Windows 8

Windows 8
Part of the Microsoft Windows family
Screenshot of the Start Screen in the Windows 8 RTM (Build 9200)
Developer
Microsoft Corporation
Website	windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-8/release-preview
Releases
Initial release	October 26, 2012; 41 days' time
Stable release	6.2.9200.16384 (RTM) (August 1, 2012; 44 days ago)
License	Proprietary commercial software
Kernel type	Hybrid
Update method	Windows Update
Platform support	IA-32, x86-64, and ARM
Preceded by	Windows 7
Further reading
Features new to Windows 8 List of features removed in Windows 8 Windows 8 editions Windows Store

Windows 8 is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablets, and home theater PCs.
Development of this operating system started before the release of its predecessor in 2009. Its existence was first announced in January 2011 at Consumer Electronics Show. During its development and test phases, Microsoft released three pre-release versions: Developer Preview (September 13, 2011), Consumer Preview (February 29, 2012), and Release Preview (May 31, 2012). On August 1, 2012, Windows 8 graduated from the development stage and was released to manufacturing. Windows 8 is slated for general availability on October 26, 2012.
Windows 8 introduces significant changes to the operating system's graphical user interface and platform; such as a new interface design incorporating a new design language used by other Microsoft products, a new Start screen to replace the Start menu used by previous versions of Windows, a new online store that can be used to obtain new applications, along with a new platform for apps that can provide what developers described as a "fast and fluid" experience with emphasis on touchscreen input. Additional security features were also added to the operating system, such as a built-in antivirus program and a secure boot feature on systems with UEFI firmware. Secure boot requires the operating system to be digitally signed to protect malware from infecting the boot process. The implementation of this feature has sparked controversy among supporters of free software. Windows 8 also introduces an edition of the operating system designed to run on devices that utilize the ARM architecture, known as Windows RT.

Development history

Early announcements

Windows 8 development started before Windows 7 had shipped in 2009. In January 2011, at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), that Microsoft announced that Windows 8 would be adding support for ARM microprocessors in addition to the x86 microprocessors from Intel, AMD and VIA. On June 1, 2011, Microsoft officially unveiled Windows 8's new user interface as well as additional features at the Taipei Computex 2011 in Taipei (Taiwan) by Mike Angiulo and at the D9 conference in California (United States) by Julie Larson-Green and Microsoft's Windows President Steven Sinofsky. A month before the BUILD conference was held, Microsoft opened a new blog called "Building Windows 8" for users and developers on August 15, 2011.

Developer Preview

A screenshot of Windows 8 Developer Preview running on a multi-monitor system, showcasing many features

Microsoft unveiled new Windows 8 features and improvements on the first day of the BUILD conference on September 13, 2011. Microsoft also released the Windows Developer Preview (build 8102) of Windows 8 the same day, which included SDKs and developer tools (such as Visual Studio Express and Expression Blend) for developing applications for Windows 8's new interface. According to Microsoft, there were more than 500,000 downloads of the developer preview within the first 12 hours of its release. The Developer Preview also introduced the Start screen. The Start button in the desktop opened the Start screen instead of the Start menu.
On 16 February 2012, Microsoft postponed the expiration date of the developer preview. Originally set to expire on 11 March 2012, this release is now set to expire on 15 January 2013.

Consumer Preview

The new File Explorer interface in Windows 8

On 29 February 2012, Microsoft released Windows 8 Consumer Preview, the beta version of Windows 8, build 8250. For the first time since Windows 95, the Start button is no longer present on the taskbar, though the Start screen is still triggered by clicking the bottom-left corner of the screen and by clicking Start on the Charm bar. Windows president Steven Sinofsky said more than 100,000 changes had been made since the developer version went public. The day after its release, Windows 8 Consumer Preview had been downloaded over one million times. Like the Developer Preview, the Consumer Preview is set to expire on January 15, 2013.

Release Preview

At Japan's Developers Day conference, Steven Sinofsky announced that the Windows 8 Release Preview (build 8400) would be released during the first week of June. On May 28, 2012, the Windows 8 Release Preview (Standard Simplified Chinese x64 edition, not China-specific version, build 8400) was leaked online on various Chinese and BitTorrent websites. On May 31, 2012, the Windows 8 Release Preview was released to the public by Microsoft.
Major items in the Release Preview included the addition of Sports, Travel, and News apps, along with an integrated version of Flash Player in Internet Explorer. Unlike the Developer Preview and the Consumer Preview, the release preview is set to expire on January 16, 2013.

