Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Hi my name is Elee Yang and I work on the Windows Beta Team. I manage the File System, networking DHCP, Server Technologies, NT backup, System Restore and System Recovery reports. If you want to reach me directly you can email me at a-elyang@microsoft.com or send me an instant message. If I am not there, I'll try to get back to you.

Tony Chu Jr [MS] (Expert):
Greetings - My name is Tony Chu. My role is to process beta customers’ bugs related to LUA, Security, Event Viewer, Tablet PC, and WDK for the Windows Beta Team. My email address is a-tonych@microsoft.com <mailto:a-tonych@microsoft.com>

RichL [MS] (Expert):
Hi everyone, My name is Rich L. I work on the Windows Beta Team and triage bugs for application compatability
 

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Hi everyone, My name is Carl D. I work on the Windows Beta Team and triage issues for Shell, Windows Media Player, and Media Center.

Christina[MS] (Expert):
Hi - I'm Christina Hughes and I serve as the Windows Beta Team coordinator. I assist with posting content on Microsoft Connect and getting

Xi Wu [MS] (Expert):
Hello, my name is Xi Wu and I work on the hardware team. I deal with bugs on video, network device drivers, USB Core, PnP/Power Management and Bluetooth.

Gawain [MS] (Expert):
I'm Gawain O'Connor. I work on the Windows Beta Team on TCP/IP and home networking bugs and issues dealing with Outlook Express.

If you like, you can contact me directly at a-gawoc@microsoft.com

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
A: Hi Colin^ :)

Lara Jones [MS] (Expert):
Hi, I'm Lara Jones and I work on the Windows Beta Team. I’m part of the hardware team and my specific areas are documentation and help, device support and printing and imaging technologies. I can be reached at a-ljones@microsoft.com

RichardD[MS] (Expert):
Hi! My name is Richard Dominguez and I am responsible for handling bugs relating to Audio/Core Storage/Personal Storage & Biometric drivers. Thanks!

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: To get your honest perspective on things, how pleased is the Windows Team with the development of Windows Vista and the other technologies such as Internet Explorer 7 for XP SP2?
A: Hi, my name is Tenny and I work with the beta tools and processes used to submit bug reports.

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Hello, I'm Jessep and I handle all of the bug processing for all of your IE7 issues in both Vista as well as XPSP2.

Many of you are already familiar with who I am from the newsgroups and communicating through connect but if you have any additional questions, please feel free to let me know at a-jbang@microsoft.com! I'll always do my best to get back to you as soon as possible. Thanks!

Dean Frost [MS] (Expert):
Hi, my name is Dean Frost and I work on the Windows Beta Team. I triage a good portion of the setup/install bugs.

Mike A [MS] (Expert):
Hello, I'm Mike Adams and work on the Windows Beta Team. My main area of focus is Shell. You can reach me at a-miadam@microsoft.com and I'll try to get back to people.

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Yes, it is a very large amount of us here to talk with you today Ytterbium. ;)

James A [MS] (Expert):
Hi everyone, I'm James. I'm on the Windows Beta Team handling Setup, Terminal Services, Activation, and various other miscellaneous bugs. Thanks for being here! I'm going to get to some of your questions now. :)

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is there more to Windows Vista than what we are currently testing, is there more to expect in terms of functionality and user interface enhancements in future builds of the product?
A: Yes, there is always more going on than you see immediately and there are a lot of extras that you will see in coming builds.

As for UI enhancements, there are a couple of specifics that you will notice immediately and others that are more back-end.

We can't give you exacts but as always, good things come to those who wait. ;)

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is an updated version of the Windows Automated Installation Kit going to be released before Beta 2?
A: We will likely release a new one before Beta 2. I don't have an exact schedule right but we'd like to get one out to you.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: i singed up to have the CDs mailed to me since downloading is not too convenient for me. i haven't gotten a new build since the first one. will i?
A: Media is usually only sent out for milestone builds; not interim builds.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: When will you release the November CTP? Only 2 days left of November!
A: There will be no CTP for Vista in November because we are targeting for most features to be code-complete by end of December and resources efforts are going towards that effort. We should have a CTP in December before the Christmas holiday. These interim changes have no impact on our general availability target for Windows Vista.  We are on track to deliver a high-quality Windows Vista in the 2nd half of 2006.

