Updated: Windows 7 beta download imminent? No

Updated: Windows 7 beta download imminent? No

Tom Warren on 19 December 2008 - 15:50 · 39 comments & 34339 views

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Update: According to Neufuse in the comments this was a publishing error on the CMS from Microsoft. Microsoft have now removed the link. Expect access to the beta after Steve Ballmer's keynote on Wednesday 7th January 2009, unless it leaks beforehand of course.

Microsoft have updated their Windows 7 site with a download link for the Windows 7 beta.

It would appear from the posting that Microsoft is currently readying site updates and download servers for the imminent release of the Windows 7 beta. Yesterday, German site Winfuture claimed that the beta would be released today and this could confirm the sites claims.

The download link is currently inaccessible. It's entirely possible that once the page is live it will simply be a sign up page to register your interest. Microsoft will not comment on the exact date and a Microsoft official confirmed the beta is still targetted for early 2009.

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#1 bluewind_89 on 19 Dec 2008 - 15:55

Sweet.

#2 wdowell on 19 Dec 2008 - 15:58

If this does happen imminently, it'd be fantastic! Sure, i would have preferred to be on the technical beta but hey... my feedback could surely still be read?!

(2 replies) #3 Beastage on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:04

I'm totally ecstatic ... I'm such a beta slut.

#3.1 Marshalus on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:21

Beastage said,

I'm totally ecstatic ... I'm such a beta slut.

Join the club

#3.2 SHoTTa35 on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:34

i'm a better slut!!! LOL Wait that's not what you said? oooh... my bad!

#4 limok on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:06

orr right, giddy gi

#5 Soldiers33 on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:07

so is this going to be the public beta now?

#6 +DonC on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:09

The download link is in a public place...

(1 reply) #7 fmorel90 on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:22

Sweet!! I hope this comes out soon.

@Beastage amd Marshalus: same here. I'm addicted to betas and updates.

#7.1 winlonghorn on 19 Dec 2008 - 20:38

I am too! LOL.

#8 DSLJay on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:35

Would be sweet. I have some spare time during the holidays and would love to spend it testing and filing bug reports. I am very much looking forward to this.

#9 Island Dog on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:39

I have a hard time believing a public beta will be out now, but I certainly won't complain.

(1 reply) #10 jjrambo on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:42

Anybody know .NET Framework 4.0 is coming with Beta? I'm sure Nvidia and ATI and other manufactures will hurry up with Drivers release.

#10.1 Digix on 20 Dec 2008 - 10:55

jjrambo said,

Anybody know .NET Framework 4.0 is coming with Beta? I'm sure Nvidia and ATI and other manufactures will hurry up with Drivers release.

http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=701486&hl= been out for some time for ati.

#11 +techbeck on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:50

Coo, but I dont fool with Beta's.

(1 reply) #12 zeke009 on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:51

Cool! I just dusted off the only spare machine I have... a marvelous IBM Thinkpad T21! Must remember to hold it at a 45° in order to turn it on.

It runs WinXP great, ran the Vista beta's just fine and if Win7 beta is as good as it appears... it should run that pretty well too.

#12.1 +DonC on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:54

zeke009 said,

Cool! I just dusted off the only spare machine I have... a marvelous IBM Thinkpad T21! Must remember to hold it at a 45? in order to turn it on.

It runs WinXP great, ran the Vista beta's just fine and if Win7 beta is as good as it appears... it should run that pretty well too.

Since I can do complete backup in Vista, I'm half tempted to just install it and run with it as my main environment for a while.

#13 +majortom1981 on 19 Dec 2008 - 16:56

I will prob run this as my os on my laptop. what better way to test it then by using it all the time. I have the vista ultimate sp1 media so i have no worries about reformatting my laptop.

#14 sharp65 on 19 Dec 2008 - 17:42

Hmm...this would be a nice surprise. They are pretty adamant on saying it will be available early 2009. I guess we will have to wait and see.

#15 Niels. on 19 Dec 2008 - 17:43

Wow, the RIAA abandons lawsuits agains normal consumers, a new Duke Nukem Forever screenshot becomes available and Microsoft precedes its own deadline ahead of expectations. The devil better turn the heat up because it must be freezing down there O.o

#16 DJ Prem on 19 Dec 2008 - 17:50

Nice

#17 thealexweb on 19 Dec 2008 - 18:02

Will it be a iso, do they need a key to work it?

