Windows 8

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Windows 8
Version of Microsoft Windows
Windows 8 logo and wordmark.svg
Windows8-RTM-Desktop.png
OS familyWindows NT
Version6.2
Codename"8"
Preliminary name
Architecturex86, x64, ARM
Latest build
Release date2012-10-26
Support end2016-01-12
Replaces
Windows 7
Replaced by
Windows 8.1

Windows 8 is an operating system developed by Microsoft. It is the ninth major release in the Windows NT operating system line, replacing Windows 7 and being later replaced by Windows 8.1. It reached RTM on 1 August 2012 and was released to general availability on 26 October 2012. Windows 8 was one of the most short-lived releases, and its support ended on 12 January 2016, as extended support was in favor of Windows 8.1.

This is the first version of Windows drops support for processors without PAE, SSE2 and NX, as running on these processors will display a black screen with error prompts instead.

Editions[edit | edit source]

It comes in four main editions: Core, RT, Pro, and Enterprise. All other editions are variations of those editions.

  • Windows 8 (Core) is the most basic edition available for purchase and is intended for the average home user.
  • Windows RT (CoreARM) is Core for the ARM architecture. It can only launch Windows Store apps and signed Microsoft desktop applications, but apart from the addition of device encryption, it has the same feature set as its base edition.
  • Windows 8 Single Language (CoreSingleLanguage) is Core without the ability to install language packs.
  • Windows 8 China (CoreCountrySpecific), as the name implies is intended for mainland China market. It only allows the Simplified Chinese language pack to be installed.
  • Windows 8 Pro is meant for the enthusiast and business markets, and most notably supports running Hyper-V virtual machines, receiving RDP connections, and BitLocker.
  • Windows 8 Pro with Media Center is exactly what the name implies. It can be upgraded to from Core and Pro with Windows Anytime Upgrade.
  • Windows 8 Enterprise is designed for large organizations and can only be activated with a KMS server or MAK keys. It has the same feature set as Pro but additionally allows creating Windows to Go portable workspaces. It doesn't have Windows Media Center and it cannot be added with any officially sanctioned methods.

Main changes[edit | edit source]

Interface[edit | edit source]

Windows 8 was largely designed for use on touchscreen devices such as tablets, and this can be seen all across the OS, with includes bigger buttons, more distinct colors, and a more modern interface with the removal of Aero transparency on open windows. The taskbar is still transparent, even though it doesn't blur anything behind it anymore. The renewal of the classic Windows shell was accompanied by the addition of the Metro interface, which includes a new Start menu (named Start screen), with a full-screen UI replacing the smaller Start menu first introduced in Windows 95. From the Start screen, Metro apps can be launched, which can take the entire screen, providing an immersive interface, or be snapped to a side of the screen alongside another application or the desktop. The File Explorer also got a renewal, with the introduction of the Ribbon UI first seen in Windows 7. The Up button has been readded and the preview pane is now vertical.

The Metro UI is directly integrated with the desktop, which features hot corners: positioning the mouse in certain parts of the screen will reveal new functionality. The right side features the Charms Bar, a vertical bar that includes Search, Share, Start, Devices, and Settings as buttons. Right-clicking on the bottom left corner of the screen opens the Quick Link menu, which contains shortcuts to frequently used areas.

Windows 8 was the first Windows operating system ever since Windows 3.1 to have no Start button. Although the last build of Windows 8 to have the Start button by default was 8176, it is possible to remove the Start button from the taskbar, on builds 7899 to 8102. To accomplish this, you need to make a new DWORD in HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Windows/CurrentVersion/Explorer called YouBettaHideYoPearl, with its value set to 1. After doing so, log off and log back in. If done correctly, the Start button should be removed.

Desktop Window Manager now renders using a software-based 3D rasterizer when such an accelerator is unavailable. Additionally, the Windows Classic and Windows Basic themes have been removed.

Progress windows have been modified to remove the animation on the top and make it possible to view "more details", including a graph for tracking transfer speeds. It is also possible to pause file transfer operations.

Notifications have been updated to be more noticeable, as they appear on the right of the screen and are the same color as the current theme.

Task Manager[edit | edit source]

The Task Manager now opens up in a simple view which only displays a list of open programs and not processes. Expanding the view reveals a modernized and improved version of the classic Task Manager, featuring tabs and a bigger focus on memory usage.

Windows Store[edit | edit source]

Windows Store allows the consumer to distribute and download Metro apps or advertise desktop software. The Windows Store would later be redesigned in Windows 8.1. The Store was called "MSHelp" in builds before 8032. The Windows Store would later be rebranded as Microsoft Store in September 2017 on Windows 10.