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: What about shutdown? I would like to see an optional button to Re-start
A: This was considered but due to lack of time and "real estate" in that area it has been earmarked for later review.

Christina[MS] (Expert):
Q: I would like to know something localised, especially on the Chinese (Hong Kong) side. I can see in Vista there are already options of supporting HKSCS characters out of the box. Will there be sufficient time to get in HKSCS-2004?
A: Thanks for your question. At this time there are no plans to release Chinese localized versions, however, this may change.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: when will be get a new server build to test
A: We hope to get one out in CTP form. I don't have a date for you right now, but we're focused on getting to feature complete and driving your feedback into Vista right now. The work we are doing on server is increasing though.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Hi: What's the minimum machine for beta test
A: Exact details for minimum specs haven't been released yet, but generally if it rund Windows XP well you are in good shape. This can vary depending on availablility of specific device drivers.

Jarrod [MS] (Expert):
Q: This is my first beta. I would like to see some examples of good bug finds so I can hone my bugging skills. Can there be a tutorial or place that new beta testers can get info?
A: We are working on providing documents in the Newsgroups and other enhancements(to come later) to give you better information on writing good bugs. You can also ask the MVP's in the Newsgroups for advice on this as well.

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: Have we offended the Vista team in anyway? Is this why you guys don't tell us anything anymore?
A: No, you haven't offended the Vista team. Please don't take offense that we haven't been communicating as much recently as we have been very busy. Also, we are rarely in the position to communicate things that aren't already disclosed. Sorry for any confusion this may cause and were sure that with the upcoming build releases you will be much more satisfied.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: Connect is still sending e-mail notifications when nothing visible has changed in a bug report. Is this problem any closer to being fixed?
A: We are working with the Connect team to resolve this issue. Has the issue been getting better, same or worse from the past? Send me mail or post in the newsgroup and I'll continue to follow up. In addition, you can also try contacting mchelp@microsoft.com for additional support for Connect issues.

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is Vista getting faster in the later builds you've been testing? Also what about a MCE is that coming soon?
A: Vista performance is most definately improving. I'm not clear on the MCE question?

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will you include System Restore feature on servers versions ?
A: It will eventually but we don't have specifics right now.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Can someone clear up what seems to be confusion on the groups over the release of Build 5259? Did it go to selected testers or TAP because date of release and extent seems confused. I notice Mario mentions it today.
A: A specific, small group of partners received access to 5259. It is an IDW build and has not gone through the CTP testing process.

Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will System Restore in Windows Vista actually work correctly? I'm having issues running System Restore in Windows XP, when the machine restarts it just reports that it failed to restore.
A: Are you trying to run system restore for your XP drive or Vista Drive?

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: re: [145] Tenny: The e-mail notification problem does not seem to have got any better.
A: Ok, thanks for the followup. I'll continue following up with the Connect team.

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: Hello; I tried to install IE7 - but it failed. I installed Vista - but it was a disaster. I tried to send bug report, but beta client failed when retrieving passport authentication. How can I participate? I posted about it in ng - no response. 8ol
A: It sounds like you might have gotten a corrupt install. While people might not have replied in the newsgroups, there are many posts from earlier in the beta about installation issues and cleaning them up/repairing the install. I hope this helps!

Mike A [MS] (Expert):
Q: when is MS antispyware going to be reconized by Security Center?
A: Good question, a lot of programs are still being integrated into the build itself. I can say that a newer, unproven test build currently seems to have this integrated with some minor changes. Basically yes, it will be (already is) recognized in newer test builds.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Please could you tell us what is happening with the CTP program?
A: Please see Sam's resposne to the question about the November CTP.

Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Q: Can we expect IPv6 and IPSec in Windows Vista?
A: IPv6 and IPSec should be avaliable on Vista builds.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: What is the Windows Team doing to be more transparent with testers when it comes to updating us on the progress of Vista, in terms of notifying us of problems during development and last minute glitches?
A: We try to give you as much information as possible, but we are sometimes limited in what we can say because of the open nature of beta programs. Unfortunately we share information and it gets around the Internet instantly. Given that we can sometimes only tell everyone on the techbeta what we could tell the rest of the world.

Lara Jones [MS] (Expert):
Q: Wireless NIC support, When will it get better and whick cards first?
A: I don’t have specifics on wireless support at this time. Several support bugs are still open. If your bug is active and open, then the driver is still waiting on a check in. If the bug was resolved back as "won’t fix" or "by design" then your card will not be supported.

Rich L [MS] (Expert):
A: Vista will be released on DVD only due to its size.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: will there be a GUI version of BCDedit ?
A: We are working on ways to improve the editing of the boot selections. But I don't have all the details yet. It should be easier than the current command line only options.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is it possible to give a better Idea for whom the Feature fiocus is ment, at the moment there is a bit of confusion on Whom it is aimed at. w
A: Feature Focus is not targeted for any particular group so open to everyone. It is meant to give testers a focused testing scenario so would be great for users familiar to the feature as well as users who have never used that feature before to help us iron out any issues and increase usability.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Speculation is rampant across the Internet, enthusiast sites, forums and even in the Longhorn newsgroups, how has this affected the development of Windows Vista and what is your opinion on this new trend?
A: The interest and feedback we get from the CTP's is helpful and has driven us to get to feature complete faster so we can get more useful feedback. The speculation and rumors that appear don't really have a direct affect on the development process. While we appreciate everyone's enthusiasm, speculating on features, release dates and build numbers doesn't really add value to the overall process of releasing a quality Windows.

Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Q: I had issues with nVidia networking and VPN connections. Will this be resolved in future builds or is it a driver issue that must be resolved by nVidia?
A: The current release 5231's VPN functions do not work fully, however in the newer builds it appears that VPN functionality works fine. The best way to test this is re-test this scenario when the newer release is avaliable. Also, if this is a Nvidia driver issue, it could get messy and will probably require Nvidia to get involved. Thanks.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: Don't you think that allowing submission of bugs on the official connect site then using the submit bug tool will prouve more productive? I find more usefull to submit bugs from different machine then the testing ones without installing a submitbug tool..
A: The primary reason we ask users to submit from the test machine is that the MBC auto grabs log and system files pertinent to investigating the bug.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: We need an interactive beta program. Hire Wendy, she's been just amazing with the R2 program!
A: I've personally talked to Wendy about all the things she did on the R2 beta to get an idea of where we can improve. She isn't available for us to hire right now, but who knows what the future might bring. I told her that we had seen a lot of positive feedback from people in our beta and she was very happy about that.

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: I saw a link to http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/scenarios/scenarios.aspx in a newsgroup posting, but did not find a link on connect to it. Are those the scenarios you want tested for each build?
A: No, that is the address for our "feature focus" system so that we can get feedback on specific issues from everyone.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: My Connect.microsoft area doesn't seem to have a bug submission area. Is there an email I can send bugs to instead?
A: You should be using the Microsoft Beta Client (MBC) to submit bug reports. It's available for download from the Connect website download page.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is there more to Windows Vista than what we are currently testing, is there more to expect in terms of functionality and user interface enhancements in future builds of the product?
A: You will see changes as we move forward. Also, one of the reasons we want to get to feature complete sooner is so we can get the complete feature set in your hands sooner to get your feedback.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Since Vista's size was mentioned, why do OS releases keep growing on disk usage? Wouldn't it be wise to throw away legacy at some point? Or at least modularize it so it will be optional to install?
A: Backwards compatibility is a very delicate subject and has little to do with the actual size of the OS on the disk. We have to be very careful about what we take out as it has huge implications for appcompat and other things.

Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Q: Have the Home Networking features (eg.setup a home network) been integrated back into Vista's recent builds?
A: The networking wizard is undergoing some changes. There should be new options to "setup a network".

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: The FEATURE FOCUS is a great idea can we see more of these AND include some of the chat room discussions with the experts?
A: That's a good idea and while I can't make any promises for the content of the feature focus site I will make sure it gets passed on for you. We are definitely working on the feature focus actively and appreciate ideas like this to help make it more robust!

Christina[MS] (Expert):
Q: What about german newsgroup support and localized builds?
A: We are currently planning on German localization in the future.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Can the vista beta become more interactive as the r2 beta was??
A: We are always interested in ways we could improve. You should send your specific suggestions to me, pauldon@microsoft.com and we will absolutely see what we can do to improve.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: TennyC [MS] (Expert): what if beta client fails? there must be alternative way to submit bugs
A: I can work with you to resolve any problems you are having. Sorry, currently there is no alternative way to submit a bug report. Send me the behavior/error you are seeing to tennyc@microsoft.com.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Can I ask about the issue of Ebay selling builds of Windos Vista and the issue of priracy? I found someone selling this for 15 dollars?What is Windows - Microsoft oppion on this?
A: This is not legal. Send all reports of this to LHABUSE@MICROSOFT.COM. We will get them removed as quickly as possible.

Dean Frost [MS] (Expert):
Q: Install times seem to be incredibly long with my machine. Athlon 64 3200+ takes over an hour to install both x86 and x64 versions. Is this due to the beta status or will the final builds take just as long?
A: The retail product should be much faster. In beta 2, staged builds should be implemented and average install times are supposed to be around 20 minutes, on average machines.

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: Could you add built in Repair Windows tool other than recovery console, something that will refresh files from Windows Vista, not an upgrade either?
A: Have you submitted this as a suggestion? If not please do.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is this chat NDA?
A: Contents of this chat should not be shared beyond beta participants until after 2PM Pacific today. After that you are free to share.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: tenny that is an issue when you can't connect to the internet in vista. due to drivers for nforce 2 mobo's:(
A: I assume you are referring to submitting bug reports; you'll probably need to use another machine to submit them since an alternative would be web submission but that would not help you in this case as well :(

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: For the next CTP, can we get more mirrors up? Download speeds are too slow otherwise. (Partic. Middle East)
A: Sorry, no new plans for this right now.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: will we start to see IDW builds like in the r2 beta
A: We are committed to releasing CTP builds for Vista and Longhorn. This provides a higher quality build than just an IDW build when we release.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: As a programmer I'd be very dissapointed if Microsoft does not release a CTP in the near future so that I can use the new SDK and the final version of the Framework. Will the recently released SDK be compatible with the next CTP? Does the 2.0 Framework com
A: I completely understand. We are working on releasing a December CTP before the Christmas holiday that you can use for this.

Mike A [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will the load driver option in Vista setup allow you to browse folders for a device driver?
A: In terms of updating drivers via something like device manager the answer is yes, you can browse folders to locate a specific file/driver.

James A [MS] (Expert):
Q: When will it be possible to phone in the activation. I keep having to reinstall whenever activation kicks in
A: We're hoping to have it in builds before or by Beta 2, but I don't know any specifics beyond that.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: What is Microsoft doing to seek out the leakers in beta programs and remove them?
A: We are constantly investigating leaks. There are thousands of people on the beta though and it's a difficult task. If you have any information you can send it to lhabuse@microsoft.com. If we identify beta participants violating the T&Cs or the EULA they will be removed from the beta.

Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Q: Elee: On Windows XP, System Restore doesn't work, I was wondering if the functionality and reliability will have increased in Vista?
A: I am aware that the older builds such as 5231 and below. However the latest builds running in the labs appear to be functionally fine. Hope this helps.

