Vista SP2 to land today!

According to this site, Vista SP2 release, service pack two for Vista will be available to MSDN and TechNet subscribers on Dec 2. (I have been checking all morning and no sightings yet.) On Dec. 4 it will be available to the masses, as a BETA of course.

Gary

 

There is a file that just showed up on MSDN (subscribers only). It is labeled "Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta Symbols (x86) - DVD (All Languages)" . It is a 549 MB download. (About the same size as Vista SP1.)

There is NO description of the files contents. And the "Symbols" think puzzles me. I'll keep monitoring the site for details.

Gary

 

I thought it was supposed to be out halfway into next year?

 

I have it but I am scared to install it . Creative does not like Sp1 I doubt it will like Sp2...beta .

 

Oooooooo..... Now there are a BUNCH of files there.

Two variants of Vista Enterprise with SP2 Beta (x86 and x64 versions).
Two variants of Vista with SP2 Beta Global Language Pack - English, French, German and Spanish (x86 and x64 versions)
Three variants of the afore mentioned SP2 Beta Symbols (i64, x64 and x86 versions)
And lastly two variants of Vista with SP2 Beta (x86 and x64 versions)

Gary

 

It isn't. This is the BETA release. Today for MSDN and Technet subscribers. Dec. 4th for any takers.

Gary

 

I'll have it in about 18 minutes. As for scared, that's why god invented Norton Ghost. ...big ol' grin...

Gary

 

Ah I see. Well let us know how it goes!

 

C'mon, doooo it! There is nothing like being the first...








































































































...to get a BSOD.

 

Let me back up my lappy . I'll put it up

 

Let us know as soon as you get it completed
And, how well it went

Cin

 

Norton Ghost is backing up My Computer. I must say, my Penryn is quite fast. The same apps on my prescott took over 2 hours and it takes 26 minutes on my U6.

We'll celebrate at the first BSOD together .


Stardate : Dec 02/2008 : 23:28 GMT +1
Operation : Backing up laptop .

 

This is why god invented VMware.


I'll be waiting until the final release before adopting.

 

Backup at 50 % .

 

Here is a document titled Notable Changes in Windows Server 2008 SP2 Beta and Windows Vista SP2 Beta

Still more info here: Windows Vista SP2 - What's Inside? What's Important?

And here: Announcing the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Customer Preview Program (CPP)

Gary

 

Highlights:

Emerging Hardware Support

• Bluetooth 2.1 feature pack
• Ability to record data on Blu-ray media
• exFAT file system now supports UTC timestamps, which enables correct file synchronization across time zones
• Support for the new VIA 64-bit CPU
• Support for ICCD/CCID smart cards

Hyper-V

• Windows Vista SP2 includes Hyper-V™ technology, enabling full virtualization of server workloads

Security

• Windows Vista SP2 incorporates previously released reliability updates, as well as addressing crashes discovered since the launch of Windows Vista SP1

Performance

• Inclusion of Windows Search 4 for improved indexing performance, improved relevancy in search, broader indexing scenario inclusion, as well as new Group Policy integration for Windows Search
• Reduction of resources required for sidebar gadgets

Wireless

• Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless
• Fixed issue where Wi-Fi connection was no longer available after resume from sleep

Administration and Support Improvements

• Service pack clean-up tool: Restores hard disk space by permanently deleting the previous versions of the files (Windows Vista RTM and Windows Vista SP1) that are being serviced by Windows Vista SP2

Gary

 

Backup done. Having fingers crossed and running set-up . I'll see you later...I hope .

 

Hm ... this SP2 seems to be intriguing.
Won't be downloading until it's released for everyone (and until I see some feedback from others).
Will be interesting to see if this lightens up Vista a bit on resource use overall.
I'd prefer though to re-install the entire OS with the SP2 slipstreamed directly as it's a much cleaner setup.

 

Thanks Gary, but I think I'll wait for the final release

 

It took 20 mins to install. First observations:

1. Vista is significantly faster. Everything opens with a lovely speed and IE7 is shockingly fast from cold.
2. So far, CS4 Master, Nero, Office 2007, have no issues.

 

You say 'significantly', which means it is noticeable. How do applications in CS4 open up now?

