Today Microsoft reached another milestone in the release cycle for the next version of Internet Explorer – “IE8”. I’ve been running Beta 2 very happily for quite awhile, and recently gained access to an internal release of Release Candidate 1. Today we’ve made that release available for anyone who wants to try it out.
“Where do I get it?”
Go to www.microsoft.com/downloads and search for IE8. Or.. just use these links:
- Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1 for Windows XP
- Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1 for Windows Server 2003 SP2 64-bit Edition or Windows XP Professional 64-bit Edition
- Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1 for Windows Server 2003 SP2
- Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1 for Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008
- Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1 for Windows Vista 64-bit Edition and Windows Server 2008 64-bit Edition
Soon enough the www.microsoft.com/ie site will have a way to get to it also.
“Am I going to have to uninstall Beta 2 before I install the RC?”
That’s actually some very good news. Not only will you not have to uninstall previous versions.. but the upgrade to RC1 will actually come to those of you who have the beta installed using Windows Update. So if you want, you could just wait and install the update when it comes to you.
“Does this RC1 also upgrade the IE8 that came in the Windows 7 Beta?”
No, it doesn’t. Yes, the build is newer than the one that is in Windows 7, but you can’t upgrade the Windows 7 build with the RC. The RC is for Windows XP and Windows Vista clients, and Windows Server 2003 SP2 and Windows Server 2008 only. The plan is currently to have newer IE8 builds come with the next “release” of Windows 7 (next beta or RC, whichever they decide to do).
For some really good IT-related content around IE8, you should check out TechNet Edge and the screencasts that my teammate Matt “Mongo” Hester has put up there, plus many other good IE8 resources. And also today, David Tesar posted an interview with the Program Manager, Jane Maliouta. They discuss the RC, and get into some meaty detail about the deployment options you have.
Absolutely Full of I.T. 
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After installing IE8 RC1 on Vista SP1 – my explorer windows are opening in it’s own windows. Looks like this is more of a ‘bug’ than a feature. And many users are suffering from the same problem
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Is this Internet Explorer 8 Release Candidate 1 a trial or is it necessary
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