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After rolling out a preview in March, Microsoft rolled out the production version of Windows Search 4.0 last week (see KB940157 for download links). It's a 5.3MB download that runs on Windows XP SP2 and SP3, Windows Vista, Windows Home Server, Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008. Both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of these operating systems are supported (which should make XP Professional 64-bit users very happy).
After the performance fiasco that was Windows Desktop Search 3.01, Microsoft has created a very different search tool in Windows Search 4.0. How different?
Windows Search isn't the only goodie to come out of Redmond this month. To learn what's new for Windows Home Server users, go to page 2.
Comments are closed on this article
sc123
June 10, 2008 at 12:28pm
WHS is a total bomb. Everyone else knows it, but you wouldn't think it by reading the MaxPC review. Will Smith worships it in his 9/10 Kickass review, which fails to mention the massive bugs with the software, and doesn't even begin to address the speed issues that practically bring transfers to a halt. In fact, he doesn't say a single negative thing about WHS in his review - which is unprecedented for MaxPC.
The fact that it's taken Microsoft over 6 months to release a "Power Pack" that isn't even out of beta yet further proves their inability to get the technology working.
WHS - great in concept, crap in reality. MaxPC should go back and modify that review. It's reviews like that one that make me second guess anyone at MaxPC except Gordon.
damicatz
June 17, 2008 at 8:25pm
WHS is a joke.
First off, I'm against the concept of a "home server" marketed towards people with no networking experience. The storm botnet is large enough as it is without idiots exposing servers to the internet with no idea how to secure them.
I don't care if Microsoft added a neural interface that reads your mind and automatically configures and secures it. Automation is no substitution for a proper hardening by someone experienced in computer security. If you don't know anything about networking or don't have at least a basic grasp of computer security (beyond don't open suspicious e-mail attachments) then you shouldn't be running a server exposed to the internet. Especially Windows Servers.
Then, there is the whole data corruption issue. That crap wouldn't fly with the real Windows Server. If there was a data corruption issue with standard Windows Server, Microsoft would have had it fixed the same day. And heads would have rolled for letting that bug slip through to the final product in the first place. Microsoft's business customers would never tolerate such incompetence and if Microsoft had let a data corruption bug remain in Windows Server for 6 months, they wouldn't have any customers any more.
Keith E. Whisman
June 09, 2008 at 10:26pm
Hey WS4 for Vista 32 is working great. Whatever happened to WinFS? Wasn't it going to be released to the public when it was ready? I can't believe there isn't anything stable and ready yet.
Great blog as always..
