After the first public beta version of Windows 7 being announced at the CES last week, and made available on Friday, Microsoft had temporarily suspended downloads due to lack of sufficient "infrastructural support" to its Web site, to cater to the heavy traffic.

Microsoft has lifted the 2.5 million download limit of the software for a couple of weeks, although it has admitted that the release of Windows 7 public beta was far from being "ideal."

Even as the release of the beta has been postponed, following a Web site problem-filled day, users who could not get the activation key can nonetheless download the code and take a 30-day trial run.

In a company blog, Brandon LeBlanc wrote on Saturday that since the download experience was problematic, the company had taken the requisite steps to make the experience a more satisfactory one, by aiming for millions of testers of the beta version.

As regards the lifting of download limit, Brandon said: "We have decided remove the initial 2.5 million limit on the public beta for the next two weeks. During that time you will have access to the beta even if the download number exceeds the 2.5 million unit limit."

While Microsoft intends having the final version ready for the holiday shopping season this year, Windows chief Bill Veghte said is apprehensive of the company meeting the deadline. The officially promised time frame is before the third anniversary of the January 2007 mainstream launch of the Vista.