Microsoft warns of IE8 lock-in with XP SP3

Microsoft yesterday warned users of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) that they won't be able to uninstall either the service pack or Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) under some circumstances. The warning was reminiscent of one Microsoft made in May, when Windows XP SP3 had just been made available for downloading. At the time, the company told users they wouldn't be able to downgrade from IE7 to the older IE6 browser without uninstalling the service pack.

In a post to the IE blog today, Jane Maliouta, a Microsoft program manager, spelled out the newest situation, which affects users who downloaded and installed IE8 Beta 1 prior to updating Windows XP to SP3. If those users then upgrade IE8 to Beta 2 , which Microsoft unveiled today, they will be stuck with both IE8 and Windows XP SP3. A warning dialog will appear to alert users. "If you chose to continue, Windows XP SP3 and IE8 Beta2 will become permanent," Maliouta said. "You will still be able to upgrade to later IE8 builds as they become available, but you won't be able to uninstall them."

Storage Feature Pack for Windows to arrive soon

Without making users wait for the next major Windows release, Microsoft throws Feature Packs to get them new features. As the name suggests, Feature packs are the delivery vehicle for new, between-release, features.

The new feature pack for storage which will be announced soon by Microsoft contains 3 technologies.

• Active Storage Platform - With the help of this feature, you will be able to restrict access to portable devices (such as a USB Flash Device) via a certificate or password authentication based on the IEEE 1667 standard specification.
• Image Mastering API update for Blu-Ray media - It will help in burning the blu-ray optical media in a master fashion.
• Smart Card Driver - It will provide support for new form factors, such as ICCD/CCID.

Windows Feature Pack for Storage will be available for the following operating systems: Windows XP SP2+, Windows Vista, Windows Vista SP1, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003 SP1+.

This storage feature pack won't be the first one for Microsoft as it has released couple of them based on different necessities. Like an optical feature pack, the Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless and the Windows Media Center TV Pack.

Windows XP Support till 2014

Microsoft has finally given in to public demand. The company has decided to offer technical support for Windows XP with updates and security patches for an extended period until April 2014. However, it will not go back on its decision to discontinue Windows XP sales after June 30.

This means that after June 30, Microsoft will stop distributing Windows XP as a stand-alone product, as well as stop licensing it to PC manufacturers like Dell, HP, Lenovo, and others. However, it doesn't mean that XP will be disappeared somewhere because some stores work through their inventories.

As per earlier's announcement of Microsoft, Windows XP will be available with 'nettops'.

Microsoft's move to extend the deadline for technical support is primarily influenced by large business customers, who haven't yet upgraded their systems to Windows Vista. I don't think most of the companies will prefer switching to Windows Vista because of its heavy requirements. But if that's not the case, they have to wait for Windows 7, which is expected to be released in 2010.

50 Windows XP and Vista Tips & Tricks

Over the years, Microsoft's operating system has become easier to use but theres always room for improvement, so in this package top 50 tips and tricks have been compiled.

For those who don't want to install any additional software's and want their OS to work easier and faster, should go for it!

Source: Neowin

Windows XP Service Pack 3 available for Network Installation

This installation package of 316.4 MB is intended for IT professionals and developers downloading and installing on multiple computers on a network

A smaller, more appropriate download is now available on Windows Update. The best way to ensure you get Windows XP Service Pack 3 is by turning on the Automatic Updates feature in Windows XP.

Additionally, Microsoft also put in a x86 ISO image of Windows XP SP3 standalone update CD. As of now, there is no SP3 update for Windows XP 64 bit edition due to kernel update time-line. You can refer to release notes for both Vista SP1 and XP SP3 here.

Download: Windows XP SP3 Network Install (x86) | 316.4 MB
Download: Windows XP SP3 Update ISO Image (x86) | 544.9 MB (Updates XP to SP3 only)

Microsoft Backpedals on Windows Updates

Microsoft has withdrawn Vista SP1 from automatic delivery in the wake of news that XP SP3 can cause data corruption in business applications due to incompatibility issues with retail management software, 'Microsoft Dynamics'.

