14 DAY TRIAL // On the heels of the RTM build of Windows Live OneCare 2.0, Microsoft is now offering for download a beta version of the security solution. Now, the Redmond company has been completely mute about the new build of Windows Live OneCare 2.0 delivered, and there are no official details available at this time. Still, the new iteration of OneCare 2.0 is an evolution compared with the RTM release, even if it is a minor one. Essentially, Microsoft has moved Windows Live OneCare 2.0.2500.10 to build 2.0.2500.12.
The new build does not carry a Beta tag per se, but it is offered for download via origin.beta.windowsonecare.com/cli/latest/setuponecare.exe, definitely pointing to the fact that it is a testing release. My best guess at this time is that build 2.0.2500.12 is nothing more than an update for OneCare 2.0 that is yet to be finalized and served to users. The Redmond company is simply test driving the update, and this would explain its availability. Microsoft has failed to issue any official comments on the new Beta release.
Windows Live OneCare 2.0 was unveiled in mid November 2007. The complete OneCare 2.0, which initially went into beta back in July, introduced support for 64-bit Windows Vista. The previous version of the security solution was only designed to integrate with the 32-bit editions of both Vista and Windows XP SP2. However, even with the availability of OneCare 2.0, Microsoft has still failed to deliver support Windows XP SP2 64-bit, and the company did not reveal any future plans to do so.
With OneCare, Microsoft is overing an all-in-one security solution tailored on multi-PC households. A single license for OneCare allows the user to run the antivirus on no less than three machines in the home. And in this context, OneCare does not only offer protection, but also multi-machine management capabilities along with options for centralized backup.
Windows Live OneCare 2.0.2500.10 and 2.0.2500.12 can be downloaded from here.