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UPDATED x6: Grab Windows 7 Beta 1 from TechNet - NOW!

By | January 9, 2009, 8:40am PST

Summary: Let the stampede begin - Windows 7 Beta 1 appears on TechNet!

UPDATE x6: Beta extended:
“We have clearly heard that many of you want to check out the Windows 7 Beta and, as a result, we have decided remove the initial 2.5 million limit on the public beta for the next two weeks (thru January 24th). During that time you will have access to the beta even if the download number exceeds the 2.5 million unit limit.“ UPDATE x5: Official download page is back up. 

UPDATE x4: A few of you have asked for the hashes of the ISO files … here they are:

 32-bit

MD5: f9dce6ebd0a63930b44d8ae802b63825
SHA1: 6071184282b2156ff61cdc5260545c078cca31ee

64-bit

MD5: 773fc9cc60338c612af716a2a14f177d
SHA1: e09fdbc1cb3a92cf6cc872040fdaf65553ab62a5 

UPDATE x3: Direct download links: Windows 7 x86 (32bit) and x64 (64 bit) now seem to be working again so if you still want to get your hands on the beta, do it now! As for product keys Neowin has a suggestion that might work. There’s also a suggestion for Firefox users. Reports I’m getting are divided as to whether this wirks or not. 

UPDATE x2: Direct download links: Windows 7 x86 (32bit) and x64 (64 bit) - these may work … may not. No word on when product keys will be available.

UPDATE:  Looks like the stampede was too much for Microsoft’s servers. As a result of the crushing load Microsoft has pulled the beta 1 download until it … well, it can heal the servers.

Let the stampede begin - Windows 7 Beta 1 appears on TechNet!

09-01-2009-16-37-09.png

Here’s the download link:

http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/evalcenter/dd353205.aspx

Servers are really busy now so you’ll need to be patient (Connect, TechNet and MSDN was really slow all day yesterday).

Remember, Microsoft is only giving away 2.5 million keys - Good luck!

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Topics

Microsoft Windows 7, Microsoft TechNet, Microsoft Windows, Operating Systems, Software, Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology.

Disclosure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

All opinions expressed on Hardware 2.0 are those of Adrian Kingsley-Hughes. Every effort is made to ensure that the information posted is accurate. If you have any comments, queries or corrections, please contact Adrian via the email link here. Any possible conflicts of interest will be posted below. [Updated: February 23, 2010] - Adrian Kingsley-Hughes has no business relationships, affiliations, investments, or other actual/potential conflicts of interest relating to the content posted so far on this blog.

Biography

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes is an internationally published technology author who has devoted over a decade to helping users get the most from technology -- whether that be by learning to program, building a PC from a pile of parts, or helping them get the most from their new MP3 player or digital camera.

Adrian has authored/co-authored technical books on a variety of topics, ranging from programming to building and maintaining PCs. His most recent books include "Build the Ultimate Custom PC", "Beginning Programming" and "The PC Doctor's Fix It Yourself Guide". He has also written training manuals that have been used by a number of Fortune 500 companies.

Adrian also runs a popular blog under the name The PC Doctor, where he covers a range of computer-related topics -- from security to repairing and upgrading.

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I got my keys! It was easy.
claymann39@... Updated - 10th Jan 2009
I got my product keys! Here what I did:
http://lifehacker.com/5128018/windows-7-beta-product-keys-now-available-for-real?skyline=true&s=x

Open your MS passport account, then open a new tab for the key! Worked like a charm. NOW, does anyone know where I can get the MP3 fix? I am sure I can find it by digging around....
10 hours later, man using this I have 8 32 bit keys so far....more to share with friends I guess! although it still won't let me download the iso, guess I'll have to get it from bit torrent! hello Pirate bay!
View in thread
0 Votes
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Haha
Cylon Centurion 9th Jan 2009
I tried. I gave up.... I was denied download for not having a profile??? WTH?
0 Votes
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RE: Grab Windows 7 Beta 1 from TechNet - NOW!
shellcodes_coder 9th Jan 2009
Error
The site is currently experiencing technical difficulties, please check back in the next business day.

