Vista SP2 RC in February, RTM in April 2009
Microsoft is laboring to serve Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista a little over a year after the availability of Service Pack 1, beating Windows 7 to the market.
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24.11.2008 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.
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25.1.2009 Rumor: public to get Windows 7 RC build on April 10, 2009
If all goes according to plan, the Windows 7 Release Candidate build will be released to the public on April 10, 2009.
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20.2.2009 Windows XP Mainstream Support Ends April 14, 2009
On April 14, 2009, Microsoft plans to cut off mainstream support for Windows XP and Office 2003. As a consequence, both products will move in the Extended support phase, which will last for the next five years.
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14.4.2009 Download April 2009 Security Release ISO Image for Windows
On the heels of the April 14, 2009 security bulletins, Microsoft has made available for download the ISO image with the patches released this month.
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16.4.2009 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.
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18.10.2008 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.
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24.11.2008 Vista SP2 and XP SP3 June 2009 Patches ISO Image Available
This months release addresses 31 total vulnerabilities with 15 rated as 1 on our Exploitability Index, meaning there is a high likelihood that reliable exploit code may be developed in the next 30 days, stated Jerry Bryant, Sr. security program manager lead.
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12.6.2009 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.
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29.4.2009 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.
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26.5.2009 Download Windows 7 RTM Technologies for Vista SP2
Microsoft has wrapped up a package of technologies it is backporting from Windows 7 to Windows Vista.
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28.10.2009 Vista SP2 RTM DVD ISO Images Available for Download
Microsoft released Windows Vista Service Pack 2 to manufacturing on April 28, 2009. As was the case with Vista SP1, the RTM and General Availability dates failed to coincide.
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15.5.2009 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.
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27.12.2007 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.
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22.3.2009 Windows Vista with SP2 RTM Slipstreamed/Integrated DVD ISO Image
Microsoft has finalized the Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, which has been RTMed as version 6.0.6002.18005.
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27.5.2009 Windows 7 RTM in October 2009
Windows 7 will be released to manufacturing in 2009, more precisely in the third quarter of this year, with information from a leaked product roadmap pointing to the first half of October 2009.
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25.2.2009 Windows 7 RTM in Late July 2009
Speculation on the deadline at which Microsoft will release Windows 7 to manufacturing not only abounds but also continues.
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9.7.2009 Windows 7 RTM in October 2009 via Product Roadmap
According to a blog post on the Microsoft Sweden partner blog, Windows 7 should be ready by Q3 2009, with an RC coming in three months.
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2.2.2009 Buy Windows 7 RTM for Just 30 Come October 1, 2009
Microsoft is rolling out a new special offering with its latest iteration of the Windows client at the core. Dubbed the Windows 7 UK Student Offer, the special offering allows students in the United Kingdom to purchase Windows 7 for as little as 30.
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17.9.2009 Windows 7 RTM Patches ISO Image for October 2009
It has by no means been a slow month as far as Microsoft security bulletins go, with no less than 13 patch packages being released by the company for a range of products.
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15.10.2009 Windows 7 RTM December 2009 Cumulative Time Zone Update
Microsoft has made available for download a new Cumulative Time Zone Update for all currently supported Windows platforms, designed to implement time-zone changes that reflect modifications introduced around the world.
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18.11.2009 Vista RTM vs. Vista SP2
We are all well aware of the limping start of Vista on the OS market. Despite the fact that its launch had been highly anticipated for a good while, contrary to all Microsoft expectations, Vista was received with great reluctance and unwillingness on the part of XP fans.
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13.12.2008 Windows 7 SP1 beta rumored by end of 2009, RTM summer 2010
Windows 7 may be out, but Microsoft is of course still hard at work improving the operating system. Rumor has it that SP1 for Windows 7 will come sooner than it did for Windows Vista.
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2.11.2009 Windows Vista: It's A Date
Microsoft says full-feature beta test code to be finished by year-end
Microsoft is serious about meeting its ship date for Windows Vista during the second half of 2006.
During a briefing last week, Microsoft executives said the feature-complete version of the Vista beta test code would be finished by the end of the year. Executives declined to provide an exact release date for Beta 2 but hinted it could be sometime in the first quarter of 2006.
