Although Windows Vista SP1 was released to manufacturing just four months ago, at the start of February, becoming available for download on March 18, 2008, Microsoft is already giving a sneak peek at what the next service pack will feature. In this regard, hotfixes are always items integrated into the service packs for Microsoft products simply because they are not released via Windows Updates. The latest example in this context is a hotfix designed to resolve issues related to the TCP/IP Registry Compatibility service in Windows Vista RTM, SP1 and Windows Server 2008.

According to the Redmond company, the TCP/IP Registry Compatibility (Tcpipreg) service can malfunction on the latest Windows client and server operating systems. Microsoft pinpointed scenarios in which the platforms are under high stress associating them with the Tcpipreg service failing to respond. Microsoft also informed that the functionality issue would affect applications running on top of the impacted operating systems that need to connect to the network.

"For example, when you resume a Windows Vista-based computer from hibernation (S4) or from suspend (S3), a malfunction occurs in the Tcpipreg service. In this case, when you try to use the net stop tcpipreg command to stop the Tcpipreg service, the command may stop responding," the company explained.

Microsoft is offering a hotfix designed to resolve the issue, but not an update, because the remedy is set up to deal only with the specific TCP/IP Registry Compatibility service problems. Microsoft plans to include the hotfix in Windows Vista Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2, without offering it to Vista RTM and SP1, and Windows Server 2008 operating systems through WU.

Windows users that have come across functionality problems will have to contact Microsoft in order to obtain the hotfix. "If you are not severely affected by this problem, we recommend that you wait for the next Windows Vista service pack that contains this hotfix," the Redmond giant stated.