Redmond (WA) – Microsoft will be focusing on promoting Windows 7 next week, but there will also be news around Vista: The second Service Pack (SP2) will be released to a greater, but still “small group Technology Adoption Program customers”, the company announced today. Among the new features are Blu-ray recording capability, a revised search feature as well as Bluetooth 2.1 support.

According to industry sources, Windows 7 is well on track to be delivered in Q3 2009, but before we see this evolutionary change over the current Vista, Microsoft plans on rolling out another Service Pack for its current operating system. Key customers, including hardware vendors, can expect the software to be made available on Wednesday, October 29, Microsoft’s Mike Nash, corporate vice president for Windows Product Management, announced today.

There is no information when consumers will be able to get to download this software as “the final release date for Windows Vista SP2 will be based on quality,” Nash wrote. This Service Pack will apply to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 versions and wrap improvements for those operating systems into one package.  

When it is available, users can expect “previously released fixes focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues.” In terms of new features, Microsoft promises Windows Search 4.0 “for faster and improved relevancy in searches”, the Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack “supporting the most recent specification for Bluetooth Technology”, an easier configuration of Wi-Fi connectivity as well as the activation of the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps and a “correct file synchronization across time zones.”  

A somewhat surprising feature addition is native recording ability for Blu-ray media. However, Nash did not mention that Vista SP2 will also support playback of Blu-ray media within Microsoft's Windows Media Player.

make it use less memory

Oct 24, 2008 21:39     

that's my main problem. I can't run Warhammer Online by itself with a few small things in the tray with 4gb of memory without getting nagged after about 40 minutes. Its recommendation, shut down Warhammer Online to free up memory. Ignore the nag (80% memory used) and 10-15 minutes later the computer locks up tight, a dual core wolfdale. So yeah, color me unconvinced about how great Vista is.
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re: make it use less memory

Oct 24, 2008 22:22     

Feel free to blame the operating system... most people do when they don't know what they are talking about. Processor: Intel Q6600 Memory: 4GB Graphics card: NVidia GTX 260 I currently have 2 instances of warhammer online up both at 40fps. I have played for hours before without encountering any issues whatsoever. Now I am far from a fan of Microsoft but Vista runs far smoother than XP in my experience. I have 3 computers all running difference operating systems. In order the ones I have to reboot the least whether it be because it froze up or because the machine is acting funny: 1. Linux 2. Windows Server 2003 / Windows Vista 3. Windows 98 4. Windows XP On the vista machine, my graphics driver at one point was having problems and instead of a bluescreen the screen went black for a second and I got a "Windows Vista has recovered from a fatal error with your graphics card driver blahblahblah". It pisses me off when people say Vista sucks for the wrong reasons.

Awktane report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +10

Windows Media Player is reducing functionality with new versions.

Oct 24, 2008 22:22     

Its a bit ironic that with WMP10 I could easily play my copy protected DVDs and other media, I moved to WMP11 and suddenly a bunch of things stopped playing correctly. Even when using the famous vista codec pack. And still.. after years of it being a very well accepted standard, try playing a .mp4 natively in WMP11. No go. Install Vista codec pack, and some play, but WMP barely deals with it correctly. To not even recognize a .mp4 extension is MS's usual arraogance to push people into using their proprietary formats. Even with the codec's, Media Center barely plays anything intelligently. No .mp4 chapter, subtitle, etc - support. Last week I was introduced to VLC media player. Right out of the box it plays everything I throw at it. A community developed player, and it beats the pants of MS WMP.. GRRRRR.

mvrx report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +4

re:WMP

Oct 25, 2008 01:37     

First off, mp4 is not a codec, it is a container. You can put a variety of codecs in mp4. Secondly VLC does a wonderful job of playing anything yes, but I think its interface is terrible. That one is subjective of course. -matt
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Make it use more memory (effecienty)

Oct 25, 2008 03:24     

Yes, windows and the bloatware world they've incubated takes massive memory for what it does. It's really quite rediculous. But, on the other side of that point. Winblows doesn't use extra memory effectively. For instance, say I get a dandy new i7 nehalem machine... with say, 9 slots, 8GB of memory in each slot. 48GB... Now in the evenings, I login to play a little LOTR battle for middle earth.. the game loads of HD slow, the maps load into memory slow, and my system usage is about 3GB... Shouldn't windows have figured out my usage patterns and had all that ready for me? Or the MS indexer.. Shouldn't it be able to really keep all that data in memory ready for me? I have a 200,000 strong mp3 collection.. I do a folder expand in windows explorer, and it hashes, and thinks, and studders.. shouldn't all that be ready for me to browse and instant speed? I play a 8GB DVD over my network from a TS_Video directory. Windows media player often crashes when skipping ahead to different chapters. Why didn't Windows figure out that I'd likely be using the whole thing and cache it all for me? We are in the infancy of computer technology, and windows just hit 1st grade. New versions consistantly demand more memory and CPU, while offering only slightly more functionality. So yes. Make windows use more memory, but use it with more intelligence than a Franklin 2000.

mvrx report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +3

@awktane

Oct 25, 2008 07:43     

Well it pisses me off when people say, "Well MY computer runs fine, since of COURSE there is only ONE way you can set up the hardware and software among the MILLIONS of possible configurations. I have Mainboard: ASUS P5E Processor: Intel Core Duo E8400 @3000MHz Memory: 4,096 MB DDR2-SDRAM Graphics Card: NVIDIA GeForce 8800 GTX OS: Vista 32-bit SP1 Drivers: Newest drivers from nvidia Pathches: all up to date When I run ONE instance of Warhammer Online after about 40 minutes it starts nagging me (80% memory use) that I need to shut down something to free up memory. If I ignore this nag, after another 10 to 15 minutes the computer promptly locks up. WHEN I RUN XP Pro with all the patches and same hardware, it NEVER goes over about 60% memory in use and never locks up. So, basically, you can bugger your condescending opinion. I have built some 20 PCs over the last couple years and I believe I have a fair grasp of the fundamentals. I shouldn't need an engineering degree to get the game to run right. If I install everything like pretty much every other person out there I should have a reasonable expectation that the bloody game should run right without Bill Gates personally installing everything. JUDGEMENT: Vista sucks, XP doesn't.

