Please note, its not gospel and because of the variety of configurations out there some of the recommendations might not be applicable to your system.
A Warning to potential Upgraders:
A lot of persons are contemplating about upgrading their one and only, production
install of XP. If you are itching to do that, DON'T! DO NOT upgrade your existing install of XP if you use it for work or you use it on a daily basis. Not because Vista is at BETA 2 means its ready for prime time or production environments, it is for testing and to get feedback on what’s wrong with the product.
I also suspect some persons think Vista has been finalized, no its not, its still in development. I know Vista looks enticing and all, but it is still not ready for prime time and the numerous reports of unsuccessful, problematic clean installs, upgrades are proof of that.
If you want to try upgrade scenarios at least make sure you do it on a spare installation of XP, you have a back up image of your existing install or simply do a clean install on a separate drive or logical partition. For those who have already upgraded their installations of XP and want to return to XP, your only option is to format that drive and reinstall it. There is no way to uninstall Vista.
Also, there are no upgrade paths from Windows XP Professional x64 to Vista x86 or x64. You cannot launch Vista x64 setup in Windows XP x86 or you will get an "invalid Win32" error. You have to boot off the DVD.
Get Religion: Backup, Backup, Backup!
What is Windows Vista BETA 2?
Windows Vista BETA 2 is a test pre-release/preview version of the next version of Windows client operating system.
Who is the Windows Vista BETA 2 release for?
IT Professionals, Developers, Enthusiast, people who like to back up their data and try out new things and don't have issues just in case something goes wrong installing the software.
Where is my Windows Vista product key?
It is located near the bottom of the e-mail message you receive after registering for the software.
Windows Vista refuses to activate:
This could be a result of a time out session on the Server, I recommend you try again later, you have a grace period of 14 days, so immediate activation of the software is not mandatory or necessary.
My Product Key does not work, why?
Your best bet is to order the DVD at this time; the demand has been so overwhelming. I am beginning to suspect that keys received for most downloads now will get an invalid error because they have or almost exceeded the 2 million expected public testers for the software.
What are the system requirements for running Windows Vista?
Bare minimum:
DVD Drive
800 MHz PC
15 GBs of free hard disk space
512 MBs of RAM
64-MBs of vRAM - For AERO Glass
Premium Ready PC:
DVD Drive
1GHz PC
20 GBs of free hard disk space
512 MBs of RAM
128 MBs of vRAM
Learn more at the following link:
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/windowsvista/evaluate/hardware/vistahardware.mspx
How do I install Windows Vista BETA 2?
There are a few methods available; you can use either Virtual Drive software such as Daemon Tools 4.03 or NERO Image Drive. You can burn the DVD as an image using DVD Burning software such as Roxio or NERO.
http://www.daemon-tools.cc
How do I create a logical partition to install Windows Vista on?
You need to use partitioning software such as Symantec Partition Magic 8 (full version) to do this.
http://www.symantec.com/Products/enterprise?c=prodinfo&refId=841
How to partition and format a hard disk in Windows XP.
http://support.microsoft.com/Default.aspx?kbid=313348
What is the size of the Windows Vista x86 and x64 BETA 2 Images?
Windows Vista x86 - 3.5 GBs
Windows Vista x64 - 4.4 GBs
Learn more here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/preview.mspx
When I download the ISO Image its usually 13 MBs or 170MBs?
That’s simply a bad download, try downloading the ISO again or just order the DVD.
Burning the ISO Image in NERO and Roxio Easy CD Creator:
NERO
Insert a Blank DVD, open Nero Start Smart > change the media type to DVD > select Copy and Backup > click "Burn Image to Disc" > navigate to where the Windows Vista BETA 2 Image is stored on your hard disk, (note: if you don't see it, make sure the image file type is changed to “ISO" click Open and the burning wizard will automatically start.
Roxio
Open Creator Classic > click File > "Record Disc from Image" > navigate to where the Windows Vista BETA 2 Image is stored > click Open and the burning wizard will automatically start.
Ensure that the ISO burns at a low speed, recommended speed, 2x for best results.
Windows Vista BETA 2 Ultimate Edition MD5 and CRC Values Information:
x86
- File Size = 3.12 GB (3,355,598,848 bytes)
- CRC Value = 0x67E089E0
- MD5 Value = 0E733AB1A8E8FF9A8684FD3639332773
x64
- File Size = 4.01 GB (4,309,368,832 bytes)
- CRC Value = 0x48697711
- MD5 Value = E43502D0A15EADD551119D5639859E04
I use the Ahead NERO MD5 Verifier:
http://ww2.nero.com/nero6/eng/Nero_MD5_Verifier.html
Paste the MD5 Checksum for either x64 or x86 depending on which one you want to
check in Step 1, Step 2 - Browse to where you stored the ISO on your drive and open it and it will automatically start the verification process and generate the result in the third field, if it matches Step 1, then you are safe.
