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Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

Summary: I've been impressed with the Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta, especially with the new Photo Gallery and Movie Maker. But the one thing that's missing from the official download page is an offline installer. Never fear: I've found it.

Ed Bott

By for The Ed Bott Report |

I've been using the Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta for a while now and continue to be impressed with its pieces, especially the new Photo Gallery and Movie Maker.

One thing I've heard lots of complaints about, though, is the new installer, which consists of a small stub (roughly 1.15 MB in size) that then downloads the much larger main installer file and installs all the components automatically. Here's the download link:

Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 Beta

Notice anything missing? Unlike previous versions, there's no obvious way to download the full installer files so you can install on multiple machines. But it's there if you know where to look in the Windows Live Solution Center:

Windows Live Essential Offline Installer links for Wave 4 Beta

The page has links for the full setup files (wlsetup-all.exe) for English, Spanish, French, Japanese, Dutch, Portuguese (Brazil), and Chinese (Simplified). Oddly, the links aren't clickable. You have to copy and then paste them into a browser address bar to begin the download.

The other change I've noticed recently is that the web-based installer now offers the option to choose which programs from the Essentials package you want to install.

In previous builds, every program was installed, including the Bing browser toolbar and Family Safety. Although you could go back and remove the unwanted programs, that was a needless step. It's no longer required.

If you've used the Wave 4 beta, please leave any feedback in the Talkback section.

Topics: Operating Systems, Browser, Software, Windows

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Talkback

25 comments
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  • Haven't had time to use the beta

    What are some of the improvements/changes compared to the previous release of Live Essentials Apps?
    bobiroc
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

      @bobiroc Biggest Improvement for me is the new Photo Gallery. Details about the changes can be found here: http://www.winsupersite.com/live/wlwave4_photog.asp
      cgdams
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

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  • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

    I've been using the Beta since Paul Thurrott called it to the attention of his readers. By the time I got it, the choice of parts was already available. (I even included the Bing toolbar--and used it long enough to decide to disable it--disabling and removing are what I do with toolbars.)

    @bobiroc, the biggest change is probably in Windows Live Messenger (which I don't use). It "wants to be" social, with access to your Twitter, Facebook, etc.
    John Baxter
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

    "especially the new Photo Gallery"

    I have some mixed feelings -they really killed the tagging system in wave 4.
    CobraA1
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

    I really like the new photo gallery, but, it's slower than molasses in comparison to Picasa on the same computer. I've been using Irfanview to review images from Security cameras because that blows both options away in speed.
    That said, I do like the Wave 4 applications and hope there are some tweaks to improve the few minor headaches before they go RTM.
    hysonmb
    Reply Vote

  • Hmmm

    [i]In previous builds, every program was installed, including the Bing browser toolbar and Family Safety. Although you could go back and remove the unwanted programs, that was a needless step. It?s no longer required.[/i]

    Do you mean previous "waves"? I have been able to pick and choose what to install for as long as I can remember using WLE.
    The one and only, Cylon Centurion
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

      @NStalnecker Me too . I am surprised to see that statement by Ed. Anyways, I am very much impressed by the Photo Gallery. I love the "Phot fuse" feature.
      jagansai
      Reply Vote

    • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

      @NStalnecker
      I agree with your assesment. However it does seem to me that since some bad press recieved even after all of the new security adjustments everything is now tied into WL Messenger.
      Should one choose to not install Messenger with Wave 4 it would seem logical that all of the Whats New feeds could become disfunctional! Any thoughts?
      CustomComputers
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

    Ed- I have to stress two points brought up by others. (1) the beta is UNBEARABLY slow. It takes minutes to load and show the first thumbnail. Part of the problem is that it constantly regenerates thumbnails, and always the ones I need at this moment. This must be fixed. (I've used the 'fix' to regenerate this db, but it makes no difference.) (2) How could MS NOT provide an easy option for finding a specific tag in Quick Find -- AND take that away from the nav bar. (I've added Tag Hierarchy to my QAT.) Lastly, I miss the explicit details in Undo/Redo, which could list every step, as well as the location below the edit area instead of tiny QAT button. The new Undo is consistent with other apps and poorer for that. // As for Writer: Am I the only one who misses the option to insert the link of the page I was browsing? (Or, let me customize the citing function so that the page title is before the blockquote, not after.) I'm still a big fan of Photo Gallery and Writer, but I'm disappointed with the beta. peace, mjh
    mjhinton
    Reply Vote

  • Does it work in XP?

    Ha?ve you tried to install it in XP? I?m very please in my W7 and in my Vista, but i do not know if i can run it in XP? Do you know something about this?
    Luis Matoso
    Reply Vote

    • No

      @Luis Matoso

      XP is no longer supported by WLE.
      The one and only, Cylon Centurion
      Reply Vote

  • YAMA

    yet another microsoft advertisement disguised as a blog
    deaf_e_kate
    Reply Vote

    • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

      @deaf_e_kate - Hmmm, maybe it is due to the fact that his Blog is called 'Ed Bott's MICROSOFT REPORT'.

      Ya think ? Maybe ? Possibly?
      babyboomer57
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

    I like the toolbar for once--some useful new features!
    opiner332
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Secret links for Windows Live Essentials Wave 4 beta

    Thank you for bringing the full install link to my attention. I tried installing the beta edition from the microsoft website three times. It always came up short. I used the full installer link that you suggested, and I had no problem. There are seveeral bugs in Live mail, but with the beta 2 version which is due out this Tuesday, hopefully it will be further improved.
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