Windows Vista SP2 RTM

Today we are announcing the Release to Manufacturing (RTM) of Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. SP2 represents the latest step in Microsoft’s commitment to continuous improvement. It includes all updates that have been delivered since SP1, as well as support for new types of hardware and emerging hardware standards.

As we have mentioned before, here are some of the key benefits of Windows Vista SP2:

• Windows Search 4.0 for faster and improved relevancy in searches
• Bluetooth 2.1 Feature Pack supporting the most recent specification for Bluetooth Technology
• Ability to record data on to Blu-Ray media natively in Windows Vista
• Adds Windows Connect Now (WCN) to simplify Wi-Fi Configuration
• Windows Vista SP2 enables the exFAT file system to support UTC timestamps, which allows correct file synchronization across time zones.

And since it comes with a single installer for both Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, SP2 will be easy for IT Pros to manage, deploy, and support. For a complete overview of the changes introduced in SP2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, check out the notable changes document on TechNet.


Business customers with Windows Vista will find that the transition from Windows Vista to Windows 7 will be significantly more straightforward due to the high degree of compatibility between Windows Vista and Windows 7. If your Windows Vista SP1 deployment is already underway we recommend you continue with SP1 as planned. Then you can deploy SP2 using your systems management infrastructure. If you are in the early stages of deployment or still planning Windows Vista deployment our best advice is that you plan on testing and deploying Windows Vista SP2. For more, I suggest reading this blog post from Gavriella Schuster in regards to guidance on Windows deployments.

We expect Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 SP2 to be publicly available in Q2 2009.

As a quick reminder, Windows Vista SP1 Service Pack Blocker Tool is being removed today, as we announced back in January. For customers who previously had the blocker tool in place, Windows Vista SP1 will now be offered to them via Windows Update.

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[Blackhawk7188]

I was doing some browsing and found out that yes it was released as an RTM...only to manufactures like HP and Dell(of course since it is an RTM). It has leaked from there to non microsoft supported websites, its actually funny that people have this installed before it actually is consumer supported.

Stuff like this is released to manufactures for their advanced technical support to diagnose and problems with supported hardware. That may be a reason why its not released to consumers until it is supported for most hardware configurations.

I had an Compaq Presario Laptop and Desktop that when I upgraded to SP3 for XP they both crashed and had constant reboot. I discovered that the SP3 wasnt supported for my hardware as a Beta so I had to wait for the full release to solve the conficts. I contacted support and they said that they had contacted microsoft regarding the beta hardware issues which was then resolved the in the offical release to SP3.

For me Vista runs awesome as a 64-bit and I only trust supported downloads/data. Good luck to everyone who uses the non-supported downloads.

 

[Ex_Brit]

Don't forget some of us have access to Technet Plus and MSDN etc. That's where I got mine.

 

[denzilla]

I was doing some browsing and found out that yes it was released as an RTM...only to manufactures like HP and Dell(of course since it is an RTM). It has leaked from there to non microsoft supported websites, its actually funny that people have this installed before it actually is consumer supported.

Stuff like this is released to manufactures for their advanced technical support to diagnose and problems with supported hardware. That may be a reason why its not released to consumers until it is supported for most hardware configurations.

I had an Compaq Presario Laptop and Desktop that when I upgraded to SP3 for XP they both crashed and had constant reboot. I discovered that the SP3 wasnt supported for my hardware as a Beta so I had to wait for the full release to solve the conficts. I contacted support and they said that they had contacted microsoft regarding the beta hardware issues which was then resolved the in the offical release to SP3.

For me Vista runs awesome as a 64-bit and I only trust supported downloads/data. Good luck to everyone who uses the non-supported downloads.

And what does "consumer supported" really equate to, being able to call MS about problems? Alot of us just jump on the net to find solutions as chances are, you're not the only one to have a particular problem. I admit to downloading SP2 through non-official means, but I did at least verify the md5 hash was the same as the one being distributed through MSDN, so I feel pretty secure at this point. My system was running fine, but I was curious and took the plunge. So far no problems whatsoever and the rig feels a bit more responsive as well.