Windows 7 RC1 released today (May 5th)

Sometime during "this afternoon", the beta of Windows 7 will be officially released to the public here. The initial release will be limited to 2.5 million downloads. I've used one of the leaked versions, and as of the moment, it looks like a pretty decent improvement over Vista in terms of performance. Screenshots here

EDIT: As of May 5th, the Release Candidate version is now available. Check my post on Page 6 for download details.

EDIT-2: As of early August, the official release of Windows 7 has been made availabe to MSDN subscribers. The official release will come out on the 22nd of October.

Alright, here it is. Server seems a bit busy.

Seems like DLs are already over the limit? Can't see any DL link

I think so. That used to link to a downloads page. Either theyve taken it off for a while because of the huge demand, or the 2.5 mil users did fill up just that fast.  

EDIT: It's the former, according to an MS blog -

Quote[/b] ]*Update on Windows 7 Beta Availability

Due to very heavy traffic we’re seeing as a result of interest in the Windows 7 Beta, we are adding some additional infrastructure support to the Microsoft.com properties before we post the public beta. We want to ensure customers have the best possible experience when downloading the beta, and we will be updating this page once the beta goes live. Stay tuned! We are excited that you are excited!

Damn, I hope that that server hurries up and wakes up.

Does anyone know if I must create an account to download the beta?

You don't need to register an account for the download itself, the direct download links are already 'leaked' but yep the servers are totally overloaded right now.

However you need to have an Live-ID in order to get a key to activate the betas.

But even without a key you can use the beta up to 120 days.

For those who wanna try their luck:

32bit english: http://download.microsoft.com/downloa....DVD.iso

64bit english: http://download.microsoft.com/downloa....DVD.ISO

32bit german: http://download.microsoft.com/downloa....DVD.iso

64bit german: http://download.microsoft.com/downloa....DVD.iso

How to receive a valid product key

So if this is already the beta we can expect the release to be round about in one year? Damn, I just got used to vista

The rumour mill has it's money on a Christmas release. Also, I remember using the Vista beta when it came out around the summer of 2006. The real thing was officially released that November, and made available to the public the following January. So, I'd be pretty sure we'd see it before this time next year.

Loving it, first started with Windows 7, and am now running Server 2008 R2.

• Installation was quick and smooth, 32-bit / 64-bit, dvd or network over WDS, all fine. Footprint seems small, especially the server
  
• Generally very stable and performant (Running in HyperV-VM with 4 Cores at 3.33ghz, and 4GB Ram allotted). Though it has it's probs now and then
  
• Didn't notice any application compatibility issues (Though I use mostly recent software)
  
• I love the interface enhancements, like the taskbar, and explorer, especially under Aero v2.
  
• Remote Desktop with multiple monitors, sound recording and animation/video acceleration. (Not to mention all the features Remote Desktop Services delivers on Server). Using Aero under RDP, by connecting from an Aero Capable Windows 7 Client, works great on both WAN or LAN connections.
  
• Libraries are cool too, not everything is indexed anymore as it seems, *just libraries and important/chosen locations. (Just need to figure out if there's some way to use legacy applications with their open file open dialogs to use these, e.g Netbeans and Total Commander)
  
• Search seems to be a lot quicker.
  
• UAC can now be configured with different levels instead of just On/Off
  
• Windows Firewall and the Networking Center seem to work more logically and allow easier access to important functions
  
• Startup is quick, shutdown aswell, standby is a few seconds slower as Vista, however it actually writes the hibernation file to disk, so that when you have a power failure or unable to come back out of sleep, your session is still restored
  
• Attaching VHD files in Disk Management :biggrin_o:
  
• Installing from MSI files seems to have gotten a boost.
  
• Together with the latest Windows Live apps it's a lot of bling bling
  
• Haven't played any games with it yet, don't think I will before Beta2. Upgrading my Hyper-V Server neither (Unless someone has verified that gaming/animation slowdowns don't happen anymore on Hyper-V Enabled hosts with HighPerformance Graphics Cards)
  
• atm there seems to be a bug with joining a Windows 7 / 2008 R2 machine in a domain that has no Server 2008 or later domain controller (Tries to enter a DNS Name in a NetBios field and thus the join fails)
  
• Can't wait to try the "Direct Access" features that are available when using Windows 7 Client to access Server 2008 R2.
  
• PowerShell v2 (though not really used as of yet): http://arstechnica.com/journal....vements
  

And probably a lot more things i'm forgetting atm :xmas_o:

The link in my second post is back in action. Should be easy enough to get your serial keys. Apparently the key will let you use it up till the 1st of August. A pretty decent version of Windows available for free for over 6 months? Not bad at all

I'm confused by this- do you need to partition your hardrive to run this new OS, or does it piggyback on top of your current one? Are all of your files and drivers safe? and what happens when it expires, does your computer safely return to it's previous OS?

Obviously you need a clean partition to install it, so if you're planing on keeping whatever OS you have right now, create a new partition and dual-boot

There's two ways to do this -

1) You can use it as an upgrade disc. This isnt really recommended as it will get rid of your pre-existing install, possibly permanently.

