The Windows 8 Thread

[Guest Prayaas Aggarwal]

A Bit of Story

Windows 8, Microsoft started working on it since July 2009, the time when even Windows 7 wasn't in General Availability. This is quite evident as the screens of the post-RTM builds of Windows 7 came up to the internet before Windows 7 was released. The Windows Team actually wanted to make it as an update to Windows 7, but they themselves didn't know where the project was going. WOA (Windows on ARM) was made functionable since the very first post-RTM builds. The screenshots below, shows Windows 7 Post RTM Build 7652 WOA.

[img width=329 height=420]

This, ofcourse, couldn't be released as an update to Windows 7, where would Windows Phone 7 go then?

And as they thought of Windows Phone 7, the simplicity of tiles hit Sinofsky's mind. This explains the delay in the General Availability of Windows 7 even though the RTM was signed off in July.

The main aim of Microsoft, at that time was to build a stereoscopic 3D interface for high-end machines, and a tile based UI for low end slates and tablets. The tile UI of Windows Phone was called Metro, in contrary, Windows' was called Mosh. 3D UI was going great, only problem with it was that it was increasing system requirements, and, was necessitating the need of WDDM 2.0. No sooner had Microsoft become a bit successful again, than the time came to raise system requirements again. No! I don't want another Longhorn, thought Sinofsky.

Well then, the idea was scraped off.

Metro was so loved by those people, that they renamed their Mosh to Metro. Metro was developed secretly. Not all MS employees knew about it. It is evident as the Windows 7 Post RTM Build 7700 Screenshots, or any screenshots prior to the preview at D9, show Metro. Just that same, old, boring, desktop UI.

[img width=560 height=420]

Build 7700 was the last post-RTM Windows 7 build and then Microsoft decided to make it Windows 8. Hence, Build 7600, was released to public as Windows 7 RTM.

Many leaks occurred, of Build 7850, 7927, 7955, 7959 and 7989. But none of them had the Metro Interface as shsxs.dll was missing. Microsoft made many announcements regarding Windows 8, first at CES 2011, that it will run on ARM devices, then at D9, the Metro UI was demonstrated on Build 7985. At BUILD, Windows Developer Preview was released and at CES 2012, Windows 8 Consumer Preview.

[Guest Prayaas Aggarwal]

Build List

Post RTM - Milestone 1 (Summer 2010 - Late 2010) - Milestone 2 (9 December 2010 - Late February 2011) - Milestone 3 (28 February 2011 - September 2011) - Beta (September 2011 to February 2012) - Release Candidate (February to ?) - Release To Manufacturing (August 2012) - General Availability

Note: Bold Build Numbers are links.

