Microsoft to Release Windows

Server 2008 RCO, Vista SP1 Beta"> Microsoft is going to do its best to limit any impact of SP1 on application compatibility and plans to add some shims to improve this, said Zipkin, who also noted that the service pack will include a change to the way applications communicate with the Windows Security Center. Whats the matter with Vista? Here are 12 reasons why its struggling, and five ways to get it back on its feet. The software maker also released the private beta for Windows XP SP3 to select OEMs and ISVs the week of Sept. 17. "We are still planning on a public beta, which should be available in the near future," a spokesperson told eWEEK. XP SP3 is currently slated for release sometime in the first half of 2008. Microsoft also announced Sept. 24 that pre-release versions of reliability and compatibility fixes are available today on the Connect site and will later be available via Windows Update. "These are a collection of fixes that have been made to address a small set of reliability, compatibility, stability, security and performance issues. These prereleases will provide incremental improvements to the most common issues—but in general, these improvements or fixes are going to be very narrow in scope," the spokesperson said. Read details here about how Microsoft fixed a validation issue that withheld Vista features. The Windows Vista reliability prerelease improves reliability and stability for battery life and while opening menus for some startup applications; resolves a compatibility issue affecting some third-party anti-virus software applications; and provides better startup response and system recovery time after system inactivity, the spokesperson said. The USB roll-up improves compatibility with many USB devices and betters the experience when devices are connected and disconnected. The Windows Media Player roll-up eliminates the corruption of the Media Player database in certain scenarios and of media stream in certain situations, while the MSXML Reliability update resolves reliability and application compatibility issues in Microsoft XML Core Service 4.0 Service Pack 2. The Cumulative Update for Media Center for Windows, which applies only to Vista Home Premium and Vista Ultimate, addresses issues in the Media Center extensibility platform and an issue with digital cable card components when certain cable cards are used, the spokesperson said. It also improves interaction between the Media Center PC and Xbox 360 when used as a Media Center Extender, she said. And, in other Microsoft product update news, the first update to Windows Home Server will be released Sept. 25 via Windows Update, bringing product usability and out-of-box experience enhancements. More details on the update and the functionality improvements it aims to bring can be found here. Microsoft has already provided this update to its hardware and distribution partners and Hewlett-Packard will incorporate this update in its MediaSmart Server, a Microsoft spokesperson said. "Customers already using the system builder version of Windows Home Server will automatically receive the enhancements through Windows Update," he said. Check out eWEEK.coms for Microsoft and Windows news, views and analysis.