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PC manufacturers that expected to get their hands on the final version of Microsoft's Windows Vista OS on Nov. 1 may have to wait several weeks for the OS, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.
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Microsoft originally targeted next Wednesday for Vista's release to manufacturing, but a last-minute bug that "took most of the Vista team by surprise," caused an unexpected delay, said Ethan Allen, a quality assurance lead at a Seattle high-tech company that tests its products for Vista. Allen also oversees the Web site TheHotfix.net.
Allen said that the Vista team discovered the bug, which "would totally crash the system, requiring a complete reinstall," in Vista Build 5824 on Friday, October 13. The team fixed the bug a week later in Vista Build 5840, he said, but work on the correction has delayed delivery of the operating system to PC makers.
New Target: November 8
The team now pegs Wednesday, November 8, as the date for Vista's release to manufacturing, Allen said. He also said that the business release of Vista, which Microsoft recently said is on track for release next month, "will barely make the end of November deadline."
A story in today's DigiTimes was first to report the delayed release of this version of Vista to manufacturers, citing Taiwanese PC makers.
Microsoft Responds
Microsoft's public relations firm said on Wednesday that the business release of Vista has not been delayed, and that the OS is still expected to be generally available in January 2007.
This version of Vista isn't the only Microsoft product that people are waiting for. Consumers concerned about the change in Windows client licensing that will allow them to transfer a Vista license only once are still wondering what will happen when they switch out the motherboard and other components of computers. Some power users, who like to build their own computers from scratch and who rebuild PCs frequently, have wondered whether they will have to purchase a new Vista license every time they do this.
Microsoft is in no hurry to give them an answer. Today, a week after users first raised the issue, Microsoft declined to comment on the issue, according to a representative from its public relations firm.