 

As fast as before. Photoshop maybe opens faster.


New observation. SP2 seems to think a lot . The blue circle appears close to the mouse arrow more often than on SP1.

 

i'd rather wait for the full sp2 version.

 

Live by the seat of your pants . Ghostie is ready to restore everything in case of fire .

 

In reference to the earlier mention of a "symbols" file being available for download, this generally is a kind of database file which is used for debugging programs... it contains debug information only with all of the rest of the functionality of an executable stripped out... so probably not of much use here!

Just thought I'd add that random bit of useless knowledge into the mix anyway!!

Cheers,

Steve O

 

gonna be good since i am going to try vista soon

 

nice thanks gary!

 

Upon reboot I saw this on the bottom right corner . Which is weird because it did not show up the first time the lappy rebooted.

 

You might need to re-activate Windows. Check in system properties, and see if it says you're activated down at the bottom.

 

Windows is activated. According to this at least...

 

Interesting. Anyone have some explanation for that (official or otherwise?)

 

Some say it is to show people that this is a beta. Some have it, some don't. I have it. Will play with it a few days than ghost back my os.


BEWARE: People with STEAM complained that this screws up the platform. I don't have STEAM atm so....

 

Very nice, thanks for the info Wishmaker.

And who is that fine woman on your desktop?

 

Nice this is also on Technet. I am not sure if I will apply the update just yet though. Everything is working fine and I plan on keeping it that way.

 

I don't like Betas. It's supposed to be released to testers first then to manufacturers and then the final release to the public. I've read it would be released to the public in Q1 '09. Windows 7 rumored to be released for '09 by xMas!

 

Could anyone give me a link for the download at Technet? I can't seem to find it.

 

Have no clue. Some chick picked up by Asux

 

are you running a beta version of vista? because WIN7 Beta has a similar marking.

 

Mate, of course not. The watermark appeared only after I installed Sp2. Why would I run a beta windows on my u6??


So far, no blue screens, it is very stable. Still counting to the famous BSOD


I just realized something. I got two links from MS. One was for Sp2 from November and one from the one released now. I put 113 and took off the 112 I had. I am such a dope sometime .

 

The version info in the bottom right is standard for Microsoft OS pre-release builds, you can enable/disable it on release builds too via third party tools/registry edits.

 

I just replaced my 160GB HDD with a 500GB drive a couple of days ago. I also switched from Vista HP to XP Pro SP3 on a whim, and the latter positively flies on the same hardware. I had no major complaints about Vista after Sp1, but I am too lazy to switch back now; unless SP2 is a game-changer for vista, I'll stick to XP for the time being.

 

Tell me something I don't know. I saw all the trick used by people to the SP1 beta but I don't want to employ those on my genuine Vista. ATM, it does not bother me. First crash, I rollback or ghost.

 

I don't know if it is on TechNet yet. As far as I know it is only on the paid subscriber downloads page of MSDN. On the 4th it will be publically available.

Gary

 

It's in TechNet, but there is no direct link to it. It is under Windows Vista then sort by date and it was uploaded 12-2-2008

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta Symbols (x64) - DVD (All Languages)

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta Symbols (x86) - DVD (All Languages)

 

Yeah I found it but I can't download it yet.

What's the difference between:

Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 Beta (x64) - DVD (English)

and

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta Symbols (x64) - DVD (All Languages)

 

Do you have a Technet Plus subscription?

The first would be the full installation of Vista, the later is just the SP2 to run on an existing Vista installation.

 

Hope this version works better then the one I was using. The first release broke my quad core, all the work was just being done on one core and stuff started to freeze and stutter. I see however this is version .113 and mine was v.105.

 

This is mine 113. I had 112 yesterday. Not a complaint so far. It seems that 113 does not think as much as 112 so the mouse blue circle behaves normally. Apart from the dull watermark...

 

Did it update you, or did you have to uninstall one version of the BETA to get the next?

 

I had to remove the update. It won't install over.


All my apps work fine. Nothing out of the ordinary except RAM usage is higher than with SP1. Weird because from XP SP2 to SP3 there was a considerable decrease in RAM usage.