14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft has released a new Beta Build of the first “major” upgrade for Windows 7. Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (SP1) Build 7601.17077 is available for download, offered as a Refresh to the initial Beta development milestone that the Redmond company launched in July 2010.
Of course that, as it was the case with the previous Beta of Windows 7 SP1, Build 7601.17077 is not limited to the Windows client, with new Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta bits also pushed to early adopters.
The software giant has confirmed officially the availability of Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 7601, after details of the release made their way into the wild.
“Windows 7/Server 2008 R2 SP1 Beta Refresh – 7601.17077 Available for TOP MS Partners,” reads a Tweet from sp3ciali5t.
However, Microsoft is indicating that the latest release is nothing more than a new interim Build of Windows 7 Service Pack 1, and a part of the normal development process.
At the same time, the software giant indicated that unlike the original public Beta of Windows 7 SP1, the Build 7601.17077 bits were shared with just a select number of early adopters that are extremely close to the Redmond company, namely partners and original equipment manufacturers.
“A private interim release went out Friday as part of our normal feedback loop with a small group of our testers – our TAP and OEMs,” a company spokesperson told Mary-Jo Foley.
By calling Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 7601.17077 a private interim release, Microsoft is downplaying the importance of the release.
However, the initial source of the leak, called Build 7601.17077 a Beta Refresh. This detail is important since Microsoft seems to have embraced a new model of labeling post-Beta 1 pre-release development milestones.
In this context, Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 7601.17077 is not referred to as Beta 2, Beta x or Release Candidate (RC), but simply as a Beta Refresh. The software giant did something similar with the second Beta build of Windows Live Essentials 2011 / Wave 4.
Windows 7 SP1 Beta Refresh Build 7601.17077 was offered to a select pool of testers on August 27, 2010, with the public Beta Build 7601.16562.100603-1800 having shipped last month.
Microsoft noted that it will release Windows 7 SP1 to customers in the first half of 2011, but did not indicate a specific general availability deadline.
The company insists that customers don’t need to wait for SP1, and that the Service Pack will be nothing more than a minor upgrade for Windows 7, delivering no new features for the client.
Windows 7 Service Pack (SP1) Beta Build 7601.16562.100603-1800 is available for download here.