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Microsoft Issues Hotfix Rollup for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
Microsoft this week released a hotfix rollup that addresses 90 issues with Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2.
This release supplements Service Pack 1 for those Windows releases. It is being billed by Microsoft as largely a performance tune-up for enterprises running Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2. The hotfix includes "the latest version of Windows system files that are updated after the SP1 release," according to Microsoft's support article.
The hotfix rollup can be obtained through the Microsoft Update Catalog. Users need to type "2775511" in the search field to get it.
The performance improvements likely won't be seen until the hotfix rollup is installed on both Windows client and server, according to the support article. Microsoft is promising Group Policy performance improvements, Windows client remote file system improvements, Server Message Block networking performance perks and other benefits.
Microsoft's Xperf tool can be used to measure baseline system performance both before applying the hotfix and then after applying it, according to a blog post by Microsoft's Mark Morowczynski. Microsoft describes Xperf as an event tracing analyzer tool for Windows. Xperf now seems to be included as part of the Windows Performance Toolkit.
The hotfix rollup, when applied, may reduce system boot times, according to Jeff Stokes, a member of Microsoft's premier field engineering team.
"There are a couple caveats around roaming profiles and some other issues, regkeys and so forth, so test it," Stokes wrote in a blog. "But most customers should see a minute or more reduced from boot, and a more peppy system, as a result."
Testing 90 hotfixes won't necessarily be a joy for IT pros. Microsoft is requiring a system reboot after applying the hotfix rollup.
There has been some speculation that Microsoft won't issue a second service pack for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2, although there's no confirmation from Microsoft. In addition, Microsoft has been making noise about issuing more frequent releases of its products, particularly with regard to its hosted Office 365 applications, where Microsoft has talked about quarterly releases for some server products.
There is also speculation centering on possible new waves of releases to come, supposedly called "Windows Blue." The Windows Blue wave, if it exists, is still at the rumor stage and may be designed for newer products, such as Windows 8. Microsoft hasn't said anything about it publicly.
Windows 9 and Windows Phone 9 also apparently are under development by Microsoft, based on some job descriptions unearthed by the Microsoft Kitchen blog.
About the Author
Kurt Mackie is senior news producer for 1105 Media's Converge360 group.