When you use Microsoft Internet Explorer to download or to open data that is compressed with the GZIP compression method, you may receive an error message.

Microsoft has just announced the express install to it's latest XP SP2 Build 2120. Now there is no need to download the entire service pack but instead only the files needed to update to the current build.

When you copy music media files between Microsoft Windows Media Player and a supported portable device, copy operations may take longer to perform as more items are added to the Media Library. Specifically, the time to copy increases exponentially as the number of items in the Media Library increases.

Microsoft Announces Availability of First HD Audio Class Driver For Next-Generation Products

REDMOND, Wash. -- April 29, 2004-- Microsoft Corp. today announced broad support for the Universal Audio Architecture (UAA) initiative, which will help to ensure an improved audio experience and improved audio device driver support for users of Windows®. Microsoft also announced the availability of the first version of the Microsoft® High Definition Audio Class Driver, based on the High Definition (HD) Audio specification developed by Intel Corporation. Through the UAA initiative, Microsoft also is delivering a set of Windows audio class drivers based on other key audio technologies, including USB Audio and 1394 Audio.

Thanks to Creamhackered over at Neowin.net for the heads up!

Microsoft have released build 2120 to their official beta testers this evening. Although this build is 3 behind current internal builds it's a welcomed addition since RC2 is now delayed until mid-may. We're not sure on what has changed but we'll bring you further information as soon as we can.

This critical update for Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2004 enhances the stability and performance of Media Center Edition 2004 and resolves the following issues:

According to a reliable source, Windows XP Service Pack 2 has just been pushed back a bit further than originally expected. These delays will effect both the second Release Candidate along with the Release to Manufacturing/Release to Web.

The following are the new expected delivery dates:

Finally MSN Messenger 6.2 is out. There doesn't seem to be a change log yet, but you can download it from http://messenger.msn.com. When 6.1 was the latest, the version showed up on the above mentioned page, but not anymore.

A few screenshots and vidoes have been making rounds though the net announcing the leak of a build that is about two years old. What is so special about this release? This build carries the DCE, or Desktop Composition Engine, it is the DirectX, video-accelerated graphics engine in Longhorn. It will be a part of the Aero User Interface.

If you are interested in testing the new build of SP2, 2111, for Windows XP then read on.

You can add many different switches to the Boot.ini file that will modify the way that Microsoft Windows XP or Microsoft Windows Server 2003 start.

Thanks to Bink.Nu

Thanks to Tim @ Majorgeeks.com for the Heads up! Microsoft has never released a service pack for Windows98 SE. But I made a Service Pack for Windows98 SE users. It contains all Windows98 SE updates from WindowsUpdate site and more.

After applying the hotfix referenced in KB article 828026, some URL script commands do not fire even though they would be expected to do so. In addition to the URL script command issues, this package addresses an issue with the installer that would cause 100% CPU utilization in certain scenarios.

Creamhackered @ neowin has posted screenshots of Windows Media Player 10. From neowin.net:-
"We've managed to snag an early copy of WMP10 for Windows XP. There are various new features with WMP10 including the following:
New Skins
Photo Devices Support
Schedule media description updates"

Thanks to NeoWin.net for the heads up!

Responding to enthusiastic feedback from OneNote (TM) users, Microsoft Corp. today announced the release of Microsoft® Office OneNote 2003 Service Pack 1 (OneNote SP1) Preview, a software update that delivers technical updates and feature enhancements requested by customers to help them better capture, organize and share their notes and information. Customer feedback from newsgroups, surveys, focus groups and customer visits directly impacted 90 percent of the new SP1 features, including increased integration with Microsoft Office 2003 Editions, the ability to copy notes from a Pocket PC into OneNote, and the ability to password-protect notes.

The Microsoft Visual C++ Toolkit 2003 includes the core tools developers need to compile and link C++-based applications for Windows and the .NET Common Language Runtime.

Want to weigh in on the features and functionality you want to see Microsoft deliver in future versions of Windows Server, including Longhorn Server and beyond? The Windows Server team is soliciting your online input.

Julio Franco at TechSpot sends word that their OS Updates Page has been updated with some of the most important additions over the last month.

As you are probably aware, yesterday Microsoft released a number of security patches, among them a new vulnerability and a cumulative security update for Outlook Express. We try to maintain updated at all times our "OS Updates" page which is a chronological record of critical updates for all major Windows OS, this may come as a very useful resource especially when you prefer to skip automatic updates and store patches in your HD or for applying to a whole network, etc.

Microsoft has released 8 new security updates for Windows XP 64 Bit, Windows Server 2003 64 Bit, Exchange 5.0, Windows NT Terminal Server, and Windows NT 4.0 Option Pack.

Quote:
To head off what some have described as a "perfect storm" Microsoft is paring down its next generation Windows release code-named Longhorn. Business Week is reporting that Microsoft will fall short of its aspirations to include the full scope of the Windows file-storage system (WinFS) in the operating system; instead, the software giant will focus on rolling out WinFS for the client - leaving network support to the dust.