Windows Vista Beta 2 Available for Public Download

Mike Howes 8 Jun, 2006 at 12:11pm ET Article published in Tech

Microsoft has made a pre-release edition of Windows Vista Ultimate available for public download.

The download is an ISO file of Windows Vista Beta 2, which is about 3.5 gigabytes (GB) for the 32-bit edition or 4.4 GB for the 64-bit edition.
So if you have the bandwidth and lots of time to spare you can download it HERE

Note: This is beta code and should not be used in a production environment or on a main machine in the home. Beta 2 is intended for developers, IT professionals and technology experts to continue or begin their testing of Windows Vista. Before you decide to use Beta 2, you should feel comfortable with installing operating systems, updating drivers, and general PC troubleshooting. Some risks of using beta operating systems include hardware and software incompatibility and system instability. If you have concerns about installing this beta software on your computer, we encourage you to obtain the final release version of Windows Vista when it is available in 2007.

A broadband internet connection is highly recommended. You will also need a DVD burner and blank DVD media to convert the download into a bootable DVD that can be used to install the operating system.

Comments

8 Jun 2006 ~ 12:37pm airbornflght Ah snap, thats pretty damn cool. Too bad I dont have a spare rig to play around with it.

But If I installed the 64 bit version, would it support all of my hardware? I now xp 64 is a little sketchy, I am curious to the lengths that they went too in vista as far as driver support even if they used a generic driver.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 12:38pm RWB Boy am I having trouble getting it started
8 Jun 2006 ~ 12:41pm Kwitko The servers are being slammed. Either wait it out or order the DVD.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 1:11pm RWB Sweet I got it... just waiting for the ability to download now. Got 3 Keys though for some reason.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 1:29pm Maximusbad So if i got a key does that mean when the servers aren't bombarded i can still download it?
8 Jun 2006 ~ 2:03pm RWB It should... all you need is the media so I bet you could download the public beta from any source if they have it and just use your beta key.

What is sweet is that the OS expires on June or July 1st of 2007.... LOL
8 Jun 2006 ~ 6:04pm airbornflght Yeh, the servers are swamped. I will try it later tonight, everyone is probably slamming them right now.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 6:33pm RWB I'm getting 300KBps! A buddy of mine in Florida is using his work server to get 2300KBps.... he finished in 23 minutes
8 Jun 2006 ~ 6:39pm Sledgehammer70 It is bullshizt! I bet Microsoft is like sure we will share it on one server for the entire world....

Joe: hey Bud you in line?

John: Yeah you have to take a number though

Joe: K be right back hold my spot

John: Sure thing

Joe: I got my number, what number are you?

John: 2,808,645! you

Joe: It says, "your screwed until next week! "
8 Jun 2006 ~ 6:42pm RWB Well I was at home clicking the link often to see if I can DL yet, then I came to work and the first time I click the link I was able to get in. :P
8 Jun 2006 ~ 6:52pm airbornflght I'm trying. I may just go to bt, since im sure it is proliferated with it, and I already have a key.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 7:18pm binsoutonfriday http://download.windowsvista.com/dl/preview/beta2/en/x86/iso/vista_5384.4.060518-1455_winmain_beta2_x86fre_client-LB2CFRE_EN_DVD.iso
8 Jun 2006 ~ 7:27pm Enverex Hmm, three quick questions. 1, Why is the 64bit version so much bigger? 2, Why is it so big in the first place? 3, Will this version be upgradable to the full version when it's released?
8 Jun 2006 ~ 7:32pm Kwitko Who knows the answers to 1 & 2, but I can see #3 being possible.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 7:41pm airbornflght #1: I dont know
#2: Its bloated and made by M$
#3: Most likely with a service pack.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 8:22pm Thrax #2: Every version except the EU-specific copies of Windows Vista are included on the DVD.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 8:25pm Well i got the 64-bit version downloaded and i'm getting the 32-bit version right now for my boss
8 Jun 2006 ~ 8:26pm I've been wanting to do a format and go back to a raid 0 setup. GUess I'll be brave and try it with the vista 64.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 10:48pm airbornflght I'm downloading right now @ 97.2KB/s Seems that is all M$ is gonna give me.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 10:51pm maximusbad It could also be your connection speed, what do you have?
8 Jun 2006 ~ 10:53pm airbornflght a 4 meg cable connection. speed test verify that im usually at least getting between 3-3.6 down. I think its just because everyone in the world is trying to download it. I've gone up to 105KB/s now. I just want to get it and play around with it, even if it does take until next week:wow2:
8 Jun 2006 ~ 10:57pm maximusbad well if you like when i get home from work i can send it to you through msn or something, i have 15MB down/5MB up cable
8 Jun 2006 ~ 11:00pm airbornflght

maximusbad wrote:

well if you like when i get home from work i can send it to you through msn or something, i have 15MB down/5MB up cable

Now thats a connection!!

But isnt MSN not the fastest way to transmit files? I've never really tried to send big files through it, but I wouldnt think it would be too fast, maybe I'm wrong? We can try it though, are there any ports that I need to open on my router? That may be the reason it is slow through msn.

