Microsoft confirms Windows 7 will run 120 days for free

Organizations testing out Windows 7 in anticipation of its general availability come October 22 will be glad to know that the default 30-day time limit can be overridden.

This is similar to Windows Vista, and was revealed when the Windows Secrets newsletter first wrote about it, listing the relatively simple steps required here. Used correctly, any version of Windows 7 will yield 120 days of free usage.

Microsoft has since confirmed that the use of the "slmgr -rearm" command mentioned by Windows Secrets works. What's more, it has also confirmed that extending the grace period this way is legit and does not violate any Windows 7 licensing conditions.

Of course, going the -rearm route only makes sense with the RTM version, since the RC build of Windows 7, which is still available, will not expire until midway through next year. Personally, I intend to switch to the commercial release of Windows 7 at the earliest opportunity, what about you?

For more on this story:
- check out this article at Computerworld

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