RichardD[MS] (Expert):
Q: Upcoming builds will have better driver support? At the very least, I'd like to see all the drivers from WinXP on Vista as well!? Can't tell you how many drivers are missing from our various platforms and thus REALLY making it hard to test.
A: Depending on the supplier of drivers, and what type of driver (x86 x64), we do plan to include more drivers for furture builds. Because we do not create 3rd party drivers, it is very difficult to ascertain exact build dates for new driver implementation. As a beta customer, we encourge you to write up driver request bugs for the devices you are having trouble with. Thanks

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: What does IDW and CTP mean?
A: A lot of people get confused by this because these terms get used by different teams at Microsoft for different things. IDW is an internal term that has made its way to our techbeta. It stands for Interim Developer Release. Basically the quality is good enough for us to release it to the general technical population inside and (now) out side Microsoft. This is still lower in quality than out beta programs.

CTP = Community Technology Preview. This is a generic term that could potentially apply to any Microsoft pre-release. For Windows it generally means the releases that we make available to Techbeta (all of you) and MSDN.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will there be a refresh IE7 Build on XP?
A: Eventually there will be, but there isn't exact date info yet.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: To Paul or Sam -- We were told originally we could expect a mid-November release of a CTP to technical testers. This has obviously since been "cancelled." Is there some reason we are only just hearing about it now?
A: We only recently finalized the plan for the CTP's and given the long holiday weekend this is the soonest we could share the infomation.

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will we ever be able to right click the desktop and change the picture to one of our own?
A: Yes :)

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Can we post portions of this chat online?
A: Not until after 2PM pacific today. Then you may share.

Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Q: I seem to have issues with Chkdsk on Vista based NTFS partitions, it (Chkdsk) indicates an /F recommended but if queued up it never resolves the issue. Also several Imaging products that work on XP based NTFS do not work with the Vista versions.
A: This is a known issue and is currently being investigated by the developers. Now if the imaging products are 3rd party applications, it might be an app compat issue. Hope this helps.

James A [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is the GUI-less server a firm product - I see a lot of customer demand for this for those roles.
A: Server Foundation (the command-line only server) is, as far as I know, planned to be an install/configuration option for the Longhorn Server package that you can select during setup. The only reason that it is a separate download in the tech beta at the moment is because we simply hadn't integrated it into Setup yet.

RichardD[MS] (Expert):
Q: Will more SATA/RAID drivers be included in Beta 2 and RTM? It seems odd that for what is pretty standard HW these days you have to manually load drivers during setup.
A: Yes! We do plan on implementing a lot more SATA/RAID drivers for furture builds. We understand that during the early beta stage, thier was a lack of Core Storage support.

Gawain [MS] (Expert):
Q: Are there any plans to incorporate SSH? Telnet is ancient, archaic and provides little security. While we still need it to talk to our hardware devices, soemthing secure like SSH would be very helpful.
A: We have an active issue on improving telnet / adding ssh, so I know the development team is aware of it.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: SamW:: Three cheers for Wendy! But the R2 beta left a very high standard for the Vista team to shoot for.
A: I know I'm not Sam, but I'll speak for him anyway here. Sam met with Wendy recently to talk about R2 and what they did on that program. We'd like to hear what your thoughts are about what you liked and didn't like about R2. Please send your comments to Sam and I. We're actively looking to make this the best beta yet so please tell us what we could do to achieve that.

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will the timezone issue be fixed in the upcoming CTP?
A: There were quite a few issues reported. Most of these should be fixed in the next release. Could you be more specific?

James A [MS] (Expert):
Q: How come Windows vista takes over an 1 hr to install when XP took 35 minutes
A: The first priority is getting the feature set in place and making sure that everything works right. This is common practise for all software development. Performance is usually handled later in development. So it will definitely get faster, but right now we want to make sure first that everything's working okay. :)

SamW [MS] (Expert):
A: I'm not sure, but I will certainly look into it.

