windows xp

Microsoft released to manufacturers (RTM) the final code for Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3). The public version will be available for download from Microsoft on April 29, 2008. CNET reported that the upgrade will be effortless for most Windows XP ... users. Windows XP SP3 includes functionality previously released as updates. Other Windows XP SP3 updates relevant to home users include: Support for WPA2, the latest standards-based wireless security solution derived from the IEEE 802.11i standard. Improvements to black-hole router detection (detecting routers that are silently discarding packets ... (view more)

CNET has an interesting article article praising the release of Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3), encouraging Windows Vista users to upgrade to Windows XP. In comparing Windows Vista to utter "crap," the report details what a substantial and ... extremely helpful upgrade Windows XP SP3 is -- going so far as to exclaim that it creates the best windows experience the author has ever had. Windows Vista still receives, for the most part, a lukewarm reception from consumers, even less from businesses. Windows Vista SP1 will be released early this year in hopes of gaining a greater customer base, but ... (view more)

An article from Computer World says the Windows XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) beta, recently released to about 15,000 testers, runs Microsoft's Office Suite 10% faster than Windows XP SP2. Performance testing was done by Devil Mountain Software, with the ... results leading to further speculation that Windows XP is going absolutely nowhere. The tests were also performed with Windows Vista and Windows Vista SP1. Benchmarks from the tests show Windows XP SP3 to be more than two times faster than Vista SP1, which doesn't bode well for Windows Vista. Craig Barth, Devil Mountain's chief technology officer, ... (view more)

The Microsoft Windows Updates fiasco now includes several IT administrators after Microsoft reportedly began installing (without user permission) a resource-hogging search application company-wide, despite administrators having systems configured ... not to use the program. It all resulted in slowing several systems to a crawl. Originally, Microsoft tried to refute reports from frustrated bloggers that Enterprise customers were being forced to install the Windows XP desktop search tool whether they wanted it or not. Later that same day Microsoft finally admitted they had screwed up. Bobbie Harder ... (view more)

Whether you're aware of it or not, Adobe's Acrobat and Reader programs recently exposed Windows XP users to nasty malware exploits. Thankfully, Adobe Systems Inc. has now announced that a patch has been made available. The new fix is included in ... vital updates to Reader, the company's free PDF utility, and Acrobat, its fleshed-out, full-featured program. Patches to both are unceremoniously named Version 8.1.1. So, who is at risk? The central flaw exposes Windows XP users to exploits taking the form of malicious PDF files. More specifically, the code attempts to disable the Windows Firewall ... (view more)

Since the introduction of Windows Vista, a lot of the emphasis has been on Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) and little has has been mentioned regarding Service Pack 3 (SP3) for Windows XP. It was originally assumed that Windows XP SP3 would simply ... be a rolled up collection of bug fixes and patches but there reportedly seems to be more to it than that. Recently, Microsoft released a beta of Windows XP SP3 to a select group of testers reportedly labeled as build 3205, weighing in at 334.92 MBs. Originally reported by NeoSmart , XP SP3 contains 1,073 hotfixes and patches released since XP SP2 ... (view more)

When Windows Vista was released to the public in January of this year, it was expected to replace Windows XP. Unfortunately for Microsoft, businesses and consumers have been avoiding Vista like the plague for a wide variety of reasons, and it seems ... the over-priced, overrated operating system won't be improving a whole lot in the near future. A recent article from Tech Blorge listed four signs indicating Microsoft will continue to support Windows XP for a while to come. After the four reasons given by Tech Blorge, I've added a few other reasons as well. Here are the four signs given by Tech ... (view more)

Due to customer feedback, the deadline for retailers and computer makers to continue selling Windows XP has been extended 5 months. The latest Windows XP discontinue date has been moved from January 30, 2008 to June 30, 2008. (Source: Seattle PI ) ... Why? Well, it seems very few consumers want Windows Vista as their operating system (OS) of choice, and Microsoft is finally starting to get it. Retailers and the major computer makers got the ok from Microsoft to sell all versions of Windows XP until it's discontinued June 30, 2008 with the exception of the XP Starter Edition (which isn't available ... (view more)

While the debate over whether or not Windows Vista is driving sales for large PC vendors rages on, Vista reportedly appears to be helping push sales of ' white box ' PCs with Windows XP for smaller system builders. Some system builders have seen ... sales increase this year as consumers and small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) come to them for 'white-box' PCs with Windows XP installed instead of buying brand name PCs preloaded with Windows Vista. Small system builders say the demand for Windows XP has risen steadily this year as the hype after Vista's January launch wore off and complaints ... (view more)

In what appears to be an attempt to end sluggish sales, in June Microsoft reportedly began quietly letting PC makers offer a "downgrade" option to consumers who buy Windows Vista Business or Ultimate machines that want to switch to Windows XP. Who's ... taken up the new initiative? Fujitsu started to include a Windows XP disc in the box with its laptops and tablets. "That's going to help out small and medium-size businesses," Fujitsu marketing manager Brandon Farris told CNET News.com. Lenovo is offering Windows XP Recovery CDs as a way to downgrade on "qualified systems" for an additional fee ... (view more)