Slashdot Mirror
Windows 7 RCs Shut Down To Force Updates
nk497 writes "The release candidate for Microsoft Windows 7 will expire June 2010, and the software giant will let users know they need to pay to upgrade by shutting down the system every two hours for three months. According to Microsoft: "The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you'll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You'll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use.""
How long until someone crackfixes this? TIA.
Posts not to be taken literally. Almost everything is sarcasm.
I Just changed my system clock to see what would happ
Has Microsoft gone mental?
What is totally mental, and I mean running around the supermarket without your pants on shouting "where is the mustard" mad ...
Here is what Mental Microsoft has to say on the matter
I get it, you learned a new word: mental. Please, try to use it in moderation and only when discussing things with your too cool for school third grade friends.
Really, you sound surprised. Didn't they warn us about this anyway? That's why the general populace was not supposed to install this. For savvy users with their old image on a backup drive it's a minor inconvenience.
Can one automagically revert to the legal Windows (if any) they had installed before they installed Windows 7? Of course not, this would make sense. And provide an easy way out of migration. For those who need an ill formed & flawed car analogy: It is like taking a new car for a test drive only to return to the dealership to discover that your old car has been crushed into a cube.
My work here is dung.
File this under already announced before RC1 was released to the public, and file a second copy under you get what you pay for.
MS has been upfront about this since before they pushed the RC.
They my have just realized that a year was way too long for a free, stable version of Windows.
Next thing you know, they are going to offer to let you share the software with a friend, but only offer 20% of the capabilities. Free copy of Wolfenstein included!*
*First mission only
If I wrote something witty, you would say I stole it from somewhere.
I seriously doubt it shuts down every two hours. No Windows system is stable that long at a time.
My webcomic
It's not shutting down to force updates, it's shutting down when the trial period expires.
This is well known, was discussed here several times and is clearly mentioned on the Microsoft download page.
To be honest it seems like slashdot has more stories about Microsoft than about Free software.
That this will wind up in the actual release in some form or another by mistake...it's only so easy to track zillions of lines of code after all.
...in bed
How is that news? MS says about shutdowns right there on RC's download page. Must be a really slow news day, nothing to chew MS for...
It sounds like a fully licensed version of Win95.
Did everyone think MS was giving away a free OS??? I've come across people in other forums literally cussing out MS as if this is some dirty trick.
Never underestimate the stupidity of some people. Like they think you have two options with Windows 7...either download the free version or go the store and buy the version that costs $100.
Morons.
It won't be much of a pain due to the blindingly fast Windows 7 boot time, right?
The original public release (I believe 7000) stated it would work until August 1, 2009. This hasn't changed, right?
--- We need more Ron Paul!
We had one customer several years ago who complained that our product stopped working all of the sudden. The customer yelled at us and threatened to sue us out of existence.
We looked into his problem anf it turns out he used an evaluation copy of Windows 2000 and the license expired on him.
It was a bank in LA. I forget the name. The bastards are probrably collecting TARP funds.
Say, oh, 15 million people install RC (I did.)
Come June, you want to start getting paid (you're M$), you have two options...
1. Release an 'upgrade to paid version' where you charge people FULL PRICE for the equivilent of whatever they're running. (I'm using ultimate)
2. Force people to pay for the version they choose AND reinstall everything.
Now, to get the most money out of me, and I'd bet most everbody, they should do #1. A year from now, I'm going to have installed a lot of stuff, done a LOT of customizing and unless it's just time to rebuild, I'm REALLY not going to want to reinstall. I would be HAPPY to pay for Ultimate at that point. The alternative is go back to Vista which I've already paid for or reboot every 2 hours. Neither are good for me, so I'll start looking for a crack. Time is money, and I'd spend way more money rebuilding to get off the RC than I'd spend paying for an ultimate license.
But, I'd bet Microsoft is going #2. No betting actually, that's the plan. So they're going to have a bunch of people who are just going to deal with reboots. Then there will be a bunch of people who are going to go the cracking route. Then there's the people who are going to pay, but will downgrade because they don't use all that ultimate crap anyway. And what's left, are the people who fall in line and do what M$ wants them too. But think of all the money they could have gotten from the others, had they only offered an upgrade path...
