Windows 7 Beta Download Delayed Due to Overwhelming Demand

Microsoft has delayed the public release of its Windows 7 beta download due to an overwhelming demand that its servers couldn't handle.

Windows 7 Beta Delay

The announcement was made late Friday afternoon in a posting at the official Windows 7 Blog. (click on image for full-sized view of Microsoft's message to downloaders.)

"Due to very heavy traffic we're seeing as a result of interest in the Windows 7 Beta, we are adding some additional infrastructure support to the Microsoft.com properties before we post the public beta," the message explains.

The post does not give a definitive time for when the Windows 7 beta will be made available again.

"We want to ensure customers have the best possible experience when downloading the beta, and I'll be posting here again soon once the beta goes live," it says.

Overwhelming Demand

Reports as early as Friday morning indicated that Microsoft's servers were being crushed by the demand for Windows 7, even before the files were initially posted. Microsoft had planned to allow only the first 2.5 million users to download the operating system. The company has indicated it would like to have the software fully tested and ready for its final release by the end of the year.

More on Windows 7 Beta

You can read more about PC World's first impressions of the Windows 7 public beta in this report from the floor of the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. We've also put together some considerations on whether the beta is worth trying, along with a slideshow tour of the new operating system and a video presentation detailing its features.