Final version

On August 1, 2012, Windows 8 (build 9200) was released to manufacturing. Microsoft plans to release Windows 8 for general availability on October 26, 2012. However, only a day after its release to manufacturing, a copy of the final version of Windows 8 Enterprise N (produced for European markets) leaked to the web and several days later there were Professional and Enterprise leaks both x86 and x64. On August 15, 2012, Windows 8 was made available to download for MSDN and TechNet subscribers. Windows 8 was made available to Software Assurance customers on August 16, 2012. Windows 8 was made available for student downloads (with a DreamSpark Premium subscription) on August 22, 2012, earlier than advertised.
Relatively few changes were made from the Release Preview to the final version. A tutorial explaining how to use the new Metro interface was included and the look and feel of the desktop was subtly changed to be more in line with the Metro interface. Some included apps were also changed slightly.^[27]

New features

Desktop and shell

Windows 8 employs a new user interface based on Microsoft's Metro design language. The environment features a new tile-based Start screen similar to that of the Windows Phone operating system, which has replaced the previous Start menu entirely. The Start screen displays a customizable array of tiles linking to various apps and desktop programs, some of which can display constantly updated information and content through "live tiles". As a form of multi-tasking, apps can also be snapped to the side of a screen.
A vertical toolbar known as the charms bar (accessed by swiping from the right edge of a touchscreen, or pointing the cursor at hotspots in the right corners of a screen) provide access to system and app-related functions, such as search, sharing, device management, settings, and a Start button. The traditional desktop environment for running desktop applications is accessed via a tile on the new Start screen. The Start button from previous versions of Windows has been removed from the taskbar in favor of a hotspot in the bottom-left corner (but can still also be activated via a button on the device if applicable, or on the charms bar).
Apps and the desktop can be switched between by either swiping from the left edge of a touchscreen, clicking in the top-left corner of the screen, using Alt+Tab, or by pointing in the top-left corner and moving the cursor down to reveal a thumbnail list of active apps.

Windows Store

A music app for Windows 8, shown snapped like a sidebar to the Windows Desktop

Windows 8 introduces a new style of application, Windows Store apps; Microsoft developer Jensen Harris intends these apps to provide a "fast and fluid" experience; referring to their optimization for touchscreen environments and their smaller scope in relation to desktop applications. Apps can run either in a full-screen mode, or be docked directly to the side of a screen. They can also provide notifications and a "live tile" on the Start screen for dynamic content. Apps can also use "contracts"; a collection of hooks to provide common functionality that can integrate with other apps, such as search and sharing. These apps are primarily distributed and updated through its namesake Windows Store, a new distribution platform comparable to the App Store and Google Play.
The apps run within a new set of APIs known as the Windows Runtime (WinRT), which supports programming languages such as C, C++, VB.NET, C#, along with HTML5 and JavaScript. Apps written for WinRT are also cross-compatible with both Intel-compatible and ARM versions of Windows.
To ensure stability and security, they run within a sandboxed environment, and require permissions to access certain functionality, such as accessing the internet or a camera. For quality and security reasons, retail versions of Windows 8 will only be able to install these apps through the Windows Store; the enterprise version will allow system administrators to deploy internally-developed apps.
Windows Store apps were originally known as "Metro-style apps" during the development of Windows 8. The term was reportedly phased out in August 2012; a Microsoft spokesperson denied rumors that the change was related to a potential trademark issue, and stated that "Metro" was only a codename that would be phased out prior to Windows 8's release. Following these reports, the terms "Modern UI-style apps", "Windows 8-style apps" and "Windows Store apps" began to be used to refer to the new apps. On September 12, 2012, Soma Somasegar (vice president of Microsoft's development software division) officially confirmed in an interview that they would be known as "Windows Store apps".

Integration with online services

Windows 8 provides heavier integration with Microsoft's online services. Users can now log in with a Microsoft account (formally known as a Windows Live ID), which can allow for various user settings to be synchronized between multiple computers. Windows 8 ships with an app for Microsoft's SkyDrive cloud storage service as well, and also allows apps to save files directly to SkyDrive. A SkyDrive client for the desktop and File Explorer is not included in Windows 8, and must be downloaded separately. Windows 8 also includes integration with Xbox Live, including Xbox-branded apps for games, music and video, and the SmartGlass app which can serve as a companion for content on a Xbox 360 video game console. Apps can also integrate with online services; the People app can connect to a variety of different social networks and services, while the Photos app can aggregate photos from services such as Facebook and Flickr.

