Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 MUI Language Packs Official HTTP Download Links

The Windows Vista SP2 (Service Pack 2) has been officially released by Microsoft, and been pushed through Windows Update, Microsoft Update and Automatic Updates channels to all computers running Windows Vista and Windows Vista SP1. With the release of Windows Vista SP2, the display language packs, commonly known as Multilingual User Interface (MUI) or Language Interface Pack (LIP) has been published via Windows Update server too.

Actually, the Windows Vista SP2 MUI language packs from MSDN/TechNet have been leaked much earlier. With the publishing of the Vista SP2 MUI language packs on Microsoft servers, user can now download official Windows Vista SP2 MUI language packs via HTTP from official Microsoft servers.

The latest version of Windows Vista SP2 MUI language packs support all Windows Vista system without service pack, or already installed with SP1 or SP2.

Download 32-bit Windows Vista SP2 (x86) MUI Language Packs

lp-ar-sa_d4f4d2a41f68c949d30f30414c0391848d5e763e.exe
lp-bg-bg_de90999fa444963fbf109c74d910ba01a2c378be.exe
lp-cs-cz_a0ccc5fba15642691d7d490ca784253572a76e52.exe
lp-da-dk_e8737dda160f114b7a1865baa910955d0027c912.exe
lp-de-de_5c765d35317daf341222e39e72b00dea5cbbb7d3.exe
lp-el-gr_85235508833f98716104fa03dffbe0c5b82c51ab.exe
lp-es-es_85e0b393149ceb46f326efc948b86e4c2f737b6b.exe
lp-et-ee_7d5b79ecb08938d7bdf75a0dc11047095d66b8e4.exe
lp-fi-fi_f8f736b62e3082f196a3adfdeff0d83f10f9a981.exe
lp-fr-fr_e9345051183345080796e40278ec42553b7864ba.exe
lp-he-il_2e555e4ee5a30a0625131fc38534a2602a921c0b.exe
lp-hr-hr_904a67d951dad795c52cb6e8b3e3914fbde13536.exe
lp-hu-hu_1212c7275683cc13ee5af52b210d5acfaf96efe4.exe
lp-it-it_54b87d474273de12c19672ecc4a067e8b6fd62b4.exe
lp-ja-jp_30178fcc94adb29cad5a14b535efeb555ab39e0b.exe
lp-ko-kr_46f0d34468f897ec8669d02849e8ffcead6554b9.exe
lp-lt-lt_09654738aa5be35b5dbf8bc638adb4272c92f854.exe
lp-lv-lv_328be1bd164d6591ccaf432a69dabdb1dda83d5b.exe
lp-nb-no_f612745658ef32f9bd1a690b5e5481086b39c8ed.exe
lp-nl-nl_7835f6ef92c711e20541b5ee20ba2faef837f179.exe
lp-pl-pl_5847837d35c9828165f6ae0e4b2b0d66f8212897.exe
lp-pt-br_89422927680e6812bc8f56ee2220e1a2e07fcae2.exe
lp-pt-pt_55d043101f26fcd0ff980791537cbf173407d8b2.exe
lp-ro-ro_3ffc9e754c49ac5b23ce4e3cbca5ded56cbbe9b5.exe
lp-ru-ru_9262cc39a063a6f58db82c357f8131d9071adaa8.exe
lp-sk-sk_47fd0b67dd5f29ca6329da7d6ab77e87e8d22c10.exe
lp-sl-si_a42b0d0a75092381f8644c534ebbea99cea5dd17.exe
lp-sr-latn-cs_a9f5996719aafdd2be4a3435bb50a9c0570a067d.exe
lp-sv-se_656141ec6bc0b64b2ae8e3afd11e9e26b26d1e87.exe
lp-th-th_4150fbae200bbc935c861f100afe5a841f40fb08.exe
lp-tr-tr_d867543cccebc418bdfe7c49aa22dd658673c4f4.exe
lp-uk-ua_0238e4b9281519f5200559800df0cd582d4865a5.exe
lp-zh-cn_8926a1895c8b071557e5a2f86085ec518624e10b.exe
lp-zh-hk_4369ca586419afae78f85c3f053efd4fab9d3e50.exe

