[RELEAK] Windows Me build 2358

[Overdoze]

This is the Developer Release 3, according to Paul Thurrott. The most notable feature of this build appears to be the new Help Center. It has a placeholder topic for Activity Centers under the New features category, it seems the same pieces of Photo and Music Centers as in 2348 are also there. Also includes two files with product name "Microsoft(R) Neptune (TM) Operating System" version 5.50.5048.1. No other references to Neptune, though.

Download here

[TheCollector1988]

Very nice re-leak! Though I hope more WinME builds get re-leaked, especially in the 23xx range, about the ACs.

[gtgamer468]

Is it alright if someone uploads this to the FTP server just so that we have more assurance that a copy exists at least somewhere?

[Lukas Marsik]

Considering this build is mainly about the AC craze, here are some pictures of them in action. Big thanks to Overdoze for helping me with getting the build up and running.

This build seems to be somewhere in the transitional period between the initial colorful Millennium Activity Centers and the slightly more drab Neptune ones which were all blue.
As opposed to 2348, Music Center is no longer green but rather purple like Photo Center. It also contains an early/different mention of the second StartPage theme, called "Circus" at this point. Neptune's Activity Centers contain a working second theme called Jump. Game Center is still nowhere to be seen. From my own spelunking, I'd conclude that Game Center was more of an afterthought rather than an initially intended Center. A few COM components in early Whistler DirectX builds still do reference functions supporting it too.

[Overdoze]

Is it alright if someone uploads this to the FTP server just so that we have more assurance that a copy exists at least somewhere?

Already uploaded.

[jimmsta]

This is a good birthday present. Something for me to open up and explore, tear it apart and make sense of. Thanks Overdoze!

[SistemaRayoXP]

Could anybody add this to the wiki? Right now I have no time to add it.

[Overdoze]

This is a good birthday present. Something for me to open up and explore, tear it apart and make sense of. Thanks Overdoze!

Well in that case: happy birthday!

[Windows OS]

Nice to see some more Millennium builds, especially ones that have the Activity Centers, resurface. Keep up the good work Overdoze.

[Sim31]

Thanks for uploading this for the community!! =D I always wondered what would the game center of looked like if they did include it or actually, what their vision was for the game center?

[BetaNewbie]

How to enable Activity Center in this build?

BTW, this build includes a new(?) OOBE:

[Lukas Marsik]

For Activity Centers to work, you need to add a value called MilExtraDirs to HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion
Neptune actually comes with this value pre-inserted, that's why registering accore simply works there
In Millennium, you need to re-register webvw.dll as all the files live there instead. So far builds with these are 2348 and 2358. Build 2380 is still within the range of active Activity Centers development, but because it was a public preview build, Windows bits related to Activity Centers are either scrubbed or stubbed out.
Another ME tip: these early builds do also include System Restore and System File Protection but no UI to enable it. To do so, go to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\VxD\_VxDMon and change SystemRestore and/or SystemFileProtection from N to Y, then reboot.

Outside the scope of files that actually ship with the build, fonts such as Tebuchet MS, Franklin Gothic Heavy and Franklin Gothic Book are worth installing. A lot of the new HTML based applets (such as Activity Centers, Help Center and System Restore) do intend to use them but end up falling back because they can't be found. The resulting look is a fair bit better with the intended fonts.

[DiskingRound]

There are also screenshots of 2350.3 from KenOath but I believe there are fake. I've also heard of 2363 from some serial key websites and 2368 is also known to exist and has scene leaked (there are also screenshots).

[Meow_2004]

Has anyone gotten past the Product Key part of the OOBE?

[Win9xBeta]

I've been looking for this Millennium build for 20 years and finally found it. Excellent job, Overdoze!
Thanks very much.