To gather as much user feedback as possible, Microsoft let users download Windows 7 for free during its development process. That is it let users get Windows 7 Beta and Windows 7 RC (Release Candidate) for free, so it could bring any bugs and problems to light. When the final version of Windows 7 hit the GA (General Availability) milestone on the 22nd of October, the operating system was no longer served free of charge. It was sold for a price, just like any other product is.
Some PC users stuck with Windows 7 RC. If you fall in this category, you need to be warned about something. On the 15th of February, you will receive a notification informing you that Windows 7 RC’s shelf life is about to expire. Then on the 1st of June, the operating system will start to shut down every two hours. Windows 7 RC will keep doing this until the 1st of June, when it will officially expire.
SPONSORED LINKS
“On June 1st, 2010, a non-genuine experience is triggered where your wallpaper is removed and “This copy of Windows is not genuine” will be displayed in the lower right corner above the taskbar. This means your PC will no longer be able to obtain optional updates or downloads that require genuine Windows validation. To avoid any data loss, I suggest making plans to move to a released version of Windows 7 before the automatic shutdowns start. During these shutdowns, your work will not be saved,” announced Windows Communications Manager with Microsoft, Brandon LeBlanc.
According to LeBlanc, you cannot upgrade from the RC to a stable Windows 7 version. Vista users can do this, but you cannot – nor can Windows XP user as a matter of fact. You will need to perform what Microsoft calls a “custom installation”, which is the equivalent of a clean install. You must backup any data that you don’t want to lose.
To gather as much user feedback as possible, Microsoft let users download Windows 7 for free during its development process. That is it let users get Windows 7 Beta and Windows 7 RC (Release Candidate) for free, so it could bring any bugs and problems to light. When the final version of Windows 7 hit the GA (General Availability) milestone on the 22nd of October, the operating system was no longer served free of charge. It was sold for a price, just like any other product is. 