Download 64-bit Windows Vista SP2 (x64) MUI Language Packs

lp-ar-sa_52e3a3ea206b6d8c3af8d091b5f6bb762e4ff10d.exe
lp-bg-bg_c70d55cc71916918418953b960cabe1e3b127b36.exe
lp-cs-cz_cabd2166aa8496818f62b74f0aa1c26f963244bf.exe
lp-da-dk_bc7bb64bb64925f8f970ee1cdca5ccd163175673.exe
lp-de-de_586a63c0f1b2fcaa2330b88d4e6b01314bd8452b.exe
lp-el-gr_7337c3adb09b3e2768f0285cde8f0a8864548253.exe
lp-es-es_ef979656039ef5d23d0cb43dfabc476d976f5209.exe
lp-et-ee_f84a14ce99a64468e53a4bb5d1bc44ba5ab79ed1.exe
lp-fi-fi_31db0b21f466839553d947c0deb4e99bd6a47fc7.exe
lp-fr-fr_d8d4ab34762d0625800eae9427953626c98f46f5.exe
lp-he-il_fa5045a45e4459282252fc330887964307e1b05f.exe
lp-hr-hr_836afd2b968de38d5009cd4e52915c7699c21fff.exe
lp-hu-hu_6b05531e126b006d0286b4900ac3e3f5964f09b1.exe
lp-it-it_b6373878559025dd8b0068b50f0df7d1a894fb15.exe
lp-ja-jp_b5c738909d89874df55d3bbca1e09a37eb7a5485.exe
lp-ko-kr_faf266897b3ed22756d1751f25f2ff6374194b67.exe
lp-lt-lt_c3502336c8a4d36b2c4c9968392b8259b3da11e4.exe
lp-lv-lv_4b484b706a5daa5a30099042d1fb53b15f2588e4.exe
lp-nb-no_d7d4dabe22c85ed63c043ae26d6d5f9afc073082.exe
lp-nl-nl_5f53001bc973bf44a920ce3b43cb39835ebab820.exe
lp-pl-pl_3aad3b26549d0493cc8f17ec7298d52382a85eb8.exe
lp-pt-br_17a027a66a4943217081d4049d9a5136aa2d20c8.exe
lp-pt-pt_9db03d07ec8d956d823b9397f7b21f36db1e2f67.exe
lp-ro-ro_163b6fb8171ad492a362a0d40baec05d9b50e581.exe
lp-ru-ru_e6d1a363eb2a890b8859a1a1e83d58a9296b60c3.exe
lp-sk-sk_1806e7226b6e9428c3fcf9acb759ac8a9c5dc6c0.exe
lp-sl-si_fb423b88a0acc74c2b80bf8810de60e1de30682a.exe
lp-sr-latn-cs_ee392f6583794d12a9c572f2a76db21845eef2ad.exe
lp-sv-se_3acc7b5efb8e4a946bf2d6bf67305f39a6ce6002.exe
lp-th-th_b16956697d8934cbc320de71663be51a2633ac26.exe
lp-tr-tr_4b1cb53b038d975f6f2e026cfeba0619631a5e4b.exe
lp-uk-ua_5088379e319bb9182e249f01801a7f979cec1f3e.exe
lp-zh-cn_3ca6c8279a780a6a5de332b5a7c7315321656742.exe
lp-zh-hk_0b1b29a105470f2fe95e8925ad091bb218209643.exe

After installing the language interface packs, user can change the display languages of Windows Vista.

Download Windows Server 2008 and Vista SP2 (32-bit and 64-bit All Languages Official KB948465 Links)

After first wave of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2, which is SP2 update package for system with 5 localized languages (English, German, French, Japanese, or Spanish.) been officially released more than a month ago, Microsoft has posted the all languages version of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server SP2 standalone update package in wave 2 on June 30, 2008.

The all language versions of SP2 (Service Pack 2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 can be used to update and upgrade any editions Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, regardless of language packs installed, provided Windows Vista SP1 is installed. Windows Server 2008 is shipped with SP1 built-in. The all language version of SP2 for 32-bit (x86) and 64-bit (x64) systems standalone update setup installer and standalone DVD ISO is now available for free download via Microsoft Download Center.

Download Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 – All Language Standalone for x86-based Systems (KB948465)

Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.exe

Download Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 – All Language Standalone for x64-based Systems (KB948465)

Windows6.0-KB948465-X64.exe

Download Windows Server 2008 Service pack 2 and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 – All Language Standalone DVD ISO (KB948465)

6002.18005.090410-1830-1_iso_update_sp_wave1-RTMSP2.1_DVD.iso

Note: The DVD ISO image that contains Service Pack 2 for Windows Server 2008 SP2 for x86, x64, IA-64 and Windows Vista for x86, x64.

If you’re looking for MSDN or TechNet released Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008 with SP2 integrated or slipstreamed, both slipstreamed Windows Server 2008 with SP2 integrated DVD ISO or slipstreamed Windows Vista with SP2 integrated DVD ISO is also available for download. Also available for download is MUI language packs (LIP) for Windows Vista SP2 and MUI language packs for Windows Server 2008.

Download Windows Server 2008 and Vista SP2 RTM (6002.18005)

Microsoft has finally compiled the final RTM version of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. As usual, the setup installer for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 have been leaked to Internet for free download by all, way ahead of official Microsoft release.

The final RTM of SP2 for Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista has the file build version of 6002.18005, with full string of 6.0.6002.18005, as mentioned in article about SP2 RTM-Escrow, and confirmed by Windows Team Blog post. mychaelo has posted on My Digital Life forums the leaked Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 standalone setup installers, for both 32bit and 64bit, in the form of RapidShare and DepositFiles HTTP download links plus torrents for BT download.

