Still using Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC)? Read this!

- blogs.zdnet.com

 

Thanks. Can we please shut down the Windows forums until, oh, say September of this year with people whining how this isn't fair, why did they lose their data, or why should they pay for an OS?

TBH, I was aware of the March 1 date, but not Feb 15. And IMHO, that is more than fair for MS to let people use the OS that far past release date.

If you want Windows 7 Pro or Ultimate and Office 10 on two machines or more, now might be a good time to start hunting down discount codes for TechNet. $349 for a year subscription, usually can get 20-25% off and have access to virtually every single piece of software Microsoft offers with no restrictions. Well, except for 10 activations per key.

 

3 months is a LONG time to have a free OS like Windows 7.

Even with ALL of these notices, I guarantee there will be a crap load of people ranting/complaining that they had no idea it was going to expire. Just like when they stopped using Analog T.V (AKA: Bunny Ears), and you had to but a special box for them to work.

Just like what htwingnut said, it was awesome for Microsoft to let people use there OS for 3 months for this long, free of charge.

But I have a feeling a lot of people where just using it because it was free, then will downgrade back to Vista because they hate paying for stuff.

 

SO true... And I bet half the users that put Vista back on will be pirated. And the other half will use a pirated copy of Windows 7 lol.

 

As discussed ad naseum before:

If one has any association with a university/college IT/CS program, MSDN-AA license keys are easy to obtain. Ask your kids, cousins, friends, etc.

A discounted TechNet subscription costs less than $300. For that price, you get 10 license keys PER PRODUCT of 90% of what MSFT sells including Desktop, Server, development, and Office products.

Neither of these sources let you re-assign or sell the keys. MSFT is not quick about it but they are known to invalidate MSDN-AA and TechNet keys that appear to be used in non-approved environments. Also, the keys can generally be used ONLY ONCE so if you are running a huge test virtual machine environment, you'll want to find another path to purchase keys.

No One Pays Retail.

 

Actually, technet keys are retail keys. They can be used more than once (just not more than once at the same time).

 

I'm confused now. I thought TechNet *keys* had 10 *activations* each and you could use that key activated ten times any configuration you wanted to. So one key could activate once on ten machines if you wanted, but then that key would no longer work. I didn't know that there was a limit on number of keys though.

In my IT course we used our MSDNAA keys but just selected not to activate. That gave us 30 days to configure and test stuff. Then just recreate the environment again after 30 days.

 

No, you get 10 full retail keys for most items. Some, though, do have VA keys.

And you can always call up for more.

 

I got mine for organising the Win7 Launch Party Did not pay a dime.

If I did not have it though, I would have ended buying licence sooner or later.

 

I'll have to tell my little brother, I didn't know the date was so close. Thanks OP.

 

this is good to know thanks. i wanted to use the rc to test windows 7 64 bit on a laptop that was originally 32 bit. I think it wont like it so being able to test it would be a good idea before I buy. That way no money is wasted.

 

If you can get ahold of any retail windows 7 DVD you can run a trial period for 30 days, and rearm every 30days three more times for 120 days total before you have to buy. So theoretically, if you don't mind remembering to rearm every 29 or 30 days and reformat every 120 days, you theoretically could use it indefinitely. But that is a lot of effort and risk, plus I think it violates the ToS after 120 days anyhow. I highly advocate supporting Windows 7. It is a great OS.

 

February 15, 2010

* Users start receiving an expiration notification in the task bar once a day
* Users will see a Notification Wizard once after four hours and then one time every hour
* The OS will continue to operate as normal