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DirectX 9.0c June 2008
Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio. DirectX includes security and performance updates, along with many new features across all technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX API
Download: DirectX 9.0c june 2008
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Final
Windows XP SP3 is finally here for those that use Windows Update. The build number for the final version is 5512.
Neowin reports that there won't be a 64bit version until Windows Server 2003 hits SP3 since they share the same code base.
Here is an interesting article regarding SP3 performance, ignoring the fact that Vista SP1 is still faster than XP SP2/SP3 users will enjoy a performance boost over SP2. When will people learn that Vista ain't all bad!
Windows® XP Service Pack 3 (SP3) includes all previously released updates for the operating system. This update also includes a small number of new functionalities, which do not significantly change customers’ experience with the operating system. This white paper summarizes what is new in Windows XP SP3.
Download: Windows XP SP3 32 Bit English Stand-alone installer
Download: Service Pack 3 for Windows XP via Windows Update
Windows XP SP3 Release Dates
With Service Pack 3 for Windows XP just over the horizon, Neowin managed to get there hands on the internal schedule for the release of the highly anticipated update to the aging operating system. As you can see in the list below, most of the stages will occur before the end of the month, though forced automatic updates won't land until June. This delay should give system administrators an ample amount of time to prepare for the upgrade or simply come up with an excuse when things go awry.
- April 14, 2008: Support is available for the release version of Service Pack 3 for Windows XP
- April 21, 2008: Original Equipment Manufacturers, Volume License, Connect, and MSDN and TechNet subscribers
- April 29, 2008: Microsoft Update, Windows Update, Download Center
- June 10, 2008: Automatic Updates
Source: Neowin
Windows Search 4.0 Preview
The Windows Search lets you perform an instant search of your computer. The Windows Search helps you find and preview documents, e-mail messages, music files, photos, and other items on the computer. Please refer to the Knowledge base article KB940157 for a full description of the technology.
Note: The Windows Search 4.0 installation process automatically upgrades previous versions of Windows Search technologies
Download: Windows Search 4.0 Preview for Windows XP
Download: Windows Search 4.0 Preview for Windows Vista
View: KB940157
Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 2 Refresh Build 5508
A new "Refresh" version of Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 2 was made available Tuesday on Microsoft Update, according to Microsoft representatives.
This new build number for this release is 5508.
The primary goal of the release is for its developers to validate improvements to the Windows Update procedure, but a couple of minor additions were also included, one noticeable was the support for HD Audio.
To obtain RC2 via Windows Update, you need to download a script and run it on a machine currently running Windows XP Service Pack 2. The script sets a registry key on your system. The registry key is required for Windows Update to recognize your machine as a valid target for Windows XP Service Pack 3 RC2 Refresh.
You can also use the download link below to obtain the full service pack (316 MB)
Download: Windows XP Service Pack 3 full download (316 MB)
Download: Windows XP Service Pack 3 windows update.
View: Microsoft Technet
New Updates Available for Windows Vista and XP
Microsoft have released 2 updates on the Microsoft Download Center for Windows Vista and 1 update for Windows XP:
Windows Vista:
- KB932156 (x86) (x64): Install this tool to resolve an issue where certificate information cannot be viewed in either Internet Explorer 7 or Certificate Manager after successfully importing a certificate on a system running Windows Vista.
- KB949758 (x86) (x64): Install this update to enable remote management of a Windows Server 2008 computer running the Hyper-V RC0 role.
Windows XP:
- KB940275 (x86): Install this update to resolve issues that may occur after applying security update 930178 (MS07-021) on a system running Windows XP SP2.
Microsoft To Release XP SP3 Next Week
Now that Windows Vista service pack 1 has been released, all eyes have shifted to Microsoft's plans for Windows XP service pack 3, the final package of updates for the trusty OS. And, according to at least one source, Microsoft will roll out XP SP3 next Monday. As of Wednesday afternoon Pacific time, the BitTorrent search engine Mininova listed a 568.73 MB Windows XP Professional SP3 5503 file available for download. The file, which had 112 seeds and 417 leeches, had been downloaded 2083 times since it was posted Tuesday, according to the listing.
According to the file description notes, Microsoft will release the final version of XP SP3 on March 24, but the 5503 test build passes all Windows Genuine Advantage checks and is able to download Windows updates that previous XP SP3 builds weren't able to, which suggests that it could, in fact, be the final RTM build. When Microsoft released Vista SP1 in February, the final RTM code was identical to the Vista SP1 Release Candidate (RC) 1 Refresh 2 test build that was released to a group of 15,000 testers two weeks earlier.
A Microsoft spokesperson, perhaps weary from the months-long barrage of Vista SP1 related inquiries, said the final version of XP SP3 is still on target to be released the first half of calendar year 2008, and the XP SP3 5503 build was a minor interim build released to address one specific issue for a subset of private beta testers.
Source: CRN
DirectX 9.0c March 2008
Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio. DirectX includes security and performance updates, along with many new features across all technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX API
Download: DirectX 9.0c March 2008