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Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RC Download

Martin Brinkmann — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:09:21 +0000

Microsoft has initially distributed the release candidates of both Windows Vista Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 to MSDN and Technet subscribers. Today they announced that both service pack releases are available for the general public. Everyone interested can download and install the service packs for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. End users should keep in mind that those or not final versions but release candidate versions. It is generally not recommended to update a productive system with betas or release candidates.

Users who are interested in download Windows Vista SP2 RC or Windows Server 2008 SP2 RC can do so either at the Customer Preview Program site or by using the Windows Update Experience Kit. The difference is that users can download an iso containing the service packs if they access the Customer Preview Program while they download the service packs from Windows Update if they install the Windows Update Experience Kit.

The release candidate builds are available for all supported languages of both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 and available for both 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the operating systems. Users who are interested in the release notes can take a look at the most notable changes here.

Windows Vista SP2 Beta Download

Martin Brinkmann — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:05:30 +0000

Microsoft released the beta of the upcoming Windows Vista Service Pack 2 to Technet and MSDN subscribers a few days ago with plans to release the service pack to the public later on. It did not take long before Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 made their way on various P2P networks.

There is however no need anymore to fire up your P2P application as you can download both service packs directly and officially from Microsoft. Two ways are provided by Microsoft. The first is a direct download of both service packs which is definitely the easier and probably also the faster method to download the service packs.

The second method would be to download a small script that adds an entry to the Windows Registry upon execution which will make the service packs available in Windows Update.

Please note that the service packs are only available in the languages English, German, French, Spanish and Japanese.

It is also important to note that this is still a beta version of the upcoming service pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 and as such should not be installed on computer systems that you need to work with. The release is intended to be tested by a larger audience.The beta of the service pack will expire in May 2009.

Microsoft To Deliver Vista SP2 Before Windows 7

Martin Brinkmann — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 06:46:14 +0000

On October 2 Microsoft created a placeholder on the Microsoft Help and Support website that mentioned the two upcoming service packs Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2. No additional information was given at that time but the fact that the two service packs were listed was reason enough to believe that Microsoft was already deep in the development process.

According to ZDnet Microsoft has already send a beta of the Windows Vista Service Pack 2 to selected partners to receive feedback for the development process. Some users might wonder about Service Pack 1 for Microsoft Windows Server 2008 since there was no official release until now.

Windows Server 2008 was build on the Windows Vista Service Pack 1 codebase meaning the functionality is already included in the release of Windows Server 2008. It might still confuse customers who do not know that.

Both service packs are said to be released before the release of Windows 7 to avoid customer confusion since some might want to test the announced service pack 2 before making a decision whether to switch to Windows 7 or stick with Windows Vista.

Windows 7 is still on track to be released in the second half of 2009 with a first public beta coming out in late 2008.