Windows 8
 |
|
| Windows 8 Build 6.2.8400 - Start Screen | |
| Codename Preliminary name |
8 |
|---|---|
| Kernel version | NT 6.2 |
| CPU architecture | x86, x64, ARM |
| Release date | October 26, 2012 |
| Support end | 1 January 2018 |
| Preceded by | Windows 7 |
| Succeeded by | Windows 8.1 |
Windows 8 is the latest release of Microsoft Windows, a family of operating systems developed by Microsoft.
It is the successor to Windows 7, and is kernel version 6.2.
History/Features
Development of Windows 8 started before the general availability of Windows 7.
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.
Steve Ballmer calls Windows 8 his "riskiest product bet" due to the high success of Windows 7.
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.
Four builds of Windows 8 in its early Milestone stages have been leaked: 6.1.7850 (M1), 6.2.7927 (M2), 6.2.7955 (M2), 6.2.7959 (Post-M2/Pre-M3), and 6.2.7989 (M3). Rumors show that because of the leaks of 7850, 7955, and 7959, two Microsoft employees were terminated due to leaking confidential software.
Some of the new features in Windows 8 include:
- Immersive User Interface (referred to as Modern UI, codenamed Metro)
- Start screen which incorporates the Modern design language and replaces the Start menu of previous Windows versions.
- Internet Explorer 10 (with a new Modern version also included)
- Modern PDF Reader
- Modern versions of Mail, Calendar, and People applications
- Ribbon UI in File Explorer (previously known as Windows Explorer)
- New Desktop Window Manager features, such as support for software rendering, and performance improvements
- File History, which automatically creates backups of files located across the system
- Reset and Refresh (the former re-installs Windows, while the latter retains settings and removes desktop applications)
- Windows Store
- Windows to Go
- Revised Task Manager
- New file operation windows
Builds
- No information available
- Existence doubtful
- Information or pictures available
- Leaked or released
Milestone 1 - 6.1.78xx
Milestone 2 - 6.2.786x
- 6.2.7867.0.?.101020-1800
- 6.2.7910.0.winmain_win8m2.110111-1804
- 6.2.7914.0.winmain_win8m2.110118-1605
- 6.2.7916.0.winmain_win8m2.110121-1715
- 6.2.7920.0.winmain_win8m2.110128-1740
- 6.2.7926.0.winmain_win8m2.110209-1755
- 6.2.7927.0.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110214-1930
- 6.2.7928.0.winmain_win8m2.110214-1825
M2 Escrow / Pre-M3 branch
Milestone 3 - 6.2.795x
- 6.2.7962.0.winmain.1103xx-xxxx
- 6.2.7971.0.winmain.110324-1900
- 6.2.7973.0.winmain.110329-1742
- 6.2.7975.0.winmain.110331-1827
- 6.2.7989.0.winmain.110421-1825
- 6.2.7985.0.fbl_core1_kernel_cptx.110503-1501
- 6.2.7996.0.winmain.110429-1810
Offical Pre-Beta - 6.2.8102
- 6.2.8102.101.winmain_win8m3.110830-1739 - Public Developer Preview
- 6.2.8102.101.winmain_win8m3.110831-1700 - KB2608612
- 6.2.8102.105.winmain_win8m3.110907-1505 - KB2616619
- 6.2.8102.106.winmain_win8m3.110908-1424 - KB2616150
- 6.2.8102.108.winmain_win8m3.110911-1502 - KB2617028
- 6.2.8102.109.winmain_win8m3.110912-1733 - KB2617868
- 6.2.8102.110.winmain_win8m3.110913-1848 - KB2618032
- 6.2.8102.112.winmain_win8m3.110915-1505 - KB2619246
Pre-Consumer Preview (Pre-Beta) - 6.2.81xx
- 6.2.8112.0.winmain.110909-1742 - Online Setup used in: Windows Developer Preview Install Fair
- 6.2.8128.0.winmain.1110xx-xxxx
- 6.2.8158.0.winmain.11xxxx-xxxx
- 6.2.8165.fbl_fun_resp.111205-2000
- 6.2.817x.0.winmain.111215-xxxx
- 6.2.8175.0.fbl_dev_dp4.111216-2019
- 6.2.8192.0.winmain.120125-1820 - Online Setup used in: Windows Consumer Preview Install Fair
Consumer Escrow (Beta Escrow)
*6.2.8220.x.winmain_win8beta.1201xx-xxxx
Offical Consumer Preview (Beta) - 6.2.8250
Release Preview
- 6.2.8318.fbl_core1_soc_120409-2355
- 6.2.8331.fbl_loc.120425-2034
- 6.2.8375.0.winmain_win8rc.120504-1900
- 6.2.8382
- 6.2.8383
- 6.2.8400.0.winmain_win8rc.120518-1423
Post-RC Builds
Pre-RTM
- 6.2.8514.0.winmain_win8rtm.120711-1900
- 6.2.8515.0.winmain_win8rtm.120712-1900
- 6.2.8516.0.winmain_win8rtm.120713-1900
- 6.2.8888.16384.WIN8_GDR_SOC_INTEL.120724-2000
