Neowin.net - Microsoft releases first Windows Vista Feature Pack

Microsoft releases first Windows Vista Feature Pack

Posted by Steven Parker on 18 April 2008 - 13:04 · 23 comments & 12346 views

From istartedsomething.com: So I guess this is what you call teaching an old dog new tricks. A couple of days ago Microsoft released a new update for Windows Vista that adds additional wireless support and functionality to the operating system through a “feature pack”. Specifically it adds support for Bluetooth 2.1, a new “Unified Pairing” interface as well as “Windows Connect Now” updates and can only be installed on Vista SP1.

This is interesting to me not because any of the features above, but because up until now, the client version of Windows has never had “feature packs”. We have hotfixes, security patches, service packs and rollups, but not feature packs. What are they?

Upon a little investigation (Google Search, first search), it’s apparent feature packs are quite abundant for Windows Server. To be exact, there are 16 feature packs for Windows Server 2003 which adds a variety of functionality to the server. In essence, they provide new features to an existing operating system as a standalone update. Someone smarter than me might have came to that conclusion just by looking at the name and I envy you.

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(2 replies) #1 Posted by +Lexcyn on 18 Apr 2008 - 13:13: Gotta love this: To download this software update, contact the manufacturer of the computer.

(1 reply) #2 Posted by mocax on 18 Apr 2008 - 13:52: Maybe some programmers ran out of bugs to fix.

#3 Posted by eilegz on 18 Apr 2008 - 13:54: wth?

weird thing

(2 replies) #4 Posted by +BigCheese on 18 Apr 2008 - 14:25: This is fantastic. I hope Microsoft starts releasing more of these feature packs.

#5 Posted by macrosslover on 18 Apr 2008 - 15:24: what if you have a custom built machine, you can't download the update?

#6 Posted by Skyfrog on 18 Apr 2008 - 15:35: Apparently you have to have a computer with the supported hardware before you can install it.

(4 replies) #7 Posted by Wodin on 18 Apr 2008 - 15:57: Thats nice. What about all the Windows Ultimate Extras that Ultimate buyers paid for and never got. Now everyone else is getting Feature packs for free.

(2 replies) #8 Posted by belto on 18 Apr 2008 - 17:15: if i read this right, you do not have to have the most newest hardware, you will just not get the full support of the new features.

(1 reply) #9 Posted by M118LR on 18 Apr 2008 - 17:38: If you go to the Support page and look at the file version in the File Information list (it is a long list) you can see that this is the first Pack for SP2.
SP2 being 6.0.6002.

#10 Posted by Elektricity on 18 Apr 2008 - 23:45: I received this at work as part of the partner pack. Not tried it out yet though

#11 Posted by cesc on 19 Apr 2008 - 10:35: Well what I dont understand is that why you have to order it thru your manufacturer; Like said, what about custom built PCs?

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