And it's not like it's a complicated upgrade, just replace the part of the system that makes this an RC build! That's got to be easier than a service pack!
Do not meddle in the affairs of sysadmins, for they are subtle, and quick to anger.
Why is this being posted over and over on very tech site?
Who cares?
You're installing a beta or a release candidate. Do you expect it to be supported forever?
And are we really surprised Microsoft put in just a tiny bit of protection to prevent the average joe from continuing to use Windows 7 RC forever?
I'm not sure why people keep bringing up this issue. It's a release candidate being released for evaluation of software that isn't free. If they didn't disable it after a certain date, people would continue to use it indefinitely, and then would expect support as well. By forcing people to upgrade to the release version, it ensures they're not using an old, buggy release candidate. (Whether the final release will be better remains to be seen, of course, this is a Microsoft product, after all :-)
Everyone is given fair warning about this before installing the RC (which shouldn't really be on production systems anyway). If you don't like what you see, then stop using it, otherwise upgrade to the release version when it comes out.
A method to upgrade to release without having to completely reinstall would be nice, but they've never done that in the past and I wouldn't expect to see it done this time, either.
I really dont understand what the big deal about this is. A company offers a 1 year evaluation period on new software, with *gasp* an expiration period! Frankly Im surprised they dont just cut it off altogether, like MOST companies offering evaluation versions of their software go. Although given a year of use that might be a little draconian, as people will probably have information on there they would need to access.
Im all for FOSS and all but damn people, if you really like W7 just pay for the damn thing, or switch to Linux. If you read the official announcements for this release,and didnt just get the iso off a torrent or something, it is clearly stated that there is an evaluation expiration period, this is NOT news.
Windows ME HARDER!
How generous, Microsoft enlists people to test their next OS, and instead of being rewarded those poor souls get screwed.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure Microsoft is trying to get its cake and eat it too.
I am open source, and Linux baby!
The normal course of action for a time limited demo would be to simply stop functioning when your time expires. That is what I expect from such things and how most of them work.
However, what happens if you didn't get all your data off and so on? Well, this offers you a way to be able to operate the system, just with restrictions. It is a nicer way of handling things.
Vista was WindowsME, Windows 7 is Vista SP3. They just want to get rid of the name "Vista" since it's become synonymous with "Fail".
well who's to say that december 2009 will ever end... just dont connect to the internet (those darn tyme sync services), and the computer will be non the wiser....
What is bad about this is the way MS forces you to upgrade - by erasing the disk, along with the OS and ALL of your data, then installing a licensed copy and reinstalling all of your apps and then the data. What could be more inconvenient? What could waste more time? What could be more stupid?
Why not just have a menu item to click on to buy a valid license key with a credit card - LIKE EVERY OTHER NORMAL VENDOR DOES!
I just activated a copy of Photoshop Express this way, it's a convenient, easy $90 for Adobe. Doesn't anyone at Microsoft have a triple digit IQ?
You mean there are people out there who actually pay for Microsoft's OS's?
That's about as dumb as paying for music...
After the debacle of Vista, I could have sworn I read on this very site a few weeks ago that Win 7 was going to offered as a FREE upgrade, at least to Vista users. Am I on crack or did I actually see that story?
Comment removed based on user account deletion
You're not *entitled* to sweet shit all in an RC version of software. They aren't saying "You can use it for a year, but for 3 months we're going to make it difficult." They're saying "You can use this, but it's not meant to be long term, and we're going to make sure you don't forget that."
Canada: The US's more awesome sibling.
Ya think?
about 4 seconds...
3... 2... 1....
Hurray! It's shutting me down!
Fixed that for you.
If their software shuts down, the machine may as well be shut down.
Anyone who tried to sue MS wouldn't have a leg to stand on. By installing the software, they agreed to the licensing terms.
retrorocket.o not found, launch anyway?
"Shutting down every 2 hours"?
I didn't realize Windows 7 offered such a significant increase in uptime.
If that doesn't stop you, it reverts to Windows ME.
When someone says, "Any fool can see
You fucked a dead sheep? Shit, I'll take being the lamest troll ever over necro-bestiality man
Will they include a dialog box so that we know Windows didn't just crash again?
