Microsoft is extending the lifeline of Windows XP SP3.
The last major update to Windows XP is coming closer to its final release date. Microsoft released the latest beta of SP3 to tier-one beta testers late last week and since then, we've come to find out the contents of the update.
What may come as a surprise to most people, SP3 will actually incorporate new features into Windows XP instead of just being one massive roundup all of hotfixes and patches. The new features are basically a port from Vista so it should keep users that are unwilling to make the switch yet happy. Thanks to the
bloggers at NeoSmart, we know that the new features being introduced are:
- New Windows Product Activation model
- Network Access Protection modules and policies
- New Microsoft Kernel Mode Cryptographic model
- New "Black Hole Router" detection
There are also 1,073 patches and hotfixes included in the release - 114 of which are security related. The remaining are bugfixes, performance fixes, reliability updates, BSOD fixes, and improvements to the kernel.
Service Pack 3 is compatible with all 32-bit versions of Windows XP, so no matter if you're on Professional, Home, or Media Center Edition, you'll be able to get all of the updates and improvements.
An update to Windows XP just goes to show just how hard of a fight the OS is going to put up before its is eventually
put down late next June. Just a few days ago, Microsoft
released Internet Explorer 7 to all users of Windows XP.
Expect a finalised version of SP3 to be released sometime in the first half of 2008.
Will this new injection of features into XP's bloodstream mean that it will be just that much longer before you make the switch to Vista? Tell us your thoughts
over in the forums.
34 Comments
Discuss in the forums ReplyI won't be getting Vista until PC upgrade time, which will be around this time next year. No point in using Vista now - it's too expensive, buggy (or so I've heard), slower than XP, and I don't even own a DX10 GFX card...so what's the point?
So half of the world xp users have to register xp after the update...
lol
So that you can network with more ease Windows XP PC's with Vista PC's
What's a bit funny is that Win2000 had 3 Service Pack within what? 1? 1 year and half? since it's released (the 4th one was like WinXP SP1). It just show how much issue it had. And to top it off, WinXP greatly based on Win2000, was crap when it was released.
And people complain about Vista.... pffff... ;P
overall...i live servicepacks, they make my life easier when I'm making new computers :p
Win XP & DX10 - I wish :(
Why it is not possible - because Microsoft wants to push people to Vista.
What a shame.
It's been said several times again and again:
XP would need a complete rewrite. New Drivers, New HAL, New Kernel, and New Driver Manager.
So forget it!
Apparently writing ware to allow vista-only games to run on XP.
Sure, if they just put DX10 on XP it wouldn't work fantastically (Well as good as on vista) but it would run
Plus it would finally let MS say "hey look, vista does actually perform better then XP"
But if XP had DX10 vista wouldn't be as popular, most of the people I've heard saying "I upgraded to vista" are basically saying its cos of DX10 (which is pointless anyway, due to the crappy selection of DX10)
And on top of that, if MS did make DX10 XP compatible, developers could all start writing for DX10 right now, talk about shooting yourself in the foot
With a simple "if()" command, they can execute a code optimized for DX9 or 10, depending on what the user has.
And form your pint of view, you are saying:
Well they can import the new GUI very easily to XP, same for instant search, the new dialog box system, volume control system, security, etc.. to XP, and Vista is useless.
If Microsoft felt that a re-write of the core of Windows was necessary, trust me it is. They would have not spend billions on something that they could have simply upgraded and STILL sell it at over (depending where you are, and which edition) 300$ Canadian retail. Business is to do business, if they can cut 1$ they would.
Maybe Microsoft found that it was time to let go this core system which dates since 1993, and create a new one. Yet for some reason they called it NT6, when it's probably supposed to be called NT-NT1 (NT stand for New Technology, for people that didn't know), but that would sound lame. New Technology New Technology version 1. Like Win2K slogan at it's startup, "Build on NT Technology" (so that makes: Build on New Technology Technology)
No problems at all.(Thanks Dell)
Even though i don't have DX10 just yet, I will soon.
in direct x 9. Give up on wanting DX10 on XP its not going to happen
So dont tell me that Microsoft cant get DX10 to run on XP!
Even if you do, I will still not believe you. :D
But I do understand the reasoning why this is happening.
Getting back to the original thread Im very much looking forward to XP SP3
It's not like I really care at this point. Merely offering info in regards to the topic/subtopic. If I wanted DX10 I'd get Vista, which I plan on doing sooner or later. Time to retire my OEM copy of XP Pro; the disc is chewed to all-hell! ;)
for about a week
It does work. Basically it's running in Debug mode, but it still works.
Anyone who says XP can't support DX10 should look around for themselves instead of relying on the marketing engine of the worlds largest software corp for facts.
Fact is, DX10 like any technology COULD be built into XP. It runs. Fact, don't believe me? I don't care..
DX10 isn't available for XP because Microsoft want to push people towards Vista.
In my opinion, they should have kept the line of legacy compatible OS's (Vista included) intact and delivered DX10 for both.
Their next OS is supposed to be a jump (Vienna, Windows7, who knows what it will be called) and will not be based on Legacy OS (NT tech). They should have taken that opportunity to make a decision like this - forcing people to upgrade to Vista just creates resentments and gives the MS-haters more to whine about.
Download the dxsdk_apr2007.exe
copy the d3d10.dll, d3dx10.dll, d3dx10_33.dll, d3dx10d.dll, d3dx10d_33.dll, dxgi.dll and Nucleus.dll to xp system32
then open the SDK and start in debug mode (i forgot the exact details, my friend set it up for me - you can use google right?)
can anyone plz tell where i can get Nucleus.dll from? i tried searching the internet and my PC for it. but could not find it.
thanx in advance
In XP, the drivers are integrated into the kernel and thus leave great gaping security holes open for any piece of malware to infect.
I could be wrong on this though.
Andy
Proof, I saw it, with the early drivers for Vista for my Nvidia card, sometimes the drivers crashed (game + Windows interface are not visible), Windows doesn't freeze, and re-launches the drivers and you see your desktop right away with nothing lost (other then your game).
But on Shielder point, it is not to say that it is not impossible, just a different approach needs (and already is) done. On every driver update I saw so far, all I see is more and more stability (frankly I didn't see it crash for a while) and a visible performance increase.
I think so far, for most new games, with the latest drivers you have near or the same performance as XP.