Microsoft Temporarily Nixes Windows 7 Limit

by Jennifer Johnson — Monday, January 12, 2009, 04:18 PM EDT

Today, we have good news for Windows 7 fanatics: Microsoft is temporarily lifting that 2.5 million download limit that we told you about on Friday. As you’ll recall from our earlier post, Microsoft was unable to keep up with the demand for the beta. As a result, the servers reached a screeching halt as users hammered the site in an attempt to be one of the first 2.5 million to download the beta.

Now, in an effort to make the download experience a bit more pleasant, Microsoft has removed the download limit for a short time. From Microsoft Windows communications manager Brandon LeBlanc: "We have clearly heard that many of you want to check out the Windows 7 Beta and, as a result, we have decided remove the initial 2.5 million limit on the public beta for the next two weeks (thru January 24th). During that time you will have access to the beta even if the download number exceeds the 2.5 million unit limit.”

Since this is a beta, Microsoft provides many cautionary messages before the download link, letting you know that there isn’t much in terms of formal tech support, and that the software could be glitchy so you shouldn’t install it on a PC you need to use every day. We’re guessing you already knew all of that, though, so head on over to Microsoft’s Windows 7 site to get your hands on the beta.

Tags: Microsoft, Windows 7, Operating System

Jennifer Johnson

Jennifer grew up around technology. From an early age, she was curious about all things related to computers. As a child, Jennifer remembers spending nights with her dad programming in BASIC and taking apart hard drives to see what was inside. In high school, she wrote her senior term paper on her experiences with building custom computers.

Jennifer graduated from the Jeffrey S. Raikes School of Computer Science and Management at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. After college, she began writing full-time for various PC and technology magazines. Later, she transitioned to the Web. In these roles, Jennifer has covered a variety of topics including laptops, desktops, smartphones, cameras, tablets, and various consumer electronics devices. When she's not playing with or writing about the latest gadget, Jennifer loves to spend time with her family, capture memories with her camera, and scrapbook.

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