Microsoft Announces Private Vista SP1 Beta

Microsoft has released an invitation-only beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 1, the much anticipated reliability and enhancement update to the company's new operating system.

A posting on the Windows Vista Blog reads:

These packages consist of numerous improvements to Windows Vista based on user feedback, and while they will also ultimately be part of SP1, we're working to make them available before the final version of SP1 is released so that your Windows Vista experience is the best we can make it. But for now, they're still undergoing testing and will come your way once they're ready for prime time.

Another post on the Windows Vista blog details some of the changes found in SP1, including tweaks to the UI and feature refinements — Vista's Disk Defragmenter now allows you to choose which volumes you would like to defragment and the BitLocker Control Panel lets you choose which drives to encrypt. Another notable change is that the Search link has been removed from the Start menu.

The removal of the search link has to do with Google's complaint to state and federal regulators that the built-in search functionality in Vista limited third party programs. In response Microsoft has apparently removed the search link in the start menu, though not the actual search box. So far it's not clear how this addresses Google's complaint.

Should you happen to be a Microsoft beta tester SP1's beta can be grabbed by two different methods, a stand-alone installer or through Vista's built-in Windows Update mechanism. See the Vista blog for more details.

There's still no word on when the final version of SP1 will be available for the general public.

See Also:

• Vista Updates Hint At Coming SP1 Release
• Vista Service Pack Due in Two Weeks, Early Versions Leaked Today
• Microsoft: Damn The Rumors, No SP1 For Vista This Year
• Microsoft: Vista's 'Black Screen of Death' Is a Hoax