Brief: Microsoft Offers Everyone Vista RC1 Update

Microsoft on Friday not only issued a Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 update to the usual select testers, but also posted the build on its Web site for public download.

The update, which Microsoft tagged as build 5728 and carries the moniker "External Developer Workstation," or EDW, wrote Vista product manager Nick White on the team's blog, can be downloaded by anyone. "We are making this release available for a limited time only in order to get broad distribution and testing in a variety of PC configurations."

"This build has a number of improvements and updates from RC1, but has not been put through the same internal testing process as RC1," warned White.

The 2.6GB .iso file can be downloaded from this Microsoft site.

Microsoft began rolling out Windows Vista RC1 (build 5600) to public testers earlier this month.