Windows 7 to go RTM by Late July

News
By Marcus Yam
published

That's the real 'final' date.

Now that the retail date for Windows 7 is officially set for October 22, Microsoft is going to be slowly planning out all the things that have to happen between now and then.

The retail boxed copy of Windows 7 only represents a small portion of the new OS’ rollout for Microsoft. It’s the licenses sold with new PCs that makes Windows the top selling product for the company.

With October 22 being the launch date, OEMs will have to have their systems configured, tested and fully prepared – which requires greater lead time than just packaging a disc. For this reason, the really big date for Windows 7 is when hits RTM, released to manufacturing in its final state for OEMs to build systems around.

Microsoft doesn’t have an RTM date to share yet, but Brandon Leblanc, Windows Communications Manager, wrote in a blog, “Obviously, Release To Manufacturing (RTM) is an important milestone on the path to GA. We anticipate that we’ll be able to make the RTM code for Windows 7 available to our partners sometime in the 2nd half of July. We also expect to be able to make RTM code for Windows Server 2008 R2 available to our partners in this time frame as well.”

While Windows 7 will be ready for the holiday shoppers, students getting new machines for back-to-school will still be faced with Windows Vista. The remedy that, Microsoft will offer an upgrade program for those who purchase new PCs with Vista to move to Windows 7. LeBlanc said that details regarding the upgrade option program will soon be revealed.

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.
13 Comments Comment from the forums
  • grieve
    woot!

    Ill be running the RC till March 2010 anyhow... But god news
    Reply
  • cappster
    Hopefully it will be posted to msdn by the end of July. My subscription runs out in September.
    Reply
  • isamuelson
    cappsterHopefully it will be posted to msdn by the end of July. My subscription runs out in September.
    Problem with the MSDN version is you're not allowed to run it in a "production environment." If you use your machine to surf the net, obtain email and play games, then it's considered production and you are violating your MSDN license. The OS licenses are for development and testing only.

    Of course, I'm not sure if Microsoft really monitors all that stuff, but still, it's definitely a violation of your MSDN license.
    Reply
  • apmyhr
    isamuelsonProblem with the MSDN version is you're not allowed to run it in a "production environment." If you use your machine to surf the net, obtain email and play games, then it's considered production and you are violating your MSDN license. The OS licenses are for development and testing only.Of course, I'm not sure if Microsoft really monitors all that stuff, but still, it's definitely a violation of your MSDN license.Every piece of MS software I am using right now is through my MSDN subscription, so I can tell you that they do not monitor it. Besides, I could argue that I am simply "testing" the games :) I really hope cappster is right and they release the RTM on MSDN. My subscription ends in August :( I would really hate to have to actually PAY for my software when the RC stops working in March.
    Reply
  • curnel_D
    isamuelsonProblem with the MSDN version is you're not allowed to run it in a "production environment." If you use your machine to surf the net, obtain email and play games, then it's considered production and you are violating your MSDN license. The OS licenses are for development and testing only.Of course, I'm not sure if Microsoft really monitors all that stuff, but still, it's definitely a violation of your MSDN license.Not entirely true. There are some MSDN subscription eula's that only restrict comercial use. Though I find MS's partership program a whole lot more useful.
    Reply
  • grieve
    ancientnoobill stick to my Windows MeHAHA... hope thats a joke :)
    Reply
  • Honis
    grieveHAHA... hope thats a jokeThe hourly crash probably helps him remember there is an outside world that can be explored
    Reply
  • michaelahess
    Sweet, my eOpen account has been waiting for this......
    Reply
  • eddieroolz
    I guess I'll go buy the boxed copy sometime next June.
    Reply
  • yjagota
    I really think that Vista was a debacle because of bad marketing. I am using it for a long time now since first beta, and it hardly gave me any problems specially after SP1. But no doubt, 7 is way better.

    But still if M$ gives a sort of update, like if you purchased your Vista license in the last 6 months, you can upgrade to 7 in 40% of the cost, that will be awesome.

    Keeping my fingers crossed.
    Reply