Tag win7

If you saw my previous post on this subject, the Win7 Beta exam is now available to be scheduled!

71-680: TS: Windows 7, Configuring counts as credit towards the following certification(s). MCTS: Windows 7, Configuration

Registration begins: April 27, 2009

Beta exam period runs: May 5, 2009– May 18, 2009

Please use the following promotional code when registering for the exam: WIN7J

Due to the fact that I’ll be on the Bus from the 1st-11th, and at TechEd from the 11th-15th – I’m stuck taking it on the 18th! :)

So, take this opportunity to sign up for this beta exam, schedule and go take it! Focus more on the ‘schedule and take’ and less on the “where are my formal studying guides” :)

Our good friends over at Engineering Windows 7 have released this little gem!

Here’s what you can do to bypass the check for pre-release upgrade IF YOU REALLY REALLY NEED TO:

1. Download the ISO as you did previously and burn the ISO to a DVD.
2. Copy the whole image to a storage location you wish to run the upgrade from (a bootable flash drive or a directory on any partition on the machine running the pre-release build).
3. Browse to the sources directory.
4. Open the file cversion.ini in a text editor like Notepad.
5. Modify the MinClient build number to a value lower than the down-level build. For example, change 7100 to 7000 (pictured below).
6. Save the file in place with the same name.
7. Run setup like you would normally from this modified copy of the image and the version check will be bypassed.

These same steps will be required as we transition from the RC milestone to the RTM milestone.

Wait, what the hell is going on here?!

Are you seriously telling me that by going and modifying a file, I can upgrade from the Beta version, RC and eventually to the RTM release of Windows 7?    Wowza! Now all I need to do is boot from VHD, and I have myself an upgrade path which is viable for real hardened testing :)