So far today, I've been forced into giving information to join Windows Live and MS Tech Forums. I've respond to three different confirmation e-mails in order to get to the "Download Now" button for the Windows 7 beta. Still, no matter how many times I log in, retry, wait and then log in again, the download *NEVER* initiates. After I click "Download Now", some text flashes by in the lower left corner of my Firefox window and then says, "Done" but no download initiates.I'm at a loss as to why this simply won't work. Any suggestions?

Hi,Have you tried using a browser other than Firefox? If a Windows computer, you will still have some version of IE installed.Ned Pyle [MSFT] - MS Enterprise Platforms Support - Beta Team

Hey, Don't worry, I had the same issue too. It's a Firefox/Microsoft site issue. Just use Internet Explorer, that worked a treat for me. As far as I can tell the issue is due to the Active X controller trying to be installed for the Download Manager the site uses. I haven't tried any other browsers, but IE 8 Beta did the trick for me. Kind Regards,Richard Myers

I'm using Mac OS X. Intel Core 2 Duo. Currently don't have a partition w/WIN installed. No IE. WIN 7 can be installed and operate fine - it just won't download.

Given the lack of IE availability for OS X these days I can't see a way you can download the beta other than perhaps hijacking a Windows user's connection. Or reverting to torrents etc, though hardly the secure option it could work.

If you are on a Mac, have you tried using Safari or Opera? They both have versions for OSX, just like Firefox.Opera:http://www.opera.com/browser/download/?os=mac&list=allSafari:http://www.apple.com/safari/download/Ned Pyle [MSFT] - MS Enterprise Platforms Support - Beta Team

Thanks to both of you for your replies.Yup, I've tried Safari, Opera and Firefox. I've been at this for several hours now and with all, I am able to get to the screen that gives a 64-bit Product Key and the two buttons for 'Download Now' and 'Installation Instructions'. The 'Download Now' key produces no results. (EDIT: With Opera, I got an 'internal error' message after logging in so I just abandoned trying with Opera.)The download just never initiates. There is some kind of activity after I hit 'Download Now' (I can see the progress bar load quickly, but the text flashes by too quickly to read.) Then there is no activity. The download doesn't initiate.I was able to download from here http://download.microsoft.com/download/6/3/3/633118BD-6C3D-45A4-B985-F0FDFFE1B021/EN/7000.0.081212-1400_client_en-us_Ultimate-GB1CULXFRE_EN_DVD.ISO...(an address I found on a Mac Forum) without issue. I haven't created the partition or installed yet because I'm waiting for a response regarding deleting the beta by re-formatting the partition after the trial period is done.Thanks

PS: I thought perhaps my firewall might be an issue, so I also tried downloading with the firewall turned off - still wouldn't initiate. I also made sure my pop-up blocker was off in all three of the browsers I tried (just in case).By the way - Ned, as you're a MS person, if you know of any issues with the file I was able to download (i.e. it's a bad file for some reason), please feel free to let me know!Thanks!

Cool, glad you got things working. And no worries, that is the real download page that the first page you were accessing was going to send you. :)Ned Pyle [MSFT] - MS Enterprise Platforms Support - Beta Team

Thanks, Ned!I see two other threads regarding this issue, too but none of them have a definitive response regarding why some of us are having issues using the 'official' MS download location. It's hinted that IE is the only browser that can be used because of an Active X control issue. Is that the case?Thanks again so much!

Not using other browsers, I cannot say for sure (I'm an IE dogfooder, tried and true). That would certainly make sense though.Ned Pyle [MSFT] - MS Enterprise Platforms Support - Beta Team

Ned Pyle [MSFT] said:(I'm an IE dogfooder, tried and true).Ned Pyle [MSFT] - MS Enterprise Platforms Support - Beta TeamHA! :^DMany thanks

It's definitely an ActiveX issue - I went in circles with Firefox for two days - then tried IE6 - up popped the ActiveX download bar, click install and download manager started right away ;)

I have been using Firefox browser with Windoes 7 and I can download from any site.

That's true - in fact I can only use Firefox in W7 (IE8 just won't work) but the thread was for downloading Windows 7 Beta in the first place - and Firefox will NOT do thgat because of the ActiveX controls :D

I feel like i gotta throw my two cents worth here.I found myself with the same issues trying to download the Win7 files from the MS site while using firefox 3.1b2.IE7 worked a treat for itI did discover some time ago that i get a similar issue with the "New and improved" hotmail/live site. Everything works fine until i try to read a mail.at that point, i may as well be clicking empty space.and as a matter of keeping on topic.i get the exact same issues with Win7 and firefox.however, firefox does work perfectly for me for everyone except MS sites This Is Your Life And Its Ending One Minute At A Time

Nice to see that my first attempt to use anything Windows in a long time is quickly soured by MS's incapability of offering a simple download that will work in any browser on any platform, other than IE and Windows. Thank you very much Microsoft for reminding me of why I loathe your stupid company and have avoided using your products as much as I possibly can for the past decade and more...