KezNews.com
DownloadsOther NewsForumBlogsWallpapersJokewareSearch

News letter:


Enter Your E-mail:


Search in KezNews.com:







Vista SP2 Build 16489 released to testers

Microsoft has released an early beta build of Vista SP2 to testers according to those familiar with the beta program.
windows - comments - 24.10.2008

Windows Vista SP2 RC-Escrow build released to testers

Ars Technica reports that Microsoft has sent out the RC-Escrow build of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 to testers.
windows - comments - 29.1.2009

How to Install Windows Server 2008 and Vista SP2 Beta Build 16497

Microsoft has published a command shell script, which will add and set a registry key on the computer so that Windows Update, Microsoft Update or Automatic Updates will offer the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 the Service Pack 2 (KB version 948465) beta build 6002.16497.
windows - comments - 5.12.2008

Windows Vista SP2: RTM Escrow build reaches internal testers

Sources say that the RTM Escrow build of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 has been released to a group of internal testers. The build number of this pre RTM build is 6002.17506.090313-1730, compiled on March 13, 2009.
windows - comments - 22.3.2009

Windows Vista SP2 RC Build 6002.16670.090130 released to testers

As various Windows blogs are reporting, Microsoft is issuing some test updates for the official Windows 7 Beta (that's build 7000) this month, on the 24.
windows - comments - 20.2.2009

Capture Windows 7 and Vista SP2 Images with ConfigMgr 2007 SP2 Beta

Capturing Windows 7 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 images, but also client assessment, updating and deployment are tasks that can be performed with System Center Configuration Manager 2007.
windows - comments - 15.6.2009

Windows Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2 download

Microsoft has released a standalone installer for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 today.
download - comments - 27.5.2009

Notable Changes in Windows Server 2008 SP2 RC and Windows Vista SP2 RC

Microsoft® continuously improves the Windows Vista® and Windows Server® 2008 operating systems by providing ongoing updates while working with software and hardware vendors to help them deliver improved compatibility, reliability, and performance. These updates are provided to customers by Microsoft’s hardware and software partners, as well as directly from Microsoft in the form of regularly distributed updates delivered via Windows Update. Updates to Windows are also delivered directly to some affected customers and preinstalled by PC manufacturers.
windows - comments - 1.3.2009

Where is Vista SP2?

Even though Microsoft seems increasingly reticent to say the “V” word (Vista), some users still do care. I’ve had several readers ask me when the Redmondians are going to release Vista SP2 on the Microsoft Download site.
windows - comments - 20.5.2009

What is inside of Vista SP2?

Microsoft is continuing to broaden the pool of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) testers beyond the fairly small, select group who’ve been working with test builds for the past few months.
windows - comments - 4.12.2008

Vista SP1 RC1 Flies Past Vista RTM and Windows XP SP2

Despite the fact that Microsoft has expressed its official position regarding testing Windows Vista Service Pack 1 ahead of its finalization, there is simply too much of a hunger for the service pack.
windows - comments - 27.12.2007

x64 Vista SP2 JPG Rendering Performance Inferior to x86 Vista SP2's

The JPG rendering process on 64-bit flavors of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 is inferior to that on the 32-bit variants of the operating system.
windows - comments - 10.6.2009

Get ready for Vista and Win2k8 SP2!

Just a heads up to prepare for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2.
windows - comments - 21.5.2009

No Critical Patches for Vista SP2

Come June 9, 2009, Microsoft plans to release no less than 10 security bulletins for various supported releases of Internet Explorer, Windows client and server operating systems and the Office System.
windows - comments - 5.6.2009

Vista SP1 vs. XP SP2 - Benchmarked

Some people are concerned that in order to get an accurate measurement of boot time the system needs to be booted many times. Let me assure you that the systems here under testing were rebooted more times than most normal PCs are over the course of several months.]
windows - comments - 18.2.2008

Details on Windows Vista SP2 emerge

Microsoft has begun to release some details on the enhancements that they intend to bring with Windows Vista Service Pack 2. As we reported on Neowin last week, Microsoft has released an early beta build of Vista SP2 to testers weighing in at around 290MB.
windows - comments - 26.10.2008

With Vista SP2, Microsoft is back on track

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.
windows - comments - 2.12.2008

Microsoft Vista SP2 beta: Nothing new has been added

If you install the beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) expecting to see visible changes to your version of Vista, you'll be sorely disappointed.
windows - comments - 9.12.2008