32-bit (x86) Windows Vista and Server 2008 SP2 RTM (All 36 Languages)

BUILD: 6002.18005
FILE: Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.exe
SIZE: 475,67 Mb
CRC32: 8D07A886
MD5: cad218b99fc301836e385049c75f5eaf
SHA-1: 7f8aa802e157282d84cf47950281de53a8c26f22

HTTP: Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.exe
BT Torrent: Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.torrent

64-bit (x64) Windows Vista and Server 2008 SP2 RTM (All 36 Languages)

BUILD: 6002.18005
FILE: Windows6.0-KB948465-X64.exe
SIZE: 745.67 MB
CRC32: 19C1676E
MD5: db35df98ae5a6fd085386580a6ee8b55
SHA-1: f0e46deb7734b8ed277b0cf2304ee2babc4d9b1c

HTTP: Windows6.0-KB948465-X64.exe
BT Torrent: Windows6.0-KB948465-X64.torrent

The standalone setup installer for Windows Vista and WS 2008 SP2 contains all 36 languages to support all localized operating system. No need to wait for any separate language waves to be released. However, for Windows Vista users who want to download a smaller SP2 update files, standalone SP2 installers for specific waves are also available.

32bit (x86) Windows Vista and Server 2008 SP2 RTM (Wave 0 - English, Japanese, Spanish, German and French)

BUILD: 6002.18005.090410-1830
FILE: Windows6.0-KB948465-X86.exe
SIZE: 365,230,920 bytes
CRC: 3368C777
MD5: C9394FD32DB15619328AF4FF0315750A
SHA1: 106C0484D7449CC4B70353C21D0C0D63E4BA66C3

HTTP Download: MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.VISTA.AND.SERVER.2008.SP2.RTM.X86.W0.RIP.DVD-WZTiSO.rar
BT Torrent: MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.VISTA.AND.SERVER.2008.SP2.RTM.X86.W0.RIP.DVD-WZTiSO.torrent

64bit (x64) Windows Vista and Server 2008 SP2 RTM (Wave 0 - English, Japanese, Spanish, German and French)

BUILD: 6002.18005.090410-1830
FILE: Windows6.0-KB948465-X64.exe
SIZE: 605,410,472 bytes
CRC: 1737E14D
MD5: A3BCB1FFDB366397FA5FAB0898EB098D
SHA1: BE8D74ADC029FA7350FC1F0D32BEF853C0519A92

HTTP Download: MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.VISTA.AND.SERVER.2008.SP2.RTM.X64.W0.RIP.DVD-WZTiSO.rar
BT Torrent: MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.VISTA.AND.SERVER.2008.SP2.RTM.X64.W0.RIP.DVD-WZTiSO.torrent

Windows Vista Users will require to download and install Windows Vista SP1 prior to updating SP2. Officially, the roll out of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2 via Windows Update will take months, although the installer will make available publicly soon, during the second quarter of 2009. Those not intends to install SP2 onto their system should download and install Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit. However, Windows Vista SP1 will be made mandatory and started to deploy to all Windows Vista soon.

For Windows users who prefer to fresh install Windows Vista with SP2 from clean state (after reformatting hard disk), Windows Vista with SP2 slipstreamed or integrated DVD ISO images are also leaked to Internet.

Hack to Retrieve and Get Windows Experience Index (WEI) Score of Remote Computer

Windows Experience Index (WEI) is a rating score (how to change WEI rating) that giving to a computer to gauge and benchmark the relative performance of the computer and its capability when running Windows Vista, Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 (including R2 edition) operating system. WEI subscores and base score are calculated by a free benchmarking command-line utility called WinSAT.

For system administrators or network management managers who need to gather and retrieve Windows Experience Index rating score from many networked computers remotely, the following VBScript may help to get the score number. The VBScript will access the new WMI class called Win32_WinSAT to retrieve the WEI system accessment information from the remote computer. However, the VBScript only works on computer running operating system with WinSAT only, such as Windows Vista and newer OS such as Windows 7.

Copy and paste the following VBScript code below into a text editor such as Notepad, and then save it as any name with .vbs extension, such as WEIScore.vbs.

strCompName = Inputbox("Get Hardware Performance Ratings" & vbcrlf & "of a Remote computer," & vbcrlf & "Input the Computer Name:")

Set objWMIservices = GetObject("winmgmts:\\" & strCompName & "\root\cimv2")
Set colWSA = objWMIservices.ExecQuery("Select * From Win32_WinSAT")

For Each objItem in colWSA
   Wscript.Echo "Hardware Performance Ratings"
   Wscript.Echo "Processor : " & objItem.CPUScore
   Wscript.Echo "Memory: " & objItem.MemoryScore
   Wscript.Echo "Graphics: " & objItem.GraphicsScore
   Wscript.Echo "Gaming graphics: " & objItem.D3DScore
   Wscript.Echo "Primary hard disk: " & objItem.DiskScore
next

Double click on the VBS file to run the script. Enter the desired remote computer name in order to get the Windows Experience Index rating of the target system. If the “Error: The remote server machine does not exist or is unavailable: ‘GetObject’” error message is displayed, it means that the remote computer name is wrong, or unreachable.

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 WindowsVista 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.

Microsoft Windows Vista 1.2

Windows Vista is now available for IT professionals and developers with MSDN and TechNet subscriptions. In the coming weeks, Microsoft will start the Windows Vista Customer Preview Program (CPP) for developers and IT professionals who are not members of the subscription services. Windows Vista comes with a breakthrough user experience and is designed to help you feel confident in your ability to view, find, and organize information and to control your computing experience.

