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Microsoft Offers Pre-RC1 Vista Beta

By Nate Mook, BetaNews

August 29, 2006, 11:30 AM

Despite initially saying it wouldn't be made public, Microsoft late Monday released Windows Vista Build 5536 for download by those who had signed up for the Beta 2 Customer Preview Program. The catch: only 100,000 visitors will be able to download before the links are deactivated.

5536 is a pre-RC1 build, which was released last week and received rave reviews from even Vista's harshest critics. The decision to offer public downloads was seemingly made in order to test the infrastructure before RC1 makes its official public debut. After being unable to handle the demand for Vista Beta 2, Microsoft has tapped Akamai to host the first release candidate.

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By GadgetMG

posted Aug 31, 2006 - 9:23 PM

Vista 5536 is really an awesome build. Finally, all of you people equating Vista to ME can just shut up (even though you had no room to talk in the first place). It is very stable. No major bugs. (notice the "major" there).

Score: 0

By RedBoar

posted Aug 30, 2006 - 12:17 PM

Can anyone pay me to download this piece of crap?

Score: 0

By terminalx

posted Aug 30, 2006 - 9:12 PM

why would someone pay you when there are many that will try it free...bad troll

Score: 0

By carlosabreu

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 6:01 PM

Can anyone share a key, so i can test this build on my business environment?

Score: 0

By dn2004

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 3:51 PM

The Beta 2 key does work with Pre-RC1

I downloaded and confirmed it works, I have installed it on my MacBook and also my desktop pc and both times it activated

Score: 0

By ds0934

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 12:53 PM

MS-connect web site error: "If this error continues, click the Contact Us link at the bottom of the page to report the issue and include this error ID in your e-mail: 51af728d-ade1-44a7-9f17-c5489a32e6ff"

The load is apparently enough to kill it right now. I'll wait.

Score: 0

By Das mod

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 1:36 PM

thats not an error ID ....
thats the actual activation key

Score: 0

By ds0934

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 3:41 PM

No, that's an error. And if I click on "Contact us" it generates another error with a different key string. It repeats.

Score: 0

By The MAZZTer

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 1:52 PM

They aren't issuing activation keys anymore.

Score: 0

By carlosabreu

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 12:52 PM

How can i get a product Key?

Score: 0

By linkdup

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 1:20 PM

this was only available to those who had signed up for beta2. so I'm assuming that we'll need to use the B2 key.

Score: 0

By morriscox

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 12:38 PM

I tried the download manager and it just downloaded a ~900 byte file that claimed that access was only for CPP members. I had to use the direct download link and set (in GetRight) the referrer to be generated from the download URL.

Score: 0

By AlexBR1974

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 12:24 PM

Great, but build 5552 (which was internally released just a day after 5536) is already out! Get it via BitTorrent.

Score: 0

By GadgetMG

posted Aug 31, 2006 - 9:09 PM

Build 5552 was leaked from Microsoft. It was never released to Technical Beta Testers and had no intentions of being relased. Therefore it must be an unstable build. Microsoft only releases "quality" builds to the public. You can download it, but I don't recommend it. Just because a build is newer doesn't mean it is better.

Score: 0

By dn2004

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 4:03 PM

or newsgroups...

Score: 0

By PC_Tool

posted Aug 30, 2006 - 8:59 AM

Gah!

My usage nears my 20MB USENET limit.

Damn you, MS!

Time to seriously think about upgrading to an unlimited plan....

Score: 0

By JustExtreme

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 1:51 PM

All hail bittorrent, thou shalt torment my broadband usage limits :|

Score: 0

By dn2004

posted Aug 29, 2006 - 3:52 PM

didnt neowin report 5552 would be RC1?

"On Friday Microsoft released Windows Vista build 5536. This is a pre-RC1 build. On Monday, Microsoft expects to release build 5552 which many anticipate to be the official first release candidate of Windows Vista."

Score: 0

By GadgetMG

edited Aug 31, 2006 - 9:20 PM

5552 will not be RC1. The quote,

"On Friday Microsoft released Windows Vista build 5536. This is a pre-RC1 build. On Monday, Microsoft expects to release build 5552 which many anticipate to be the official first release candidate of Windows Vista."

shows no evidence that 5552 will be RC1. It simply says that Microsoft may release build 5552. Also, from the text, Microsoft never says that this build will be RC1. It says that "people" hope that this will be RC1. It is however now official that RC1 will have the build number of 5568. And to prove it...

"According to my sources at the company, Microsoft plans to finalize Vista RC1 this afternoon. The build, 5568.16384, will ship internally at the company today and will then be seeded to customers next week if all goes well."

(Notice that "Microsoft" says that this will be RC1. Read your articles more careful)

Score: 0

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