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Vista Pre-SP1 Performance and Reliability Fixes

August 08, 2007 Comment on this post [10] Posted in Bugs
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2723_Windows_Vista_logo Everyone knows that Vista SP1 is due out soon, but if you're having any trouble now (I'm not anymore), you might take a look at these two updates:

  • Performance Update - KB938979 - This one has some networking related fixes as well as fixes for some hibernation weirdness, as well as a possible fix for the now-legendary Explorer "estimated time remaining" issue.
  • Compatibility Update - KB938194 - This one contains mostly video driver related fixes.

You don't need to install these now unless you're having some trouble. These should be rolled up into the SP1 when it comes out, so you'll get them automatically later anyway.

If you do download, make sure you get the appropriate 32-bit or 64-bit version.

It doesn't say in the release notes, but I personally recommend that you install 1, reboot, install 2, reboot to avoid problems. Just a good practice, IMHO.

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Scott Hanselman is a former professor, former Chief Architect in finance, now speaker, consultant, father, diabetic, and Microsoft employee. He is a failed stand-up comic, a cornrower, and a book author.

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August 08, 2007 13:11
The good fix is in the "Performance Update" - fix for installing network printers if UAC is disabled...not that I would do that...no, that was a friend of mind...yeah...that's it.
Shawn Wildermuth
August 08, 2007 13:56
Have you installed them?
Simon
August 08, 2007 17:57
Just to reassure any skeptics out there... I've been running these updates since shortly after they made their original appearance on the Microsoft Connect website (only to be pulled back down a short time later). So that's roughly a week and I've seen no major issues.

Actually, these fixes seem to be rock solid and have brought some of the snappiness back to my Vista install. They also seem to have fixed some major USB driver issues I've been having lately, so I finally have a working ReadyBoost drive again.
Steven Harman
August 08, 2007 18:14
Is there a full list of changes for SP1 published anywhere?

[ rant on permission prompts left as an exercise to the reader... ]
Brennan Stehling
August 09, 2007 8:07
I'll have my descendants tell you whether the update worked or not.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/11171115@N04/1057732862/
frizzo
August 09, 2007 9:00
Actually, I am pretty impressed by the updates and by impressed I mean it should have worked like that from the get go. The file transfers are now fast (even if they do show incorrect estimated numbers). And the video card no longer blanks out the screen (with a subsequent "video driver has crashed and recovered" balloon tip) whenever I ran Google Earth and Celestia together.

Thanks for the info, Scott.
frizzo
August 09, 2007 20:37
Scott,

I installed these, but please tell me I am not the only person that can not stand the open/save file dialog in Vista? It is absolutely a pain to use and I can not for the life of my understand why the address bar at the top of that dialog always has internet addresses in it? I have never, ever used that drop down in Vista and I have had Vista installed since Beta 1.... Thank god they fixed the File Copy dialog but I tried it out after installing this and it still isn't all that great, why does it take so long to just start copying? I don't get it...
Eric Malamisura
August 09, 2007 21:18
Thanks for the heads up on these Scott. I installed them and could not be happier. Finally, I can copy files across my network in a reasonable amount of time again!!!
Ryan Farley
August 10, 2007 8:42
Mmm... I just installed the update KB938979, restarted and now I have two identical user accounts in the login screen. :( Checked the user account list, only one user. Everything else seems ok though.
Munkie
August 19, 2007 17:23
After installing those two patches, the connectivity in Vista still sucks (especially wireless where "local access only" is still a terrible nuisance).

It also seems that my VMWARE Workstation 6.0 is freezing after installing those patches.. Not 100% sure it's related but it most likely is!
David

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Disclaimer: The opinions expressed herein are my own personal opinions and do not represent my employer's view in any way.