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Well, it’s been talked about anecdotaly in web forums for a while now that the new service pack for XP brought with it an unexpected performance boost.

The researchers found that a PC loaded with Microsoft’s XP SP3 completed the OfficeBench test suite in less than 50 seconds. A similarly configured system running Windows XP with Service Pack 2 took more than 50 seconds to complete the test suite — which measures how quickly a computer can perform common tasks in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel.

“Since SP3 was supposed to be mostly a bug-fix/patch consolidation release … the unexpected speed boost comes as a nice bonus,” the researchers wrote.

They added that XP SP3’s slick performance may lead some computer users to forgo Windows Vista. Exo.performance.network found that with the new service pack, XP is now two times faster than the newer Microsoft OS.

The tests were conducted late last year on a prerelease build of XP SP3. So it’s possible the final version is even faster.

It’s not all four-star reviews for the service pack, however…

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Windows Vista customers can now receive the first service pack for the operating system via the Microsoft Automatic Update service, Microsoft said Wednesday.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 will download automatically to PCs that have the automatic update feature of the OS turned on, the company said. Previously, Vista was available to customers via Windows Update, but people had to specifically download it.

Not all customers will receive SP1 immediately via Automatic Update, however. The company is distributing it in phases to “ensure a seamless download experience,” Microsoft said. A timeline for when all customers would receive Vista SP1 via Automatic Update was not immediately available.

SP1 is a rollout of software updates that fix bugs and glitches in Vista and is seen as a milestone that will inspire many customers — especially those in the business market — to adopt the OS. In fact, in a recent report, “Building the Business Case for Windows Vista,” Forrester Research said more business customers plan to upgrade to Vista now that SP1 is available. This comes as no surprise, considering companies often wait for the first service pack after a major Windows release to update corporate desktops.

However, even SP1 will not guarantee that enterprises and business customers currently running XP or an earlier version of Windows will upgrade, as some have said they would skip the OS altogether. The same Forrester report said as much, although the research firm is recommending that companies don’t skip Vista because they would not be well-positioned for future versions of Windows if they do.

Microsoft has acknowledged problems with application compatibility and lack of driver support, among others, that customers have had with Vista.

Maybe I can help you with that.

What is it lately with Microsoft Service Packs? To be fair, once the Windows XP Service Pack 3 is installed everything works just fine. However, I tested the SP3 install today and came across a problem. The install went through most of the install then would, nearly upon completion, die when attempting to write to the registry. So, then, I tried making sure the antivirus program was off and not just disabled, disabled everything in the start tray, killed any other non-necessary processes in the Task Manager. After these checks were made I then ran CCleaner to ensure any temp files were gone. So, at this point, I feel fairly confident that regardless of the outcome the install would not fail due to any firewall or antivirus program or any other running process. So, I run the install it fails again with the end result “Access Denied”.

Since this is a known legit install of XP that’s not of concern. I mention this as when many on the internet would post in forums and mention this problem the first question asked was “Is your XP install legit?”. OK, it’s legit so I continue Googling for possible solutions. Google is your friend and was mine once again today (although the solution I am about to post came from one of a few possible websites - so… I can’t quite give the credit where it duly belongs but, for full disclosure, it is not from my brain - I just happened to have success with this particular suggestion and thought I would post the steps I took and paste the code I discovered).

OK.

Windows DreamScene Content Pack #3
Download size: 43.9 MB

You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.

Update type: Optional
This Windows Ultimate Extra contains a set of high-resolution videos for you to use with Windows DreamScene. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

More information:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=80990
Help and Support:
http://support.microsoft.com/

Windows Sound Schemes
Download size: 7.8 MB

You may need to restart your computer for this update to take effect.

Update type: Optional
When you install this Ultimate Extra, you will be able to switch from Windows Default to Ultimate Extras Glass or Ultimate Extras Pearl in Change System Sounds of the Control Panel. This will allow the user to hear new sounds for common Windows tasks. After you install this item, you may have to restart your computer.