The visual sophistication of Windows Vista helps streamline your computing experience by refining common window elements so you can better focus on the content on the screen rather than on how to access it. The desktop experience is more informative, intuitive, and helpful. And new tools bring better clarity to the information on your computer, so you can see what your files contain without opening them, find applications and files instantly, navigate efficiently among open windows, and use wizards and dialog boxes more confidently. Windows Vista is engineered to be the most secure version of Windows yet. The new features in Windows Vista help to give you the control and confidence you need to get the most out of your PC.

Windows Vista includes built-in accessibility settings and programs that make it easier for you to see, hear, and use your computer. The accessibility settings and programs in Windows Vista are particularly helpful to people with visual difficulties, hearing loss, pain in their hands or arms, or reasoning and cognitive issues.

Some features of "Windows Vista":
• User Experience
• Security
• Search & Organization
• Internet Explorer 7
• Sidebar & Gadgets
• Performance
• Windows Backup
• Networking
• Windows SideShow
• Speech Recognition
• Help and Feedback
• Windows Update

Major accessibility improvements in Windows Vista include:
• The new Ease of Access Center to help you find the settings and tools that make it easier for you to see, hear, and use your computer.
• Improved magnification capabilities in Microsoft Magnifier.
• Improved text-to-speech capabilities in Microsoft Narrator.
• The new Speech Recognition experience that lets you interact with your computer by voice.

For organizations with complex desktop infrastructures, whether large or small, Windows Vista Enterprise is the operating system designed specifically to help realize a better return on IT investments. In this VHD, you'll have the opportunity to road-test new and improved features including management (e.g. MUI, BDD, etc) usability (e.g. Search, Navigation, etc) and security (UAC, Windows Defender, etc), enhancements to the Windows Vista platform.

Homepage - http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-vista/

Size: 3528 MB

Download Part 1

Download Part 2

Download Part 3

Download Part 4

Download Part 5

Download Part 6

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Download German language pack

Download Spanish language pack

Download Italian language pack

Download French language pack

Download Russian language pack

Download Greek language pack

Download Czech language pack

Download Romanian language pack

Download Croatian language pack

Download Slovak language pack

Internet Explorer 8.00.6001.18702 - Final

Internet Explorer 8 takes the Web experience beyond the page and introduces a new way to seamlessly experience the power of the Web whether you are a Web developer writing to standards, or an end user discovering a new online service. This beta release is available to everyone, but is primarily for Web developers and designers to test the new tools, layout engine, and programming enhancements. Internet Explorer 8 (IE8) has been designed to make everyday tasks easier, provide dynamic security protection and improve the development platform and manageability. End user improvements include a streamlined interface, tabbed browsing, printing advances, improved search functionality, instant feeds (RSS), dynamic security protection, and more. This RC version of Internet Explorer is for web developers and designers. We invite you to use the resources listed below to learn about the improvements, changes and new features available in this release. "This release contains some great advances in Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) and layout, programming model, performance, reliability, usability and service integration. We are eager to ensure that the transition to Internet Explorer 8 is seamless for you and your audience, and to give you a head start on using many of the new features with your sites and services. We encourage you to test your sites and services, and our platform implementation, and give us feedback!" Developers and designers of all skill levels need great tools to deliver modern websites and write more efficient code without having to switch between the browser and a separate development environment. Internet Explorer 8 includes built-in tools that work well for professionals as well as those trying CSS and scripting for the first time. - Debug JavaScript - View and change the document object model (DOM) - CSS 2.1 - Data URI - AJAX enhancements including navigation - Resources New and exciting features Windows Internet Explorer 8 Release Notes Homepage - http://www.microsoft.com Download Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP/2003 x32 - 16.1 MB Download Internet Explorer 8 for Windows XP/2003 x64 - 32.4 MB Download Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista/2008 x32 - 13.2 MB Download Internet Explorer 8 for Windows Vista/2008 x64 - 24.1 MB

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.

Microsoft is releasing a Release Candidate (RC) Escrow Build in February instead of the normal RC build. The Escrow Build is a build where development halts and developers & beta testers start testing the product for any show-stopper bugs.

Microsoft has announced that it is not mandatory for OEMs to install Windows Vista SP2 and is marked as an optional install. This clearly shows that Microsoft indeed wants everybody to move to Windows 7. Many OEMs will be hesitant about spending more money and effort for qualifying new builds with their products. It becomes the sole responsibilty of the consumer now to update to Vista SP2.

In a nutshell, Microsoft has delayed the Windows Vista SP2 release by a month and who knows, you might get another Windows 7 build in the mean time!

However, the big question now is: Will you be installing Windows Vista SP2 or Wait for Windows 7?

Windows Live Messenger 2009 Build 14.0.8050.1202 Final

The new Messenger has more than just a chat tool, it is fun and easy to communicate to facilitate the sharing of characteristics of a perfect fusion of community-based instant messagingsoftware, whether it is the management of documents, photo album or with friends, classmates, colleagues , To keep his family closer links are easy. off-line to install packages in addition to Live Messenger software, also added a new version of Windows LiveMovie Maker, Mail with Calendar synchronization, Writer, Photo Gallery, Family Safety and Outlook Connector, and other content with a total capacity of more than 100M.

