All About Microsoft

Mary-Jo Foley

Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

By Mary Jo Foley | February 19, 2009, 12:21pm PST

Microsoft has told select testers to expect this week a near-final Release Candidate (RC) test build of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2).

Microsoft released on February 19 the RC build of both Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 to testers with access to Microsoft Connect, according to Ars Technica. Microsoft will broaden the pool of folks with access to the RC within the next 48 hours, Ars said, and will make it available via Windows Update.

The build number for the RC is 6002.16670.090130, according to Ars. Microsoft delivered an escrow build of the Vista SP2 RC to testers in late January.

SP2 is primarily a collection of bug fixes and updates to Vista SP1. On the server side, SP2 adds built-in Hyper-V support to Windows Server 2008. (Microsoft considers the final release of Windows Server 2008 to already be SP1, if you were wondering where SP1 for server is/was.)

Microsoft isn’t saying much about the RC releases. Here’s the company’s official statement from a company spokesperson:

“Microsoft distributed notification of an update to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 testers in an effort to gain additional feedback. We continuously engage with our partners and testers on the development of service packs and we will track customer and partner feedback from the beta program before setting a final date for distribution. We will have more to share on Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 soon and are targeting final delivery in Q2 2009.”

Unofficial word is the Softies are aiming to deliver the final SP2 for Vista and Windows Server 2008 in April. April also is the rumored delivery-date target for the public Release Candidate for Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2 (Windows 7 Server).

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Topics

Microsoft Windows Server, Service Pack 2, Microsoft Windows Vista, Release Candidate, Microsoft Corp., Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Windows Vista (Longhorn), Servers, Operating Systems, Software, Hardware, Mary Jo Foley

Mary Jo has covered the tech industry for more than 25 years for a variety of publications and Web sites, and is a frequent guest on radio, TV and podcasts, speaking about all things Microsoft-related. She is the author of Microsoft 2.0: How Microsoft plans to stay relevant in the post-Gates era (John Wiley & Sons, 2008).

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

makrejktt69-24353632235517223654955787814232 Updated - 11th Nov

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Please Select

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Time for a change...

Christian_<>< Updated - 19th Feb 2009

Time for Change to RHEL or another Linux distro that actually can stay up for years without a reboot or other infections from viruses and worms.

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(Yawn...)

MGP2 Updated - 19th Feb 2009

Gee, didn't see THAT coming from a Linux tool. Any chance you'll ever stop trolling the Windows blogs and maybe make an actual appearance at an "open source" blog? (Note: the term "open source blog" is not to be confused with it_wk's OTHER ZDNet alias of opensource_user01, another name he uses to troll the Windows blogs).

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I don't mean to be rude...

UGottaBKidding 20th Feb 2009

*cough* I don't mean to be rude...But...your style sounds familiar. I don't
suppose YOU ever post here under a different Username??? There are so
many who come across as MS apologists (NonZealot to name but one)
and, after a while you all start sounding the same. Perhaps it's just the
talking points list you've been handed...but it does seem plausible that
your post may be a case of the pot calling the kettle something a little
darker than gray.
But...perhaps I'm wrong. It's been known to happen and, if so, I sincerely
apologize. Have a nice weekend.

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Really now?

JT82 19th Feb 2009

I find it odd with all this drivel about how linux is just SOOOO reliable....why my Mandriva 2009.1 (after a proper shut down) just refuses to boot. All I did was apply updates per the auto-updater.

So....I think I'll be going back to Windows Vista (which happily saved the day as I was dual booting) where I have my reliability, minimal reboots, never crashing, free of viruses and worms, OH yea and just "works" with the rest of the world.

Oh that reminds me, if ya get RHEL to boot - let me know. Didnt want to work on ANY of my PCs. Enjoy!

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Oh, he can get Red Hat to boot....

MGP2 19th Feb 2009

I'm surprised this one was missing the tidbit, but he usually makes SURE to post that he's an RHCE. I'm glad he clarified that it stands for Red Hat Certified Engineer, because I thought it stood for Really Horrendous Character Engineering. But what do I know.

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REALLY!!!!!!

unholytech 19th Feb 2009

you don't say ....LINUX is it??.
as you may have gathered from the numerous
other posts.This is a WINDOWS chat and we
already know about linux and its capability so
you really don't need to try to ram it down our throats so please, in the future try to keep
the conversation at hand to the pertinent
topic.
thanks in advance for your further compliance.

UNHOLYTECH

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Linux? Isn't that a server OS?

honeymonster 19th Feb 2009

Why would you compare that to Vista?

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No...not necessarily

scorchgeek 20th Feb 2009

Linux is often used on servers, but it's a perfectly good desktop OS as well. It usually works better anyway happy

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No...not necessarily

GAXXIS 21st Feb 2009

Well back from the *nix experment, after I finally got the darn distro to install, btw it was something mint 5, it had problems with my ividia card, spent an hour figuring out that one. then i went to the file repository to find wine so i could install my games, found it installed it and COULDN'T install games for wine to make work. oh backtrack for a min oh hour the updates to the install numbered something 300+ worked like windows update. there were other probs i had but won't go into but needless to say I'm Writing this with Win 7 Happily

IMHO Gaxxis

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problems with nVidia card

Gungistoker 28th Feb 2009

We can understand why nVidia would cause problems , since it's such an obscure company around the world (sarcasm). Makes me want to run right out and install Linux.