Actually, this reminds me of an entry from SKB's classic Devil's DP Dictionary:
An oldie, but a goodie!
"Not an actor, but he plays one on TV."
I actually don't have a physical revulsion to W7 on my new pimp rig, but it's just holding place until I can get a 10.5.7-based hackintosh installer that recognizes nehalem and my 1gb 4870..
That said, I'm surprised at the lack of suckage of W7, and pretty happy with the ATI folding@home client.. Wonder if it's available for linux and/or opensolaris?
(been on an osol kick lately, what with ZFS and suncluster for free...)
Um, dude? Release candidate. Testing code, not the final product you have to pay for. I don't think it's unreasonable for Microsoft to put an end date on their RC code, and it's probably a good thing to give people plenty of warning that their testing copy's going to stop working (especially when it's going to be a year before that date hits and people'll have lots of time to forget they aren't running the actual released version).
Wait, so the OS initiating a shutdown (one of the OS's functions) after it passes a clearly defined date, in accordance with the licensing terms you agreed to on an OS you are getting for free to use for testing purposes is illegal? MS has been perfectly clear from the start what this release is for. They would be fully within their rights to have the os stop functioning completely after the date. The only way they would be responsible for damages is if it intentionally damaged the hardware in some way. Heck, if it accidentally destroys the hardware, they are still in the clear because they made it perfectly clear this was a no guarantees testing purposes build.
This is the ultimate non-story that makes the community look bad because it's pointless anti-ms rabble rousing instead of actual legitimate criticism.
Once again Microsoft's methods are dubious, but you are still getting a very good operating system gratis for a year.
On my laptop that runs Vista, I already have to restart every 2 hours. But with Win7, If I don't pay, they will do it for me? Sign me up.
Ahh, they're nefariously offering a free trial of their software to allow people to find problems and begin developing software without having to pay for something not in its final state. I even noticed that with pure malicious intent they're informing people of the exact conditions under which it will no longer work. We should probably advance on Redmond, pitchforks in hand. Purging Microsoft with fire is the only way to stop this horrible evil... beta period.
I get the concept, thanks. I don't think you get what I'm getting at. Here's an example:
I had an RC version of my operating system running last month. It updated itself to the final version and didn't give me a bunch of bullshit about it.
Do you see it now?
Hey, I finally got my first freak! Took you long enough!
You may want to get outside and tone the nerd-rage down some.
If Win7 is Vista SP3, what's the point of Vista SP2? They'd be better served abandoning it and forcing everyone to upgrade.
Win7's an upgraded version of the Vista kernel, we all know that, but it's still forked development. You're doing the discourse a disfavour by diseminating disinformation disguised as disgust.
Canada: The US's more awesome sibling.
It seems to me that everyone is also forgetting that this is a Release Candidate. Read Candidate. It is also entirely possible that Microsoft will choose to have a second release candidate.
So all the griping about how you may have to reinstall upon the commercial release of windows 7 is really counting your chickens before they hatch, you may have to do it again in August with RC2.
I seem to remember seeing a Linux ATI client but it was ages ago, so I'm probably wrong or it might've been cancelled. Shouldn't matter soon, since OpenCL is a few months/weeks from being usable.
"To avoid interruption, you'll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010"
Or... don't install Windows 7 at all? I'll take that option.
tasty electronic music vittles
.
Only Microsoft could see a PC shutting down every two hours as "normal".
March 1, 2010 (not June 1, 2010) is the real end of the Release Candidate.
Current rumors put the price of the starter edition at about twice that much:
http://gizmodo.com/5148072/windows-7-pricing-starts-at-200-ehh
But maybe they'll release a Ghetto Edition for $100 that can only run 1.5 apps at once.
Now excuse me, I have to sell my TV so I can afford Windows 7 Pro.
"When information is power, privacy is freedom" - Jah-Wren Ryel
Yes, but the OS you're referring to isn't one where you have to pay for the released version. Whether you like it or not, it's Microsoft's prerogative to charge for their OS. Since they're not charging for the RC, it being testing code and all, it's not reasonable to expect them to just have it automagically upgrade to the released version without you having to pay for it.
And if your backup can't complete in two hours, that's just too bad.
For some STUPID reason slashdot ate half of my post.
