According to rumours by Paul Thurrott (and others) you can find Microsoft Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1) build 5536 on the Microsoft Connect website. This is however a Pre-RC1 build of Microsoft Windows Vista as announced by the Microsoft Windows Vista Team Blog. It is however the 'escrow' build, which means we will be seeing Microsoft Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 very soon.
"The road to Eldorado"
As I previously stated Microsoft claims to ship Microsoft Windows Vista Enterprise Edition and Business Edition in late 2006 (think December, not November) and Microsoft Vista Home Edition and Ultimate Edition in the first half of 2007. With Beta 2 released on March 23, 2006 and RC1 released early september Microsoft is dead on time. (when they don't release a RC2 build, which is becoming more and more likely) When I prove to be wrong you will find a post that will obviously state this.
Build 5536, not 5520
As some people pointed out Microsoft Windows Vista Release Candidate 1 (RC1) is not Build 5520, but Build 5536. There seemed to be two major flaws in Build 5520, which lead to Build 5536 designated as Release Candidate 1.
Build 5600, not 5552
Jim Allchin on September 1 announced Microsot Windows Vista Release candidate 1 on the Microsoct Connect and Technology Adaptation Program (TAP) website. Finally we can sit back, take a big cup of coffee and download Build 5600 from the website.If you're not part of the Connect or TAP community, but signed up for the beta or have a MSDN subscription you can download Release Candidate 1 some time next week.
Sources
RC1 Build Update: Build 5536
Windows Vista Build 5536 Released To Testers
Wikipedia on Microsoft Windows Vista development
Windows Vista Forum thread on Atomic
Windows Vista Team Blog
Jim Allchin announces Release Candidate 1
Hmmm … I think that 5536 is still pre-RC1 build
I was wrong and you are absolutely right!
I changed the post to clarify and added a couple of sources where I found your opinion to be true. (amongst them the Microsoft Windows Vista team blog)
Sorry for the confusion.
I guess I'm getting a little overexcited on the whole Windows Vista thing, bacause I'm hoping for an October RTM release of the Windows Vista Business and Enterprise Editions!
Sander,
You are allowed to be wrong 😉 But its great to see someone admiting it and getting the right information afterwards.
We (at Microsoft) are all excited about Vista, its way overdue!
Carlos
Finally it's here!
Well, not exactly here, because I still have to wait a few days for Release Candidate 1 to become available within the MSDN subscriptions and Technet resources, but Jim Allchin announced the product yesterday. I've updated the post te reflect the "launch".