14 DAY TRIAL // The development process of the first upgrade to Windows 7 is moving along nicely, although Microsoft is mute on the evolution of Service Pack 1.
But if the building of the latest iteration of the Windows client itself has taught us anything, it’s that the Redmond company’s silence should not be mistaken for inactivity.
At the bottom of the screen you will be able to access three screenshots from a post-Beta Build of Windows 7 SP1.
Select testers worldwide have been able to take Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 6.1.7601.17077 out for a spin for quite some time now, and the images included with this article confirm this. (via SpaziodiUgosan)
The first information on Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 7601.17077 emerged at the end of August 2010, when a few sources indicated that the development milestone had shipped to a limited pool of testers.
Microsoft also confirmed the availability of Build 7601.17077, explaining that the interim release is nothing more than part of the development process.
At the same time, the software giant made it perfectly clear that Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 7601.17077 was only an interim Build, designed for members of the Technology Adoption Program (TAP) for SP1 Beta and for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
In this regard, it is highly unlikely that the Redmond company would offer Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 7601.17077 to a larger testing group.
Fact is that the only way that users will get to play with Build 7601.17077 is through a leaked version that makes its way into the wild.
However, at this point in time there are no indications that Windows 7 SP1 Beta Build 7601.17077 bits have been leaked.
At this point in time, Windows 7 SP1 continues to be in Beta phase with Build 7601.16562.100603-1800 still available for download to testers, right from Microsoft.
The Redmond company hasn’t said all that much on what are the next stages in the development of Service Pack 1, but it is expected of the software giant to make available a Release Candidate of the upgrade ahead of wrapping it up.
Windows 7 SP1 will be signed-off sometime in the first half of 2011, according to Microsoft, when it will also ship to customers worldwide.
Sources indicate that Windows 7 SP1 will hit RTM and GA sometime in the first quarter of 2011, with some continuing to claim that a release by the end of 2010 is also possible.
Windows 7 Service Pack (SP1) Beta Build 7601.16562.100603-1800 is available for download here.