How should I install Windows Vista BETA 2?
This is very important, ensure you are installing on a clean logical partition with enough free space. If you have a spare installation of Windows XP SP2 you don't mind ruining, you can upgrade from that or you can start the new installation by booting from the DVD drive, (make sure your boot drive in your BIOS is set to the optical drive). I launched setup from within XP, type in your Product Key > Accept the EULA > click Custom > select the partition you created for Windows Vista.
Note: If you want to upgrade Windows XP make sure you launch setup from within Windows XP SP2; upgrades are not supported by booting from the DVD. Upgrades are not supported for Windows XP Professional x64 Edition at all.
Most important of all, back up any important data you might have on that computer you plan on installing Vista.
For persons with SATA/RAID configurations, please ensure you have appropriate drivers for either x86 or x64 platform to load when requested during setup. Also remove any unnecessary external devices that might cause problems detecting during setup, this includes external drives and USB based devices.
Can I install Windows Vista in a Virtual environment and which software do you recommend?
First of all, I would say Virtual PC 2004 is not a recommend choice, but persons have been successful. I recommend using VM Ware Workstation 5.5 or Virtual Server 2005 R2, VM Ware Workstation 5.5 preferably. The more RAM you assign to the Virtual Machine, the better the experience, I recommend a minimum of 512 MBs or more for faster install times and the best experience.
You can download the VM Ware trial here: http://www.vmware.com/download/ws/eval.html
Virtual Server 2005 R2: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserversystem/virtualserver/software/default.mspx
How long does Windows Vista BETA 2 take to install?
It depends, my install took 35 mins, some install times can vary depending on the system configuration, so I would say 35 to 40 mins, but don't be surprised if it takes 75 mins or 150 mins reported by one person's experience installing on a Tablet PC.
What happens during setup?
Windows copies files to the disk, expands them, and restarts a couple times, install features, installs updates and Completes setup. During the install routine there can be signs of delay but usually it’s just a delay and setup will continue just fine. If setup does become non-responsive, you can do a cold boot and then boot up the machine and boot Vista setup into safe mode to see if Vista will finish setup.
Tip: (If setup becomes non-responsive or does not complete), do a Cold Boot (reset the machine) > Start the computer, when the Windows Boot Manager is displayed, select Windows Setup press F8 on your keyboard and setup should continue.
What if setup fails?
Try running setup again or try alternatives to installing Windows Vista if you are installing from a DVD, try another computer or wait until another build is made available (RC1).
What happens after Windows Vista is installed?
After setup Completes, your Computer reboots, you are then taken to the Out of Box Experience Page. The first page configures your keyboard, I defaulted to US English, > Next is User account information, and selecting a nice profile picture, next a nice wallpaper and you are ready to start using Windows Vista.
Where is the Boot logo?
This has not been finalized yet.
How do I activate Windows Vista?
Click Start > right click Computer > click "Properties" > scroll down > under Windows Activation "Click here to activate Windows"? You have a 14 day grace period to activate the software, if you refuse to activate during the 14 day grace period, the software will go into Reduced Functionality Mode and require that you activate the software before continued use.
Where is the Administrator account and how do I log into it?
By default, the Administrator account in Windows Vista does not require a password, its blank. The Administrator is only accessible through Safe Mode also. You can enable the Administrator account after installation if you did an upgrade from Windows XP. Click Start > right click Computer > click Manage > expand Local Users and Groups > select Users > right click the Administrator account > click Set Password. After which, you can try logging into the Administrator.
Where do you send in bugs and report bugs?
For Feedback:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=55160
Feedback reporting tool:
http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?linkid=43655
Here are some things to consider when filing a problem report:
Please file your report as soon as possible after you find a problem. The sooner we hear from you, the sooner we can investigate and try to fix the problem.
Please provide a brief, descriptive title. The title is the first thing we see when we get the report, so a succinct, clear title will help us effectively identify and prioritize the problem.
Please provide enough detail in the description for us to understand the problem. The more detail you can provide, the better.
Please provide the steps we can follow to reproduce the problem. Any incorrect or missing steps can prevent us from being able to reproduce and address the problem.
If you have any supplemental files, screen shots, etc., that will help us investigate the problem, please attach those to your report. Seeing a picture can sometimes help us identify the problem more quickly.
Some of my devices are not working, what should I do?
You can do a couple things; check the manufacturer’s website for patches, updates or to simply find out about Vista support for the particular product. If your internet connection is working in Windows Vista, I suggest you try obtaining the drivers through Windows Update. Click Start > All Programs > Windows Update > Turn on Windows Update. A list of available updates will then be downloaded, you will have the option to view them, do so and check off the appropriate drivers you need and click Install.
I need Antivirus software, are there any out there for Windows Vista BETA 2?
