Maximum PC service pack 1 RSS Feed

Support Firm Suggests Holding Off on Windows 7 Upgrade, at Least for Now

Paul Lilly — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:07:24 -0600

National computer repair outfit Rescuecom admits "there are some compelling reasons for both business and home users to move to Windows 7, but is also cautioning Windows users not to be in such a rush to upgrade until the dust settles (and bugs are squashed).

"Transferring all their data, their digital life essentially, is one of the most common, most troubling issues that users have," said Josh Kaplan, president of Rescuecom. "Even if you're doing an in-place [upgrade], if you don't have a proper backup, you're still at risk. Without the proper preparation, moving ot a new OS is risky for anybody."

According to Kaplan, putting off an upgrade until a later date sports several advantages. Drivers will inevitably mature as more computers are designed for Windows 7, and upcoming patches will help ensure a safer upgrade. But those weren't the only reasons Kaplans says Windows users should sit tight.

"Given the economy, is that really a necessary expense right?," Kaplan questions when referring to the price of Windows 7.

Image Credit: Microsoft

Most Enterprises Intend to Skip Vista All Together: Survey

Pulkit Chandna — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:52:07 -0500

A survey conducted by Ziff Davis Enterprise Research has revealed that 72% of the enterprises plan to abstain from Windows Vista despite the release of Service Pack 1. This comes at a time when most analysts expect enterprises to adopt Vista en masse.

Vista almost seems to be an anathema, for about 3/4th of the enterprises are so unequivocal in their dislike for Vista that they don’t even intend to adopt the OS three years down the line. Around 28% envisage a move to the OS anywhere between late 2008 and 2010. Half of those surveyed are not fazed by the end of XP’s retail sales and OEM distribution.

Lesson for Microsoft: The Mojave Experiment hasn’t been able to fool incredulous enterprises and it's time that MS devoted more time to addressing Vista’s glaring performance issues. Address their grievances, the tide will surely turn.

Image Credit: Adelphia

Windows Vista SP1 - Ready to Download (at Last!)

Mark 'Marcus_Soperus' Soper — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 11:37:38 -0500

Vista SP1 Download Links

Windows Vista SP1 standalone installers are now available for download from the Microsoft Download Center: the five-language x86 (32-bit) version is available here; the five-language x64 (64-bit) version is available here.

Help File Updates

US-based Vista SP1 users who are installing the standalone packs listed above and don't have always on Internet connections will also want to download updated help files on key topics (updated help is not available in the standalone installers).Get the 32-bit x86 version. Get the 64-bit (x64) version. Non-US customers should check the Microsoft download center for localized versions of these files.

Fix Install Problems with CheckSUR

Installation problems with current and future Vista updates can be solved with CheckSUR. Read KB947821 for details. Download it: 32-bit x86 version; 64-bit x64 version.

Enjoy!

Still have questions about Vista SP1? See our comprehensive coverage. And, before you install, be sure to check your system readiness with our checklists for Vista RTM and Windows XP users.

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Get up to speed on Vista's new, improved (and just plain different) features with Mark's book Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed. It's available at Amazon.com and other fine bookstores.

Before You Install Vista SP1, Make Sure Your Software's Ready

Marcus Soperus — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 20:24:08 -0600

News Flash! Some Programs Don't Work With Vista SP1!

Surprise, surprise, surprise! Some programs don't like Windows Vista SP1.

Haven't We Seen This Before?

Actually, you shouldn't be surprised at all. This isn't the first time that a major operating system update has caused application woes. Remember the long list of major programs that stopped working when Windows XP SP2 rolled into town? KB884130 brings back memories.

Just the Facts, Please

Compared with the three dozen programs that needed updates or replacement when XP SP2 came on the scene, Vista SP1's list of problem apps is a lot shorter: only 12 total, and about half of them are security programs. Microsoft has a list - along with links to vendor websites - at KB935796. Here are some of the highlights.

Update Me, Please, I'm Blocked!

The following programs need updates from the vendor, and are blocked from running by SP1: learn more about blocking here:

- BitDefender AV or Internet Security version 10
- Fujitsu Shock Sensor 2.1.0.0
- Jiangmin KV Antivirus 10 or 2008
- Trend Micro Internet Security 2008
- Zone Alarm Security Suite 7.1.078

Update Me, I Can't Run!

These programs aren't blocked by Vista SP1, but need updates because they can't run under SP1:

- Iron Speed Designer 5.0.1
- Xheo Licensing 3.1
- Free Allegiance 2.1

Update Me, I Don't Run Very Well

These programs lose functionality under Vista SP1, and need updating to work properly:

- NYT Reader 1
- Rising Personal Firewall 2007
- Novell ZCM Agent 10.01

It's still about three weeks until Vista SP1 will be available for download, so use the time to fix up any errant apps on your system. It's a pretty short list for most of us.

