Windows 7 RC Available to Download and Install

Nearly final version of Microsoft's next operating system, Windows 7, became available on last Monday [25 May 2009] to the general public.

Windows 7 comes almost three years after Windows Vista but the Final version will be available probably on last week of April 2010.

Microsoft warned it is not offering technical support for the Windows 7 release candidate, so those who install it are on their own. Users should be familiar with installing an operating system from scratch, formatting a hard drive and backing up data, among other skills, Microsoft advised.

Microsoft said that Windows Vista users will not need to reinstall their applications after upgrading to the Windows 7 release candidate. The company does, however, recommend backing up data as a precaution.

Windows XP users should back up their data and do a clean install of the Windows 7 release candidate.

The Windows 7 RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You’ll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use.

Hardware Recommnadation to install Windows 7 RC:

* Internet access (to download Windows 7 RC and get updates)
* A PC with these minimum recommended specifications:
- 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor or higher
- 1 GB of system memory or more
- 16 GB of available disk space
- Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (to enable the Aero theme)
- DVD-R/W Drive

The 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 RC are available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish.

Downloading the Windows 7 RC could take a few hours. The exact time will depend on your Internet provider, your bandwidth, and traffic. The good news is that once you start the download, you won't have to answer any more questions – you can walk away while it finishes. If your download gets interrupted, it will restart where it left off.

My opinion is before installing Windows 7 RC be sure to back up your data and please don’t test Windows 7 RC on your primary home or business PC.

Go to Windows 7 RC Download Page to get your copy today.

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- Parvez Iqbal