Windows 7 Home Premium and Server betas available to public

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Update: Microsoft has updated the site with "Beta Keys are Offline! The Hardware Newsletter invitation code was posted publically. We hope to have a solution in place shortly and appologize for the convenience."

Microsoft released the Windows 7 betas to the public last week. The software company also sent out a hardware newsletter to its ecosystem partners on Friday January 9th detailing the Windows 7 beta.

In the newsletter the spokesperson mentions "If you are a hardware partner but do not have a Winqual account, you can access the Windows 7 Beta by entering invitation ID Win7-3HQW-RF74 on the Microsoft Connect homepage."

By using this ID on the Connect site you can gain access to Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Server betas. Last week We revealed that Microsoft is currently only offering the Home Premium bits only to 1000 testers for Windows Any Time Upgrade testing. With this connect access you can download the Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Server bits and request up to 5 keys.

Microsoft has not officially confirmed the feature set for Home Premium and is currently evaluating feedback from testers of the Any Time Upgrade process.

Don't forget so far in our Windows 7 Overview series, we have published the following:

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

Downloads available on Connect using the invite ID

(2 replies) #1 jase savior on 15 Jan 2009 - 00:39

nice. I already signed up. But what's the difference between Windows 7 Ultimate and Windows 7 Home Premium?

#1.1 -Hiroshi- on 15 Jan 2009 - 00:58

Fewer features

#1.2 Chaks on 15 Jan 2009 - 01:34

I am also interested to find out whats difference in Home Premium - Microsoft has kept it separate from Win 7 Ultimate.

(3 replies) #2 Marshalus on 15 Jan 2009 - 01:17

Humm, I'm kind of interested in the server edition. I thought Microsoft was going to brand this Windows 2008 R2 and not a whole new line, but just a refresh of the current? Hopefully there are not too many changes between 2008 server and 7 server, I'm just getting used to 2008 after living in an 2000/2003 world for so long.

#2.1 dlegend on 15 Jan 2009 - 01:21

Yeah I want to see for myself what Windows 7 server is like. My dad has 2003 server running on his home network and would probably be interested in seeing what 7 server is like as well.

#2.2 DaveLegg on 15 Jan 2009 - 02:57

dlegend said,

It will be branded as R2 for release, it's only during the beta that things are being referred to as 7 Server

#2.3 Electric Bolt on 15 Jan 2009 - 04:38

I feel like the complete opposite. I have been stuck in the Windows Server 2008 world ever since beta, I can't get my hands off it...It's just so much more advanced than Windows Server 2003, I love it! I never really did get used to Windows Server 2003, it always needed a new Windows Media Player, but it couldn't be installed on server 2003 at the time, so you had to do hacks or keep the existing Windows Media Player on it. Windows Server 2008 is incredible, rock-solid, and just my best server friend. I can't wait to get my hands on R2 RTM!

#3 dlegend on 15 Jan 2009 - 01:19

Nice I'm downloading Windows 7 server now.

(7 replies) #4 random_n on 15 Jan 2009 - 01:33

Windows 7 Server? Is it official that it's not going to be called Windows Server 2008 R2?

#4.1 Slimy on 15 Jan 2009 - 01:41

random_n said,

No, it's officially going to be called Windows Server 2008 R2. And yeah, the beta was released to the public the same day Windows 7 was.

#4.2 Bocale on 15 Jan 2009 - 02:39

Slimy said,

But if Windows 7 Server is Windows Server 2008 R2, what's this public beta about?:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsserver2008/en/us/R2.aspx

#4.3 +Kushan on 15 Jan 2009 - 04:19

Perhaps it's Windows HOME Server 7?

#4.4 Electric Bolt on 15 Jan 2009 - 04:46

The link Bocale provided was a link to the homepage for Windows Server 2008 R2, and contained a link to a public beta download of it. It was not Windows HOME Server 7 as you say.

