Windows Server 2012 build 8250

6.2.8250.0.winmain_win8beta.120217-1520

Build of Windows Server 2012
Release name	Beta
OS family	Windows NT
Version number	6.2
Build number	8250
Build revision	0
Architecture	x86, x64
Build lab	winmain_win8beta
Compiled on	2012-02-17
Expiration date
Timebomb	2013-01-15 (+333 days)
About dialog

Windows Server 2012 build 8250 is the official Beta build of Windows Server 2012, which was released on 29 February 2012 along with the client counterpart. It was also additionally released in the form of a set of Repair Content Packages, which are used by DISM /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth to repair an existing Windows installation, making it one of the few remaining server builds to be released with a 32-bit counterpart after support for the x86 architecture was dropped with the release of Windows Server 2008 R2.

It is the last available build to support processors that lack the Physical Address Extension, the NX/XD bit and the SSE2 instruction set.

Editions and keys

Edition / SKU Name	Key
Standard	HMG6P-C7VGP-47GJ9-TWBD4-2YYCD
Enterprise (edition upgrade only)	7P8GH-FV2FF-8FDCR-YK49D-D7P97
Datacenter	7X29B-RDCR7-J6R29-K27FF-H9CR9
Hyper-V Server	Q8R8C-T2W6H-7MGPB-4CQ9R-KR36H

Changes

User interface

Start screen

• Minor design updates have been introduced across the Start screen's user interface.
• The default layout has been changed to include the Windows PowerShell, Task Manager, Server Manager and Control Panel shortcuts.

Branding

It is the earliest known build to drop the 2001 flag logo and replace it with the new tilted window logo. The boot screen logo bitmap was changed to utilize a Metro-style betta fish along with the number 8 on the left-hand side. Certain resources (such as branding in the System Control Panel applet) still make use of the older logo design. The disk drive icon used to indicate the currently-running Windows installation in the Computer system folder has been additionally changed to use the new Windows flag.

Boot Graphics Library (BGFX)

The Boot Graphics Library has been updated to accommodate for legacy BIOS machines utilizing a widescreen monitor configuration; the boot screen, system crash screen and the second stage of setup therefore utilize 16:9 aspect ratio variants of the logo bitmap and Segoe Boot font face, with resources designated under the N moniker.

System crashes no longer display a sad emoticon by default. This change is also present by default in client releases if a Japanese language pack is being actively used.

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.

Other changes

• The copyright date of winver.exe has been updated from 2011 to 2012.
• The setup background color has been changed from grayish blue to dark teal.
• The Start button has been removed.
• The default accent color, user account profile picture and lock screen backgrounds have been updated.
• The Win+X context menu (which contains a list of quick shortcuts intended for power users) was added.
• The date has been removed from the lock screen on Server Core configurations.
• The fallback boot screen (triggered by bcdedit /set {default} graphicsmodedisabled yes) has been reverted back to the Windows Vista boot screen.

Bugs

Timebomb

Installing this build after the timebomb expires will result in it not installing its licensing policies properly, therefore resulting in no timebomb being displayed and not being able to change the wallpaper.

Compatibility

To install or run this build in VMware Workstation, the hardware compatibility version must be set to version 8.x or 9.x; otherwise, a bugcheck will occur.

Gallery

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  Boot screen (Legacy BIOS)

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  Boot screen (UEFI)

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  Setup

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  System crash (Legacy BIOS)

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  Desktop with winver (in Simplified Chinese)

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  Start screen

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  File Explorer in the Aero visual style

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  Server Core