Neowin.net

It's the same one that was leaked a few weeks ago. It also has the same SHA1 numbers!

Lucky ******! ;-)

so is this final version? and there's no more? i have a mate on technet, can he just go and download it? while i have to wait and pay for it, but its both the sale version...

MSDN = developer
Technet = IT Pro

Don't forget price too. MSDN is several thousand dollars. The TechNet ones are only several hundred. I wouldn't mind Visual Studio but that is over on MSDN only (which is the developer one).

Most Partners and even Microsoft Student Partners get both. Not sure why.

I just landed an MSDN Premium account in eBay a couple of months ago for under $500US, though I can't promise anyone could duplicate that.

I wanted Small Business Server 2008 (for development purposes only, of course!) and Visual Studio 2010 when it's released (not to mention a production license for VS 0, so it was worth a few extra bucks for me.

I get both! Woot! Microsoft Student Partners!

I'm an MSP and only got MSDN Ahh well, still gets me the stuff I wanna play with

Because we need it for our demanded certifications.

The URL for TechNet is: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscri...s/dd692862.aspx

thanks for the tip about Akamai!

dude...you kick ass!!!

This works much better than the normal regular download area. It's provided to combat the problems of server overload a new, popular download creates.

Although the speed fluctuates quite a bit - my download is going from 300 KB/sec to 2.6 MB/sec - it is much better than the more steady 180KB/sec to 190KB/sec I was getting from the regular download area.

Great suggestion, thanks!

You da man!!!!

It is bouncing about a bit from 800k to 32k every second but still, it will only take 2 hours to d/l comapered to 8 hours on MSDN at 80k/sec

You HAVE to use that download manager to get the Ultimate version, anyways.

Anyone else in NZ getting the 500 error?

Great.

wow this is a great tip! thnx!! )))

Earliest it will be available is August 14th, it's still up to the administrators of each one to add it.

Yeah I'll wait to get it on my school's as well.

There is one for 25% off around that works just fine.

Would like to know if this is available for the UK and if so would anyone mind posting the code.

Thanks in advance.

TMSAM15 or TMSAM10 should work according to several coupon sites.

Saw that VLK with SA was out tomorrow....

excellent stuff, will check the site tomorrow!

It's now available.

Awesome. I've been thinking about getting one.

Please, i am lucky to get 100kbs now...consider yourself lucky. 12 done and another 4-6hrs to go......

Crazy slow? That's my maximum speed.

Crazy slow it is indeed

My normal download speed from MS Servers are usually at 800-900k/sec.

My normal is 2500k/sec...

That's my max too, LOL. DSL.

anyone who considers 250KB/s 'crazy slow' is just flat out spoiled with insanely high speeds! (i.e. 1MB/s+ or more)

? 1 MB/sec is insanely high now? I pay a little less than $35 a month from Comcast for those kind of speeds. I dont' consider myself "spoiled" when people around me on T3s are downloading at 23 to 25 MB/sec.

Not legally

God forbid you pay Microsoft for their hard work.

Just don't do a chkdsk on your machine.

Lol.

Accept it. It's a bug.

It isnt a bug. It can be fixed with a chipset driver update. It is the chipset's driver's fault. Not Windows 7

Thank you, for finally making this clear.

Getting annoying that people are searching for something to downplay 7's launch.

yeah what is this different isos? the arcticle reads like there is only one choice for each architecture...

Ok,

Here is the Deal. EACH ISO is an ALL in ONE disc that have every version. However, each ISO has been customized to only Allow the version that is listed to be installed. You don't get a drop down or choice when you go through the installation. So say you download the Ultimate x64 ISO and when its time to put in a key you put in a Professional x64 Key what will happen is that it will deny that key.

I did a little testing with the Ultimate x64 ISO and I've noticed that if you remove the ei.cfg file from the diSC it will change that ISO image into a version that asks you to select what version you want to install. (the selection menu with all the versions) However, I did not test if it will actually let you activate other versions when you get to the screen. I'm getting ready to try this in a little while. To see if this theory proves right but removing the file did indeed bring the selection screen back. The differences in say the Ultimate x64 and the Professional x64 ISO probably is just the content of that ei.cfg file but there may be other changes that makes it different because all of them are essentially the exact same file size for the respective architectures. The one exception is the Enterprise edition which is actually a different file size for the x86 and x64 versions than all the other versions. I'll try it and let you know since I really don't want to have to burn like 8 different discs I'd rather have just (2) that have all the versions. One for x64 and one for x86.

Why do they do this, why do they deliberately make things harder to do. It is death by a million paper cuts with Microsoft.

The funny thing is that it wasn't nearly this hard in Vista. They actually made it harder in 7.

mite be wanted to makes easier for customers and not make them confused with choosing between diferrent editions. there are lot of not tech users around.
i would still prefer to have those options during installation.
(but what is the probablity that a non-tech guy would be installing windows anyways?)

