of outside of science fiction circles. Before the late 1980s home networks were unheard of.
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2.12.2007 Windows XP SP3 Update Breaks Windows Home Server Remote Access
Windows Home Server users are reporting Remote Access problems after updating their home computers to Windows XP Service Pack 3.
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18.5.2008 New Vista Home Page Launches
Microsoft has launched the new vista home page.
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29.1.2007 Microsoft: virtualization not mature enough for home Vista users
In general, nobody reads end-user license agreements (EULAs). They are long, boring, and full of legalese that few people care to take the time to understand. Occasionally, however, unusual wordings in EULAs are used to question a company's policies and intentions, especially when that company is Microsoft.
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25.11.2006 Vista Home Basic on 512MB? Hey, it works!
Everyone knows Windows Vista is a resource hog. Everyone says it doesn’t even get out of first gear without a gigabyte of RAM, and it takes 2 GB before it stops stuttering and stammering with each mouse click.
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12.5.2007 Enable both Aero and Glass in Vista Home Basic
I'm gonna give u some tips for people who are stuck up with Vista Home Basic
I really never wanted to have the Vista Home Basic. But when i got my Lappy i had no other option, but to stick on with this OEM version.
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28.10.2007 It's Time to Face the Ugly Truth, SP3 or No SP3, the Clock Is Ticking for Windows XP
As 2008 has kicked in, it's now time to face the ugly truth. The clock is ticking for Windows XP. And while Microsoft may view this as a natural stage in the evolution of a product introduced all the way in 2001, a healthy proportion of end-users and businesses will fail to see eye to eye with the company on this one.
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5.1.2008 Vistalizator - Install Multiple Languages MUI on Vista Home, Basic & Starter Edition
Windows Vista Home, Basic and Starter editions are available at low prices compared to Windows Vista Ultimate edition however Vista Home, Basic & Starter editions have many restrictions like support for only one language, No Aero support, no remote desktop etc.
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4.8.2009 Windows XP Home No Longer Qualifies for Windows Vista Upgrades
Windows XP Home Edition no longer qualifies for Windows Vista Business Upgrade or Upgrade + SA through Volume Licensing.
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17.10.2007 Vista SP1 Is Out, XP SP3 Old News, the Pink Edition of Vista Is In
Windows Vista Service Pack 1 is now nothing more than water under the bridge, now that the service pack was released to manufacturing on February 4, 2008, shipping to general users on March 18.
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27.3.2008 Will Vista SP1 Go Where Vista Never Went? Even with XP SP3 and Windows 7?
Throughout 2007, it became painfully clear to Microsoft that the main competitor for Windows Vista was not Apple's Mac OS X or even the open source Linux operating system but Windows XP, and, in fact, specifically XP SP2.
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1.3.2008 Should You Upgrade from Vista to XP SP3?
Windows Vista was released to manufacturing and to businesses in November 2006, and the operating system hit the shelves only at the end of January 2007.
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27.12.2007 It All Comes Down to Going Either for XP SP3 or for Vista SP1
Starting with May 6, 2008, the question is no longer about Windows Vista RTM vs. Windows XP SP2, but rather about Vista SP1 or XP SP3.
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9.5.2008 Vista SP1 or XP SP3?
Windows users are at a juncture in terms of operating system choices at this point in time, caught between Windows Vista SP1, Windows XP SP3 and Windows 7.
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24.6.2008 New Features Discovered in XP SP3: Is It Better Than Vista
New Features Discovered in Windows XP SP3: Is It Better Than Vista? The principal reason given for the tremendous under-the-hood changes to Windows unveiled early this year in Vista was the need to overhaul the security model. Thanks to odeeee for this post.
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11.10.2007 New Features Discovered in XP SP3: Is It Better Than Vista
New Features Discovered in Windows XP SP3: Is It Better Than Vista? The principal reason given for the tremendous under-the-hood changes to Windows unveiled early this year in Vista was the need to overhaul the security model.
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14.10.2007 Are XP SP3 and Windows 7 Getting in the Way of Vista SP1?
Are Windows XP Service Pack 3 and Windows 7 getting in the way of Windows Vista and Vista Service Pack 1? Well, Microsoft's position is exactly this.
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21.1.2008 The Vista SP1 vs. XP SP3 part 2
The Windows Vista vs. Windows XP face-off is far from over. Not only that, but the smackdown of the two operating systems is about to enter into its next stage of evolution with Microsoft launching the latest service packs for both platforms.
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26.4.2008 XP SP3 vs. Vista SP1 - Which is fastest?
