As of December 2, 2008, Microsoft made available for download the first fully-fledged Beta of Windows Vista Service Pack 2, via MSDN and TechNet subscribers. On December 4, the bits for Vista SP2 Beta, along with those for Windows Server 2008 SP2 Beta, went live via the Microsoft Download Center. In this regard, the Redmond company was not delivering exclusively the standalone versions of Vista SP2 and Windows Server 2008 SP2, but also the Standalone DVD ISO packages.

“Windows Server 2008/Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (SP2) Beta is an update to Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. It provides customer and partner feedback driven fixes into a single service pack, minimizing deployment and testing complexity. In addition to all previously released updates, SP2 will contain changes focused on addressing reliability and performance issues, supporting new types of hardware, and adding support for several emerging standards,” Microsoft revealed.

An integral part of the Customer Preview Program, Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta - Five Language Standalone DVD ISO contains the first public preview of the second service pack for the latest iteration of the Windows client and server operating systems. Microsoft is currently planning to deliver Service Pack 2 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008, at approximately one year after the RTM of SP1.

In this regard, the Redmond giant informed that SP1 was a prerequisite for the installation of SP2.The “DVD ISO image contains Service Pack 2 for Windows Server 2008 SP2 for x86, x64, IA-64 and Windows Vista for x86, x64. This image is only applicable to computers that have one or more of the following languages: English, German, French, Japanese, or Spanish. If you have an OS or language pack that is not one of these languages, please use the ‘All Languages’ version of Service Pack 2.”

Windows Server 2008 Service Pack 2 Beta and Windows Vista Service Pack 2 Beta - Five Language Standalone DVD ISO are available for download via this link.