Release Notes for This Beta Release of Windows Server Code Name "Longhorn" and Windows Vista

These release notes address late-breaking issues and information about this beta release of the Microsoft(R) Windows Server(TM) Code Name "Longhorn" operating system and the Microsoft Windows Vista(TM) operating system. Unless otherwise specified, these notes apply to both versions of the product.

Features Not Included in These Products

The following components and features are being phased out and are not present in this beta release of Windows Server "Longhorn" and Windows Vista.

·                         Winlogon notification packages are no longer supported. To achieve the functionality formerly provided by notification packages, either create a Group Policy script or create a service.

·                         Graphical identification and authentication (GINA) modules are no longer supported. If you have any custom GINA modules, they will not function after you install this beta version. The GINA module functionality has been replaced by the Credential Provider model. For more information about creating Credential Providers, see the Windows Vista software developer kit at the Windows Vista Development Center (http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkId=61391).

·                         The concept of interactive services is being phased out. Session 0 is now reserved for services and system processes, and users can no longer interactively log on to session 0. Services that assume session 0 is an interactive session might not work correctly. Windows and dialog boxes that were displayed directly from services will not be visible to the user, and the service might stop responding if the user interface requires user input.

Partners

Microsoft Office "12" Beta 1 will not function properly and is not supported. The Office support team will not accept bug submissions or newsgroup questions regarding Office "12" Beta 1.

Printing

This information applies to this beta version of Windows Vista.

To use Print Management to monitor print servers from a computer running Windows Vista, use Windows Firewall to enable the File and Printer Sharing exception.

Security

BitLocker Drive Encryption

This information about known volume encryption issues applies only to this beta version of Windows Vista.

·                         You must install Windows Vista on an unencrypted volume. If you have been testing earlier versions of Vista and have turned on BitLocker Drive Encryption, decrypt the volume and then install the new version of Windows Vista. You can then re-encrypt the volume.

·                         If a bootable Windows(R) CD was present in the CD/DVD drive when the computer was started, BitLocker Drive Encryption will enter recovery mode unless the Windows CD is present. This behavior does not occur with other CDs or Windows DVDs. To prevent this, ensure that there is no bootable Windows CD in the drive before running BitLocker Drive Encryption. If your system enters recovery mode every time the computer starts, restart the computer without the bootable CD present, follow the steps of the recovery process, and then decrypt and re-encrypt the volume (without a bootable CD present).

·                         Normally, BitLocker Drive Encryption requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) hardware to store the encryption keys. However, you can use a removable universal serial bus (USB) flash drive for the keys instead. To use a flash drive for this purpose, the BIOS in your computer must recognize USB devices during the boot process. If you encrypted the flash drive and find that the BIOS does not support USB devices, you can still recover the data with the 48-digit recovery password.

·                         When a TPM-equipped computer wakes from hibernation, the TPM may not successfully wake along with the rest of the system. In this circumstance, the wizard used to enable BitLocker Drive Encryption will request a startup key. If this occurs, cancel the wizard, restart the computer, and confirm that TPM is enabled.

·                         BitLocker Drive Encryption does not support any non-Microsoft disk utilities or the Disk Management expand or shrink functions. If you enable BitLocker Drive Encryption and then attempt to expand or shrink the volume, you will lose the data in the changed area of the volume. To change the size of an encrypted volume, decrypt the volume by turning off BitLocker Drive Encryption, change the volume size, and then re-encrypt the volume by turning BitLocker Drive Encryption on again.

IPsec

The Microsoft implementation of Internet Protocol security (IPsec) no longer supports the default response rule. If a policy with a default response rule is applied to computers running Windows Vista or Windows Server "Longhorn", the rule will be ignored. The default response rule is still valid for policies created for use with computers running Windows 2000, Windows XP, or Windows Server 2003.

If you create a policy for use on computers running Windows Vista or Windows Server "Longhorn" that requires the same behavior as the default response rule, include a rule with the following properties:

·                         The rule does not specify a tunnel.

·                         The rule applies to all network connections.

·                         The filter list for the rule has an IP Traffic Source of Any IP Address, an IP Traffic Destination of Any IP Address, and applies to Any protocol.

·                         The filter actions Negotiate security and Allow unsecured communication if a secure communication cannot be established are selected.

Rights Management Services

This information applies to this beta version of Windows Server "Longhorn".

The Rights Management Services role cannot be successfully installed using the Role Management Tool. There is currently no workaround.

Security Configuration Wizard

This information applies to this beta version of Windows Server "Longhorn".

With Security Configuration Wizard, you can configure security settings appropriate for various server roles. To ensure full compatibility, all server roles are disabled by default. However, you can still enable individual server roles manually.

To manually enable a server role

1.                 If Security Configuration Wizard is running, close it.

2.                 Browse to systemroot\security\msscs\kbs.

3.                 Locate the XML file for the server role that you want to enable. For example, the file for the Exchange server role is Exchange.xml.

4.                 In the Status field, replace the string Disable with Enable.

5.                 Restart the wizard.

Windows Firewall

This information applies to this beta version of Windows Vista.

The Advanced Security snap-in for Microsoft Management Console (MMC) may incorrectly show the status of service exceptions that have been enabled using the Windows Firewall control panel.

To view the correct status of service exceptions, use the Windows Firewall control panel.

Server Core

This note applies to this beta version of Windows Server "Longhorn".

Several changes have been made to Server Core functionality.

·                         You can remotely activate Server Core by typing cscript windows\system32\slmgr.vbs servername username password -ato at a command prompt.

·                         To promote a Server Core-based computer to an Active Directory(R) domain controller, use the command dcpromo at a command prompt. The command dcpromocmd is no longer available.

·                         To change the time zone on Server Core, use the Date and Time Properties control panel. You can open this control panel by typing timedate.cpl at a command prompt.

·                         To change international settings on Server Core, use the Regional and Language Options control panel. You can open this control panel by typing intl.cpl at a command prompt.

·                         The script formerly named SFregedit.vbs is now named Scregedit.wsf. It is in the \windows\system32 folder.

·                         To allow Terminal Services clients that are running an operating system earlier than Windows Server "Longhorn" to connect to Server Core, type cscript \windows\system32\scregedit /CS 0 at a command prompt on the Server Core computer.

Speech Recognition

This information applies to this beta version of Windows Vista.

When you upgrade a computer from Windows XP Service Pack 2 to this release, all previous speech and text-to-speech engines are removed from the registry. Any files in C:\Program Files\Common Files\SpeechEngines\Microsoft are untouched. The impact of the registry change varies with the specific speech or text-to-speech engines that are installed. For more information, contact the appropriate software vendor.

Terminal Services

This information applies to this beta version of Windows Server "Longhorn".

The TS Session Directory service is no longer installed by default. To set up the TS Session Directory service, use the Add Roles Wizard.