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One thing is for sure

notsofast 20th Feb 2009

if you're having problems with viruses and worms on your PC, you're not qualified to take care of a PC (regardless of the OS).

As for staying up for years, I've only run Ubuntu at work for a 6 -8 months, and I've had to reboot at least 2x due to updates. Yes, I have to do that monthly with Windows, but them's the breaks. If you mean rebooting because of OS/software issues, that might happen once a year....maybe...and normally that's when I'm messing around with things.

Mom, I fed the troll/ Can I watch TV now?

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Waiting for NonZealot

Axsimulate 19th Feb 2009

I'm waiting for NonZealot to chime in and start bashing Apple.

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Really?

MGP2 19th Feb 2009

I always thought "waiting" was done in quiet. It looks more like you came looking to start something, and even threw the first punch. Am I defending NZ? No. Just as your action can't be defended with that post.

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@MGP2

Axsimulate 19th Feb 2009

I never said I was quietly waiting. Where is it written that waiting has to
be quiet anyway? Me throwing the first punch!? Naw, I would say it was
more like a jab. You know he always has a way of turing any topic around
and slamming Apple. No matter how far he has to reach or how much BS
he has to conjure up, he gets the job done.

And yes, to me it sounds like your defending NonZ.

If NonZ was an American, I would swear he was Steve Ballmer himself.
Because Steve B is second to none in the BS department.

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What does Apple have to do with Vista SP2?

NonZealot 20th Feb 2009

Wow, are you ever off topic! How sad for you that you see Apple in every story about Microsoft. sad

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@NonZealot

Axsimulate Updated - 20th Feb 2009

"What does Apple have to do with Vista SP2?"

You tell me. You always bring in Apple bashing no matter the topic.

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I'm looking for my post in this blog about Apple

NonZealot 20th Feb 2009

It seems to me and everyone else here that you are the only one to have mentioned Apple. You still haven't explained to any of us what Apple has to do with Vista SP2 RC.

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@NonZealot

Axsimulate 23rd Feb 2009

Your so clueless you can't even seem to grasp the simplest sarcasm. Under normal circumstances, you would have been the one to bring up Apple for God knows why whether it anything to do with the topic or not.

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Windows 7 = Vista SP2

itanalyst2@... 19th Feb 2009

End of story.

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Sniff, sniff...

MGP2 19th Feb 2009

Anyone else smell troll?

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Yes, I smell scared troll

honeymonster 19th Feb 2009

A troll who has banked his identity on an
operating system which appears to be severely
threatened if Windows 7 get the positive
reception it looks like.

Thus the troll fells threatened on his
identity.

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Can't be

Axsimulate 19th Feb 2009

Didn't you see Vista SP2 is RC2 now? More like Windows 7 = Vista SP3.

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umm Vista SP3 maybe...

notlehs 20th Feb 2009

Obviously they are putting out an SP2 for Vista.. so it has be Windows 7 = Vista SP3 .. right? Or am I being too logical?

Vista = XP SP4 under that same lame logic.

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nah, Vista = XP 'ME' doesn't it?

beepa 22nd Feb 2009

.... duck and run for cover

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more like Vista SE but who cares

tech_walker 21st Feb 2009

run a CMD type VER and you get 6.1 in Windows 7, but so what? Vista is pretty solid and 7 is just good enough to get a lot of people to give up on XP and move forward, finally. It's not like Snow Leopard will be much more than fine tuning of buggy leopard, or Ubuntu 8.10 is much different than 8.04 or 6.10 for that matter.

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yawn

CobraA1 19th Feb 2009

*yawn* - probably just a pack of the latest bug fixes. Nothing exciting, just something to keep things running smoothly until Windows 7 is released.

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Awesome...

Sleeper Service 20th Feb 2009

...a Windows blog about Vista full of trolling comments from Linux users or, more specifically, one or two Linux user with multiple sock puppets.

Just awesome!

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Isn't it amazing???

linux for me 20th Feb 2009

It seems that every blog or article that mentions one of the three main operating systems, Windows, Linux or Apple, the extremists from all camps come out of the woodwork. Here is a Windows blog and the first post is an Linux extremist blasting Windows and Microsoft!

Although I prefer linux, I work with Windows , Linux, and Unix and they all have their strengths and faults. I have generally stopped posting in most of these flame wars with an exception or two. I read them because these extremist are so off the wall, they have become amusing. And when I do post a reply to one of these extreme "screams", it is as exaggerated as the original post is to ridicule the poster.

The sad part, which none of these fanboys want to see, is that their posts do more harm to the very cause they claim to support, than any damage to the "opposition".

So dies another once great technical site to flaming obscurity.

