Microsoft has released an early beta build of Vista SP2 to testers according to those familiar with the beta program.In a posting to The Hotfix forums, members have claimed that Microsoft have released a batch file which enables the SP2 download from Windows Update. The download weighs in at over 290MB and references the support article placeholder put online 2 weeks ago.
Microsoft recently wrote to potential testers to offer them the SP2 build within 4 weeks and it appears the company may have released this earlier than expected.
It's expected that SP2 will include Windows Search 4, along with Bluetooth wireless support (including latest BT 2.1 fixes), support for the new VIA 64-bit CPU and additional application compatibility updates.
Early feedback from testers noted "Vista feels faster now!" and "it feels good so far...stable and all".
Update: This build is not currently released broadly to all testers and may have leaked out from a small set of testers or internally from Microsoft.
Update 2: According to a Microsoft source, the package on Windows Update today are pre-beta bits, not the actual beta that has undergone more testing. It was added to ensure the windows update process was setup correctly.
Always nice to have the latest and greatest updates.
Okay, that was a bit harsh, but yeah, it's going to be good either way. Maybe.
Okay, that was a bit harsh, but yeah, it's going to be good either way. Maybe.
And what problems does Vista have then? I've not come across any since I've been using it (Feb 2007). It's worked better than Windows XP for me. The only problems I had is with it not remembering folder views, but XP does that too.
Don't be rude. +cJr. is stating sure there are bugs, but +Raa's comment about a "myriad of problems" is unjustifed. It works fine.
+1
Last edited by Stoic33 on 24 Oct 2008 - 19:52
That is why I got ultimate, but only as it came cheaply with a new machine, but honestly who are you to dictate the reasoning behind why anybody buys anything.
Many home users with no need for most of the functions of ultimate or the business editions, or even much of the media stuff went for Ultimate for the 'Extras', and two years on even with the release of Tinker, they have proved to be not much more than a con to date.
As you can see, this is a pre-beta version. Beta testers will be given a beta build.
Or a virtual pc or vmware image.
Last edited by SHoTTa35 on 24 Oct 2008 - 16:21
You might want to think twice about that....I can guarentee you there thousands of people who will install this and not know what beta or alpha even means, and then come here crying asking for help when "omg SP2 broke my pc oh noez!!!!!11111oneone1"
So out of the billions of people on this planet, not a single one of them would install a beta service pack on their main machine? Gee, how do you know that?
Then again, if they aren't smart enough to know better then too bad if their system crashes beyond repair. I'm sure they wont be doing it again.
Sounds like crap to me.
I haven't noticed any change in resourse usage, either more or less, so their is something that has been tweaked by Microsoft to make Vista faster, using the resourses that it was already using.
I did notice that there is now a bluetooth icon in the Control Panel, but I don't have any bluetooth devices so I haven't messed with it yet.
The only thing is that it "timebombs" the SP2 installation for 4/1/2010, but that's to be expected for a pre-beta release.
NO compatability problems yet either, other than the uxtheme, which now needs a new patch (no surprises there though).
Thank you Microsoft, it looks like this may have the potential to be what Vista needs to redeem, if the XP users will give Vista a try once SP2 is final.
A few screenshots for people who don't seem to think its real.
For some reason i am also using a lot less RAM in this beta?
http://www.winsupersite.com/vista/winvista_sp2_16489.asp
Microsoft only put it there to test how well the download will go for the testers prior to give them access.
If people use the registry hack to get it , well too bad for them as per it is not even the full release.
The full release as gone true even more beta testing and will only be available in a few days.
They will still have to remove it before installing the real one, and that might cause issue as per it is not the full version, so some of the things are broken in it and/or missing.
Last edited by seafirex on 25 Oct 2008 - 03:52
As for this not being a full release, the "beta" is the version that will be available in a couple of weeks. This is a "pre-beta" (alpha?) version that IS available now, and it does seem to be a full release. An alpha release usually conatins bits that are incorporated into a btea release.
The big thing is that I knew I was getting an alpha release when I downloaded it.
This was an internal test that was leaked by someone...it's a pre-beta! MS will be releasing a beta build to us testers in the near future!
Last edited by $n!pR on 25 Oct 2008 - 03:29
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdateVistaSp2 /f > NUL 2>&1
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdateVistaSP2 /f > NUL 2>&1
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREMicrosoftWindowsCurrentVersionWindowsUpdateVistaSp2 /v Beta1 /t REG_SZ /d C21A5C64-2530-CC19-042F-9ABDB4ED27F9 /f
IF NOT %errorlevel% == 0 ( goto ERROR)
:SUCCESS
@echo.
echo ================================================== =========
echo Windows Vista SP2 registry key has been set successfully.
echo Please check for updates in Windows Update.
echo ================================================== =========
@echo.
goto END
:ERROR
@echo.
echo ================================================== =========
echo FAILED to set Windows Vista SP2 registry keys.
echo Please run this script by right clicking and selecting
echo "Run as Administrator".
echo ================================================== =========
@echo.
goto END
:END
pause
Last edited by $n!pR on 25 Oct 2008 - 03:35
No! Your code didn't work
I found the .bat code that does work however
I ran it, then checked for updates
ANd up came Vista SP2 Servicing Stack Update Build 16489 for x64 (KB955430)
I just googled it.
Just copy and paste the code below into notepad
and save it as sp2.bat and run, then check for updates
@echo off
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSp2 /f > NUL 2>&1
reg delete HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSP2 /f > NUL 2>&1
reg add HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\WindowsUpdate\VistaSp2 /v Beta1 /t REG_SZ /d C21A5C64-2530-CC19-042F-9ABDB4ED27F9 /f
IF NOT %errorlevel% == 0 ( goto ERROR)
@echo.
echo ================================================== =========
echo Windows Vista SP2 registry key has been set successfully.
echo Please check for updates in Windows Update.
echo ================================================== =========
@echo.
goto END
:ERROR
@echo.
echo ================================================== =========
echo FAILED to set Windows Vista SP2 registry keys.
echo Please run this script by right clicking and selecting
echo "Run as Administrator".
echo ================================================== =========
@echo.
goto END
:END
pause
its supposed to be the word SUCCESS with a colon in the front
I guess colon S makes the smiley
its supposed to be the word SUCCESS with a colon in the front
I guess colon S makes the smiley
that wouldnt happen if you inclosed it with [code] tag
Same here. Takes a while to start up but its a lot quicker once it does.
Looks promising in the first, initial, stage...
+1 hank you for making me laugh.
+1 too... therefore I switched to Asus Sound
I hope someone's reminding them of this promise.
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