Microsoft has delivered yet another test build of Windows Vista Service Pack (SP) 1 to testers. On November 14, the new build — designated the SP1 Release Candiate (RC) Preview — went to a slightly expanded group of 15,000 pre-selected testers. Microsoft made a first public beta of Vista SP1 available to 12,000 testers in September. The new build, No. 6001.17042, can be downloaded by invited testers from Microsoft"s private Connect test site.
Microsoft has been making builds of Vista SP1 available to progressively larger groups of testers since earlier this spring. The company has been dangling the promise of making a test build Vista SP1 available more broadly, first as a semi-public build downloadable by Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) members, and ultimately, by any interested parties. Microsoft posted a note to MSDN two weeks ago announcing avaiablility of a Vista SP1 beta, but later pulled the note and apologized for the false alarm.