Beta Patches Hint at Vista SP1 Features

By BetaNews Staff, BetaNews

July 30, 2007, 11:20 AM

Microsoft has released to Windows Server 2008 beta testers two new hot-fix packs for Windows Vista, which improve performance and reliability, along with the operating system's compatibility with drivers and hardware. The 12MB worth of fixes are expected to make their way into Vista Service Pack 1 later this year.

Some of the changes noted by testers are better file copy performance, faster boot times, improved compatibility with newer graphics cards, and better performance in games with advanced visuals. According to some enthusiasts, these patches contain the fixes they have been waiting for. Microsoft has not commented on the now-leaked hot-fix packs, which are available for both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Vista.

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By Avion Airplane

posted Jul 31, 2007 - 11:06 AM

improved compatibility with newer graphics cards - What about my old Graphic card?

better performance in games with advanced visuals - How about Drivers for curent games

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jul 31, 2007 - 11:26 AM

improved compatibility with newer graphics cards - What about my old Graphic card?

Buy a new one or stick with XP?

better performance in games with advanced visuals - How about Drivers for curent games

Games don't require drivers, perhaps you meant video cards again? Microsoft is not responsible for creating drivers for 3rd party hardware.

It's sad, really. The driver situation for Vista is slowly looking more and more like the driver situation for Linux. Some manufacturers support it (some better than others), and the rest ignore it.

Score: 0

By Avion Airplane

posted Jul 31, 2007 - 12:31 PM

Games don't require drivers, perhaps you meant video cards again? Microsoft is not responsible for creating drivers for 3rd party hardware.

i was talking about card not working when tryng to play dvd because of the tv output? not sure its all kinda FUZZY

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jul 31, 2007 - 2:03 PM

better performance in games with advanced visuals - How about Drivers for curent games

Meant you couldn't get a decent picture playing DVDs on your TV via the TV out???

I'm sure you can understand my confusion... :p

Score: 0

By Avion Airplane

edited Jul 31, 2007 - 12:29 PM

right now im sticking with xp :)

and wondering what windows 7 out in 2010 ? will be like

Score: 0

By TheSlasher

posted Jul 31, 2007 - 1:41 AM

The fact MS released Vista with that kind of file copy performance in the first place is disgraceful.

Score: 0

By tomfromblink1822

edited Jul 31, 2007 - 3:47 PM

I KNOW. VISTA FILE COPY PEFORMANCE IS HORRIBLE

Score: 0

By smarterthanyou

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 9:46 PM

Is it possible to directly integrate these patches into a Vista installation DVD like the RyanVM package does with Windows XP? If so, does anyone know how to do this?

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 11:49 PM

Google vlite. Haven't used it, but it's from the same guys who made nlite. Great app for updating install discs

Score: 0

By The MAZZTer

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 7:28 PM

I tried the fixes. File copy performance does seem up but I'll have to test it more. Haven't tried games yet.

Note to 64-bit Vista users: One of the hotfixes supposedly removes the ability to permanently enable unsigned drivers (supposedly it can still be done from the boot menu but has to be done every time) which will break some programs which rely on them.

Score: 0

By darkxiiindp

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 9:03 PM

KB936824 fix slow file copy perfomance. The description say that iPod fix but after install it I have so much better performance.

Score: 0

By timatl

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 2:10 PM

i thought microsoft said it would not be a service pack for vista this year

Score: 0

By flake

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 11:21 PM

MS has publicly stated there will be a public beta of SP1 for vista this year.

It likely won't RTM until near the end of Q1'08

Score: 0

By shy_one

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 3:46 PM

There won't be an oficial service pack this year.

First they have to do internal testing then (hopefully)public betas then the release candidates.

Other than the file copy issue Vista work great for me.

Score: 0

By rseiler

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 12:16 PM

Reading the thread at the link, I think one piece of big news here is that MS now has a regular external test program for their patches ("Monthly Windows Vista QFE Testing"), which is where the packs of Vista fixes are eminating.

That's terrific, since hopefully it'll make what ends up in Windows Update more reliable. The way it is now, most every month there are multiple glitches in the patches, some quite bad (no boot, etc).

Score: 0

By arossetti

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 12:04 PM

Installed on x86 Vista here. No issues, and an informal file copy test does seem to indicate some benefit. Can't wait to test on my main home build, with lots of large files and directories to test with.

Not sure I want to test it out on 64-bit though, since I just got my 64-bit feet wet a couple of days ago.

Score: 0

By Paul Skinner

posted Jul 30, 2007 - 11:37 AM

Sounds promising.

Score: 0

By Adrian79

posted Aug 1, 2007 - 1:30 AM

link me to the hotfix! lol damn

Score: 0