#18 pensadr on 19 Dec 2008 - 18:06

Nice! I would love to give this beta a try.

#19 torrentthief on 19 Dec 2008 - 18:11

if they confirmed early 2009 again today then it cant come out today or is the confirmation an old confirmation??

#20 iaTa on 19 Dec 2008 - 18:13

Hey Tom, would be nice if you mentioned the OP - moi!

#21 Glendi on 19 Dec 2008 - 18:17

The download link gives 404 error and leads to a search listing page of Windows downloads.

Where is it? >.>

I guess it's a matter of time, they probably wouldn't leave a download link leading to a 404 error for 2 weeks or more.

(2 replies) #22 neufuse on 19 Dec 2008 - 18:35

Download isn't imminent, the link is going to be pulled soon, a little birdy told me so *whistles* Publishing mistake on the CMS end

#22.1 SimNet on 19 Dec 2008 - 18:57

neufuse said,

Download isn't imminent, the link is going to be pulled soon, a little birdy told me so *whistles* Publishing mistake on the CMS end

Who is this birdy, and what is this birdies name?

#22.2 iAwesomeness on 19 Dec 2008 - 19:06

I thought we was going to get lucky, but if you're correct

#23 +0sm3l on 19 Dec 2008 - 19:16

Oh well... it would have been nice to start the testing early

(1 reply) #24 sharp65 on 19 Dec 2008 - 19:19

You were right

#24.1 neufuse on 19 Dec 2008 - 19:21

sharp65 said,

You were right

Who Me? *shifty eyes and evil laugh*

#25 richardsim7 on 19 Dec 2008 - 19:23

And the link has gone...

-Rich-

#26 winlonghorn on 19 Dec 2008 - 20:40

The link may be gone, but Jan 7th isn't far either.

(3 replies) #27 bluarash on 20 Dec 2008 - 02:38

A mildly long public beta (3 to 9 months) with multiple ISO releases would be sweet! I think Microsoft really needs input beyond a select group of individuals they consider to be "valued testers," and of course the TechNET/MSDN members... which might be most of us (in the forum) which it will trickle down to us eventually.

#27.1 coth on 20 Dec 2008 - 05:27

it wouldn't be long. as it was also said by Wzor before - build 7000 is the only beta. ms is already passed it and working on release candidate branch (starting from 70x

#27.2 Digix on 20 Dec 2008 - 07:23

coth said,

it wouldn't be long. as it was also said by Wzor before - build 7000 is the only beta. ms is already passed it and working on release candidate branch (starting from 70x

There were only 2 builds released in CPP from vista if i remember right then there were 2/3 RC's So yeah 1 or 2 beta builds then 1 or 2 RC's would be ideal.

#27.3 sanke1 on 20 Dec 2008 - 09:25

coth said,

it wouldn't be long. as it was also said by Wzor before - build 7000 is the only beta. ms is already passed it and working on release candidate branch (starting from 70x

and so we are back on track for apr 2009 rtm ??

#28 Mr. Dee on 20 Dec 2008 - 15:11

What I am noticing about this beta, its basically complete, its just to bug it for any show stoppers. Looking back at the length of Vista's beta and what Company officials said about Beta 1 then straight to RC for 7, I do believe Windows is going RTM earlier than most expected. I still believe there will be subsequent builds that private testers will get.

Windows Vista BETA 1 - Aug. 2005
Windows Vista Build 5219 - September 2005
Windows Vista Build 5231 - October 2005
Windows Vista Build 5270 - December 2005
Windows Vista Build 5308 - February 2006
Windows Vista Build 5342 - March 2006
Windows Vista Build 5365 - April 2006
Windows Vista Build 5381 - May 2006
Windows Vista BETA 2 - May 2006

So it took 8 builds, 7 months to reach BETA 2 with Vista. Taking into account, Windows 7 does not face similar obstacles like Windows Vista since a lot of functionality in the OS even at BETA 2 in Vista were still incomplete. I am putting my guesstimate at least 5 test builds inclusive of Beta 1 and RC to reach RTM for 7 with the availability of a new build each month.

Windows 7 BETA 1 - January 2009
Windows 7 RC0 - May 2009
Windows 7 RTM - June 2009
Windows 7 RTM GA - August 2009

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Updated: Windows 7 beta download imminent? No

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