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The "Search" link has been removed from the Start Menu in SP1  (Source: Microsoft)

Users now have the option to select a drive with Disk Defragmenter  (Source: Microsoft)
Microsoft moves ahead with Vista Service Pack 1

DailyTech reported in late August that Microsoft was on the verge of releasing a new beta of Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) to testers. The update, as described by Microsoft's Nick White, is designed to enhance features already incorporated within Vista rather than add new ones.

Testers that were selected to test SP1 should now have access to the updates via Microsoft's Connect website. Currently, the release is available in a 5-Language Standalone Package as well as an All-Language Standalone Package (contains 36 languages).

The 5-Language version is available in an x86 version (687MB) and x64 version (1,117MB) as is the All-Language version (1,308MB and 1,778MB respectively).

Beta testers will also have access to the SP1 beta through Windows Update. "When SP1 shows up in Windows Update, it does so as an "important update" and gives a size range from 51MB - 679.6MB," said Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc. "For me, the download of the service pack through Windows Update occurred relatively fast so I assume the size of SP1 is more on the lower end rather than the high."

The Windows Update feature is not currently available to testers, but Microsoft says that access will be provided within the next 48 hours.

LeBlanc also mentions that there are noticeable improvements to the performance of Vista with the SP1 update. "Improvements were also noticeable in resuming from Hibernation or Sleep on both my desktop PC and laptop running SP1," reported LeBlanc. "I discovered copying files from one directory to another is a bit faster. And on my laptop - battery life seems to be improved since running SP1. I have also noticed that transferring files to my shares on my Windows Home Server are a bit faster than they were previously without SP1. Overall performance in accessing my mapped network shares is improved as well."

Microsoft notes that beta participants must have a valid license key to install the SP1 update. Customers may also proceed with a 30-day PID-less install and are given the opportunity to re-arm the system up to three times (Microsoft provides instructions on how to re-arm the SP1 installation).

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Search feature
By archcommus on 9/24/2007 9:55:02 PM , Rating: 2
Uhh, why the hell would they remove Search from the Start Menu? I thought with the much improved search function they wanted people to use this almost primarily to find what they need. Why take it away from the one place people click the MOST? Seems stupid.




RE: Search feature
By archcommus on 9/24/2007 10:01:22 PM , Rating: 4
Ahh, I see that actually the Search link has been removed, not the Search box. This should be clarified as it's misleading.


RE: Search feature
By ajfink on 9/24/2007 10:44:52 PM , Rating: 2
I can honestly say I may have used the "Search" feature of Windows perhaps a dozen times in the past six or seven years. I guess most people don't keep their stuff organized, though.


RE: Search feature
By Spivonious on 9/25/2007 9:04:51 AM , Rating: 2
Vista's search is much improved from XP's. I use it to locate programs on the Start Menu or a document I'm looking for. Why click Start->Programs->Games->Supreme Commander when I can just type Sup and then click on Supreme Commander?


RE: Search feature
By omnicronx on 9/25/2007 11:50:17 AM , Rating: 2
Exactly, nobody used the search button in XP, there is no a point in having it, now that vista has the search bar located under all programs. It's essentially a search and run bar all in one, i use it all the time.


RE: Search feature
By Locutus465 on 9/24/2007 10:03:14 PM , Rating: 2
Well suck, I liked that too... Probably a legal issue (see google :P)


RE: Search feature
By MGSsancho on 9/25/2007 2:54:05 AM , Rating: 2
its very useful (vista search) when im looking for side bar (needed it to help a client) or looking for for a win app. or homework. oh well i like the new one. so shoot me


RE: Search feature
By MonkeyPaw on 9/25/2007 9:00:16 AM , Rating: 2
If you go to Start Menu properties, you can hide or show the search feature. I wonder if this guy just had it disabled, or if SP1 just disables it by default? At any rate, it seems like you would be able to turn it back on again with a few clicks. I don't see why MS would completely remove a hideable feature unless it just wasn't working right (Search has always worked for me).

http://img521.imageshack.us/img521/7060/searchzu9....


Defrag
By Chaotic42 on 9/24/2007 11:10:04 PM , Rating: 2
Hopefully the defrag tool, and all disk tools, will become more useful. Right now the GUI defrag on Vista is a joke. It gives no real output and has no options.

I'm as excited about this as I can be about a service pack, though. Windows Vista has been nothing but wonderful for me. I'd never go back to XP.




RE: Defrag
By TomZ on 9/24/2007 11:18:33 PM , Rating: 2
Defrag is so 90's - get with the times!


