Vista Public Beta 2

[Bio-Hazard]

Get your copy of the new Vista Beta 2 here.................:mrgreen:

http://download.windowsvista.com/preview/beta2/en/x86/download.htm?www.dailytech.com

[Coolest-Tech]

Thank you for your interest in Windows Vista Beta 2.
We are currently experiencing a high level of demand and cannot process your request at this time.
Please check back later for availability. We apologize for any inconvenience.

[Kougar]

Heh, they still have that message up? They stuck it up at 4am of the day the news broke... but if you have a paused download somewhere you could still resume it and finish... in my case with a 800MB/s stable connection finally.

Was updating this thread to add this linky: Windows Vista Beta 2: largest download event in software history (http://arstechnica.com/journals/microsoft.ars/2006/6/10/4286)

According to Bink.nu, Windows Vista Beta 2 was the largest download event in software history. A representative told the Windows Featured Communities in an online chat that if it were to increase bandwidth to serve out more copies of the operating system, the impact could be detrimental to the Internet as a whole. "So, we are literally saying that if we increased our bandwidth any further there's a possibility of taking down the Internet - people might have problems with World Cup viewing, etc," said one Microsoft representative. As of last Thursday evening alone, Microsoft had received 18,000 orders of the operating system.

Edit: I modified the article to be more accurate. In a quote from the conversation, the representative says, "Already this is the biggest software download event in history." As for statistics, Microsoft will be releasing them once everything is aggregated.

Omitted hyperlinks from the quoted material are in the journal posting.

[Coolest-Tech]

Well, no. It's like 71% done. I think I might make a torrent for it. :D It's not iligal, I think, because you will still have to get the key from MS. :)

[Kougar]

The download site is back up, I'm currently downloading a copy of Vista x64 now to go with my x86 version. ;) So far I let Opera handle it this time, and it hasn't dropped once. Speeds are not consistent, but hover between 600-750KB/s most of the time. The x64 version is a larger 4.1gb download, but it only takes 2 hours at these speeds.

[Kougar]

Well, no. It's like 71% done. I think I might make a torrent for it. :D It's not iligal, I think, because you will still have to get the key from MS. :)

ROFL, someone beat you to it :lol:

http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2822

[werty316]

For those who don't know how to get a key.
* Basically go to Microsoft Office 2007 ‘Get the Beta‘ Site
* Make sure you are logged in
* Select your Country
* In the gap betwen pressing go and the next page coming up a url will be in the address bar for a second.
* It will look similar to the https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/scripts/office.aspx?lcid=2075&A etc.
* You might need to take a screenshot to capture the image
* Simily enter that url into the address bar and change office.aspx to vista.aspx
* Then it should forward you to the Vista Site
* Finally you will get an email with links to the Beta 2 Downloads(dont currently work)

If you have any problems leave a comment.

Update: To Change the country simply change the code at end of the URL, eg change ‘CountryCode=GBR’ to ‘CountryCode=USA’

You can get 2 Keys, each one will activate 10 computers.

http://bartysblog.be/content/get-your-windows-vista-beta-2-keys-early

[Kougar]

Guess that's what I get for waiting till now to grab those keys... the url was taken down.

What do the keys do anyway, though? The Beta 2 and future RC1 release of Vista both are good till June 1st '07 by default, if I understand it right?

[Bio-Hazard]

They are time limited, but for how long I'm not sure.
I've only got one key, but it works on both the 64 and 32 bit versions, so I'm good..............:)

[Kougar]

MS states on the website that both Vista Beta 2 and also the future Release Candidate 1 version will both be valid copies that have a built in timer to expire on June 1st, 2007, and they mention nothing about needing a key.

I got that SCSI drive up and running though, once I figure out how to silence (Relatively speaking) the bloody thing so I don't hear it two rooms away I'll install Vista on it. ;)

[zachig]

Hmmm...that's interesting...:???:

Tough, unlike you guys, I guess I'll just wait for the OFFICAL FINAL version of Window Vista...:roll: :wink:

[Bio-Hazard]

I'm just running the 64 bit version on a second HD, so it really doesn't screw up anything and i's pretty easy to get rid of when or if I want.

[Kougar]

Okay, took me long enough to realize all you need to do to get keys is follow the links to the download page, and MS will give you a product key on the page that gives you the DL link.

Both the former URL to the blog and the trick with copy'n pasting URLs do not work anymore, but they're not needed. :)

Will slap it on my SCSI drive and see how it works, now that I can hear myself think in here again...

[Bio-Hazard]

It sure needs a lot of power to run, even with my system OC'd, I only have a performance rating of 3.............:(

[Kougar]

Unlike XP Pro, Vista had a few issues getting past using the Adaptec SCSI card, so that plan fell through. I'll install it on an IDE drive another day...

Going by the info on Vista my system would just slide under the door in ability to get the full eye-candy... But if your system rated a 3, I must fall under the two or 1 & a 1/2 catagory lol.

I'm pretty sure having a DX10 graphics card is key to getting a 4 or 5 performance rating... I'm wondering if Vista's having to default to it's backwards compatible version of a DX9 engine over the DX10 engine it was designed around is having any impact on people's systems for that very reason? The lack of high overhead with DX10 over DX9 alone should help things a fair bit..

[werty316]

It should as it was stated that DX10 was suppose to be much fasterd than DX9 but then again the key word is "suppose". I guess we will have to wait for DX10 VGA cards and games.

[zachig]

I'm just running the 64 bit version on a second HD, so it really doesn't screw up anything and i's pretty easy to get rid of when or if I want.

...If I only had another Hard Drive...:( :roll:

[Bio-Hazard]

Well, I had to do a little swapping around and now there's this loud Maxtor in my server, but whatever works as they say..........;)