It took me half an hour to get to that page. I need another key too for my friend.
0 Votes
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Did you know...
Cylon Centurion 9th Jan 2009
That one key is good for multiple installs?
0 Votes
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hmm
shellcodes_coder Updated - 9th Jan 2009
nope don't think so and I have not tested it either because I have been downloading Windows 7 x64 and it's too slow right now.
0 Votes
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Yeah
Cylon Centurion 9th Jan 2009
I've *heard* that you will be able to install and use valid keys on multiple machines....
0 Votes
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Contributr
In the past ...
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes 9th Jan 2009
... beta key have allowed multiple installations.
0 Votes
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Partially Loaded Continue Page
rmlounsbury@... 9th Jan 2009
The furthest I've been able to get on the technet site is a partially loaded continue page with the green circle that just sits there and mocks me.

I'm grabbing the ISO's from the Neowin direct link. If nothing else I can use it for 30-days.
0 Votes
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Same here...
safesax2002 9th Jan 2009
I was getting paritally through also. Now I get nothing but see my post below about the link.
0 Votes
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windows 7 beta
codom1960 9th Jan 2009
Where do I get a key code?
0 Votes
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RE: Grab Windows 7 Beta 1 from TechNet - NOW!
claymann39@... Updated - 9th Jan 2009
Adrian the link you gave doesn't work-any alternate links please? all I get is Server is too busy
0 Votes
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RE: RE: Grab Windows 7 Beta 1 from TechNet - NOW!
Pedro80 9th Jan 2009
Servers are really busy now so you?ll need to be patient (Connect, TechNet and MSDN was really slow all day yesterday).
0 Votes
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windows 7 link not working
blackhawk556 9th Jan 2009
i have been trying also for awhile and the linke doesn't work. i got to the point where i enter my name and other info but after that i get, "Server too busy".
0 Votes
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Download page removed....
safesax2002 9th Jan 2009
MS pulled the page that Adrian referenced and replaced it with a similar page that says:
"Windows? 7 Beta coming soon!"
0 Votes
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I was able to get the ISOs but not the _keys_
markbn 9th Jan 2009
Where do I get the keys?????
0 Votes
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From MS
safesax2002 9th Jan 2009
If you used the direct downloads links you will still have to go to the MS site and go through the process of getting Windows 7. You won't have to download again but the registration process also includes assigning a key to you. You'll just have to wait like the rest of us.

You can run what you downloaded for 30 days without a license key though.
0 Votes
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Yes, obviously from MS website, but WHAT URL??
markbn 9th Jan 2009
Do you know?
0 Votes
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RE: Grab Windows 7 where do i get a key code?
codom1960 9th Jan 2009
Can anybody tell me how to get a key code?
0 Votes
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RE: Grab Windows 7 Beta 1 from TechNet - NOW!
ChristineRing 9th Jan 2009
When I try to install this, I get the following error:

setup.exe - Bad Image
D:\sources\spwizeng.dll is either not designed to run on Windows or it contains an error. Try installing the program again using the original installation media or contact your system administrator or the software vendor for support.

When I then hit OK, another error comes up:

The file 'autorun.dll' could not be loaded or is corrupt. Setup cannot continue. Error code is [0xC1]

Does anyone know what I'm doing wrong?
0 Votes
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Re: trouble
ChristineRing 9th Jan 2009
That was the 32-bit version, if that makes a difference.
0 Votes
+ -
I got my keys! It was easy.
claymann39@... Updated - 10th Jan 2009
I got my product keys! Here what I did:
http://lifehacker.com/5128018/windows-7-beta-product-keys-now-available-for-real?skyline=true&s=x

Open your MS passport account, then open a new tab for the key! Worked like a charm. NOW, does anyone know where I can get the MP3 fix? I am sure I can find it by digging around....
10 hours later, man using this I have 8 32 bit keys so far....more to share with friends I guess! although it still won't let me download the iso, guess I'll have to get it from bit torrent! hello Pirate bay!

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