Lara Jones [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will updated video card drivers be included with the next CTP? ATI X800XL refuses to do anything other than 75hz even though I select from 60hz - 85 hz on my CRT. I'm guessing it is driver based.
A: This is a monitor based issue.

Tony Chu Jr [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is the Language Bar going to work on the task bar again?
A: Yes, there have been a lot of fixes in that area. We hope to have that functionality to be working properly in the near future. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

MarkL (Moderator):
This chat will be posted to the Connect site and Vista newsgroups, but if you’d like to post it on your blogs, do not post it there or release ANY information until after 2pm Pacific time. Thanks!

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: I know Microsoft doesnt usually give dates out, but when will Beta 2 of IE7 be released? We've heard nothing for the past 6 months.
A: 42. :)

James A [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will we ever see a Windows (Server) release that boots into a textmode console, not loading any UI components at all?
A: This is the Windows Server Foundation (at least, that's what we're calling it at the moment. The name may change.) and it is planned to be an install option during setup of Longhorn Server.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: What is the Windows Team doing to be more transparent with testers when it comes to updating us on the progress of Vista, in terms of notifying us of problems during development and last minute glitches?
A: We try to share things with you as we can via the newsgroups or chats like these. We also are working on getting features added to the Connect site that will allow better communication. Keep in mind that if we share information and it leaks it makes it less likely we'll again share similar information.

Mike A [MS] (Expert):
Q: When will we see a new startup screen?
A: This area is already changing in some of our test builds we have. I don't believe all of this is in our builds yet either but the basic answer is yes you will be seeing it in upcoming builds. When depends on the release of the next build (See answers to those many questions :) )

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Just a reminder everyone. We can't really answer FEATURE specific questions. The questions we can help with are releated to the running of the techbeta itself. :)

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: Why can't we have independent desktop resolutions in different user accounts, why does everybody have to use the same resolution on the same account?
A: This has been sent in as a suggestion and is being considered.

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: Are we supposed to be seing replies to any of these questions? If so How do I turn it on.
A: Yes, the replies are being submitted to the live chat in the "Answers from the experts" window. You might have it minimized or out of view.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: With most of the emphasis on applications, as it should be, is the compatibility of games high on the MS list? And are you receiving enough feedback on what issues are being encountered?
A: Yes, game/entertainment/edutainment app isues are also high on the list. Keep the bug reports coming if you see any issues.

Tony Chu Jr [MS] (Expert):
Q: When will we see a new startup screen?
A: There are some work in progress in this area. We hope that you will be pleased when it is all completed.

Lara Jones [MS] (Expert):
Q: When can we expect to see drivers for MCE Tuner Cards?
A: Drivers are constantly checking in at different times. As we become code complete, tuner cards should be supported.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: In final, will LUA prompt the user for a password or just to allow the action?
A: It prompts for passwords now, unless you are logged in as an Administrator.

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: To Jessep: I am not asking about the install. I'm asking how can I report bugs if the only way is beta client, and it fails.
A: If you are experiencing the problems specifically in the MBC then I would reinstall the client. If you are still having problems, please post the issue in the newsgroups again and direct it to me so that I can try and get it figured out for you.

Xi Wu [MS] (Expert):
Q: How does Interin Developer Release = IDW? Shouldn't it be IDR?
A: IDW=Interin Developer Workstation

IDS=Interin Developer Server

James A [MS] (Expert):
Q: Microsoft? What is happening with the install process and the speed of installtion? Will this be any faster or equivilant to Windows XP
A: Setup, as you can probably tell, has been completely re-written from the ground up, so as I said we're putting the majority of our effort right now into making sure that the features are in and working before we start handling performance issues. But we are well aware of its slow speed right now, and our plan is to have it much faster, and our internal goal is to get it down to around 20 minutes from start to finish.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: To get your honest perspective on things, how pleased is the Windows Team with the development of Windows Vista and the other technologies such as Internet Explorer 7 for XP SP2?
A: I can speak for the beta team really, the Windows Team is rather large and I suppose I can't answer from all theri perspective. We're eager to get to feature complete since the feedback we get from that point on is much more solid and easy to deal with. The CTP releases we've done have allowed us to confirm progress and get new feedback on the new features that we've added quickly.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will the image based install (WIM) be incorporated to the new builds (December CTP)?
A: Right now I don't think so. It's coming soon.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: Can I upgrade previous builds of Vista? I mean there's no need to reinstall Vista from scratch whenever a new build is coming out, right?
A: Interim build upgrades are not supported.