Windows 7 Post-RTM

6.1.7650.0.winmain.090917-1843

6.1.7651.0.winmain.090924-1802

6.1.7656.0.winmain.091015-0833

6.1.7658.0.winmain.091019-1850

6.1.7659.0.winmain.091020-1830

6.1.7660.0.winmain.091021-1736

6.1.7661.0.winmain.091022-1755

6.1.7662.0.winmain.091023-1645

6.1.7664.0.winmain.091027-1825

6.1.7691.0.winmain.100106-1825

6.1.7692.0.winmain.100107-1735

6.1.7693.0.winmain.100111-1820

6.1.7694.0.winmain.100113-1753

6.1.7695.0.winmain.100114-1855

6.1.7696.0.winmain.100115-1725

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 1

6.1.7700.0.winmain.100122-1900(WZT) *SHA1 27.01.2010 Screenshots leaked - Below

6.1.7702.0.winmain.100126-1751

6.1.7703.0.winmain.100127-1845

6.1.7704.0.winmain.100128-1900

6.1.7705.0.winmain.100129-1930

6.1.7706.0.winmain.100201-1820

6.1.7707.0.winmain.100202-1715

6.1.7709.0.winmain.100204-1515

6.1.7710.0.winmain.100205-2005

6.1.7711.0.winmain.100208-1732

6.1.7712.0.winmain.100211-1740

6.1.7713.0.winmain.100212-1750

6.1.7714.0.winmain.100215-1450

6.1.7715.0.winmain.100217-1715

6.1.7716.0.winmain.100218-1836

6.1.7717.0.winmain.100219-1707

6.1.7718.0.winmain.100223-1403

6.1.7719.0.winmain.100224-1231

6.1.7720.0.winmain.100225-1845

6.1.7721.0.winmain.100226-1832

6.1.7722.0.winmain.100301-1456

6.1.7723.0.winmain.100302-1805

6.1.7724.0.winmain.100303-1435

6.1.7725.0.winmain.100304-1545

6.1.7726.0.winmain.100311-1807

6.1.7727.0.winmain.100315-1740

6.1.7727.0.winmain.100315-1747

6.1.7729.0.winmain.100318-1855

6.1.7730.0.winmain.100319-1635

6.1.7731.0.winmain.100323-1817

6.1.7758.0.winmain.100604-1503

6.1.7760.0.winmain.100608-1721

6.1.7764.0.winmain.100615-1748

6.1.7800.0.winmain.100816-1855

6.1.7804.0.winmain.100820-1742

6.1.7809.0.winmain.100827-1740

6.1.7811.0.winmain.100831-1731

6.1.7812.0.winmain.100901-1810

6.1.7814.0.winmain.100903-1700

6.1.7817.0.winmain.100910-1622

6.1.7818.0.winmain.100913-1840

6.1.7821.0.winmain.100916-1940

6.1.7822.0.winmain.100920-1625

Milestone 1

6.1.7830.0.winmain_win8m1.100921-xxxx (Milestone 1 Escrow)

6.1.7850.0.winmain_win8m1.100922-1508 (Milestone 1 Final) (LEAKED:Client Build x86 SKU-Enterprise) Torrent

Pre-Milestone 2 - Uses NT Kernel 6.2

6.2.7853.0.winmain.100928-1040

7855.0.winmain.101001-1815

7857.0.winmain.101006-1908

7859.0.winmain.101008-1300

7866.0.winmain.101019-1507

7867.0.winmain.101020-1800 (CES 2011 Demo Build - Screenshot Below)

7868.0.winmain.101021-1827

7869.0.winmain.101022-1915

7870.0.winmain.101025-1900

7871.0.winmain.101026-1800

7872.0.winmain.101027-1925

7874.0.winmain.101029-1838

7875.0.winmain.101101-1832

7877.0.winmain.101103-1937

7878.0.winmain.101104-1752

7880.0.winmain.101108-1530

7881.0.winmain.101109-1816

7882.0.winmain.101110-1650

7883.0.winmain.101111-1631

7889.0.winmain.101119-2225

7890.0.winmain.101122-1810

7891.0.winmain.101123-1908

7892.0.winmain.101129-1902

7894.0.winmain.101201-1840

7895.0.winmain.101202-1845

7898.0.winmain.101207-1620

7899.0.winmain.101208-1900

7900.0.winmain.101209-1830

7901.0.winmain.101210-1755

7901.0.fbl_uex_icp.101213-1800

7902.0.winmain.101213-1745

7903.0.winmain.101215-2325

7904.0.winmain.101216-1845

7905.0.winmain.110103-2100

7906.0.winmain.110105-1750

7907.0.winmain.110106-1823

7907.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110109-1800

7908.0.winmain.110107-1755

7909.0.winmain.110110-1515

7910.0.winmain.110111-1804 - Screenshot below.

7911.0.winmain.110112-1725

7913.0.winmain.110114-1745

7914.0.winmain.110118-1605

7915.0.winmain.110119-1806

7916.0.winmain.110121-1715 - Screenshot Below

7917.0.winmain.110125-1757

7918.0.winmain.110126-1827

7919.0.winmain.110127-1733

7920.0.winmain.110128-1740

7920.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110128-1823

7921.0.winmain.110201-2005

7922.0.winmain.110202-1840

7925.0.winmain.110207-1736

7926.0.winmain.110209-1755

7927.0.winmain.110210-1740

7927.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.11024-1930 [LEAKED:Client Build x86]

7928.0.winmain.110214-1825

7929.0.winmain.110215-1802

7930.0.winmain_win8m2.110217-1825

Milestone 2

7947.0.winmain_win8m2.110218-1608

7948.0.winmain_win8m2.110221-1703

7949.0.winmain_win8m2.110222-1545

7950.0.winmain_win8m2.110223-1820 - Screenshot below

Pre-Milestone 3

7955.0.winmain.110224-1502 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7955.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110228-1930 (Post-Milestone 2 Build) (LEAKED:Client Build x86)

7956.0.winmain.110228-1701 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7957.0.winmain.110301-1618 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7959.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110307-1930 (Post-Milestone 2 Build) (LEAKED:Server Build)

7961.0.winmain.110308-1712 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7962.0.winmain.11031x-xxxx (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7963.0.winmain.110310-1721 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7962.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110311-1930 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7964.0.winmain.11031x-xxxx (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7965.0.winmain.110314-1700 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7968.0.winmain.110318-1830 (Post-Milestone 2 Build)

7971.0.winmain.110324-1900

7972.0.winmain.110328-1838

7973.0.winmain.110329-1742 - Screenshot below.