Other features

Bootable Windows To Go USB flash drive

• Internet Explorer 10 is included as both desktop program and as a touch-optimized app. The latter does not support plugins or ActiveX components, but includes a version of Adobe Flash Player that is optimized for touch and low power usage and works only on sites included on a whitelist.
• It is now possible to log into Windows using a Microsoft account (formerly known as a Windows Live ID). This allows the user's profile and settings to be synchronized over the Internet and accessible from other computers running Windows 8, as well as integration with SkyDrive.
• Two new authentication methods have been added: picture password, which allows users to log in by drawing three gestures in different places on a picture, and PIN log in, which allows users to authenticate using a four digit pin.
• File Explorer includes a ribbon toolbar, and has its file operation progress dialog updated to provide more detailed statistics, the ability to pause file transfers, and improvements in the ability to manage conflicts when copying files.
• Hybrid Boot uses hibernation technology to allow faster startup times by saving the Windows core's memory to the hard disk and reloading it upon boot.
• Windows To Go allows Windows 8 Enterprise to boot and run from a bootable USB device (such as a flash drive).
• Two new recovery functions are included, Refresh and Reset. Refresh restores all Windows files to their original state while keeping settings, files, and apps, while reset takes the computer back to factory default condition.
• USB 3.0 is now supported natively.
• A new lock screen displays a clock and notifications while the computer is locked.
• Task Manager has been redesigned.
• Xbox Live integration (including Xbox Live Arcade, Xbox SmartGlass, Xbox Music, and Xbox Video)
• Storage Spaces allows users to combine different sized hard disks into virtual drives and specify mirroring, parity, or no redundancy on a folder-by-folder basis.
• Family Safety is intended to allow parents to protect their children on the Internet, as well as monitor and control their PC and Internet activities and usage.
• Windows Defender now has anti-virus capabilities, similar to those of Microsoft Security Essentials. It is intended to replace the Security Essentials package and functions as the default anti-virus program.

Removed features

Hardware requirements

PCs

The minimum system requirements for Windows 8 Enterprise edition are slightly higher than those of Windows 7.

Minimum hardware requirements for Windows 8 Enterprise edition

Architecture	IA-32 (32-bit)	x86-64 (64-bit)
Processor	1 GHz (with PAE, NX and SSE2 support)
Memory (RAM)	1 GB	2 GB
Graphics Card	DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
Storage	20 GB

To run Windows Store apps, a screen resolution of 1024×768 or higher is required. A minimum resolution of 1366×768 is required to run their snapping feature. To receive logo certification, Microsoft requires that an Intel-compatible system resume from standby in 2 seconds or less.
Windows 8 Consumer Preview may be run on Hyper-V, VMware Workstation 8.0.2 for Windows, VirtualBox 4.1.8 for Windows, Parallels Workstation 6 for Windows, Parallels Desktop 4 for Windows, and XenDesktop 5.5. It cannot be run on Microsoft Virtual PC, Windows Virtual PC, Microsoft Virtual Server and VMware Workstation v7.x or earlier.

Tablets and convertibles

Microsoft released minimum hardware requirements for new tablet and convertible devices designed for Windows 8, and defined a convertible form factor as a standalone device that combines the PC, display and rechargeable power source with a mechanically attached keyboard and pointing device in a single chassis. A convertible can be transformed into a tablet where the attached input devices are hidden or removed leaving the display as the only input mechanism.

Hardware certification requirements for Windows tablets

Graphics Card	DirectX 10 graphics device with WDDM 1.2 or higher driver
Storage	10GB free space, after the out-of-box experience completes
Standard buttons	'Power', 'Rotation lock', 'Windows Key', 'Volume-up', 'Volume-down'
Screen	Touch screen supporting a minimum of 5-point digitizers and resolution of at least 1366x768. The physical dimensions of the display panel must match the aspect ratio of the native resolution. The native resolution of the panel can be greater than 1366 (horizontally) and 768 (vertically). Minimum native color depth is 32-bits.
Camera	Minimum 720p
Ambient light sensor	1–30k lux capable with dynamic range of 5–60K
Accelerometer	3 axes with data rates at or above 50 Hz
USB 2.0	At least one controller and exposed port.
Connect	Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 4.0 + LE (low energy)
Other	Speaker, microphone, magnetometer and gyroscope. If a mobile broadband device is integrated into a tablet or convertible system, then an assisted GPS radio is required. Devices supporting near field communication need to have visual marks to help users locate and use the proximity technology. The new button combination for Ctrl + Alt + Del is Windows Key + Power.

