Alex Zaharov-Reutt
Saturday, 10 January 2009 20:41
Opinion and Analysis
Page 1 of 2
If you’ve been trying to get a Windows 7 beta 1 activation key without
success, the method over at Neowin just started working for me after
hours of trying.
If you’ve been trying to get the Windows 7 beta 1 download from Microsoft’s official
Windows 7 site without success, you may want to know that official Microsoft download links have been available all along for anyone to use – you just need to know where they are.
My earlier article on Windows 7 tells you where you can download the 32bit and 64bit versions of Windows 7 beta 1
right now.
That’s despite Microsoft’s Windows 7 site still saying “
Thanks for your interest in the Windows 7 Beta. The volume has been phenomenal—we're in the process of adding more servers to handle the demand. We're sorry for the delay and we'll re-post the Beta as soon as we can ensure a quality download experience.”
So, now you know where you can get the official Windows 7 beta 1 download if you want it, but what about activation keys?
We know that Windows 7 can be installed without an activation key, and will work for 30 days.
We also know that there’s a
“rearm” method that lets you extend the grace period before activation is required to a maximum of 120 days – but it’s not the same as actual activation which guarantees your beta 1 copy of Windows 7 will work until August 1, 2009.
Before then, Microsoft is slated to release either a beta 2, if required, or more likely, the RC1 (release candidate). Microsoft might even release the final version by then, providing all goes well.
We also know that Windows 7 beta 1 can mangle mp3 files if an important patch is not applied. The details of the patch are here, while the patch itself for the 32 bit version of Windows 7 can be downloaded
here, and the 64 bit version
here. If you've got Windows 7 beta 1 and you want to safeguard your mp3 collection then download and install the appropriate patch, immediately!
So, how can you get yourself a beta 1 key? I just used Neowin’s method to get myself 8 different, unique keys – and you can do the same too, if you need that many.
Details are on page 2, please read on.
