Last update: Microsoft has removed the 2.5 download million limit and has for now made the Windows 7 Beta an open public test version. The information for downloading remains the same, but for getting keys you now must go through the normal process, which shouldn’t be much of an issue anyway.

As reported earlier on our frontpage news, Microsoft released the Windows 7 Beta publicly on Friday. Unless you jumped into the leaked torrent bandwagon a week ago, this would be your first chance to get your hands on the beta and as it’s become evident, demand for the installation ISOs has been overwhelming enough that Microsoft has taken down the download sites temporarily.

But anyway, you can always either download via torrents (illegal? not sure it counts for a public release) or use Microsoft’s own servers via the direct download links we posted here.

And while the beta will let you run the OS without activation for 30 days, you will eventually need a CD-key to run until August when the beta is supposed to expire.

Windows 7 beta cd key

Some clever folks have found a way to get you a key despite of the official site being down…

(1) Login to http://technet.microsoft.com (I guess using your passport in Hotmail works just as well)

(2) The copy and paste one of the following links in your address bar:
(32-bit key) https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/scripts/gcs.aspx?Product=tn-win7-32-ww&LCID=1033
(64-bit key) https://www.microsoft.com/betaexperience/scripts/gcs.aspx?Product=tn-win7-64-ww&LCID=1033

If you receive a page not found error just press F5 (refresh) until you are redirected and taken to a page where your key will be displayed (similar to the screenshot above). Now, it won’t work easily with commentators from around the web saying it took them anything from 5 minutes to an hour to get it. It’s up to you to decide if the effort is worth it :)

Update: Per points out that you can refresh automatically using this Firefox add-on.

Update #2: The links posted above are working right away today. The fact is Microsoft has posted back the Windows 7 Beta on their site. Microsoft announced it would limit the public beta to 2.5 million users, so download it as it lasts.