RE: Defrag
By GoodBytes on 9/25/2007 8:43:16 AM , Rating: 2
I use O&O defrag, works on XP and Vista. It's WAY faster then X the one from XP, gives you all the info you need, and does a faster job. The problem is that you need to purchase the program. :(


RE: Defrag
By omnicronx on 9/25/2007 11:54:50 AM , Rating: 2
Fools with their NTFS systems running defrag.. you probably format every 6-8 months and still run defrag.. Defrag was made for the FAT system, i barely even notice a difference unless its done on a computer that has not be reformatted for a year. Even worse is the defrag tool has been crippled since windows2000 and lacks major functionality...


RE: Defrag
By TomZ on 9/25/2007 12:08:25 PM , Rating: 3
I don't understand how defragmentation is less relevant for NTFS. And I also don't think Microsoft agrees with you, since Vista doesn't limit defrag to FAT volumes, and Microsoft's documentation doesn't qualify its statement of the benefits of defragging to FAT either.

In general, it seems like, regardless of the file system, fewer seeks when accessing sequential data is better.


RE: Defrag
By omnicronx on 9/25/2007 12:26:36 PM , Rating: 2
You are puttin words into my mouth, I never said Vista limits degragging to FAT volumes, I said it's almost pointless defragging NTFS volumes, not that it can not be done. Fragmentation under NTFS does not have the same effects as it does under FAT. With fat, a badly fragmented drive can really effect performance and relieve disk space, but the way NTFS is designed, although eventually a slight performance decrease will occur, you will never be able to really notice the difference, although a small loss of space can still occur.

Microsoft Even went as far as to say 'NTFS DOES NO FRAGMENT' when it first came out. Of course they had to change it 'is not effected by' and who knows what the actual term is now but you get the point.. results of defragmenting will be negligible.

Even better is technically if your drive is more than 88% full, it can not be fully defragmented.(you can go look up the details on that one yourself)

So the moral of the story is unless your install is well over a year old, you probably won't be able to tell the difference. And after a 1-1/2 years, you are probably in line for a format anyways, which happens to work much better ;)


RE: Defrag
By TomZ on 9/25/2007 12:36:27 PM , Rating: 2
From the horse's mouth, as they say:

quote:
All Windows NT® and Windows 2000 file types—File Allocation Table (FAT) and NTFS file system (NTFS)—are susceptible to fragmentation.

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/Bb74258...

I agree with you that FAT volumes are less susceptable to fragmentation than NTFS volumes, however, it is a myth to say that NTFS volumes do not require defragmentation.


RE: Defrag
By omnicronx on 9/25/2007 12:55:59 PM , Rating: 2
Tomz, you went and got that quote before you read what i wrote.

Essentially what is said was'NTFS is susceptible to fragmentation but at the same time is not directly effected in the same way FAT is.'

Heres a quote from an article i came across
quote:
At the very beginning it was said that NTFS is not subject to file fragmentation. It is not exactly so and the statement was changed - NTFS prevents fragmentation. It is not exactly so either. That is it certainly prevents but... It is already clear that NTFS is a system which is predisposed to fragmentation inspite of official statements. But it doesn't suffer from it. All internal structures are constructed in such way that fragmentation does not hinder to find data fragments fast. But it doesn't save from the physical effect of fragmentation - waste disk heads motions.


So ill say it one more time, eventually over time you will feel the effects of fragmentation, BUT it takes time (at least a year before it is noticeable in the slightest) As you should probably format at about the same time frame, it is my opinion that you might as well format than defrag.

Your PC usually slows down because systems resources get bogged down, may this be by installed software, malware or anything clogging up your memory for that matter. Most of the time, your NTFS hard drive is not the culprit.

So one more time in case you scrolled: NTFS does not suffer from fragmentation like FAT32 does! period!


Cool
By Treckin on 9/24/2007 8:40:01 PM , Rating: 2
Sweet! I wish they would make more than one sidebar an option... I have blayed with various home-made batch files, yet cant seem to make more than one of the instaces show...

they also need to release freespace 2...




RE: Cool
By The Sword 88 on 9/25/2007 1:10:43 AM , Rating: 2
Yeah screw Windows we need Freespace 2 adn Freelancer 2 and Mechwarrior5


RE: Cool
By Durrr on 9/25/2007 6:12:12 AM , Rating: 2
There is a Freespace 2... (at least a space sim which owns your face) :D


RE: Cool
By drank12quartsstrohsbeer on 9/25/2007 10:14:18 AM , Rating: 2
Freespace 2 is one of the best games ever made. I want Freespace 3!!!!!!


build?
By 8steve8 on 9/24/2007 8:39:44 PM , Rating: 1
is this identical to:
6001.16633 ?

if not what build is it?




RE: build?