Windows 8 build 8250

6.2.8250.0.winmain_win8beta.120217-1520

Build of Windows 8
OS family
Architecture	x86, AMD64, ARM32
Compiled	2012-02-17
Timebomb	2013-01-15 (+333 days)
Works in
About
SKUs
Prerelease
Key
DNJXJ-7XBW8-2378T-X22TX-BKG7J

Windows 8 build 8250 is the official Consumer Preview build of Windows 8, which was officially released to the public on 29 February 2012. Binaries from the ARM32 architecture were discovered on the Microsoft Symbol Server on 25 May 2022.

New features and changes

Branding

• It is the earliest known build to drop the 2001 flag logo and replace it with the new tilted window logo. Some resources still use the old logo, however.
• The default desktop wallpaper was changed to a teal-colored wallpaper containing a Metro-style betta fish along with a large-sized number 8 on the left-hand side. The betta fish would also be used on the boot screen for this build.

Metro

• The Metro interface has been slightly updated again that makes it resemble the RTM.
• The default lock screen background has been updated.
• This build allows changing Start screen background styles and colors.
• This build installs multiple other Metro applications as well, as with the other Windows 8 builds officially released from Microsoft. In addition, a working Store (of the time) and Live apps were also included.
• Games Explorer has been removed from the Start screen.

Secure Boot Policy

This build uses a preliminary version of the Secure Boot Policy, although the on-disk structure is identical to later builds:

• Signature validation is different: the policy must have a hash in or be signed by a certificate in the UEFI Key Exchange Key signature database.
• The CanUpdate element is used here; the code using it was removed later but the element remained in the file format. A path to an updated policy can either be set in a UEFI variable; alternatively, for BitLocker where the VMK is sealed by the TPM, an updated policy is read from osdevice:\LatestPolicy.p7b. This policy must have a valid signature.
  • The updated policy must have a PolicyPublisher equal to one of the CanUpdate GUIDs in the loaded policy; also, the policy version must be greater than the loaded policy's version. If all conditions pass, the updated policy is installed to UEFI non-volatile storage and used as the active policy.
• BCD rules are identical to later builds; that is, BCD elements can be overridden by the policy to either be forcibly ignored, or for deletion to be disallowed from the running OS, or for the element value to be locked to a value or one of several values listed in the policy.
• Registry rules are not used for low-level cryptographic settings as in later builds but instead are used to override registry values anywhere in HKLM\SYSTEM. The operating system loader winload.e* and NT kernel both have code implementing this functionality; the former uses the policy to override the registry values it reads from that hive.
• Option flag bits are completely different from later builds; only 3 bits are used, all by the operating system loader; bit 0 disables the Edit Options menu, bit 1 disables the Advanced Options menu, bit 2 is unknown but related to the Advanced Options menu.

Bugs and quirks

Boot screen

On Legacy BIOS machines, the boot screen uses 16:9 aspect ratio, thus, i.e., on 4:3 monitors it gets stretched down horizontally. UEFI configurations are not affected.

Transparency effects in the Windows Basic theme

When using the Windows Basic (Aero Lite) visual style, transparency effects can be enabled by means of a bug in the Personalization Control Panel (don't persist if you re-selected the created theme). To do so:

1. Right-click the desktop and open up Personalization. Now click on the "Window Color" link given at the bottom of the window. Keep the window open.
2. Open a separate personalization window and apply the Windows Basic theme.
3. Go back to the other personalization window that you opened at the start, uncheck "Enable transparency" option and then re-check it. Click on "Save changes" button. This will cause glass effects to be enabled.

Internet Explorer

Depending on copies of this build, when opening the About dialog, it might not render entirely and will close automatically instead.

Gallery

Setup

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  Setup

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  EULA

Interface

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  Boot screen (Legacy BIOS)

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  Boot screen (UEFI Standard)

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  Boot screen (UEFI Widescreen)

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  Desktop, widescreen

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  Start screen

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  Charms bar

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  File Explorer

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  Demo

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  Windows Basic (Aero Lite) visual style

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  Ditto, with transparency effects

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  System crash (Legacy BIOS)

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  System crash (UEFI Widescreen)