SP1 Beta release available today

Today we release the Beta of windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) to a private group of Beta testers via connect.microsoft.com.  Brandon over on the Windows Experience blog has installed and regularly uses SP1 on all of his machines (as do I) and discusses the more notable elements of it.  We'll review some of the changes made in SP1 later this week on the blog; what’s more, our VP of Product Management, Mike Nash, answers questions about Windows Vista and SP1 in a video on Channel9Meanwhile, I invite you to read the SP1 white paper we published last month. 

We also released today five reliability packages via connect.microsoft.com for testing by selected members of the community.  These packages consist of numerous improvements to Windows Vista based on user feedback, and while they will also ultimately be part of SP1, we're working to make them available before the final version of SP1 is released so that your Windows Vista experience is the best we can make it.  But for now, they're still undergoing testing and will come your way once they're ready for prime time.

The same goes for SP1:  keep your eyes peeled and stick with us here on the blog, as we'll let you know how SP1 is progressing.


Comments

  1. Posted on: September 25, 2007 at 8:25PM  

    OH - MY - GOD!

    Sorry for the bad language, but only a complete IDIOT could have had the crazy idea to scrap the search button that has been on the start menu ever since!

    The instant search box on the start menu is a nice and welcome addition, but it's actually pretty much useless most of the time if you're dealing with a huge amount of documents. So who on earth is responsible for the removal of the search button that gives direct, easy-to-grasp access to the advanced search functions in the OS (be it Vista's own services or those of a third party app)!? Who is responsible for f...ing up the pile of rubbish Vista already is, GUI-wise, even more?

    I was looking forward to SP1 because I expected some substantial improvements, but instead of that things are even getting worse!

  2. Posted on: September 25, 2007 at 8:43PM  

    Hey WeetaBiX:  I'll see what I can do -- no guarantees, of course.

  3. Posted on: September 25, 2007 at 10:12PM  

    If possible, I want to get acess to SP1 Beta too.  Thanks!

  4. Posted on: September 25, 2007 at 10:29PM  

    When will MSDN subscribers be able to get the SP1 Beta download?  I'm still not seeing it when I login to my MSDN account.

  5. Posted on: September 26, 2007 at 12:31AM  

    Hey wadebart:  as stated in my post above, the Beta of SP1 is only being released to a smallish group of beta testers (all of whom know who they are).  If the RC is made more broadly availalbe, I'll be sure to let readers of this blog know.

  6. Posted on: September 26, 2007 at 7:14AM  

    Hi Nick,

    Can you see if I can get an invite for the SP1 beta for Vista? I'm having a few headache-and-a-half's with Vista that look like they'll be cleared up with the SP.

  7. Posted on: September 26, 2007 at 8:28AM  

    I would love to try the beta out and see what all it does and does not improve upon, all in all it looks like it will be a good performance boost!

  8. Posted on: September 26, 2007 at 10:19AM  

    I may regret asking, but a look at SP1 beta would be useful.

    I've held off installing Vista so far, using XP under Vista downgrade rights, and complained at many of Vista's poor features and reviews. However, I can either whinge or do something about it - thus, I'm prepared to give decent feedback.

    Spec : Core 2 6300 w/2GB RAM, 975XBX2 (badaxe 2), two 7600GTs running three monitors (non DDC CRT monitor @1280x1024, CRT DDC monitor at 2048x1536, TFT at 1280x1024), soundblaster audigy 4. Used for programming, games, productivity, video transcoding, internet, connecting to OpenBSD, NT 4 and OS/2. I hold an Ultimate OEM license, which I will eventually install as 64 bit.

  9. Posted on: September 26, 2007 at 10:47AM  

    For one thing here are some reasons why...

    There's no Up button: It's gonna be redundant since the Back Button functions the same way. And, clicking on the folder listing, that "replaces" the old explorer's address bar, is actually way more intuitive than clicking the up button/back button since you can skip several screens through it.

    The search button is missing? It's still there, it's change locations in the start menu, but it's still there. By the way, I was taught of some special tricks with the Start Search that actually works like the main/full search.

    I'd just like to advise of proper training, even if the user's a boss. A few minutes of teaching the interfaces (and patience) will be worth it.

  10. Posted on: September 26, 2007 at 11:31AM  

    thanks Nick White, if you can please give me access to vista service pack 1 beta, i would really appreciate it

Trackbacks

  1. Posted by: GottaBeMobile.com on September 24, 2007 at 5:56PM
  2. Posted by: Tech|noob on September 24, 2007 at 6:44PM

    Filed under: Desktops , Laptops Right on cue , Microsoft has made available the (long-awaited) Service

  3. Posted by: Pocket.Net - Mobile 2.0 on September 24, 2007 at 6:57PM

    Microsoft has expanded its Beta testing of Vista SP1 to a larger group of testers. I’ve downloaded

  4. Posted by: TechBlog on September 24, 2007 at 7:40PM

    Chances are you can't have it, but it's out there: Microsoft has released the first beta of Service Pack 1 for Windows Vista. It's only available to a select group of testers, but Brandon LeBlanc of the Vista team...

  5. Posted by: かるあ のメモ on September 24, 2007 at 10:10PM

    SP1 Beta release available today(Windows Vista Team Blog)とWindows Server 2008 RC0版が公開されたらしい(あるSEのつぶやき)より Windows Vista は SP1 で Server 2008 と同じカーネルを搭載する予定となっていますが、 Server 2008 の RC0 と合わせて Vista の SP1 Beta がコネクトからダウンロードできるようになっています。

  6. Posted by: ひろえむの日々是勉強 on September 24, 2007 at 11:17PM

    ConnectサイトにVista SP1のBetaが公開されています。

  7. Posted by: WebLog de Stéphane PAPP [MSFT] on September 25, 2007 at 2:42AM

    Dans le même esprit que la disponibilité de la RC0 de Windows Server 2008, une version beta du service

  8. Posted by: Blog de David Sebban [MSFT] on September 25, 2007 at 4:23AM

      Vu sur le blog de la team Windows Vista Today we release the Beta of windows Vista Service Pack

  9. Posted by: MegaRed on September 25, 2007 at 7:04AM

    Microsoft ha publicado la primera beta del esperado Service Pack 1 para Windows Vista. Nos enteramos de la publicación del esperado pack a través del blog oficial de Windows Vista, aunque lamentablemente este tan solo estará en principio disponible pa

  10. Posted by: Josh's Windows Weblog on September 25, 2007 at 8:22AM

    In case you missed it, Windows Server 2008 RC0 is now available from Microsoft Downloads. Here is a link

  11. Posted by: Gizmodo on September 25, 2007 at 12:39PM

    Windows Vista SP1 Beta available to private testers [Windows Vista Team Blog]...

  12. Posted by: Geeking Microsoft on September 25, 2007 at 1:26PM

    Nick has the details on the Windows Vista SP1 Beta release. I am downloading it now and will provide

  13. Posted by: Technically Speaking on September 25, 2007 at 1:27PM

    Windows Vista SP1 Released to Beta Testers

  14. Posted by: Security Blog di Feliciano Intini on September 26, 2007 at 2:19AM

    ... ma non a tutti, come segnalato in questo post sul blog del team di Windows Vista : in questa fase

  15. Posted by: Routing and Remote Access Blog on September 26, 2007 at 7:14AM

    Hi All, Windows Server 2008 RC0 and Vista SP1 beta has been released to our select TAP and techbeta customers