Neowin.net reports that OSBetas have got the nitty gritty on the lastest leak from Microsoft. Windows Preinstallation Environment (WinPE) is a minimal operating system, based on the Windows XP kernel and contains the minimal functionality you need to run and automate Windows Setup.

WinPE lets you create (diskpart.exe) and format (format.com) disk partitions, and gives you access to both NTFS file system partitions (with some constraints) and your internal network. The environment supports all mass storage devices that use Windows 2000 or Windows XP drivers, and you can incorporate additional drivers as new devices become available.

Just got word from Iexbeta.com that a new build of Windows 2000 SP3 v 3.154.2 has been released for beta testers.

Thank you for all your help in testing Windows 2000 Service Pack 3. We are getting very close to our final build and would appreciate it if you could download and test our current release candidate without delay".(Suggesting RTM is next / very close - Ed.)

The W2K SP3 contains updates for the following areas of Windows 2000 functionality:

Microsoft is planning what could end up being quite a shock for the Windows XP warez world, and what currently looks to be one of the most amazing moves made by Microsoft since Windows Product Activation was introduced.

SYMPTOMS

When a registry hive becomes damaged, your computer may become unbootable, and you may receive one of the following Stop error messages on a blue screen:

Unexpected Shutdown
Stop:0xc0000135

CAUSE

Registry damage often occurs when programs with access to the registry do not cleanly remove temporary items that they store in the registry. This problem may also be caused if a program is terminated or experiences a user-mode fault.

MSN Explorer is the all-in-one software from Microsoft that makes it easy to get more from the Web. It works with your existing Internet connection, allowing you to browse the web, e-mail and instant message friends, chat, listen to music and much more.

This is the supporting code sample for the article "Creating a Visual Studio .NET Add-In to Provide Windows XP Theme Support" published on MSDN by Duncan Mackenzie.

Windows XP Service Pack1 Beta Build 1078 has been internally released @ MS which includes MSN Messenger 5 Build 322 and Windows Media Player 9 Build 261! Hit Read More for a screenshot.

Update: Beta Testers can now Download Windows XP SP1 1078. Thanks to DriverHeaven.

Neowin reports: Building on the industry-leading Windows Media Audio and Video odecs, 'Corona' introduces two new professional-level audio and video codecs. The new WMA Professional codec is the first codec to enable Web-based delivery of 6 channel surround sound with full-spectrum, full resolution audio (24 bit / 96 kHz sampling). the new version of the Windows Media Video (WMV) codec provides a 20% efficiency boost compared with the previous version and now introduces the ability to provide HDTV-like video quality at file sizes half that of today?s DVDs, for local playback on the PC.

Just saw this @ Neowin.net forums.

First leak of revision v5.0.0322, just got it. No idea on whats new, get it there first.

After some searching we now got what you were looking for: On computers with an AMD processor, programs that use Microsoft DirectX 8.1 may quit without displaying an error message. The same programs work correctly on computers with Intel processors. The DrawIndexedPrimitive function stops working without displaying an error or debug message. This occurs because of a code error in the AMD-specific optimized code. This code error may lead to heap corruption. Read more...

Just got the low down from Iexbeta.com about Microsoft new Windows XP Media Center Edition that turns a PC into a media center that integrates digital entertainment experiences -- including live television, personal video recording (PVR), digital music, digital video, DVDs and pictures -- with the freedom of remote control access. Currently in beta testing, Microsoft will ship Windows XP Media Center Edition to OEMs in time for the holiday shopping season in the United States, Canada and Korea.

Microsoft Corporation admits finding a problem running DirectX 8.1 on Windows XP from AMD technology. According to the company, an error window message is supposed to appear, in case of bad loadings, which it doesn't do so. Some news sources claimed that the source of this causing is from a faulty programming from Microsoft.

Ibelite.com reports with more than 109 million seats already licensed for Microsoft Exchange Server -- twice as many seats deployed as Lotus/Domino -- Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer today announced the company?s plans to release an upgrade to Exchange 2000 Server, code-named "Titanium," in 2003. Titanium will include a range of new benefits for end users, particularly information workers, as well as benefits targeted specifically to IT administrators and the corporate networks they manage.

No, Microsoft does not plan on claiming they never released Windows XP, and make another big deal out of it! Microsoft has been creating yet another version of Windows XP which was previously code-named "Freestyle".

This new version of Windows XP is now being dubbed Windows XP Media Center. The name pretty well explains everything about it in one shot, but to sum it up, as long as your computer includes a TV Tuner, DVD player, etc. this operating system optimizes it all to work to your benefit.

Dear Windows 2000 Service Pack 3 Beta Tester,

Thank you for all your help in testing Windows 2000 Service Pack 3. We are getting very close to our final build and would appreciate it if you could download and test our current release candidate, build 3.151 without delay.

Sincerely,
Microsoft Windows Sustained Engineering Team

Just to let everyone know that the DirectX Homepage has now been updated with the DirectX 8.1b runtime. Here's the fixes listed as of July 11, 2002:

DirectShow

Modifies kernel component stream.sys to correct failure of laptops to resume from hibernation as described in Knowledge Base article Q307207. This fix only affects Windows 2000 systems using a docking station having an attached USB camera. Fixes a blocking issue in quartz.dll on Windows 2000 when running DirectShow in a service. Corrects a boundary case in the MPEG-2 Demultiplexer where packets may be dropped. This condition can occur if the video stream packet size is an integral multiple of transport packet size. The fix is incorporated for all DirectX-supported platforms. Read more...

In case you do not know, there is an interesting article on MICROSOFT support page!

On computers with an AMD processor, programs that use Microsoft DirectX 8.1 may quit without displaying an error message. The same programs work correctly on computers with Intel processors.

The DrawIndexedPrimitive function stops working without displaying an error or debug message. This occurs because of a code error in the AMD-specific optimized code. This code error may lead to heap corruption.

Our sister site Planet-XP.de have snagged 3 screenshots of Windows.NET Beta Build 3660.

Hit the link and you'll se what Microsoft errors will be taken care of in the XP SP1 release. It is also a nice infobase to have, looking back at XP updates. Visit Microsoft

On Monday, Microsoft will reveal that its next-generation Windows Media products, code-named Corona, will be marketed as Windows Media Series 9 when released later this year. Windows Media Series 9 consists of new versions of Windows Media Player, Windows Media Audio and Video codecs, Windows Media Encoder and a new Windows Media Software Development Kit (SDK). Each of these products will be available in beta form to the public beginning September 4, when Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates hosts a Windows Media Series 9 launch event at the Hollywood and Highlands Complex in Los Angeles, California.