Microsoft has announced that it will remove the Windows 7 Release Candidate from its download servers on August 15. After that date, users will no longer be able to download the OS trial version, but users who have already downloaded it will still be able to install it and get a key to make the system operational.

The release candidate will only remain operational until June 1, 2010. On March 1, 2010, three months prior to its expiration, Microsoft will attempt to speed up Windows adoption when the Release Candidate begins to shut itself down every two hours, a behavior Microsoft also built into the Windows 7 beta. According to some trade publications, Microsoft will release the actual Windows 7 product to manufacturers starting July 13.

The fact that the release candidate requires a clean installation isn’t all-bad. Clean installations come with the side benefit of improving computer performance, at least for awhile. You may also run the risk of losing working drivers and creating conflicts where none existed before, but the release candidate is still part of Microsoft’s test environment. While they believe they have the major performance degraders corrected, there may still be a few lurking time bombs that will reveal themselves only through thorough testing and use.

Windows 7 will be generally available on October 22, according to Microsoft. Even if you don’t plan to upgrade until that time (or you plan to wait for awhile) now may be a good time to assess your computer to see if it can run the new operating system. If not, you may want to consider whether you’ll upgrade the computer or continue to use your older operating system.

If your computer is more than five years old, purchasing a new computer is likely to be the most cost-effective way to upgrade your system. You’re likely to be able to re-use your monitor, keyboard and mouse. If your monitor is old, you may want to consider the purchase of a new LCD monitor. They take up much less room on the desk and use less electricity. The displays are fast, bright and much lighter than the old CRT monitors.

If your computer is two or three years old, your processor is likely up to the task, but your installed memory and available disk space may not be. Consider a hardware upgrade that includes additional RAM. You may also want to add disk space. An external drive will get you a lot of storage space, but external drives are much slower. You’ll notice a performance hit when you attach one.

If your computer already runs Vista, you’re likely to be ready for the new operating system when it comes out. You may want to test your hardware drivers with the Release Candidate to make sure your hardware will perform as expected.

Photo Credit: DocGroove, via Flickr

Tags: faster computer, speed up Windows, windows 7 release candidate