Windows .NET RC 1 Customer Preview Program Notification

Microsoft® Windows® .NET Server Release Candidate 1 is now ready for
download! Please read this email carefully and keep a copy so that you will
not lose valuable information you need for participating in the Windows .NET
Server Customer Preview Program.

As a participant in the Windows .NET Server Customer Preview Program, you
are entitled to a copy of the Windows .NET Server Release Candidate 1 (RC1).
The registration information that you provide at http://cppregister.com/dl
will be used to notify you by email when RC2 will be available for download.

DOWNLOADING RC1

INSTALLING RC1 AFTER THE DOWNLOAD

If you proceed with this Internet download option, please note that you will
need to either burn a CD or use third party software to extract the Windows
.NET Server setup files. The Internet download is an .ISO file, an "image"
of the product CD. It is not a self-installing executable like many
Internet-downloadable programs. You will need a CD Burner and CD Burn
software or a third party utility to extract files from an .ISO image. More
details and instructions will be available on the web site prior to your
download.

Windows .NET Server RC1 requires a product key for installation of the
product. This key can only be used with Windows .NET Server pre-release
builds. You can obtain your personal product key from
https://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/keys/default.aspThis is the same product
key that was used for prior builds of .NET Server. You are allowed to
install this beta software on as many machines as permitted by your license
agreement.

Windows .NET Server RC1 includes product activation. You will be required to
activate the product within 14 days of installation.

Windows .NET Server RC1 is a time limited release and will expire 360 days
after initial installation is complete.

Windows .NET Server RC1 is not recommended for production systems unless you
are explicitly working with Microsoft on deployment programs.

Due to the nature of pre-release software, some of your applications and
hardware may not function correctly.

To download Windows .NET Server RC1 please ensure that you are using a
computer that is running Windows95 or later and Microsoft Internet Explorer
5.0 or greater.

To download RC1 now, go to http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com, and enter your
Microsoft Passport ID and register for the site using your Username and
password below.

Username: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Password: xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After completing the registration wizard you will be able to acquire a
product key and download Windows .NET Server RC1 from the site. Please make
sure you fully complete the registration wizard before attempting to acquire
a product key or download. Instructions on how to acquire a product key and
download Windows .NET Server RC1 will be found on
http://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/default.asp after you have successfully
completed the registration wizard.

If you experience any problems downloading Windows .NET Server RC1, please
send e-mail to cppdlsup@microsoft.com

INSTALLING RC1 AFTER THE DOWNLOAD

If you proceed with this Internet download option, please note that you will
need to either burn a CD or use third party software to extract the Windows
.NET Server setup files. The Internet download is an .ISO file, an "image"
of the product CD. It is not a self-installing executable like many
Internet-downloadable programs. You will need a CD Burner and CD Burn
software or a third party utility to extract files from an .ISO image. More
details and instructions will be available on the Web site prior to your
download.

If you will be connected to the Internet when installing Windows .NET
Server, please use the Dynamic Update option during setup. This will ensure
that the very latest fixes can be delivered to your machine prior to running
setup. If you are upgrading Windows 2000 or Windows NT 4.0, and do not use
Dynamic Update, you may get an error about kernel mode audio drivers on some
systems. You will need to uninstall and reinstall using Dynamic Update on
these systems. This will enable Microsoft to test the Dynamic Update feature
of Windows .NET Server.

Please review the pre-release license agreements carefully during the
installation of Windows .NET Server RC1. By installing this release, you
agree to the terms and conditions of these license agreements. As a
reminder, all licenses associated with the product will expire when the
product becomes commercially available.

Before installing this release you must print and fully read Read1st.txt.
This document contains critical pre-installation and upgrade information
important to your installation and is located at the root of the
installation media.

PRODUCT KEY

During the installation process, you will be prompted to enter a product
key. You can acquire your product key from
https://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/keys/default.asp after you have
successfully completed the registration wizard at
https://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/login/login.asp If you have never visited
this site before you will be prompted to complete the registration wizard
after signing in with your Passport ID. Please make sure you fully complete
the registration wizard before attempting to acquire a product key or
download.

If you have visited this site before, sign in with your Passport ID and go
to https://windowsbeta.microsoft.com/login/login.asp.netserver/preview.

CPP CD KIT OPTION

If you choose to not download and want to switch to the CD mailkit, please
place your order for the CD mailkit through
http://www.microsoft.com/windows.netserver/preview.

PRIVATE NEWSGROUP SUPPORT

Support for RC1 is limited to a peer-to-peer support through a community of
private newsgroups. You will have access to a community of private
newsgroups where you can submit questions about the functionality of Windows
.NET Server and share your experiences with other members of the Windows
.NET Server Customer Preview Program.

The following are the private news groups which support Windows .NET Server
RC1:

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.general

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.directoryservices

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.dns

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.file_system

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.networking

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.security

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.group_policy

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.terminalserver.client

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.terminalserver.apps

microsoft.private.windows.netserver.setup


HOW TO ACCESS THE NEWSGROUPS

Instructions on accessing the news groups:

Newsgroup Reader (Outlook Express)

1. Tools
2. Accounts
3. Add (button in upper right of box)
4. In drop down select "news"
5. Type the name you want everyone to see you as
6. Type the email address you wish to use
7. In the NNTP box type: privatenews.microsoft.com, be sure to check the
lower left box that reads "My news server requires me to log on"
8. Account Name = xxxxxxxx
9. Password = xxxxxxxx
10. Finish

You will be prompted if you wish to download the new newsgroups. Click
"Yes". Then subscribe to all of the newsgroups you wish to view. If you are
using a newsreader other than Outlook Express, follow the setup instructions
for your newsreader. Use the NNTP server, username, and password provided
above.

Web Based Newsreader (Internet Explorer)

Go to
http://communities.microsoft.com/newsgroups/login.asp?ICP=xxxxxx&sLCID=us

The password is: xxxxxxxx

GETTING UPDATES

To get more information via newsletter, and to receive priority notification
when RC2 is available, please register at: http://cppregister.com/dl

If you have any more questions, please send e-mail to
cppadmin@microsoft.com. Please note that this is not a technical support
email alias.

For more information, please visit
www.microsoft.com/windows.netserver/preview.

Thank you very much for your interest in the Windows .NET Server Customer
Preview Program.

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