Vista SP2 RTM Already Leaked and Available for download soon

Microsoft was yet to announce the releasing to manufacturing of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 that the bits had already been leaked to torrent trackers. On April 28, the Redmond company indicated that Vista SP2 (a package that also contains Windows Server 2008 SP2) had RTM'd.
windows - comments - 29.4.2009

DirectX 11 for Windows Vista SP2 Available

Microsoft is beginning to backport Windows 7 features to Windows Vista, and as an integral part of the process, the company is also upgrading Vista’s graphics technology to the level of Windows 7.
microsoft - comments - 12.9.2009

More Free Windows to Keep Vista and XP SP2 Company

Without indicating a strong affinity for the open source business model Microsoft is rather generous with its operating systems.
windows - comments - 1.4.2008

Vista SP2 and Windows 7 by the End of June 2009

The evolution of the Windows client, involving both Windows Vista (now with Service Pack 1) and Windows 7, appears to be closer than Microsoft is ready to acknowledge officially.
windows - comments - 18.10.2008

Download Vista SP2 Beta via Windows Update

If you like to stay on the bleeding edge of technology (and you’re running Vista) you may want to consider modifying two registry keys on your system so that you can participate in the Vista SP2 Beta program.
download - comments - 3.11.2008

XP Availability Extended Despite Vista SP2 and Windows 7

While it is cooking Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows 7, Microsoft has also managed to further extend the availability of Windows XP. With the 32-bit version of Vista's precursor at Service Pack 3, and at SP2 for the 64-bit flavor, Windows XP will now live until June 2009.
windows - comments - 22.12.2008

Vista SP2: Windows Driver Model Upgrade

Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista extends the operating system's support for drivers that play nice with all Windows operating systems.
windows - comments - 28.12.2008

Microsoft delays Windows Vista SP2 by a month

Tech ARP reports that Windows Vista SP2 might be delayed until March. Microsoft will deliver a Release Candidate of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 in March and not in February.
windows - comments - 22.1.2009

Windows Vista SP2 release date slips

Microsoft has delayed Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) by at least a month, and will now ship it to manufacturing sometime in May or June, according to a website that has accurately predicted Windows release dates in the past.
windows - comments - 25.1.2009

Windows Vista SP2 RC official downloads

The download pages and TechNet website are now updated with the SP2 RC information.
download - comments - 4.3.2009

Vista SP2 RTM General Availability Just Around the Corner

The general availability of the second service pack for Windows Vista is just around the corner.
windows - comments - 26.5.2009

Resolve Vista SP2 Sound Problems Automatically

Microsoft is making it easy for users running Windows Vista Service Pack 2, but also SP1, to resolve sound problems affecting the operating system after the deployment of a service pack.
windows - comments - 15.6.2009

Windows Vista SP2 RC build released to testers

TechARP predicted last month that RC-Escrow build of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 will be released between the dates Jan 26-30 and the RC build between the dates Feb 16-20. The RC Escrow build of SP2 was sent to testers at the end of January and the rumor is that now Microsoft has released the RC build of SP2 to Microsoft Connect testers exactly between the dates predicted by TechARP. Ars reports that RC build is available for download as a standalone installer package or via Windows Update or as a slipstreamed download which includes 691 individual hotfixes.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 20.02.2009

Windows Vista SP2 RC-Escrow build released to testers

Ars Technica reports that Microsoft has sent out the RC-Escrow build of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 to testers. An email has been sent to SP2 testers regarding this release. The RC-Escrow build is available for download from this Thursday as a standalone installer or via Windows Update or as a slipstreamed download. Microsoft claims that the service pack includes 656 individual hotfixes. The Escrow Build is a build where development halts and developers & beta testers start testing the product for any show-stopper bugs. Microsoft has emphasized this to testers to concentrate only on the regressions and confirmation of fixes when asking for feedback which includes the RC Escrow install survey.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 29.01.2009

Microsoft readying RC of Vista SP2 for February 2009

Citing a source at Microsoft, Techarp has revealed that Microsoft is targeting a release candidate (RC) version of Windows Vista SP2 for February 2009. Microsoft sent invites to testers in mid October asking them to take part in the SP2 beta. Build 16489 was released to special group of testers in late October but Microsoft has been quiet since then. TechArp also believes the RTM of Vista SP2 will be in April 2009. Microsoft is readying SP2 so there are additional incentives for customers to upgrade to Window Vista now, instead of waiting for Windows 7.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 24.11.2008