Download : Online Installation
Download : Off-Line Installation

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta

The articles below are specific to the Beta release of Windows Vista Service Pack 2. You can use this information to evaluate and deploy Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta.

For information about Windows Vista, see Windows Vista Technical Library Roadmap.

To download Windows Vista SP2 Beta, see Windows Vista Service Pack 2

Product Evaluation

Frequently Asked Questions: Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta

This article provides answers to some of the most common questions about the Beta release of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and Windows Vista SP2.

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

This document describes the notable changes made to Windows Server 2008 and Windows Vista in Service Pack 2, which were focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues, supporting new types of hardware, and adding support for several emerging standards, and lists all the hot fixes and security updates included in this service pack.

Windows Vista SP2 Beta and Windows Server 2008 SP2 BetaTest Focus Guide

This guide provides scenarios for testing and evaluating the changes in the Beta release of Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2.

Getting Started

Release Notes for this Beta Release of Windows Vista Service Pack 2

These release notes address late-breaking issues and information related to Windows Vista SP2 Beta.

Hotfixes and Security Updates in Windows Server 2008 SP2 Beta and Windows Vista SP2 Beta

This document lists all the hotfixes and security updates included in the Beta release of Windows Server 2008 SP2 and Windows Vista SP2.

Deployment

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Deployment Guide

This guide includes technical information, procedures, and recommendations for deploying Windows Vista SP2 Beta in a business or corporate environment.

See Also

Other Resources

Download Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta

Windows 7 – 20 Features to Make Users Forget Vista SP1/SP2 and XP SP3

Microsoft is currently moving onward with the development of Windows 7, having passed Milestone 3 with the operating system. According to Steven Sinofsky, senior vice president, Windows and Windows Live Engineering Group, the Redmond company is now cooking the Beta 1 release of Windows 7. But even as early as Windows 7 Milestone 3 pre-Beta Build 6801 and 6801+, discernible details, components and features across the next iteration of the Windows client come with the promise of making users forget all about Windows Vista Service Pack 1 and even SP2, or even Windows XP Service Pack 3.

"We’ve had a pretty incredible couple of weeks at the PDC and WinHEC. Based on what we talked about you can imagine we are all rather busy as we transition from milestone 3 to beta. We trust many of you are enjoying 6801 (or perhaps we should say 6801+)," revealed Sinofsky earlier this week.

With Windows 7 pre-Beta Build 6801 changes stretch from the surface to under-the-hood optimizations, with the client evolving from both the perspective of the graphical user interface, user experience and interaction model but also in regard to the actual architecture of the operating system, with repercussions on performance, new capabilities and features, as well as compatibility and support.

The Windows 7 Desktop:

At the Professional Developers Conference 2008 in Los Angeles at the end of October, Chaitanya Sareen, a senior program manager for Microsoft, delivered a session in which he emphasized the evolution of the various elements on the desktop from Windows Vista to Windows 7. Sareen was already running a Windows 7 development milestone higher than Build 6801, namely Build 6933, which, of course, is still in pre-Beta stage. The entire presentation packaged as a WMV is available for download via this link.

According to Sareen, the key goals with the Windows 7 desktop include: "things you use all the time are at your fingertips – it is easy to get the programs and destinations you use all the time, with less mouse movement and fewer clicks. Manage your windows with confidence – you can switch to the right windows quickly without mistakes and effortlessly position windows the way you want them. You are in control – the desktop reflects your style; you get to personalize the experience, choosing what is important to you, including how and when you receive notifications. Clean and lightweight – the desktop experience feels organized, light, open and is a pleasure to use; visuals and animations are delighters the first time and every time."

Windows 7 desktop elements:

1. The new Windows 7 Taskbar (the Superbar) – the Quick Launch area is gone, the Show Desktop button was moved all the way to the right hand side of the taskbar, and the entire space dedicated to housing opened programs can now be used to manage both launched applications and IE tabs, but also shortcuts to the most used items across the operating system.

2. Aero Peek – the way to switch windows without actually switching windows. Working in conjunction with the new Windows 7 Taskbar, Aero Peek is designed to highlight a single window corresponding to the mini-window that the user focuses on with the mouse on the thumnail of a specifically opened desktop item.

3. Windows 7 Taskbar Thumbnails – even in pre-beta Build 6801, the thumbnails for opened programs in Windows 7 are interactive. Unlike Vista, in Windows 7 users will be able to click thumbnails in order to access a specific opened application or window, to sneak (Aero) peek at the content, to close an item on the desktop, and even to run basic commands such as play and pause for Windows Media Player.

4. The Start menu and the mini Start Menus (Jumplists) – Microsoft has obviously revamped the Start Menu in Windows 7, from the search functionality to simple pin program actions. At the same time, the company will offer mini start menus, also called Jumplists, for each Taskbar item, allowing the user to jump directly to the tasks performed with a certain program, rather than executing the application and only then navigating to the task, be it a web page for Internet Explorer or a document for Word.

