Announcing the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 CPP
By Chakkaradeep Chandran, 02 December 2008 - 22:26 22 comments
Mike Nash announced that this week Microsoft is opening up the Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta to a broader audience. Starting today, MSDN and TechNet subscribers will have access to the beta to begin testing.
Beginning Thursday, Dececember 4, the beta available to everyone through a Customer Preview Program (CPP). The CPP will launch on TechNet and be available to anyone interested in trying out this service pack. The CPP is intended for technology enthusiasts, developers, and IT Pros who would like to test Service Pack 2 in their environments and with their applications prior to final release.
Windows Vista SP2 builds on the solid foundation of Windows Vista SP1. Windows Vista SP2 includes all of the updates that have been delivered since the release of Windows Vista SP1, and incorporates improvements discovered through automated feedback from the Customer Experience Improvement Program. In addition to these updates, SP2 also includes support for new types of hardware and emerging standards that will grow in importance in the coming months. For specific changes in Windows Vista SP2, check out the notable changes document.
Nash also added that Microsoft is tracking to ship Windows Vista SP2 in the first half of 2009.

Comments (22)
audacioustrash - 02 December 2008 - 23:22
I hope this fixes the slowness of Hyper-v.
Kudo - 02 December 2008 - 23:45
Personally, I shall be waiting for the final release.
Co_Co - 03 December 2008 - 00:03
looking forward to sp2, although i've had no problems from the rtm or sp1 flavours
Hidr0 - 03 December 2008 - 00:25
i think 1 half is too much time... they might be considering 1 quarter since W7 its rite next corner...
bjoswald - 03 December 2008 - 01:44
I can't wait for Vista SP2. The first service pack pretty much ironed out almost all bugs I've encountered, and now that there's mature drivers for most hardware, Vista is pretty much in its golden age. I can only assume SP2 to be icing on the cake.
zalman - 03 December 2008 - 02:50
any info on the free tech guarantee for vista ? Haven't heard a single thing about it since neowin reported it back in nov 1
+majortom1981 - 03 December 2008 - 03:52
hmm i downloaded it . trying to see if i should install it. Was a big download though.
Shiranui - 03 December 2008 - 04:05
I still think that they should just rename it to Windows 7.
Ci7 - 03 December 2008 - 07:20
FAIL !
excalpius - 03 December 2008 - 08:36
I hope this fixes the failed install problems on Vista 64.
badblood - 03 December 2008 - 08:37
Excellent, my employers subscribe to MSDN, so I am going to download it ASAP.
*EDIT* Getting it now!
PnP - 03 December 2008 - 10:48
interesting news.. sorry people what the build of sp2 of vista? .. thanks
kazuyette - 03 December 2008 - 10:50
Good news indeed, I will be able to upgrade my leaked SP2 build to a more advanced and official one.
alafferty - 03 December 2008 - 14:01
Has anyone else been able to download the beta and mount the ISO? Everytime i try to mount the ISO or burn it to a disk i get an error saying invalid image format.
+Maximum Error - 03 December 2008 - 14:07
Same here - i emailed the technet help but they have me the worst reply ever n told me to go to the newsgroups. Useless.
I have ended up downloading the integrated ISo and doing a clean install.
Runs really well.
devHead - 03 December 2008 - 19:28
I've had the same problem also after downloading it twice. Maybe I'll wait until they fix it or the exe comes out. What's up with that!?
+majortom1981 - 03 December 2008 - 17:27
I have been having the same iso problems. I will just wait the extra couple of days and get the exe when it gets released.
id rather have a way of uninstalling when sp2 actually gets released.
+kpo6969 - 03 December 2008 - 18:04
Anyone know if this is a newer build than the last one?
build 6002 v113
Witt3439 - 05 December 2008 - 08:47
Nope, it is the exact same build.
Skulltrail - 04 December 2008 - 03:03
Hasn't Vista SP2 beta already been released? I'm pretty sure I've installed it in the past, but got into much problems with the OS, forcing to to uninstall it. So WTF is this?