Windows 7 SP1 Beta Now Out in the (Testing) Wild

News
By Marcus Yam
published

Windows 7 SP1 Beta. It's a lot of hotfixes in a bundle... in beta.

As we reported last week, Microsoft has sent out beta invites for testers to give the upcoming Windows 7 SP 1 a go. The beta's been sent out and is now live for those who get to try it (or who find another ways of obtaining it).

According to Ars Technica, the build number is 7601.16562.100603-1800, meaning it was compiled on June 3, 2010 at 6 p.m. Furthermore, support items have appeared on Microsoft's website for those who are having troubles installing the SP1 beta, which confirms the availability of the test patch.

As Microsoft previously indicated, SP1 will not offer Windows 7-specific features, but rather serves as a culmination of updates released since the OS hit the market--a few additional hotfixes thrown into the mix.

For Windows Server 2008 R2, the new service pack will provide RemoteFX, a 3D graphical experience for remote users, and Dynamic Memory, a feature that allows Windows Server Hyper-V to "dynamically allocate more or less memory to each VM as needed, provided a more scalable and better performing VDI environment."

The public release of SP1 is slated for later this year.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
15 Comments Comment from the forums
  • mister g
    How much you want to bet this beta has already been illegally uploaded to BitTorrent and the like while you're reading this? Or was it already there before Microsoft "officially" released it?
    Reply
  • Diabolical User
    It is of my perception that Windows 7 sales will substantially increase when SP1 hits. Chances are, many business's/consumers have been holding off for this; considering many people won't ever invest in a Windows OS until the first service pack has been released.
    Reply
  • mikeynavy1976
    I wish they would do something with Aero so that you can change the color of highlighted items from the excessively light blue to something with more contrast.
    Reply
  • Ragnar-Kon
    diabolical userIt is of my perception that Windows 7 sales will substantially increase when SP1 hits. Chances are, many business's/consumers have been holding off for this; considering many people won't ever invest in a Windows OS until the first service pack has been released.Completely true. I work for the IT department at Northern AZ Univ, and we are waiting for SP1 to move our department from WinXP to Windows 7. Not by my choice, I would of preferred sooner. But the political powers of the higher-ups are greater than the person who actually works on the computers (which happens to be me).
    Reply
  • cmcghee358
    I was hoping to see native Bluray support listed for SP1 :(
    Reply
  • eyemaster
    mister gHow much you want to bet this beta has already been illegally uploaded to BitTorrent and the like while you're reading this? Or was it already there before Microsoft "officially" released it?Illegaly? You realize the SP1 is free, right?
    Reply
  • stromm
    eyemasterIllegaly? You realize the SP1 is free, right?I guess you didn't realize that it's a CLOSED Beta and legally backed by a license agreement. So if you are getting it from a non-approved location, you are infact stealing it, which means it's illegal.
    Reply
  • So, is Windows backup going to be fixed finally?
    Reply
  • techguy378
    I find it strange that businesses and other users are waiting for Windows 7 SP 1 before making the switch from Windows XP. Windows 7 RTM has absolutely zero show stopper bugs as long as you do a clean install (you should never do an upgrade install). Windows 7 is currently the most advanced mainstream desktop OS in existence. No mainstream desktop OS is faster or more secure than Windows 7.
    Reply
  • PieceMaker42
    mikeynavy1976I wish they would do something with Aero so that you can change the color of highlighted items from the excessively light blue to something with more contrast.I totally agree, Why can you change window colors only when aero is on? Maybe I want my windows to be black without them being transparent and taking up more resources.
    Reply