Microsoft Australia has contacted Appliance Retailer to send a reminder out to retailers that the Windows 7 Release Candidate will soon expire. A reported 8,000 copies of the software are currently being tested through retail channels around Australia.
From 1 March 2010, PCs using the Windows 7 RC will begin experiencing bi-hourly shutdowns and will continue for three months until 1 June 2010. After this a non-genuine experience will be triggered that removes the PCs wallpaper and displays a ‘this copy of Windows is not genuine’ message in the lower right corner above the taskbar.
Microsoft Australia is urging retailers and consumers to make plans to move to a released version of Windows 7 before the automatic shutdowns start. If this is not done, work will not be saved during the shutdown process and data loss may occur.
For more detailed information on the expiration of Windows 7 Release Candidate can be found at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/971767.