Radenight
New Member
Hey all,
As I look through the boards I'm noticing alot (too many) of new threads that ultimately are all talking about the exact same things.. These things include: RTM release date, GA release date, RC Expiration, etc..
I just wanted to take a minute and try to sort some of these things out.. There are alot of new members joining this forum daily and when they see multiple threads talking about the same thing but with conflicting information it becomes VERY confusing..
So, let's start with the RC.. The Windows 7 RC (which is build 7100) will expire on March 1st, 2010. At this time it will begin bi-hourly shutdowns. These shut downs will go on for a month and on June 1st 2010 the RC will stop working completely. (And yes, I know on microsoft's site it explains this as June 1st being the expiration date but it makes a little more sense to treat March 1st as the expiration date as that's when the bi-hourly shutdowns will begin.. )
Next, the RTM.. There have been multiple dates and multiple build numbers thrown around for the release of the RTM Escrow.. The fact is, the RTM will be released when it's released.. At that time we will all know exactly which build will indeed be the RTM Escrow.. (You can argue that there have been "official" reports about the build number and release date if you want, I'm not saying your wrong, I'm simply trying to explain things in a way that EVERYONE (from novice users to expert users) can understand.. ) The RTM will NOT be released to the general public by Microsoft like the BETA and RC were... Now that's not to say that you won't be able to obtain it at all because as we all know there are multiple ways (which will not be discussed in this post, you all know what I'm talking about) to get a hold of the RTM once it is "released"..
One more thing regarding the RTM, (this is where some were very confused). RTM stands for Release to Manufacturing.. Which in lamens terms means it is Windows 7 in it's pre-final form. The product is deemed finished at this point and then begins it's road to the store shelves and into the hands of OEM's so they can begin installing it on the computers they intend to sell with Windows 7 pre-installed.. DVD's are pressed with the oh-so elegant Windows 7 sticker (ha ha) and the boxes are constructed/filled with the jackets...
From the RTM comes the Final Retail Version (or GA - General Availability -- This is the one you buy in stores) of Windows 7.. Now one has to not allow the terminology to confuse them here.. As far as the code and bits are concerned the RTM and GA are the same build... Meaning that the RTM is identical to the Final Retail product...
There will be "new" builds being made after the RTM-Escrow but they will be for the SP (Service Pack) branch and so on and will not be of much importance to average everyday pc users... Please don't feel that your missing out by not getting every single leaked build that comes out.. Your not missing out on anything by not getting the leaked builds... period.
I sincerely hope this has cleared up some of the confusion that some users were expressing.. I certainly don't know all the answers and do not claim to know them all, but I definitely try to go above and beyond to get the answers.. I know what it's like to be reading a few different threads and see 4 or 5 (for example) conflicting pieces of information... It's no fun.
Cheers for now..
As I look through the boards I'm noticing alot (too many) of new threads that ultimately are all talking about the exact same things.. These things include: RTM release date, GA release date, RC Expiration, etc..
I just wanted to take a minute and try to sort some of these things out.. There are alot of new members joining this forum daily and when they see multiple threads talking about the same thing but with conflicting information it becomes VERY confusing..
So, let's start with the RC.. The Windows 7 RC (which is build 7100) will expire on March 1st, 2010. At this time it will begin bi-hourly shutdowns. These shut downs will go on for a month and on June 1st 2010 the RC will stop working completely. (And yes, I know on microsoft's site it explains this as June 1st being the expiration date but it makes a little more sense to treat March 1st as the expiration date as that's when the bi-hourly shutdowns will begin.. )
Next, the RTM.. There have been multiple dates and multiple build numbers thrown around for the release of the RTM Escrow.. The fact is, the RTM will be released when it's released.. At that time we will all know exactly which build will indeed be the RTM Escrow.. (You can argue that there have been "official" reports about the build number and release date if you want, I'm not saying your wrong, I'm simply trying to explain things in a way that EVERYONE (from novice users to expert users) can understand.. ) The RTM will NOT be released to the general public by Microsoft like the BETA and RC were... Now that's not to say that you won't be able to obtain it at all because as we all know there are multiple ways (which will not be discussed in this post, you all know what I'm talking about) to get a hold of the RTM once it is "released"..
One more thing regarding the RTM, (this is where some were very confused). RTM stands for Release to Manufacturing.. Which in lamens terms means it is Windows 7 in it's pre-final form. The product is deemed finished at this point and then begins it's road to the store shelves and into the hands of OEM's so they can begin installing it on the computers they intend to sell with Windows 7 pre-installed.. DVD's are pressed with the oh-so elegant Windows 7 sticker (ha ha) and the boxes are constructed/filled with the jackets...
From the RTM comes the Final Retail Version (or GA - General Availability -- This is the one you buy in stores) of Windows 7.. Now one has to not allow the terminology to confuse them here.. As far as the code and bits are concerned the RTM and GA are the same build... Meaning that the RTM is identical to the Final Retail product...
There will be "new" builds being made after the RTM-Escrow but they will be for the SP (Service Pack) branch and so on and will not be of much importance to average everyday pc users... Please don't feel that your missing out by not getting every single leaked build that comes out.. Your not missing out on anything by not getting the leaked builds... period.
I sincerely hope this has cleared up some of the confusion that some users were expressing.. I certainly don't know all the answers and do not claim to know them all, but I definitely try to go above and beyond to get the answers.. I know what it's like to be reading a few different threads and see 4 or 5 (for example) conflicting pieces of information... It's no fun.
Cheers for now..