2) Resize your current Windows partition and create a new one for the Beta. If you have Vista, I believe there are tools for this built in. If you have XP, get the Gparted live CD from here, burn the image and use it to resize your partition and create a new one (There's instructions on the net for this program, and it's quite intuitive to use.) Whilst I've resized dozens of NTFS partitions using Gparted, I feel obliged to give some sort of disclaimer to the effect of "If you kill your data, don't blame me"

PunkBuster enabled games will be having issues with Windows 7 in multiplay.

Several reports of playing 1-5 mins before getting kicked for "unknown windows api function".

EvenBalance (PB), will not be supporting Windows 7 while it is a beta.

Not a big deal. I heard that windows 7 works far better than any of it's predecesors, is much more RAM efficient and is better in all views than Vista.

I might give it a whirl once I get my screen from the shop.

As soon as my macs new HDD arrives im gonna install it on partition on that. not dicided if im gonna boot-camp it or parallel it yet though.

I installed Windows 7 64 on a spare hard drive last night, still getting used to it as I never used Vista for more than 10 mins total (XP64 is my preference), some stuff in Win7 seems nice, other things I'm googling to see how I return to the XP look (for example start menu!

Yes the look takes some time to get used too but not really a problem since you can change it too your likings.

On this site there are many usefull tips that might be handy.

What I really hate about Windows 7 is the totally overdone DRM crap. You can´t even record a radio-stream from the internet anymore and archive it as the DRM kicks in at once.

No choice for me. I´m having Vista 64 Ultimate and Xp 64 intalled right now and I don´t see a reason why to switch to a restricting OS like Windows 7 anytime soon.

What I really hate about Windows 7 is the totally overdone DRM crap. You  can´t even record a radio-stream from the internet anymore and archive it as the DRM kicks in at once.

No choice for me. I´m having Vista 64 Ultimate and Xp 64 intalled right now and I don´t see a reason why to switch to a restricting OS like Windows 7 anytime soon.

After I read this, I decided to stay with Vista, too

What I really hate about Windows 7 is the totally overdone DRM crap. You  can´t even record a radio-stream from the internet anymore and archive it as the DRM kicks in at once.

No choice for me. I´m having Vista 64 Ultimate and Xp 64 intalled right now and I don´t see a reason why to switch to a restricting OS like Windows 7 anytime soon.

After I read this, I decided to stay with Vista, too

I find it rather ironic that somebody who doesn't like DRMs would willingly want to use Windows Vista

Seriously, Vista is some kind of kindergarden compared to what Windows 7 is about to do with us, the users who are supposed to pay for it.

Quote[/b] ]"A few days' testing of Windows 7 has already disclosed some draconian DRM, some of it unrelated to media files. A legitimate copy of Photoshop CS4 stopped functioning after we clobbered a nagging registration screen by replacing a DLL with a hacked version. With regard to media files, the days of capturing an audio program on your PC seem to be over (if the program originated on that PC). The inputs of your sound card are severely degraded in software if the card is also playing an audio program (tested here with Grooveshark). This may be the tip of the iceberg. Being in bed with the RIAA is bad enough, but locking your own files away from you is a tactic so outrageous it may kill the OS for many persons. Many users will not want to experiment with a second sound card or computer just to record from online sources, or boot up under a Linux that supports ntfs-3g just to control their files." Read on for more details of this user's findings.

Re — Photoshop: That Photoshop stopped functioning after we messed with one of its nag DLLs was not so much a surprise, but what was a surprise: Noting that Win7 allows programs like Photoshop to insert themselves stealthily into your firewall exception list. Further, that the OS allows large software vendors to penetrate your machine. Even further, that that permission is responsible for disabling of a program based on a modified DLL. And then finding that the OS even after reboot has locked you out of your own Local Settings folder; has denied you permission to move or delete the modified DLL; and refuses to allow the replacement of the Local Settings folder after it is unlocked with Unlocker to move it to the Desktop for examination (where it also denies you entry to your own folder). Setting permissions to 'allow everyone' was disabled!

Re — media: Under XP you could select 'Stereo Mix' or similar under audio recording inputs and nicely capture any program then playing. No longer.

Draconian DRM revealed in Windows 7

Nice, seems they finally are back to their huge DRM plans that created much tension before when it was called TCPA.

Same sh*t just packed in a nicer looking gift box.

Hmm seems i stick with XP a lot longer than expected, more time to play classical emulators ( i guess 7 will forbid me that too? ) and homebrew stuff.

In times where countless videos ( youtube mainly ) and even songtexts are removed from the internet because of copyright reasons ( yeah im sure a ArmA video with your song hurts the income of a artist really bad ) i guess this is what it will lead to, you buy our OS and we tell you what you cant do, or to make things shorter we just tell you what you still are allowed to do.

Creativity? Who needs that...

"May you live in intresting times"

Hmm seems i stick with XP a lot longer than expected, more time to play classical emulators ( i guess 7 will forbid me that too? ) and homebrew stuff.

Nice thought, but it wont work for too long because MS is pushing their stupid bloatware named GFWL like crazy. More & more developers adapt to it, meaning that in order to play or even load your savegames you must be connected to the interwebs

It already sucked arse with fallout 3 when it was released, luckily there was a hack that made the friggin xlive install unneccessary. But then Bethesda just included GFWL in the 1.1 patch and made it a requirement to download & play the expansion pack.

Not to mention GTA4 ..

The whole personal computer branch is going to shits *sigh*

You can create an offline account, at least in GTA4.

That, however, doesn't change a thing about GFW being unnecessary crap...