Expiration Dates and functionality. Effective June 1, 2010, Windows 7 RC will expire. To continue using your computer, you should prepare to install the retail release version of Windows 7 or install an earlier version of Windows before the June 1, 2010 expiration date. You will be unable to upgrade from Windows 7 RC to the retail release version of Windows 7. However, you can back up or transfer your data to your next or previous operating system. Effective February 14, 2010, the expiration notification process begins: Windows 7 RC users receive an expiration notification in the task bar one time per day. Windows 7 RC users are presented with the Notification Wizard one time every four hours and then one time every hour. Effective March 1, 2010, Windows 7 RC enters the next phase of expiration: Expiration notifications in the task bar continue. Computers that are running Windows 7 RC restart every two hours. Effective June 1, 2010, Windows 7 RC expires: Windows starts to a black desktop. Windows 7 RC users are presented with a Windows Activation screen. The screen states that the Windows that you are running is not genuine. Computers that are running Windows 7 RC restart every two hours. For more information about how to uninstall Windows 7 and revert to your original operating system or another version of Windows 7, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base, How to uninstall Windows 7. Reference: Description of Windows 7 Beta and Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) expiration dates and functionality Thank You for using Windows 7 Ronnie Vernon MVP