Tony Chu Jr [MS] (Expert):
Q: When will MS be setting forth the diff min. hardware requirement for Vista?
A: That is our plan to provide that type of information in the near future. Thank you for your patience and understanding.

James A [MS] (Expert):
Q: Are there known issues using Remote Desktop Connect from Windows XP SP2 to Windows Vista Build 5231?
A: We've received a few bugs, but all in all it's been working pretty solidly.

Jarrod [MS] (Expert):
Q: At one of the events MS held, they gave out "shotglasses". How bout giving those to the testers as prizes?
A: We are giving out many different prizes for the top bug filers on this beta.(tshirts, etc.) Shot glasses are not on the list, but it's a good idea. Although, we wouldn't want to promote TWI(Testing While Intoxicated), since we've gotten some interesting bugs in the past. ;-)

Dean Frost [MS] (Expert):
Q: Dean: What is a staged build exactly?
A: A staged build is supposed to lay down a generic Windows image for almost every machine. Once that is complete, hardware specific drivers and user settings are applied. This is supposed to be much faster than the current system.

Christina[MS] (Expert):
Thank you all for your questions on MCE. We do not have any experts from that team on this chat. We will let their team know that there is interest in having a chat with their team!

Jessep B [MS] (Expert):
Q: Hi Jessep, what are the changes that we need to be aware of related to ActiveX support in IE 7 on XP SP2. Where can I find more information on this?
A: We are working on information about this so please email me so I can followup on this further with you. a-jbang@microsoft.com

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Are FAT32 partitions (data) useable from current beta?
A: Yes they are, but like Windows XP the size limit for creating them is 32GB per partition.

Elee Yang [MS] (Expert):
Q: who would we talk to regarding longhorn server core?
A: I handle the triage for the server core and can ping the developers regarding any server core issue.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Which areas of Windows Vista would you like to get more emphasis on when it comes to testing and could you briefly outline known areas that testers should avoid?
A: We hope to use the Feature Focus and other directed testing efforts to highlight things like this.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is there any way to clear Beta Client cookies? I keep being told "InvalidCredentials" even after I reinstalled the beta client! Yes, I changed my password for the passport Im using but I dont remember the old password. There must be a way to reset cookies!
A: If this revolves around the Passport authentication, you can try removing the 'ticket.xml' file from %userprofile%AppDataLocalBeta client. That will force you to enter your Passport credentials again when you submit a bug report.

Tony Chu Jr [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will there be any major improvements on Tablet PC in the upcoming build?
A: There have been a lot of activities in that area. We will post further information on that regard in the near future. Thank you for your enthusiasm and support for Tablet PC.

Mike A [MS] (Expert):
Q: I cannot install 5231 or beta 1 successfully on my Dell Inspiron 6000. Filled a bug but no one from MS touched it in the previous two weeks. I cannot see how this is going to be fixed in the foreseeable future because there is (a) a clear lack of (..)
A: I was recently able to get some attention to something like this we got. You can send it directly to me but we'll have to pick and choose what we want to try and push through. a-miadam@microsoft.com

Gawain [MS] (Expert):
Q: Are there plans to make networking for homes and small businesses less glitchy in Vista than it seems to be from the large number of snags that the 27 million XP SP2 users seem to be having configuring their networks, and also sp2 glitches in conn. to web?
A: Yep, in fact lots of changes are being made to the networking section. Look forward to big differences in the next build.

