Microsoft provides a video

May 7, 2009 12:58 GMT  ·  By

When Build 7100 got leaked in April 2009, well ahead of the availability of the release to MSDN and TechNet subscribers (April 30) or to the public (May 5), “nothing new to see here” accurately described the bits. But only in certain scenarios. For users who have been keeping up to date with all the interim development milestones of Windows 7, and who were moving away from builds such as 7057 or 7077, there was indeed nothing new to see in Windows 7 Release Candidate Build 7100. But for those who were still using Beta Build 7000, moving to Build 7100 meant consistent changes across the fabric of the operating system.

Sure, the Betta fish wallpaper is still welcoming Windows 7 RC testers, just as it did Beta users. But the array of changes is comprehensive and complex, in response to the feedback Microsoft has been receiving for the platform since the Beta release. The video embedded at the bottom of this article offers a perspective over what exactly is new in Windows 7 Release Candidate. “I put together a video for the Springboard site on what some of the new features in the Windows 7 Release Candidate area,” revealed Stephen L Rose, Sr. Community Manager, Windows IT Pro Client.

Fortunately enough, I have been keeping up with the interim development milestones of Windows 7. In the evolution from Beta to release candidate, the vast majority of modifications to the operating systems were synthesized in Builds 7048 and 7057. Ahead of 7048, Windows 7 pre-RC almost coincided with Windows 7 Beta. After 7057, Microsoft focused on softening all the rough edges of the operating system in preparation for the public availability of Build 7100.

Just in case you want to get a more hands-on experience of what exactly has changed, you can read the articles on Windows 7 Build 7048 here, and the one on Windows 7 Build 7057 here. At the same time, there is a similar bonanza of screenshots available via this link, of Windows 7 RC Build 7100.

32-bit and 64-bit Windows 7 (Release Candidate) RC Build 7100.0.090421-1700 is available for download here.