Microsoft recently released two update packs (KB938979 and KB938194) onto the Microsoft Download Center this past week. These update packs were are noted to improve Windows Vista’ reliability and performance. Microsoft explains these updates to improve a number of things within Windows Vista and improve performance of the Operating system.

These updates were leaked prior to them being published on Microsoft’s Download Center and the “leaked” packs were of beta form. These updates are expected to hit Windows Update this coming week, if you have opted to wait for them and download them via Windows Update you wont need to wait much longer. The two fix packs include a number of the updates that Microsoft is expected to deliver in the first full-fledged Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 release.

A public beta of of Windows Vista SP1 is expected real soon now. Microsoft is promising to make the two new Vista fix packs available via Windows Update in the “near future.” The update packs will be available on Windows Update on August 14, 2007 when it releases other updates to Windows and other products.

Windows Vista Update KB938194 fixes the following issues:

• The screen may go blank when you try to upgrade the video driver. The computer stops responding, and you receive a “Display driver stopped responding and has recovered” error message. You can restart the computer only by pressing the computer’s power button.
• The computer stops responding or restarts unexpectedly when you play video games or perform desktop operations. The Diagnostic Policy Service (DPS) stops responding when the computer is under heavy load or when very little memory is available.
• This problem prevents diagnostics from working. The screen goes blank after an external display device that is connected to the computer is turned off. For example, this problem may occur when a projector is turned off during a presentation.
• There are stability issues with some graphics processing units (GPUs). These issues could cause GPUs to stop responding (hang).
• Visual appearance issues occur when you play graphics-intensive games. You experience poor playback quality when you play HD DVD disks or Blu-ray disks on a large monitor. Applications that load the Netcfgx.dll component exit unexpectedly.
• Windows Calendar exits unexpectedly after you create a new appointment, create a new task, and then restart the computer. Internet Connection Sharing stops responding after you upgrade a computer that is running Microsoft Windows XP to Windows Vista and then restart the computer.
• The Printer Spooler service stops unexpectedly. You receive a “Stop 0×0000009F” error when you put the computer to sleep while a Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) connection is active.