As the Windows 7 Release Candidate is available right now, there is really a wave of users on it. Can you imagine what happens next? Right, the official Microsoft site is really bogging down. Moreover, a series of technical blogs or sites often link to the Microsoft download page, so it certainly results in obvious blank downloading page or server errors. Even you have login on home page before download, but the blank page is still preventing your downloading. Consequently, we suggest you a quick Windows 7 RC without slowdowns.

A better solution is to avoid the main server and use additional servers. TechNet server and MSDN are suggested to download the Windows 7 Release Candidate. It is also very easy. Enter the URL and login a Windows Live account first, then pick the Windows 7 edition you want. An additional small form needs to be filled first then the download is ready. The process is very fluent without server errors and blank pages.

We get exciting news from Microsoft, that is, Windows 7 RC is now available and the download will be ready tomorrow, further spread all over the world.

Now you can go to Microsoft's download center and download the Windows 7 RC. Microsoft has also launched the Technet download.

From 30th, April Windows 7 RC version will be made available to subscribers of MSDN and TechNet. And the public beta download will be published in the official publication on 5th, May. According to the SuperSite Blog, Windows 7 RC version has many new features.

AAC/H.264/MPEG-2 support will not be provided to Windows 7 Home Basic and Starter customers. That functionality will only go out to Home Premium, Professional, and Enterprise/Ultimate users. But it looks like there will be add-ons made available (free or paid, it's not clear) to users of low-end Windows 7 versions.

MPEG-2 decoding (i.e. DVD playback) and Dolby Digital support will not be included in Windows 7 Home Basic and Starter. But AAC and H.264 decoding *will* be included.

Maximum RAM. All 32-bit versions of Windows 7 "support" 4 GB of RAM, of course. But if you go 64-bit, you can add up to 8 GB in Home Basic and Starter, 16 GB in Home Premium, and 192 GB in Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate.

Windows Media Player Remote Media Experience (RME) is not available in Windows 7 Home Basic or Starter. However, all versions can share media over a home network.

All Windows 7 SKUs support 20 simultaneous SMB connections. This works out to 10 users, apparently.

XP Mode. Only Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise, and Ultimate are licensed to install XP Mode.

We will not hesitate to track the latest news.

It has no more been any secret on compatibility between Windows XP and Windows 7. Peacefully, an application called Windows XP Mode emerged. It's just the secret new feature you never heard.

Windows developing team is focusing on a convenient and realizable way for upgrade to Windows 7 directly. In fact, for a quite long period passed, Microsoft has quietly established a "Windows XP Mode", running programs for Windows XP on Windows 7 smoothly with the virtualized technology. Purportedly, it is based on the Virtual PC took over by Microsoft in 2003.

Once this technology have been realized, a key disadvantage in Windows Vista would be successfully overcome, that means, there would be no any barriers on the compatibility between Vista and those previous Windows system. Further, some authoritative release demonstrated the XP Mode would be made available freely to users of Windows 7 Professional, Enterprise and Ultimate editions through a download from the Microsoft site. In other words, the XP Mode would not be included in the box with Windows 7 and would be an out-of-brand update. No matter which kind of release would be available, undoubtedly, Windows 7 provides a much smarter and easier way to run old programs directly.

Presently, the better choice is to use Windows XP Mode for appropriate system upgrade. Windows XP Mode will create a virtual XP environment under the Windows Virtual PC. And programs on the desktop will run directly on Windows 7. Microsoft has already announced Windows XP Mode Beta Version would be ready sooner as well as the Windows Virtual PC for Windows 7 Professional and Final Version.

It is reported from overseas on 20th, April that Windows 7 RC will be ready on 5th, May from Microsoft accidental release.

Microsoft America suddenly announced the release date of Windows 7 RC last Saturday. Seen from the website information, MSDN and Technet users can download Windows 7 RC immediately, while ordinary users cannot use it until 5th, May. But afterwards, this piece of information was deleted.

Currently, Windows 7 Beta is common since its January release from Microsoft. At first some kinds of evidence proved Windows 7 RC version would be ready at around 10th, April. Later on, it is reported the date was cancelled to May.

From RC onwards, only five months left for the formal edition. That means, the formal edition will be released in September if RC would be there in May.

Gartner, the authoritative research group also insists September would be the right time for Windows 7 RTM release. PC developers could of course be ready for a Windows 7 PC Christmas shopping season.

Now it is the Windows RC waiting period for a majority of internet users. Even we didn't get the exact RC release date, yet Windows 7 RC Engineering Team won't let us feel real disappointment in a long-term waiting. In its official blog, an inspiring article named delivering a quality upgrade experience published, in which several common problems and questions are being discussed and answered. But you won't be exciting because there wouldn't any key announcements.