Ronald Stepp report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

Warhammer?

Oct 25, 2008 09:43     

I guess i didn't realize this article was about warhammer online. Maybe warhammer has some sort of memory leak in vista? Or possibly the one gentlemans system runs better cause his GPU has 4x the amount of memory of yours?
Blah report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

Who cares about Warhammer?

Oct 25, 2008 10:56     

It's a Vista SP2 discussion, please. Now it really should disable some of the least usefull services by default. And who needs faster search if it hogs the rest of the computer? At least disable full-time indexing, it takes too much resources for something most people don't know how to use.
salgado18 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +3

﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿ ORLY?

Oct 25, 2008 12:22     

﴾͡๏̯͡๏﴿ ORLY?
Henrik report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

re: Make it use more memory (effecienty)

Oct 25, 2008 21:07     

You make valid points and by no means am I attacking you here, but no OS does this. No OS has plans to do this. Readyboost will load some of that into ram for you but not all of it. Attacking M$ for what is most likly a less than %1 use case is a little extream.
Michele Jackson report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

re: Make it use more memory (effecienty)

Oct 25, 2008 22:22     

8GB RAM sticks in 9 slots would give 72ish GB, not 48. And as nice as it would be to load the hard drive into RAM, that's not how it works.
Matt report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

@Blah dont be a schmuck

Oct 26, 2008 11:42     

I used that as an example, I could have used any other game or application. Stop being a schmuck and actually read the pertinent theme. Run a program, vista whines not enough memory with 4gb installed, run a program, xp doesn't whine with same memory. There is that "generic" enough for you? God, some people.
Ronald Stepp report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -2

@blah, he runs 16gb of memory?

Oct 26, 2008 11:45     

Well that would be nice, but I don't think a lot of people buy computers with Vista 32-bit installed and 16gb of memory on the board. Mainly because the computer won't be able to use 16gb of memory. Besides, and I'll talk slow for you, if its a memory leak, eventually its going to eat up 16gb of memory as well, even though, as I have already said, it (32bit) can't USE 16gb of memory (max is 4gb)
Ronald Stepp report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

@salgado18

Oct 26, 2008 11:49     

Oh right, it's a Vista SP2 discussion and of course why would you discuss an Operating System at the same time that you mention P R O G R A M S... gosh, after all, Vista isn't used to run P R O G R A M S nooooo, it's used to generate a picture on your monitor, uh wallpaper I think, yeah, Vista is a digitally generated wallpaper display, like those digital picture frames you buy at stores. Nooooooo, Why on EARTH would you say anything about software, all we use Vista for is to hang the monitor on the wall and display a matching picture of your wall to cover the hole in it. How could I be so stupid........ wallpaper wow what will they invent next, I know.. lets have Vista show really BRIGHT wallpaper and we can use the monitor as a LAMP! Put it on your coffee table and you can read by it!

Ronald Stepp report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -3

RE:mvrx

Oct 26, 2008 12:37     

I agree that it should natively use ram more effecienty. You could always setup a ram drive and load the entire game into ram manually or with some programs. However you would only do that with games on slow programs, but as far as your music thats another story.
Yournotme report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0

wow there are some noobs typing here..

Oct 26, 2008 16:22     

I go a Q6600 with 4gb ram and a 8800GTS 512 graphics card, but only a 32-bit OS. I game (UT3, COD4, etc.), video and photo edit in HD, encode mp3's, change video formats from avi to mpeg and vice versa, record music, listen to music, etc. (most of this done with other things happening at the same time) on Vista and I HAVE NEVER HAD VISTA TELL ME IT NEEDS MORE MEMORY!!! I think you are just a noob and have no idea how to work a computer properly. First i recommend increasing your page file cause it's prbly set to like 1500 mb. Also shut down useless apps like Limewire, etc. that are running in the background.

cabose369 report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +5

The comment above this one settles it ALL!!!

Oct 26, 2008 17:53     

well put cabose369!!! damn noobs anyway!
Rdawg report abuse vote down vote up Votes: -1

@Ronald Stepp

Oct 26, 2008 18:51     

I said the gpu had more memory not the computer's ram
Blah report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

@Ronald Stepp

Oct 26, 2008 20:09     

You really want to know what is causing your problem? More than likely it is a bad driver. There have been many posts on the net about bad drivers causing memory to be used up. Vista has the new driver modal which explains why it only happens in Vista and not XP. Do some research first before posting stupid stuff like it is just a problem with Vista. If it was just Vista then every Vista machine would have the problem and it would have been fixed already. Anyways, isn't Windows Search 4.0 already available? I hope they are not going to push that down everyone's throat.

afstech report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +1

Re: make it use less memory

Oct 27, 2008 10:11     

Sounds like you have a lot of bloatware in the back ground or, you've downloaded some illegal warez, that's infecting your system in the back ground. I have 8 gigs of ram under Vista 64, and I rarely go over 3-3.5 gigs at most while gaming.
Devon M report abuse vote down vote up Votes: +0