Microsoft picks Windows 10 Build 10240 as RTM

Microsoft has released a new build of Windows 10, believed to represent the Release To Manufacturing Gold Master - just 13 days before the operating system is due to go on general sale.

Earlier this week, Microsoft pulled the Windows 10 Insider Preview builds in order to concentrate on the Windows 10 RTM, which had still not been provided to its manufacturing partners. Now, the company has released Windows 10 Build 10240, which Gabe Aul claims is 'one step closer to what customers will start to receive' when the operating system launches later this month.

Although Aul may be hedging his bets, sources speaking to The Verge have claiemd that Build 10240 has been selected as the Release To Manufacturing Gold Master - the version of the operating system which will be provided to OEMs, pressed onto CDs and burned onto flash drives for retail sale. If so, the company has cut things fine: the global retail availability of the OS is scheduled for the 29th of July, just 13 days from today.

At the same time, Hewlett Packard has clarified statements it made regarding the availability - or lack thereof - of the operating system at launch. Earlier this week, the company had stated that it would not have Windows 10 PCs available until early August; now, HP's Mike Nash has corrected by saying that 'select PCs with Windows 10' bought directly from HP will ship on the 28th of July and arrive with customers on the launch date, but that retail availability at third-party outlets won't occur until early August.