5. Overhauled notification area and the Action Center – those pesky and nagging notification balloons in the bottom right hand side of the screen will be a thing of the past in Windows 7. The successor of Windows Vista will allow end users to control notifications via the Action Center.

6. AeroShake – a feature locked in Windows 7 pre-Beta Build 6801, which allows users to control opened windows with mouse or touch gestures. Desktop items can be minimized or maximized by grabbing a window and shaking it.

7. DesktopSlideshow – is a feature designed as a combination between traditional static wallpapers and DreamScene animated backgrounds. It will allow users to have an image slideshow as their background.

8. New fonts – Windows Vista came to the table with Segoe and Windows 7 will deliver Gabriola, a new font.

9. Windows Sidebar is no longer a sidebar - the feature continues to exist in Windows 7, but it is no longer associated with the bar placed on the right hand side of the screen. In Windows 7 gadgets don’t have a dock anymore, and, just as in Vista, they can be placed all over the desktop.

10. The Windows Ribbon graphical user interface – Microsoft is attempting to change the old approach to GUI designs as it has become traditional in Windows, with a move to a new style introduced with the Office 2007 System. The company already introduced the Ribbon GUI in applications such as Paint and Wordpad but it is looking to convince developers to do the same for all third-party applications designed for Windows 7.

Windows 7 under-the-hood:

1. New installation process - Windows 7 pre-Beta Build 6801 comes with a tweaked installation process that automatically deploys the Ultimate SKU of the operating system. This could, of course, be a preview of Microsoft simplifying the number of Windows versions, but it is still too early to tell, and the company has not confirmed anything officially in this regard.

2. Faster boot – Microsoft has already demonstrated that the Milestone 3 of Windows 7 will boot faster than Windows Vista by a few seconds. It is only to be expected of the Redmond company to take startup performance to the next level with the forthcoming version of the Windows client.

3. MinWin – Windows 7 does not come with a new kernel, and it is in fact delivered as Windows version 6.1, whereas Vista is 6.0, but what it does come with is an isolated core. End users will not be able to see this, but Microsoft will, from now on, separate the development and innovation of the Windows NT kernel plus a limited number of core-components, labeled collectively as MinWin, from the rest of the operating system. This is known as componentization.

4. Support for over 64 processors and scaling up to 256 processors - "In the Windows 7 operating system, the 64-bit kernel supports more than 64 logical processors. To scale up to support this expanded number of processors, some applications and Windows kernel-mode components require modification," Microsoft stated.

5. Touch capabilities – Windows Vista offered a preview of things to come in terms of touch computing with the integration into Microsoft Surface. With Windows 7 the Redmond giant is simply taking Windows touch one step further. Windows 7 will come by default with a Natural User interface based on touch and gestures designed to work with the latest hardware technology, already integrated into computers sold on the market.

6. Cloud Integration - Windows Essentials – Windows 7 will no longer come with a range of applications bundled by default into its fabric. Instead, the operating system will reach into the cloud to grab applications such as an email or an instant messaging client.

7. Windows 7 Driver Verifier - "Driver Verifier monitors kernel-mode drivers to detect incorrect function calls or actions that might corrupt the system. For Windows 7, Driver Verifier has several features that did not exist in earlier versions of Windows, that detect new classes of driver defects, and that provide information for debugging these driver defects. This paper provides a preview of the Windows Driver Kit (WDK) documentation for these enhancements. Exposing these additional classes of common driver bugs assists driver developers in producing higher quality device drivers," Microsoft revealed.

8. Home Groups – with Windows 7 Microsoft has made it easier for computers in the same Home Group to share pictures, music, videos, documents and devices.

9. Windows Sensor and Location Platform – Windows 7 will know where users are; here is how Microsoft explains it: "The Windows Sensor and Location platform, which is new for Windows 7, enables your computer and applications to adapt to their current environment. With location sensors – including GPS devices, WWAN radios, and even triangulation technology – your applications and gadgets can know exactly where they are, enabling them to provide more locally relevant content and functionality."

10. Windows 7 Troubleshooting – Windows 7 brings to the table enhanced troubleshooting capabilities compared to Windows Vista. The next version of the Windows client will be able to resolve issues related to programs, devices, networking, printing, display, sound and performance.

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) Build 16497

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. The first development milestones of Windows Vista Service Pack 2 have already shipped to testers and are even available for download for users of the operating system outside of the limited testing pool selected by Microsoft. Come 2009, the Redmond company will make available the Release Candidate of the operating system's SP2 one year after the RTM of SP1, just to deliver the gold bits a couple of months after that.

According to TechARP, Microsoft will offer the first Release Candidate of Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista in February 2009. Vista SP1 was of course released to manufacturing on February 4, 2008, concomitantly with the RTM of Windows Server 2008. Come April 2009, the software giant reportedly plans to sign-off the code for Vista SP2. As it happened with SP1, the RTM and availability deadlines for Vista SP2 might not coincide. Vista SP1 RTM'd in February but was only up for grabs in mid-March 2008.