More information:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=80872
Help and Support:
http://support.microsoft.com/

Still in “testing”… Let’s review. Microsoft releases Vista SP1 then holds on to the service pack release for XP for additional “customer feedback”. As I scour the Web, the feedback is quite clear: Release the service pack, already!

A skeptic may believe that Microsoft is trying to get all the publicity for the Vista service pack in hopes of getting more Vista purchases before releasing the XP Service Pack. A skeptic may also believe that Microsoft didn’t exactly want a side-by-side comparison of the service packs and the speed differences covered between the two updated operating systems on the same hardware with a nearly simultaneous release. Whatever the truth of the matter is the end result is the same - no service pack 3 release yet for XP. Well, at least mid-April isn’t too far off.

Yes, Microsoft, regardless of yet another slight, most of your customers will wait patiently or impatiently, quietly or roaring as loud as their fingers can type, but do not get too comfortable with this operating system monopoly. Competitors will rise that you won’t be able to buy out or squash and that competitor may just give you a run for your money. Regardless of who wins in that pending duel, one thing is clear: competition is good and as a side-effect, us, the forgotten customer, will likely get a better product from one or the other or both.

Microsoft is taking a similar testing tactic as with Vista SP1: Make a crucial release candidate broadly available for testing Windows Update delivery. Microsoft tested SP1 Windows Update delivery in mid-January. The Vista update released to manufacturing a few weeks later.

The RC2 Windows Update test signifies that Microsoft is near the final testing stages for Service Pack 3. Microsoft is expected to make Vista SP1 broadly available sometime in March. It’s reasonable to presume that SP3’s release is imminent, perhaps around the time of SP1, or even sooner. I’m expecting sooner rather than later, unless there are last-minute glitches.

Windows Server 2008’s big launch is next Thursday. Microsoft has released a bunch of service packs so that major products are prepared for new server software. SP3 is part of the process for syncing up XP for Windows Server 2008. In ideal circumstances, Microsoft should release XP SP3 no later than Feb. 27.

While there has been big noise about Vista SP1, XP SP3 is much more important to many more enterprises. Windows XP is everywhere, and Vista is in just a few places, comparatively. I still expect XP SP3 to impede Vista deployments, seeing as how many more enterprises run the older Windows version.

XP SP3 download information is available here.

Source

Originally the Vista SP1 refresh was not available to the public but Microsoft has changed their mind. This should be a good thing for the consumer as Vista already has enough problems and a subpar SP1 final release wouldn’t help the public perception of Vista.

Just two days earlier, the new version, dubbed Windows Vista SP1 RC Refresh, had been handed out to a group of about 15,000 testers who had been working with the service pack for several months. At the time, Microsoft said the refresh was “not available for public download.”

Friday, it changed its mind, and posted instructions on its Web site for downloading and installing the new code using the Windows Update service.

According to the “Windows Vista Service Pack 1 RC Refresh Public Availability Program,” users must uninstall Vista SP1 Release Candidate — the earlier version offered to the general public a month ago — before attempting to download and install the refresh.

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Vista SP1 refresh download instructions

The antipiracy tool reappears whenever its component is upgraded

Although users can tell Windows XP to ignore updates to Microsoft’s antipiracy technology, Windows Genuine Advantage (WGA) Notifications will be offered again the next time the component is upgraded, the company said today.

WGA Notifications, which was updated last month, cannot be permanently removed from the Windows Update list as a potential download, said David Lazar, director of Microsoft’s Genuine Windows program, in an e-mail interview. That’s true, even if Automatic Updates (AU) is set to the most restrictive posture of checking for updates but letting the user choose whether to download and install them — and the Hide update option is selected.

“When there is a new release, such as there was Feb. 21, the update will be offered,” said Lazar. “If you refuse the installation, and tell AU not to notify again, it will not be offered again until the next new release, generally 90-120 days. This is a standard approach with AU, not a new policy.”

Some users must have missed the memo; several have posted messages on official Microsoft newsgroups commenting on the reappearance of WGA Notifications.