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Of course MS trolls would never do that

UGottaBKidding 20th Feb 2009

Though it is odd how the language, style, and talking points of MGP2,
NonZealot, Shade Tree, Sleeper and a few other notable posters are
always in sync. Maybe it's just a matter of great minds thinking
alike....maybe.

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Nah, you see...

Sleeper Service 21st Feb 2009

...since Windows is used by about 90% of the computer using population there's enough of us to be individuals.

Anyway, thanks for another awesome and relevant post!

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I remember Vista.

magallanes 20th Feb 2009

I remember Vista. Vista was a lousy operating system launched a year before windows 7.

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I remember Vista too

Dr_No 20th Feb 2009

Vista was a bigger change than Windows XP as to Windows 2000.

So far, Vista has been running great since SP1 and all mfg drivers are actually updated for Vista.

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I remember Vista too

bobiroc 20th Feb 2009

It has been installed on my Computers since January of 2007 and has run great. No major issues to report. All my software and drivers work fine. You also may want to check your time tables. When Win7 is finally released it will be closer to a 3 year gap between the OSes

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Sorry that doesn't fit their agenda

tech_walker 21st Feb 2009

If you actually knew anything about computers you'd realize how miserable you've been all these years since using Vista. The fact you actually use it is irresponsible, you're not allowed to comment on Vista unless you've never used it and therefore hate it!

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Vista

cimat1984 20th Feb 2009

It seems ok. Its appearance and function are a little to 'Apple-esque' for my taste, but to each their own!

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

dinosaur_z 20th Feb 2009

Interesting that I don't see any posts here that actually relate to anything MJF wrote about in the article. Well, maybe CobraA1's.

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

thewoox 20th Feb 2009

XP=eXactly Perfect

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

thewoox 20th Feb 2009

Windows XP = eXactly Perfect ! Forget the rest, work with the best.

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Vista SP2 = NO NEED = Windows 7 = HAPPY

graham.lv 20th Feb 2009

Well it's a little late for me now, Vista SP2, as I built a test machine for Windows 7 (7000) beta and have been using ONLY that since I first downloaded. Haven't even turned on the old vista PC. Must have missed a heap on updates!!!!

I like Vista. (Scrubbed XP and installed Vista the 1st day of release. Did I have problems? YES. But you can never go back.)

Do I like Windows 7 beta better? YES.

I intend to use the beta until it dies! Or I can download RC before the retail version.

If anyone else wants to live in the past - let them..:-)

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

unholytech 20th Feb 2009

well I thin a former poast sead it right a few bug
fixes maybe some compatibility fixes too
I wont know till I get it on its release

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

elink@... 20th Feb 2009

I've been running Vista SP2 6002 for quite sometime now and am very pleased with it. It do think it will be equal to W7 or very close.

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that would actualy be nice

unholytech 20th Feb 2009

if the update gave vista a bump in the
direction of 7.
unfortunately I still have to think that,
it will only be for bug fixes and hopefully a
few tweaks for support and compatibility issues.

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Yawn is Right

cpt_slog@... 20th Feb 2009

What's the point? A couple (how many exactly?) of patches and hotfixes demands a service pack? What gives?

Smells to me like Ballmer only intends to use this as an excuse to continue to beat up on Corporate XP users. "C'mon we've had TWO SPs for Vista now......what are you waiting for?"

XP still rules the roost. I STILL don't see how in this day of sagging IT budgets how or why Enterprise clients would even think about moving to Vista or Win 7.

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With Vista we get the return of traditional service Packs

tech_walker 21st Feb 2009

Makes installs much easier. You seem to think XP SP2 was the norm and not the exception, service packs rolled out to fix a broken security model.
If you're using an 8 or 10 year old OS and you claim to be viable company, I hope you don't have any of my data.

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Vista or Windows 7

mpnc 20th Feb 2009

How do we know that Microsoft won't produce another bug ridden os in Win 7. What's the point of it anyway? Total waste of money and resources really. They should concentrate on getting Vista right. What's with all the os names anyway? Why can't it just be called "Window", with ongoing updates? Hey, there's a novel idea!!
M

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Hi, you may have noticed...

Sleeper Service 21st Feb 2009

...that this article is about Vista SP2 which is about improving Vista - since it's right already.

I think you may be lost. happy

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

Jackie150 11th Oct 2009

Microsoft was building two ?cloud? developer platforms in parallel that were meant sexy lingerie to provide programmers with a consistent set of programming interfaces and services

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

sexy costumes 11th Nov 2009

It is purchased a new PC on 13 july 2009 and wanted XP but was told sexy costumes had no choice. Now Windows 7 is supposed to be better and can be purchased from the crime syndicate itself on their website. It's criminal that only a few months after purchase of a computer one has to pay for an operating system that can be more expensive than the computer because the installed rubbish called vista turns ordinary humans into moronic clicking zombies; for example you have to click six times to defragment and try and save a file or download an email into word etc. Vista was designed to sell Windows 7.

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RE: Microsoft starts rolling out Vista SP2 Release Candidate test build

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