Dean Frost [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will the setup for Windows Vista have the ability to have the Registered User/Organization as well as time zone options, etc like in Windows XP's setup routine, or are you phasing the Registered User/Organization information out of Windows?
A: The goal is to have setup be as much of a "set it and forget it" experience as possible. Beta 2 should have the ability to enter regional settings for timezone and keyboard, etc. User/Organization will either be entered at this time, or once setup is complete. I don't believe it has been finalized for sure as of yet. There should also, of course, be more advanced setup for IT professionals, through unattend and the Windows Automated Install Kit.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Is it not possible for the TechBeta to have builds other than CTP? Even if its more of a 'try at your own risk' to me, thats what beta testing is about. Emphasis of the techbeta group seems to of changed from that of other betas.
A: We really feel that we owe you a build that has a known quality level. Anything less than CTP builds have unknown quality levels and usually contain problems that would cause certain groups of people significant pain. Also, we need to get builds into a state where we are prepared to get feedback. It's not particularly productive to sort through feedback on a build that winds up having significant problems which we already are aware of or have since fixed.

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: When is Media Center going to work on Vista 64 or has it been fixed on a later build?
A: Media Center is currently blocked in build 5231 by two issues which affects all machines.

SamW [MS] (Expert):
Q: Elee - Give us a new build!!
A: Sorry, Elee can't authorize new builds. :)

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: Connect site has a bug that to sign in for many users even if you have already signed in with Passport that you have to sign out and hit the sign in button on the connect page and sign in again(closing others Can you please let the Connect team know this?
A: Will do. Please submit a bug report if you have not already.

Mike A [MS] (Expert):
Q: Just a note to say thanks for having more experts available on this chat, and giving more answers. It's much appreciated.
A: :) Thank you (as a tester). The more input we get like this helps all of us.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: Paul, when you said you workng to be code-complete by the end of December, just what does this mean in terms of further changes in Vista during the Beta Program?
A: It means that we will focus mostly on bug fixes once we get to code complete. All feedback is considered and may result design changes if it's warranted. Those things are weighed case by case.

TennyC [MS] (Expert):
Q: follow up [424] : Tenny, Could that kind of info be put in black and white on connect? It's a frequent occuring thing ..(req: put a known issue MBC list on connect plz)
A: Hmm, I thought there was a faq up there. I'll look into it and post some faqs/workarounds. Thanks.

Tony Chu Jr [MS] (Expert):
Q: Will there be any large improvements on the Tablet PC functionality?
A: That is definitely our aim to continuously improving the Tablet PC functionality. That is why the Tablet PC team has been working tirelessly day and night in meeting that goal. We hope that the final product will please you when it is all completed.

Lara Jones [MS] (Expert):
Q: Several times MS people have asked me for further information in the Connect bug reporting area, but then do not include their email address. Please try to give us your address when you ask for a direct reply, thanks.
A: The Connect site provides a means to track correspondence and feedback directly. If you need to respond to a comment, you can post your reply right on the site. This is probably why MS personnel have not been providing their email address. I know that I never do unless I am closing a bug or I need a file. Also, if we reply to you directly and the bug is marked public, that feedback is lost to others.

Paul Donnelly [MS] (Expert):
Q: do you have any funky stats any where showing testers locations and systems they are running?
A: I've got some analysis I've done. We have testers in all 50 states and in over 100 countries right now. Perhaps the most remote testers is on the island of Saipan.

Carl D [MS] (Expert):
Q: WHat should our job now since the builds Microsoft has is LATER than the one we hav4? Should we wait till the next release or should we sstill test the version we have?
A: Please continue to test 5231 until the next drop. I receive several new issues per week. You guys are awesome.

James A [MS] (Expert):
Q: What ports are used when activating Vista? I'm having trouble activating through our corporate firewall (no proxy authentication is required).
A: As far as I know Activation uses port 80. If you're having trouble activating, it might