Windows Vista build 5252 screenshots

[LarryTN7722]

At night of July 18, 2017, while searching in Google for screenshots of a rare Windows Vista build (I was searching for a build number), I stumbled upon an article from a Chinese website called Yesky. Before I found that article, this build was only known by its build string.

Here is the link: http://soft.yesky.com/os/255/2208755.shtml

This article details the new features of Windows Vista, such as the new System Properties, Windows AntiSpyware and Windows Explorer's Library. It was published on November 24, 2005, two days after build 5259 was released to TAP members.



This build has a new wallpaper and the Start orb.



This build also has the new Start menu.



These screenshots show that the build number is 5252. The rest of the build tag is almost completely censored.



This build still has the old Aero visual style from build 5231.

[Twiggy]

I remember looking at Vista machines at display in Costco back in the day.

It looked so cool compared to the Windows XP the family Pentium 4 was still running! Unfrotunately, we didn't have the hardware for Vista, and we waited all the way until 2009 to get a new computer and we still got XP on it as my dad said Vista sucked, and Windows 7 wasn't yet released.

[TinaMeineKatze]

I just love the design of that phase of Longhorn. It's so fresh and beautiful to see. Everything is clear and perfectly-well looking (ignoring the old XP-and-earlier-era-stuff that's in every modern Windows somehow).

I wish this would have been the way MS continued. Later versions look less beautiful, from my opinion from 54xx onwards, though I can't pin it down to a single element of the design.

[SAIYAN48]

Now this looks beautiful! Any luck tracking down an iso?

[Maza]

Thank you so much for sharing this with us!

I love the glass reflection on the Start menu and the setup screen—they convey power. It is interesting to see that this build has the Library virtual folder on the Start menu.

I also like how the author discusses the pre-reset check boxes in Windows Explorer, the column header filters, stacks, and the Software Explorers of Windows Defender that was unfortunately removed in Windows 7.

[LarryTN7722]

This screenshot (Figure 18) shows the About dialog of Windows Mail.

It says:

Windows Mail v7.0

Microsoft Windows 7.00.5252.0 (winmain.051026-1836)

The build tag is not censored. This build is actually the winmain build, compiled on October 26, 2005 at 6:36 PM.

This build is listed in Windows Vista build list and now we have found screenshots of it.

[ovctvct]

The glass reflection on start menu is in 5259 too, sadly not in 5270:



And yes, this is on vmware. (for info on how to enable dwm in vmware: https://www.betaarchive.com/forum/viewt ... 62&t=34077)

[hinatahyuuga]

i did a theme like this, but i dont know why when i restart the computer theme swich to no trasnparency , i have to reapply the theme
the glass look mutch better, even the basic theme (small title bar and white), than final Vista version too .

[windowsawesome]

Cool find i love seeing rare and unleaked Builds also the Aero Does Look very nice.

[OS WinReviews]

Very interesting build! (Those who noticed on the taskbar theme with build 5231) I would say that this is an interim stage in the development of Windows Vista