joiner said:
When Windows Vista Beta stops running after 1st October 2007,if i buy the
final version, will i have to format my hard drive,and loose all my
programs
and files or will it install and leave my programs and files on
1. Click on the Start Orb and type "winver" to see exactly when Vista
Beta/RC1/RTM will expire. I believe it is 1 June 2007, not 1 October 2007.
2. As soon as Vista becomes a retail product, Microsoft will not support
any pre-retail released versions. This includes fixes and security updates.
3. As it clearly states on the website you agreed to when you registered
for the CPP:
"You may not be able to upgrade your installation of Windows Vista RC1 to
the final, commercially available edition of Windows Vista. To upgrade, you
will need to acquire the final edition of Windows Vista and you may have to
do a clean installation."
-and in bold red letters-
"This is beta code and should not be used in a production environment or on
a primary computer in the home. RC1 is intended for developers, IT
professionals, and technology experts to continue or begin their testing of
Windows Vista. Before you decide to use RC1, you should feel comfortable
with installing operating systems, updating drivers, and general PC
troubleshooting. Some risks of using beta operating systems include hardware
and software incompatibility and system instability. If you have concerns
about installing this beta software on your computer, we encourage you to
obtain the final release version of Windows Vista when it is available in
2007."
So, yes, you probably will have to reformat and reinstall something on 1
June 2007.
