Microsoft Windows Vista SP2 and Server 2008 SP2 RC Released for Public Download

[malware]

As expected, both Windows Vista Service Pack 2 RC and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 RC were made available for public download today. This build is the same one that was sent to testers last week. Download links follow:

• Five Language Standalone DVD ISO for Windows Server 2008 x86/x64/ia64 and Windows Vista x86/x64
• Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x86 version
• Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista x64 version
• Windows Server 2008 - Five Language Standalone for ia64-based systems

Source: Neowin.net

[Castiel]

I found it today, and it said that it was Beta, are these the actual SP2 package?

[Solaris17]

Originally Posted by Castiel

I found it today, and it said that it was Beta, are these the actual SP2 package?

no its a release candidate.

[kenkickr]

Here is a nice article from Tweaktown comparing SP1 and SP2 RC: http://www.tweaktown.com/articles/17...nce/index.html

[Darknova]

It's no different than the SP2 version I've had installed since the first BETA with all the updates since. Same build number and everything. So don't bother if you already have the BETA.

[Haytch]

Im one of them many (XP fan point of view) or few (Vista fan point of view) that have opted to use XP and making use of Vista for its DirectX10 capability. So when Windows 7 beta was released i decided to piss Vista off and demo the w7 beta. w7 beta, along with all its flaws ended up being better for me compared with Vista SP1.

If this was the official SP2 for Vista, i would reinstall Vista for comparison purposes, but if its going to be officially released after April 10th (Apparent Windows 7 RC1 release date) i wont even bother going back to Vista for JUST the DirectX10 gaming experience, when w7 already supports it.

Personally, i see Vista as having the shortest lifespan. Maybe its because ive avoided making general use of it for too long.

[Polarman]

Quick note about SP2:

Application compatibility improvements
Thanks to the rich instrumentation capability of Windows operating systems, we are able to understand the types of issues that our customers experience while respecting their personal information and privacy preferences. We use this information to focus improvements in Windows, but we also share this information with our software vendor partners to help improve the reliability and compatibility of non-Microsoft applications. For example, in SP2, Spysweeper and ZoneAlarm, now work with POP3 e-mail accounts.

Our goal for SP2 is that applications that are written using public APIs and that run on the Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 operating systems will continue to work as designed.

Microsoft has already released several application compatibility updates which allow more applications to work seamlessly for the end user. These appear in SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, but they are also available through Windows Update. Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 contain additional application compatibility fixes for individual applications.

Hardware ecosystem support and enhancements
SP2 adds support for the 64-bit central processing unit (CPU) from VIA Technologies, which adds the ID and vendor strings for the new VIA 64-bit CPU.

SP2 integrates the Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless, which contains support for Bluetooth v2.1 and Windows Connect Now (WCN) Wi-Fi Configuration. Bluetooth v2.1 is the most recent specification for Bluetooth wireless technology.

SP2 improves performance for Wi-Fi connections after resuming from sleep mode.

SP2 includes updates to the RSS feeds sidebar for improved performance and responsiveness.

SP2 includes ability to record data to Blu-Ray Disc media.


Operating system experience updates
SP2 includes Windows Search 4.0, which builds on Microsoft’s search technology with improved indexing and search relevance. It also helps find and preview documents, e-mail (including signed email messages), music files, photos, and other items on the computer. The search engine in Windows Search 4.0 is a Microsoft Windows® service that is also used by programs such as Microsoft Office Outlook® 2007 and Microsoft Office OneNote® 2007. Autotuning Diagnostics in SP2 now interprets current network conditions when implementing Windows scaling. This feature includes full netsh support.

SP2 improves Windows Media Center (WMC) in the area of content protection for TV.

SP2 adds a registry key that enables modification of the maximum number of open TCP connections to increase application compatibility.


Enterprise improvements
SP2 provides the Hyper-V virtualization environment as a fully integrated feature of Windows Server 2008, including one free daughter OS with Windows Server 2008 Standard, four free licenses with Windows Server 2008 Enterprise and an unlimited number of free licenses with Windows Server 2008 Datacenter.

SP2 increases the authentication options for WebDAV redirector, enabling Microsoft Office users greater flexibility when authenticating custom applications using the WebDAV redirector.

SP2 provides an improved power management (both on the server and the desktop), which includes the ability to manage these settings via Group Policy.

SP2 improves backwards compatibility for Terminal Server license keys. Windows Server 2008 changed the licensing key from 512 bytes to 2,048 bytes which caused clients using older Terminal Server versions to fail. SP2 allows legacy license keys on Citrix applications to work with Windows Server 2008 Terminal Server.


