According to http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/06/02/the-date-for-general-availability-ga-of-windows-7-is.aspx RTM should go to partners in July. Does that include TechNet subscribers? ... working with computers and people ... writing a little blog @ http://itpendium.wordpress.com just for fun ...

ITpendium, No information has yet been released on this. I would not necessarily expect it, however.-Alex

According to http://windowsteamblog.com/blogs/windows7/archive/2009/06/02/the-date-for-general-availability-ga-of-windows-7-is.aspx RTM should go to partners in July. Does that include TechNet subscribers? HiNo, there has not been any official announcement about the availability of the RTM build for MSDN or Technet subscribers yet.Hope this helps.Thank You for testing Windows 7 Ronnie Vernon MVP

Thank you axfelix and Ronnie for your answers.... working with computers and people ... writing a little blog @ http://itpendium.wordpress.com just for fun ...

Hmmm...It would seem sad and a bit odd to deny MS's biggest supporters and cheerleaders a bit of a fast-track.I appreciate your candor, but it grates on my nerves when paying subscribers' accessmay well bebehind the bootlegger/hacker/thief crowd! (Sigh)That aside, I absolutely LOVE the OS so far.Folks have really done their homework this time.Sadly, the "old dog" is gonna have to re-learn the start menu dynamics.It's neat (IMHO), but I've gotten AWFULLY used to the "classic menu" option!!!! :-)Highest regards;Donald Jordan

m0reilly -Geeze dude.. You're lucky this is the Internet and no one'sthere to wash your mouth out with soap... Now, seriously - do you have an actual SOURCE for this? Or are you just spreading FUD for the sake of being a disruptive wanker?

Hmmm...It would seem sad and a bit odd to deny MS's biggest supporters and cheerleaders a bit of a fast-track. I appreciate your candor, but it grates on my nerves when paying subscribers' accessmay well bebehind the bootlegger/hacker/thief crowd! (Sigh) Donald Jordan May be behind the bootlegger crowd? Is definitely behind the bootlegger crowd. I give it a maximum of two days after the RTM is out before it is on P2P, just like all the updated versions that we can not get (like build 7260). I keep hoping that I can get a newer "beta" before I have to decide if I spend money, but it looks like the answer is no and I will just stick with XP tablet until that machine dies.

This is indeed ludicrous attitude from Microsoft, We, who pay for thesoftware, and support it by testing it and reporting in order to make it more secure and crash proof for end users are not entitled to RTM release, whereas bootleggers and crminals are.

everybody - Do we actually ANY factual links that Technet won't have Windows 7 later than everyone else or just the ravings of some poster no one knows who could very well be just a troll doing his best to spread a load of FUD...? Seriously...I challenged the guy to provide a link twice - He posted basically the same ranton two separate threads. He hasn't come back with anything with any substance. Now his expletive laden post has also been deleted. So as far as I'm concerned, it's a complete waste of time speculating on it. For what it's worth, if anything, I'd wager the TechNet Plus and MSDN guys would get the build BEFORE anyone else. Those of you with subscriptions - don't they pass builds to you ahead of the curve for testing before it's released to the general public? Seems to me the 7100 RC build was released to MSDN/TechNet Plus people on April 30th while the rest of us poor mortals had to wait until May 5th. The same was true of the Beta as well. It was available for them well before it was broadly available to anyone else. So why would it be ANY different with the final build?

everybody - Do we actually ANY factual links that Technet won't have Windows 7 later than everyone else or just the ravings of some poster no one knows who could very well be just a troll doing his best to spread a load of FUD...? Seriously...I challenged the guy to provide a link twice - He posted basically the same ranton two separate threads. He hasn't come back with anything with any substance. Now his expletive laden post has also been deleted. So as far as I'm concerned, it's a complete waste of time speculating on it. For what it's worth, if anything, I'd wager the TechNet Plus and MSDN guys would get the build BEFORE anyone else. Those of you with subscriptions - don't they pass builds to you ahead of the curve for testing before it's released to the general public? Seems to me the 7100 RC build was released to MSDN/TechNet Plus people on April 30th while the rest of us poor mortals had to wait until May 5th. The same was true of the Beta as well. It was available for them well before it was broadly available to anyone else. So why would it be ANY different with the final build? Why would it be different ? Because the RTM is just that. Release To Manufacturing. It's the version that doesn't expire and costs money. The RC expires making a person BUY the RTM.

Claude - Yeah... So..? Technet PLUS and MSDN subscribers already PAY a yearly fee to "evaluate" MS wares. You sign up, you pay your annual fee and you can have at the library of software available. A year down the road, you pay a renewal fee for continued access. If they didn't put up the final RTM build on schedule, how many renewals do you think they're going to get? Would you think it would be HIGHER or LOWER?

Claude - Yeah... So..? Technet PLUS and MSDN subscribers already PAY a yearly fee to "evaluate" MS wares. You sign up, you pay your annual fee and you can have at the library of software available. A year down the road, you pay a renewal fee for continued access. If they didn't put up the final RTM build on schedule, how many renewals do you think they're going to get? Would you think it would be HIGHER or LOWER? Wolfie2k6You are correct.Although there has been no official announcement yet, in all past betas and in the Windows 7 beta, so far MSDN and Technet subscibers have had early access to every build, including the RTM, as soon as it is available.Hope this helps.Thank You for testing Windows 7 Ronnie Vernon MVP

Claude - Yeah... So..? Technet PLUS and MSDN subscribers already PAY a yearly fee to "evaluate" MS wares. You sign up, you pay your annual fee and you can have at the library of software available. A year down the road, you pay a renewal fee for continued access. If they didn't put up the final RTM build on schedule, how many renewals do you think they're going to get? Would you think it would be HIGHER or LOWER? Wolfie2k6You are correct.Traditionally, MSDN and Technet subscibers will get every build, including the RTM, as soon as it is available.Hope this helps.Thank You for testing Windows 7 Ronnie Vernon MVP Now, that's the answer we all have been waited. Thnx Ronnie !!

