First Look: Windows Vista Service Pack 2

Published 24 October 08 07:34 PM | Celine Allee 
You might have heard about the upcoming beta release of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2), and we wanted to take a few minutes to describe what’s in it and how it can help you align your plans around Windows Vista adoption. The Windows Vista SP2 beta will be available to a small group of Technology Adoption Program customers on Wednesday, October 29, and we anticipate broad availability for Windows Vista SP2 in the first half of 2009.

It’s important to note that this release will embody a single service pack covering both client (Windows Vista) and server (Windows Server 2008), continuing the single serviceability model established with the Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 RTM release. This approach helps reduce the testing and deployment complexity for our customers.

In addition to all previously released updates since the launch of Windows Vista SP1, Windows Vista SP2 adds a few new capabilities:
  • Support for new types of Hardware and emerging standards, including Bluetooth 2.1, the ability to natively record data on Blu-Ray media, support for ICCD/CCID smart cards, and support for the new VIA 64-bit CPU
  • Wi-Fi setup and maintenance is simplified with the addition of Windows Connect Now (WCN)
  • The ex-FAT file system is enabled, supporting UTC timestamps to ensure correct file synchronization across time zones
  • Windows Search 4.0 is included, which provides users faster and more relevant results. Windows Search 4.0 also allows Group Policy integration, which provides administrative control over search parameters
  • End users should also experience improvements in resume performance when a Wi-Fi connection is no longer available
Support for new types of Hardware and emerging standards, including Bluetooth 2.1, the ability to natively record data on Blu-Ray media, support for ICCD/CCID smart cards, and support for the new VIA 64-bit CPU Wi-fi set-up and maintenance is simplified with the addition of Windows Connect Now (WCN) The ex-FAT file system is enabled, supporting UTC timestamps to ensure correct file synchronization across time zones Windows Search 4.0 is included, which provides users faster and more relevant results. Windows Search 4.0 also allows Group Policy integration, which provides administrative control over search parameters End users should also experience improvements in resume performance when a Wi-Fi connection is no longer available

We expect that Windows Vista SP2 will retain compatibility with applications that run on Windows Vista and Windows Vista SP1 and are written using public APIs. Consequently, you can (and should) continue your plans for adopting Windows Vista SP1, and roll SP2 into your deployment image when it becomes available.

One final, but very important note—Windows Vista SP1 is a prerequisite for installing SP2, so you will need to start with a Windows Vista SP1 image before upgrading to SP2.

For more information on Windows Vista for IT professionals, please visit the Springboard Series on the Windows Client TechCenter at www.microsoft.com/springboard.
Filed under:

Comments

# Najlepsze Programy, Recenzje, Informacje. » Blog Archive » First Look: Windows Vista Service Pack 2 said on October 24, 2008 6:07 PM:

PingBack from http://yeaa.info/?p=8421

# someone said on October 25, 2008 2:27 AM:

1. Will it fix issues with removed features from Windows Explorer and the shell such as no total size displayed?

2. Whatever happened to the Windows Feature Pack for Storage that was supposed to be also released for Windows XP and added native Blu-ray support? I hope that's not promised and then canceled.

3. MS hinted that slipstreaming might return in a future Vista service pack? Will SP2 be slipstreamable into a Vista with SP1 image? Please clarify.

# someone said on October 25, 2008 2:30 AM:

4. Will SP2 contain the TV Pack for Media Center?

# Yung Chou is a PC <A href="http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/windows/Default.aspx" target=_blank><IMG height=42 alt="I'm a PC Large" src="http://i37.tinypic.com/2n1hxn5.jpg" width=141 border=0 mce_src="http://i37.tinypic.com/2n1hxn5.jpg"></A> said on October 25, 2008 3:44 PM:

Upcoming beta release of Windows Vista SP2 has been announced. It will be available to a small group

# espertini.com said on October 26, 2008 9:20 AM:

Service Pack 2 (beta) per Windows Vista attesa per la prossima settimana

# Илья Сазонов said on November 13, 2008 10:10 AM:

Не так давно в блогах Microsoft появились первые сообщения о SP2. Что же нам готовят? Программа...

# Confessions of a Microsoft Consultant said on November 27, 2008 1:59 AM:

Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista (SP2) has been a hot topic recently.&#160; While Microsoft has not released

Anonymous comments are disabled

Search

This Blog

Syndication

Page view tracker