Upgrade from Vista to Windows 7, there must be any procedures users wondering. But what to be sure is, there is no direct upgrading way from Windows XP to Windows 7.

Pure installation is recommended for Windows 7 RC. And Microsoft certainly won't support upgrade since Windows 7 Beta or other editions. RC edition isn't ready from Beta or any disclosed versions as usual. But it will be successful in case of bypassing version check activities. Here are the bypassing procedures:
1. Download ISO mirror and burn on a DVD.
2. Copy the ISO mirror to the memory location in which you want to upgrade (bootable flash disk or any catalog partition with the previous running versions.)
3. Scan source catalog.
4. Open cversion.ini files in text editor, e.g. notebook,
5. Alter the MinClient version number into a lower one, for example, from 7100 to 7000.
6. Save the file
7. Run the setup file in modified mirror, version checking passed.

But backup works should be done at the same time. Windows Easy Transfer could transfer your account, setting and files. Then Windows 7 RC is installed in a safe manner.

In the blog, Microsoft stated its opinion on users' complaint to disclosed version. "From time to time, we heard from bloggers complained on upgrade activities. They said it is unstable. Other users also hold questions on MSN, printer, machine and shortcut reply activities. But the worst thing is to reinstall software or machines." Microsoft appealed to the public for a correct official version instead of disclosed ones. After all, a certain safe and convenient running environment is required together with our passion to any new release.

It's the end of March and we are anxious about Windows 7 RC release. Either we made a date mistake or Microsoft was trying to control the flow of time, new information about the upcoming Windows 7 RC in a document shown and revealed a date of May 2009.

It is rumored in several blogs about Windows 7 build 7048. Microsoft finally set the record straight. A date has apparently been chosen for the actual deployment of Windows 7 RC1. As long as development continues to progress the way it has, we'll see its release on April 10, 2009.

The page's publication would coincide with the release, but we got no cause yet to assume that the previous April 10, 2009 was wrong. Microsoft once again proved that the RC would be available at least until the end of June with a limit on the number of product keys. A full year is permitted for a tester, which is expiration on June 1, 2010. Five languages are supportive.

What we can do now is just waiting, no exciting downloading activity by any download selectors. Apparently, they do not work totally. We do wish to wit such a star RC release as document mentioned.

We are all waiting and hearing from notable changes from RC. Since Beta, Microsoft Windows 7 has brought so many surprises and we are busying on enjoying those. To our satisfaction, Windows 7 changes all the way to RC. Let's see this time how different and advanced features RC take for us.

Basically, Windows 7 insists on users'feedback and put into practice and development all the time. Based on Beta, does RC own a series of feedback? The answer is definitely yes. Well then, see the desktop improvement first!

Desktop experience
The taskbar thumbnail overflow, with scaling mechanism, really turns into a list view completely. There is a small close button on the thumbnail previews, which inspires them to add a similar one when it's showing as a list. Compared with right-clicking, to run down the list with close button is really a fantastic thing. This toolbar has been well experienced on Windows XP and Vista. Sans thumbnails are viewed architecturally the same as the thumbnail view. No clicking needs to open in Beta, each close buttons and the menus are realized opening on hover in RC.

While the Control Panel Jump List improvement takes users' feedback into operation. We all hope there is something shown in the Jump list when pinned to the taskbar. Now, right-clicking on the control panel icon in Beta, the control panel jump list in RC supplies quick access to recent used items. Similarly, power shell jump and desktop jump lists made us smile and enjoying their alternation. Taskbar settings could be further customized. In Beta, the OS is not shutdown properly, settings do not persist. But in RC, these settings can be saved within 30seconds. Settings will presently be more reliable. Read the rest of this entry »

When we are now enjoying the happiness and convenience Windows 7 Beta brought, the engineering team of Windows 7 are busying on RC (Release Candidate). Since we got this news, most of us feel curious about the change. What will we get from RC since Beta? Yesterday, we finally got the changes from official engineering blog of Windows 7.

Totally, there must be some improvements, many under the hood but also many visible. For the visible changes, we discuss from three points of view: Core User Experience, Find & Organize and Devices & Media.

Core User Experience
1. Aero Peeks supports ALT+TAB
Customers have overwhelmingly given positive feedback about Aero Peek. Some users wondered the reason why Peek was never made in application for the ALT+TAB window. When we hold the mouse over the taskbar, the thumbnail shows the same way. Hence in RC, Windows took this request into it.

As a new piece of improvement in Windows 7, the selected windows show normally. With a partially transparent frame，some website windows are mostly transparent. This time in RC, customers can switch them with ALT+TAB. Aero Peek will appear when more window information is needed. There is also another application. Some users are dedicated to touch benefits. So, the Aero Peek let us drag our fingers in taskbar's thumbnails. the show desktop button is improving, we can conveniently see our desktop in a press-and-hold way. Read the rest of this entry »