Critical IE Graphics Flaw Resurfaces
Plus: More Office holes, and a major Adobe problem that affects all browsers.
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22.2.2007 Microsoft to Move Graphics Outside OS Kernel.
Microsoft will move the graphics for its next version of Windows outside of the operating system's kernel to improve reliability, the software giant has told Techworld.
Vista's graphics subsystem, codenamed Avalon and formally known as the Windows Presentation Foundation, will be pulled out the kernel because many lock-ups are the result of the GUI freezing, Microsoft infrastructure architect Giovanni Marchetti told us exclusively yesterday.
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16.12.2005 Microsoft giving away free graphics and TV cards
Microsoft is giving away free graphics and TV cards to it's Windows Vista Media Center testers during it's beta program. Testers are allowed to keep the cards after testing has been completed!
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Samsung develops new graphics memory speed limit
Samsung is getting ready to produce extremely fast memory chips to be used on future graphics cards.
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25.2.2007 Windows 7 DirectX11 High-Fidelity Graphics Enhancements
DirectX debuted back in 1995, and, with the upcoming Windows client, the underlying graphics technology of the operating system will evolve to the next level.
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1.12.2008 Nvidia Launches DirectX 10 Graphics Card for $299
Partners of Nvidia Corp., the worlds largest supplier of standalone graphics processors, have unveiled a 320MB flavour of the GeForce 8800 GTS (the other flavour has 640MB memory onboard).
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13.2.2007 MS: Another Patch for cursor patch
Stop 0x0000007F error when you try to print from computers that are running Windows XP or Windows 2000 and that have GDI security update 925902 installed
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20.4.2007 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 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
Vistas performance is one of those topics that wont 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 systems 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 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 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 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 12 Tweaks - Squeeze Every Last Drop of Performance Out of Windows Vista
Windows Vista is a resource hog. Microsofts 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 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 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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14.10.2008 Windows 7 build 7057 - Performance that blasts past XP, Vista
Over the weekend Ive been spending time with the latest leaked build of Windows 7 - build 7057. While this isnt the release candidate (RC) build that some people claim it is, this build is certainly pretty close to being RC.
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16.3.2009 Vista to XP Copying Performance Slower with Intel I/OAT Enabled
One of the issues that plagued Windows Vista when the operating system was launched in January 2009 was the slow copying speeds delivered.
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5.7.2009 Windows Vista Patch for DNS client
Microsoft just released a Windows Vista Patch.
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28.2.2007 MS Patch Tuesday: Vista dinged again
The carefully crafted image of Windows Vista as the most secure operating system of all time is beginning to take a beating.
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11.4.2007Engineering Windows 7 Graphics Performance
Steven Sinofsky: One of the areas of any release of Windows that receives a significant amount of testing and scrutiny is the performance of
graphicsdesktop graphics all the way to the most extreme CAD and game graphics. The amazing breadth of hardware supported for Windows and the broad
spectrum of usage scenarios contributes to a vibrant ecosystem with many different goalsfrom just the basics to the highest frame rates on multiple
monitors possible. In engineering Windows 7 we set out to improve the real world performance of graphics as well as continue to improve the most
extreme elements of graphics...
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26.04.2009ATI Quietly Enters Switchable Graphics for Centrino 2
ATI, graphics product group of Advanced Micro Devices, has quietly introduced technology that allows notebooks to seamlessly switch between discrete
ATI Mobility Radeon graphics processing unit (GPU) and integrated Intel Graphics and Media Accelerator to boost graphics performance or save power.
The tech is available for Intel Centrino 2 laptops that run Microsoft Windows Vista operating system.
ATI Switchable Graphics technology is
a joint effort between ATI/AMD and Intel Corp. to provide users of Intel Centrino 2 notebooks the best features of various graphics adapters:
performance and feature-set of discrete GPU and power-efficiency of integrated graphics processor (IGP). A similar technology was also developed by
Intel and Nvidia so that to provide customers a choice of graphics processors.
Read full story.....
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30.10.2008Bridging the Vista Graphics
Gap
Graphics performance,
which has long been an
afterthought for most
corporate PCs and many
consumers, will move to the
forefront with the launch of
Windows Vista, Microsoft's
next Windows operating
system.
Vi
sta, due late next year, will
offer four different themes,
including the well-publicized
three-dimensional Aero Glass
with transparent
windows.
Starting
with a Classic theme, which
looks like Windows XP, each
will offer successively more
advanced features, also call
for successively more powerful
graphics.