In the TalkBack section on my post looking at SP3 benchmarks, _deitrich asked a really good question:
Adrian, how about a comparison of XP SP3 vs Vista SP1? Oui? C’est possible?
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28.4.2008 Don't slipstream XP sp3 on Windows Vista!
So I build a new Windows XP ISO with SP3 integrated, this is a Volume License editions (VOL) which only accepts Volume License Keys (VLK).
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6.5.2008 Windows XP SP3 Vista Inspirant for all PC
This is my Unattended instalations Windows XP SP3 get all Critical Updates-Hotfixes from feburary 2007. Thanks to Yurek3 for this article.
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21.4.2007 XP SP3 Completely Asphyxiated under Vista SP1
The third service pack for Windows XP is missing in development and buried under Windows Vista Service Pack1.
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30.8.2007 Forget about Vista SP1, Just Go with XP SP3 and Windows 7
Windows Vista has managed to deliver an experience at the opposite pole of the Wow, becoming in this context a bitter disappointment for Microsoft.
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29.11.2007 Patch Vista and XP to Ignore SP1 and SP3
With Microsoft having released Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Released Candidate via Connect, MSDN and TechNet, and a public build on the horizon any day now, you have to stare the truth in the face and start preparing for the deployment of the service pack.
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10.12.2007 No More Registry from Vista SP1 and XP SP3 to Windows 7?
Windows 7 is the next iteration of the Windows operating system that will succeed Windows Vista. Following the availability of the latest Windows Client, Windows Vienna was the codename for the next version of Windows.
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16.1.2008 Windows 7 Is Here! Don't Give Vista SP1 and XP SP3 a Second Look
Windows 7, the successor of Windows Vista and the next iteration of Windows is here. Forget about Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP Service Pack 3, Microsoft has currently began serving an early development milestone of its next Windows operating system to partners.
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17.1.2008 XP SP3 Will Live on Alongside Vista and Windows 7
There are still consistent signs of life on the Windows XP front. Microsoft is in the final stages of cooking Windows XP Service Pack 3, and the Redmond company just doesn't seem ready to give up on the predecessor of Windows Vista.
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3.4.2008 XP SP3 Sacrificed on the Altar of Vista SP1
If there was any doubt in your mind as to Microsoft's
priorities regarding its two Windows client available concomitantly, Windows Vista and Windows XP, the race to bring the service packs for the two operating systems to the finish line[ADMAR=1] should offer some indications as to the company's strategy
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23.4.2008New Features Discovered in Windows XP SP3: Is It Better Than Vista?
The principal reason given for the tremendous under-the-hood changes to Windows unveiled early this year in Vista was the need to overhaul the
security model. Now it seems many of those changes are also coming to XP in SP3...
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10.10.2007Despite rumors, Windows XP SP3 still not quite ready
With Windows Vista Service Pack 1 out the door, Microsoft was largely expected to release Windows XP SP3 last week or this week. It didn't, instead
making public a refresh build of SP3 Release Candidate 2...
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26.03.2008Rumor: Vista SP1 coming February 18, XP SP3 on March 23
French tech website
PC INpact is reporting that
it got its grubby little hands on the exact release dates of Windows Vista Service Pack 1 as well as Windows XP Service Pack 3. According to a source,
Vista SP1 is to be released on the night of February 18 while XP SP3 will be released on the night of March 23.
Although Microsoft has not
given a tight timeframe for when to expect XP SP3, it did state earlier that Vista SP1 will be available in mid-March. The screenshots should be
therefore taken with a grain of salt. It is possible that these memos were sent out before Microsoft delayed Vista to mid-March. Could it be that the
Vista date is wrong but the XP one is correct?
Read full story.....
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07.02.2008Windows XP SP3 Update Breaks Home Server Remote Access
Windows Home Server users are reporting Remote Access problems after updating their home computers to Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Following
the update, attempting to access those home computers via Windows Home Server’s Remote Access features brings up a dialog asking the user to add
their homeserver.com domain to the Trusted Sites list in Internet Explorer. However, after doing so, users are still not able to access those PCs.
The issue arises due to security changes in XP SP3 - namely, that the Terminal Services ActiveX control in Internet Explorer is disabled by
default.
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19.05.2008Windows Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3: Official Release Dates
A French website,
PC Inpact, has posted
the official Microsoft product change request forms for Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3. So just when do our friends from France say Microsoft is
planning on releasing our little Service Pack friends? Well, according to them, we will be seeing Vista SP1 a little earlier than previously
anticipated:
Windows Vista SP1: February 18th or 19th
Windows XP SP3: March 23rd or 24th
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06.02.2008Windows XP SP3 Update Breaks Windows Home Server Remote Access
Windows Home Server users are
reporting Remote Access problems after updating their home computers to Windows XP Service Pack 3.