You need friends that work at MS. Why spend money for MSDN / Technet?

It's easier to get money than it is to get friends.

aha

hahaha

hahaha

Yeah me too.... .... ....

Yes... the 22nd... of OCTOBER!!!!

It is for evaluation of the software. You cannot use it for development or production purposes. You can read more at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/subscri...#gettingstarted

You can on MSDN - Microsoft Developer Network

Yes, well...I'm going to be evaluating Windows 7 for the next....4 years. Lol..

lol, that's just as bad as pirating.

Same here. I believe in in-depth testing.

I don't get why one would pay for this, if the intention is to violate the license anyway. There are free options if that's the intention. :p

Someone please define "evaluation".... how does one evaluate software if its not for testing ones own software... What is the point of a technet subscription?

You're still giving Microsoft some money, so it's not nearly as bad. It's aobut 3x better than pirating (morales wise)

I believe it's more for IT staff ect who as part of their job test software before rolling it out on networks ect. IE they download it, make sure whatever they need to run works fine ect ect and then the company they work for will go out and buy more copies if it passes the test.

So, having a retail bought copy > technet version then?

I think it depends on how you morally see the situation to be honest. It'll technically be the same copy so I guess it depends how you define "evaluate" and how you can construe any definition to justify you owning a technet license.

The link above even states you can "evaluate" it at home so I guess you could say you're evaluating it at home to see how applicable it is inside the office. The terms only really explicitly state it can't be used for development or live environments which I don't think really falls under home use. The fact the wording has been somewhat confusing and vague for some time and hasn't really being addressed pretty much says to me that MS is happy enough for home users to subscribe and pay for it.

Of course others will see it differently and some will say it's no worse than piracy. I personally think it's one big grey area thanks in part to MS's wording, something which they seem happy to keep rather open ended as far as home use is concerned despite being pretty clear on how the software is to be applied for work purposes.

So as long as I'm a developer installing these on my own machines I'm a.o.k. ?

TechNet software is for evaluation, not for development. That is MSDN.

What about them? I hope you aren't expecting a free copy...

Windows Feedback Program participants will get their Ultimate copy sometime around January 2010.

Oh, that program, previous comment redacted.

Why not

He misspoke, I believe he thought you were talking about were the ones who downloaded the Public Betas and RCs and gave feedback about them.

Same here. I've been downloading for 8.5 hours for one stupid ISO. This is ridiculous! My speed keeps fluctuating between 50kb/s & 185kb/s.

Especially if you got them for free!

This comment needs to be deleted.

well it may be violation of terms but so is what everyone else are using these accounts for. most people here are getting it from technet/msdn just to have it sooner and cheaper than if they had to get it elsewhere and are violating the terms and licensing on these accounts. in the end MS is still getting paid and giving away a copy/me using someone esles copy is no different than what they've likely already done which is violate the terms. It's not like we're using a keygen or anything, it's a legitamit key that Microsoft was paid for, simply being misused. who ever really follows the terms and licensing anyway? let alone read them (you know, those EULA and stuff you click through when you install software).

any donaters? I'd be very greatful.

Last edited by nullie on 06 Aug 2009 - 22:51

You. Won't. Get. Key.s Here.
Sorry. We aren't a key handout service, you need to get your own, legally.

Why

No. Any IT staffers who are looking after Microsoft systems at work should qualify for the "evaluation" terms of the Technet license. Hence, we are using it in compliance with the terms.

Lol, cuz the guy was asking for a free product key for Win7. Lol.

I'm the IT staff of my home

If you want to "test" it the RC is still available. You get a FREE key too. If you're happy with your test, well it comes out Oct. 22nd 2009.

not exactly. The MSDN license requires that you install the OS on a computer used for development. I use my computer for both work and leisure, nothing in the MSDN license prevents me from doing so.

hmm.. well, they should be using volume or retail licensing..

i'll download mine off of the partner site some time next week. yay for software assurance

I second that statistic, lol.

correct, not free, but still not for the intended use!

there is no reason to join technet just for the software. Technet is $349. You can get a copy of windows 7 and office 2007 for that much. So anybody who joins it just for windows 7 is wasting their money.

Well it depends how many systems they have and how much software they want (they may want more than Windows and Office).

But yes, I doubt MS care a awful lot to be honest. It's not cheap and being a subscription service I'm sure they make more money from many users than they otherwise would out of renewals rather than them going and buying a copy OEM once every four years.

Sorry TC17, the truth is a bitch sometimes. I wanted Technet to be for personal use as well - I'd get a lot of use out of it. But it isn't, and no amount of wishful thinking will change that fact. The pre-sale for 7 was aimed at people like me, so I went with that, and it was significantly cheaper than buying a Technet sub.

