Features

The Kernel Mode Cryptographic Module sounds exciting, but on further examination it isn't. Rather than adding Windows Vista BitLocker-style encryption to hard disks, it's an "easy-to-use cryptographic module accessible by other kernel mode drivers". In short, it's a module that other applications can use, and the rumours are that this will be used for DRM.

As far as new features go, that's it for XP SP3. The lack of new tools may be slightly disappointing for home users, but SP3 is still a valuable update. With one download, you'll be able to patch your system fully and make it as secure as possible.

Windows Vista Service Pack 1

As Vista is Microsoft's latest operating system, it's no surprise that the company has focused a lot of effort on its first service pack, Service Pack 1 (SP1). Vista SP1, like XP SP3, includes all the previous updates, but Microsoft has also introduced many new features. Some applications have been updated and improved, and you can see these changes in the screenshot. Many of the other changes are under the surface, and have been designed to make Vista easier to use and more reliable.

Exfat of the land

As flash drives get larger, the file system they use is increasingly inadequate. Vista SP1 introduces a new file system called Extended File Allocation Table (exFAT), which can handle capacities larger than 32GB and file directories containing more than 1,000 files, as well as removing the 4GB individual file-size

A major complaint about Vista was that Explorer's file copy was very slow. In particular, it would spend a lot of time calculating how long the copying process would take, rather than just getting on with it. Microsoft has updated this and claims that with SP1, Vista is up to 25 per cent faster at copying files on the same disk, and up to 50 per cent faster when copying files from a remote computer to a local one. Copying 11GB of data from our PC to an external hard disk was a lot quicker after we installed SP1 than before, as Windows spent a lot less time analysing the files. It's still not as quick as using DOS, though, and directories containing many small files still take a significant amount of time to process.

Better networking

Microsoft has updated its networking support for Windows Vista, making it both easier to use and compliant with new technologies. For a start, it provides full support for the latest draft of the 802.11n WiFi technology. This is likely to be updated again, though, when the standard is finally ratified later this year.

One of the biggest problems with networking is troubleshooting. Vista's network troubleshooter was pretty good at detecting and fixing common problems through techniques such as resetting a network card. SP1 takes this a step further and now helps to identify problems with file sharing, such as using the wrong username and password to access a network share. While it can't tell you the correct password to use, it can help you track down the source of a problem.

As with Windows XP SP3, Microsoft has made a number of changes that bring Vista in line with technologies in Windows Server 2008, such as NAP. Again, these updates will benefit businesses rather than home users, though.