New Version of the Windows 7 Application Compatibility Toolkit for the RC-Branch

Microsoft is hard at work cooking a new version of the Application Compatibility Toolkit for Windows 7, tailoring the tool to the Release Candidate branch builds of the operating system. The upcoming release of the Application Compatibility Toolkit is currently scheduled for next month, with Microsoft having confirmed that it plans to make available Windows 7 RC in April 2009. In this context, the Redmond company intends to synchronize the next iteration of the Application Compatibility Toolkit with the RC development milestone of Windows 7.

Celine Allee, director, Windows Client, explained that Microsoft would even go a step further and ensure that the same level of synchronization was delivered for the App-Compatibility Toolkit and the gold version of Windows 7, once the Windows client would be released to manufacturing. “We plan on releasing an update to the Application Compatibility Toolkit (ACT) in April to support Windows 7 pre-releases. There will also be a version corresponding with Windows 7 release to manufacturing (RTM),” Allee revealed.

The most recent release of the Application Compatibility Toolkit dates back to January 2009, when the resource accompanied the launch of the Windows 7 Build 7000 public Beta. The toolkit permits the automatic configuration and deployment of Windows operating systems, including Windows 7. This is possible through the documentation included with the toolkit, but also with the collection of tools made available, comprising Windows System Image Manager (Windows SIM), ImageX, Deployment Image Servicing and Management (DISM), Windows Preinstallation Environment (Windows PE), Windows Setup, Sysprep and User State Migration Tool (USMT).

“There will be a version of the Application Compatibility Toolkit to support Windows 7 available in the April 2009 timeframe. Additionally, the Windows system application compatibility fix (shim) database is constantly extended with each Windows release milestone,” Allee added.

Windows Automated Installation Kit (Windows 7 Beta) is available for download here.