Vista RC1 (5600) gone public!

Yay! I beat Cower to it!

http://download.windowsvista.com/preview/rc1/en/download.htm

I've heard good things about the last few builds - drastic improvements over beta 2 due to the debug code being ripped out... and bug fixes etc of course. Some are still complaining that there should be an RC2... I'll be the judge next week after it finishes downloading via my terrible Aussie broadband...

Which one should I download? I've got an AMD Athlon 64 so should I go for the 64Bit version or the 32bit version?

Actually, I'll go for the 32bit version as when I had Windows x64 installed there were no drivers for my printer, scanner, 56k modem, Bluetooth device and a few other etc..

Thanks for the link. :)

64bit one is supposed to be bad on compatibility whilst 32 bit is a dream, According to Paul anyway:

http://www.winsupersite.com/reviews/winvista_rc1_02.asp

Think I'll give it a whirl myself :)

Ah, yeh. From what I can tell (I've always played it safe with the 32bit version) 64bit driver support is as shaky as XP64's... I expect that will improve after Vista goes RTM.

Hmm! It states that I should have got an email from them if I previously signed up to the CPP. I haven't received an email yet but I do have the Activation Key from the last Beta 2 Build. Will that work?

I really do hope the 64bit side of things will be given a face-lift before the retail release, as that's the version I'm aiming for if it does get a much larger driver-database.

Actually make use of my CPU and what not, although next to zero games offer actual x64 support, and those rare ones that do only have it as an added extra, usually for small graphical touches...

I've nearly finished downloading it. Another 15% and it's done. Can't wait to try it out.

I hope so. I may be waiting for a week or two after I finish downloading otherwise... previous non-public builds worked using the beta 2 key, so I'd say there's a fair chance.

What's the size of this download? I've started downloading but my download manager doesn't seem to know.

2,646,272 for the 32bit disc.

Ah ok thanks.

do these RC releases ever expire?

Yeah, sometime early next year, I think.

1st July 07 for this one I think it said. It was one of the J months :D

I tried to get 2 different 64 bit builds to load on my home box(Opteron 170) with no luck. I have been using my laptop to test the 32 bit builds. I like it.

It's there an alternative way to get it, I'm on 56k so I don't want to waste 1 or 2 week downloading it.....

No not unless the official beta comes and you are a subscribed beta software tester for OS at MS (free)

In a week or two it is said the CPP will be opened up for registrations - I suppose if there's a DVD mail out option in the future, that's when it will happen.

If you took part in the previous beta test and still have your official key, then there are torrents... However, even though beta keys work with the RC1 release, it would be a bit dodgy to use this type of, ahem, alternative method of download.

If the iso is an untouched, clean original image then using torrents is just doing MS a favour. However the problem is no one seems to have confirmed if beta 2 keys actually work for RC1. The wording on the MS websites don't say either, but they make it sound like they don't.

And it's one thing to install RC1 with a beta 2 key, it's another thing to activate it.

Beta 2 keys work for both installation and activation.

Oh, well bugger waiting then. I'm installing straight after the w/e is over =] Cheers Luke.

Unless you have more than 4GB of memory, using the 64 bit version will give you very little in return... Other than a bigger chance of not being able to find drivers for your hardware, and more memory used for the same things. (After all, it takes twice as much memory to store a 64-bit datatype as it does a 'normal' 32-bit one)

Benchmark speeds are very similar between 32 and 64 bit version of the OS, so... There really isn't much of a point to go with 64bit at this time.

Maybe a few years from now that will change if 4+ GB ever becomes the norm, but until then... Barren a killer app or major industry push for the 64 bit stuff, expect the 32bit version to stay around for a while.

My Beta key worked with Vista when installing. I had problems though with reboots during installation and an nvlddmkm.sys BSOD. I found out it's because of my XFX 7950GX2. Apparently Vista has no sli support as of yet. Looks like I'll have to wait for either the official release and see if it has sli support or wait for another evaluation build. :/

I had to install the new Vista drivers to get DX9 to work properly in RC2. Using SOW the ogre.log said it couldn't fine a DX9 device

Installing the new vista drivers that were released for RC1 fixed that and I have SOW running in a Blitzmax window with CEGUI and MaxGUI on the same screen :) really cool :)

Hmmm, I know that was the case in beta 2 but I'm sure I read an RSS feed somewhere that stated SLI support for RC1 was in...