#4.5 Taimur Asad on 15 Jan 2009 - 06:11

Electric Bolt said,

It will be branded as Windows Server 2008 R2. I have it installed already: http://www.redmondpie.com/wp-content/uploa...008r2login1.png

However the watermark on the desktop shows it as Windows Server 7 as also can be seen by this screenshot http://www.redmondpie.com/wp-content/uploa...2startmenu1.png

#4.6 +Kushan on 15 Jan 2009 - 13:05

I was talking about THIS particular beta, you know, what the article is talking about...

#4.7 Steven77 on 15 Jan 2009 - 18:14

So when we got to the store it's gonna say Windows Server 2008 R2 on the box? WOW that makes me wanna buy it...not.

(3 replies) #5 Owenw on 15 Jan 2009 - 02:00

Well, it's not technically public is it. Neowin is just handing out a private key...?

#5.1 xendrome on 15 Jan 2009 - 02:04

Owenw said,

And not giving any credit to the source or forum post.

http://uneit.com/2009/01/12/how-to-claim-t...-and-downloads/

#5.2 Marshalus on 15 Jan 2009 - 03:04

xendrome said,

Humm... not so much. A blog with no visitors? Why is it assumed that because someone else posted something it must have come from there?

#5.3 Circaflex on 15 Jan 2009 - 04:10

Marshalus said,

because there is an actual thread with this link in the Windows 7 Beta Forum, along with countless other forums and website publishing this link letting people know, im sure Rappy saw the thread on neowin.

(1 reply) #6 liemfukliang on 15 Jan 2009 - 05:07

It work I have been join. The most important here is not the home, because you can get home from ultimate. The important here is I can be official tested. And if Microsoft thread the same like vista, just need fine one critical bug, and we will get the final key

#6.1 Steven77 on 15 Jan 2009 - 18:15

So thats how people got full free versions for testing? Always wondered.

#7 Circaflex on 15 Jan 2009 - 05:09

^^^ but the report a bug function is not on this portion of connect when you sign up using this code

(1 reply) #8 lipex66 on 15 Jan 2009 - 05:53

Beta Keys are Offline!

The Hardware Newsletter invitation code was posted publically. We hope to have a solution in place shortly and appologize for the convenience.

#8.1 kupang on 15 Jan 2009 - 12:12

as i predicted.. sooner or later...
thanks to neowin for "publishing" the news

#9 thealexweb on 15 Jan 2009 - 08:00

It wants me to give my address and phone number. Do they send it to you in the mail?

#10 tom5 on 15 Jan 2009 - 09:02

Looks like it's now locked by MS (you can't get a product key). What isn't anything unexpected - if MS wanted all the people to know the code they would have posted it on their main page

Neowin should update the news with this info.

#11 este on 15 Jan 2009 - 14:31

Would there be any benefit for running server VS. home or vice versa? server edition can handle higher specs such as more ram, no?

(4 replies) #12 asfaltas on 15 Jan 2009 - 15:58

how get the key?

#12.1 Sevan on 15 Jan 2009 - 17:33

You don't. Microsoft is going to have to lock it down until they sort out the "leak".

#12.2 Steven77 on 15 Jan 2009 - 18:16

And knowing microsoft, the new link will be ready when win server 2020 ships.

#12.3 Atlonite on 16 Jan 2009 - 13:38

Go to www.guru3d they got a page in their forums that tells you what to do to get a key i did it and now im running a legit copy of win7 pubic beata

#12.4 Atlonite on 16 Jan 2009 - 14:05

http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/default.aspx

choose to DL the beta and sign in using you hotmail or live email address choose your language and version 32 or 64 bit and click go you'll be taken to a page with two drop box's they just ask what type of user you are and what OS your currently running once you click download you'll be auto directed to the page with your KEY on it

#13 GreenInspiration on 17 Jan 2009 - 23:33

The button is grayed out

Last edited by GreenInspiration on 18 Jan 2009 - 00:07

#14 fatihdd on 05 Jun 2009 - 06:58

tşklerrrrrrrr

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Windows 7 Home Premium and Server betas available to public

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