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vista service pack 2
my laptop is running vista and I just noticed on this forum that there is service pack 2 for vista ... its not listed in my windows updates and I'm wondering if this service pack is just for the 64 bit operating system ... the only thing listed in my updates is internet explorer 8 which I haven't downloaded yet ... I've read alot of mixed opinions about ie8 and I'm wondering if I should go ahead and download it, can someone please advise me on this ... and if the service pack is for the 32bit operating system too, and since its not listed in my updates should I download it from the site posted in the other thread on this forum ..
thanks for your help !
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Just because a service pack is out, that doesn't mean Microsoft will push it through Windows Update.
http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/w.../dd262148.aspx
I wouldn't jump into IE8 yet.
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thanks ... will I not have to install ie8 eventually ... it seems like sooner or later its going to be inevitable ... the link you posted for the service pack, should I download it from there or wait until it appears in my updates ... I have never installed a service pack through the updates, I have always downloaded it and installed it
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I always download and install locally. You could always wait a little while to see if any SP2 problems appear, but I haven't heard of any major issues.
I rarely use IE7, so I see no need to jump to IE8. I would rather use Firefox or Opera.
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I have been debating over whether or not to give firefox a try .. do you find it much better than internet explorer ...
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Like I said, I rarely use IE.
You can try portable Firefox first. The basic browser is good, but the main reason I use FF are the addons. Adblock Plus is a must.
http://portableapps.com/apps/internet/firefox_portable
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/
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I use both Firefox and IE - there are sites that prefer one or the other, I find. I've had no problems at all with IE8, and it's an improvement over IE7.
MS stagger large updates like Service Packs, you won't have to wait long for it though. I was offered it via Windows Update, but I prefer to download it separately and do a manual install as I always have several computers to upgrade.
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thanks SuperSparks, I was hoping you would stumble across this post ... like you I have always done the service packs manually, not through windows updates ... I guess my question about IE8 is that, does it really run slower on computers running vista ... maybe I will also download firefox and use both ... between firefox and IE8 which browser uses less resources or are they both pretty much the same as far as the resources go
thanks for your help
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I've never really bothered to check how many resources are used by either browser, but it isn't significant on any of my rigs. Firefox is always faster than IE, but some pages render better in IE (and conversely some render better in FF). I like that fact that FF can be customised to exactly what you want with the myriad of add-ons that are available. I reckon that IE8 is marginally faster than IE7.
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thanks again ... so are you saying that IE8 is faster than IE7 even on VISTA
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if you do a search on google you will see that many many people say ie8 slowed there vista down a lot, me included. i uninstalled spywareblaster which is supposed to have some conflick with ie8 i installed the patch still no luck i use ie8 on xp and window 7 and it is fast but not on vista by the way i downloaded the service pack thru microsoft updates and it went very smooth took about 30 to 35 minutes to download and install, i thought maybe the service pack would speed up ie8 but it didnt so i went back to ie7 on my vista machine. it may not be as secure but if you want to check a fast browser try google chrome, i use internet explorer almost all the time because my bank wont accept mozilla
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thanks Frebo ... I have read that IE8 has been slow on vista ... I haven't downloaded it yet, so maybe I will just hold off until it becomes necessary or I could bite the bullet and see what happens ... I will go ahead and download the service pack and install it manually ... and also I will check out google chrome ... thanks again for your help
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Installed SP2 through automatic Windows Update. Took less than half an hour, no hassles, so far in the second week. Use both IE8 and FF, but could not detect much difference in speed.
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Confirmation of above
I'm having trouble with SP-2 for Vista & ended up catching a few posts of this thread.
So.....All I'm doing is confirming what the other 2) members have stated.
IMHO, IE is a waste of electrons.
IE 8, is another Windows ME-stake.
Now that I'm using Firefox 3.1, I can not see any good reason to ever use another browser.
The add-ons are too cool to imagine.
When I was in the business world, yeah.....you kinda had to use it (at least at the Electrical Engineering Type Places).
Now that I'm permanently clocked out :), I can see no use whatsoever to use IE again, period.
Firefox is by far the Superior browser.
That's been my experience as well . ;)
Steve_83
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I have IE8 but seldom use it, when I do I've had no problems, Firefox is my main browqser and it's always been fast--and--they just released Version 3.5 and I notice a real speed improvement. Sometimes a new Version is supposed to be faster and ya sorta have to squint and think about to notice any difference (if there is one) but 3.5 is immediately noticeably faster.
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Kinda off topic
Quote:
ya sorta have to squint
Naturally I don't know your age or any eyesight dilemmas, but here is something the fellow that "turned me on" to Firefox did for me.
Nasa Night Launch ( a firefox add-on) made the background black and with kinda bold gray text, it made it a lot easier on my eyes.
I was gonna kick for reading glasses to surf with........until I started using that.
Maybe that will become true for you.
Whoever coined that frapping phrase:
Quote:
Grow OLd Gracefully
was most likely a 20 something. ;)
Probably the same guy who once said......."Don't trust anybody over 30".
:rolleyes:
Steve_83 (wheeling off to eat my dinner of mush and oatmeal) :D
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If you use Internet Explorer at all, then switch over to IE8. A standards compliant rendering engine, a better javascript handler, new tab modes, etc. It is much better. Also, there are certain hotfixes and things that have to be installed, and other things that can't be installed (odd language packs or whatnot) before you can get the Service Pack 2 to show up on your auto-update list in Windows Update. If you download the standalone version and try to run it, it will tell you what you are missing or have extra that needs to be removed in order to get SP2 to run. Give that a try. Alternatively to that, you can give an ask over on the official Windows Vista Support Forum located here http://tinyurl.com/d5r9v3 . They are pretty quick to reply, and a lot of this kind of stuff you will find already answered if you give a search around.