I agree. I'm just glad Ronnie clarified things a bit better.

Glad to hear it. I know its not an "Official" answer but at the same time it does get a tad annoying that I always seem to see the leak n sneak sites get access before we do.Seen several sites already bragging they intend to have the RTM available by approx 7/13.Heck I can find Office 2010 technical sample on a bunch of places yet we still haven't gotten a peek at it and since 2010 will actually have x64 flavor I'm really curious about it.

bratboy - Just keep in mind that those sites may also be offering up the "Cracker Jack'd" version - you know the one with the "secret toy surprise inside"... The kind that turns your computer into a member of some wanker's zombie army. It's generally best to NOT mess with them.

Oh I know and I avoid downloading/using them like a plage but I still check the sites becuse of curiosity and for some things like ways to try and run Dreams on Win7, that sort of stuff. Even tho the MS stuff isn't to be trusted it can prove interesting to see whats going on sometimes. I tend to make notes based off of things I read at those sites for future refrence and so I know of items to check onwhen things actually do appear on MSDN as far as issues go. I figure if others want to play with fire so be it, no reason I can't use theirburnt fingers to my advantage, hehe.

Just a quick read, but it seems that the primary purpose of Technet/MSDN is for software development. At least thats why I have a MSDN Subscription. The fact that RTM may be a week behind the bootleggers isnt really going to affect me. Considering software I write I test on XP/Server 2003 cause its for the business sector, were Vista isnt really present, and Windows 7 wont be adopted for a while yet any way, I dont think too many MSDN/Technet Plus subcribers are going to not renew based on the tardiness of a version of windows that will certainly appear at some point very soon after RTM is released any way.Pish Posh I say.

Jimmy - Ok... So you write software for XP and Server 2003. In the mean time, there ARE other programmers out there who do have a need to make their code compatible. People who write drivers for say - video cards and other hardware, peripherals, printers, etc..., as a for instance. People who write games and game related code probably would benefit from having an early copy as well. As such, I think it would be quite beneficial for MSDN and TechNet Plus to have thosenewer builds available sooner, rather than later. In fact, it would be even MORE beneficial for Microsoft to have those builds available sooner, given the fiasco of not having drivers available for Vista when it was launched.

July 13th is here, and it seems no RTM available via technet yet. I'm really crossing my fingers here, as I wish to make this jump to Win7 ASAP (my old Vista build is so messed up it's painful) yet detest the concept of having to install Win7 RC, then having to do yet-another-rebuild/reinstall after buying the full version. I think it's tragic that RC-to-RTM upgrading seems to be unsupported by MS.

Always best to clean install anyway tho. Saves possible headaches down the road

July 13th is here, and it seems no RTM available via technet yet. I'm really crossing my fingers here, as I wish to make this jump to Win7 ASAP (my old Vista build is so messed up it's painful) yet detest the concept of having to install Win7 RC, then having to do yet-another-rebuild/reinstall after buying the full version. I think it's tragic that RC-to-RTM upgrading seems to be unsupported by MS. Hi MaethlinThe July 13 date, although it was posted to thousands of websites and although it was said to be from "reliable sources inside Microsoft", was still simple speculation just like all of the other dates that were wrong since Windows 7 was first announced.Does anyone ever go back to the websites or blogs where these so-called official announcements originate and tell the people who posted the information that they are full of doodoo? These people should be held accountable for the tripe that they constantly publish.The only believable source for Windows 7announcements is at the source, such as the following blog.Windows 7 Team BlogThe only official information about the RTM is that it is scheduled to be released is "We anticipate that well be able to make the RTM code for Windows 7 available to our partners sometime in the 2nd half of July." Hope this helps.Thank You for testing Windows 7 Ronnie Vernon MVP

Does anyone ever go back to the websites or blogs where these so-called official announcements originate and tell the people who posted the information that they are full of doodoo? These people should be held accountable for the tripe that they constantly publish.Thank You for testing Windows 7 Ronnie Vernon MVP Ronnie - Actually... If you read ZDNet - the answer would be quite frequently. They quite frequently rip on authors of posts that are pro MS, especially if it's something that's idle speculation or rumor. Seems just this morning, there was a post by one guy who seems to think build 7600 is going to be it and the first talkback seems to imply a sense of desperation on the part of ZDNet...

Appreciate the response Ronnie - I did not realize that. There were tons of reports regarding the July 13th date but yeah, I guess I shouldn't be surprised if it was just a rumor. Really as I mentioned, the only reason I'm chomping at the bit for this is to save myself yet-another-rebuild, as my current build is on it's last legs but I'm stuck with the choice (right now) of either using Vista64 or Win7-RC and having to do another complete rebuild/reinstall once I buy Win7-Release. I was really hoping I could just go straight to RTM and just buy the license later. Ah well.

If youcheck the Windows 7 Team Blog as Ronnie suggested there's a great post from Brandon LeBlanc on the 13th that answers a lot of the questions posed here.