Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) and Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate have both been made available for download to the general public. In this article we will take a look at some alternative download locations for Windows 7 RC, download locations for Windows Server 2008 R2 RC, and we’ll also present you with some activation keys for the two aforementioned operating systems.

Windows 7 download locations
Windows 7 dedicated web page here.
TechNet dedicated web page here.
MSDN dedicated web page here.

The thing is that most online publications, including us, linked to the official Windows 7 web page, meaning that the servers could get bogged down. If that happens, you could use the TechNet and MSDN servers as an alternate source of getting your Windows 7 RC fix.

After you do get the Windows 7 Release Candidate, you will undoubtedly burn it onto a DVD and install it on your machine. During the installation process you will asked to provide a product key; the installation process will not be hindered if you do not provide one straight away, but after 3 days the OS will prompt you about activating your Windows 7 RC version. You could get an activation key from Microsoft, or you could just take a look below.

Windows 7 RC 32-bit and 64-bit processor version activation keys
MM7DF-G8XWM-J2VRG-4M3C4-GR27X
KGMPT-GQ6XF-DM3VM-HW6PR-DX9G8
MVBCQ-B3VPW-CT369-VM9TB-YFGBP
KBHBX-GP9P3-KH4H4-HKJP4-9VYKQ
BCGX7-P3XWP-PPPCV-Q2H7C-FCGFR
RGQ3V-MCMTC-6HP8R-98CDK-VP3FM
Q3VMJ-TMJ3M-99RF9-CVPJ3-Q7VF3
6JQ32-Y9CGY-3Y986-HDQKT-BPFPG
P72QK-2Y3B8-YDHDV-29DQB-QKWWM
6F4BB-YCB3T-WK763-3P6YJ-BVH24
9JBBV-7Q7P7-CTDB7-KYBKG-X8HHC
C43GM-DWWV8-V6MGY-G834Y-Y8QH3
GPRG6-H3WBB-WJK6G-XX2C7-QGWQ9
MT39G-9HYXX-J3V3Q-RPXJB-RQ6D7
MVYTY-QP8R7-6G6WG-87MGT-CRH2P

Once Windows 7 RC is activated you will be able to use it until the 1st of June, 2010. The catch is that starting with the 1st of March, 2010, the OS will start shutting down every 2 hours, as a reminder that you should switch to Windows 7 RTM (which should have been released by then).

Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate has also been made available for download:
Windows Server 2008 R2 RC download link
Windows Server 2008 R2 RC for Intel Itanium-based systems download link

Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate Product Keys
Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate Enterprise
Product Code: Q7Y83-W4FVQ-6MC6C-6QQTD-TPM88

Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate Standard
Product Code: V4KRB-QDWK2-GVT4X-BV4XG-34TV4

Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate Datacenter
Product Code: WXGKX-XXW8X-P8KTJ-PFX7T-DPYYW

Windows Web Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate
Product Code: RBBKH-BVD6B-74FV9-RYPJ7-TCFXB

Windows Server 2008 R2 Release Candidate Itanium Edition
Product Code: MW6C7-2MYCB-PF3DK-VCQ2W-XGWFP