Yeah, but when you PAY that much money for the subcription, you've already covered the cost for a FULL copy of Ultimate, + lots of interest.

Source?

You Have Capitals On Every Single Word.

Might be he used the Office 2007 Word feature "Capitalize Each Word'..

This Was Really Annoying To Read.

I Agree. That Was Very Irritating To Read. But What's More Irritating Is That Trying To Type Like This, I Keep Adding A Period After Every Word Because Instinct Tells Me It's The End Of A Sentence.

There are eleven 2's in this post. Why? Learn2typeoutURwerds.

read the details. Use the 'product key' tab to get your key..then use the 'top downloads' to get Ultimate/Enterprise (Akamai download manager)

Just must be your account type as they work fine for me on my MSDN.

Not same here. They put a link to faster downloads. You just didn't see it.

same here, they are disabled, I can only d/l pro now but luckily I started the enterprise d/l when it was still up and I generated the key lol

So I hope the key is still valid when I go home after work to install enterprise.

Top downloads are still linked but i get errors when I go to d/l so it;s not working for me.

I managed to generate keys for both the x64 and x86 versions of Ultimate.

wow thanks. I started off d/l enterprise and straight away looked at the key, SWEET I thought, came back 2 hours later and the d/l had finished but now the generated key was gone and the link is blanked out and couldn't make a new one.

Saw your post and clicked on the "my product keys" and behold, the key I generated is still in there.

I don't know about that, I can't d/l from the akimo thing either.

EDIT: Now I can d/l from the akimo thing. Must have been bogged down b4 and that's why I was getting errors.

yep, lol

Yeeha. It's Miller time with those speeds.

Mine (Enterprise 64) is up and running, activated and changed date to 2011 just ti make sure

Of course not. The RC will carry you to a less expensive retail release.

The reason I'm considering the same is because I want/need Ultimate and the upgrade version is $219. TechNet is $261.75 with the 25% discount code. With all that TechNet offers, including Office 2010 within the next year, I think it may be worth it.

its sound a nice idea.

I would say it pays for itself overtime. Might be a decent investment.

I would say it pays for itself overtime. Might be a decent investment.

How is it not... Windows 7 Ultimate Today for $261 vs. Windows 7 Ultimate Retail in October for $299...

Strange. On my (MSDN Premium) account I saw all of them (including Basic, which I might try on an old lappie I've got kicking around).

Goto the "Product Keys" section and scroll down until you find Win 7. Click the Get link, you will get a key then.

Aren't these the same keys as for the RC?

In any case, thanks for your help. I see you've explored MSDN quite extensibly!!

Nothing new except for the fact that these people all got it legally.

Lol, idiot,

Some of us want to actually get the ISO legally rather than download them from a torrent site.

Again... That's what hash checks are for.

People would never do anything to an ISO on the file sharing networks, would they?

:eyeroll:

That's what hash checks are for.

Neverrr. You know the internet. Lots of trustable people

technet has a 'product key and FAQ' page for subcribers to read...if that doesn't explain enough you can always 'email support'

I'm pretty sure it's still 10.

Check here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_7_edi...omparison_chart

Yes, you can use 30-day Trail and then everytime u can re-arm it for another 30days for max of 3 times. So you get 30x3 = 90 days

whoops

Actually, the rearming limitation starts at the end of the first 30 days, so you can actually use it for 120.

You can find the image on most torrent sites now, but verify the hash before you burn it

Thanks! I've already pre-ordered my ultimate-copy. Can't wait. Been running on beta and rc builds for quite a while now.

Has there been made list of changes from RC to RTM?

I believe that it's actually already out. I could be wrong about that.

Its not on Technet yet.

Never mind, found all the info I needed...

OEMs will receive Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM in English and all Language Packs on July 29th. The remaining languages will be available around August 11th.

For Volume Licensing Customers:

If you are a Volume License (VL) customer with an existing Software Assurance (SA) license, you will be able to download Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM on August 19th via the Volume License Service Center (VLSC).

Volume License customers without a SA license will be able to purchase Windows Server 2008 R2 through Volume Licensing on September 1st.

IT Professionals:

IT Professionals with TechNet Subscriptions will be able to download Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM in English, French, German, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish on August 14th and all remaining languages beginning August 21st.

Developers:

Developers with MSDN Subscriptions will be able to download Windows Server 2008 R2 RTM in English, French, German, Japanese, Italian, and Spanish on August 14th and all remaining languages starting August 21st.

For Technical Enthusiasts:

Starting on August 20, you can download the 180 day evaluation version of Windows Server 2008 R2 from http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/try-it.aspx

Additionally, Windows Server 2008 R2 will be available in the retail channel on September 14th.

Very nice! How's the gaming experience going with 7?