If you’re running the release version of Windows 7 now, thank you, and you can move right along… nothing to see here.

Now, for those of you that downloaded the Windows 7 Release Candidate (RC) or perhaps got a copy of it at an event last year…

• Starting on March 1, 2010 your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Your work will not be saved during the shutdown.  Translation: that would be bad.
  
  
• The Windows 7 RC will fully expire on June 1, 2010. Your PC running Windows 7 RC will continue shutting down every two hours, and your files won’t be saved during shutdown.  Translation: that would continue to be bad.
  
  In addition, your wallpaper will change to a solid black background with a persistent message on your desktop.   Translation: you can’t say we didn’t warn you.
  
  You’ll also get periodic notifications that Windows isn’t genuine. That means your PC may no longer be able to obtain optional updates or downloads requiring genuine Windows validation.   Translation: sometimes nagging is the only way.

So to avoid all this frustration and continue to enjoy your obviously superb Windows 7 experience, please reinstall a prior version of Windows (what?! no, you don’t want to do that!) or move to a released version of Windows 7. 

You’ll need to do a custom (clean) install to replace the RC, and as with any clean installation, you’ll need to back up your data then reinstall your applications and restore the data. For more details about replacing the RC, see the Knowledge Base article KB 971767. For more information about other Windows 7 stuff, visit the Window 7 Forum.