Windows 8 Release Preview download leaks

Don’t want to wait for Microsoft to officially invite you to download the Windows 8 Release Preview? It looks like you don’t have to: a leaked build that appears to be the genuine article is now available on the web.

This also seems to indicate that Microsoft’s streak of preventing Windows 8 ISO leaks has come to an end. It’s been just over a year since a pair of highly-publicized firings put an end to the trickle of pre-release Windows 8 builds that had been shared.

The usual caveats apply here. Although the leaked Windows 8 Release Preview images appear to be legitimate, they’re not coming directly from Microsoft’s servers. That means you could be exposing your system to all kinds of untold risks should you choose to install. If you’re hesitant, it’s probably best to either install in a virtual machine using software like VirtualBox or VMWare. That, or just hold off until Microsoft’s own Windows 8 Release Preview links go live.

There should be plenty of changes to check out, not the least of which is the apparent removal of Aero Glass — though it may just be disabled by default. The new startup and recovery screens should be active now, too.

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