Mandriva 2009.1 first release candidate available

The first release candidate of Mandriva Linux 2009.1 has been released and includes several updates and new features. It includes the latest versions of the desktop environments KDE (4.2.1), GNOME (2.25.92), Xfce 4.6 and LXDE. The release includes the 2.6.29 kernel, X Server 1.6 (X.org 7.4) and version 4.5.0 of Qt. The new Ext4 file system has also found it's way into Mandriva, but not, like Fedora 11, as the default file system.

The backup tool Draksnapshot is a new entry on the Mandriva 2009.1 install disc boot menu. In the event of a system mishap, users have the ability to restore a previously saved snapshot of their system. Also new in the boot menu is the Hardware Detection Tool (HDT) (integrated in Syslinux), which provides an overview of the installed hardware without having to completely boot a system.

The release candidate is available as a DVD image for 32 and 64-bit systems, as well as a Live CD (only for x86 32-bit systems) running KDE or GNOME. A third Live CD with the lightweight LXDE desktop environment is available for both architectures. Known problems can be found in the frequently updated errata. Feedback from developers is welcome via Bugzilla or through the Mandriva forums.

More details about the release candidate can be found in the release notes. A second and final release candidate is planned for late March. The final version is scheduled to be released on the 29th of April.

(crve)