Windows 7 build 6608

Windows 7 build 6608 is the official Milestone 2 build of Windows 7, which was uploaded to BetaArchive on 16 June 2010. Components from the x64 architecture were found on the Microsoft Symbol Server on 19 June 2022.

New features

 * This is the first known build of Windows 7 to include additional information when upgrading Windows.
 * Nearly all mentions of Windows Vista have been changed to Windows 7. Vista is still referenced in Windows Media Center and about box in Windows Mail.
 * As of today, this is the earliest available build which uses the "Deployment Imaging and Servicing Tool" (DISM) to install Windows.
 * Aero theme had some changes. The glass texture has been replaced with a new smoother one, the same as seen in final releases.
 * The context menu entry for the Gadget Gallery is now placed between the Display and Personalize items.
 * Minor visual tweaks were made to elements within Windows Explorer.
 * Windows Media Player has been updated with a new color scheme.
 * The Start menu entry has been renamed to Windows PowerShell V2. However, "Windows PowerShell 1.0" will remain when upgrading from an earlier build.
 * This build is the first to include the Windows PowerShell Integrated Scripting Environment (ISE), at this time named "Graphical PowerShell".
 * Some Control Panel items have been changed since build 6519.
 * Added Activity Everywhere voice assistant.

Windows Activation
Windows Activation now behaves like on Windows Vista Service Pack 1; all premium features (including Windows Aero) will remain functional and a dialog warning the user that the copy of Windows is not genuine will appear at periodic times, instead of booting into "reduced functionality mode" and an hourly system reboot.

Console
This is the first known build to outsource console window handling from the Windows subsystem server process to the new Console Window Host  component. Upon launching a console application, the Windows subsystem now automatically spawns a console host process in the user's security context, which then creates and owns the console window. Before the change, console windows were created and owned directly by subsystem process itself, which runs in a highly privileged security context. Any changes to the console subsystem therefore had to be carefully curated as to not impact the security of the system.

This change enabled several minor improvements to the console subsystem. Files can now be dragged and dropped onto console windows. This functionality was previously disabled in Windows Vista, as it presented a security risk with the previous architecture. Additionally, console windows are now properly themed as opposed to deliberately falling back to the classic theme due to  being exempt from theming for security and reliability purposes.

Bluepill enhancements
With Bluepill enabled, this build includes multiple new additions that would make it to the RTM. Among one of these is an updated Superbar, which includes the new jump list menu options, although it is obtained in this build by pressing the arrow next to the application icon. The Superbar also no longer shows the application's name and only displays just the icon. WordPad has been updated to include the ribbon from Office 2007. New icons have been added into Calculator.

Superbar
The superbar can be enabled by merging the following content into the registry, then restarting Windows:

Enable Superbar

Aero Peek
Aero Peek can be enabled by merging the content below into the registry, then restarting Windows.

Start orb
Start orb appears after the startup sound plays.

LogonUI
The buttons on the login screen appear to have jagged edges.

DWM
Desktop Window Manager requires either compatible hardware or using 9.x compatibility or older in VMware Workstation with 8.x drivers.

Control Panel

 * Many applets are missing.
 * Control Panel will break after superbar is enabled.