For all you Windows fans out there sink your teeth into this. Windows 7 Beta, Build 7000, has been replaced with the Release Candidate (RC), Build 7100. The newly updated RC build will be in-service without interruption until March 1, 2010. The RC will continue to function until June 1, 2010 but will shut your PC down every 2 hours.
Microsoft has released both the 32bit and 64bit versions of the OS, which are available in five languages: English, German, Japanese, French, and Spanish. The real kicker is that you can install the RC on as many machines as you want. There is no limit on the license. Since this is a prerelease every machine that the RC is installed on joins the Microsoft Debugging Army, which means that the OS will send information about system crashes, glitches, errors, etc. back to Microsoft so they can improve. Feedback is sent anonymously and usually without any knowledge of the user.
Microsoft states that the minimum requirements of the OS are:
• Internet access (to keep Windows 7 RC updated and send error logs)
• 1 GHz 32-bit or 64-bit processor or higher
• 1 GB of system memory or more
• 16 GB of available disk space
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with 128 MB memory (for Aero desktop theme)
• DVD-R/W Drive
Although the OS may run on a system with these basic requirements it’s probably a good idea to have a faster system so that you can actually enjoy using the new OS.
I have used the Beta, 7000 build, of Windows 7 and haven’t installed it on any of my main PCs because it’s going to expire on August 1, 2009. Now that the RC is going to last until March 1, 2010 I am going to install it on my laptop and maybe even my desktop. I have already installed the RC on a desktop at work and am very pleased with what I’ve seen so far.
I’ll post an overview/review of the OS in the next few days.
