Free 90-day Windows 7 Enterprise Trial for IT

News
By Marcus Yam
published

Test Windows 7 in your department for free!

Microsoft wants everyone on board Windows 7, but the IT professional worker is one that is hard to convince to upgrade to a new OS so soon after its release.

In hopes of enticing some to upgrade their IT departments with the new OS, Microsoft is now offering a free Windows 7 Enterprise 90 Day trial edition for IT professionals who do not already have access to the RTM build through MSDN and TechNet subscriptions or a volume license agreement.

Unlike other trial versions of Windows 7, this one is the final RTM code and is meant for enterprise use. Windows 7 Enterprise will not be available through retail channels. Microsoft did not specify how many trials are available, but did indicate that downloads will only be available while supplies last.

At the end of the 90-day trial, the Windows 7 Enterprise trial will shut down every hour. Those who wish to continue running Windows 7 Enterprise will have to purchase a new license and perform a clean installation of Windows 7, including drivers and applications.

If you're ready to give this a spin at your workplace, check out the details here.

Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam
Marcus Yam served as Tom's Hardware News Director during 2008-2014. He entered tech media in the late 90s and fondly remembers the days when an overclocked Celeron 300A and Voodoo2 SLI comprised a gaming rig with the ultimate street cred.
10 Comments Comment from the forums
  • truehighroller
    There shouldn't be that catch at the end where you have to reinstall everything, that sucks.
    Reply
  • tektek
    90 days.. not bad.. i'll give it a whirl... (first beta.. then RC.. then official 30 day trial..) i like where this is going... now if this can be upgraded!! woooohoo!!
    Reply
  • grieve
    truehighrollerThere shouldn't be that catch at the end where you have to reinstall everything, that sucks.
    No that bad, but certainly an inconvenience. I would be documenting everything as i created my Image(s) anyhow.
    Reply
  • doomtomb
    tektek90 days.. not bad.. i'll give it a whirl... (first beta.. then RC.. then official 30 day trial..) i like where this is going... now if this can be upgraded!! woooohoo!!It just said it can't be upgraded, that it has to be reinstalled. To be honest, from a business perspective this seems like a waste of time. Businesses don't want to install new OSes just to try them and then have to reinstall them again. That's not being productive.

    So much beta stuff. Beta, RC, 90 day trial, just release the OS, it's not that much different from Vista. I've been on the RTM for 30 days already.
    Reply
  • leo2kp
    Doom, I think the point is for an IT department to install it on test machines and labs, not necessarily productions machines. In that case, you should have enough time to test in the 3-months period and by then you will be able to purchase it. Especially good news for small businesses.
    Reply
  • amnotanoobie
    doomtombIt just said it can't be upgraded, that it has to be reinstalled. To be honest, from a business perspective this seems like a waste of time. Businesses don't want to install new OSes just to try them and then have to reinstall them again. That's not being productive.So much beta stuff. Beta, RC, 90 day trial, just release the OS, it's not that much different from Vista. I've been on the RTM for 30 days already.
    I think MS meant this for businesses to try maybe on one or two PCs just to check if any problem would be encountered on their software or hardware. I don't think they meant for the IT department to try it out for all PCs in the company.
    Reply
  • curnel_D
    I've had the RTM from msdn for a while now.
    Reply
  • Humans think
    @amnotanoobie: I think you are right
    @some kind of field expert: Some IT departments have gone to an admirable extent to have centrally controlled software (and their respective licenses) distribution and deployment via terminal services and integrated components of Win XP (they simply show up in the Add/remove software in the end-user), I've seen them in really big organizations, is it possible to migrate this "mega-structure" to 2008server-Win7?

    Off topic:
    Just got mine Win 7 Pro running through MSDNAA for free. I made the change from Win XP to 7 and I can say that I am satisfied from the result although resemblance to Vista makes me awry :P
    Reply
  • ca87
    leo2kpDoom, I think the point is for an IT department to install it on test machines and labs, not necessarily productions machines.yes u are right there. It will be very stupid to run the test on all machines in the office or whatever, one computer can be used to test.
    Reply
  • randomizer
    You could just use any copy of Win 7.

    slmgr /rearm
    Reply