'Final' beta version of Vista (RC2 build 5744) available

[charleski]

There's a thread on how to fix driver-related BSOD's here. You might want to try it2k's simpler method first (scroll down the thread). This has been a problem with Vista releases for at least 10 months. If it's still happening with 7544 I shudder to think what will happen come the retail release.

[pauldarkside]

Excellent, thanks for the info - I'll give it a try early next when I get hold of a spare hard drive. I'll post back with the my results :-)

[The Codfather]

Which antivirus solution(s) is/are everyone using?

I've been using Avast with no problems at all.

[Markj]

I downloaded Avast and it's working fine. Thanks s_kinton and The Codfather.

[pauldarkside]

Well I can confirm that RC2 (5744) installs perfectly with my 7950 GX2 - no modification to the installation was required.

I wish I had downloaded the 64bit version too now though to make better use of the RAM. Does anyone know what the performance of the 64bit version is compared to the 32bit one? I'm interested from an application/developer standpoint as well as gaming.

[The Mole]

I'm running it as I write this. I find it tad faster then the RC-1, but I am having problems installing my NVIDIA audio drivers? But like always, i will figure it out.

[ponders]

doesn't the 1gig requirement suck the resouces from other apps?

[wmsteele]

Only just got 5600, will need to download this now!

[Bob Crabtree]

For anyone who fancies trying out Vista but not going to a whole lot of bother, it might be worth running it virtually in Parallels Workstation 2.2, the 15-day trial version of which can be downloaded (18.7MB)here.

Documentation in PDF format adds a further 3MB or so, if you choose to download the user guide and getting-started guide.

Parallels Workstation won't let Vista run in all its transparent glory, and, here at least, it's pretty slow (on an Athlon 64 3200+ with 2Gig of RAM).

But running Vista this way does let you see for yourself what some of the fuss is about.

One annoying thing - unlike running, say, a virtual version of XP, there are as yet no accompanying Tools which would let you tweak the running of Vista for an easier life easier.

That means you can't run Vista full screen, can't copy and paste between the host and guest OSs and can't quickly set up a shared disk.

And there's no way to make it ultra easy to do things such as switching in and out of that hosted OS easier (not that it's hard to remember the Ctrl+Alt key combination that you thus need to use).

But it does work and does let you try out Vista without having to mess about with an additional hard disk or hard disk partition.

[Bob Crabtree]

Sorry, I should have also added that without the Tools updater, the mouse and pointer are a bit jerky - something I was only reminded of once I fired up Parallels a moment ago and booted it into Vista RC2 (from where I am writing this posting).

One other reason for considering Parallels - I was able to install Vista under Parallels in about half the time it's taken me to install Vista from scratch in the normal way.

However, I suspect that this might be because, with Parallels, I initially had an issue accessing the DVD burner and so ended up doing the install from the disc image of Vista, rather than from a DVD.

Whatever the case, it was WAY faster to install.

[madmobile]

I've just download it. Gonna try it when i have back my drive.

[dangel]

Sorry, I should have also added that without the Tools updater, the mouse and pointer are a bit jerky - something I was only reminded of once I fired up Parallels a moment ago and booted it into Vista RC2 (from where I am writing this posting).

One other reason for considering Parallels - I was able to install Vista under Parallels in about half the time it's taken me to install Vista from scratch in the normal way.

However, I suspect that this might be because, with Parallels, I initially had an issue accessing the DVD burner and so ended up doing the install from the disc image of Vista, rather than from a DVD.

Whatever the case, it was WAY faster to install.

Well from a disc image it should be quicker but otherwise not.. 5744 is plenty quick to install natively anyway so i don't see the issue. I'd recommend dual booting but other than that it's fine natively.

[madmobile]

I hope the windows vista won't go too pricy.

[madmobile]

I got problem installing the nvidia driver.
My 7900gtx can't get a nvidia control panel work.
With the rc1 driver, my graphic card works fine, but with the rc2 driver i got blocks on screen.

Can anyone tell me what I have done wrong here? Before you use rc2 driver, do I have to update the the bios of your motherboard? My motherboard is Asrock AFUAM2XLI-eSATA2.

[chuckskull]

A lot of the control panel is missing. If you only have one screen thats exactly ho it's supposed to be.

[nvening]

I run for a few minutes and then i got a blue screen (not a bsod, no writing) then a black screen and a restart