According to Microsoft representatives, changes introduced in Vista SP1 affect how Microsoft's SQL Server database behaves in certain situations, potentially resulting in data loss or corruption. But the bright side was that, Microsoft was able to put on the brakes before the same problems started affecting XP customers, as well.

Theres no news on when the bugs will be patched and how many applications will be affected by these incompatibilities.

If thats the case then I would be very careful while installing Vista SP1 or XP SP3 to any server running an application with a SQL Server backend.

Source: PC World

XP SP3 vs. Vista SP1 - Which is fastest?

Comparison is done on Phenom 9700 for benchmarking both of the operating systems using PassMark PerformanceTest 6.1. Throughout the testing the hardware platform has remained unchanged.


How ever the benchmark scores of Passmark don't translate well into real world performance but it will somehow, give you an idea.

Source: ZDNet blogs

Windows XP SP3 released through Windows Update

Eventually, Service Pack 3 is available for everybody, which includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes few new functionalities, which won't change the customer's familiarity with the OS.

This new package is easily available to those who use Windows Update and those, who prefer to download it explicitly so theres a direct link for them.

Further more, this paper summarizes what new features are included in Windows XP SP3.

Known issues:
On some hardware configurations, you may encounter the Windows XP SP3 BSoD Endless Reboot Loop with Stop c0000139 on GDI32.dll Error, follow this guide to repair your XP installation.

Source: Neowin

Vista and XP vulnerability report for 1 year

The report has been issues compiling the starting year's worth of security vulnerability found in Windows Vista comparing with Windows XP.

Here are a few highlights :

Metric	Windows Vista (year 1)	Windows XP (year 1)
Vulnerabilities fixed	36	65
Security Updates	17	30
Patch Events	9	26
Weeks with at least 1 Patch Event	9	25

These figures may be interesting until you include a cost saving implications of reduced patches. According to a customer, each patch has cost him £30K, so reduction in patches would have delivered a direct £480,000 this year saving to him running Windows Vista over Windows XP. Then there is the incalculable reduction in corporate risk from this reduction in vulnerabilities.

Continue at Technet Blogs

Red Hat Drops Plans For Consumer Desktop Linux

Red Hat Inc. (a major Linux distribution vendor) dropped its plan that was disclosed last year to develop a Linux OS for consumer PCs because of Microsoft's dominance in the market.

"The desktop market suffers from having one dominant vendor, and some people still perceive that today's Linux desktops simply don't provide a practical alternative," Red Hat officials stated in a blog post on Wednesday.

According to the research group, Linux shares 1.2% of the desktop market in United States.

However, they will continue to develop the Desktop for its Enterprise Linux and Red Hat has no plans to abandon its Global Desktop program (RHGD) but they are developing Linux-based desktop OS for low-cost PCs.

Indeed, Microsoft is trying to capture these markets. Redmond earlier this month announced that it would extend the life of Windows XP but only for low-cost systems which are not capable of running Windows Vista.

Source: InformationWeek

Microsoft Users Rallying To Keep Windows XP

Users are drumming up petitions, blog posts, and Web sites aimed at trying to convince Microsoft to continue support for Windows XP, which Microsoft plans to discontinue on new computers beginning June 30.

They trumpet its superiority to Windows Vista, Microsoft's latest PC operating system, whose consumer launch last January was greeted with lukewarm reviews.

No matter how hard Microsoft works to persuade people to embrace Vista, some just can't be wowed. They complain about Vista's hefty hardware requirements, its less-than-peppy performance, occasional incompatibility with other programs and devices and frequent, irritating security pop-up windows.

"It sort of hit us that, wait a minute, XP will be gone as of June 30. What are we going to do?" Galen Gruman, a long-time journalist said. "If no one does something, it's going to be gone."

Source: Yahoo!

Microsoft will not extend availability of XP

Microsoft announced yesterday the worldwide extension of the availability of Windows XP Home for an emerging, new class of mobile personal computers commonly known as ultra-low-cost PCs, or ULCPCs. Windows XP Home for ULCPCs will be available until the later of June 30, 2010, or one year after general availability of the next version of Windows.That extension does ot apply to other editions of Windows XP; such as Professional, Tablet and Media Edition.

Source: Neowin