Windows 7 Ultimate Product Key Leak Before Release
Quick look at the Microsoft’s director of Genuine Windows blog (link here), he said that the Windows 7 Ultimate product key leak to OEM (original equipment manufacturer) partner from Microsoft before release the Windows 7 on 22th October 2009. If from the various site of Internet news are valid, then the OEM is Lenovo (I think not only Lenovo), as Microsoft send the Windows 7 Ultimate RTM (release to manufacturers) ISO file with special product key (mean what? master key?) to be used for the new computers and plan to ship out soon.
Even from the Alex Kochis blog mentioned that Microsoft will seek for those customers who are using the Windows 7 product leaked key are non-genuine copy of Windows 7. But, if the computer running with the special Windows 7 product key and still valid after verified by Microsoft online/offline production validation tool (Windows Activation Technologies), then I believe this user will not change it then. Later this Windows 7 Ultimate RTM copy (non-expired version) will leak to market as pirates copy for everyone. Microsoft better improve their process on this!
If this is the Microsoft mistake, then I have doubt on this, as this is a VERY important step or process for Microsoft team to check through first before release to OEM. May be this is ONE of the Microsoft business strategy to let people know that we still can use the Microsoft Operating System latest version ‘Windows 7’ without buy the valid original product key from Microsoft, and mean that Windows 7 still able to be cracked by other people (so called hacker) or can use the Windows 7 leaked copy from pirate DVD (if someone take it out from Lenovo or Microsoft).
Below is the Microsoft Windows 7 product price based on 1/Aug/2009, and you can get it from Microsoft Store.
| Product Type | Order Type | * Price |
| Windows 7 Ultimate (Full version) | Preorder Download | $319.99 |
| Preorder Download + Backup Disc | $319.99 + S14.95 | |
| Preorder Ship It | $319.99 | |
| Windows 7 Ultimate (Upgrade version) | Preorder Download | $219.99 |
| Preorder Download + Backup Disc | $219.99 + $14.95 | |
| Preorder Ship It | $219.99 | |
| Windows 7 Professional (Full version) | Preorder Download | $299.99 |
| Preorder Download + Backup Disc | $299.99 + $14.95 | |
| Preorder Ship It | $299.99 | |
| Windows 7 Professional (Upgrade version) | Preorder Download | $199.99 |
| Preorder Download + Backup Disc | $199.99 + $14.95 | |
| Preorder Ship It | $199.99 | |
| Windows 7 Home Premium (Full version) | Preorder Download | $199.99 |
| Preorder Download + Backup Disc | $199.99 + $14.95 | |
| Preorder Ship It | $199.99 | |
| Windows 7 Home Premium (Upgrade version) | Preorder Download | $119.99 |
| Preorder Download + Backup Disc | $119.99 + $14.95 | |
| Preorder Ship It | $119.99 |
System Requirements:-
CPU – At least 1GHz
RAM – At least 1GB
Hard disk – At least 20 GB
Video Card – Must support DirectX 9 and above
Note: You still can download the Windows 7 RC version from this link before 20/August/2009. Quick..
If you don’t have additional computers to test the Windows 7, then you can download the Sun VirtualBox free tool to create a virtual system on top of your existing OS. I am using the Sun VirtualBox, and performance is great and faster than my existing OS Windows XP.
* Actually, the news is from China first due to Windows 7 Ultimate OEM product key leak to Lenovo. If you can read Chinese, then you can read from this link on how they activate the Windows 7 Ultimate using the product key leak to Lenovo, and they said even can use for other computer BIOS, and not only Lenovo, HP and Dell computers. They are using this Windows 7 crack tool name ‘Windows 7 RTM OEM模拟激活工具’ to activate the Windows 7 Ultimate, as it able to modify and simulate it your system like OEM computer so that can use the leak OEM product key for Windows 7 Ultimate version only.
