These are the fun blog posts for me—I get the honor of announcing the availability of a resource so many of you have been asking for—a Windows Enterprise Trial edition you can use to continue testing Windows 7 in your own environment is now available from the Springboard Series on TechNet!
Many IT pros we talk to have been looking for a way to continue their work with the Release Candidate to test their applications, hardware and deployment strategies with final Windows 7 bits. In response, we have created the Windows 7 Enterprise 90 Day trial edition, available beginning today.
This evaluation version is for IT Professionals who do not yet have access to Windows 7 RTM through one of the following means:
- Through a Software Assurance Volume License agreement
- Through MSDN and TechNet subscriptions
- Through Software Assurance agreements allowing the download of Windows 7 RTM via the Volume Licensing Download Center.
If you do not have access to licenses through one of the above means, this release will provide a means to have the final released code for evaluation and testing. This evaluation release is specifically intended for IT professionals responsible for desktop administration; consumers will be able to purchase Windows 7 on October 22, 2009
A few things to be aware of before you download the Evaluation code.
- A limited number of licenses are available, so the download will only be available while supplies last.
- Following the 90 day evaluation period, IT Pros who wish to continue to use Windows 7 Enterprise will be required to purchase and perform a clean installation of Windows 7, including drivers and applications.
- Windows 7 Enterprise Edition 90-Day Trial is the final Released-to-Manufacturing (RTM) version of Windows 7 Enterprise Edition. This is the same software that is available to Volume Licensing (VL) through Software Assurance (SA) and is feature-complete.
- Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial is available in English, Spanish, French, German, and Japanese in both 32 and 64 bit versions.
- Activation of Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial is required within 10 days after installation, or the product will shut down every hour. Windows 7 Enterprise 90-Day Trial is valid for 90 days after installation. After expiration, your computer will shut down every hour.
If you wish to continue to use Windows 7 Enterprise please note that you will be required to purchase and perform a clean installation of Windows 7, including drivers and applications. Please keep this in mind; Windows 7 Enterprise is not available through retail channels.
Click here to get the Windows 7 Enterprise evaluation download.
For more technical guidance, tips, and tools you can keep up all the general technical information and news by following the Springboard Series blog, becoming a Springboard Insider or by following our Twitter feed @MSspringboard