After approximately one year of waiting time Microsoft yesterday finally released their much anticipated Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (KB948465) along with Windows Server 2008 SP2. New Service Pack is bringing some interesting new features though not breathtaking, security updates and a few performance updates as well although the main emphasis is still on compatibility, security and new features rather than performance.So if you were expecting Microsoft to noticeably boost Vista performance you are unfortunately out of luck. Perhaps the most visible speed improvements were achieved in various file copying scenarios. For true performance operating system you will have to wait for future Windows 7.
This being said Windows Vista still remains resource hungry operating system with a little more tolerance of allowing to run older programs unacceptably unresponsive Windows Explorer and ever resource hungry Aero graphical interface.
Still I suggest you to install SP 2 as you may find it to solve some incompatibility issues you may be facing while running Vista on your expensive computer.
Features according to Microsoft:
New hotfixes
Application Compatibility Improvements
Reliability Improvements
Performance and Power Consumption Improvements
Security Improvements
Support for New Technologies and Standards
Download Windows Vista Service Pack 2
6 Comments:
Another feature mentioned by Microsoft is the improvement of networking capabilities after resuming from sleep or hibernate...in fact, the main reason i upgrade to SP2 is just for this advantage...;)
I have to disagree slightly about the performance issue, though. (maybe because i define performance differently) With improved compatibility, reliability and networking, i think we can already consider SP2 an improvement in performance compared to SP1.
Of course it won't boost the performance because many of this fixes represent just marketing.
And on the other hand Windows 7 is breathing on it's neck.
Any way if it is of any help visit http://vladgh.com/2009/05/windows-7-tips-part-1-aeroshake/ for 3 articles about usefull things in Windows 7.
¨@Vlad
I am not really sure about marketing stuff you mentioned.From economics point of view Microsoft is making sure the "grounds" are well prepared for Windows 7 and they probably do not want Vista to step in and become over popular. After all this would be cannibalizing in business language, meaning Vista would be taking Windows7's market share. And that Microsoft does not want as their main goal will be to cover as soon as possible all the costs they had with Windows 7.
And Vista will from that point just interfere as they have already covered all costs Vista caused plus a lot of profit, which were their ultimate goal. Now they will be hand that same strategy over to Windows 7. The same thing happened with Windows XP. We all wanted XP we all liked it, but Microsoft shut it down and forced us to buy preloaded Vista in new computers, because they naturally wanted to get back money they spent building Vista.
In my opinion Microsoft got/realized the message of Vista failure and service pack 2 is among others just a way of preventing more "black light" to fall upon Vista.
¨@Be James
I agree with you. Performance is a little improved but mainly I had in mind speed improvements. Otherwise I am happy you find sp2 useful. After all, it is not a bad update for majority, right?
Anybody know a solid release date for Windows 7? The RTM not Release Candidates.
Official release date for Windows 7 RTM (final version) is October 22 2009.
pcterritory
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