I know that I can get at least 500KB/s cause I've done more than downloading a linux distro.
8 Jun 2006 ~ 11:15pm maximusbad check your pm
8 Jun 2006 ~ 11:53pm airbornflght back at ya
9 Jun 2006 ~ 12:30am Winga

Enverex wrote:

Hmm, three quick questions. 1, Why is the 64bit version so much bigger? 2, Why is it so big in the first place? 3, Will this version be upgradable to the full version when it's released?

Here's the official Microsoft answer to your third question:

Please read this important information before proceeding

* Upgrade limitations
You may not be able to upgrade your installation of Windows Vista Beta 2 (or RC1) to the final, commercially available edition of Windows Vista. To upgrade you will need to acquire the final edition of Windows Vista and you may have to do a clean installation.

* Time-limited software
Windows Vista Beta 2 (and RC1) is time-limited, pre-release software that will expire on June 1, 2007.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 12:31am TheSmJ Getting Vista x64 edition now at 507KB/s.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 5:00am Enverex Yeah, I grabbed it 10 hours ago at 315KB/s (my max speed).
9 Jun 2006 ~ 6:12am Shorty Got it in 52mins @ 1.02MB/Sec (NTL 10mb rocks!)

Now to find time to install it
9 Jun 2006 ~ 6:21am TheSmJ This is pissing me off.

Every time I try to download the 64 bit edition, Firefox reports an error in "saving the .part file" and leaves me with a partial 4.1 gig file, and IE6 only downloads a freakin' 13.7 MB file and acts like nothing is wrong.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 6:54am Enverex

TheSmJ wrote:

This is pissing me off.

Every time I try to download the 64 bit edition, Firefox reports an error in "saving the .part file" and leaves me with a partial 4.1 gig file, and IE6 only downloads a freakin' 13.7 MB file and acts like nothing is wrong.

Download "FlashGet" and use that.
Heh, now that I've downloaded it I don't feel like installing it, lol. Seems like it adds a bit of eye-candy with no performance increases or any real benefit but still uses masses of RAM and needs a decent system
9 Jun 2006 ~ 5:18pm airbornflght

TheSmJ wrote:

This is pissing me off.

Every time I try to download the 64 bit edition, Firefox reports an error in "saving the .part file" and leaves me with a partial 4.1 gig file, and IE6 only downloads a freakin' 13.7 MB file and acts like nothing is wrong.

look over to the right, and you can download the file by itself without the download manager. at least thats what I did, but it was going too damn slow for me.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 5:53pm Kwitko Am I the only one who decided to order the DVD???
9 Jun 2006 ~ 5:58pm airbornflght maybe from here. but why buy the DVD when you can just download it for free?
9 Jun 2006 ~ 6:20pm Kwitko Because it's been damn near impossible to download it.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 7:50pm TheSmJ Yeah I downloaded it w/o MS's download manager (thanks Enverex). It was Firefox and IE that were messing it up.

Anyways I'm burning it now.

Kwitko, once I used a different download manager I had no trouble getting the file. The download finished in an hour and a half.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 7:54pm Kwitko

TheSmJ wrote:

Kwitko, once I used a different download manager I had no trouble getting the file. The download finished in an hour and a half.

You can't even download the ISO now. All you get is a message:

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.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 8:03pm RWB That's the error I was getting most of the day yesterday until I was finally able to get through.
9 Jun 2006 ~ 8:05pm TheSmJ I got that a couple times too, but I just kept plugging at it once or twice every few minutes and I'd get through.
10 Jun 2006 ~ 5:26am Gobbles im downloading it right now with out their download manager at about 538K a second.
10 Jun 2006 ~ 5:27am Shorty Im using it now. Definitely takes a little getting used to but.. I can say I do like it so far
10 Jun 2006 ~ 5:42am Enverex I wonder if MS will respect other OSs you have installed and not erase your MBR when the final version of Vista comes out...
10 Jun 2006 ~ 8:34am Hawk Trying the 32bit.
I leveled out at 370KB/s. 3 hrs according to the DL manager, but it seems to be DL'ing faster than that.
17 Jun 2006 ~ 11:32am Esso It's not very often that we have a chance to take a look at a new Windows operating system here at AnandTech.

Not including the release of Windows XP x64 (the 64-bit version of windows) last year, Microsoft's premier operating system for workstation and home computer use has been Windows XP for nearly 5 years; that's an unprecedented period of time from Microsoft.

However, that quiet period is about to come to a close early next year, as Microsoft begins to ramp up for the release of the next version of Windows: Windows Vista.

Windows Vista: Beta 2 Preview

I thought it would be nice to read the report.

Edit,
Using Firefox to download the 64 bits Vista version failed twice, at less then 1% left to download.
And the IE6.0 can't download it "as previsouly mentioned". (it's too large, only ~14 KB will be downloaded).

But when I used the Opera 9.0, I managed to download it.

More news about Opera,
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=2943