Windows Vista Beta2 goes public

[HAgEEmAH]

Originally posted by: HAgEEmAH
Downloaded overnight. Installation took approximately 4.5 hours from start to finish.
System Specs:
Vaio T350P Mini Laptop
1.2 Pentium-M Centrino
512 RAM
60GB HD

System is up and running farely decent. Memory usage is a hog. Required just under 500MB of RAM to be in Windows! So if you run nothing but 1 internet explorer window, 512MB of RAM is fine. Anything more eats up ram. Windows Sidebar(MS Equivalent of Yahoo Widgets) uses 40MB RAM. However, I really like the new GUI/interface/integration.
Things I've noticed in somewhat order:

1st impressions
Edition used: Windows Vista Ultimate 32-bit edition
New login screen with crossfading into Windows
Alt/Ctrl/Del has a new menu
Laptop battery settings allows you to choose from 3 modes(performance/battery/balanced)
New start menu that doesn't expand across the entire screen when you select programs. Scroll box overlays over the recently used programs list. Also has a built-in search function(kinda like Winamps Jump(j) song search) Just for the start menu items.
Integrated Windows Media Center Edition
Windows Media Player 11/Internet Explorer 7 / Defender/ Collaboration / DVD Maker
New Volume Controls(Application-centric as opposed to Audio type) & simultaneous World Clock
Windows Sidebar(replaces yahoo widgets, but seems like a RAM hog now)
Caution: I get blue screen of death everytime I shutdown my laptop, but seems fine. All my devices are working fine(except my 1394 port, which I need to find a driver)


Things missing!
wmplayer2 (Windows Media Player's Very minimal player)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! nooo
Where'd all my ram go!! Need to upgrade my laptop to at least 768 now.

I think it's stable enough to run. It has hard-freezed once in the past 2days, but I was multi-tasking too much.

upgraded laptop to 1GB ram 10 minutes ago. Works a lot better. 1GB makes Vista useable, 512 was completely useless.

 

[Tom33]

Received my DVD in the mail today. Pretty Fast.

 

[DidlySquat]

vista = stpuid

get this beast the hell out of hot deals

 

[BigRigDriver]

Originally posted by: DidlySquat
vista = stpuid

get this beast the hell out of hot deals

I concur:|

 

[RideFree]

Oh, give me a break!
I just got my disks from Microsoft today for $9
Another product key and 20 more installs. What do you want?

Additionally, I get disks (already paid for in the $9 in about august (or Septober or Octember or Nowonder)) that constitute the RTM (I think or is it gold).

About as good as it gets considering, it's M$!

 

[wiin]

Originally posted by: BigRigDriver

Originally posted by: DidlySquat
vista = stpuid

get this beast the hell out of hot deals

I concur:|

Why? Cuz you both are having problem with Vista installation? Always some whiny a@@ no matter what.


I got a PR of 1 with the following:
ECS motherboard
1600+ processor
80gig wd
64mb radeon 7200
512mb memory

Only problem is the need to get updated program. Compatability issue installing AVG and Alcohol120 so far. Vista blocked the installation.

Where do you provide feedback on Vista? Wait till the beta session is over?

 

[goofy4ever]

According to this article, sounds like all beta testers who activate their beta Vista copies "may" receive Vista RC1? Has anyone participated in the past M$ beta programs? If yes, can you share some of the "perks" you have received from the company?

Text

 

[EKKC]

build 5464 is better than beta 2. much faster and less bugs

my friend gave me the disc, and my beta2 key worked on it

 

[scootermaster]

Stupid question for Vista users... will/is it compatible with MCE? What I mean is, will the remote functions be the same? I want to build a HTPC/Tivo box, but I'm really shooting for Vista and that ATI card that uses Cablecard. But I'd like to build it now, with some PVR-150s or something, but I'd hate to think stuff like the MCE remote and whatnot wouldn't work (or, perhaps, the play/pause/volume buttons on many HTPC cases).

Should I just wait for Vista?

 

[promposive]

Downloading at 1225KB/s now going to give it a try here at work.

 

[maydaytx]

Originally posted by: wiin

Originally posted by: BigRigDriver

Originally posted by: DidlySquat
vista = stpuid

get this beast the hell out of hot deals

I concur:|

Why? Cuz you both are having problem with Vista installation? Always some whiny a@@ no matter what.

What makes you think that everybody would want to install a resource-hungry, crash-prone, feature-lacking, and otherwise completely useless piece of $#!+ OS on their computer? Oh yeah, I forgot, "i need vista cuz i need to play gamez".

 

[Toro 45]

crap, I just got done down loading it and realized they don't have the key available anymore, says "We have reached our program capacity and no new orders are being accepted"

 

[EKKC]

Originally posted by: scootermaster
Stupid question for Vista users... will/is it compatible with MCE? What I mean is, will the remote functions be the same? I want to build a HTPC/Tivo box, but I'm really shooting for Vista and that ATI card that uses Cablecard. But I'd like to build it now, with some PVR-150s or something, but I'd hate to think stuff like the MCE remote and whatnot wouldn't work (or, perhaps, the play/pause/volume buttons on many HTPC cases).

Should I just wait for Vista?

the beta is giving you all the goods: it's basically a beta version of Vista Ultimate (which is home version plus all the MCE, business, and gaming capabilities) it's considered the best version of vista to be available.

To compare:

Vista Basic = comparable to XP Home, without Aero
Vista Premium = comparable to XP Home, with Aero and MCE extras
Vista Ultimate = comparable to XP MCE 2005, with Aero and Business edition extras
Vista Business = comparable to XP Pro
Vista Enterprise = comparable to XP Pro with some new extras for corporate environment

 

[scootermaster]

Originally posted by: EKKC

Originally posted by: scootermaster
Stupid question for Vista users... will/is it compatible with MCE? What I mean is, will the remote functions be the same? I want to build a HTPC/Tivo box, but I'm really shooting for Vista and that ATI card that uses Cablecard. But I'd like to build it now, with some PVR-150s or something, but I'd hate to think stuff like the MCE remote and whatnot wouldn't work (or, perhaps, the play/pause/volume buttons on many HTPC cases).

Should I just wait for Vista?

the beta is giving you all the goods: it's basically a beta version of Vista Ultimate (which is home version plus all the MCE, business, and gaming capabilities) it's considered the best version of vista to be available.

To compare:

Vista Basic = comparable to XP Home, without Aero
Vista Premium = comparable to XP Home, with Aero and MCE extras
Vista Ultimate = comparable to XP MCE 2005, with Aero and Business edition extras
Vista Business = comparable to XP Pro
Vista Enterprise = comparable to XP Pro with some new extras for corporate environment

Thanks for the info. I just know that current MCE stuff triggers events in the OS (volume up, next, seek), and I'd hate to have those triggers be incompable (making remotes and HTPC cases out now, useless).