14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft is constantly tending to the evolution of its Windows client and server platforms, not only through major upgrades, such as service pack releases, but also through minor updates made available through the Windows Update infrastructure. It is the case of the latest application compatibility update for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. The refresh is currently served through WU, but as of August 25th, 2009 the bits can also be grabbed as standalone download via the Microsoft Download Center. If you don’t want to use WU to grab the August 2009 Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Application Compatibility Update simply use the links at the bottom of this article.
“Windows Vista Application Compatibility Update is a software update that addresses common application compatibility issues in Windows Vista. Microsoft regularly releases application compatibility updates for Windows Vista and for Windows Server 2008,” Microsoft noted.
The Redmond company explained that Application compatibility updates were designed to introduce modifications in the way Vista and in Windows Server 2008 were dealing with various programs that posed incompatibility problems. In this regard, the compatibility refreshes can either hard block apps, preventing applications with known compatibility problems from running in Vista and Windows Server 2008. When it comes down to third-party programs, the developer needs to give Microsoft its consent for a hard block.
A soft block only provides users with a notification that incompatibility problems exist with a certain app. In addition, Microsoft can also introduce updates that would kick up a notch the functionality of certain apps in Vista.
The Redmond company has been releasing Vista compatibility updates since the operating system became available. However, the August refresh is the first that is designed to integrate with the second service pack for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.
Below you will be able to find a list with all the applications included in the August 2009 update: - Adds a hard block for Eusing Free Registry Cleaner to prevent users from deleting the registry value of the Software Licensing Service (Slsvc.exe) image path. - Adds a soft block when users try to upgrade Windows Server 2003 together with the Active Directory Management Gateway Service to Windows Server 2008. - Adds help messages for Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 when Microsoft Forefront Client Security (FCS) is installed. - Adds a hard block for the prerelease version of Hyper-V to prevent users from upgrading Windows Server 2008 together with the prerelease version of Hyper-V to Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 (SP2). - Adds a block for Microsoft Zune to prevent users from trying to upgrade Windows XP to Windows Vista for Zune 4.0.
Download links:
Update for Windows Server 2008 Update for Windows Vista Update for Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-based Systems Update for Windows Vista for x64-based Systems Update for Windows Server 2008 x64 Edition