Complete guide to all FAQs related to Windows 7 RC and Win7 beta ~ Expiration date, downloading, usage and more…

What is Windows 7 beta and Windows 7 RC?

Windows7 beta was first launched for solely testing purpose. It was having many Bugs which was getting fixed on successive release. Many people downloaded and installed Windows 7 beta to test it and help Microsoft developing it!

Windows 7 RC on the other hand is Release Candidate ~ Means it is the most stable version of beta and also distributed freely. It is NOT to be confused that Windows 7 RC is the final release of it! RC is the intermediate of beta release and final release [Yet to be announced]. RC is supposed to be the most stable version of Windows 7 beta and unlike the proper beta release of Win7 [which is closed now] will be supported and given by Microsoft freely over longer period of time

How these two versions are supposed to expire?

This is the question faced by many user of Windows 7 beta and Windows 7 RC. Microsoft has clearly notified these points, but for the betterment of understanding we shall figure out the points in this way…

• Remember that Windows 7 beta and Windows 7 RC both were/are distributed freely and are obviously set to expire on a specific date!
• The expiration dates of Windows7 beta and Win7 RC are different. In fact there is a huge difference between the expiration date of the two release.
• However, the expiration policy of both of them are same. According to MS,
  >>Windows will first notify you that the expiration process is beginning and your PC will start shutting down every two hour after TWO WEEKS OF THE FIRST NOTIFICATION.
  >>At the exact expiration date [Which we will get to know on the coming section] the program will expire and you have to install full version [stable and final release] of the product to continue using it!

Please read below to get to know about the expiration date of the beta and RC version.

The expiration date of Windows 7 beta:

According to Microsoft, The windows 7 beta is set to expire on August 1, 2009. Please keep the following points in mind…

• The bi-hourly shut down of Win7 beta will begin on July 1, 2009.
• As said by Microsoft before, you are sure to get this notification 2 weeks before [the date July 1, 2009]
• Exactly on August 1, 2009 Windows 7 beta will expire and then you have to use either any previous version of Windows OS [like Vista, XP] or Windows 7 RC on your machine.

NOTE: Previously, Windowsteamblog has announced that there has been an error on the E-mail they has sent to many users, where they have declared the bi-hourly shut down beginning to be 1 June. This was incorrect and this mistake is confessed by the windows-team-blog. The correct date of beginning of bi-hourly shutdown in 1 July, 2009.

The expiration date of Windows 7 RC [Release Candidate]:

Please read the points below…

• The windows 7 Release Candidate is set to expire exactly on June 1, 2010;
• The bi-hourly shut down will begin from March 1, 2010;
• As said before, you are likely to get Notification, two weeks before March 1, 2010 for the initiation of the expiration process.

I am a Windows 7 beta user… What should I do?

The best option is switch to the RC version. The latest version is FREE to download from Microsoft server and from the above discussion you should have understood that MS is going to provide Win7 RC service until June, 2010. But please keep in mind the following points:

• The free download service of Windows 7 RC might be available only up to July 2009. Note I am talking about free download service from Microsoft server, not expiration or anything related to this!
• Win7 RC may contain some bugs which can damage your PC. So backing up your data are highly recommended. Also do not install it over your business or Primary Home PC!
• Keep your PC updated to get latest bug fixes and security updates.

And Finally download from the source given below

I am Win7 RC user! Is it safe to keep on running this on my PC?

Well despite from the warnings from MS, it looks that Windows 7 RC is actually bug free and in many ways much better than Windows Vista. Personally I have been using this for 2 weeks and I have found no errors or anything which can slow down or damage my PC! It runs really smooth on my Core2Duo 2.8 GHz PC with 4 GB of RAM and 500 GB HDD! But news are that, it even runs great in a 5 years old Computer.

Also according to Michael Cherry, research vice president for operating systems at Directions on Microsoft 

"It does have a lot more — I’ll call it ‘polish,’ It feels like a lot of the rough edges of Vista have been removed. I think this is why people are being deluded into using it as their primary OS."

So, there is no need to worry about damaging your PC due to Windows 7! Obviously MS has got some reputation, which they are not going to lose! Just be on the safer side, they have included these warnings

Expected date of final Release
of Windows 7

Well from the above discussion on the expiration date, it is quite clear that Windows 7 final version will be released somewhere in between August 2009 and June 2010. I am sure that you are getting the logics behind this! Well it’s quite a simple one! Isn’t it?

Have your Say!

Do you still have any more confusion?
Can you predict the release date of Windows 7?
Is there any information missed or anything given is wrong?

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