Windows 7 RC expiration prompts begin in two weeks

Microsoft has issued a reminder that in two weeks Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) users will begin receiving expiration notifications.

Windows 7 RC does not expire until 1 June 2010 but from February 15 users will begin seeing expiration notifications in the task bar one time per day and then a Notification Wizard one time every four hours and then one time every hour. After March 1 Windows 7 RC users will experience shut-downs every two hours. A brief summary of the events can be found below:

Effective February 15, 2010, the expiration notification process begins:

• Windows 7 RC users receive an expiration notification in the task bar one time per day.
• Windows 7 RC users are presented with the Notification Wizard one time every four hours and then one time every hour.

Effective March 1, 2010, Windows 7 RC enters the next phase of expiration:

• Expiration notifications in the task bar continue.
• Computers that are running Windows 7 RC restart every two hours. 

Effective June 1, 2010, Windows 7 RC expires:

• Windows starts to a black desktop.
• Windows 7 RC users are presented with a Windows Activation screen. The screen states that the Windows that you are running is not genuine.
• Computers that are running Windows 7 RC restart every two hours.