An old and unreleased beta build of Windows 7 has leaked online

[Alfonso Maruccia]

In context: Windows 7 as a proper computing platform has long been dead, but leakers are still playing with the corpse of one of Microsoft most successful software products. A new preview build of the operating system is now available online, providing an interesting addition for Windows historians and Win32 software enthusiasts.

Microsoft ended the official extended support for Windows 7 in January 2020, but Windows 7 is still making news. An old beta build of the OS recently leaked online, offering a glimpse of how development was going back in July 2008.

The final RTM version of Windows 7 would be released about a year later, and this old beta build includes some of the changes customers experienced with the OS on their 2009 PC.

BetaWiki has a comprehensive article about the changes introduced in Windows 7 build 6758, which is a "Milestone 3" build of Windows 7. The build was compiled on July 24, 2008, with an expiration date set to April 1, 2009. Build 6758 was recently uploaded to the Internet Archive, where client (x86) and server (x64) ISO disk images are now available for download.

The build includes an updated Paint application which is similar to the version included in Windows 7 RTM, plus a series of major changes to the underlying features and design of the OS. Improvements to previously available (and publicly known) builds affect the Windows Setup process, Control Panel applets, the Shell, the Start Menu, and more.

Windows 7 (M3) build 6758 was shared/leaked recently! It includes a significantly updated Paint application (compared to previous builds) which is more similar to the one in the RTM. pic.twitter.com/YMMQKL1w9L

– PhantomOcean3 ð³ (@PhantomOfEarth) April 8, 2024

According to BetaWiki, the Windows Explorer user interface was significantly updated when compared to previous OS builds. Meanwhile, the Start Menu was modified to include links to users' documents, picture and video libraries by default. The Desktop Window Manager, which was created to enable the distinct "Aero experience" of Windows Vista and still is an essential component in Windows 10 and 11, includes new animations for the Aero Snap feature.

Additional changes included in build 6758 affect the Desktop Gadget Gallery, which no longer runs by default, a leaner User Account Control (UAC) experience, Notification Tray design, system flyouts. Improved applications included Internet Explorer, which has new interface components, media-related programs (Windows Media Center, Windows Media Player, Windows DVD Maker), and several system components. The humble Calculator had a slick new interface which unfortunately was toned down for the RTM.

Windows enthusiasts can try to install and run the Windows 7 build within a virtual machine like VMware Player, which offers excellent support for the historic OS. Microsoft is still providing security patches for the Windows Embedded POSReady 7 version of Windows 7, but the Extended Security Updates program will finally expire on October 8, 2024.

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An old and unreleased beta build of Windows 7 has leaked online

 

[Thrackerzod]

Isn't the beta of Windows 7 called Vista?

 

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Isn't the beta of Windows 7 called Vista?

As a matter of fact, Vista introduced many advanced features (new desktop window manager, UAC, integrated firewall framework, etc.) that are still used in Windows these day. It was a d*****t piece of w*******s c**p, too, and it was even worse to use than WinME (on a properly modern laptop PC) :-D

Damn, I should re-install that Vistaster in a VM :-D

 

[Squid Surprise]

Every time a new version of Windows comes out - or MS announces the end of support for a previous version - people start waxing nostalgic over past versions...

I recall debating some fool on here years back who insisted that Windows XP was the "be all and end all" of Windows and that he would never need to upgrade...

When it comes to Windows, however, you are at the mercy of MS unless you are content to use the same hardware forever. If you're fine running a Pentium II for the rest of your life, XP will suffice... but... if you actually want to use current hardware and software, your only option is to use whatever MS deems to be the "best".

Nice to see a piece of history like this... but I don't see any reason to install this... You can get a "real" version of Windows 7 that will be just as useful...

 

[madboyv1]

As a matter of fact, Vista introduced many advanced features (new desktop window manager, UAC, integrated firewall framework, etc.) that are still used in Windows these day. It was a d*****t piece of w*******s c**p, too, and it was even worse to use than WinME (on a properly modern laptop PC) :-D

Damn, I should re-install that Vistaster in a VM :-D

Or you could hammer a nail through your hand, I believe that would be a comparable experience to ME/Vista.

 

[gamerk2]

TBF, Vista ran *fine* if you had the HW for it. The UAC was tuned too aggressively, which did get fixed in SP2, but other then that I had far fewer problems with it then I did with XP. The problems were potato PCs trying to run it, and really poor drivers out the gate.

 

[psycros]

Windows XP/2000 had a UI superior to anything that came after. It had a functional search feature as well, something we haven't seen from Microsoft since. Sorry, but its true.

 

[ZedRM]

Windows XP/2000 had a UI superior to anything that came after.

2k? Not a chance. XP, ok that's plausible. But Windows 7 is easily the GOAT Windows. The UI was as near to perfect as one could reasonably expect to get.

 

[ZedRM]

TBF, Vista ran *fine* if you had the HW for it. The UAC was tuned too aggressively, which did get fixed in SP2, but other then that I had far fewer problems with it then I did with XP. The problems were potato PCs trying to run it, and really poor drivers out the gate.

Mostly true. Vista was much better after SP1. You're exactly right with UAC which, luckily, could be completely disabled.