Windows Vista SP2: RTM Escrow build reaches internal testers

Sources say that the RTM Escrow build of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 has been released to a group of internal testers. The build number of this pre RTM build is 6002.17506.090313-1730, compiled on March 13, 2009. The RTM build numbers are also finalised and would be 6002.17507.090319-1515 and 6002.17508.090320-1600 Windows Vista & Windows Server 2008 SP2 is expected to reach RTM in April 2009 and the final release announcement is likely to happen at the TechEd 2009 event scheduled for May 11-15, 2009 in Los Angeles. The release candidate version was made available to general public early this month.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 22.03.2009

Microsoft releases Windows Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2

Microsoft has released a standalone installer for Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 today. The software giant posted some things to know about the service packs last month, one of the warnings is if "vLite" was used to customize your Windows Vista installation, you may have removed required system components which prevent Service Pack 2 from installing. Microsoft has a workaround for this issue. Microsoft is expected to post the bits to Windows Update in the coming weeks but if you are eager to install SP2 today then the download links are listed below. Download: Vista SP2/Server 2008 SP2 32 bit Download: Vista SP2/Server 2008 SP2 64 bit

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 26.05.2009

Windows Vista SP2: RTM Escrow build reaches beta testers

Neowin earlier reported that the RTM Escrow build of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 had been released to a group of internal testers. Microsoft today released Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 RTM Escrow build to Connect beta testers. This build is available on Windows Update for download and install or by a number of other package options such as Slipstream versions and Standalone installers, for the Connect beta testers. The build string reads 6002.17043.090312-1835 which is different from the one we reported earlier. If you are a Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 Connect beta tester, you can download this build today from Microsoft Connect.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 26.03.2009

Windows Installer 4.5 for Vista SP2, 5.0 for Windows 7

In June 2008, Microsoft released Windows Installer 4.5 on the Microsoft Download Center for XP SP2+, Server 2003 SP1+, Vista, and Server 2008. Now, with yesterday's release of the SP2 RC-Escrow build, it has been confirmed that the new version will also be bundled with the second service pack for Vista and Server 2008.




winbeta.org - 29.01.2009

Vista SP2 Build 16489 released to testers

Microsoft has released an early beta build of Vista SP2 to testers according to those familiar with the beta program.

In a posting to The Hotfix forums, members have claimed that Microsoft have released a batch file which enables the SP2 download from Windows Update. The download weighs in at over 290MB and references the support article placeholder put online 2 weeks ago.


neowin.net - 24.10.2008

Vista SP2 Released to Testers

Yesterday, Microsoft sent an email to select testers notifying them that the RC-Escrow Build of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Server 2008 was available for download.

This Service Pack was made available to testers via Windows Update, as a standalone installer, and as a slipstreamed version. This service pack includes 656 hotfixes, and the usual tweaks.

At this "Escrow" stage in development, the Service Pack is essentially complete; unless major errors are spotted, this version will likely be very close to that of the RTM version.

One more public beta is expected before it RTMs however, so if you'd like to get your hands on one more beta build, your chance will come soon enough.

The only pre-requisite for the SP2 install is that you have SP1 installed; all other updates are included in SP2. Their reason for not making a cumulative update with SP1 already included is because of the huge filesize that would result. Most clients already have SP1 installed; new Windows Vista discs and Server 2008 was shipped with it included.

It would seem that, contrary to some recent rumors, SP2 will ship long before June.


jcxp.net - 31.01.2009

Microsoft: Vista SP2, Windows Server SP2 betas Thursday

Not one half-hour after Microsoft responded to BetaNews' inquiry, the company reversed its position, effectively announcing that the first public betas of Vista SP2 not in February, but next Thursday...
betanews.com - 03.12.2008

Testers get RC-Escrow build of SP2 for Vista and Server 2008

Microsoft has sent out an e-mail to testers announcing that the RC-Escrow build of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 is available for download. The company is letting testers grab it via Windows Update (available this Thursday in available languages of Vista and Server 2008), as a standalone installer package, or as a slipstreamed version in English, Spanish, German, French, Japanese. For those interested, the build string is "6002.16659.090114-1728" and Microsoft claims the service pack includes 656 individual hotfixes.




winbeta.org - 29.01.2009

Microsoft Office 2007 SP2 leaks

Microsoft is currently working on SP2 for Office 2007 and could be ready to release a final version as early as Q1 2009. Today an early copy has leaked to BitTorrent according to Windows Vista Magazine. The file weighs in at 287.14 MB and is named office2007sp2-kb953195-fullfile-en-us.exe. It's not clear whether the leaked copy is a beta, RC or final version of SP2 but the EULA states "012.0_B2TR_PRE.0_BTA_EN" meaning it it's likely to be a test version. The build number is 12.0.6416.1000, compared to Microsoft Office 2007 SP1 which has the build version of 12.0.6331.5000. SP2 will support Open Document Format (ODF), XML Paper Specification (XPS) and Portable Document Format (PDF).

