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Everybody with Windows Vista wants the final release of SP1 now - even Microsoft. Unfortunately, only about 12,000 beta testers have SP1 at this point. Fortunately, you don't need to wait for SP1's official release to get your hands on improvements for various pieces of Windows Vista, including Windows Media Player 11, Media Center, USB support, and others.
Grab the update discussed in Knowledge Base 941649 to improve this trio of PC requirements in a variety of ways for both 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) releases:
Grab the next update to improve reliability, specifically for Windows Media Player. The Knowledge Base article for this update (941651) isn't up at the Microsoft website yet, but here are the direct links for the 32-bit and 64-bit versions.
[Update 10-11-2007: Knowledge Base Article 941651 is now available]
Media Center fans should run, not walk, to pick up the update discussed in Knowledge Base article 941229, especially if you use the Xbox 360 as a Media Center extender, Scientific Atlanta cable cards, or Video CDs. This fix also replaces the April and June cumulative updates for Windows Media Center.
The USB cumulative update rollup for USB core components in Windows Vista (941600) offers three types of fixes in one:
The final Vista update just released is for XML Core Services 4.0 Service Pack 2. Learn more from Knowledge Base article 941833.
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Links:
[1] http://www.maximumpc.com/user/marcus_soperus
[2] http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941649/en-us
[3] http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=82738f1a-eea4-4bbe-b3b8-fa25e4faff81&DisplayLang=en
[4] http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=bba3d78a-cb21-44d6-bb04-1e39ebdf46da&DisplayLang=en
[5] http://support.microsoft.com/kb/941651/en-us
[6] http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=941229
[7] http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=941600
[8] http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=941833
[9] http://www.informit.com/store/product.aspx?isbn=0789735865
[10] http://www.amazon.com/Maximum-Microsoft-Windows-Vista-Exposed/dp/0789735865
[11] http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?z=y&EAN=9780789735867&itm=7
[12] http://www.booksamillion.com/ncom/books?id=3900688787447&isbn=0789735865
[13] http://www.maximumpc.com/google986fdea5fedbf247.html
[14] http://www.maximumpc.com/article/hotfix_your_way_to_fiji_maybe
[15] http://www.maximumpc.com/article/windows_vista_now_with_sp1
[16] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/media_center
[17] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/news
[18] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/service_pack
[19] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/software
[20] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/software_news
[21] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/sp1
[22] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/usb
[23] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/vista
[24] http://www.maximumpc.com/articles/news/windows
[25] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/windows_media_player
[26] http://www.maximumpc.com/tags/windows_vista
[27] http://www.maximumpc.com/articles/news
[28] http://www.maximumpc.com/user/login?&commentfragment=comments_top_anchor