Secure boot

See also: Unified Extensible Firmware Interface#Secure boot and Hardware restrictions#Windows 8

Secure boot is a feature of UEFI that can verify the integrity of operating system files using public-key cryptography, preventing unauthorized programs from running at boot time. Support for this feature in Windows 8, however, has proven controversial.
Hardware makers who choose the optional Microsoft Certification are required to implement UEFI secure boot. Microsoft also requires that manufacturers offer the ability to turn off the secure boot feature on x86 hardware, but they must not offer such an option on ARM hardware. No mandate is made regarding the installation of third-party certificates that would enable running alternative software.
In September 2011, Matthew Garrett, an employee of competitor Red Hat, raised the possible risk of Microsoft locking out alternative systems,leading to media coverage. Microsoft addressed the issue in a blog post, stating that "At the end of the day, the customer is in control of their PC. Microsoft’s philosophy is to provide customers with the best experience first, and allow them to make decisions themselves", with the promise that disabling SecureBoot on Windows 8 devices would be possible. In January 2012, Microsoft released certification requirements for Windows 8 specifying that non-ARM devices must have "the ability to disable Secure Boot", whereas for ARM-based devices, disabling Secure Boot "must not be possible." By prohibiting Windows 8 from running on ARM systems that allow the user to disable Secure Boot, Microsoft raised concerns, particularly in the Linux community, who are concerned that this marks an attempt by Microsoft to exclude competing operating systems from computers built to be compatible with Windows 8.
Fedora Linux has resolved this issue by purchasing a security key from VeriSign for US$99. The Free Software Foundation has commented on the issue, covering the use of GRUB and both Ubuntu and Fedora's approaches.

Software compatibility

BSOD in Windows 8

Windows 8 for IA-32 and x64 processors runs most software compatible with previous versions of Windows, with the same restrictions as Windows 7: 64-bit Windows 8 runs 64-bit and 32-bit software while 32-bit Windows 8 will be able to run 32-bit and 16-bit software (although some 16-bit software may require compatibility settings to be applied, or not work at all).
Windows RT, a version of Windows 8 for systems with ARM processors, only supports applications included with the system (such as a special version of Office 2013), supplied through Windows Update, or Windows Store apps. Windows RT does not support running existing IA-32 or x64 desktop applications to ensure the quality of apps available on ARM. Windows Store apps can either be cross-compatible between Windows 8 and Windows RT, or compiled to support a specific architecture.

Upgrade offers

On July 2, 2012, Microsoft announced that once Windows 8 will be released on October 26, from then till January 31, 2013, there will be two (one costing $69.99, and one costing $39.99) ways to upgrade to Windows 8 Pro from earlier Windows versions. These two methods come on the heels of Microsoft's confirming, in late May 2012, that it would offer a $14.99 Windows 8 Pro upgrade to purchasers of new PCs with Windows 7 pre-installed on them.
In none of Microsoft's announcements or confirmations of these promotional prices did it specify what are the long-term, permanent upgrade pricing for Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro.
Though Microsoft had earlier announced that Windows Media Center is not be included in Windows 8, this promotion allows users to install Windows Media Center for free once they've completed the upgrade.
The Windows 8 upgrade for Windows 7 users is easiest and most seamless of the upgrade paths because all user settings, personal files, and applications will remain intact. For those upgrading from Windows Vista, only user settings and personal files are preserved, but not applications; and for those upgrading from Windows XP, only personal files (but not user settings or applications) survive. Applications which are removed as part of the process may be re-installed following the installation.
Those who purchase qualifying Windows 7 PCs between June 2, 2012 and January 31, 2013 will be eligible to register and download an upgrade to Windows 8 Pro, via the Windows Upgrade Offer website, for $14.99, through February 28, 2013. A qualified PC is a new PC purchased during the aforementioned June 2 through January 31 promotional period with a valid Windows 7 OEM Certificate of Authenticity and product key for, and preinstalled with, the following editions:

• Windows 7 Home Basic
• Windows 7 Home Premium
• Windows 7 Professional
• Windows 7 Ultimate

The Windows 7 Starter and Enterprise editions are ineligible for the US $14.99 upgrade. The upgrade must be performed via registration on the Microsoft Windows Upgrade Offer website. After registration on the site (which must be done from the eligible PC so that its copy of Windows 7 may be validated), registrants receive a confirmation email. Then, after Windows 8's general release, said customers receive another email with a promotion code and instructions for purchasing and downloading the Windows 8 Pro upgrade; which promotion code is redeemed during the upgrade ordering process to receive the promotional $14.99 price.
An optional installation DVD will also be available for an additional fee. Those who download the Windows 8 Pro upgrade are be able to create their own bootable installation media on DVD or USB flash drive from the downloaded Windows 8 Pro upgrade.
The Windows 8 Pro upgrades obtained via these promotional prices includes 90-days of no-charge support from Microsoft which begins at the moment the Windows 8 is installed and activation is completed.

Logo

On February 18, 2012, Microsoft confirmed that in Windows 8 the Windows logo will be significantly updated to reflect the new Metro design language. The logo was designed by Pentagram partner Paula Scher. The formerly flag-shaped logo has been transformed into four window panes, perspective was added, and the entire logo will be rendered in a single solid color, which will depend on the user's personalization changes.