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If you've been waiting for SP1 to give Vista a try, now's the perfect time to bone up on Vista's new and improved features. Read Mark's book Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed, available from Amazon.com and other fine bookstores.

Why Vista SP1 "RTM" Doesn't Mean "Ready to Download" - Yet

Mark 'Marcus_Soperus' Soper — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 23:18:18 -0600

Here's the good news about Windows Vista SP1: it's now on its way to manufacturing ('RTM' in geek-speak). So, why can't existing we existing Vista users point our browsers to the Download portion of the Microsoft website and get it now?

Bad Drivers, Bad! You Stopped Team Vista from Immediate Download of SP1!

According to the Vista team blog announcement (emphasis mine):

Our beta testing identified an issue with a small set of device drivers. These drivers do not follow our guidelines for driver installation and as a result, some beta participants who were using Windows Vista and updated to Service Pack 1 reported issues with these devices. Because the issue was with the way the drivers were installed and not the drivers themselves, the solution was simply to reinstall the drivers. While this worked fine for our more technical beta testers, we want to deliver a better experience for customers as we make the update broadly available.

So, what can we expect? The Vista team blog spells out the timeline thus.

Mid-March - Downloads for the Daring, Windows Update for Clean Machines

Vista SP1 versions in English, French, Spanish, German, and Japanese will show up on Windows Update, Microsoft Update and the Microsoft Downloads site. Windows Update will check to see if any of the installed drivers don't work properly with SP1. If so, then no SP1 for you! However, the downloadable version can be installed whether you have driver problems or not. If some of your drivers go out to lunch after installing SP1, reinstall them.

April - SP1 for All Languages, OEM Preloads

Vista SP1 for other languages becomes available. Vista SP1 will be available for OEM preloads as well, according to Mary Jo Foley's All About Microsoft blog.

Mid-April - SP1 Automatically Via WU

Vista SP1 will be downloaded automatically via Windows Update to systems configured for automatic updating (and don't have driver problems).

Dealing with Problem Drivers

Problem drivers will be replaced by updated drivers through Windows Update, enabling more users to get SP1 over time.

I Love Quality, But...

While I'm glad Microsoft is making sure that users with driver problems will have them resolved before they get SP1 automatically, I sure hate waiting another six weeks for the final version. Grrr. Here's hoping Microsoft will realize that leaks will make the delay for downloadable versions useless (except for those of us who always follow the rules).

For Those of You with Automatic Updating That Want to Opt Out...

...of either Vista SP1 or XP SP3, you can block either SP from being installed with a simple registry fix or by using the IntelliAdmin Service Pack Blocker. Get details here. The opt-out period is 12 months, which should be enough time for even the paranoid among us to decide they're worth installing.

What Else is New in Windows Vista SP1?

Mark Soper — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:24:16 -0600

The big news about Windows Vista SP1, whose Release Candidate became public a couple of days ago, is its improved performance and reliability, thanks to over 400 hotfixes and updates. However, that's only part of the story.

New Hardware Support

Windows Vista SP1 includes

Support for GPUs supporting DirectX 10.1, which improves 3D rendering
A new exFAT file system supports large file storage in flash memory and consumer devices
SD Advanced DMA transfer for faster transfer between SD cards and the PC
Better support for Blu-Ray and HD DVD Drives
Support for new types of Media Center Extenders
Better support for Digital Cable Tuner hardware on Media Center systems

More Reliable Networking

With virtually every PC a part of some sort of network, Vista SP1's network features have also been beefed up:

Better IPSec VPN connections
Systems won't go to sleep until all packets are received or discarded
Better ad-hoc wireless networking
Better peer-to-peer connections for Windows Meeting Space or Remote Assistance, even behind firewalls
Network Diagnostics can now fix file sharing problems

Better Data Security

Vista SP1 works harder to keep your data safe with features such as:

Preventing data loss when NTFS-formatted removable media is ejected
File backup now backs up files encrypted with EFS
The Startup Repair Tool can now fix a wider range of problems
BitLocker (available in Enterprise and Ultimate editions) can now encrypt drives other than the system driv
Standard users can now run Complete PC Backup by providing administrator credentials

To learn more about these and many other improvements for both individual users and corporate types, see "Notable Changes in Windows Vista SP1 Release Candidate" at the Windows Vista SP1 Guides for IT Professionals website.

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Know a Windows Vista newbie? Help a new Vista user get up to speed with Mark's book Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed. It's a great introduction to what's new and different in Windows Vista, and it's available from Amazon.com and other fine bookstores.

