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Are you a loyal Windows Home Server users? A fix for that completely obnoxious data corruption bug is on the way. Microsoft has detailed its plans to release a public beta of its Windows Home Server Power Pack.

The update will include a fix for the data corruption issues that have plagued the OS since its release.

In a message to potential testers the company said:

“Due to the nature of the shared folder data corruption bug (KB #946676) a broad beta test program with sufficient time for feedback is required. The time line for a final release will depend on this feedback and testing, in order to deliver a fix of the highest quality. To meet our goals for the beta test we need the number of beta testers who are actively using and testing the Power Pack 1 beta to ramp up very quickly”

The company is asking for anyone currently using Home Server to sign up to the beta to ensure the data corruption issue is fixed.

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We posted about Windows 7 screenshot last month and you can see the Windows 7 features demo from youtube now.

Attention! Attention! We posted about Windows XP Service Pack 3 released date in mid of April are wrong.

Windows XP service pack 3 is available for download now via Windows Update and the Microsoft Download Center!

For those that haven’t been keeping up with the latest SP3 updates, the service pack includes roughly 1,100 hotfixes/patches and new features like Network Access Protection and Black Hole Router Detection.

SP3 will also give users even more incentive to stick with the venerable operating system which has soldiered on since late 2001. Many consumers and businesses have clung to the operating system despite the fact that Microsoft has heavily pushed its newer Windows Vista operating system.

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Are you interested with Hyper-V, Microsoft virtualization?

The session features a discussion of the virtualization technology roadmap and an outline of Microsoft’s vision for how these technologies will combine with future capabilities in processors, chipsets, and I/O devices to enable unprecedented flexibility by the Windows Server platforms.

Presented by Mike Neil

Length: 51 minutes 59 seconds

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Read Microsoft Blog.

I want to take another break from the discussion of the overall Support Lifecycle policies to address some common confusion that we’ve been hearing regarding the support dates for Windows XP. Recently, there have been a number of posts in the blogosphere about Windows XP and the upcoming end of Direct OEM and Retail License availability. Some people are interpreting this as the end of support for Windows XP.

Please let me try and clear this up… Support for Windows XP will continue, in accordance with the Microsoft Support Lifecycle policy. This means that the Mainstream Support phase will end on April 14, 2009 and the Extended Support phase will end on April 8, 2014. That’s at least another 6 years of support remaining for Windows XP!

Remember, that Windows XP was launched in 2001 and Microsoft committed to providing a minimum of 10 years of support (5 years of Mainstream Support and 5 years of Extended Support) at the time it was released. In accordance with the policy, when we announced the updated release date of Windows Vista, Microsoft also provided additional 2 years Mainstream Support for Windows XP. Last year, we also announced the addition of an Extended Support phase to the consumer editions of Windows XP. Supporting products for this length of time is not something that is typical in the software industry. This is a significant advantage for Microsoft customers, because it allows for future business planning and allows our customers to maximize their investment in Microsoft technologies by understanding how to achieve the most productive use of the product.

So, what is really changing on June 30th? To understand this, I would recommend reading the Windows Lifecycle Policy page and the official Support Lifecycle pages for Windows XP. Essentially, this means that OEMs and Retailers will not be able to obtain new copies of Windows XP. That’s it. System Builders will continue to be able to obtain XP through January 31st, 2009.

There is still plenty of support left for Windows XP. If you read any stories that say otherwise, don’t believe them.

Have you seen any posts that don’t tell the full story about Windows XP support? What has been your experience with understanding the Windows XP Support Lifecycle policy? What are your thoughts on the length of support for Windows XP? Please leave us some comments and tell us about it!

*This posting is provided “AS IS” with no warranties, and confers no rights.*

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