While building Windows 7, the Redmond company is also looking to the evolution of Vista, but SP2 will be nothing more than a standard service pack release. Fact is that the impact delivered by SP2 for Vista SP1 is bound to be equivalent to that of SP3 for Windows XP SP2. While SP2 will represent an evolution for Vista, it will be nowhere at the level of Windows 7, which according to all reports will be offered by the end of 2009.

Microsoft already offered the first taste of Windows Vista SP2 via a Beta release, namely Build 6002.16497. By the looks of the first Beta Build of Vista SP2, Microsoft appears to focus on under-the-hood changes such as support for Bluetooth 2.1, and the introduction of Windows Search 4.0 and Windows Connect Now. Chances are very scarce that SP2 will do for SP1 what SP1 did for Vista RTM.

Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) Build 16497 is available for download here.

Download a Taste of DirectX 11 for Windows 7 and Vista SP1

With Windows 7 pre-Beta Build 6801 out of Redmond, it was only natural that DirectX 11 would follow. And this is precisely what happened. Having served Milestone 3 Build of the next iteration of the Windows client, Microsoft is also moving forward with the graphics technology included by default with the operating system. The transition from Vista to Windows 7 is synonymous with the evolution from DirectX 10.1 (in Vista SP1) to DirectX 11. At this point in time, the first taste of the next version of the DirectX suite of multimedia application programming interfaces (APIs), namely DirectX 11, is available for download via the November 2008 DirectX Software Development Kit.

“Included in the November 2008 DirectX SDK is a technical preview of Direct3D 11 and associated components and tools. Direct3D 11 is an update to Direct3D 10.1 enabling new hardware features as well as improving the breadth of configurations supported by Direct3D. As such, Direct3D 11 enables developers to create applications and games that work on Direct3D 10, Direct3D 10.1, and Direct3D 11 hardware when it becomes available. With the addition of WARP and Direct3D 10 Level 9, Direct3D 10.1 and Direct3D 11 have the ability to target fast software rasterization and Direct3D 9 hardware,” Microsoft revealed.

According to the software giant, the November 2008 DirectX SDK package for Windows 7 pre-Beta Build 6801 and Windows Vista SP1 brings the evolution of Tessellation; Compute Shaders; Multithreaded Rendering; Dynamic Shader Linkage; Windows Advanced Rasterizer (WARP); Direct3D 10 and Direct3D 11 on Direct3D 9 Hardware (D3D10 Level 9); Runtime Binaries; D3DX11; Completely Updated HLSL and Direct3D Compiler; D3D11 Reference Rasterizer; and D3D11 SDK Layers.

“Don't mix Beta DLLs with their correspondingly named non-beta DLLs,” Microsoft warned. “The Direct3D 11 Technical Preview in the November 2008 DirectX SDK provides a dxgi_beta.dll that is different from the dxgi.dll included in Windows Vista. Developers should not use interfaces from one of these DLLs with the other as it may cause issues that are difficult to track down. The recommendation is that if you are using a beta DLL, don't link to the correspondingly named non-beta DLL.”

The November 2008 DirectX Software Development Kit is available for download here.

The November 2008 DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer can be downloaded via this link.

DirectX End-User Runtimes (November 2008) is up for grabs here.

Notable Changes in Service Pack Two (SP2) Beta for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 (Setup Prerequisites and Size Details)

Windows Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2003 SP2 (Service Pack 2) is scheduled to be released in the first half of 2009. As usual, the second service pack includes all previous updates, patches and hotfixes that are been released to date for the operating system, plus numerous changes to further enhance, optimize, stabilize the system besides probably few new features.

Service packs from both 32-bit and 64-bit (x86 and x64) Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 are going to be released simultaneously together, where both same shares the same code base with differences as client and server operating system. Another interesting point to note is that, while it’s the second service pack for Windows Vista, it’s the first service pack Microsoft to release for Windows Server 2008. It’s caused by Microsoft was releasing Windows Server 2008 with SP1 already installed, which excludes Hyper-V. As such, with SP2, Hyper-V will integrate into Windows Server 2008 natively

Microsoft has published a document on notable changes in SP2 Beta for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, which details changes that focused on addressing specific reliability, performance, and compatibility issues, supporting new types of hardware, adding support for several emerging standards, and changes to make it easier for IT administrators to deploy and manage Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Below, My Digital Life readers can browse the content of the document.

SUMMARY

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 to deliver improved compatibility, reliability and performance. These updates are provided to customers directly by our hardware and software partners, as well as 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.

SP2 is an update to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 that addresses feedback from our customers and partners. By providing these fixes integrated into a single service pack, which will be thoroughly tested by Microsoft and by industry partners and customers during the beta cycle, Microsoft provides a single high-quality update that minimizes deployment and testing complexity for customers.

In addition to all previously released updates, SP2 will contain changes focused on addressing reliability and performance issues, supporting new types of hardware, and adding support for several emerging standards. SP2 will also continue to make it easier for IT administrators to deploy and manage large installations of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.

This document describes the notable changes in SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. For a complete list of all changes in SP2, please see Knowledge Base (KB) article 948465, which is a combined version of all prior KB articles documenting updates to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Many of these updates are already publicly available and have been released via the Microsoft Download Center or Windows Update.