Vista SP1 By the Numbers - Performance Numbers, That Is

Marcus Soperus — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 10:42:29 -0600

1, 18, 25, 45, 50

No, those aren't the numbers for today's "pick 5" lottery drawing, but Microsoft is hoping they'll add up to good luck for its controversial desktop operating system - Vista. Those numbers refer to performance and usability improvements reportedly coming in Vista SP1, whose release candidate (RC) is now being tested.

Although some recent user reports have suggested that Vista SP1's mainly about reliability, Mary Jo Foley's All About Microsoft blog at ZDNet is reporting that Microsoft is internally touting some impressive improvements in performance and usability with SP1:

One UAC prompt, instead of four, when creating or renaming a folder in a protected location (such as the \Windows folder)
18% faster recovery from standby for some USB hubs
25% faster local file copying from location to location on the same disk
45% faster remote file copying from a non-Windows Vista system to an SP1 system
50% faster remote file copying from SP1 to SP1 systems
50% faster read time for large images
fixes for common crash and hang problems caused by Windows Calendar, Windows Media Player, and drivers included with Vista
better compatibility with third-party diagnostic tools
a password hint during initial setup of SP1

Comparing SP1 to Vista? Which Vista?

It sounds good, but one big question - what are the performance comparisons being made to? As our own David Murphy reported in August, Vista has already received performance fixes for file copying in its 938979 'Performance and Reliability' update.

It's not clear whether Microsoft is comparing Vista SP1 (which will contain all publically-available fixes made to Vista since release plus additional improvements) to the original (and slow) early 2007 release of Vista, or whether SP1 will contain additional file copying zoom (call it "Vitamin Z") over the current state of Vista.

I'm hoping for the latter - but I'm prepared to be disappointed.

The Clock Ticks...

In any event, it won't be long until we can all try a near-final version of SP1. According to Foley, the release candidate (RC) for Vista SP1 will be an early Christmas present for Vista users, with public availability set for the second week of December.

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The Wraps Come Off of Windows Vista SP1...

By Mark Soper — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 10:23:04 -0500

Speculation about exactly what's in Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista has been rife since mid-summer, but with invitations now going out to Windows Server 2008 beta users to try SP1, this week Microsoft released a white paper detailing exactly what improvements are included in SP1.

SP1 Feature Highlights

Security Improvements:

Better security APIs for x64 versions of Vista
More secure communications between third-party security software vendors and the Windows Security Center
Signed Remote Desktop Protocol files (so you know who's talking to your system)
Enhancements to BitLocker drive encryption user authentication
BitLocker will also be able to encrypt any local drive

Reliability fixes improve operation with:

Newer graphics cards
External displays on laptops
Network configuration
Sleep mode
Systems upgraded from XP to Vista
Printer drivers

Microsoft used reports from the Windows Error Reporting tool to determine the list of fixes.

Performance fixes include:

faster recovery from hibernation and resume modes (wake up, PC sleepyheads!)
faster file copying and extraction (faster installs in your future)
longer battery life on some laptops (watch another episode of your favorite sitcom during that long plane or train ride)

Network and Internet fixes:

faster network file share browsing
Network Diagnostics now helps solve file sharing problems
better IE 7 performance
better performance for PCs on a domain when they operate off the domain (laptop users who shuttle between corporate and home networks, this one's for you!)

Support for new hardware standards:

Extended FAT (exFAT) file system, which features support for larger files and longer filenames in flash memory and consumer electronic devices
Secure Digital (SD) Advanced DMA, for faster data transfers with less CPU utilization (a boon to digital photographers using point-and-shoot cameras and other devices that use SD for storage)
Direct3D 10.1, which supports a new Shader Model (4.1) and introduces improved antialiasing and block-rendering techniques

SP1 also includes improvements to other management features. You can download a copy of the complete white paper in PDF or XML from the Downloads section of Microsoft.com.

A Progress Report on Vista

The white paper also details improvements in device driver availability and application compatibility since the launch of Windows Vista 9 months ago. There are drivers for over 2.2 million device types as of July, compared to 1.5 million at Vista launch, and the list of Windows Vista logo applications has increased from just 254 at Vista launch to 2076 as of July.

Good News - and Bad

The long list of improvements and fixes is the good news about SP1. The bad news? SP1 is now targeted for release in the first quarter of 2008.

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Learn how to use BitLocker to stop data theft, organize your life with Windows Calendar, and back up your data the easy way: get Mark's new book Maximum PC Microsoft Windows Vista Exposed. It's now available at Amazon.com and other fine bookstores.