Editions

On April 16, 2012, Microsoft announced that Windows 8 will be available in four main editions. Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro will be available for retail sale to consumers in most countries. The other editions are not available in retail. The new Windows RT edition will only be available preinstalled by OEMs on ARM-based devices while the Enterprise edition will only be available through volume licensing.

ASUS G75VW

G75VW

The Ultimate Fighting Machine

• Intel^® 3rd generation Core™ i7 processors and the latest NVIDIA® enthusiast-level graphics
• Intelligent rear-vented cooling exhausts with detachable fan filters
• Superior ergonomic design for effortless gaming
• Immersive 3D experience with NVIDIA® 3D LightBoost™ technology
• SonicMaster Lite powerful audio with built-in subwoofer

 

          

Uncompromised Performance

There’s a new emperor ruling the world of mobile gaming. The G75VW breaks new performance barriers with the uncompromising power of a third generation Intel® Core™ i7 CPU and an NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M/670M GPU with 2GB/3GB of GDDR5 VRAM. The G75VW establishes itself as the fastest notebook in the land and will not only feed amazing gaming experiences today, but is primed to continue delivering them for years to come. It also includes support for 2 second instant on when equipped with an SSH or SSD hard drive, meaning you no longer have to wait to frag.

Incredible 3D Experiences

The G75VW is already destined to become one of the true greats in the world of mobile gaming, but with support for NVIDIA® 3D Vision™ 2, including 3D Active Shutter and 3D LightBoost technology, its place on the hall-of-fame is virtually guaranteed. Games, photos and movies can be experienced like never before – in Full HD and true 3D!

An Intense Audio/Visual Feast

Eye strain will be a thing of the past with the G75’s matt finish anti-glare display, while the wide viewing angle reduces the dead zone and helps to improve visibility during gaming – particularly in dark environments. The built-in subwoofer, complete with SonicMaster audio technology ensures a rich and powerful experience that will ward off challengers.

Gamer-centric Design

Gaming over long periods of time puts increasing demands on both man and machine, but with the G75VW, conquering in comfort is paramount to its success on the battlefield. Fatigue will stay away for longer thanks to advancements in the G75’s design. The anti-glare panel reduces eye-strain over long periods, while the spacious, adjustable and back-illuminated seamless one-piece keyboard with soft-touch palm rest and isolated arrow keys will keep your mind on the task in hand for longer than ever.

  

Incredible Thermal Efficiency

The G75VW packs a massive performance punch, which needs to be kept cool – the dual fan filter system enables you to keep your system running cooler and quieter, for longer. The unique, intelligent thermal design improves power and thermal efficiency by exhausting hot air from the back of the machine, enabling you to leave the competition battling for survival in your wake.

 

 

Specification

 

Processor	Intel® Core™ i7 3720QM Processor Intel® Core™ i7 3610QM Processor
Operating System	Genuine Windows® 7 Ultimate Genuine Windows® 7 Professional Genuine Windows® 7 Home Premium Genuine Windows® 7 Home Basic
Chipset	Intel® HM77 Chipset
Memory	DDR3 1600 MHz SDRAM, 4 x SO-DIMM socket for expansion up to 16 GB SDRAM
Display	17.3" HD with EWV (1366 x 768) / FHD 3D LED Backlight
Graphic	NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 660M/670M with 2GB/3GB GDDR5 VRAM
Storage	2.5" SATA Dual HDD 1TB 5400rpm 750GB 5400rpm/7200rpm 500GB 5400rpm/7200rpm 750GB 7200rpm SSH 256GB SSD RAID0/1 Support
Optical Drive	Blu-Ray DVD Combo Super-Multi DVD Blue-ray reader
Card Reader	3 -in-1 card reader ( SD/ MS/ MMC)
Camera	HD Web Camera
Networking	Integrated 802.11 b/g/n Built-in Bluetooth™ V4.0 (Optional) 10/100/1000 Base T
Interface	1 x Microphone-in jack 1 x Headphone-out jack 1 x VGA port/Mini D-sub 15-pin for external monitor 4 x USB 3.0 port(s) 1 x RJ45 LAN Jack for LAN insert 1 x HDMI 1 x SPIDIF speaker out 1 x mini Display Port
Audio	Built-in Speakers And Microphone Built-in subwoofer
Battery	8Cells 5200 mAh 74 Whrs
Power Adapter	Output : 19 V DC, A, 180 W Input : 100 -240 V AC, 50/60 Hz universal
Dimensions	415 x 320 x 17 ~52 mm (WxDxH)
Weight	4.5 kg (with 8 cell battery)
Security	Kensington lock
Manufacturer Warranty	2-year limited International hardware warranty. *different by country On-line problem resolution through web interface (BIOS, Driver update) OS (Windows® 7 ) install/uninstall consultation Bundled software install/uninstall consultation ASUS software supporting

