Microsoft's Stephen Rose explains:
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. [It] 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
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Community Home Windows 7 Enterprise Windows 7 Enterprise 90-day Trial
Welcome to the Windows 7 Enterprise 90-day Trial. It is designed specifically for IT Professionals, so that you can test your software and hardware on a final version of the product. In addition, it provides the opportunity for you to become more familiar with the key improvements over previous versions of the Windows operating system, and experience firsthand how Windows 7 can make your PC environment more productive, secure, and manageable.
Is the evaluation edition really for you?
If you qualify under one of the following programs listed below, you may already have access to the final bits and do not need to download the 90-day Trial.
Partner Program
MSDN Subscriber (Developer)
TechNet Plus Subscriber
Volume License/Software Assurance customer
Here’s what you need to know:
This is trial software designed for IT Professionals interested in experiencing the Windows 7 Enterprise on behalf of their organization so please read the following to get an idea of the risks and key things you need to know before you install.
We do not recommend that you install this if you are a not an IT Professional or not professionally managing corporate networks.
Guidelines on usage:
Protect your PC and data. Be sure to back up your data and please don’t test Windows 7 on your primary home or business PC.
You have 10 days to activate the product. If not activated within 10 days, the system will shut down once every hour until activated. Unsure on how to activate? Visit our FAQ.
The 90-day Trial is the full working version of the Windows 7 Enterprise, the version most of you will be working with in your corporate environment. It will not require a product key (it is embedded with the download).
The 90-day Trial will shut down once every hour when you have reached the end of the 90-day evaluation period.
The 90-day Trial is offered for a limited time and in limited quantity. The download will be available through March 31, 2010, while supplies last.
After the 90-day Trial expires, 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.
Technical details/updates/questions: Please review our FAQ or visit the Windows 7 support forum.
Stay informed. You can keep up with general technical information and news by following the Springboard Series blog. Want technical guidance, tips, and tools? Visit the Springboard Series on TechNet.
Keep your PC updated: Be sure to turn on automatic updates in Windows Update in case we publish updates for the 90-day Trial.
Microsoft Partners-: Learn more about Windows 7 on the Microsoft Partner Portal.
Minimum System Requirements*:
1 GHz or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
1 GB of RAM (32-bit) / 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
16 GB available disk space (32-bit) / 20 GB (64-bit)
DirectX 9 graphics processor with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver
DVD-compatible drive
Internet access (fees may apply)
*Note: Some product features of Windows 7, such as the ability to watch and record live TV, BitLocker, or navigation through the use of “touch,” may require advanced or additional hardware. Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM and 15 GB of available disk space; and a processor capable of hardware virtualization, with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on.
Get the download
The 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 are only available in five languages: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish. Just choose the version that fits the system you'll be using and pick your language to register for and download the 90-day Trial.
Downloading the Windows 7 Enterprise 90-day Trial could take a few hours. The exact time will depend on your provider, bandwidth, and traffic. The good news is that once you start the download, you won't have to answer any more questions – you can walk away while it finishes. If your download gets interrupted, it will restart where it left off. See this FAQ for details. For technical questions visit the Windows 7 support forum.
Select the Windows 7 Enterprise 90-day Trial you want to download
Choose between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions, based on the version of Windows you are currently running and your machine’s hardware configuration. Check our FAQ to find which version you should download. Each version is only available in five languages: English, French, German, Japanese, and Spanish.
Download the 32-bit (x86) version:
Select Your Language English French German Japanese Spanish
Download the 64-bit (x64) version:
Select Your Language English French German Japanese Spanish
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