Start me up: Microsoft Windows 10 released to manufacturing

Final version of Microsoft's new operating system is good to go!

Windows 10, Microsoft's next big operating system, has been released to manufacturing ahead of its scheduled 29 July launch.

According to reports, build 10240 will be used as the final release-to-manufacturing copy, which PC makers will load onto new machines. It's also the version that millions of existing Windows 7, 8 and 8.1 installs will automatically download when the new operating system is released at the end of the month.

Build 10240 hasn't been made available to Windows Insiders, the beta-testers located worldwide who have helped Microsoft to finesse the operating system. Microsoft had promised to deliver the "first final" version to Windows Insiders the day of the launch, but this hasn't yet been confirmed.

Before then, Microsoft is expected to release an earlier version to stress-test the upgrade process, although this is by no means certain. The company discontinued distribution of beta builds last week as the build-up to the big launch continues.

In a bid to discourage leaks, Microsoft is rumoured to have branded each copy of Windows 10 sent to different hardware manufacturers - if a full version of Windows 10 is leaked before launch, Microsoft will know from which manufacturer the leak has occurred and can take action accordingly.

Start me up

Back in the days of CD-Rom releases, a major launch like Windows would have had to have been released to manufacturing months in advance - with the code needing to be burnt onto millions of discs manufactured worldwide, and the discs transported in adequate quantities to shops in time for the launch date. Security, too, would have to be tight.

With Windows 10, the operating system will be largely sold online, with millions of users of Windows 7 and 8 already signed up to receive it free shortly after its release.