Microsoft has just posted a Blocker tool on its download site (Dec 6,07) that will block automatic installations of several upcoming service packs, including Vista Service Pack 1 and Windows XP SP3. …

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Making headway with the expansion of the first service pack for Windows Vista, Microsoft has made accessible for download a new testing landmark of the refresh. On November 14, 2007, the forthcoming service pack for Vista evolved into the Release Candidate stage. but, as the label of the testing build indicate, the fully fledged RC is yet to come, as Microsoft is contribution just a taste of the Vista SERVICE PACK1 Release Candidate. While early reports related to the development of Vista Service Pack 1 pointed to the accessibility of a public version concurrently with the Release Candidate period, this is not the case. But Microsoft did expand the testing pool in comparison to the beta launched in the last week of September.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1 Release Candidate is build 6001.17042. Vista SERVICE PACK1 RC is up for grab for over 15,000 testers. The first beta for the service pack was dropped into the laps of in surplus of 12000 testers, on September the 24th.

Vista SERVICE PACK1 Beta Build 6001.16659 shipped to participants in the testing process of the development milestones of Windows Server 2008 and Windows XP Service Pack 3. Vista Service…

This evening, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson revealed some tidbits on an upcoming update to Games for Windows - LIVE for the PC.

As you know, several games have launched under Games for Windows - LIVE that allow PC Games to tap into Xbox Live. Last May, I talked about my experience with Halo 2 for Windows Vista and a few months ago I also picked up Shadowrun. While Halo 2 for Windows Vista let me score achievements and add to my gamerscore - Shadowrun goes cross-platform by letting me play with gamers who are playing Shadowrun on their Xbox 360 consoles.

Like with Dashboard Updates to the Xbox 360, Microsoft can also update the Games for Windows - LIVE components within PC games such as Halo 2 for Windows Vista and Shadowrun that add functionality and bug fixes. Major Nelson highlights several changes coming with the 1.2 release:

• Support for offline Achievements (so you can add to your gamerscore when not connected to the internet).
• Ability to see if your friends are “joinable” in games.
• Additional UI features.

I look forward to seeing these improvements for the 1.2 release for Games for Windows - LIVE. Major Nelson says we can

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This evening, Xbox Live’s Major Nelson revealed some tidbits on an upcoming update to Games for Windows - LIVE for the PC. As you know, several games have launched under Games for Windows - LIVE that allow PC Games to tap into Xbox Live. Last May, I talked Read More……(read more)

Microsoft released a number of updates for Vista on October 2nd. One of them was quite vague in it’s description: “An update is available that improves the compatibility, reliability, and stability of Windows Vista“. Of course the other updates had these same goals in mind, but they had a number of fixes related to the same feature. This one is a random gathering of fixes.

So what can you expect from this update?

• It extends the battery life for mobile devices.
• It improves the stability of portable computers and of desktop computers that use an uninterruptable power supply (UPS).
• It improves the reliability of Windows Vista when you open the menu of a startup application.
• It improves the stability of Internet Explorer when you open a Web page.
• It improves the stability of wireless network services.
• It shortens the startup time of Windows Vista by using a better timing structure.
• It shortens the recovery time after Windows Vista experiences a period of inactivity.
• It shortens the recovery time when you try to exit the Photos screen saver.
• It improves the stability of Windows PowerShell.

This update also resolves the following issues in Windows Vista:

• A compatibility issue that affects some third-party antivirus

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• New Application Compatibility training available
  The Windows Vista Team Blog reports that Microsoft has a team of specially trained consultants who can work with you on planning a large deployment.
  (tags: Training Deployment )
• Microsoft Updates Windows Vista Mobile Device Center for Windows Mobile 6 Devices
  Now has Windows Mobile 6 feature support, Automatic device authentication and Product Registration.
  (tags: Mobile Software Update )
• NVIDIA ForceWare Release 163.44 Windows Vista 64-bit
  Beta driver release. This driver supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI? technology on Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0c and OpenGL® 2.1 support. Improved compatibility for Bioshock.
  (tags: Nvidia Video Drivers )
• NVIDIA ForceWare Release 163.44 Windows Vista 32-bit
  Beta driver release. This driver supports single GPU and NVIDIA SLI? technology on Microsoft® DirectX® 9.0c and OpenGL® 2.1 support. Improved compatibility for Bioshock.
  (tags: Nvidia Video Driver )