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Take Windows 7 for a free test drive Saturday!

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David Flynn09 January 2009, 11:00 AM

Here's how to get the official Beta 1 of Windows 7, free of charge and legally!

Do you want to take part in the world’s biggest beta test program? Then this Saturday is your chance, when Microsoft unleashes the Beta 1 edition of Windows 7 onto the Net.

It’ll be a download free-for-all as the keen and the curious hammer Redmond’s servers to grab their copy of the Windows 7 ‘build 7000’ ISO. The disk image contains Windows 7 Ultimate Edition, with the 32-bit ISO weighing in at 2.5GB and the 64-bit version as 3.2GB.

The minimum recommended hardware is a 1GHz processor, 1GB of RAM, 16GB of disk space and support for DX9 graphics with 128MB of memory to enable the Windows 7 Aero theme.

Beta 1 sees the debut of features such as touchscreen and multitouch support woven into the OS and enhancements to the task bar to create the Super Bar.

Microsoft is likely to release at least one follow-up beta by mid-year, before deciding if it can afford to push the code through to Release Candidate stage and sign off in time for an end-of-year debut: just in time for all those shiny new desktops, notebooks and netbooks to appear under the Christmas tree.

PS This is the same build as was leaked onto the BitTorrent network last week. but now you can get it legit – and probably at a pretty decent clip.

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Judy (New user):

My PC is dual booted with XP Pro and Ubuntu 8.10. I have unallocated space of 38GB which I could partition for another OS. Would I be risking my working dualboot if I installed the beta of Windows 7? Or would I be better to try it out on my old PC,With XP Pro and lots of free space, which my husband is now using for very basic stuff?Both PCs have the required specs.

09 January 2009, 11:36 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

skates44 (New user):

Considering that it is "beta" and that M$ products don't usually play well with other OSes I would set it up in a Virtual Machine. You can test it in VM and if everything works like you want and you want to keep it then take the time to install it.

Skates

11 January 2009, 3:29 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

rjsquires (User):

Rest assured I'll be one of the keen and curious hammering Redmond’s servers, by Downloading a copy of Windows 7 Beta!!! Even if it causes me to go over quota...lol :P

09 January 2009, 11:40 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Charlie Brown (New user):

anyone have a link as to where they will release this ?

09 January 2009, 11:51 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

CBR1100XX (Advanced member):

Try www.microsoft.com ?
It won't be that hard to find I'm sure !

09 January 2009, 12:08 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Nathanael (New user):

I'll be bashing the servers too!
Does anyone know what time on Friday (over there) it goes live???
I guess it's conceivable we may even be able to download tonight if they do it early in the morning!

09 January 2009, 11:59 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Nathanael (New user):

I'll be bashing the servers too!
Does anyone know what time on Friday (over there) it goes live???
I guess it's conceivable we may even be able to download tonight if they do it early in the morning!

09 January 2009, 12:00 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

McBanjo (User):

This is hardly free-for-all. There's the significant data transfer costs. If Microsoft seriously wanted to get this into the hands of as many Australians as they could, they should allow mirroring on the ISPs for quota-free downloads.

09 January 2009, 2:16 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Nathanael (New user):

For anyone that's interested, I've got an answer to my own question. Windows 7 website says to Come back the afternoon of January 9.

09 January 2009, 3:09 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

rags (New user):

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/
"Want to try the Beta? Come back the afternoon of January 9."

09 January 2009, 3:48 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Phil1 (User):

Will it work in VirtualBox or VMware?

09 January 2009, 7:22 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Phil in NZ (User):

yes. You need vista sp1 installed first. Its NOT a stand-alone install

09 January 2009, 8:53 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Phil in NZ (User):

You need Vista SP1. Its not a stand alone install.

09 January 2009, 8:55 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

petert (Advanced member):

I read elsewhere that only 2.5m downloads are available. Dos anyone know if this is correct or not?

10 January 2009, 9:19 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

rags (New user):

I read elsewhere that only 2.5m downloads are available. Dos anyone know if this is correct or not?....

