Redmond refreshes Longhorn Server build

Microsoft has released a refresh to Longhorn Server Beta 2, which appeared in May, offering bugfixes and improvements in performance and reliability, according to the company.

The August Community Technology Preview (CTP) of Longhorn Server, build 5600, was released to Microsoft Developer Network and TechNet subscribers over the weekend. The release comes on the heels of Windows Vista Release Candidate 1, which appeared at the beginning of September. Vista is scheduled for completion in January 2007.

Microsoft released Beta 2 versions of Windows Vista and Longhorn Server at the same time in May but Longhorn isn't due until late 2007. A Longhorn Server Beta 3 is planned for the first half of next year.

The company said it has ported all the core improvements made to Vista into the new build of Longhorn Server as well. That boils down primarily to improvements in stability and performance, including boot time and set-up time, it said. Microsoft has said Vista and Longhorn Server will share a common code base.

Known problems include issues with BitLocker encryption when a system wakes from hibernation, and incompatibility with the Subsystem for Unix-Based Applications. Users have also reported problems installing the build in VMware virtual machines.

Other Microsoft releases in recent days include the Visual Studio extensions for .NET 3.0 RC1, IronPython 1.0 and a PDF plug-in for Office 2007.

Matthew Broersma writes for ZDNet UK