With Microsoft having already cut access to Windows 7 Beta Build 7000, and preparing to discontinue downloads completely in a couple of days, come February 12, 2009, it is clear that Microsoft has moved onward with the development process of the operating system. In fact, as far as the next iteration of the Windows client is concerned, Microsoft is already hard at work cooking the next milestones of Windows 7, builds from the Release Candidate branch. Windows 7 Build 7022 is the first RC-release that was leaked outside of Redmond and is now available for download via BitTorrent trackers. 

At the bottom of this article you will be able to find a total of 40 screenshots featuring the installation process of Windows 7 Build 7022. The process is very similar to that of Windows 7 Beta Build 7000, except that Microsoft has managed to remove all references to Windows Vista from the documentation accompanying the installation and from the various steps and tasks that need to be taken. At the same time, installing Windows 7 Build 7022 no longer requires the end user to set up a Home Group from the deployment process, an excellent move on Microsoft's behalf.

Even though Microsoft announced that Windows 7 would come to the table in no less than six editions, all included in the same package, with the exception of the Software Assurance SKU for Volume Licensing (Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate), the installer continues to be focused on the Ultimate flavor. At the same time, even if with Build 7022 Windows 7 has moved into the Release Candidate branch, the default wallpaper of the operating system still features the Betta fish.

This is also valid for Windows 7 Build 7032, a release superseding the 7022 milestone which has also been handed over to testers. At this point in time, only a few pieces of information along with a few screenshots are available in the wild. The actual bits for Windows 7 Build 7032 have not been leaked.