You are in luck, here are few recommended choices:
Computer Associates eTrust
http://www.my-etrust.com/Microsoft/vista/default.aspx
here are 2 others:
Avast 4.7 32-bit
http://www.avast.com/eng/avast_4_home.html
Trend Micro
https://www.trendbeta.com/index.php?get=80
run "Bcdedit.exe /set nointegritychecks ON" from an elevated command prompt
on Vista x64 (Thanks Barb Bowman for the tip)
Learn more about Antivirus support for Windows Vista here:
http://www.microsoft.com/athome/security/viruses/wsc/en-us/windowsvistabeta2.mspx
If something goes wrong in Windows Vista, you can always try using a restore point to fix the problem:
Click Start > right click Computer > click Properties > click Advanced System Settings under TaskPane > click System Protection > click System Restore and follow the instructions for restore your PC to an earlier point.
I don't get the new Windows Vista AERO Glass user interface, why?
Windows AERO Glass requires that you have a minimum of 64 MBs video RAM that is Direct X 9 compliant and supports the Windows Display Driver Model (WDDM), formerly (LDDM). If your video card does not meet these requirements, it’s the likely cause why you are not seeing it. For onboard/integrated cards, you need to have 1 GB of dual channel memory installed with 512 MBs of RAM allocated to the system. The amount of Video RAM also determines the resolution size your Display can use.
How do I change the theme in Windows Vista to Windows Classic?
Right click your Desktop > click Personalize > click Theme > click in the Theme list box, select Windows Classic.
Where is the Windows XP Luna (Blue, Olive and Silver) themes?
These have been removed, the only available themes are Windows Classic, Standard, Vista Basic and Vista AERO. No word if Luna will return.
Right click your Desktop > click Personalize > “Open classic appearance properties”.
How can I edit and set the default operating system that starts up when I boot up my PC in an easy way?
VistaBootPRO would be your answer, it provides a graphical front end to the BCDEdit Command line that makes it easy for you to define startup settings and edit boot entries on the new Windows Longhorn Server/Vista boot manager. http://www.pro-networks.org/vistabootpro/
How can I know if my PC is Vista ready or needs upgrading?
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/getready/upgradeadvisor/default.mspx
Please note, the Windows Vista Upgrade Advisor does not support Windows XP Professional x64, it also in BETA and the results are not a sure guarantee, use with precaution.
Is it recommended I use Windows Vista in a production environment?
Since it is pre-released software which is still not ready for prime time, my recommendation would be no, its still too early and there is a guarantee of failure and there have been reports of system failure with Windows Vista BETA 2, so I would use it only for curiosity, enthusiasm and giving in feedback about what works and what does not work and install on a spare computer (recommended).
When will Windows Vista be available in stores and on new PCs?
Volume License customers can expect to receive Windows Vista through Software Assurance/Enterprise Agreements in November 2006, while consumers can expect to get the software on new PCs and retail copies of Vista some time in January of 2007.
How much will Windows Vista cost?
Pricing has not been determined yet.
Can I upgrade from Windows Vista BETA 2 to the final version?
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.
How many editions of Windows Vista will be available?
There will be a total of 6 editions of Windows Vista available through different channels.
Starter Edition - only on new PC's in emerging markets such as Asia, Mexico, Africa and others.
Home Basic
Home Premium
Business
Enterprise - only available to Volume License Customers under Enterprise Agreements
Ultimate Edition
Learn more here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/versions/default.mspx
Which Edition of Windows Vista BETA 2 is available for testing?
Both platforms x86 and x64 are available as Ultimate Edition only.
Join the newsgroups for discussion and assistance with testing the BETA:
Here is a list of available newsgroups for Windows Vista as of today:
microsoft.public.windows.vista.general
microsoft.public.windows.vista.music_pictures_video
microsoft.public.windows.vista.administration_account_passwords
microsoft.public.windows.vista.file_management
microsoft.public.windows.vista.hardware_devices
microsoft.public.windows.vista.installation_setup
microsoft.public.windows.vista.mail
microsoft.public.windows.vista.networking_sharing
microsoft.public.windows.vista.performance_maintenance
microsoft.public.windows.vista.print_fax_scan
microsoft.public.windows.vista.security
If you want to access the web based version of these newsgroups, click the following link:
http://windowshelp.microsoft.com/communities/newsgroups/en-us/default.mspx
Head on over to the following page at Microsoft's website on how to configure your newsreader to read Microsoft's Public Newsgroups:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroupsetup.mspx
Well, this is just some of what I am working on. Its still subject to change and I definitely welcome your feedback, suggestions and additional help. I will be posting this on Windows Connected and my blog. Anything else you need to know, just reply to it and I will update where necessary or add where necessary. Of course, the community will always be here, so the newsgroup is a great way to keep updated and get quick assistance. Thanks
Posted
Jun 14 2006, 09:41 AM
by
adacosta
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