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4.12.2005 Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 reaches RTM
Microsoft has finally finished and compiled the RTM version of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008. The full version string being 6.0.6006.18005, which company officials have confirmed is the final RTM version of SP2.
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28.4.2009 Guess the Windows Vista Launch Date
Think you can guess the date Windows Vista will officially debut next year? If so, you can win an all-expenses-paid trip to the launch event, or one of nine Xbox 360 consoles.
The contest is being held as part of Microsoft Europe's new Beta Experience program, which is designed to keep users up to date with Vista and Office 12 news.
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1.1.2006 Microsoft: Push the Windows Vista date back
Earlier this week Neowin reported about the call from Longhorn Blogs for Microsoft to give Windows Vista more time. Yesterday WinSuperSite.com and WinCustomize.com put up their own views on whether Vista is ready which could be summed up as "No. God, no."
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4.8.2006 Download Office 2007 Service Pack 2 - SP2 RTM
It's time for the next stage in the evolution of the Office 2007 System. Microsoft will release Office 2007 Service Pack 2 today, April 28, 2009.
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28.4.2009 Windows Server 2008 with SP2 RTM ISO Download
Windows Server 2008 shares the same code base with Windows Vista, and that explains why a single Service Pack 2 (SP2) is released for both operating system. With the RTM of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 version 6.0.6002.18005, the Windows Server 2008 with SP2 slipstreamed or integrated DVD ISO images are also been prepared by Microsoft.
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4.5.2009 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.
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15.6.2009Windows 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 -
22.03.2009Microsoft 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 -
24.11.2008Microsoft 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 -
22.01.2009Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 reaches RTM
Microsoft has finally finished and compiled the RTM version of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008. The full version string being
6.0.6006.18005, which company officials have confirmed is the final RTM version of SP2. Currently circulating around popular BitTorrent websites, the
final version is available in 32 and 64 bit versions. Microsoft is expected to announce public availability later this week. Screenshots of the file
properties: Thanks to Neowin user Vask for the heads up.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
29.04.2009IE 8 RTM expected in the week of March 16, 2009
TechARP reported earlier that Microsoft will finalize its IE 8 RTM schedule on March 5 and the RTM version of IE 8 will be released during the final 2
weeks of March. Now TechARP has reiterated the dates a bit. According to the latest update by TechARP, Microsoft will RTM IE 8 in the week of March
16, 2009. The specific RTM date for the IE 8 will be announced in the week of March 9, 2009. TechARP is not sure whether this announcement would be a
public announcement, or an internal one. IE 8 is currently in RC1 and reached its RTM milestone on the 21st of February.
Read full story.....
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05.03.2009XP 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?
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28.02.2008Windows 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 -
26.03.2009Windows Vista SP1 vs. Windows Vista RTM vs. Windows XP SP2
Principled Technologies has released two Microsoft commissioned reports on Windows Vista SP1 performance. In these tests, Principled Technologies
measured responsiveness of Windows Vista SP1 vs. Windows Vista RTM vs. Windows XP SP2 when performing a set of common business and home tasks. The
results show that SP1 performs on par with Vista RTM and Windows XP.
The test show that as with Windows Vista RTM, overall performance is
on par with Windows XP. It’s important to remember that Windows Vista is a more advanced operating system, which includes many more capabilities
than Windows XP. By default, Windows Vista includes antispyware, a search indexer, and the shadow copy service. All these work in the background,
providing important services to customers, but they of course take up a portion of the PCs memory and processor resource.
On several common
business and home operations Windows Vista SP1 was noticeably more responsive after rebooting than Windows XP.
neowin.net -
28.02.2008Exclusive: Windows 7 RC set for April 10, 2009
There have been so many dates flying around concerning the upcoming Release Candidate for Windows 7, and it's beginning to become a daily subject
in the blogosphere. Just when you thought that we were going to see a Windows 7 RC by the end of February, a trusted source within Microsoft has
informed Neowin that the RC will not be ready by the end of February. At this time, Windows 7 RC is internally being tested and the official release
date is set for April 10, 2009. The Windows team is right on schedule with development, and if there are no significant problems over the next few
weeks the April 10, 2009 release date will remain in tact.
Read full story.....
neowin.net -
20.02.2009Microsoft official hints at April for Windows 7 RC release
According to a posting on Microsoft's Swedish partner blog we could be seeing the Windows 7 release candidate in early April. The blog also hints
at a RTM and business launch of Q3 2009. According to the blog Michael Bohlin, a Windows product manager, was questioned over Windows 7 availability.