7973.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110329-1742

7974.0.winmain.110330-1622

7975.0.winmain.110331-1827

7976.0.winmain.110401-1700

7978.0.winmain.110405-1746

7979.0.winmain.110406-1800

7980.0.winmain.110407-1832

7982.0.winmain.110411-1832

7985.0.fbl_core1_kernel_cptx.110503-1501

7986.0.winmain.110419-1825

7989.0.winmain.110421-1825 (LEAKED:Client Build x64)

7991.0.winmain.110425-1315

7992.0.winmain.110426-1720

8002.0.winmain.110510-1700

8004.0.winmain.110512-1917

8011.0.winmain.110519-1800 - Screenshot Below

8014.0.winmain.110524-1815

8018.0.winmain.110531-1842

802x.x.110503-1450 - Screenshot below

8030.x.110616-xxxx - Screenshot Below

8039.fbl_eeap.1106xx-xxxx - Screenshot Below

8047.0.winmain.110714-1905

8049.0.fbl_eeap.110718-0510

8054.0.winmain

Milestone 3

8055.0.winmain.110725-1746 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8057.0.winmain.110727-1845 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8059.0.winmain.110729-1857 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8064.0.fbl_eeap.110806-1000 (Milestone 3 Escrow) - Screenshots below

8066.0.winmain.110809-1602 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8070.0.winmain.110817-1805 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8071.0.winmain.110819-1615 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8072.0.winmain.110822-1712 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8073.0.winmain.110823-1750 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8074.0.winmain.110824-1655 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8075.0.winmain.110825-1852 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8075.0.fbl_srv.110825-1855 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8076.0.winmain.110826-1235 (Milestone 3 Escrow)

8090.0.winmain_win8m3

8095.0.winmain_win8m3.110812-1840

8100.0.winmain_win8m3.110819-1727

8101.0.winmain_win8m3.110822-1905

8102.0.winmain_win8m3.110823-1455 (Public release for BUILD Event / Server)

8102.101.winmain_win8m3.110824-1030 (Public release for BUILD Event / Client x86 & x64)

8102.0.winmain_win8m3_d.110908-1930 (BUILD Event demo release)

Windows 8 Pre-Beta

8105.0.winmain.110829-1501 (Post-Milestone 3 Build)

8106.0.winmain.110830-1723 (Post-Milestone 3 Build)

8107.0.winmain.110831-1740 (Post-Milestone 3 Build)

8108.0.winmain.110901-1858 (Post-Milestone 3 Build)

8119.0.winmain.110920-1902 (Post-Milestone 3 Build)

8121.0.winmain.110922-1933

8125.0.winmain.110929-1850

8126.0.winmain.110930-1810

8127.0.winmain.111003-1710

8128.0.winmain.111004-1854 - Screenshot Below

8129.0.winmain.111005-1803

8130.0.winmain.111006-1907

8131.0.winmain.111007-1820

8132.0.winmain.111010-2121

8136.0.winmain.111014-1845

8137.0.winmain.111017-1740

8139.0.winmain.111019-1845

8140.0.winmain.111020-1857

8141.0.winmain.111021-1815

8142.0.winmain.111025-1835

8143.0.winmain.111026-1832

8148.0.winmain.111103-1846

8150.0.winmain.111107-1833

8152.0.winmain.111109-1832

8153.0.winmain.111110-1848

8154.0.winmain.111111-1830

8155.0.winmain.111114-1813

8156.0.winmain.111116-1900

8158.0.winmain.111118-2210

8159.0.winmain.111121-1720

8160.0.winmain.111122-1913

8161.0.winmain.111128-1254

8162.0.winmain.111129-1848

8163.0.winmain.111130-1918

8164.0.winmain.111201-1832

8165.0.winmain.111202-1945 - Screenshot below.

8165.0.fbl_fun_resp.111205-2000

8166.0.winmain.111205-1323

8167.0.winmain.111206-1800

8168.0.winmain.111207-1818

8169.0.winmain.111208-1905

8170.0.winmain.111209-1913

8171.0.winmain.111212-1308

8172.0.winmain.111213-1842

8173.0.winmain.111214-1840

8174.0.winmain.111215-1854

8175.0.winmain.111216-1850

8175.0.fbl_dev_dp4.111216-2019 (CES 2012 Demo Build)

8175.0.winmain.111217-1215 (Last 2011 Build)