Following the update, attempting to access those home computers via Windows Home Servers Remote Access features brings up a dialog asking the user
to add their homeserver.com domain to the Trusted Sites list in Internet Explorer. However, after doing so, users are still not able to access those
PCs.
The issue arises due to security changes in XP SP3 - namely, that the Terminal Services ActiveX control in Internet Explorer
is disabled by default.
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17.05.2008Don't slipstream XP SP3 on Windows Vista!
This just in from Bink, seems he had a pretty interesting weekend attempting to Slipstream XP SP3.
"So I build a new Windows XP ISO with
SP3 integrated, this is a Volume License editions (VOL) which only accepts Volume License Keys (VLK). When I want to install it on a clean machine, I
noticed that setup prompts for a product key and it does not allow me to continue, which should be a new feature in XP sp3. OK so I fill in the VLK
but it does not accept it, I try another one from a customer of mine, does not work either. Angry
I found out that the problem is when you
do the XP Sp3 slipstream process on a WIndows Vista machine, the API gives a different response and screws up the PID process. This is a bug and
Microsoft knew about this in December, still the bug remained and made it all the way to RTM, nice work Microsoft.
So XP SP slipstream only
on XP or 2003 machines!!!"
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05.05.2008Is Microsoft Playing Games With XP SP3?
Call it a Hamlet moment for the PC industry, filled with political intrigue and machinations worthy of the great Shakespeare play: to wait for XP SP3
or move to Vista now that Microsoft has released Vista SP1? Or in other words: "To XP, or not to XP?" That is the question.
It's a
question that is burning up the blogosphere with some speculating that Microsoft has delayed XP SP3, a long awaited release that could boost the
performance of XP, to get more users to adopt Vista, a potential cash cow for Microsoft and PC makers given the operating system's robust hardware
refresh requirements.
With many in the blogosphere speculating that Microsoft could release the final version of XP SP3 this week,
Microsoft late Tuesday snuffed out all hope that users would see the service pack, originally slated for release in 2006, any time soon.
Read full story.....
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26.03.2008Expiration dates for Vista SP1 and XP SP3 blocks announced
If you're an IT professional and currently using Microsoft's Service Pack Blocker, the software giant recently announced that the current
blocks for Vista SP1 and XP SP3 are going to expire in a few months. The Service Pack Blocker Tool only temporarily prevents Windows from the
installation of a Service Pack via Windows Update, and the block is only effective for one year after the Service pack is released to the market via
Windows Update. Effective April 28th, 2009, Windows Vista SP1 will no longer be blocked by the tool and will be delivered via Windows Update. The
same goes for Windows XP SP3, but the block will be lifted on May 19th, 2009.
Read full story.....
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30.01.2009XP SP3 speed lead over Vista SP1 narrows under similar workloads
A heavily promoted performance test by an evaluation software firm appeared to situate Windows Vista SP1 performance against Windows XP SP3. But the
initial workloads were actually different due to the Office software used...
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28.11.2007XP SP3 outperforms Vista SP1, but less when running same Office version
A heavily promoted performance test by an evaluation software firm appeared to situate Windows Vista SP1 performance against Windows XP SP3. But the
initial workloads were actually different due to the Office software used...
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28.11.2007Firms need to plan for XP Service Pack 3
Organisations that expect to be running Windows XP in mid-2010 should plan to test and deploy XP SP3, Gartner has advised.
Microsoft is planning to release Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) and Windows XP SP3 will be available in the first half of 2008.
According to Gartner, deploying Windows XP SP3 should be significantly easier than testing and deploying SP2, which many users considered a major
change of the operating system.
Annette Jump, a research director at Gartner, said, "We will probably see a mixture of Vista and
XP SP3 deployments in 2008. Jump believed some businesses would deploy Vista and some could stick with XP, in which case, they would be looking at
installing the SP3 service pack.
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01.12.2007Windows Vista SP1 & XP SP3 Release Dates
A French website,
PC Inpact, has posted
the official Microsoft product change request forms for Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3. So just when do our friends from France say Microsoft is
planning on releasing our little Service Pack friends? Well, according to them, we will be seeing Vista SP1 a little earlier than previously
anticipated:
Windows Vista SP1: February 18th or 19th
Windows XP SP3: March 23rd or 24th
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06.02.2008Windows XP SP3 Release Candidate Goes To MSDN
Microsoft made available on December 3 for download the near-final Release Candidate (RC) of Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3.
The
RC is available to all Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet subscribers. This isn't yet a generally available, "public" RC of XP SP3;
that is still coming at some future date that Microsoft hasn't disclosed.
