Vista SP2

Oct 24, 2008 -- On October 29, a small group of Microsoft Technology Adoption program customers will get there hands on Vista SP2, although a release date for the general public has not been set yet.

"The final release date for Windows Vista SP2 will be based on quality," Mike Nash wrote, corporate vice president for Windows product management. "So we'll track customer and partner feedback from the beta program before setting a final date for the release." According to Nash, Vista SP2 will contain "previously released fixes focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues."

Microsoft has adopted a "single serviceability model" so SP2 will come packaged as a single release covering

Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista client. "This should also minimize deployment and testing complexity for our customers," Nash wrote in a blog on Friday.

Additionally, SP2 also adds:

• The Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack
• Windows Search 4.0
• Windows Connect Now for Wi-Fi configurations
• The capability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows
• The ability of the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones.
  
  

Despite these improvements, Nash urges most Vista users to be patient for the formal SP2 release. "While we will recommend SP2 when it ships, your best bet today is Windows Vista SP1," Nash stated. SP1 was released by Microsoft in March. It included security, compatibility, and performance enhancements, but little in the way of interface changes or features that the end user will notice.