"On January 9th, the Windows 7 Beta will be available for Windows enthusiasts to download via the Windows 7 page on Windows.com. The Windows 7 Beta is going to be available download-only (we’re not sending out physical media) and available for a limited time to the first 2.5 million people who download the beta." from - http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/01/07/information-on-downloading-and-installing-windows-7-beta.aspx

10 January 2009, 9:41 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting petert:
I read elsewhere that only 2.5m downloads are available. Dos anyone know if this is correct or not?

I'm not aware of any limits Peter, but I am sure the assumption would be that each individual only downloaded it the one time.
That many downloads would likely exceed your monthly bandwidth allowance by a considerable margin. :>

10 January 2009, 10:13 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

rags (New user):

There is news now of delaying the release, however link on neowin still working, downloading now...http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULFRE_EN_DVD.iso - go to site if need 64 bit version

10 January 2009, 10:16 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

tim2hawkes (Cornerstone member):

is that 32 bit

10 January 2009, 10:30 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Lucas (New user):

Yes, it works under VirtualBox.
No, you don't need Vista SP1 installed first, this is only if you want to upgrade and try and keep your data.
Yes, MS have set a limit at 2.5M - however not sure if this is activations, keys, or downlaods.

10 January 2009, 11:26 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

It'll be keys.

BTW, the downloads seem to have been available sometime in the last 2 or so hours, but are down already due to load. Will MS ever learn anything?

Edit: Direct links to the ISOs are still working, and I'm maxing out our ~6mbps connection getting the 64 bit one. I will not be posting them here, but Google searching will get them. Of course if you want a product key you'll have to wait for MS to get the site back up.

10 January 2009, 1:07 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Hugh jarse (New user):

links:

32 bit: http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULFRE_EN_DVD.iso

64 bit:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULXFRE_EN_DVD.ISO

10 January 2009, 7:29 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Hugh jarse (New user):

Links:

32 bit:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULFRE_EN_DVD.iso

64 bit:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULXFRE_EN_DVD.ISO

10 January 2009, 7:30 PM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Ash (User):

Does anyone know how long the Beta period will last? Also, can this .iso upgrade XP to 7 (I'm betting no, but with so many XP users still around, it would be in Microsoft's favour to have such a feature)? Downloading the very second I get to the off-peak period.

11 January 2009, 12:20 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

Quoting Ash:
Does anyone know how long the Beta period will last?

Until August 1, 2009. I would say we'll see a beta 2 around April though, which will have a later expiry date.

11 January 2009, 9:55 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

Well, the download page is back up asking what version you want, etc... Only problem is the page it links to is missing and it ends up doing a "Live Search" for "betaexperience productkeys win7 32 enus default aspx."

My confidence in Windows 7 is fading away...

11 January 2009, 9:22 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

tim2hawkes (Cornerstone member):

it will last until the 30th of August

11 January 2009, 11:18 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Nathanael (New user):

The Beta is valid to Aug 1st

11 January 2009, 10:02 AM (10 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

tim2hawkes (Cornerstone member):

yeah thats it
i knew it was august

20 January 2009, 3:23 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

0_o woot!woot! (New user):

Win 7 works fine on VMWare, loaded with the Vista OS VMWare settings.

20 January 2009, 4:02 AM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

elverdaderochelin (New user):

Windows 7 works better than Vista, I installed Kaspersky Antivirus for free for all the Beta support lifetime, I installed Windows Media Encoder and since Windows 7 supports Xvid natively I streamed Xvid video with almost dvd quality in my WiFi network without issues. Only had an issue burning cd-rom with native software, but I found UGH open source burner and it works perfectly. Installed snes emulator and games work perfecly well so Windows 7 in netbook can be used as a Game Boy Advance, very cool.

22 January 2009, 4:15 PM (9 months ago)report abuse Send to a friend

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Take Windows 7 for a free test drive Saturday!

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Judy (New user):

skates44 (New user):

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Charlie Brown (New user):

CBR1100XX (Advanced member):

Nathanael (New user):

Nathanael (New user):

McBanjo (User):

Nathanael (New user):

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Phil1 (User):

Phil in NZ (User):

Phil in NZ (User):

petert (Advanced member):

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Raindog (Senior Forumologist):

rags (New user):

tim2hawkes (Cornerstone member):

Lucas (New user):

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

Hugh jarse (New user):

Hugh jarse (New user):

Ash (User):

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

Tin (Senior Forumologist):

tim2hawkes (Cornerstone member):

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