Late May claim for Windows 8 RC jibes with expected timetable

The time frame fits into a familiar pattern previously seen with 7.

[h=1]

Late May claim for Windows 8 RC jibes with expected timetable[/h] [h=2]Dutch blog reports next major milestone due in two months[/h] By Gregg Keizer

March 26, 2012 02:37 PM ET


Computerworld - Microsoft will launch the "release candidate" of Windows 8 in late May or early June, according to a Saturday report by a Dutch blog.

That launch window for the Windows 8 Release Candidate, or RC -- a label for nearly-finished software issued one final time for bug review -- fits with earlier reports claiming the new operating system will go on sale this October.


On Saturday, the WinUnleaked.tk website asserted that, "We know the Release Candidate of Windows 8 will be shared with the public between the end of May [and] the beginning of June." It did not cite any sources for those dates, however.


A week ago, Bloomberg said that computer and tablet makers will have Windows 8-powered PCs and devices ready to sell in October 2012.


The late May-early June talk of Windows 8 RC availability fits the expectations of analyst Michael Cherry of Directions on Microsoft, who last week said Microsoft appeared to be using a schedule that will deliver a release candidate three months after the February 29, 2012, Consumer Preview, with the RTM, or "release to manufacturing," milestone three months after that.


If Cherry is right, that would put Windows 8 RC's debut at the end of May and RTM at the end of August.

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(Note the 7 RTM release was seen on August 6, 2009)

 

[Calico]

I haven't seen the popup for that at all on VM Player 4.0 but have seen it regularly on the VMLite Workstation. The VM install is mainly a reference install anyways since I already have a working dual boot with 7 seeing the CP on a second test drive.

You can install the tools manually from the Virtual Machine Settings menu.

 

[GMan]

Thanks for the explanation Night Hawk. I learned a little somethin somethin. I wanted to give rep but the system is not letting me. I don't see the icon for it anywhere. Maybe I gave out too much or something like that, but not sure.

Edit: I just read I can't because this is the News subforum.

 

[Calico]

You wouldn't be able to install the two CPs(x86, x64) on the 32bit 7's install of VM Player which would also be 32bit! I run the 64bit Ultimate as well as the 64bit version of VM Player 4.0 being the latest version for that.

Unfortunately, that's not entirely true. The ability to run a 64bit guest on a 32bit host OS is processor dependant. Providing your processor is 64bit and it supports the correct extensions you can do this. To check you can run VMware Processor Check for 64-Bit Compatibility

 

[Night Hawk]

You wouldn't be able to install the two CPs(x86, x64) on the 32bit 7's install of VM Player which would also be 32bit! I run the 64bit Ultimate as well as the 64bit version of VM Player 4.0 being the latest version for that.

Unfortunately, that's not entirely true. The ability to run a 64bit guest on a 32bit host OS is processor dependant. Providing your processor is 64bit and it supports the correct extensions you can do this. To check you can run VMware Processor Check for 64-Bit Compatibility

Not all VM programs support even running a 64bit guest OS. For that you may see a 64bit version of the program itself which will then a 64bit guest.

The option for installing the VMware Tools is found greyed out when first running VM Player itself and unavailable once the guest OS is loaded. The drawbacks typical of a free version.

The VM is only a temporary reference install anyways since the second drive here has the direct install seen to. And even that will soon be replaced hopefully by the 8 RC. The VM option simplified grabbing screens of the repair tools you would otherwise need a camera to take while booting live from the dvd. The new logo screen and lock screens were also snapped as well.

 

[Calico]

You wouldn't be able to install the two CPs(x86, x64) on the 32bit 7's install of VM Player which would also be 32bit! I run the 64bit Ultimate as well as the 64bit version of VM Player 4.0 being the latest version for that.

Unfortunately, that's not entirely true. The ability to run a 64bit guest on a 32bit host OS is processor dependant. Providing your processor is 64bit and it supports the correct extensions you can do this. To check you can run VMware Processor Check for 64-Bit Compatibility

Not all VM programs support even running a 64bit guest OS. For that you may see a 64bit version of the program itself which will then a 64bit guest.