Windows Server 2012

Windows Server 2012
Part of the Microsoft Windows family
Windows Server 2012 Start screen
Developer
Microsoft
Website	http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/server-cloud/windows-server/default.aspx
Releases
Initial release	RTM: August 1, 2012 Retail: September 4, 2012
Stable release	6.2 (Build 9200) (September 4, 2012; 7 days ago)
Source model	Closed source / Shared source
License	Microsoft EULA
Preceded by	Windows Server 2008 R2
Support status
Current, was released on September 4, 2012.

Windows Server 2012, formerly codenamed Windows Server 8, is the current release of Windows Server. It is the server version of Windows 8 and the successor to Windows Server 2008 R2. Windows Server 2012 is the first version of Windows Server to have no support for Itanium-based computers since Windows NT 4.0. A developer preview (an alpha release) was released on 9 September 2011 to MSDN subscribers. On March 1, 2012, Microsoft issued a public beta (build 8250). On April 17, 2012, Microsoft announced the product name would be Windows Server 2012. On May 31, 2012, Microsoft announced the release candidate (RC) for Windows Server 2012.. Windows Server 2012 was released to manufacturing on August 1, 2012. The software was generally available to customers starting on September 4, 2012  and worldwide through multiple channels in September 2012.

Builds

A Milestone 3 build (6.2.7959.0) was reportedly leaked to file-sharing sites. A new window style, but little else, was present. Windows Server 2012's developer preview was released on 9 September 2011 along with that of Windows 8, but unlike Windows 8's developer preview, it was only made available to MSDN subscribers. It was branded as the Windows Server "8" Developer Preview" The Modern UI (formerly Metro) user interface is present, as well as the new Server Manager, along with the other new features. On 16 February 2012, Microsoft announced that the developer preview build, after installing a particular update, will be set to expire on 15 January 2013, instead of the original 8 April 2012.
Screenshots of a build suspected to be (but was not) the beta of Windows Server 2012, then referred to as Windows Server "8", were reportedly leaked on 3 January 2012. A new dashboard UI is present. Build 8180 was leaked on 13 January 2012, and contains some revisions to the Server Manager interface and Storage Spaces.
The beta was released along with the Windows 8 Consumer Preview on 29 February 2012.
The Release Candidate of Windows Server 2012 was released on 31 May 2012, along with the Windows 8 Release Preview.

Features

Windows Server 2012 includes a number of new features or feature changes.

User interface

Server Manager has been redesigned with an emphasis on easing management of multiple servers. The operating system, like Windows 8, uses the Metro UI unless installed in Server Core mode. Windows PowerShell in this version has over 2300 commandlets, compared with around 200 in Windows Server 2008 R2. There is also command auto-completion.

Task Manager

Main article: Windows Task Manager in Windows 8

Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012 include a new version of Windows Task Manager together with the old version. In the new version the tabs are hidden by default showing applications only. In the new Processes tab, the processes are displayed in various shades of yellow, with darker shades representing heavier resource use. It lists application names, application status, and overall utilization data for CPU, memory, hard disk, and network resources, moving the process information found in the older Task Manager to the new Details tab. The Performance tab is split into CPU, memory (RAM), disk, ethernet, and, if applicable, wireless network sections with graphs for each. The CPU tab no longer displays individual graphs for every logical processor on the system by default; instead, it can display data for each NUMA node. When displaying data for each logical processor for machines with more than 64 logical processors, the CPU tab now displays simple utilization percentages on heat-mapping tiles. The color used for these heat maps is blue, with darker shades again indicating heavier utilization. Hovering the cursor over any logical processor's data now shows the NUMA node of that processor and its ID, if applicable. Additionally, a new Startup tab has been added that lists startup applications. The new task manager recognizes when a WinRT application has the "Suspended" status.

Installation options

Unlike its predecessor, Windows Server 2012 can switch between Server Core and the GUI (full) installation options without a full reinstallation. There is also a new third installation option that allows MMC and Server Manager to run, but without Windows Explorer or the other parts of the normal GUI shell.

