Windows 7 RC released to public
Though it actually sneaked out the door a day early, the latest version of Microsoft Windows 7 has officially been released to the public. Just like the earlier beta, this is the ‘Ultimate’ edition of the OS, so it comes with all the bells and whistles, including Media Center.
An XP compatibility mode which will allow legacy applications to run in a virtualized XP space, concurrently with Vista & Windows 7 applications, is also available as an addon, which should help assuage some of the fears of enterprise users as well.
On the eye candy front, the above image is a composite of all the new Windows 7 desktops, which you can download here.
The extra long and extra open trial will be available to download until at least the end of June, and they will supply all new product keys. Another bonus to the new release is that Microsoft has announced that you’ll be able to continue using the RC (release candidate) until the end of June in 2010, that’s over 1 year, and over half a year after the rumoured fall 2009 release of the final product. During the extra long and extra open trial period, they’ll be making all updates available to the RC user.
Considering how stable (and FAST) the first Win7 beta has run for me, I’ll be putting it on my main machine at home, as well as my netbook. In short, this is probably the best version of the venerable OS that Microsoft has ever released, and should help fix the public perception that Vista created (though the tech press is at least partially to blame for exaggerating and extending that perception well beyond reality).
So hit THIS LINK to download the trial.
As for where to install it, that’s up to you, but I highly recommend using gparted live to easily make a new partition on your hard drive, regardless of what OS you’re currently running.
UPDATE: I missed the following in the download description –
The RC will expire June 1, 2010, and the bi-hourly shutdowns will begin on March 1, 2010. In both cases, you’ll need to rebuild your test PC to replace the OS and reinstall all your programs and data.
Though certainly irritating, March of 2010 is still 4 or 5 months after the official release, so most people making a decision will have made it by then. [update noted via Gizmodo]
Awesome. Based on your glowing recos, I’m DLing the RC now and am going to overwrite XP. Nice easy way to get Media Centre working on my iMac.
Well, HOPEFULLY it’s a nice easy way 🙂
Will keep you posted.
By the way, shoudl I get the 32 or the 64-bit version?
ugh…just GETTING to the download page is enough to remind me of why I hate Windows XD
– I hit your link, but it doesn’t work in OSX.
– Boot into Windows. Wait for the never-ending cycle of startup apps to load, so I can shut them down. Hit the link again.
– I select 32-bit English.
– The site makes me log in to my Microsoft LIVE account.
– The site askes me 7 or 8 personal questions, including my name and location. Heywood Jablome registers yet another copy of Windows.
– The site sends me a confirmation e-mail, to which I respond.
– I am finally blessed with a Win 7 RC1 KEY.
This bra bomb better work, Nerdlinger.
UH OH, hit a snag…
since htis is a fresh install, I can’t just overwrite my XP partition; I’ll need to re-do the whole process through BootCamp, wich means a whole mess of issues. Will post more as time goes on…
Took a quick look online, and there’s a few Windows 7 specific guides when you search “install windows 7 in boot camp”.
You shouldn’t have to re-partition if you’re replacing WinXP, but I don’t know the vagaries of alien OS installs on the Mac. Shouldn’t take too long though, as long as your Mac is up to date, the Windows 7 install goes fast.
PS: and L4D should run no problem under Win7 for you.
~L4D should run no problem under Win7 for you.~
Heh, that actually is a prime concern 🙂