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Windows 7 Release Candidate on course to ship in May

by Parm Mann on 27 March 2009, 09:38

Tags: Windows 7, Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

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Microsoft appears to have prematurely answered the question of when we'll all have our hands on the final pre-release version of Windows 7.

According to a unscheduled and since-removed page on Microsoft TechNet, the Windows 7 Release Candidate will be made available in May 2009. That's slightly later than the rumoured April time frame, but still soon enough to suggest that Windows 7 is, in theory, on track for a retail launch before the end of the year.

Microsoft's TechNet page, viewable in full below, provides a handful of other useful information. It states that that the Windows 7 Release Candidate won't be available to a limited number of users - as was originally the case with the Windows 7 Beta - and that it'll be readily available to download throughout June and perhaps later.

Curiously, Microsoft states that the Release Candidate will not expire until June 2010, effectively providing a year's free use of the software. That date also implies that the final product will of course be available in advance of June 2010, allowing users to upgrade to a final working version.

The timing fits, we reckon, as those who've recently been stung by an updated Windows Genuine Advantage can soon upgrade to Windows 7 Release Candidate for free.



HEXUS Forums :: 3 Comments

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Well considering my version of 7057 doesnt expire anyway…

and no i've not hacked it. I just used my beta keys from 7048 and activated.

I only noticed it when i noticed the 7063 screenshots i've seen showed an expiry. Further checking shows that 7057 should expire too… Mine doesnt show an expiry.

So far its fairly stable and works. Got a weird pausing now and then when loading links out of a game into webbrowser but thats about it.
What improvements is this likely to have over the beta - ie is it worth doing an “upgrade/repair” install?
Whiternoise
What improvements is this likely to have over the beta - ie is it worth doing an “upgrade/repair” install?

no, kill 7000 and install from scratch.