Apparently, Microsoft will commence testing on the Windows 7 Beta updating mechanism this week, offering test updates instead of anything valid.

Microsoft's Brandon LeBlanc said on Thursday that the company will release up to five test updates to PCs running the Windows 7 Beta (Build 7000) via the Windows Update mechanism. The updates allow Microsoft to test and verify its ability to deliver and manage the updating of Windows 7. "We typically verify servicing scenarios during a beta," he said.

Starting February 24, Windows Beta 7 users will be notified of the test updates, but they will not automatically install even if users configure the system to auto-update. LeBlanc said that beta users will need to manually install the test updates through Windows Update instead. He also stressed that the test updates would not deliver any new features or bug fixes, but rather replace system files with the same version of the file currently on the system.

"They will also be clearly titled as a test update," said the MU Team on the Microsoft Update Product Team Blog. "If you don’t want to install the updates then you can right click on each update and select “Hide update” to prevent it from being shown in the list of available updates."

Recently Tech ARP reported that Microsoft plans to launch the release candidate of Windows 7 in April, followed by the retail (RTM) version sometime before the 2009 holiday season. The launch will come in eight language waves, first with the English, Spanish, Japanese, German and French versions, with the final wave - consisting of Estonian, Croatian, Sebrian Latin, Latvian and Slovenian versions - scheduled to hit shelves 101 days after the operating system goes gold (aka RTM).