Most users and partners will have to wait until mid-March to gets their mitts on Windows Vista Service Pack 1’s (SP1) “golden” bits, but BitTorrent aficionados already have them available for download.
This development proves that, try as it might, Microsoft cannot stop every hacker who wants to leak pre-release software to the Web.
Meanwhile, a company official posted a blog entry Thursday outlining which Microsoft products and tools will work with Vista’s counterpart, Windows Server 2008, and when.
Both Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008 were “released to manufacturing” earlier this week.
However, because some hardware vendors’ device drivers don’t follow Microsoft’s rules for installation and cause problems for some users, the company is delaying general availability of SP1 until mid-March, according to a post on the Windows Vista Team Blog Monday by Mike Nash, corporate vice president of Windows product management.
The delay has resulted in an outcry from some users who don’t want to wait. In most cases, Microsoft admits, the problems can be resolved by reinstalling the drivers after installing SP1. Additionally, some partners have reportedly been pushing Microsoft to enable them to ship SP1 sooner than mid-March.
“So it’s done…but we won’t be able to actually get it for another six weeks? That would be incredibly frustrating…but why would we have to wait another six weeks for a download center download?” asked one comment on Microsoft’s Windows Vista Team Blog this week.
Earlier in the week, downloads that purport to be the SP1 golden bits began showing up on numerous BitTorrent sites such as thepiratebay.org and bitDig.com. Microsoft, of course, takes a dim view of such leaks, and is warning users to be careful of counterfeits masquerading as the real thing.
“Microsoft cautions consumers and businesses that downloading software from a non-genuine source can pose risks to their environment,” a company spokesperson told InternetNews.com in an e-mailed statement.
In the meantime, Windows Server 2008 will be available for download in late February and for sale to new customers on March 1. Windows Server 2008 will be feted, along with Visual Studio 2008 and SQL Server 2008, at Microsoft’s “Heroes Happen Here” launch event in Los Angeles on February 27.
To clarify for IT staffers and developers, Neil Hutson, a Microsoft evangelist, in a blog entry outlined which Microsoft products and tools will work with Windows Server 2008 and when that support will be available
On general availability, Windows Server 2008 will support the .NET Framework 2.0 through 3.5, Dynamics CRM 4.0, Visual Studio 2008, Exchange Server 2007 SP1, and SQL Server 2005 SP2, as well as SharePoint Server and SharePoint Services 3.0 SP1. It will also support Forefront Security Server 1.0, along with several System Center products – Data Protection Manager 2007, Configuration Manager 2007 and Operations Manager 2007.
During the first half of the year, Microsoft plans to add support for Dynamics AX 2009, Microsoft Operations Manager SP1, Forefront Client Security SP1, Configuration Manager 2007 SP1 and System Center Essentials 2007.
In the second half of the year, the company will continue to add to the products Windows Server 2008 will support, including SQL Server 2008, set to ship in the third quarter. Others include Application Virtualization 4.5, System Center Virtual Machine Manager and Commerce Server 2007.
What will not be supported, according to the blog post, are Systems Management Server 2003 and System Center Reporting Manager.
“Some server products are missing from the list. More will be known in the coming months, but this is a pretty complete list,” Hutson added.
