Windows Longhorn Pre-Reset

Windows Longhorn was the pre-release codename for Windows Vista and was the successor to Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 (built from NT 5.2 codebase). Development on the OS started in May 2001 and went through two unique development cycles separated by a development reset in 2004. The reset occurred as Microsoft's development staff had lost focus on the project as a whole and what was required to be done in order to bring it to market. Features were being written into the OS at an alarming rate with a significant lack of QA or vision of true requirement. This combined with Microsoft's trustworthy computing initiatives caused the reset.

Several features of Longhorn planned that were actually shipped include the glass replicating Aero theme (which followed the Slate and Jade themes from earlier builds), along with the Windows Sidebar - although this was shipped as a standalone utility where as most builds (at least in pre-reset) shipped this as part of explorer.exe. Numerous improvements to the Windows Explorer, along with an updated Internet Explorer 7, Windows Media Player 11, instant search, new 3-d games and other items made it into the final version of Windows Vista.



Release notes

Windows Longhorn existed as a continuation of the Windows 2003 codebase although after build 4094 development was reset; restarted from scratch as the original Longhorn builds were growing in complication (described as 'a mess') and Microsoft introduced a new focus on security. These are the pre-reset builds.

Product type
OS
Vendor
Microsoft
Release date
2001
Minimum CPU
1.0Ghz P-III or compatable
Minimum RAM
512MB
Minimum free disk space
4.29GB
User interface
GUI
Platform
Windows
Download count
231 (131 for release)

Downloads

Download name Version Language Architecture File size Downloads
Windows Longhorn (6.0.3683.0) (beta) 6.0.3683 Prerelease English 538.72MB 31
Windows Longhorn (6.0.3718.0) (beta) 6.0.3718 Prerelease English 646.28MB 4
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4008.0) (beta) 6.0.4008 Prerelease English 562.1MB 1
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4011.0) (beta) 6.0.4011 Prerelease English 553.26MB 3
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4015.0) (beta) 6.0.4015 Prerelease English 586.14MB 6
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4029.0) (beta) 6.0.4029 Prerelease English 592.2MB 2
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4033.0) (beta) 6.0.4033 Prerelease English 613.6MB 5
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4039.0) (beta) 6.0.4039 Prerelease English 632.41MB 4
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4042.0) (beta) 6.0.4042 Prerelease English 681.88MB 17
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4051.0) (beta chk) 6.0.4051 Prerelease English 714.82MB 2
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4051.0) (beta) 6.0.4051 Prerelease English 677.53MB 3
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4051.0) (x64 beta chk) 6.0.4051 Prerelease English 527.06MB 0
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4051.0) (x64 beta) 6.0.4051 Prerelease English 477.87MB 2
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4053.0) (beta) 6.0.4053 Prerelease English 693.28MB 2
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4066.0) (beta) 6.0.4066 Prerelease English 596.2MB 0
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4074.0) (beta) 6.0.4074 Prerelease English 749.32MB 23
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4074.0) (x64 beta) 6.0.4074 Prerelease English 643.19MB 4
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4083.0) (x64 beta) 6.0.4083 Prerelease English 500.91MB 3
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4084.0) (WinPE beta) 6.0.4084 Prerelease English 50.57MB 1
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4088.0) (WinPE beta) 6.0.4088 Prerelease English 49.74MB 2
Windows Longhorn (6.0.4093.0) (beta) 6.0.4093 Prerelease English 952.5MB 16

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