Microsoft is to begin bi-hourly shutdowns of the Release Candidate version of Windows, a process which is set to continue until 1 June.
We notified you last week that this was about to begin but the official date for the shutdowns is today – 1 March.
Up until 1 June these shutdowns will take place, then they will be replaced with a permanent 'cheapskate' branding on your computer.
This will come in the form of your wallpaper being removed, in its place the statement: "This copy of Windows is not genuine" will appear.
Clean install
If you have managed to wing your way through the bi-hourly shutdown by saving your work every other hour and waiting for a restart, then you will not be allowed to do any updates or downloads that need Windows validation.
In short, you are going to have to buy a copy of Windows 7 and do a clean install. Or, if you are really desperate to keep Windows 7 on the cheap, Microsoft is allowing a 90-day trial of its Windows 7 Enterprise edition – but this is recommended for IT professionals only.
But this is just delaying the inevitable, so you might as well cough up the money for the OS at some point.
Your comments (4) Click to add a new comment
rickass
March 22nd 2010
4. @ windymiller
for what you said @romi
if you give out a helpfull hand to try out the product without getting payed for that then yes microsoft should give you a version for free
and for what you said @oldhand
why would you tell the only person with the right answor to this post to go away seriously dont you even know that linux was and still is the most powerfull operating system with the best level of compatibily thru out the other operating systems it also is the most stable and light weight operating system so befor going and trash something else just because you dont understand it whell how about actualy reading about it befor making your mind
and yes windows is **** nomatter how "nice" bill gates makes it look like its still the same piece of **** it always was thats the way he can keep on making money of you guys (the windows users) by releasing **** and making it look a litle bit nicer every time
anywho people linux is the best and its free!!
you cannot put a price on data!!
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windymiller
March 2nd 2010
3. @ romi
Consider this, if they liked it while testing it, they'll pay for it, no?
@ oldhand
Go away, tweed wearing bore.
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romi
March 1st 2010
2. Considering the valuable testing and quality checks submitted to ms, you would thimk yhey offered the os free from the valuable user feedback essential for the quality level of the feed back.
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oldhand
March 1st 2010
1. Or install Linux instead. Would also save on installing all those free anti-virus programs too.
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