Vista SP2 Beta Available

[SYSMAN_MK]

Available from Microsoft Download Center here

[flyinghaggis]

Any new features or is it just a roll-up package of security updates and bug fixes?

[originofsymmetry]

@flyinghaggis. Support for the newest Bluetooth standard, 2.1 I think and native support for burning blu-ray discs, or so I've heard.

[Michael]

You need to have Windows Vista Service Pack 1 installed prior to installing Service Pack 2. Looks as though Microsoft are not going to make cumulative Service Packs anymore.

[SYNACK]

You need to have Windows Vista Service Pack 1 installed prior to installing Service Pack 2. Looks as though Microsoft are not going to make cumulative Service Packs anymore.

Given how big they are now they would probably choke the internet to death if they released cumulative ones for their latest operating systems.

[Michael]

Given how big they are now they would probably choke the internet to death if they released cumulative ones for their latest operating systems.

Yeah you're probably right. Vista SP2 would probably weigh in at 700-800MB otherwise!

[Gatt]

Didnt SP1 weigh in at about half a CD (300-400MB?) and thought XP SP2 was a hefty beast too..

[Michael]

Windows Vista SP1 434.5MB
Windows Vista SP2 Beta 388.3MB

Windows XP SP3 316.4MB

[wagnerk]

Thanks, I'll give it a go

-Ken

[PeterW]

Windows Vista SP1 434.5MB
Windows Vista SP2 Beta 388.3MB

They are small compared to the x64 versions

[mpe]

Given how big they are now they would probably choke the internet to death if they released cumulative ones for their latest operating systems.

Depends how much of SP1 isn't updated by SP2. Undoubtedly a cumulative service pack would be smaller than the combined size of both.

[SYNACK]

Depends how much of SP1 isn't updated by SP2. Undoubtedly a cumulative service pack would be smaller than the combined size of both.

Quite possibly, but that would ruin my carefully crafted overstatment

[kmount]

I've had SP2 on a box here for about a month with no problems.

[RabbieBurns]

RC is on Technet MSDN

TechNet, MSDN subscribers get Vista SP2 release candidate • The Register

[RabbieBurns]

The url in the OP post now links to the RC public download