Windows Vista SP2 Released to Manufacturing

  • By Kurt Mackie
  • 04/30/09

Microsoft this week rolled out Service Pack 2 (SP2) for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008 in its "release to manufacturing" form.

The release-to-manufacturing designation typically means that the software is ready for imaging and loading on new PCs by original equipment manufacturers and system builders. It's one step beyond the release candidate final testing stage. Microsoft announced the availability of SP2 release candidate for Vista back in late February.

The final SP2 software will be available to the public sometime in the second quarter of 2009, according to Microsoft's announcement, which didn't specify an exact date.

IT pros that want to block getting SP2 through Microsoft's Automatic Update service, whenever that happens, can use Microsoft's Windows Service Pack Blocker Tool Kit. The block typically lasts for "one year after general availability of the service pack," according to the Windows Vista team blog.

The service pack blocker has already expired for Windows Vista SP1, ending on April 28, 2009. It's set to stop blocking Service Pack 3 for Windows XP May 19, 2009.

SP2 for Vista and Windows Server 2008 will contain improved search, simplified Wi-Fi setup, and added support for Blu-Ray media and Bluetooth wireless technologies. Microsoft's "Notable Changes" TechNet document describes the details.

A single installer will be available to apply the SP2 upgrade to both Vista and Windows Server 2008, according to a Microsoft Windows desktop blog.

About the Author

Kurt Mackie is online news editor, Enterprise Group, at 1105 Media Inc.

Featured

  • college student sitting at a laptop writing a college essay

    How Can Schools Manage AI in Admissions?

    Many questions remain around the role of artificial intelligence in admissions as schools navigate the balance between innovation and integrity.  

  • a hobbyist in casual clothes holds a hammer and a toolbox, building a DIY structure that symbolizes an AI model

    Ditch the DIY Approach to AI on Campus

    Institutions that do not adopt AI will quickly fall behind. The question is, how can colleges and universities do this systematically, securely, cost-effectively, and efficiently?

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • laptop screen showing Coursera course

    Coursera Introduces New Gen AI Skills Training and Credentials

    Learning platform Coursera is expanding its Generative AI Academy training portfolio with an offering for teams, as well as adding new generative AI courses, specializations, and certificates.