Vista is
expected to measure the
graphics grunt available in a
PC and automatically serve up
the proper UI.
But
what's still unclear is where
many of today's PCs will fall
on the Vista interface
spectrum and thus how
consumers and corporate buyers
who wish to gain the most
advanced features can get
prepared. ..
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16.11.2005Nvidia Readies Hybrid SLI Technology
There is always a trade-off
between power consumption and
performance in the world of 3D
graphics cards. If one
solution delivers high
framerate per second, it most
probably consumes significant
amount of power, whereas
another, which power
consumption is minimal, cannot
offer really high performance.
But Nvidia recently announced
that its new technology will
meet low power consumption
with high performance.
Nvidias new Hybrid SLI
technology will have two modes
and that will target different
applications: the Power Saving
Mode, which will switch off
discrete graphics core and use
only integrated graphics
engine when high performance
is not needed, whereas Max
Performance Mode will make
integrated graphics processor
(IGP) to assist discrete
graphics processing unit (GPU)
and boost performance when it
is required.
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25.06.2007One critical patch for Vista en route
Maybe they are busy prepping for CES, but Microsoft only plans to issue two patches for the first Patch Tuesday of the new year...
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05.01.2008Windows 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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24.11.2007AMD Catalyst 8.3 tomorrow - unlocks CrossfireX and Hybrid Graphics
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Tomorrow (Wednesday) AMD will release its Catalyst 8.3 driver set which will introduce two new features - CrossfireX and
Hybrid Graphics.
At the CeBIT show in Germany today AMD confirmed that Catalyst 8.3 drivers will be made available to the public
tomorrow. These new driver will unlock CrossFireX tri/quad GPU support in Windows Vista (many gamers just sat up and paid attention to Vista again),
as well as Hybrid Graphics technology which allows for integrated graphics to work in tandem with a discrete graphics adaptor to provide gamers with
more power. To make use of Hybrid Graphics user will require an AMD 780G motherboard and an Radeon HD 3400 series graphics card. AMD claim that this
technology can provide a performance boost of up to 70%.
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05.03.2008Patch to a patch of a Microsoft patch needs patching
In the latest incident of a now-chronic problem that has been bugging Microsoft all year, a recent security patch now causes IE6 to crash in Windows
XP...again...
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19.12.2007Intel ships long-awaited graphics drivers
Owners of PCs with Intel's
965 chipsets can finally
download drivers that will
immediately improve the
performance of games running
on those systems.
The 965 chipsets were
supposed to be a dramatic step
forward for integrated
graphics performance. Most PCs
come with graphics technology
built right onto the chipset
that connects the processor to
memory and the rest of a PC.
Serious gamers opt for
discrete graphics made by
Nvidia or AMD's ATI division,
but most people save a little
money and get the basic
graphics.
Intel wanted to make an
integrated graphics chipset
with more powerful graphics
performance that would allow
basic PC users to play some of
the latest and greatest 3D
games when it shipped the 965.
But it has been unable to
write the drivers needed to
enable that performance until
now.
Windows XP drivers are
available
here,
but if you're on a Vista PC
with Intel's 965 chipset,
you'll have to wait a little
longer. Intel put together a
video
here
that shows the improved
performance of PCs with the
new drivers.
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18.08.2007Windows 7 vs. Windows Vista Graphics Performance
Recently, ATI announced that its monthly driver updates will include Windows 7 drivers, well ahead of Win7's release. Nvidia just released new,
better Win7 drivers this month, and promises more improvements to come. So where exactly are we at today, and how far do these two graphics giants
have to go to make Windows 7 a better choice than Vista for gamers?
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18.03.2009Microsoft Plans Six Security Updates, Two For Windows Vista
Gearing up for next
week's Patch Tuesday release,
Microsoft announced on
Thursday that it's preparing
six security updates -- four
of them for critical bugs.
One
security update actually can
patch multiple vulnerabilities
so it's unclear at this point
how many flaws next week's
releases will fix. Microsoft,
though, did announce in its
Security Bulletin Advance
Notification that each of the
four critical updates will
affect Windows software, while
only one affects Internet
Explorer. Another one will
address issues in Outlook
Express, as well as Windows
Mail.
One critical
vulnerability affects Windows
Mail in Windows Vista and
Windows Vista x64 edition.
There another patch for
Windows Vista that's rated
"moderate"...
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08.06.2007Nvidia aims at Intel with integrated Graphics Chip
Nvidia Corp is rolling out a graphics microchip that will be embedded in the main collection of components that make up a personal computer, as the
company goes toe to toe with Intel Corp in the integrated graphics chip market.
