Here's a walkthrough of the process I've used to signup for the Windows Installer 4.5 Beta
1) go to URL http://connect.microsoft.com/availableconnections.aspx2) sign in (using a creating new hotmail account - steps omitted for brevity)3) after completing new account creation, the page returns me to the https version of the Available Connections page at https://connect.microsoft.com/availableconnections.aspx?wa=wsignin1.04) scroll down alphabetically to "Windows Installer 4.5 Beta"5) Click on Apply link in the far right column of the Windows Installer 4.5 Beta row 6) I'm taken to page https://connect.microsoft.com/SelfNomination.aspx?ProgramID=1506&pageType=1&SiteID=432 which has a Continue button at the bottom which I click.7) I'm taken to a terms of use page at https://connect.microsoft.com/registration/terms.aspx?regType=2&cru=%2fSelfNomination.aspx%3fProgramID%3d1506%26pageType%3d1%26SiteID%3d432&cu=%2favailableconnections.aspx%3fwa%3dwsignin1.0 at the bottom of which there is an I Agree button which I click8) I'm taken to a register page at https://profile.microsoft.com/RegSysProfileCenter/wizard.aspx?wizid=f81448ea-824f-4ca7-9ed1-39af10a9b425&lcid=1033&fu=%2fregistration%2fregistrationconfirmation.aspx%3fcru%3d%252fSelfNomination.aspx%253fProgramID%253d1506%2526pageType%253d1%2526SiteID%253d432&cu=%2favailableconnections.aspx%3fwa%3dwsignin1.0 which I then fill in the information and click the Continue botton at the bottom 9) I'm taken to a Verify Ownership of Your Email alias page at https://profile.microsoft.com/RegSysProfileCenter/wizard.aspx?wizid=f81448ea-824f-4ca7-9ed1-39af10a9b425&lcid=1033&fu=%2fregistration%2fregistrationconfirmation.aspx%3fcru%3d%252fSelfNomination.aspx%253fProgramID%253d1506%2526pageType%253d1%2526SiteID%253d432&cu=%2favailableconnections.aspx%3fwa%3dwsignin1.0 10) Switch to email and see I've received an email from the connect server (after a bit of waiting). Open the email and click the embedded link (omitted here for brevity)11) the link from the email takes me to a E-Mail Verification Confirmation page at https://profile.microsoft.com/RegSysProfileCenter/ConfirmEmail.aspx?lcid=1033&EmailEntered=rflaming%40microsoft.com&eck=GQvY1J4y0OzM%252fLNB2Hm%252bcw&CP=2&brand=Microsoft&Wizid=f81448ea-824f-4ca7-9ed1-39af10a9b425&fu=https%3a%2f%2fconnect.microsoft.com%2fregistration%2fregistrationconfirmation.aspx%3fcru%3d%252fSelfNomination.aspx%253fProgramID%253d1506%2526pageType%253d1%2526SiteID%253d432&Sec=1 at the bottom of which is a Continue button12) after clicking Continue, I'm taken back to the root of the connect site so I switch back to the Verify Ownership of Your Email page and click Continue on that page13) I'm taken to a Welcome to Connect page where I enter a friendly name and click the Continue bottom at the bottom of the page14) I'm finally taken to the Windows Installer 4.5 Beta site at this URL https://connect.microsoft.com/site/sitehome.aspx?SiteID=43215) On the left hand side I see a "Downloads" menu item so I click it16) I'm taken to the page https://connect.microsoft.com/Downloads/Downloads.aspx?SiteID=432 where I see the two white papers17) I click on the first link and it takes me to this page https://connect.microsoft.com/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?SiteID=432&DownloadID=8270 18) I click on the download link and I get a prompt from the Gold Bar (of IE7) whether I want to allow the download19) I right click on the Gold Bar and select download file...20) I get the dialog "Do you want to open or save this file?" and choose Open21) Word boots with the first document22) I go back to the browser and click the back button until I get to the list of available downloads at https://connect.microsoft.com/Downloads/Downloads.aspx?SiteID=43223) I click the second link on the available downloads page which brings me to the page https://connect.microsoft.com/Downloads/DownloadDetails.aspx?SiteID=432&DownloadID=827124) I click on the download link and I get a prompt from the Gold Bar (of IE7) whether I want to allow the download25) I right click on the Gold Bar and select download file...26) I get the dialog "Do you want to open or save this file?" and choose Open27) Word boots with the second document
[Author: Robert Flaming]This posting is provided "AS IS" with no warranties, and confers no rights. Use of included script samples are subject to the terms specified at http://www.microsoft.com/info/cpyright.htm.