Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 28, 2007. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
For the two most recent Windows versions, the wait for the next extensive Service Pack (SP) is entering the hot phase. New Release Candidates (RC) for both XP SP3 and Vista SP1 were distributed this week to around 15,000 selected beta testers. The rumour mill about the general release of Vista SP1 in particular is bubbling, while Microsoft is still keeping quiet.
Among other things, Vista SP1 is intended to offer better protection against illegal systems and could help Vista achieve better market penetration, particularly in the business segment. Improvements in stability, security and performance are intended to ensure this, as is support for new standards such as Extensible Firmware Interface (EFI) and Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT). Microsoft also wants to improve compatibility with third-party software and peripherals.
RC Refresh 2 for Vista SP1 was sent to testers on Thursday. This has triggered a wave of speculation about when the official release of Vista SP 1 will take place. Various US media reported February 15 as a possible date, citing statements by Chris Swenson, an analyst at the NPD Group. Particularly optimistic sources, in turn, even consider the first week of February possible. Microsoft itself speaks of finalisation in the first quarter of this year. “The final release date depends on quality, so we will continue to monitor customer and partner feedback from the beta phase before determining a final date”, reads the standard comment from Redmond.
XP SP3 RC Refresh 2 had already been sent to testers on Wednesday. Among other things, the maintenance package will include the Network Access Protection (NAP) feature familiar from Vista for the older Windows version. Also familiar from Vista is the option of installing a system without a licensing key and entering a product key only afterwards. Microsoft speaks here of a planned release in the first half of 2008.
