Windows Vista Beta 2 (Build 5384.4)

[NetRyder]

Windows Vista Beta 2 (Build 5384.4) is now available to technical beta testers on Connect. Both x86 and x64 flavors are available, as usual, and the x64 build fits on a single regular DVD again.

The x86 build now also supports upgrades from Windows XP SP2.

Beta 2 will also be coming to MSDN and TechNet soon, and the Windows Vista Customer Preview Program (CPP) will begin in the coming weeks, so everyone will have access to the Beta 2 build very soon!

 

[Electronic Punk]

2.9 gig to go

 

[ming]

what's different about beta 2 and 5381 (apart from the name)?

Edit: in terms of functionality.

 

[NetRyder]

what's different about beta 2 and 5381 (apart from the name)?

Edit: in terms of functionality.

Bug fixes, performance tuning, fit-and-finish stuff, upgrade from XP SP2 supported (x86 only)...
We won't be seeing any major new features being added in from this point on.

 

[ming]

Nice... can't wait to get my hands on the beta2... is it going to be a 120-day trial thing like XP server 2003?

 

[Electronic Punk]

Not sure yet.
btw it is now also on MSDN (and technet I suspect, although I can't check)

 

[ming]

Not sure yet.
btw it is now also on MSDN (and technet I suspect, although I can't check)

I don't have access to MSDN.

 

[GEN3RIC]

Nice, I am downloading the x64 version right now at 800kb/s!

I hope this is a bit more stable on my PC, and maybe a little less sluggish.

 

[Khayman]

Downloading now, wooo!

 

[NetRyder]

Nice... can't wait to get my hands on the beta2... is it going to be a 120-day trial thing like XP server 2003?

5384.4 expires on May 31st, 2007.

 

[NetRyder]

nVidia just released new video drivers (with the control panel) for Beta 2. Only for the x86 build though. =\
http://www.nvidia.com/object/winvista_x86_88.61.html

 

[andy_rose]

hmm, ok..do i get access to the beta if i sign up for Connect, or do i have to be chosen or something first? really wanna get my hands on this beta, but i see the public have to wait a couple of weeks first

 

[Electronic Punk]

Grabbing Net, cheers

 

[NetRyder]

hmm, ok..do i get access to the beta if i sign up for Connect, or do i have to be chosen or something first? really wanna get my hands on this beta, but i see the public have to wait a couple of weeks first

All the nomination channels to the tech beta are closed, unfortunately, so even if you signed in to Connect, you won't find the build unless you're already part of the program. Another way to get the build immediately is through a MSDN or TechNet subscription.

Apart from that, the upcoming public preview program is the only other option.

 

[andy_rose]

ah ok..well, thanx for the answer mate

 

[madmatt]

https://support.ati.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=894&task=knowledge&folderID=5712

 

[kcnychief]

*does dance*

Called my fiancee, had her turn on the PC, go to connect and start the download

I'm such a lucky guy!

 

[Khayman]

Got vista beta 2 and office 2007 installed now yay!

time for playing later

 

[ming]

no beta 2 for public??? :'(

 

[Electronic Punk]

Not yet it seems, I guess MS need to roll this out like they did with SP2 ... but then this is 10 times bigger than SP2... could kill the web if it was just unleashed

It gives us testers the chance to get rid of any last minute showstopping bugs, the public CTP could well be a newer revision.

Now my observations of another clean Vista install:
- Windows Search no longer crashes, so I don't have to kill it in services.msc anymore -- woo.
- WMP doesn't pull album art from my player, maybe if I have the album art on the PC and all setup might be different will check on that later as my Vista rig is off the network at the moment.
- The clock on the sidebar now has lots of different funky faces, was this in 5381? Got the chronograph now, funky.
- Install quicker? No idea as I wasn't watching. I am the best tester ever although I will say that someone using a UK keyboard and setting their location to the UK isn't really going to want to have their time offset to the USA. Whats stranger is that this default offset removes several hours from my system time. So I have to set it to GMT and then fix the time. Why?
- Network seemed to be a bit of a pain this time, might have been the router I was using, will try again and hope and see if it just connects like it does at home.
- Docking works great, laptop woke and fell asleep exactly when it should have done.
- AVG free now refuses to install although it would on 5381. Bugger.
- Still a bit of a black flicker when starting up and shutting down, I know there might always be but would be very cool if the transition was as smooth as silk.
- Still no logo on bootup, I am sure there was some bizarre workaround that showed "something" in 5381 but I never got around to trying it.
- I am a bad person and keep disabling UAP via msconfig, disabling doesn't seem to fully work in this build tho as it keeps pestering me even after I have disabled it and rebooted. I don't think I will ever use this feature at home as I am pretty smart browser, obviously going to be useful in a work environment though.

Will add more if I remember more, Office install shouldn't be too long although Robert from longhornblogs seems to have had serious issues with the new smaller installer, I have grabbed the full download though so I should be ok.