The blogger also states "the cut of all internal guesses here in the office right now is October 3 at 11.10" for the RTM date. Windows chief Steven
Sinofsky posted a blog entry today to put to rest any rumours of a beta 2 for Windows 7 and confirm the next release will be the near final release
candidate.
Read full
story.....
neowin.net -
31.01.2009Microsoft 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 -
26.05.2009Windows 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 -
26.02.2009Windows 2003 KB: Slow network communication from Vista RTM (6000) to Windows 2003 SP2
Brad Rutkowski: This was one issue I worked on for quite some time a few months ago. We found that Vista clients were taking forever to download
group policies from domain controllers in the regions while Vista SP1 and XP clients did not see the issue. If the local DC was running LH or Windows
2003 SP1, we didn't see any issue. If the server was running Windows 2003 SP2 though and had a certain type of hardware we would see the latency.
Based on customer reports, Windows Dev learned of more widespread devices in the network that dont understand greater window
scale factors. So, they improved the heuristics in SP1 for when to limit or disable auto-tuning, which is why we only saw in in Vista RTM and not
SP1.
The bug is in Windows 2003 SP2 and the details can be found here:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947773 So if you find that you have vista clients experiencing network
latency when hitting a Windows 2003 SP2 server (File server, DC, Exchange, etc) then you should look into this hotfix.
winbeta.org -
31.01.2008Microsoft: Expect Vista SP2 in the first half of 2009
A quick update for those wondering when to expect the final version of Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2): Microsoft is saying (via one of its Web sites, at
least) that it is due in the first half of calendar 2009.
The October 24 post on the Vista Team Blog from October 24 says
the final SP2 release date will be
“based on quality.” The October 24 blog post on the
newly
launched Springboard Series site for IT professionals says
the Vista 2 release target is “the
first half of 2009.” winbeta.org -
25.10.2008Windows 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 -
29.01.2009Windows 7 RTM sign off set for July 13th
We have some big news regarding the Windows 7 RTM. According to Wzor, the final sign off is set for July 13th. According to a translation, this is the
final roadmap for Windows 7: FINAL ROADMAP FOR WINDOWS 7
: 6/1 - 6/19 BUILDING RTM ESCROW - already assembled RTM ESCROW. 6/22 - 7/10
RTM RECALL - assembly and search for candidates to the final RTM release. 7/10 WINDOWS 7 RTM FINAL BUILD TARGET - build day "gold code". 7/13
WINDOWS 7 RTM SIGN-OFF - the date of signing the final RTM release! We previously reported that Windows 7 could RTM at the end of this month, but it
looks like we now have a final RTM date.
Read full story.....
neowin.net - 22.06.2009
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
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 SP1 vs. XP SP2 - Benchmarked
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes: Over the past few days I posted two sets of benchmarks comparing Windows Vista RTM with Vista SP1 (first post here, second here). These posts generated a lot of feedback, and from reading this feedback it’s clear
that what many people are really interested in is not the performance differences between Vista RTM and Vista SP1, but between Vista SP1 and XP
SP2.
A few days ago I posted in reply to several TalkBack comments that I wouldn’t carry out these tests until XP SP3 is
released. There didn’t seem any point. That didn’t satisfy the crowds who wanted to see Vista SP1 and XP SP2 go head to head. So, to
cut a long story short, the pestering continued and I eventually gave in. So what follows are the fruits of nearly two whole days of work at the PC
Doc HQ (the test was hampered by the death of a motherboard, something which rendered hours of work obsolete).
How does Windows
Vista SP1 compare to Windows XP SP2? Read on …
winbeta.org - 15.02.2008
When will you get Windows 7 RTM?
When will I get Windows 7 RTM?
Brandon LeBlanc: I recognize this is an important question to have answered. Many of you
have said you want to know exactly when you will be able to get your hands on RTM. Last Monday, I gave an update on RTM to close
out some myths. In that update, I also gave a broad timeline on when different groups of people or audiences would get the final RTM code.
While I have nothing new to add regarding RTM today, I do however have more precise information to give on when you will be able to
get RTM. Again, when you can get RTM depends on who you are.
winbeta.org - 22.07.2009
