Get Ready to Update Windows 7 RC Build 7100

Just as it was the case with Windows 7 Beta Build 7000, Microsoft is debuting testing of its Windows Update infrastructure with the latest development milestone of the next iteration of the Windows client. Windows 7 Release Candidate Build 7100 is scheduled to receive test updates on May 12, 2009, the Redmond company confirmed. Users of the RC bits of Windows 7 should start noticing up to 10 refreshes for the operating system being delivered. However, it is important to note that the updates are designed for nothing more than to test Windows Update, and will not deliver any changes to the Windows 7 fabric.

“Starting this Tuesday (May 12th) we will release up to ten test updates to PCs running the Windows 7 RC in order to verify our ability to deliver and manage updating of Windows 7 in certain real-life scenarios. These updates do not deliver any new features or fixes. This is the second set of test updates we’ve released to test the updating mechanism for Windows 7 – the first set were released on February 24,” revealed Brandon LeBlanc, Windows communications manager on the Windows Client Communications Team.

Microsoft underlined that the May 12 updates are part of a verification of update scenarios on Windows 7 RC Build 7100. Following the availability of Windows 7 Beta, Microsoft ran a similar series of tests. Essentially, the software giant is looking to ensure that the update infrastructure of the operating system is working smoothly for the delivery of actual updates.

“Many of the updates will install automatically, and a few will not. One of the updates will test a new update notification feature that provides detailed information about available updates that need to be installed manually. Windows 7 RC users will be prompted to install this update and provided more information about this feature –it will not install automatically,” explained a member of the Microsoft Update team. “Users will need to go to the Windows Update control panel and manually start installation of the updates that don’t install automatically, and the updates will be clearly marked as test updates.”

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