Windows 95 build 263

4.00.263
	Build of Windows 95
OS family	Windows 9x
Version number	4.00
Build number	263
Architecture	x86
Compiled on	1994-11-18
Expiration date
Timebomb	1995-03-31 (+133 days)
Product key
Beta Site ID	186349
Password	94730fb34
About dialog

Windows 95 build 263 is a Beta 2 build of Windows 95, which was originally mislabeled as build 265 by the warez group The Lexicon that leaked it. It was later found and shared on 6 July 2019, with the files being provided by Dave Pennings.^[1]

NFO files[edit | edit source]

The following NFO files were included as part of the release:

FILE_ID^[2]

The Lexicon Presents: Windows 95 Build 265

Build 265 fixes some problems in build 224. This build of Windows 95 provides a stable platform which is actually usable.  It has quite good network handling (including built-in TCP/IP internet connectivity) and fast serial communications (28.8k modem can run full bore in the background with no errors without a 16550 buffered UART.

NFO^[2]

Windows 95                                                     Beta 2 Build 265
~~~~~~~~~~                                                     ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Build 265 was created on November 18th, 1994.  It is the latest version of Windows 95, and fixes more of the problems from the M7 Beta build 224.

To install, unzip all 22 files into a subdirectory on your hard drive.  It will take approximately 40 megs for this, plus you should have an extra 60 megabytes free for the Windows 95 operating system installation.

Once you have unzipped the files to a subdirectory, switch to that subdirectory and run setup.exe.  Windows95 will proceed to install.

Partway through the installation, Windows95 will ask for a beta site ID and password.  You may use any valid Beta 2 post-216 ID and password.  One which has been floating around is:

ID Site:  162330
Password: 01a749138

Windows 95 has come a long way since the early builds, and is now a viable and (fairly) stable platform for every day use.  If you need bonafide dos, you can hit F4 during the bootup (before the Windows95 graphic comes up), and your old version of DOS will boot.  Windows95 does not require your drive to be
repartitioned.  Windows95 runs Windows16 (old windows applications) as well or better than Windows 3.1x did, and also allows you to run many new full 32-bit
Windows32 applications.  It multitasks DOS sessions quite adequately as well.

This Windows95 Beta has been brought to you by the folks at The Lexicon of the Cabal BBS.

New features and changes[edit | edit source]

Introduced the Musica sound scheme.
GRPCONV.EXE (seen in Setup) has been redesigned to have its appearance seen in the RTM.
The Windows Tour has been updated to no longer show a simulation of the Desktop Experience in the beginning. Instead, a short animated clip in 640×480 resolution showing a plane with a "Microsoft Windows 95" will be played until the main page "Welcome to the Windows Tutorial" has been reached.
The default time zone is now set to "(GMT) Greenwich Mean Time; Dublin, Edinburgh, London" by default instead of "(GMT -12:00) Enewetak, Kwajalein".
Introduced support for the Sound Blaster 16 PnP and the Sound Blaster AWE32.
This is the first available build to have "Windows 3.1-like style User Interface" option on the "Select Components" page of Setup, which can configure the Program Manager to run after startup.