Guru Stop

Few days before, I posted that you cannot install Visual Studio Codename Orcas March CTP on Windows Vista, however, I got comments from Dustin and Paul who just did it! (Dustin used a VMWare virtual machine though).

 Hmm.. I honestly wish I was wrong and I can use the new web features :S. But...

Well, it's not only me. Many guys in Channel9 forums confirmed it, and others in MSDN forums (like here, here and here) with different errors. Even the download page for the self-extract files does not include Vista in the supported operating systems. :(

I searched Microsoft Download website today for 'orcas march', and I got this:

Here are the facts (what each package contains is described here and partially in the official statement) :

1. The 1st link
   • is 9 parts for VS, and  Team Foundation Server.
   • The installation instructions deal with it as VPC image (nothing else says this, they treat it as default I guess).
   • The supported operating systems on the download page include Vista.
2. The 2nd link (that's what I tried before)
   • is 7 parts for VS.
   • is self-extract files (which matches the title anyway).
   • The supported operating systems on the download page do not include Vista, and (from my experience) it fails to install on it.
3. The 3rd link
   • is 7 parts for VS,
   • The installation instructions deal with it as VPC image.
   • The supported operating systems on the download page include Vista.
4. The 4th link
   • is not VS at all. It's only 2 parts for TFS. The download page says it's TFS only in the title. It looks like it was truncated or so in this search page no more.
   • is self-extract files (which matches the partial title appearing).
   • The supported operating systems on the download page do not include Vista (Only include Windows 2003, as you'd expect).

So, these are simply your options when trying Orcas March CTP with Vista.

 
DIGG It

Update [March 6, 2007]:

I've gone through all the possible options for downloading/installing Visual Studio Orcas March CTP with high focus on Vista in a new post. I recommend it to you over this one.

If you tried to install Visual Studio Codename Orcas on Windows Vista, you must have had an error during this. The error might not be clear at all, or in some times indicate that it's because it cannot find an error log file (which is should be creating itself)

Well, long story short, it just won't work. Installing the self extract files is simply NOT supported on any Windows version other than Windows XP, 2003.

To try the new release though, you'll have to use the Virtual PC image. Hopefully, if your machine is Vista capable, it should not be diing when you use the VPC on it.

Update [March 6, 2007]:

This is causing much frustration on channel9!

P.S. : Visual Studio Codename Orcas March CTP Download Links:

• Self Extracting Image
• Virtual PC Image