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Welcome to the Windows 7 Beta Customer Preview Program

Jan. 9, 2009 Paul Thurrott | Paul Thurrott's Supersite for Windows

Ladies, and Gentlemen, start your browsers...

Windows 7 is…
the next release of the Windows client operating system, built on the secure foundation of Windows Vista and Windows Server 2008. Performance, reliability, security, and compatibility are core tenets of this release as we collect your feedback to meet our engineering goals of making Windows 7 the best-performing and most stable Windows operating system to date. New innovations in the product are designed to augment your ability as an IT professional to better provision and manage increasingly mobile PCs, protect data, and improve both end-user and personal productivity. 

See Windows 7 for yourself

We are inviting IT professionals around the world to work with the Windows 7 Beta in their lab environments and secondary PCs to help ensure smooth adoption when the final product is available and to gather feedback from real-world settings.

How can you get involved?

1. Take a look at some of the new features and functionality in Windows 7 as part of our Springboard Series guidance on the Windows Client TechCenter on TechNet. As a partner you can also see additional resources on the Microsoft Partner Program portal.

2. Download the Beta for a hands-on trial.  For a limited time, Microsoft is making this pre-release version of Windows 7 available to the first 2.5 million people who download. Ready to take a test drive? You can get one by trying the Windows 7 Beta.

As promised, 32-bit and 64-bit versions are available for download. Have fun!

Discuss this Article 227

Ocean
on Jan 9, 2009
Lifehacker said: >>Microsoft's not the only one who's blown web launches. Apple did it spectacularly with MobileMe, and even an occasional Google product craps the bed when the planets misalign. But for a company that's pushing cloud computing and web services and trying so hard to prove that they're ready to move off the desktop and onto the web, today's Win7 borkfest proves Microsoft is still too clueless about how to do stuff online to be taken seriously.<< http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/Q9D6tU3GbvY/in-2009-micros...
jropelato1
on Jan 9, 2009
Hey guys. I keep getting this "windows could not collect information for [OS Image] since the specified image file[install.wim] does not exist" Am I not downloading the WHOLE file? Am I perhaps burning the disc wrong? How big is the file supposed to be for the x86? I used a link off here to get it and got my 64 key from microsoft. My files (I've got about 4 now) vary in size from 2gig to just a little over. Thanks for any suggestions.
tayme
on Jan 9, 2009
@jropelato1 - The 32 bit seems to die part way through the download. I have had it at 150MB up to 2GB...The 64 bit seems to work ok. I have it at 3,387,009,024 bytes(3.15GB). --tayme
djRob
on Jan 9, 2009
I've installed 64bit version on Dell Inspiron 6400. 1. Installer didn't make a dual boot so now I can't boot into Vista. Can you tell me how to correct this, please. 2. Can't connect to my Logitech bluetooth mouse. Anyone has similar problem?
darkmax
on Jan 9, 2009
@djRob Put your Vista recovery/Installation disk in and boot from it. Choose to have your vista repaired. **Always partition your HDD first before doing dual-OS installations.
darkmax
on Jan 9, 2009
you might need to reinstall your mouse driver... or just try unpluging and repluging it after a reboot.
djRob
on Jan 9, 2009
@darkmax If I use Vista Installation disk will I be able to boot into Windows 7 after that? I don't know about mouse driver, I was using my mouse with defaullt(Microsoft) driver in Vista.
Yawn!
on Jan 9, 2009
-OT Thanks Tayme! Yawn!
darkmax
on Jan 9, 2009
@ djRob You might. But first priority is to get the OS working again, no? Then you can manually add the Windows 7 into the boot.
djRob
on Jan 9, 2009
Here is how can u get a key for 64bit ver.(it refreshes page every .5 sec) Use FF Greasemonkey addon and use this script // ==UserScript== // @name win 7 key // @namespace myNamespace // @include https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/productkeys/win7-64/enus/defaul... try { if(document.getElementsByTagName("p")[0].innerHTML=="The site is currently experiencing technical difficulties, please check back in the next business day.") { var t=setTimeout("location.reload(true);",5000); } } catch(e) { } // ==/UserScript==
djRob
on Jan 9, 2009
Thanks darkmax, now I have dual boot. Windows 7 Installer doesn't recognize Vista if it is installed on a logical partition.
LloydSparkes
on Jan 9, 2009
http://blog.hznet.nl/2009/01/10/how-to-receive-a-valid-windows-7-key that really does work, took about 2 minutes tried it a second time with a different account on a different pc, and i gave up after about 10 minutes, 1 key can be used multiple times so
feppa
on Jan 10, 2009
DJ Rob: How do i install the greasemonkey script?
darkmax
on Jan 10, 2009
@ djRob No worries. Glad to be of any significant help.
darkmax
on Jan 10, 2009
ok... I'm tired of trying all those methods to get the key out there. Should any one of you kind soul care to share the key with me, I would very much appreciate it. my email: darknez@hotmail.com
weedmonk
on Jan 10, 2009
@dark It should be resolved by today but you can try these keys here and see if you have any success. http://www.mydigitallife.info/2008/11/11/15-windows-7-pre-release-previe...
DRWAM
on Jan 10, 2009
Danggit. Next you'll be telling me that time is slowing rather than speeding up. Well at least I have 4GB of RAM in my $400 Vista laptop and got it for $20 after rebate. It's ready and waiting.
lotsamystuff
on Jan 10, 2009
"my $400 Vista laptop" Please. Stop.
djRob
on Jan 10, 2009
@feppa If you don't know how to run this script then u don't deserve the key ;-) I can only add that this script should be run on this page https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/productkeys/win7-64/enus/defaul... after you signed in the site.
weedmonk
on Jan 10, 2009
@Dark, Check your Hotmail Inbox. It says 64bit but can be used on a 32bit install as well.
Delmont
on Jan 10, 2009
What AV software are people using for Win7 64 bit? I just tried to install Live OnCare and it won't install. Says an unsupported operating system hmm....... AVG?
weedmonk
on Jan 10, 2009
I'm using Free Avast and been loving it. I have a paid AVG subscription but compared to Avast its noticeably slower. I have router side firewall set up so that isn't a high priority for me.
DRWAM
on Jan 10, 2009
Weedster, me too. I did get Onecare for the laptop, so I can install it on m y two other PC's, but Avast has been fine, and we really don't do stupid things that expose us to viruses and malware, so I did not install it on them yet. But I guess it pays to be careful.
DRWAM
on Jan 10, 2009
I have to post this on the thread above, but you can't compliment people too much. You people are awesome!
panache1023
on Jan 10, 2009
LloydSparks I can corroborate what you have said. I tried that link and it worked the first time for both 32 bit key and 64 bit key. I am having trouble downloading the 32bit iso from the links provided in this blog. It keeps dying midway through. I will try they 64 bit version now though and see how that goes. What's weird is that...even though I was able to get a 32 bit and 64 bit key using the method you linked to, when I tried to go there a second time, it didn't work for either... oh well, i got my keys, and that's all that really matters!
Delmont
on Jan 10, 2009
I ended up putting the free AVG on Win7 64. It installed fine. Odd that Microsoft's own Live OneCare won't install LOL
darkmax
on Jan 10, 2009
Thank you, weedmonk for the help. I have not check my hotmail yet, but for some strange reason, I just got a really instantaneous response from the website and got a key. Again, thank you very much. I'll promptly erase the copy you give me. :) BTWAfter years of searching for a free security suite, and I do mean almost all currently available, I fing COMODO to be comparable to the best paid ones, or may be even better. Best of all it is completely free. http://www.comodo.com

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