Microsoft warns Pentium 4, Windows XP can slow down your PC

MICROSOFT HAS WARNED PEOPLE using its top of the range Eye Candy software Windows XP that if they're using a Pentium 4 processor and have installed Windows XP Service Pack 1 they might experience some, er, degradation of function.

Presumably this Newspeak phrase means a PC will slow right down.

A program, says Microsoft, that uses large mapped file views to share information between two processes "may experience a significant performance decrease".

The problem appears to be confined to hyperthreading Pentium 4s, not your common or garden variety.

It's the UnmapViewOfFile function that causes the problem.

If you've got the problem, Microsoft will give you the fix but if you haven't "significant performance degradation" the firm recommends that you wait for the next Windows XP service pack.

Microsoft might even waive the charges, so it must be serious stuff.

You can find the warning here. We'd suggest you try reverse the charges (call collect), although this may cause the performance of your phone call to be seriously degraded. µ