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 02.04.2009

Windows Vista SP2 RC to be released to public next week

Last week we had a rumor that Windows Vista SP2 RC was released to select testers. It turns out that it might be just a notification from Microsoft a week ahead that RC is done and available for testing or it might have been a near final RC made available for testing to select testers. Microsoft has announced today that the RC of SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 is available to TechNet and MSDN subscribers to test prior to final release. Microsoft will make SP2 RC available to the general public via TechNet during next week. As expected the final version of SP2 will be made available in the 2nd quarter of 2009.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 26.02.2009

Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2 public betas arrive

In late October, Microsoft gave its beta testers the first beta build of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. On Tuesday, the company pushed out a later build to MSDN and TechNet subscribers. The five languages currently supported are English, German, French, Spanish, and Japanese, in both 32- and 64-bit flavors. Today, the company has made this SP2 build available to the public on the Microsoft Download Center: for Vista and Server 2008 32-bit (388MB ), for Vista and Server 2008 64-bit (614MB ), and for Server 2008 ia64 (416MB ).




winbeta.org - 05.12.2008

Microsoft delays Windows Vista SP2 by a month

Tech ARP reports that Windows Vista SP2 might be delayed until March. Microsoft will deliver a Release Candidate of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 in March and not in February. Also, Microsoft will send the service pack build to OEM and retailers only in the second quarter of 2009 and not in April. Below are the scheduled dates as predicted by TechARP: Image Courtesy: Tech ARP The time delay between RTM and Public Versions release is hard to predict as there was a delay of 2 weeks between Windows XP SP3's RTM and Public Versions and 6 weeks delay in case of Windows Vista SP1.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 22.01.2009

Vista SP2: What's inside?

Mary Jo Foley: Microsoft is continuing to broaden the pool of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) testers beyond the fairly small, select group who’ve been working with test builds for the past few months.



Over on the jkOnTheRun blog, Kevin Tofel posted the most complete list I’ve seen of what’s in Vista SP2. In addition to the known Vista SP2 features such as the ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista and the addition of Windows Connect Now for simpler wifi configuration Tofel says SP2 also will include...




winbeta.org - 03.12.2008

Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 RC released

Last week the Windows Team Blog announced that the availability of SP2 RC for Vista would be available soon. Today they have posted that the download is now live and you can find the information needed here. If you have a beta install of SP2 loaded on your computer it must be uninstalled before attempting to load the RC. It should also be mentioned that this, while close, is not a final product and a few hiccups may occur along the way. You can download the RC directly from the Customer Preview Program or use the Windows Update Experience Kit to obtain the RC for your personal computer.

Read full story.....
neowin.net - 05.03.2009

Vista SP2: Microsoft to push via Windows Update in 'the coming weeks'

Microsoft still isn't saying anything more about why Vista SP2 still isn't available yet on the Microsoft Download site, but company officials are telling customers that Microsoft will push SP2 automatically via Windows Update "in the coming weeks"...




winbeta.org - 21.05.2009

Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2: watch this space

As some of you may recall, Windows Server 2008 shipped with SP1 already installed. Microsoft made this decision in order to synchronize the Windows client and server release schedule. As such, SP2 will be released simultaneously for both Vista and Server 2008. Earlier this month Microsoft put up Knowledge Base Article 948465, a placeholder for both Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008...




winbeta.org - 15.10.2008

XP SP2 vs. Vista RTM vs. Vista SP1: Gaming benchmark

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Here are the benchmark results that many of you have been waiting for - a look at how well ten popular games work on XP SP2, Vista RTM and Vista SP1.



Its been nearly a year since I took a look at the state of gaming under the Vista OS. The last time I compared XP SP2 to Vista, I was disappointed with Microsofts new OS as a gaming platform because I could get far more bang for my bucks out of XP than I could out of the new OS. Partly I put this down to immature drivers, but on the whole I was convinced that at the core of the problem was Vista.



So, is Vista worth bothering with as a gaming platform?




winbeta.org - 28.02.2008