" button and will be prompted to sign in using your Hotmail, MSN Messenger or Passport account (It’s your Windows Live ID).
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Windows 7 Public Beta Download Link - Instructions and Results
After selecting the version (32 or 64Bit) and language choice (limited to 5 choices) you click on the ">" button and will be prompted to sign in using your Hotmail, MSN Messenger or Passport account (It’s your Windows Live ID).
Once you sign in the next page will display your Product Key. It’s best that you print this page before starting the download as the download could take a few hours.
This is a 2.44GB .ISO file so make sure you have the disk space. The 64Bit version weighs in at a whopping 3.15GB. Let’s hope Microsoft doesn’t add too much to the final release or you may need a Blue Ray.
Click the “Download Now”, the “Save As” window opens (this is where you specify the location on your hard disk where the file will be downloaded to), but this windows disappears all too quickly for you to make any location changes. It’s actually hidden behind the Windows 7 Beta Product Key page, so just minimize this page and you will see the Save As window, make any changes and click the “Save” button.
Now be prepared to wait for the download to complete. Even with my 20Mbps FIOS service it took 59 minutes, a lot slower then expected. A second download of the same file later in the day only took 19 minutes. For users with a slower Internet connection, take a break, have dinner, watch the news on TV and then check to see if the download has completed.
If you have DSL or Dialup find a friend to burn a copy for you, just remember to start the process on your PC and go just far enough to get a key code.
After downloading the file check the Hash Code for validity and integrity. For this I used a program named “HashCalc” http://www.slavasoft.com/hashcalc/