Media Center[edit | edit source]

Unlike Windows Vista and Windows 7, Windows Media Center is not included by default in any Windows 8 edition. Customers with existing Windows 8 users can purchase Media Center with the Windows 8 Pro Pack, which includes Windows 8 Pro with Media Center. Customers with existing Windows 8 Pro licenses can purchase Media Center with the Windows 8 Pro Pack, which was free previously under a promotional offer (until January 31, 2013).

Display language support[edit | edit source]

Microsoft offered 109 display languages in Windows 8,[1] 14 more than Windows 7, including:

  • English (United Kingdom)
  • Punjabi (Pakistan)
  • Sindhi (Pakistan)
  • Central Kurdish (Iraq)
  • Uyghur (People’s Republic of China)
  • Belarusian (Belarus)
  • Kinyarwanda (Rwanda)
  • Tigrinya (Ethiopia)
  • Tajik (Tajikistan)
  • Wolof (Senegal)
  • K’iche’ (Guatemala)
  • Scottish Gaelic (United Kingdom)
  • Cherokee (United States)
  • Valencian (Spain)

Builds[edit | edit source]

Milestone 1[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 7652
Leaked build 7700.winmain.100122-1900
Leaked build 7746.fbl_grfx.100428-2024
Unconfirmed build 7788.fbl_uex_cxe_dev.100???-????
Unconfirmed build 7791
Unconfirmed build 7793
Unconfirmed build 7814.fbl_core1_kernel_ee.100907-1700
Leaked build 7850.winmain_win8m1.100922-1508

Milestone 2[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 7867
Unconfirmed build 7871
Unconfirmed build 7875.fbl_grfx_dev1.101102-1700
Unconfirmed build 7878.winmain.101104-1752
Leaked build 7880.fbl_grfx_dev1.101110-1700
Confirmed build 7898
Leaked build 7899.fbl_core2_sfs.101209-1900
Confirmed build 7900
Confirmed build 7901.FBL_UEX_ICP.101213-1800
Unconfirmed build 7910.winmain.110111-1804
Leaked build 7927.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110214-1930
Unconfirmed build 7930.winmain_win8m2.110217-1825
Unconfirmed build 7950.winmain_win8m2.110223-1820

Milestone 3/Developer Preview[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 7955.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110228-1930
Leaked build 7962.fbl_srv_wdacxml.110311-1930
Leaked build 7963.winmain.110310-1721
Unconfirmed build 7971.winmain.110324-1900
Unconfirmed build 7973.winmain.110329-1742
Leaked build 7973.fbl_core2_sid_data.110330-1700
Leaked build 7973.fbl_dnt3_wireless.110330-1800
Leaked build 7973.fbl_core1_kernel_npc.110330-1809
Unconfirmed build 7976.winmain.110401-1700
Confirmed build 7985.fbl_core1_kernel_cptx.110503-1501
Leaked build 7989.winmain.110421-1825
Leaked build 7997.fbl_dnt3_wireless.110504-2014
Leaked build 8008.fbl_dnt3_wireless.110518-1900
Unconfirmed build 8011.winmain.110520-1745
Leaked build 8014.fbl_grfx_dev1.110525-1700
Leaked build 8032.fbl_core2_sid_data.110623-2054
Unconfirmed build 8040.fbl_grfx_dev1.110706-1700
Leaked build 8045.fbl_grfx_dev1.110713-1730
Unconfirmed build 8049.fbl_eeap.110718-0510
Confirmed build 8056.winmain.110726-1851
Leaked build 8056.fbl_dnt2_bus.110727-1700
Leaked build 8056.fbl_grfx_dev1.110727-1728
Leaked build 8056.fbl_dnt3_wireless.110727-1800
Confirmed build 8057.winmain.110727-1825
Confirmed build 8059.winmain.110729-1857
Confirmed build 8064.fbl_eeap.110806-1000
Confirmed build 8065.?.1108??-????
Confirmed build 8069.winmain.110816-1802
Confirmed build 8095.winmain_win8m3.110812-1840
Confirmed build 8101.winmain_win8m3.110822-1905
Leaked build 8102.0.winmain_win8m3.110823-1455
Leaked build 8102.101.winmain_win8m3.110830-1739

