Category: Windows Insider

It took nearly two months for the Windows 10 Technical Preview to be updated after the initial release but the Fast Ring is apparently very fast right now.  Windows Insiders on the Fast Ring of Windows 10 have now had Build 10049 pushed out to them.  This update has a lot of fixes but it also is the first release with the all new singing-and-dancing Project Spartan web experience.  The update will only be available to those who are on the Fast Ring so if you are wanting to see Project Spartan and are on the Slow Ring, you will have to wait or move to the Fast Ring.

Also, if you are a developer and using Visual Studio 2015 Preview, you should not upgrade to this build.  More on why after the break.

As part of an update released yesterday for those on the Fast Ring, Microsoft has now released the latest Windows 10 Technical Preview on the Slow Ring as well as ISO images.  The ISO images are built on Build 10041 which the Fast Ring received last week.  Microsoft had said that it would be releasing the ISO images when they released the latest build to the Slow Ring.

Remember that in order to get the ISO images or the Windows 10 Technical Preview in general you must be a member of the Windows Insider program which is free to join.  As I have posted many times, the build is still very much in beta so unless you absolutely need to download it, wait until it is released to the public (for free) this summer.

Microsoft has announced that a new build of the Windows 10 Technical Preview is coming to Windows Insiders on the Fast Ring today.  The new Build 10041 comes 54 days after the first preview release and is being welcomed with glee as it addresses a lot of bugs and brings improved features and functionality over the original build, Build 9926.  Only those in the Windows Insider program will have access to it and only those in the Fast Ring will see it.  As a reminder, this is a beta of Windows 10 so it is far from complete despite Microsoft’s announcement today that we will see Windows 10 this summer.  If you are not willing and able to test the platform it is recommend you not join the Windows Insider program and download it.

[UPDATE] – The Insider Hub now confirms that the Fast Ring will be getting faster with a much more discernable difference in release drops between it and the Slow ring.  If you want a more polished, stable Windows 10 experience then you should move to the Slow ring.  If you want more updates but with likely more bugs/issues, stay in the Fast ring. 

For those in the Windows Insider program waiting for an updated build of Windows 10 Technical Preview, time to start looking towards next week.  Microsoft’s Gabe Aul has just tweeted that there will be no new build released publically today.

No new build today, but we will be posting an announcement in Insider Hub. suggesting people who want lower risk to move to Slow.

— Gabriel Aul (@GabeAul) March 12, 2015

While the news undboutedly comes as a disappointment to many in the program, given that it is Friday it shouldn’t be much of a shock.  As I eluded to earlier today, Microsoft does not tend to release updates on Friday’s (nor does anyone for that matter) because the weekend and generally lower availability of support makes it a bit of a non-starter.  It’s unfortunately on the other hand as the weekend is a good time to do testing and work on Windows 10 for many.

As you can see from the post though, it looks like an announcement to Insiders will be made in the Insider Hub which is part of Windows 10.  As of this writing that post has not been made in the Hub.  That announcement is likely going to circle around the speed of the releases and the increase of speed given Aul’s reference to those wanting lower risk to move to the Slow ring.

My suspicion is that we will see a new build on Tuesday or Thursday of next week.  More news as I get it.

Microsoft’s Gabe Aul has taken to the Windows Blog site to offer up a great piece on the Windows 10 Technical Preview cadence and why dates are not broadcasted out to the public.  The article can be found here and I’m not going to waste your time by rehashing the entire post which is quite lengthy.  The article lays out in great detail the internal processes and testing schedules, the balance of too fast versus too buggy and why they don’t set dates (HINT: It is beta software so if they run into a showstopper internally, they will postpone a release.  They publish a date and miss it, the masses will revolt).  Again, give it a read.  It’s worth it.

What I will do however is say is that I understand the logic that Mr. Aul lays out in this post, particularly around show stopping bugs.  If you have a bug that gets out that crushes every PC it is installed on, you will have a huge problem on their hands.  Microsoft and many sites have pointed out that Windows 10 is in beta and it will be buggy.  Unfortunately a lot of people forget that when they are looking at a BSOD or worse, a corrupt boot sector on their laptop after installing the Preview.  Microsoft cannot afford that kind of misstep.  So they are taking their time.  The question however, is should they risk a little more, particularly on the “Fast Ring”?  I think so and here is why.

Another day, another Windows 10 Technical Preview leak.  The leak is for Build 10031 and as with other leaked builds, there are a wide range of tweaks and adjustments (although apparently everyone is still freaking out over the Recycle Bin icon) but one significant visual change has come in this build:  Transparent Start Menu.

The site Wzor.net has posted several screenshots of what appears to be Build 10031 including the new Transparent Start Menu both in Start Menu mode as well as Start Screen Mode.