Windows 7 Release Candidate starts bi-hourly hiccups today, seemingly affects nobody
By Richard Lai 
posted March 1st 2010 9:49PM
posted March 1st 2010 9:49PM
Well here's an interesting one: starting today, users of the legendary Windows 7 Release Candidate should "begin experiencing bi-hourly shutdowns," yet we haven't received a single tip on this annoying "feature." We have only two assumptions: either our faithful readers have already moved on to the real thing, or you sly devils are on a hacked RC of some sort. In any event, you've got until June 1st to do a full reinstall (no upgrade options on RC, sadly), after which you'll be blocked from important updates and persistently bugged by a "This copy of Windows is not genuine" notice. Need more arm-twisting? Just picture Steve Ballmer hunting you down with a sledgehammer.
I got the email last month. I already moved on to the retail thing.
@grydlok
I went back to Vista Ultimate, and may venture all the way back to XP Pro or XP Media Center Edition. I'm gonna try and hold out until Microsoft either decides to upgrade my two retail copies of Vista Ultimate or until I decide to switch over to Apple's OS X. I just didn't feel like getting screwed by Microsoft again after spending all of my hard earned cash on Vista Ultimate only to later learn that all the promises and extras were vaporware. Fool me once shame on you, fool me twice...
@DaveBach Apple will gladly keep taking your money, once, twice, and forever.
@aubreyq
I'd most likely be running boot camp often but no worries. I actually wouldn't mind the Apple OS X path because then I could finally run iLife which I thought was pretty cool. That image stabilization feature that is a part of the video editing software could come in handy. I also like what Apple has done for archiving and tagging photos in iLife.
I'm not too concerned with Apple taking my money for software because nothing really compares to what I've already shelled out to Microsoft for operating systems. I'm also not interested in Apple's overpriced hardware.
@DaveBach I own unused versions vista business and vista ultimate... anyone know if Microsoft can exchange them for windows 7... I'm sure I won't ever install them, I'd rather install XP instead. But windows 7 rocks...
@coolpal
Exchange no, but if you have a MSVL to go with those copies then you can use the "Upgrade to enterprise" path.
@DaveBach
Hmm... I recall someone having trouble with 'fool me once'.
@aubreyq And so will M$ with their 6 different flavors.
@bullshitexpresscom
At least Microsoft doesn't charge you thirty bucks for a service pack now, do they? ;-)
@DaveBach
I wish I lived in a crazy reality where you buy 1 product and get a free upgrade to it's successor ... seriously roll back to XP ha! if that the case give me those Vista keys I'll find someone who wants them.
On Topic: I upgrade my RC to Win7 no worries?
@DaveBach
How much have you spent on MS OS's? From 2002 until 2009 there was a grand total of 2 OS's that you could have bought. Each sold for about $100 (OEM). So, even if you went with the most cutting edge and upgraded your box the day the new OS came out you are talking about $200 over 7 years per computer. With Windows 7 you are looking at $300 over a span of 9-10 years.
Considering that most people get the OS for "free" since they buy a computer with Windows pre-loaded it can make your OS cost even lower.
Seriously, it is super funny when an Apple fan (or prospective Apple owner) justifies their purchase by bring cost into the equation.
@grydlok
Yeah, I moved on when I got the 11 days till expiration notice... 104.99 down the drain.. First time I've EVER paid for an OS.. I usually got a free one from my CIS courses.. But I am happy with it so far!
@HaZaRd
nah, they charge $120
@bjsguess
If you want cheap Microsoft or Apple software you need to make a trip down to your local University. I bought Windows 7 Ultimate for 34 bucks. It may not be the most moral approach, but just talk to a random student and offer them 20 bucks for their time and they can purchase software with their school ID in a matter of minutes. College students are will do anything for a quick buck.
Meh, Microsoft really needs to get with the program.
It isn't that difficult to disable a timer.
@Gamecheater
I simply rocked W7 Ultimate, with a beautiful loader :)
@Bowsa Did you use one of those BIOS emulator things?
@Gamecheater
Wonder if you can just change the date back to 2009?
lols
Someone needs to try that and see what happens
@Gamecheater
You don't even have to disable the timer, just use RemoveWAT (google it). Just make sure you haven't installed update KB971033.
@Valicore Nope, just the W7 Loader http://www.multiupload.com/2VG8R4JBIN
Still using it and it says I have 0 hours to upgrade but no sight of a shutdown yet. I realized I was getting close and ordered an OEM copy from newegg and it's on its way! I hope it gets here before the shutdowns actually happen as I have reports to finish.