8176.0.winmain.120103-1820

8180.0.winmain.120109-1245

8181.0.winmain.120110-1937

8182.0.winmain.120111-1758

8183.0.winmain.120112-2001

8184.0.winmain.120113-1850

8185.0.winmain.120116-1217

8186.0.winmain.120117-1707

8187.0.winmain.120118-1748

8188.0.winmain.120119-1835

8189.0.winmain.120120-1830

Beta

8191.0.winmain.120124-1748 (Beta Escrow)

8192.0.winmain.120125-1820 (Beta Escrow)

8193.0.winmain.120126-1830 (Beta Escrow)

8194.0.winmain.120127-1917 (Beta Escrow)

8220.0.winmain_win8beta.120127-1925 (Beta Candidate)

8220.0.winmain_win8beta_srv.120130-2335 (Beta Candidate)

8195.0.winmain.120131-1637 (Beta Escrow)

8221.0.winmain_win8beta_srv.120131-1900 (Beta Candidate)

8222.0.winmain_win8beta.120131-1912 (Beta Candidate)

8223.0.winmain_win8beta.120201-1910 (Beta Candidate)

8223.0.winmain_win8beta_srv.120201-2019 (Beta Candidate)

8224.0.winmain_win8beta.120202-1924 (Beta Candidate)

8224.0.winmain_win8beta_srv.120202-2046 (Beta Candidate)

8225.0.winmain_win8beta.120203-1918 (Beta Candidate)

8225.0.winmain_win8beta_srv.120205-1937 (Beta Candidate)

8226.0.winmain_win8beta.120206-1902 (Beta Candidate)

8227.0.winmain_win8beta.120207-1903 (Beta Candidate)

8226.0.winmain_win8beta_srv.120207-2235 (Beta Candidate)

8228.0.winmain_win8beta.120208-1901 (Beta Candidate)

8229.0.winmain_win8beta.120209-1545 (Beta Candidate)

8230.0.winmain_win8beta.120210-1831 (Beta Candidate)

8231.0.winmain_win8beta.120213-1905 (Beta Candidate)

8232.0.winmain_win8beta.120214-1755 (Beta Candidate)

8233.0.winmain_win8beta.120215-1901 (Beta Candidate)

8234.0.winmain_win8beta.120216-1807 (Beta Candidate)

8250.0.winmain_win8beta.120217-1520 (Windows 8 Consumer Preview release at MWC 2012)

Windows 8 Pre-Release Candidate

8275.0.winmain.120202-1550

8276.0.winmain.120206-1425

8277.0.winmain.120207-1851

8278.0.winmain.120208-1842

8279.0.winmain.120209-1808

8280.0.winmain.120210-1507

8281.0.winmain.120213-1325

8282.0.winmain.120214-1742

8283.0.winmain.120215-1823

8284.0.winmain.120216-1840

8285.0.winmain.120217-1752

8286.0.winmain.120221-1830

8287.0.winmain.120222-1841

8288.0.winmain.120223-1751

<This post will be regularly updated>

[Guest Prayaas Aggarwal]

Screenshots' Gallery

Windows 7 Post RTM Build 7700

Windows 8 Milestone 1 Client Build 7850 - LEAKED

[img width=560 height=420]

[img width=560 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 2 CES 2011 Build 7867.

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 2 Build 7910

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 2 Build 7916

[img width=331 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 2 Build 7927 - LEAKED

[img width=672 height=420]

Windows 8 Milestone 2 Build 7950

[img width=748 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Client Build 7955 - LEAKED

[img width=525 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Server Build 7959 x64 - LEAKED

[img width=503 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Build 7973

[img width=718 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Build 7985 - Julie Green D9 Preview

[img width=746 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Client Build 7989 x64 - LEAKED

[img width=748 height=420]http://windowsaddicted.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/windows8build7989.png

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Build 8011

[img width=466 height=420]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Build 802x

[img width=770 height=301]

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Build 8030

Windows 8 Pre-Milestone 3 Build 8039 - Transparency in Starter SKU

Windows 8 Milestone 3 Build 8064

[img width=558 height=420]

Windows 8 Final Milestone 3 Build 8102.101 - RELEASED

Windows 8 Pre-Beta Build 8128

Windows 8 Pre-Beta Build 8165

Windows 8 Pre-Beta Build 8165.fbl_dev - CES 2012

Windows 8 Beta Build 8250 Consumer Preview - RELEASED

[img width=672 height=420]

More to come soon!

[Guest Prayaas Aggarwal]

<Space reserved for future use>

[Guest Prayaas Aggarwal]

Updated!! Thank me if I gave good info.

[sajrockz]

gr8.. i didnt know that win 8 was on the track before win 7.. useful post.. +1

[Guest Prayaas Aggarwal]

gr8.. i didnt know that win 8 was on the track before win 7.. useful post..

+1

You're welcome!