Vista - Announcing Windows Vista SP2 Beta

Announcing Windows Vista SP2 Beta
Posted 12/2/2008 by Steve Sinchak - Total Views: 180 - Views Today: 180
Today Microsoft is releasing the Windows Vista SP2 Beta for Technet and MSDN Subscribers to download. Service Pack 2 includes dozens of improvements that will help security and performance. Among the improvements the most notable are Bluetooth 2.1 feature pack, Windows Connect Now wireless configuration, Windows Search 4 and increased reliability.
Detailed List of Changes:
Support for new technologies:

• SP2 contains Blue tooth 2.1 feature pack supporting the most recent specification for Blue tooth technology
• Ability to record data on Blu-Ray media
• Adds Windows Connect Now (WCN) Wi-Fi Configuration to Windows Vista SP2
• exFAT file system now supports UTC timestamps, which enables correct file synchronization across time zones
• SP2 provides support for new form factors, such as ICCD/CCID. new form factor support --example USB form factor as opposed to PCMCIA).
• Support for the new VIA 64-bit CPU

Security

• SP2 includes all previously released security updates, and builds on the proven security benefits of Windows Vista
• Secure Development Lifecycle process updates, where we identify the root cause of each security bulletin and improve our internal tools to eliminate code patterns that could lead to future vulnerabilities

Reliability

• SP2 addresses previously released reliability updates
• As well as addressing crashes, caused by Microsoft code, discovered since the launch of SP1

Performance

• Resume performance when Wi-Fi connection is no longer available after resume from sleep
• 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
• Improvements to the RSS feeds sidebar gadget to improve update performance and responsiveness,

Application Compatibility

• It is our goal that applications that run on the Windows Vista Operating System today and are written using public APIs will continue to work as designed on Windows Vista SP2.
• Previously released Application Compatibility updates are included in Windows Vista SP2.
• Spysweeper and ZoneAlarm now working with POP3 email accounts

Administration and Support Improvements

• Customers installing .net framework 3.5 service pack 1 will notice shorter download and installation times with Vista service pack 2 or Windows 2008 service pack 2 already installed
• Service Pack Clean up tool (Compcln.exe): This tool helps restore the hard disk space by permanently deleting the previous versions of the files (RTM & SP1) that are being serviced by Service Pack 2.
  Single installer for both Vista & Server 2008
• Ability to detect an incompatible driver and block service pack installation or warn users of any loss of functionality
• Better error handling and providing more descriptive error messages where possible
• Better manageability through logging in system event log
• Componentization for Serviceability of the installer

Some Specific Fixes/Additions Include:

• Inclusion of Hyper-V for WS08
• Event logging support in SPC
• DNS Server now listens over ISATAP address
• Fixes DRM issues from WMP upgrades
• Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless
• Reduction of resources required for sidebar gadgets
• Improved power settings for WS08

If you are a MSDN or Technet subscriber log in and download now. On December 4th links will be posted for the public on MSDN and Technet for non-subscribers.

TweakVista.com - Announcing Windows Vista SP2 Beta

Half tempted to give this a try....I have nightly backupd just in case.

Just looked on technet and cant find it

I also just looked and couldn't find it. Am investigating.

John,

Did you see this at the end of the post?
Personally, I shall be waiting for the final release.

Yeah I logged in but couldn't see it I will have a good look later.

Nothing!

Just found this #


From the other side of the world comes a report that Windows Vista Service Pack 2 will be released to manufacturing in April 2009, roughly a year after SP1. The Malaysian website TechARP has a pretty good track record with this sort of prediction, and my sources tell me that schedule sounds about right.
Meanwhile, here in the U.S.A., some people are inferring more Vista doom and gloom from this schedule. My buddy Dwight Silverman at the Houston Chronicle says “SP2 is being rushed out the door” to keep up Vista’s momentum. Eweek’s Channel Insider calls SP2 a “last-ditch attempt to drum up sales for [the] beleaguered [Vista] operating system.” The Register says “Microsoft seems to be in a hurry with this release.”
They all need to dust off their Windows history books to see that the reality is exactly the opposite. If Vista SP2 does make its official appearance in April, it will mark a return to normal development and release cycles for Microsoft, which lost its way badly with Windows XP.
I’ve got the proof, in easy-to-read chart format. Here’s a timeline of every Windows service pack Microsoft has delivered since the release of Windows NT 4.0 in July 1996. Each color-coded bar represents the number of days between each service pack and its predecessor (RTM, in the case of SP1 releases). See any patterns?

With Vista SP2, Microsoft is back on track | Ed Bott’s Microsoft Report | ZDNet.com

Yup it's available from MSDN. Let's try this !

Downloaded and installed. Will report back after playing with it for a few hours.