We are talking about VMWare here, but the same is true of Virtualbox and Parallels.

The option for installing the VMware Tools is found greyed out when first running VM Player itself and unavailable once the guest OS is loaded. The drawbacks typical of a free version.

The VM is only a temporary reference install anyways since the second drive here has the direct install seen to. And even that will soon be replaced hopefully by the 8 RC. The VM option simplified grabbing screens of the repair tools you would otherwise need a camera to take while booting live from the dvd. The new logo screen and lock screens were also snapped as well.

You still have access to VMWare Tools even when using VMWare Player. If the option is greyed out, it could be you don't have the latest version of the tools installed - check Operating System Specific Packages Home Page or when you installed the guest, you chose the wrong OS type for the VM.

 

[Night Hawk]

Without any option for 8 I had to go with "other" not 7 x64 when going to install the CPs. Selecting 7 ended up flopping when tried despite the rename of the VM to 8.

I'm not actually worried about it that much however since the "Real McCoy" install is found on the second HD here to start with for testing and evaluation. In other words a good lookover under real world circumstances while the VM is mainly a reference tool.



As you can see there with the Faststone Capture program in use on the VM it's good to have a VM while booted in 7 if you need to grab a screen to show something to someone without rebooting each time.

It's also a faster way to try something new out on the CP on VM before applying it on the install to physical drive. That can help with compatibility as well as the tweaks being seen now for 8.

 

[Calico]

Without any option for 8 I had to go with "other" not 7 x64 when going to install the CPs. Selecting 7 ended up flopping when tried despite the rename of the VM to 8...

For future reference, when you install Windows 8 in VMWare - until they add the option - choose Windows 7.

1. Create a New VM
2. Choose Install Operating System later
3. Choose Microsoft Windows/Windows 7
4. Rename to your liking
5. Store VD as single file
6. Choose Customise hardware
7. Select New CD/DVD...
8. Select Use ISO image
9. Play VM

 

[Night Hawk]

One thing I found was that VM Player is connected but not the CP guest. Someone else had mentioned the bridged connection was seeing results so I left it set that and decided to try another browser to see if it was IE 10 beta related.



The VM Ware Tools option is still greyed out and had been tried when the CP was first installed. Otherwise the external HD as well as flash drive couldn't be unmounted from host to mount on VM and vice versa. Another problem came up however with the 64bit flavor of FireFox WaterFox which took a few tries on the physical drive's installation and no surprize being stubborn on VM as well.

 

[Calico]

One thing I found was that VM Player is connected but not the CP guest. Someone else had mentioned the bridged connection was seeing results so I left it set that and decided to try another browser to see if it was IE 10 beta related.


The VM Ware Tools option is still greyed out and had been tried when the CP was first installed. Otherwise the external HD as well as flash drive couldn't be unmounted from host to mount on VM and vice versa. Another problem came up however with the 64bit flavor of FireFox WaterFox which took a few tries on the physical drive's installation and no surprize being stubborn on VM as well.

In all honesty, I'd think about reinstalling VMWare and creating a new VM, using the instructions posted above. I use various nightly builds of firefox, including the x64 builds and they all work as they should.

 

[Night Hawk]

Well the Linux VM connects without problems being the other VM presently seen. It could still be an install glitch with the 4.0 version of VM Player no less. The Workstation 8.0 indication is seen with the VM however while this is still the free not full version of VM ware being used.

As a rule I don't do much online while in a VM except any direct downloads of utilities and other things for trying out as well as any MS updates. The CP install is simply to prevent the need to reboot out of 7 while busy for a quick reference and can be left sitting idle.

The stand alone install later added in a boot option seeing a dual boot entry for either of the two drives for the other is where the real interest is! That's where trying out varous softwares and finding out where the new things are as well as what 8 will support is where the focus is.

This was a first however seeing a VM wanting device drivers! The drivers went right on but the "Failed to start hardware" Code 0x0 error is something you wouldn't expect on any VM! Every other VM has always used NAT and connected instantly regardless of version or even which OS went on!

