[en] During the recent experimental campaign in W7-AS investigations of the performance and stability of high-β plasmas have been restarted. The particular aim was to push the plasma closer to the β -limit by utilizing a higher heating power at low magnetic fields resulting from the modification of the neutral beam heating system. In addition the new divertor system should yield a better control of the plasma boundary. The favourable properties of high-iota configurations could be exploited by using the divertor control coils without sacrificing plasma volume. The combination of beneficial effects resulted in a significant increase of the volume averaged beta from <β> ∼ 2 % up to <β> ∼ 3.1 % and in MHD-quiescent, quasi-stationary discharges at low radiation levels. Experimental studies of equilibrium effects and of MHD mode activity, which is typically more pronounced in the intermediate-β regime, have been performed with the X-ray tomography system. In particular pressure driven m=2 modes with pronounced ballooning effect have been found. In addition results of computational MHD stability studies are presented, which show an increase of stability with increasing beta due to the pressure induced deepening of the magnetic well along with increasing magnetic shear, in qualitative agreement with the experimental data. The maximum achieved beta is still limited by the available heating power, at least in the case of high-iota, and not by equilibrium or stability effects. Particularly with regard to current carrying stellarators and comparisons with tokamaks the modification of the stability of high-β plasmas by significant OH-currents has been investigated. In this case the operational range can be severely limited by the onset of tearing modes, in particular at iota = 1/2. Copyright (2002) Australian National University- Research School of Physical Sciences and Engineering