It removed:
(8) the term 'damage' means any impairment to the integrity or availability of data, a program, a system, or information;
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
Oh come on.. if you read it like you appear to be doing then even having an expiring password would be illegal, because it stops you getting at your data.
There's such a thing as intent, and reasonable behaviour. If you install a testing version of Win7 *knowing* it'll shut down on you (which it won't start doing until after the final release of Win7 is available anyway) *and* store critical data on a prerelease OS, you haven't got a leg to stand on. Try to take it to court and a judge will kill himself laughing.
Oh come on.. if you read it like you appear to be doing then even having an expiring password would be illegal, because it stops you getting at your data.
And it seems he would also think that losing power in a thunderstorm is illegal because damnit he *paid* for that power and his computer is now turned off *without his permission*.
Tesla was a genius. Edison however was a overrated hack who liked to torture puppies.
Why not make a batch script that runs every hour to abort a shutdown?
Except you grant them permission to do whatever they hell you like by installing the OS. We are not talking about your standard EULA everyone ignores. You didn't purchase it, so you only have rights they choose to grant you. They aren't forcing you to install the Windows 7 release candidate, they aren't selling it to you, and they are telling you NOT to use it in any capacity where it might cause you to lose data or productivity. They are providing it so you can test your software and be ready to support it when it is released. If you don't like their terms, don't use it, you have 0 rights in this situation. If I write a program called shutdownin11months.exe and put it on a website with a note that running it will force a shutdown in 11 months, and you probably shouldn't use it, and you agree to the terms, download it, and run it, does that mean you can now sue me when your system shuts down? I told you what it does, what it will do, that you probably shouldn't do it, and how to stop it after you did it anyways, and I'm responsible?
I'm sure there's an anatomical comment in there, but I'm not gonna go there...
Neither are the rest of us /.ers :(
Can the product expiration simply be avoided by setting an earlier date in BIOS?
I got hard evidence that w7 is better: http://xkcd.com/528/
10 years ago.
Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
So now we just downrate things we disagree with?
The fact is that Vista is NOT hampered by its DRM. To say it is, is complete and utter bullshit. I can play back ANY media file I have, and I have the added bonus of having the option to add a blu-ray player should i ever hit my head, and decide I want one.
Downrated to a troll for stating the facts? So be it.
How do I mod TFA down?
who at MS conceived this strategy?
Probably the same people who tried to make it very clear that you shouldn't install an RC on a live system. If you did, then you are only being hassled by your own idiocy.
The above isn't off-topic, just think about the post he is replying to first, then re-read what he wrote/quoted. It is exactly on-topic. It isn't even subtle, it just works.
The question wasn't about their prerogative; it's surely their right to do whatever they wish with their creation. The question was "Why do you tolerate it?"
Hey, I finally got my first freak! Took you long enough!
But is there an option to make it hibernate rather than shutdown?
Shutting down the system every two hours is a big step forward. Other Windows version shut down every ten minutes or so.
Nice feature!
Recave
Baahahahaha, good one! I'd love to see you litigate against Microsoft for trespassing..
// MD_Update(&m,buf,j);
Because this is one of the few instances where Microsoft has done something both intelligent and ethical.
And they even had the decency to make this information so clear on the download site that it was the first thing I read about 7 RC beyond an article telling me it was available for download.
kartune85 : Incapable of reason, observation or learning. A kind of dim, drab, flightless parrot.
+1, Alliterative
So how are legit users supposed to get around all the shitty DRM products with a limited number of installs, like Spore and Mass Effect and Adobe CS4?
Not Microsoft's fault, but it highlights the stupidity of a growing body of products which assume normal users never need to wipe their OS (or, only ever do it once or twice), when in reality it has to be done all the time.
Well, some of us *DO* pay for a guaranteed level of service. It's called a service contract, maybe you should look into them.
And as a quick afterthought to those who say "Doing anything critical or having critical information on a beta version of an OS is stupid," Just how the fuck else are you going to test for reliability? Even garbage data generated for the purposes of database testing is critical data, and it's required to test how some of your stuff may or may not work under a new OS. Any test is a critical one. How do I ascertain reliability if I can't put some data on it and see if it actually will stay there untouched and undamaged?
I seriously think some of you people look at black and white only and never see the grey middle.
Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.