Nvidia is expected to say on Tuesday that its new
GeForce chips for desktop PCs give the performance of an entry-level separate graphics processor unit, as compared to traditional integrated graphics
chips such as those made by Intel.
Given the proliferation of graphically rich computer programs, Nvidia, Intel, Advanced Micro
Devices Inc and others aim to provide better graphics performance. Intel, the world's biggest chipmaker, has already upgraded its integrated graphics
offering, the G35, aimed at mainstream PCs.
"As for going up against a strong competitor, that's nothing for Nvidia," said Jon
Peddie, head of market research firm Jon Peddie Research, based in Tiburon, California. "They've got great technology and superior marketing
skills."..
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24.09.2007Gaming 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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12.05.2008First Crysis patch arrives
The first patch for Crysis is now available, updating the game to v1.1 and featuring bug fixes and gameplay and performance tweaks.
Weighing in at a tasty 139MB, the patch can be downloaded
here.
A full rundown of patch content follows...
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08.01.2008Windows 7 RC 32-bit vs. Vista SP1 32-bit - Gaming shootout
Is it worth upgrading your Vista gaming rig to Windows 7? Will you see any performance benefits? Lets find out!
Lets look at what
kind of frames per second (FPS) performance we get from the two operating systems using four different graphics cards.
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25.04.2009Microsoft: 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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13.12.2007Update: Crysis on Windows Vista SP1
Joel Durham Jr.: Last week, we scoped out
performance differences between Windows Vista in its clean installed form, Vista patched with several hotfixes that
aren't available via Windows Update, and Vista with Service Pack 1. We were startled to discover that, at least on our testbed, the game's GPU
benchmark clocked in lower with SP1 installed than in the other two tests.
What gives? We spent the weekend trying to find
out. We first corroborated the results by running the exact same benchmark on the same configuration. Then we ran the same tests on a different
system: We happened to have our Bang for the Buck configuration handy, so we used that.
Finally, we installed the latest Nvidia
beta graphics drivers (version 169.44) and the new Crysis patch (v.1.2) and ran benchmarks on both systems yet again...
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12.03.2008Microsoft reacts to kernel hacks, updates Vista's defenses
Microsoft Corp. quietly beefed
up a key defensive feature of
64-bit Windows Vista yesterday
to better protect the
operating system against hacks
that have plagued it for
weeks.
The update to Vista's
Kernel Patch Protection,
a.k.a. PatchGuard, was issued
through Windows Update as a
high-priority download, but
not as a patch per se.
Microsoft, in fact, denied
that it was a security fix.
"While this updates adds
additional checks to the
Kernel Patch Protection
system, it does not involve a
security vulnerability," an
advisory posted yesterday by
the Microsoft Security
Response Center (MSRC) stated.
"The update does increase the
reliability, performance, and
resiliency provided by Kernel
Patch Protection."
Although the
update targets all 64-bit
editions of Windows, it's
Vista that stands out by
reason of recent events. Since
late July, a pair of utilities
have sidestepped a crucial
Vista security feature that
requires drivers to be signed
by a valid digital
certificate. Both utilities
piggybacked unsigned code onto
a legitimate driver to get the
former past Vista's defenses
and into the kernel.
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15.08.2007AMD fusing chip plans for 2009
AMD's pretty sure we all want better graphics on our PCs, and knowing us, they're pretty sure we don't want to cough up a lot of money to get
it.
Phil Hester, AMD's chief technology officer, stopped by the
Hot Chips conference here at Stanford University on Tuesday to talk a little more about Fusion, AMD's plan to integrate a
graphics processor and PC processor onto the same chip. By the time the chip is ready around 2009, Hester thinks the growing explosion of video and 3D
graphics on PCs these days will require an affordable chip that still delivers great graphics performance.
"It's not about the
silicon, it's about the applications," Hester said. He stepped back in chip history to liken the Fusion project to Intel's decision to integrate a
floating-point processor into the 486 chip. There's always a cost trade-off when you integrate something new into a processor that was once done
separately. But when enough applications need the extra performance, it's easier to justify adding some cost to dramatically improve performance...
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22.08.2007Microsoft Fixes Another August
Patch
Microsoft released a new
version of its patch intended
to fix a problem in Windows
Server service, saying the
original patch could cause
programs to fail if they
request more than one gigabyte
of contiguous memory...
betanews.com -
19.08.2006
