Microsoft dishes out Windows 7 SP1, Windows Server 2008 R2 details
By Donald Melanson 
posted March 19th 2010 4:27PM
posted March 19th 2010 4:27PM
Both still seem to be a quite a ways from a release, but Microsoft has now announced a few details for its forthcoming Windows 7 SP1 and Windows Server 2008 R2 updates. The latter of the two actually seems to be the more significant, as it adds a so-called RemoteFX feature that Microsoft describes as the "special sauce" in its Remote Desktop Services. The short of it is that RemoteFX uses virtualized graphics resources and is able to function independently of any graphics stack, which Microsoft says will allow "any screen content" (including Silverlight and Flash) to be delivered to everything from full-fledged PCs to low-cost, thin client devices. Windows 7 SP1, on the other hand, is described as having "only minor updates," the biggest of which is -- you guessed it -- an updated Remote Desktop client that takes advantage of RemoteFX. Dive into the links below for the complete details.
Mmm! special sauce!
@Defcon zero Delicious, this is WIN
@Defcon zero
Does remote desktop come on a sesame seed bun?
Stream games?
@AusernameThatisFree
Left 4 Dead on my netbook via remote desktop would be epic.
@AusernameThatisFree
I'm running R2 Enterprise on my gaming rig. Hope this becomes interesting.
@eddieexe
Ok, you made me wet myself a little there.
Can Server 2008 R2 include less fatness?
Seriously, has anyone used it? Compared to 2003 its seriously bloated, especially for an environment where every little bit of resource counts!
It is the Vista of Windows Server, only without any of the nice features that Vista had.
@sshole ok, so I was going to say something but the reply made me laugh, so I'll just let you be. HAHA
@sshole i actually agree man. yes, 2008 presents some great new features, but you're right, it does feel like the vista of their server line
@dfreeindy LOL You said "@sshole" =P
@sshole
Your comment was a joke right?
@nabberuk
I'm assuming he runs it on his desktop at home, as he obviously doesn't understand how great 2k8 server is, "bloatware" or not...
@sshole
Thats what the "Server Core" version is for....
@sshole
You have the BEST Engadget name... EVER.
Anyone want to bet that that anti-piracy patch released recently but was 'unchecked' initially and optional to download will be snuck into SP1?
Just saying...
@NoOneSpecific and it's a good thing if they do it. non-legal owners of windows will disagree :)
@davepermen - I disagree :)
@NoOneSpecific
No one who is a customer of Microsoft's has a legitimate reason to not get the update.
@NoOneSpecific The optional update was there (and I'm pretty sure it was checked by default) so that people couldn't be sold Windows with a loader already installed. Those users would click 'install updates' like they always do and be set. It's optional so the intentional pirates could easily not install it, and I guess save Microsoft some face in the pirate underworld.
So... could I stream Flash content to my Ipad?
[I don't know why I would have an Ipad}
@whatpoint77 If your iPad supports Remote Desktop Protocol, AND RemoteFX, sure..
@whatpoint77
No.
____
Sent from my iPhone
@whatpoint77 Your comment is not welcome.
@whatpoint77 play Left 4 Dead on HP Slate!
@Oli D No, it is...
@whatpoint77 No idea, but one of my coworkers has an RDP client on his Nexus One. Seems to work pretty well. The question is, will it get RemoteFX too?
@mmaestro
No, the update is for windows rdp clients/servers
they (MS) would have to release juicy details, then any rdp app would have to support it individually
I can benefit from that remotefx feature, but R2 has no superfetch.
"it's a server, it doesn't need superfetch" comments aside, anyone got a 3rd party tool that works?
@blland "it's a server, it doesn't need superfetch"
Seems early for a Service Pack...but then I guess they don't have any crippling issues to fix.
@Dr Blight
I think Apple had 10.6.1 ready to go the same week they launched 10.6....so it doesn't really seem early to me.
Win7 is great. I wish M$ would add graphics accelaration support to XP mode.
That would be a really good addition to the SP. but after all, XP mode is targeted at business users, so no luck then...
You know... I can't really use engadget.com/exclude/microsoft if you don't tag your Microsoft related posts properly.
:(
@Andir
...and yet you still read the post and commented. It really isnt that hard to....you guessed it! not read something!
@nabberuk Figure I'd let them know where they went wrong. If I say nothing, the posts still show up.
@nabberuk And for the record... I'm not quite sure what this post is as I haven't read it.
@Andir /s?
@Andir
Should've labeled it as Windows, not Microsoft.
And there was me hoping for native Blu-Ray playback support in Media Center. Oh well. Can't win 'em all, I guess.
@mmaestro
I saw this last week because we are an MS partner and was hoping for the same thing. Then cyberlink released a new version of powerdvd reminding me that there are a few partners out there with a lot of revenue tied to the fact that MS doesn't offer native blu-ray. They are probably well represented inside MS.
SP already, I havent had any issues with Win7 since beta and launch. A SP never hurt anyone. I'll take it
@AlienSix
Here are some issues then:
Autoarrange can't be disabled
Battery bug for some batteries
Explorer doesn't refresh sometimes in Libraries
No gif animation
Can't take the baby blue out of themes and WMP12
Also WMP12 sucks.
I'm confused, Windows Server 2008 R2 is already here or have Engadget just forgot the SP after the R2?
@wastegate76
Yeah its already here. I have 5 2008 R2 servers deployed on my home LAN already.
No, I'm not kidding.
@wastegate76
Yeah I was also gonna say... I have Server 2008 R2 on a machine right here...
Just as an FYI it looks as if MS is rolling back the necessity for having virtualization support in certain Intel and AMD chips to use XP mode. Now if only they would roll out XP mode to all copies of 7.....*wakes up*
Sounds like a way to further step away from XP. Isn't SP1 for Windows 7 the next step that is needed.
That "Special Sauce" sound like just the ticket to build a Media Center with tuners into Windows Home server.
@feeble11
getting the it remote and sound to work well over rdp isn't going to be easy.... Also you are going to need a stout network for blu-ray over rdp just from a bandwidth.