@Feebs Mine first shut down about an hour ago. Finally getting around to installing the full version now.
@jonnythan Does it give you a warning or does it immediatly shut down?
@Feebs It just spontaneously rebooted. No "Shutting down.." message or anything. Screen went black, saw a BSOD for about 1/4 second, and then it dropped to the BIOS screen. Took about 2 seconds total. Booted right back up.
@Feebs
OH WHAT THE HELL, I REFORMAT TO RETAIL 7600 WINDOWS 7 TODAY BECAUSE I THOUGHT MY RC WAS GOING TO DIE OUT.
FFFFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU-
@Feebs I've been getting pop-ups warning "Your evaluation copy of Windows will expire in X hours. Backup your files and install a retail version." It started at 24 hours, went every 2 hours until 12 hours in, then popped every one hour until X=0. I was AFK when the first shut down commenced, but I had finished everything and backed up by then.
The retail "upgrade" went surprising smoothly, except for the fact that it was more like a complete reinstall, where all my old files were shoved into a "Windows.old" folder instead of reformatted over. I had to reinstall everything like Firefox and Chrome before I really got back to normal. Security Updates also required a couple of restarts. Maybe that's why nobody noticed Windows shutting them down -- they're already used to being randomly reset every time a security update takes place.
@Fred
There was no reformatting because you did it wrong. This is why people who don't understand shouldn't futz with it. An upgrade does not format. It upgrades your existing copy!!!! A CLEAN install would blow everything away. In either choice there will be programs to reinstall.
Hehe, I just got the popup saying, This Version of Windows will expire in 0 hours.
Was happy to pay the upgrade fee to get out of Vista.
Yeah I got my first shut down about an hour ago :( lol now installing it on the desktop :)
yup, my pc has been promptly restarting every 2 hours since about 5 pm central.
Hey, there IS an upgrade option.
@zintinio
I upgraded from the RC to Home Premium (non-upgrade) using the instructions from http://tech.icrontic.com/articles/upgrade-the-windows-7-rc-to-retail and it worked perfectly. It's kind of silly they disallowed it, considering it probably would work for most people.
Because of the $30 student deal, i took the legitimate path this time around. Thanks, MS!
@Karate Tortoise
Same, I had the $30 and getting Professional and having it be legit for that was worth it to me.
@Valicore
Student Deal was available in U.K too, though I had to pay £40 ($60) because I wanted the 64 bit version and I had Vista 32 bit
@ClarkyAC
Forgot to mention that it was still an awesome buy...
@ClarkyAC, yea it was 65 dollars USD the other day. Pretty good deal for Pro 64bit. http://www.win741.com/ Microsoft's Student site btw.
@Karate Tortoise
See what happens when software is priced reasonably.
@Karate Tortoise here they are even giving copies of win 7 out for free :D
I've been using rc for a while and the window stopped popping up after i just changed the date on my computer back a few years, and turned off internet time update.
@Brandon4692 I did the same and no effects :D, also 2010 runs concurrent with 1997.
@GoGreenRangerGo No, but 1999 does: http://www.hf.rim.or.jp/~kaji/cal/cal.cgi?1999
Switching to Linux... no just kidding... my W7 copy was free of charge because of M$ has an agreement with my University... Yooohoo
This has affected me.
I was here on engadget when my computer just shut off without a warning!
I'm just glad I wasn't writing some important paper, or I would just punch my computer.
And before any of you tools out there say "Well, they DID warn you," I expected at least a little pop up saying "Windows will shut down in X minutes. Please save your work so as not to lose valuable information."
Oh well.....time to buy a copy of Windows 7!
@Joseph9307 Microsoft specifically said you wouldn't get any warnings, and would lose any unsaved work.
@Joseph9307
"And before any of you tools out there say "Well, they DID warn you," I expected at least a little pop up saying "Windows will shut down in X minutes. Please save your work so as not to lose valuable information."
"
Should it also rub your feet and give you a "happy ending" as well, before it does what everyone knew it would do months ago?
Win7 RTM FTW!
$30 student deal made me a paying customer. No need to pirate when software is sold at a bargain!
@Jeff Kibuule
I agree. Even $70 seems like a reasonable price for OS. I recently bought MS Office 2007 Enterprise for $10! Legitimately thru work discount!