IP address management (IPAM)

Windows Server 2012 has an IPAM role for discovering, monitoring, auditing, and managing the IP address space used on a corporate network. IPAM provides for administration and monitoring of servers running Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) and Domain Name Service (DNS). IPAM includes components for:

• Automatic IP address infrastructure discovery: IPAM discovers domain controllers, DHCP servers, and DNS servers in the domains you choose. You can enable or disable management of these servers by IPAM.
• Custom IP address space display, reporting, and management: The display of IP addresses is highly customizable and detailed tracking and utilization data is available. IPv4 and IPv6 address space is organized into IP address blocks, IP address ranges, and individual IP addresses. IP addresses are assigned built-in or user-defined fields that can be used to further organize IP address space into hierarchical, logical groups.
• Audit of server configuration changes and tracking of IP address usage: Operational events are displayed for the IPAM server and managed DHCP servers. IPAM also enables IP address tracking using DHCP lease events and user logon events collected from Network Policy Server (NPS), domain controllers, and DHCP servers. Tracking is available by IP address, client ID, host name, or user name.
• Monitoring and management of DHCP and DNS services: IPAM enables automated service availability monitoring for Microsoft DHCP and DNS servers across the forest. DNS zone health is displayed, and detailed DHCP server and scope management is available using the IPAM console.

Both IPv4 and IPv6 are fully supported.

Active Directory

Windows Server 2012 has a number of changes to Active Directory from the version shipped with Windows Server 2008 R2. The Active Directory Domain Services installation wizard has been replaced by a new section in Server Manager, and the Active Directory Administrative Center has been enhanced. A GUI has been added to the Active Directory Recycle Bin. Password policies can differ more easily within the same domain. Active Directory in Windows Server 2012 is now aware of any changes resulting from virtualization, and virtualized domain controllers can be safely cloned. Upgrades of the domain functional level to Windows Server 2012 are simplified; it can be performed entirely in Server Manager. Active Directory Federation Services is no longer required to be downloaded when installed as a role, and claims which can be used by the Active Directory Federation Services have been introduced into the Kerberos token. Windows Powershell commands used by Active Directory Administrative Center can be viewed in a "Powershell History Viewer".

Hyper-V

Main article: Hyper-V#Future

Windows Server 2012, along with Windows 8, includes a new version of Hyper-V, as presented at the Microsoft Build Event. Many new features have been added to Hyper-V, including network virtualization, multi-tenancy, storage resource pools, cross-premise connectivity, and cloud backup. Additionally, many of the former restrictions on resource consumption have been greatly lifted. Each virtual machine in this version of Hyper-V can access up to 32 virtual processors, up to 512 gigabytes of random-access memory, and up to 16 terabytes of virtual disk space per virtual hard disk (using a new .vhdx format). Up to 1024 virtual machines can be active per host, and up to 4000 can be active per failover cluster. The version of Hyper-V shipped with the client version of Windows 8 requires a processor that supports SLAT and for SLAT to be turned on, while the version in Windows Server 2012 only requires it if the RemoteFX role is installed.

ReFS

ReFS (Resilient File System, originally codenamed "Protogon") is a new file system in Windows Server 2012 initially intended for file servers that improves on NTFS. Major new features of ReFS include:

Improved reliability for on-disk structures

ReFS uses B+ trees for all on-disk structures including metadata and file data. The file size, total volume size, number of files in a directory and number of directories in a volume are limited by 64-bit numbers, which translates to maximum file size of 16 Exabytes, maximum volume size of 1 Yottabyte (with 64 KB clusters), which allows large scalability with no practical limits on file and directory size (hardware restrictions still apply). Metadata and file data are organized into tables similar to relational database. Free space is counted by a hierarchal allocator which includes three separate tables for large, medium, and small chunks. File names and file paths are each limited to a 32 KB Unicode text string.

Built-in resilience

ReFS employs an allocation-on-write update strategy for metadata, which allocates new chunks for every update transaction and uses large IO batches. All ReFS metadata has built-in 64-bit checksums which are stored independently. The file data can have an optional checksum in a separate "integrity stream", in which case the file update strategy also implements allocation-on-write; this is controlled by a new "integrity" attribute applicable to both files and directories. If nevertheless file data or metadata becomes corrupt, the file can be deleted without taking down the whole volume offline for maintenance, then restored from the backup. As a result of built-in resiliency, administrators do not need to periodically run error-checking tools such as CHKDSK when using ReFS.

Compatibility with existing APIs and technologies

ReFS does not require new system APIs and most file system filters continue to work with ReFS volumes. ReFS supports many existing Windows and NTFS features such as BitLocker encryption, Access Control Lists, USN Journal, change notifications, symbolic links, junction points, mount points, reparse points, volume snapshots, file IDs, and oplock. ReFS seamlessly integrates with Storage Spaces, a storage virtualization layer that allows data mirroring and striping, as well as sharing storage pools between machines. ReFS resiliency features enhance the mirroring feature provided by Storage Spaces and can detect whether any mirrored copies of files become corrupt using background data scrubbing process, which periodically reads all mirror copies and verifies their checksums then replaces bad copies with good ones.

