Official Windows 7 Beta 1 Download Locations
There are some bad news and some good news we have to report in regards to the recently released Windows 7 Beta 1. The bad news is that so many people wanted to get it directly from the Microsoft page, that it put so much strain on the servers that they went down. The good news is that Microsoft has since then removed the download limitations (initially Microsoft said it will give out Windows 7 Beta 1 to the first 2.5 million downloaders).
Regarding the Windows 7 Beta 1 server downtime, here is what Windows Communications Manager, Brandon LeBlanc had to say: “Due to very heavy traffic we’re seeing as a result of interest in the Windows 7 Beta, we are adding some additional infrastructure support to the Microsoft.com properties before we post the public beta. We want to ensure customers have the best possible experience when downloading the beta, and I’ll be posting here again soon once the beta goes live. Stay tuned! We are excited that you are excited!”
This is not the only problem that plagued Microsoft’s release of Windows 7 Beta 1. It seems that some TechNet Plus and MSDN subscribers (the ones that got to download the OS ahead of time) encountered some issues when trying to download the product key for the software.
TechNet Plus explains: “For customers having difficulties accessing Windows 7 Beta product keys be aware that the Windows 7 Beta has a built in 30 day grace period for installations before product keys are required. Customers with this issue should continue to download and install Windows 7 Beta without the product key, and then check back later when this issue is resolved.”
It must be said that Windows 7 Beta 1, once activated, has a “shelf life” of 8 months – it will expire on the 1st of August 2009. Hopefully, by that time Microsoft will have released a newer version of their Windows 7 OS.
Moving on to the good news, it must be said that all the server problems have been fixed. Matt LeBlanc again: “I know many of you have had issues with the Windows 7 Beta site over the last 24 hours. As you may have noticed, the download site has been up and running smoothly since this morning. That said, we apologize for the inconvenience that it caused some of you.”
But wait, there is more: since people have shown such a big interest in Windows 7 (which must be good news for Microsoft since their previous operating system, Windows Vista, was not exactly a crowd pleaser – it was even the cause for a lawsuit ). The catch is that even though the 2.5 million downloads limitation has been removed, there is still time limit attached to this Beta version of Windows 7 – you will be able to download it until the 24th of January, 2009.
Now that you are all up-to-date in the Windows 7 status, here are the locations where you can download Windows 7 Beta 1:
Windows 7 Beta 1, Microsoft download location.
Windows 7 Build 7000 Beta, Softpedia download location.
Regarding the Windows 7 Beta 1 server downtime, here is what Windows Communications Manager, Brandon LeBlanc had to say: “Due to very heavy traffic we’re seeing as a result of interest in the Windows 7 Beta, we are adding some additional infrastructure support to the Microsoft.com properties before we post the public beta. We want to ensure customers have the best possible experience when downloading the beta, and I’ll be posting here again soon once the beta goes live. Stay tuned! We are excited that you are excited!”
This is not the only problem that plagued Microsoft’s release of Windows 7 Beta 1. It seems that some TechNet Plus and MSDN subscribers (the ones that got to download the OS ahead of time) encountered some issues when trying to download the product key for the software.
TechNet Plus explains: “For customers having difficulties accessing Windows 7 Beta product keys be aware that the Windows 7 Beta has a built in 30 day grace period for installations before product keys are required. Customers with this issue should continue to download and install Windows 7 Beta without the product key, and then check back later when this issue is resolved.”
It must be said that Windows 7 Beta 1, once activated, has a “shelf life” of 8 months – it will expire on the 1st of August 2009. Hopefully, by that time Microsoft will have released a newer version of their Windows 7 OS.
Moving on to the good news, it must be said that all the server problems have been fixed. Matt LeBlanc again: “I know many of you have had issues with the Windows 7 Beta site over the last 24 hours. As you may have noticed, the download site has been up and running smoothly since this morning. That said, we apologize for the inconvenience that it caused some of you.”
But wait, there is more: since people have shown such a big interest in Windows 7 (which must be good news for Microsoft since their previous operating system, Windows Vista, was not exactly a crowd pleaser – it was even the cause for a lawsuit ). The catch is that even though the 2.5 million downloads limitation has been removed, there is still time limit attached to this Beta version of Windows 7 – you will be able to download it until the 24th of January, 2009.
Now that you are all up-to-date in the Windows 7 status, here are the locations where you can download Windows 7 Beta 1:
Windows 7 Beta 1, Microsoft download location.
Windows 7 Build 7000 Beta, Softpedia download location.
