It’s 11:45 PM, June 11th. I am anxiously watching the progress bar creep, little by little, hoping that nothing goes wrong. 3.12 gigabytes is most likely the single largest file I’ve ever downloaded. With each passing percentage, the time remaining conferms my estimation: the download will complete at 3:45 AM. Since I have plans for the next morning, I go to bed, but not before rigging up my air filter to pull the warm air out from under my desk and prevent the PC from freezing hard, as it has done once before during an attempt do download the file; Firefox was unable to resume the download, so I started over.

Fast forward to 8:15 AM, June 12. I get up and turn on my monitor, hoping that it had completed. As the LCD lit up, I saw that there was now progress bar. On my desktop lay the icon for the disk image. I checked the file size: all 3.12 gigabytes were there. I wanted to merge the ISO with a DVD, but I had other things to take care of.

Travel forward in time once more; this time to 12:00 PM. I have cleared my calendar, and I sit down to begin the installation. First I open disk copier and select the image; a blank DVD+R goes in the waiting tray. 10 minutes after clicking “Burn” the disk is ejected, and I insert another, this time opening Roxio Easy Disc Creator. I move everything I want onto the disc, then run through a mental check list. My Documents, check. The mushroom wallpaper, check. RSS feeds exported and added to the project, check. Email from Microsoft with my Product Key, check. Good writing pen, check. After everything is ready, I click burn.

That is the point I am up to at this point in time. I will update this entry with the details of my success or failure in installing Vista Beta 2. In the mean time, wish me luck. Everything is ready. Should something go wrong, I have Ubuntu, which is a damn fine OS to fall back on.

Here we go.

[Update 1] I’m completely ready to go. My files are backed up, and the Beta 2 CD works so far. I have everything I need. Now to click “Install Now”

[Update 2] Yay! I’m typing this from within Vista. The only problem so far is that it kept bluescreening due to something with my HDD. I opened my case and reseated the connectors, causing that problem to vanish.

Dual monitor support worked out of the box, as did 3D-acceleration. Because of my Radeon X850, I get full Aero glass, including all of the Flip amenities.

Yay.

Note: We’re working on our Vista Beta 2 review. Stay tuned for more Vista goodies. -Ed.