Consumer Preview[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 8108.fbl_dnt2_wipdc.110902-1700
Unconfirmed build 8112.0.winmain.110909-1742
Unconfirmed build 8121.winmain.110922-1933
Unconfirmed build 8128.0.winmain.111004-1854
Leaked build 8128.fbl_core1_soc_partner.111005-1916
Confirmed build 8130.winmain.111006-1907
Leaked build 8133.fbl_grfx_dev1.111012-1400
Leaked build 8133.fbl_core2_sid_data.111012-1700
Leaked build 8133.fbl_dnt2_bus.111012-1700
Leaked build 8133.fbl_core2_sfs.111012-1900
Leaked build 8133.fbl_dnt3_wireless.111012-1902
Leaked build 8140.0.winmain.111020-1857
Leaked build 8148.0.winmain.111103-1846
Unconfirmed build 8158.0.winmain.111118-2210
Leaked build 8161.0.winmain.111128-1254
Confirmed build 8165.fbl_fun_resp.111205-2000
Unconfirmed build 8172.?.111214-1750
Unconfirmed build 817?.?.1112??-????
Confirmed build 8175.fbl_dev_dp4.111216-2019
Leaked build 8176.fbl_core2_sid_dev.120104-2026
Unconfirmed build 8180.0.winmain.120109-1245
Unconfirmed build 8186.winmain.120117-1707
Confirmed build 8194.winmain.120127-1917
Leaked build 8195.fbl_dnt3_wireless.120201-1800
Unconfirmed build 8220.winmain_win8beta.120127-1925
Confirmed build 8225.winmain_win8beta.120203-1918
Unconfirmed build 8234.winmain_win8beta.120216-1807
Leaked build 8250.0.winmain_win8beta.120217-1520

Release Preview[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 8277.fbl_dnt2_bus.120208-1700
Leaked build 8305.fbl_dnt3_wireless.120321-1800
Leaked build 8305.fbl_grfx_dev1.120321-1830
Leaked build 8305.fbl_core2_sfs.120321-1900
Unconfirmed build 8306.?.1203??-????
Confirmed build 8318.fbl_core1_soc.120409-2355
Leaked build 8330.0.fbl_woa.120424-2227
Leaked build 8330.0.fbl_grfx_dev1.120425-1400
Leaked build 8330.0.fbl_ie_longhorn.120425-2121
Confirmed build 8331.0.winmain.120425-1916
Leaked build 8331.0.fbl_loc.120425-2034
Unconfirmed build 8331.fbl_uex.120425-21??
Unconfirmed build 8370.0.winmain_win8rc.120428-1335
Unconfirmed build 8375.0.winmain_win8rc.120504-1900
Confirmed build 8382
Confirmed build 8383
Leaked build 8400.0.winmain_win8rc.120518-1423

Pre-RTM[edit | edit source]

Confirmed build 8422.0.winmain.120524-1848
Leaked build 8422.0.fbl_woa.120524-2000
Confirmed build 8422.fbl_core1_soc_partner.120525-1923
Leaked build 8423.fbl_loc.120528-2000
Confirmed build 8424.winmain.120529-1855
Confirmed build 8424.fbl_woa_drop.120530-2000
Confirmed build 8431.fbl_uex.120609-2000
Unconfirmed build 8432.winmain.120611-1243
Leaked build 8432.0.fbl_loc.120611-2000
Confirmed build 8432.0.fbl_woa.120611-2000
Unconfirmed build 8437.0.winmain.120618-1325
Leaked build 8438.fbl_ie_longhorn.120620-2000
Leaked build 8441.0.winmain.120623-1614
Confirmed build 8509.0.fbl_eeap.120708-0952
Leaked build 8513.0.win8_gdr_soc_intel.120710-2000
Leaked build 8513.0.win8_gdr_soc_nv.120710-2000
Leaked build 8513.0.win8_gdr_soc_ti.120710-2000
Leaked build 8518.0.win8_gdr_soc_nv.120718-0003
Leaked build 8520.0.fbl_eeap.120722-1632

RTM Escrow[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 8888.16384.win8_gdr_soc_intel.120724-2000
Leaked build 8888.16384.win8_gdr_soc_nv.120724-2107
Leaked build 8888.16384.win8_gdr_soc_ti.120724-2000

RTM[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9200.16384.win8_rtm.120725-1247

Post-RTM[edit | edit source]

Leaked build 9200.16384.win8_gdr_soc_ti.120725-2000
Leaked build 9200.16384.win8_gdr_soc_intel.120726-2000
Leaked build 9200.16384.win8_gdr_soc_nv.120726-2000

References[edit | edit source]

  1. ↑ Steven Sinofsky (21 February 2012). "Using the language you want". Building Windows 8. Archived from the original on 26 December 2019.
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