Windows 8

Windows 8

Windows "8" Build 6.2.7867
Codename Preliminary name	"Windows 8"
Kernel version	x86 NT Kernel, NT 6.2
CPU architecture	x86, AMD64, ARM
Release date	none
Support end	none
Preceded by	Windows 7
Succeeded by	none

Windows 8 is the upcoming successor of Windows 7. Pictures and information of builds with build numbers in the 765x-77xx range have been leaked, but it's not clear wheter they belong to Windows 7's post-RTM or to Windows 8's early development.

A Microsoft employee stated in his blog that Windows 8 will have the NT version number 7.0 and that the OS won't be shipped in a x86 version, but only as x64. However, the April 2011 leaks and PR from Microsoft indicated that the 32-bit Windows would continue and that the Windows 8 kernel version would be 6.2.

As stated by a Microsoft employee, Windows 8 will be "totally different" when it is expected to be released, sometime around 2011 or 2012. Steve Ballmer calls Windows 8 his "riskiest product bet" due to the high success of Windows 7.

As of 18th May 2011, it has not been confirmed that the name "Windows 8" will be used. However, the name "Windows 8" is used throughout the leaked build 7955. Internally the term "Windows.next" is used, which is only a reference to the "next" version of Windows (in 2007, Windows 7 would have been reffered to as "Windows.next"...)

At the CES 2011 in January 2011, a computer with an ARM processor was pictured running the "Windows 8" build 6.2.7867 showing that the kernel version had only changed to 6.2, most likely to keep compatibility with old software. It was determined to be an M2 build.

As of 18th May 2011, three builds have been leaked: the M1 build 6.1.7850, the pre-M3 build 6.2.7955 and the M3 server build 6.3.7959. Microsoft is currently on M3 and a public beta is expected for September 2011.

Build List

Milestone 1 - 6.1.78xx

• 6.1.7800.0.winmain_win8m1.100816-1855
• 6.1.7804.0.winmain_win8m1.100820-1742
• 6.1.7809.0.winmain_win8m1.100827-1740
• 6.1.7811.0.winmain_win8m1.100831-1731
• 6.1.7812.0.winmain_win8m1.100901-1810
• 6.1.7814.0.winmain_win8m1.100903-1700
• 6.1.7817.0.winmain_win8m1.100910-1622
• 6.1.7818.0.winmain_win8m1.100913-1840
• 6.1.7821.0.winmain_win8m1.100916-1940
• 6.1.7822.0.winmain_win8m1.100920-1625
• 6.1.7850.0.winmain_win8m1.100922-1508

Milestone 2 - 6.2.785x

• 6.2.7853.0.winmain_win8m1.100928-1040
• 6.2.7855.0.winmain_win8m1.101001-1815
• 6.2.7857.0.winmain_win8m1.101006-1908
• 6.2.7859.0.winmain_win8m1.101008-1300
• 6.2.7866.0.winmain_win8m1.101019-1507
• 6.2.7867.0.winmain_win8m1.101020-1800
• 6.2.7867 (CES 2011 Build)
• 6.2.7870.0.winmain_win8m1.101025-1900
• 6.2.7871.0.winmain_win8m1.101026-1800
• 6.2.7874.0.winmain_win8m1.101029-1838
• 6.2.7875.0.winmain_win8m1.101101-1832
• 6.2.7878.0.winmain_win8m1.101104-1752
• 6.2.7880.0.winmain_win8m1.101108-1530
• 6.2.7881.0.winmain_win8m1.101109-1816
• 6.2.7882.0.winmain_win8m1.101110-1650
• 6.2.7883.0.winmain_win8m1.101111-1631
• 6.2.7890.0.winmain_win8m1.101122-1810
• 6.2.7891.0.winmain_win8m1.101123-1908
• 6.2.7892.0.winmain_win8m1.101129-1902
• 6.2.7895.0.winmain_win8m1.101202-1845
• 6.2.7898.0.winmain_win8m1.101207-1620
• 6.2.7899.0.winmain_win8m1.101208-1900

Milestone 2 - 6.2.79xx

• 6.2.7900.0.winmain_win8m2.101209-1830
• 6.2.7901.0.winmain_win8m2.101210-1755
• 6.2.7902.0.winmain_win8m2.101213-1745
• 6.2.7903.0.winmain_win8m2.101215-2325
• 6.2.7904.0.winmain_win8m2.101216-1845
• 6.2.7905.0.winmain_win8m2.110103-2100
• 6.2.7906.0.winmain_win8m2.110105-1750
• 6.2.7907.0.winmain_win8m2.110106-1823
• 6.2.7907.0.fbl_x.110109-1800 (FBL)
• 6.2.7908.0.winmain_win8m2.110107-1755
• 6.2.7909.0.winmain_win8m2.110110-1515
• 6.2.7910.0.winmain_win8m2.110111-1804
• 6.2.7911.0.winmain_win8m2.110112-1725
• 6.2.7913.0.winmain_win8m2.110114-1745
• 6.2.7914.0.winmain_win8m2.110118-1605
• 6.2.7915.0.winmain_win8m2.110119-1806
• 6.2.7916.0.winmain_win8m2.110121-1715
• 6.2.7917.0.winmain_win8m2.110125-1757
• 6.2.7920.0.winmain_win8m2.110128-1740
• 6.2.7921.0.winmain_win8m2.110201-2005
• 6.2.7922.0.winmain_win8m2.110202-1840
• 6.2.7925.0.winmain_win8m2.110207-1736
• 6.2.7926.0.winmain_win8m2.110209-1755
• 6.2.7927.0.winmain_win8m2.110210-1740
• 6.2.7928.0.winmain_win8m2.110214-1825
• 6.2.7929.0.winmain_win8m2.110215-1802
• 6.2.7930.0.winmain_win8m2.110217-1825

M2 Escrow / Pre-M3 branch

• 6.2.7947.0.winmain_win8m2_escrow.110218-1608
• 6.2.7948.0.winmain_win8m2_escrow.110221-1703
• 6.2.7949.0.winmain_win8m2_escrow.110222-1545
• 6.2.7950.0.winmain_win8m2_escrow.110223-1820
• 6.2.7955.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110228-1930

Milestone 3 - 6.2.795x

• 6.2.7955.0.winmain_win8m3.110224-1502
• 6.2.7956.0.winmain_win8m3.110228-1701
• 6.2.7959.0.winmain_win8m3.110307-1930
• 6.2.7961.0.winmain_win8m3.110308-1712

See Also

Windows Server 8