Some NTFS features are not supported in ReFS, including named streams, object IDs, short names, file compression, file level encryption (EFS), user data transactions, sparse files, hard links, extended attributes, and disk quotas. ReFS does not itself offer data deduplication. Dynamic disks with mirrored or striped volumes are replaced with mirrored or striped storage pools provided by Storage Spaces. However, in Windows Server 2012, automated error-correction is only supported on mirrored spaces, and booting from ReFS is not supported either.
ReFS was first shown in screenshots from leaked build 6.2.7955, where it went by code name "Protogon". Support for ReFS is absent in the developer preview (build 8102). ReFS is not readable by Windows 7 or earlier.

IIS 8.0

Windows Server 2012 includes version 8.0 of Internet Information Services (IIS). The new version contains new features such as CPU usage caps for particular websites.

Hardware

Microsoft has revealed the following maximum supported hardware specifications for Windows Server 2012 at the BUILD conference.

Logical processors	640 (was 256 in Windows Server 2008 R2)
Random-access memory	4 TB (was 2 TB in Windows Server 2008 R2)
Failover cluster nodes	64 (was 16 in Windows Server 2008 R2)

System requirements

Microsoft has indicated that Windows Server 2012 does not support 32-bit (IA-32) or Itanium (IA-64) processors.

Minimum system requirements for Windows Server 2012 

Architecture	x64 (64-bit)
Processor	1.4 GHz
Memory (RAM)	512 MB
HDD free space	32 GB (more if there is 16 GB of RAM or more)

Upgrades from Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2 are supported, though upgrades from prior releases will not be supported.

Editions

Windows Server 2012, unlike Windows Server 2008 R2, will have only four editions - the Enterprise, Small Business Server, Web, and HPC editions do not exist.

Feature	Foundation	Essentials	Standard	Datacenter
Distribution	OEM only	Retail, Volume Licensing, OEM		Volume Licensing and OEM
Licensing model	Per server		Per every pair of processor chips (although minimum on each server is 1 chip)	Per every pair of processor chips (minimum chip count on each server is 2)
User limit	15	25	Unlimited, but one Client Access License per user required
Virtualization rights	N/A	Either in 1 VM or 1 physical server, but not both at once (per license)	2 VMs per license	Unlimited (on each licensed physical server)
Processor chip limit	1	2	Up to 64, 1 license for every 2
DHCP role	Yes
DNS server role	Yes	Yes (Automatically Installed/Configured)	Yes
Fax server role	Yes
File Services	Limited to 1 standalone DFS root	Limited to 1 standalone DFS root, automatically installed	Yes
Hyper-V	No		Yes
Network Policy and Access Services	Limited to 50 RRAS connections and 10 IAS connections	Limited to 250 RRAS connections, 50 IAS connections, and 2 IAS Server Groups	Yes (no limits)
Print and Document Services	Yes
Remote Desktop Services	Limited to 50 Remote Desktop Services connections	Limited to 250 Remote Desktop Services connections	Unlimited, but Client Access Licenses required
UDDI Services	Yes
Web Services (Internet Information Services)	Yes	Yes (automatically installed)	Yes
Windows Deployment Services	Yes
Windows Server Update Services	Yes
Active Directory Certificate Services	Certificate Authorities only	Certificate Authorities only (automatically installed)	Yes
Active Directory Domain Services	Must be root of forest and domain	Yes
Active Directory Federation Services	No		Yes
Active Directory Lightweight Directory Services	Yes
Active Directory Rights Management Services	Yes
Application server role	Yes	Yes (installed automatically)	Yes
Server Core mode	No		Yes
Server Manager	Yes
Windows Powershell	Yes

1. Each license of Windows Server 2012 Standard or Datacenter allows up to two processor chips. Each license of Windows Server 2012 Standard allows up to two virtual instances of Windows Server 2012 Standard on that physical server. If more virtual instances of Windows Server 2012 Standard are needed, each additional license of Windows Server 2012 allows up to two more virtual instances of Windows Server 2012 Standard, even though the physical server itself may have sufficient licenses for its processor chip count. Because Windows Server 2012 Datacenter has no limit on the number of virtual instances per licensed server, only enough licenses for the physical server are needed for any number of virtual instances of Windows Server 2012 Datacenter. If the number of processor chips or virtual instances is an odd number, the number of licenses required is the same as the next even number. For example, a single-processor-chip server would still require 1 license, the same as if the server were two-processor-chip and a five-processor-chip server would require 3 licenses, the same as if the server were six-processor-chip, and if 15 virtual instances of Windows Server 2012 Standard are needed on one server, 8 licenses of Windows Server 2012, which can cover up to 16 virtual instances, are needed (assuming, in this example, that the processor chip count does not exceed 16).

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