Organizations do not need to wait for SP2 to deploy Windows Vista or Windows Server 2008; we encourage them to begin their Windows Vista/Windows Server 2008 evaluation and deployment now.

SETUP PREREQUISITES

There are only two prerequisites for installing SP2. The first prerequisite is that your operating system, Windows Server 2008 or Windows Vista, has Service Pack 1 installed. (Note: Windows Server 2008 shipped with Service Pack 1 built in). The second prerequisite is an update to the servicing stack (KB955430), which is the component that handles installation and removal of software updates, language packs, and optional windows features. This update is necessary to successfully install and uninstall the service pack; it also improves the performance and reliability of the service pack installation. This update may require reboot and is part of the standalone update package. It will be offered as a separate package on Windows Update.

SERVICE PACK 2 SIZE

In order to make the improvements detailed in this document, individual files and components have been updated. Also, the language-neutral design of Windows necessitates that the service pack be able to update any possible combination of the basic languages supported by Windows Vista with a single installer, so language files for the 36 basic languages are included in the standalone installer.

These facts result in a large stand-alone package, which is the delivery vehicle typically used by many system administrators. However, most home and small business users will receive SP2 via Windows Update, which utilizes an efficient transfer mechanism to download only the actual bytes changed, resulting in an approximately 41 megabyte (MB) download. This is similar in size to many common software and driver updates delivered by other software vendors over the internet and will not be a problem for most customers.

Table 1 SP2 delivery mechanisms

Usage	Download size (x86)	Download size (x64)	Download size (ia64)
Standalone package	PCs without internet access System Administrators	About 302 MB (5 language package) About 390 MB (full 36 language package)	About 508 MB (5 language package) About 622 MB (full 36 language package)	About 384 MB (5 language package) About 396 MB (Full 36 language package)
Windows Update	Most home users Many business customers	About 41 MB (Vista) About 47 MB (Server)	About 60 MB (Vista) About 90 MB (Server)	N/A
Integrated DVD	New PCs Fresh Windows Installations XP Upgrades	N/A	N/A	N/A

APPLICATION COMPATIBILITY IMPROVEMENTS

Thanks to the rich instrumentation capability of Windows we are able to understand the types of problems that our customers are experiencing 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 3^rd party applications. Two examples for SP2 are Spysweeper and ZoneAlarm now working with POP3 email accounts.

It is our goal that applications that run on Windows are written using public APIs that will continue to work as designed on SP2.

Microsoft has already released several application compatibility updates which will allow more applications to work seamlessly for the end user. These will appear in SP2, but are also available via Windows Update. For more information on previous compatibility updates, please refer to http://support.microsoft.com/kb/947562/en-us. SP2 contains additional application compatibility fixes for individual applications.

HARDWARE ECOSYSTEM SUPPORT AND ENHANCEMENTS

• Adds support for 64-bit central processing unit (CPU) from VIA Technologies, which adds the ID and vendor strings for the new VIA 64-bit CPU.
• Integration of the Windows Vista Feature Pack for Wireless which contains support for Bluetooth v2.1, the most recent specification for Bluetooth wireless technology, and Windows Connect Now (WCN) Wi-Fi Configuration.
• Improves performance for Wi-Fi connection after resuming from sleep mode.
• Includes updates to the RSS feeds sidebar with improved performance and responsiveness.

OS EXPERIENCE UPDATES

• Windows Search 4.0 builds on Microsoft’s search technology with improved indexing and search relevance. It also helps find and preview documents, e-mail 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.
• Improvements to Windows Media Center (WMC) in Content protection for TV.

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.
• An improved power management policy that is up to 10% more efficient than the original in some configurations (both on the server and the desktop), and includes the ability to manage these settings via Group Policy.
• 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 versions to fail. SP2 allows legacy license keys on Citrix applications to work with Windows Server 2008 Terminal server.

SETUP AND DEPLOYMENT IMPROVEMENTS

• Significant improvements have been made to the SP2 standalone installer.
  • Single installer for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008.
  • Ability to detect an incompatible driver and block service pack installation or warn users of any potential loss of functionality.
  • Better error handling and descriptive error messages where possible.
  • Better manageability through logging in system event log.
  • Secure install experience.
  • Ability to service the installer post release.
• Provides a Service Pack Clean-up tool (Compcln.exe) which helps restore the hard disk space by permanently deleting the previous versions of the files (RTM and SP1) that are being serviced by SP2. The Pack Clean up tool can also be run offline while creating slipstream images to reduce the size of the image.

CONCLUSION

SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server represents ongoing investments by Microsoft to constantly improve compatibility, reliability and performance for its customers. While most updates contained in SP2 are available as individual downloads, the roll-up convenience of SP2 is a major benefit for administrators. This functionality coupled with new advanced deployment features, such as the single installer and the pre-installation analyzer, means SP2 continues to provide ongoing improvements that our customers have grown to expect from Microsoft. For more detail on SP2’s contents, please see KB article 948465.

The notable changes for SP2 beta for Windows Server 2008 and Vista can also be downloaded: Notable_changes_Beta_WS08VistaSP2.doc