Pre-Beta Vista SP2 for the Masses

Article by George Norman (Cybersecurity Editor)

on 24 Oct 2008

You too can now get the pre-Beta SP2 for the Windows Vista operating system, the service pack that Microsoft said will be most likely released next year in June. No one really knows what the final release will have to offer, but at least you can get a sneak peak thanks to this pre-Beta version.

A select bunch of testers were selected by Microsoft to put the software through its paces – this was back on the 16th of the current month. Now, a weak later, you too can get your eager hands on the SP2 pre-Beta – the emphasis here being on the words “pre” and “Beta”.

The first step towards your Vista SP2 experience is downloading some registry files - these registry keys will allow you to update your Windows-based operating system. But before you do so, take heed to these words of warning.

This is a pre-Beta version, which means it can prove to be even more riddled with bugs than regular Beta software versions that you have come across. If you thought Betas are bad and testing such software versions caused you to have a hissy fit, then perhaps this is not for you.

Keeping in mind that this is a pre-Beta version, it would be best not to install it on your main system. Doing so would prove foolish to say the least!

Expect things to go wrong, expect crashes, expect to stumble on numerous bugs! Be realistic with your expectations. The reason why this pre-Beta is out is that it needs testing, so do not expect it to work flawlessly.

From what we've seen so far, SP2 does not bring any notable changes to the Vista operating system. It must be said that the service pack contains all the fixes, patches and updates released by Microsoft for Vista. It also contains files that the system needs for future updates.


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