Windows 7 RTM

Still Downloading Win7…Believe it or not!

At this very moment, I’m about 80 percent done with my first of four planned downloads for Windows 7 from MSDN. Alas, my Vista box did go to sleep last night despite the ongoing download, so it didn’t resume until this morning to finish up. Now I know to turn off sleep mode on this machine until the rest of those downloads complete, and because the 32-bit version of Ultimate is last on my list (wouldn’t you know it) I probably won’t get that version until later today or perhaps even tomorrow. It’s the one I need to try out the upgrade on my balky and temperamental production desktop machine. Why didn’t I put it first on the list?  Oh yeah: because it’s lower down on the MSDN download page. Sometimes I wonder…

Here’s a snapshot of my current progress:

Still dragging on toward completion

There is some good news on the download front this morning, however: my transfer rate is bouncing between 250 KBps and as high as 450 KBps. That sure beats the sub-100 KBps rates that prevailed yesterday, and means I might actually finish all three remaining downloads in far less time than the first one took to complete. At least, I certainly hope that’s the case! As I post this blog, I’ve already jumped to 87 percent complete on the first item, so there may indeed be cause for optimism.

[Update at 9:53 AM, 8/7/09: first download completed and now being validated. Let's hope it passes!]

[Update at 3:39 PM, 8/7/09: fourth download underway, transfer rates down below 30 KBps for a total transfer time of 26-30 hours: looks like the 32-bit versions are getting hammered, with the 64-bit versions coming more than 10 times faster. Does that indicate the current ratio of 32-to-64 bit installations (about 11 to 1)? I sure think so...]

[Update at 11:07 PM: broke the Akamai connection to reboot after updating to Logitech SetPoint 4.80 drivers just released on 8/5. Bingo! A new connection is running consistently at 400+ KBps. Maybe I'll get this downloaded before I crash tonight after all...]

Win7 RTM bits are up and available–if slowly

Today is August 6, 2009, the day that Microsoft is supposed to post the Windows 7 RTM versions to MSDN and TechNet. I’ve been logged into MSDN Subscriber Downloads since early this morning and refreshing the page feverishly every 15 minutes or so since then, but so far, the most recent updates on that page are the Windows 7 RC (release candidate) postings last made on May 21st.

Still no new listings on the MSDN Windows 7 Downloads page…

I’m going to keep this up all day, and will update this blog with the news as soon as the page changes, or other news emerges about the Windows 7 RTM. Stay tuned: it’s like waiting for Santa Claus…

OK, it’s 1:00 PM Central Time and I just got back from lunch and here we are: the RTM files are now available, if somewhat slowly. I’m currently downloading the 64-bit version of Win 7 Professional at a whopping 55-155 Kbps or so from an Akamai site (MS obviously laid on some extra download resources for the download rush that is currently underway) and have 3 more items in the queue (Win 7 x86 Professional, and x86 and x64 versions of Win 7 Ultimate). Here’s what the top of the download list looks like now:

Windows 7 RTM listings make their MSDN debut

Things are going painfully slow at the moment: it looks like it’s going to take over 12 hours just to download the first of these four files. Here’s what the MS File Transfer Manager has to say about my current scheduled MSDN downloads:

The download data is kind of grim

Because I must grab this stuff, I have no choice but to wait for it to come through. If you don’t absolutely have to get this RIGHT NOW, I’d advise waiting for the traffic to die down. Early next week looks like a good time to jump into the swamp to me. I wish I could wait!

Good News on Windows 7 RTM for Early Adopters

If, like me, you’re panting with lust to lay hands on a copy of Windows 7 RTM so you can start building production PCs using the latest — and indeed, possibly also the greatest — Windows ever, I may just be able to share some good news with you. Last Tuesday, indefatigable product marketing manager Brandon LeBlanc posted some very interesting information to his Windows 7 Blog. I’ll quote one section from that blog in full, because it covers the bases for most, if not all, of the readers of this enterprise desktop blog:

Once Windows 7 is complete, how do I get it?

The answer depends on who you are:

• MSDN & TechNet Subscribers: Subscribers will be able to download the final version of Windows 7 a few weeks after we announce RTM.
• Volume License (VL) Customers: Customers with Software Assurance for Windows will be able to download the final version of Windows 7 Enterprise a few weeks after we announce RTM. As announced today by Bill Veghte during his WPC09 keynote, customers without Software Assurance will be able to purchase Windows 7 through Volume Licensing on September 1st.
• Consumers, Enthusiasts, & Beta Testers (Everyone else): The retail version of Windows 7 will be available in stores October 22nd. If you pre-ordered Windows 7, it should be delivered sometime around the October 22nd timeframe (depends on the retailer). You can pre-order Windows 7 today through many online retailers like the Microsoft Store.
• On New PCs: OEMs are expected to start shipping new PCs with Windows 7 pre-installed on them around October 22nd.

Of course, this begs the inevitable question “When will Windows 7 RTM be released?” All LeBlanc is willing to say in this blog, and all that Microsoft will tell anybody on the record is “When it’s ready.” Some time during or before the end of July looks pretty likely for the actual RTM itself, which means Windows RTM versions for those with the right subscriptions or volume license agreements (and OEMs, of course) some time during or before the middle of August. Or, as Jerry Pournelle would say “Real Soon Now.”

Can’t wait!

Windows 7 Launches on 10/22/2009

OK, now the rumors are no longer rumors, and the launch date, aka GA (General Availability),  is out thanks to Steve Ballmer’s keynote at Computex (much) earlier today in Taipei, Taiwan, and Brandon LeBlanc’s “Date for General Availability” posting to the Windows 7 Team Blog yesterday.

Here’s the deal, in broad strokes:

• Windows 7 hits store shelves on 10/22/2009, ostensibly to have it ready for the holiday buying season (lots of others outside MS are speculating it’s more of a pre-emptive strike against Android which becomes available at the end of October)
• The Windows 7 Upgrade Option will kick in “soon” which permits those who purchase a new and qualifying PC to exercise  “…a special deal to upgrade to Windows 7…” Look for Brandon to blog about this program with dates and more details as “soon” becomes “real soon,” I guess! (According to TechARP, a usually reliable source for leaked MS secrets, this will happen on July 1.)
• RTM should occur some time in mid-July, with Windows Server 2008 R2 following in the same time frame.

OK, now what  I want to know is when MSDN and TechNet subscribers can lay hands on the RTM version. I hope we’ll see some more information on that very soon. Not only am I itching to get and use this code, I’m also working on a book that we’re going to have to review very thoroughly to make sure it agrees with the RTM version in all respects and in every screenshot. Stay tuned!