Free Download of Windows 7 Beta on Friday

[Soopafresh]

Microsoft's excitable CEO Steve Ballmer showed off Windows 7 -- the slick, fast, user-friendly successor to the much-maligned Windows Vista -- and said it will be available as a public beta on Friday.

"We are putting in all the right ingredients -- simplicity, reliability and speed -- and working hard to get it right and to get it ready," said Ballmer.

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2009/01/microsoft-relea.html

[Number Six]

I'll definitely download it and give it a try - I like the fact that it can run on older, non state of the art equipment (but I doubt that it will work on a Timex Sinclair 1000 :P ).

[MOVIEGEEK]

Before you download read this:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?tag=mncol;txt

"Q: Can I uninstall Windows 7 and go back to my old OS?
No."

[redwudz]

From the W7 site: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx

Come back the afternoon of January 9.

(Probably Redmond, WA time.)

Want to try the Beta? Subscribe to the team RSS feed to be alerted as soon as the Beta becomes publicly available.

I would do a clean install of it on a computer you don't plan to use for anything else as it is just a beta OS at present.

[Number Six]

Exactly as redwudz said - I have a lot of older computers that I just use for testing parts on, or for playing with different software configurations.

[Soopafresh]

Agreed. If you install it on your system, physically unplug your drive that's running XP or Vista and install Windows 7 on an extra hard drive.

[Number Six]

I just read that Microsoft is limiting the downloads to a total of 2.5 million

[MOVIEGEEK]

I just read that Microsoft is limiting the downloads to a total of 2.5 million

I think it's 2.5m activation keys,you can still try it out for 30 days.

[killerhex]

you can go back to your old os if you make recovery discs of the old os

[JjMon]

Maybe an option Drive Snapshot, to backup your drive so you have the option to restore your drive if you decide you do not like Windows 7.

[Dv8ted2]

Before you download read this:
http://blogs.zdnet.com/hardware/?tag=mncol;txt

"Q: Can I uninstall Windows 7 and go back to my old OS?
No."

That is why you install it in a virtual computer.

[Ai Haibara]

That is why you install it in a virtual computer.

That'd probably be a bit of a performance hit on average, though. Most of the people who would install it are probably looking to see how it compares to Vista, more than anything else. (Well, okay, that's just a guess. I may be (and probably am) wrong.)

[Krispy Kritter]

From what I've read so far, it is just Vista with some performance updates and mostly visual changes.

[Number Six]

Well, it seems that it will be impossible to get this download - no link on the Windows 7 site, and another link that I found keeps giving server busy or service unavailable or page not found errors

[Soopafresh]

I think this is the page (no link yet)

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx

[Number Six]

Yeah - that was the page I was trying - they removed the link, and replaced it with coming soon - I think that they had major problems with the download, after all - it is 2.5GB

[Soopafresh]

Millions of people downloading a 2.5GB file all at the same time? Nah...

[Number Six]

Yeah - it IS 2.5GB - it is an ISO that has to be burned to a DVD.

[deadrats]

Well, it seems that it will be impossible to get this download - no link on the Windows 7 site, and another link that I found keeps giving server busy or service unavailable or page not found errors

here's a couple of links straight from microsoft, fast as hell, i'm downloading at 400+ KB/s right now:

64bit:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7...FRE_EN_DVD.ISO

32 bit:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7...FRE_EN_DVD.iso

[Supreme2k]

deadrats,
Do either of those links come with an activation key?

[Soopafresh]

deadrats, thanks! Downloading now. You're right, very fast.

[Number Six]

Just tried those links - they are down! Microsoft probably disabled them.

Soopafresh - Did you get the complete file?

[Soopafresh]

Not yet. A few more hours to go, probably. And just the 64bit one.

[SCDVD]

I'm downloading it now. I'm on a T1 line but I'm only getting about 90 KB/sec. That server (farm) must be getting a real workout right now. Since it's an ISO file, there is no way to look at it until it finishes downloading about 6.5 hours from now. I'm worried about the activation key as well. Does anyone know if it is included in the downloaded ISO or if it has to be downloaded somewhere else?

[deadrats]

Just tried those links - they are down! Microsoft probably disabled them.

Soopafresh - Did you get the complete file?

links are fine, just tried them, not to mention that my first download is still going strong (now i'm downloading both versions).

[SCDVD]

I suspect the reason people are experiencing variable results is that there are actually a number of servers in different physical locations. So depending on where you are, speed and connectivity vary accordingly.

[deadrats]

deadrats,
Do either of those links come with an activation key?

here's the thing: i'm not sure you will need an install key, i think you should be able to install it without one, i will know in a little while.

and a fyi, as far as drivers go, i'm pretty sure you can use vista drivers (after all vista allows you to use either xp or vista drivers for some devices <-- bet you guys didn't know that).

update: just did a some quick checking, no key is required, the beta expires july 1 2009, unless some very evil person uses a hex editor and modifies a couple of strings so that it expires in 2109, but i have no idea who would possibly would do such a thing nor do i condone such a vile and hideous act.

[Number Six]

OK - for some reason GOOGLE CHROME tells me the links are no good

Firefox and IE7 allow me to get the download - Downloading now - THANKS GUYS

EDIT

Coming in strong at over 700 KB / sec

[deadrats]

OK - for some reason GOOGLE CHROME tells me the links are no good

i am soooo shocked that microsoft would prevent chrome users from downloading the beta, my guess is that the same would happen with safari users (though i use opera and no problems).

[Number Six]

No problem with Safari and Opera.

Did some research on the Chrome failure - here is what I found:


Error 8 (net::ERR_FILE_TOO_BIG): Unknown error.


The orig error that I was initially given was:


The webpage at http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7...FRE_EN_DVD.iso might be temporarily down or it may have moved permanently to a new web address.


EDIT

It only came in at 1GB - But it was supposed to be 2.5GB - I'm trying it again.