Windows Aero

Aero is a transparent Windows visual style used from Longhorn M6 to Windows 7 (window transparency was removed in 8). The first build to have working Aero is Windows Longhorn build 4039, and the last build to use Aero (with window transparency) is Windows 8 build 8056. In Windows Longhorn, Aero effects relied on the Desktop Composition Engine (or Desktop Window Manager in newer builds), which only worked in a few builds such as 4039, 4066, and 4074. In Windows Vista and 7, it relies on a driver with WDDM (Windows Display Driver Module) to render window transparency, otherwise the Windows Basic theme would run. From Windows 8 build 7927 and later, the Aero effects are now software rendered.

Enabling Aero in Windows Vista pre-Beta 2 builds
Main article: Windows Aero/Enabling Aero in Windows Vista pre-Beta 2 builds

Bugs and quirks

 * Since these builds uses LDDM instead of the WDDM used in newer builds, Vista drivers will not work. Windows XP drivers are required to enable Aero in these builds.
 * Aero is not known to work on 5112 outside of real hardware.
 * When Aero is enabled on build 5212, the borders becomes transparent, but the taskbar doesn't.
 * Before build 5259, there is a bug that causes Aero animations to lag. It is possible to workaround this by ending and restarting the  process.
 * Flip3D is activated via the Windows Key + Spacebar in build 5212 and build 5219, rather than Windows Key + Tab in later builds.