As if Microsoft didn't have enough services trouble this week with the MSN Messenger outage, the company stumbled in its delivery of a preview version of Windows XP to more than 100,000 testers.
Microsoft unveiled the Windows XP Preview Program on July 2, issuing the first of two final testing versions--or release candidates--to those willing to pay to get it. But eight days later, many of the people who plunked down $10 for the right to download the approximately 500MB file said they have not received the e-mail containing a user ID and password that would allow them to do so.
Microsoft also delivered the wrong passwords to some people, while a server glitch allowed others to download the preview for free, the company said. Customers paying $20 for the preview on CD are not expected to receive their copies until the end of the month, according to a Microsoft representative. The disc could arrive just about the same time Microsoft is expected to issue Windows XP Release Candidate 2.
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