For the time being however the focus will be more on the installation on the second drive there until the RC release is seen in late May. Another VM for that will show right off if this is from any bug in the CP that would be corrected by then.

As far as first creating a VHD in VM Player and then trying to custom install 8 onto it. Each attempt failed since VM Player still prompted for a new one either multiple or single file. That was with both Windows 7 and other chosen as the OS.

 

[Calico]

Well the Linux VM connects without problems being the other VM presently seen. It could still be an install glitch with the 4.0 version of VM Player no less. The Workstation 8.0 indication is seen with the VM however while this is still the free not full version of VM ware being used.

I was using the free VMWare Player when I posted above.

...This was a first however seeing a VM wanting device drivers! The drivers went right on but the "Failed to start hardware" Code 0x0 error is something you wouldn't expect on any VM! Every other VM has always used NAT and connected instantly regardless of version or even which OS went on!

Probably down to installation inconsistencies and choosing the incorrect OS type...

...As far as first creating a VHD in VM Player and then trying to custom install 8 onto it. Each attempt failed since VM Player still prompted for a new one either multiple or single file. That was with both Windows 7 and other chosen as the OS.

Whilst it's quite possible to convert a VHD, it's not something I'd do, given the ISO.

 

[Night Hawk]

When first opting for the Windows 7 option being the closest since the player obviously would lack an 8 option this early the VM install failed for the 32bit. The other OS option was then used for the 32bit and later for the present 64bit VM. That was then simply renamed to W8. The 8 install itself flew right along while the installation to physical hard drive started off sssslowwwwww... taking several minutes at first to see anything start loading! A full hour? 7 was only 20 minutes!

As for the attempt to custom install to any VHD created by the player the new VM simply kept requiring a totally new VHD as part of the install. I never got to the Windows drive tools part since VM Player also wanted the product key which needs to be left blank for sure in order to see any Windows install there activated later! That produces a failed install with an "unable to read unintended answer file" error.

The installation of VM Player 4.0 itself went along troublefree eliminating worry about a bad program install and with everything working well on the other VM. The next 8 VM install however would be for the RC rather then CP since I will be spending more time rebooting into the physical drive's install to work with that more.

 

[Calico]

I'm not really sure what else I can tell you. Windows 8 (x86 and x64) installs and runs as it should using VMware Player and the instructions I posted above. Are you using the latest version - 4.0.2?

 

[Night Hawk]

The latest at the time was in December 2011 being the 4.0. You had to register before download as I recall when going for VM Player. The older VMLite Workstation however still works like a champ seeing the 7 XP Mode running on the CP! That gets online without any issue being what it is.

The one other thing found is the lack of need for activation while there's no connecting. With the previous versions and their beta builds you had to see a fresh install or rearm within so many days. There was no prompting for activation while the key was required to install. The real testing however is seen on the second HD here not any VM since that will only see select changes like Start menu 7 there while all the programs are tried out on the test drive.

 

[Calico]

Download VMware Player 4.0.2

Apologies, I don't really understand the comments about activation. VMWare Player doesn't require activation. Windows 8 installation requires the product key to be entered during installation.

 

[Night Hawk]

The VM install of the CP hasn't been activated since it went on over a month ago since I haven't been able to get that connected online. With any past version the trial period would have already ended showing the CP will still run.

The release notes on this newer release point out issues with the VM tools seen with the 4.0 release.

 

[Calico]

I guess you just need to reinstall correctly.

 

[Night Hawk]

No simply install a newer version with the apparent fixes. The only VMs to ever have this problem note are the two CP installs since every other worked without issue.

Late Update on the VM. Apparently the VMware Tools never went on fully for the third CP VM. Once everything went on fresh from the start the new VM now connects instantly like it should have.



I still didn't see the "VMware Tools installing" as that goes on fast. But the first thing noticed was the lack of a red X on the network icon showing progress. Another install onto VHD from a USB Install Key didn't fare as well however. The next try will be from dvd.

Now another quick edit from the VM itself only confirming the results.