Setup and deployment improvements
The SP2 standalone installer:

Provides a single installer for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

Includes the ability to detect an incompatible driver and either block service pack installation or warn users of any potential loss of functionality.

Provides better error handling and descriptive error messages where possible.

Improves manageability through logging in the system event log.

Provides a secure install experience.

Includes the ability to service the installer post release.

SP2 also includes a Service Pack Clean-up tool (Compcln.exe) which helps recover the hard disk space by permanently deleting previous versions of files (RTM and SP1) that are being serviced by SP2. The Service Pack Clean up tool can also be run offline while creating slipstream images to reduce the size of the image.

[Ravenas]

Originally Posted by Darknova

It's no different than the SP2 version I've had installed since the first BETA with all the updates since. Same build number and everything. So don't bother if you already have the BETA.

So this...

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

and the link above are the same exact thing? Because I really don't feel like burning any ISOs right now.

[Darknova]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

So this...

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/d...displaylang=en

and the link above are the same exact thing? Because I really don't feel like burning any ISOs right now.

No, there have been updates (via Windows Update) since, but if you already have Sp2 installed in any form then you do not need to reinstall to the RC, as it's the BETA with all updates/bug fixes etc. that you've been downloading without thinking about since it's release.

[Ravenas]

Originally Posted by Darknova

No, there have been updates (via Windows Update) since, but if you already have Sp2 installed in any form then you do not need to reinstall to the RC, as it's the BETA with all updates/bug fixes etc. that you've been downloading without thinking about since it's release.

However, if I download the link I posted, will Windows Update automatically detect an update for SP2, based on any updates they have been released?

[Darknova]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

However, if I download the link I posted, will Windows Update automatically detect an update for SP2, based on any updates they have been released?

I would think they'd update all the links to the latest version, but you can always try.

[Ravenas]

Originally Posted by Darknova

I would think they'd update all the links to the latest version, but you can always try.

I would say that RC is pretty updated anyway, it was released 3/3/2009.

[Haytch]

I found a pro!
* SP2 includes ability to record data to Blu-Ray Disc media. *

[Ravenas]

Originally Posted by Haytch

I found a pro!
* SP2 includes ability to record data to Blu-Ray Disc media. *

SP2 disabled my sound, and I took a major performance hit. I would stay away!

[Darknova]

Forget everything I said! My install was borked. I've had to completely remove it and am reinstalling at the moment.

[Lumpy]

Originally Posted by Ravenas

SP2 disabled my sound, and I took a major performance hit. I would stay away!

Hmmm.I had the no problems,even ran better with sp2 beta.

[Darknova]

Ok, those links are NOT for the Release Candidate. They are for build 16497 which is the first BETA build. 16670 is the new release candidate. I've downloaded from those links 6 separate times, from different PCs, all with the same problem. It links to 16497.

[BOSE]

Originally Posted by Darknova

Ok, those links are NOT for the Release Candidate. They are for build 16497 which is the first BETA build. 16670 is the new release candidate. I've downloaded from those links 6 separate times, from different PCs, all with the same problem. It links to 16497.

So that makes M$ a liar??

File Name: 6002.16670.090130-1715_iso_update_sp_wave0-RCSP2.0_DVD.iso

[Ravenas]

Originally Posted by Lumpy

Hmmm.I had the no problems,even ran better with sp2 beta.

Hehe... Guess that's why it's a beta!

[Darknova]

Originally Posted by BOSE

So that makes M$ a liar??

File Name: 6002.16670.090130-1715_iso_update_sp_wave0-RCSP2.0_DVD.iso

I have just now downloaded ANOTHER copy of the 64-bit standalone installer, and it's 16497. So what I'm saying is that at the very least, that link is going to the wrong file.

I've tried other websites with the same news and links, and they all link to the same file. So either (for some reason) I'm getting a different file than you are, or they haven't updated all the links.

[MightyG80]

So, SP2 is gonna be released around the same date Win7 RC1 gets released?

When SP2 was released for windows XP back in 2004 there were only vague rumours about a OS called "Longhorn", and nothing else.

I guess that Microsoft wants to forget Vista as quickly as possible. It seems that they never settled well in people's minds. Early problems with performance ( that even now are haunting them ) and other annoying problems ( like the UAC who most people prefer it turned off ) made them rather unpopular.

[crtecha]

sweet im downloading it now..

[jagass]

Thanks for this info and links...

[BOSE]

I just installed it and it is 16670.

Service Pack 2, V.286

[Solaris17]

Do you guys get that lame water mark? and can someone link me to the new and real SP2 RC? that has been updated?