Windows Vista build 3790.1232

Windows Vista build 3790.1232 is the first "Longhorn" build compiled after the development reset. It is the first build to be compiled in the newly named winmain branch. Basically, it is a rebranded Windows Server 2003 SP1 beta. There is no evidence that this is a "Longhorn" build except for references in the End-User License Agreement. It was described by Grabberslasher on his UX.Unleaked blog on 2 May 2008. The Professional version of this build was leaked on 4 August 2011, while the Home Edition version of this build was leaked as the second set of his 33 Longhorn/Vista builds on 25 January 2020, alongside build 4005 and build 4039 (Lab06 n.030824-1954). Unlike most other post-reset builds, this build does not use  and thus can still boot without ACPI.

This build is not functionally a Longhorn build, but since it has the Longhorn EULA (End User License Agreement), it was still distributed as a Longhorn build and was intended to be tested as such.

Microsoft had numerous problems with the earlier Longhorn builds, including stability issues, memory leaks, and so on, and because of this, they decided to replace the current version of the underlying Windows Server 2003 codebase with a later version (Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1, rather than Windows .NET Server 2003 Release Candidate). This build was forked from the same build of Windows Server 2003 Service Pack 1 (minus the EULA change) and still retained certain characteristics from it, such as the Windows Server 2003 beta-related notice window that would appear upon logging on.

Zero-day activation
The build must be activated before log-on. Most versions online have a way to remove this activation method, although the copy on BetaArchive's FTP has these methods removed.

Missing files
During setup, you will encounter a prompt that asks you where to look for some files. The default answer is the root directory of your CD-ROM drive, but you must use the i386 directory to copy those files. If not followed, a lot of applications will be missing. Note that this only applies to the original leak.

Missing files in the original images
The original copies of this build are completely unfixed, meaning that the above instructions will not work, since the files do not exist anywhere. You must provide the following files to setup in some way for it to finish correctly. They can be stubs, or the real files from a period-correct build that has them. File list Blank.txt Empty.txt Sample1.jpg Sample2.jpg filters.xml moviemk.chm moviemk.exe news.png paint.png wWMalert.wav wWMemail.wav wWMonline.wav wlogowin.gif wlvback.gif wmsgsc.dll wmsgslang.dll wmsmsgs.exe wtype.wav wxpmsgr.chm

Leak
The Professional version of this build was released with the following note from the original leaker. According to mrpijey, it is provided by an anonymous source.

Build: Windows Server 2003 ".NET Server" (5.2.3790.1232 Professional Beta)

Compiled: 2004-08-19

''This build is a pain in the neck. It should really be called 'Windows Server 2003 "We have no clue what this thing is called because Microsoft are lazy people and don't give proper names to a lot of their project reset builds" (5.2.3790.1232) (Professional Beta)'. This 3790.1232 can be considered a Windows Server 2003 Post-RTM but this particular build was built by the Winmain lab, odd for a server build. What really happened was the Winmain lab taking .NET Server 5.2.3790.1232 when Microsoft were resetting the Longhorn project and decided to toy around with it. You could call this pre-Longhorn Omega-13 if you really wanted, but there isn't really a name for this build, except for "Windows Pain in the neck". While the Longhorn EULA is in there, it isn't necessarily a Longhorn build. It was merely a test build for Microsoft to play with before they moved to Longhorn post-reset pre-beta.''

Let's put this on a timeline to make it understandable.

 Build 4093 declared a mess, Microsoft decides to reset the project

 While Microsoft decides to reset the project, it just so happens 5.2.3790.1232 happens to be the latest code

 Microsoft take it and tell the Winmain lab to compile it for the sole reason of playing with it

 Microsoft decide to use this as base and move on to begin Longhorn development

''I bet you did not understand a word of that whatsoever. Basically, this build is what Longhorn is based on, but it is not strictly Longhorn. It's basically a Server 2003 RTM with SP1 Release Candidate slipstreamed and given a Professional client SKU. This means all the server goodies were removed.''

However, there was another thread about the leak at the BetaArchive forum. It was started by user t764010. He provided an NFO claiming that it is a RELEASE BY "KiTTY", which contained comments possibly directed at BetaArchive staff, due to similar criticism also used (with explicit mention of said site) in the NFO of Windows 8 build 8888 (win8_gdr_soc_intel).

NOTE: The NFO is provided for historical purposes only. NFO contents

''