Windows 7 public beta released, remember to patch

Update 2: We have now posted a method for acquiring a valid key too.

Update: It appears that Microsoft.com is suffering badly with "server too busy" messages. The Windows Team Blog have confirmed MS are struggling and adding more servers. We have direct ISO download links below.

We revealed that Microsoft would be posting a public beta of Windows 7 earlier this week and Microsoft has just made it available on it's TechNet channels.

Entitled Windows 7 beta customer preview program, the company has posted the beta bits to the Microsoft TechNet pages. Be warned it's rather slow at the moment.

Download: Windows 7 x86 (32bit) and x64 (64 bit)

According to Microsoft there are 2.5 million keys to go around worldwide so plenty in other words. Microsoft is also providing a QFE patch for the MP3 corruption issues that have plagued build 7000, this should be online shortly as KB961367. It's extremely important you apply this patch as you may lose parts of your MP3s if the patch is not applied. 32bit and 64bit patches are now available.

It's fully confirmed that the beta 1 build is 7000 that leaked shortly after Christmas. Our members have been discussing the Windows 7 availability for the past week in one of our more popular forum threads. According to sources close to Microsoft, the company is significantly further on from build 7000, having posted 7016 internally recently. It's understood that the development has branched from 7003 onwards ready for the RC/RTM stages.

If you're interested in Windows 7 features then check out our overviews:

Over the next few weeks we will be adding many more focus items on Windows 7 including Touch, Internet Explorer 8, Windows 7 networking and media enhancements. Stay tuned for the ultimate Windows 7 focus from Neowin.net.

Courtesy of XKCD