Microsoft provided an RC "preview" of XP SP3 to
15,000 testers in mid-November.
Microsoft is still on track to ship the final XP SP3 in the first half of calendar 2008. XP SP3
is a rollup of all previously released XP updates, according to Microsoft, "including security updates, out-of-band releases, and hotfixes."
Lately, Microsoft has been releasing XP SP3 and Vista SP1 builds in lockstep. (The same 15,000 testers that got XP SP3 RC preview also
got the Vista SP1 RC preview.) Given that Microsoft told its own employees to expect the company to make the RC of Vista SP1 more broadly available
some time this week, it seems logical that the Vista SP1 RC is right around the corner, too.
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05.12.2007Vista SP1 Also Halted
This is a bit of an update to the story posted earlier, but just so everyone knows… Vista SP1 and Windows XP SP3 have been halted. I know there are a
bunch of websites out there telling you that they are available through Windows Update but that is incorrect. Both Vista SP1 and WinXP SP3 have been
pulled for now.
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30.04.2008Windows 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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24.11.2007XP SP3 Still on Schedule for First Half 2008
I've got to admit that I
wouldn't be surprised to see
Microsoft table Service Pack
(SP) 3 for Windows XP, as
Windows expert Paul Thurrott
claims the Redmondians have
done.
"The company has completely
abandoned Windows XP, and it
has absolutely no plans to
ever ship an XP SP3,"
Thurrott posted to his Web
site on April 6. "My guess is
that Microsoft will do what it
did with the final Windows
2000 Service Pack: Claim years
later that it's no longer
needed and just ship a final
security patch roll-up. This
is the worst kiss-off to any
Microsoft product I've ever
seen, and you'd think the
company would show a little
more respect to its
best-selling OS of all time."
Last
fall, Microsoft admitted that
XP SP3 had slipped and was now
a 2008 deliverable. If
Microsoft were to go a step
further and dump XP SP3, such
a move wouldn't be too
shocking, especially given
Redmond's ongoing reticence
to commit to Vista SP1 because
service packs are passe.
Click Read
More to view the rest of
this article.
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14.04.2007Windows XP SP3 RC goes to MSDN, TechNet testers
Microsoft made available on December 3 for download the near-final Release Candidate (RC) of Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3. The RC is available to
all Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) and TechNet subscribers. This isn’t yet a generally available, “public” RC of XP SP3; that is
still coming at some future date that Microsoft hasn’t disclosed. Microsoft provided an RC “preview” of XP SP3 to 15,000 testers in
mid-November.
Microsoft is still on track to ship the final XP SP3 in the first half of calendar 2008. XP SP3 is a rollup of all previously
released XP updates, according to Microsoft, “including security updates, out-of-band releases, and hotfixes.”
Lately,
Microsoft has been releasing XP SP3 and Vista SP1 builds in lockstep. (The same 15,000 testers that got XP SP3 RC preview also got the Vista SP1 RC
preview.) Given that Microsoft told its own employees to expect the company to make the RC of Vista SP1 more broadly available some time this week, it
seems logical that the Vista SP1 RC is right around the corner, too.
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04.12.2007Select group of testers get new builds of XP SP3, Vista SP1
Microsoft released yet more test builds of both Windows XP Service Pack (SP) 3 and Windows Vista SP1 this week.
Microsoft made
the newest test build of XP SP3, which it is calling XP SP3 Release Candidate (RC) Refresh 2, available to 15,000 testers on January 23, Microsoft
officials said. It also released a new refresh of its Vista SP1 build, known as Vista SP1 RC Refresh 2, to the same 15,000 testers on January 24,
execs said.
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25.01.2008Gaming Performance: Windows Vista SP1 vs. XP SP3
Even as Microsoft tries to shove Windows Vista down the collective and unwilling throat of computer users worldwide, the company is still perfecting
the well-aged and well-loved Windows XP. The latter of the two operating systems just received its third (and evidently last) service pack.
<...> Of course, with the release of a new service pack comes a huge, pressing question: How does it compare to Windows Vista and its own
recent update, Service Pack 1, in the game performance department? Vista, of course, has been plagued by criticism that games run on it don't perform
as well as they do in Windows XP, even though most of the problems were due to early graphics drivers and have gradually been worked out.
Come with us as we install XP SP3 and take it for a test drive, and more importantly compare it to Vista SP1 with a batch of performance
tests. Though DirectX 10 is Vista-only, many a gamer has sworn not to upgrade; will XP SP3 cement their decision, or has Vista and its drivers matured
enough to change a few minds?
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12.05.2008
