Annoucement for ISO Beta Project

[gamehead200]

New BETA!

**DO NOT REPLY - THIS E-MAIL IS BEING SENT TO YOU FROM AN UNMONITORED ACCOUNT. Due to Microsoft's security requirements, the hyperlink(s) contained in this e-mail may not automatically open your browser. If you experience any difficulty, please copy the link and paste into your browser. **

Dear Windows Update Beta tester,

We are starting a new beta project!

Please Note: This beta project is unsuitable for anyone who is using Dial-up as their primary internet connection - Beta testers who use dial-up internet connections will have considerable difficulty downloading a 300MB file.  We suggest you do not participate in this beta project.

The purpose of this project is to beta test a Windows Update CD image / ISO file - English Only, plus content install testing.  This project primarily targets Windows 2000 and Windows XP users.  Windows 98, Windows 98SE, Windows ME, and NT4 users will receive a "Thank You" page from the CD which is created from the ISO files.  Again, this project requires a fast internet connection line.

The project will run from November 14, 2003 through November 24, 2003. We need to gather the majority of the data within the next few days, please help us by initiating beta testing as soon as you can.  Our goal is to resolve any issues before this package is released to public.

Information regarding ISO image files is available on the Microsoft MSDN website, which also has a link for downloading the Virtual CD utility tool (for people who have no CD Burner): http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/fa...default.asp#iso <http://msdn.microsoft.com/subscriptions/faq/default.asp>

On the <http://www.betaplace.com> site, in addition to the ISO CD image files that you need to download, we also supply tools, testing instructions, test cases, etc. that are related with this beta project.  Please go to <http://www.betaplace.com> and click on Windows Update 4.0 beta program's downloads page to download: 

1.  WUISO.zip - ISO image file for creating a Windows Update CD

2.  WUCDISOBeta.zip - Testing instructions and test cases for this project, CD content list from Windows Update CD, etc....

3.  VCD.zip - VCD Tools for creating a Virtual CD Drive and instructions

Please read the documents carefully before starting this beta project.  There is a considerable amount of information in both VCD.zip and WUCDISOBeta.zip files, and (cogently) the Testing Instructions file.

Attention to all Windows XP users, please help us to test the Windows Security Advisor section --> ICF and AU.

Download times for ISO files vary greatly.  This particular ISO file is about 300MB in size.  Typical sizes and times for the download example:

- 11.1 MB typical | 28 minutes @ 56KB | 12 minutes @ ISDN/DSL (128KB)

- 23 MB typical | 58 minutes @ 56KB | 24 minutes @ ISDN/DSL (128KB)

- 300 MB typical | 1-3 hours ISDN/DSL/Cable Modem (40 - 128KB - this is just an estimation)

Please Note: Again, this beta project is unsuitable for anyone who using Dial-up as their primary internet connection- Beta testers who use dial-up internet connections will have considerable difficulty downloading a 300MB file.  If you are using fast internet connection, and you still experience slow download speed, please be patient, this is the only suggestion I have for this slow speed issue.

Thank you!

Windows Update Beta Program