Downgrade from Win7 Ultimate (pirated) to Pro (on COA)

Since I'm not sure how I'd find it in a search, I hope this question hasn't already been rehashed too many times.

I bought a notebook off ebay, and the seller installed an illegal copy of Win 7 Ultimate. The PC has a Win 7 Pro COA on it. I'm just as happy with Pro, and I have a Win 7 Pro 64 DVD from building a desktop. I'm reluctant to click on the MS link telling me I have an illegal copy because they'll either trash my system or try to force me to upgrade to Ultimate.

Is there some way to downgrade to a legal version of Windows 7 Pro without wiping the whole bloody system? I really don't want to lose all the software I already installed.

 

You can try to 'update' option from your Pro x64 disc.
I don't know if it would work though.

The safest bet would be to use a clean install.
It might take several hours for you to re-install all of your software, but it would take care of any legal issues that might arise.

 

Someone might well lock this thread......

And the OP should just bite the bullet on a clean, legal reinstall. If you have legal installers and license keys for all of your other software getting right with the world shouldn't be a problem.

 

This was posted here on one of the NBR forums some time ago. I saved the info but am not going to do a search for the original, you can do so if you want. I have never tried it but apparently someone says it will do what you want.

Change Windows 7 Versions Via IN PLACE Update
________________________________________
okay so you have either the beta or rc installed. or maybe you got ultimate off a torrent etc and you decided to buy premium instead and you dont want to format. YES you can do a in place DOWNGRADE or go from rc release to retail. it very easy to do.

lets in this example say you have ultimate installed and want professional.

what you do is simple. Create a registry file by opening notepad and saving it as a .reg file i call mine upgrade.reg this will contain (everything below except the < and >)the following:
<
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion]
"CurrentBuild"="7100"
"EditionID"="Professional"
"CurrentBuildNumber"="7100"
>

run this. reboot and now insert the Professional disk if you are using professional and run setup from WITHIN windows. Do an upgrade. done.

works the same for any version just modify the reg file to include the version you want. so instead of professional you would enter home premium where i listed professional. and if you are using the ultimate rc and want to go to the retail one simply put Ultimate in the reg file instead of professional, otherwise keep exactly as i have it. etc..i have done this MANY TIMES and can assure you it works.

 

I don't see why you wouldn't want to do a clean install from a pirated version.. Anyway, what deeastman said, would in theory, work.

 

If I bought a used computer that has an OS preinstalled (regardless if legit or not), I would always reinstall from scratch. You never know if there is something running in the background you don't absolutely want.

Michael

 

Thanks for all the helpful responses. After getting over my irritation at the seller--who lied about it being new--I agree that the best option is to wipe the HD and do a clean installation. I expect years of service out of it and shouldn't be such a baby about investing the time needed to get the set-up just right.

Thanks again for the useful tips and thoughtful advice!

 

http://forum.notebookreview.com/win...-7-download-links-just-like-vista-before.html

 

If you were thinking you were getting a new laptop, then I'm sure it has warranty and you could just get the original recovery DVD's incase the backup partition was wiped from the drive. New computers come with Windows 7, so I do not see why the original owner felt the need to put a pirate install of windows 7 on a new computer.

 

The seller wipes hard drive, along goes the recovery partition that he notices afterwards. Then he remembers that there's no recovery discs made either. Duh.

So he downloads random Win7 install disc and installs it right away. He might not know about the ei.cfg and the disc automatically installs Ultimate. Because the COA key does not work with Ultimate and seller is in a hurry, he just decides to apply some crack to keep computer working and sends it away...

 

Even if that works, I would do a clean, legal install

 

You want to install a fresh version, clean format, no exceptions. Who knows what malware is built into whatever crack was installed on that copy of W7.

File a claim against the seller on eBay/PayPal and document this with screenshots. They do not take lightly the fact that illegal goods are sold via their site and they will take action by forcing the seller to reimburse you for a copy of W7 Ultimate (that is, after all, what the seller sold you).

 

Greg is spot on. Clean install is the only way to go.

Inspect the laptop thoroughly, you dont know what else the seller lied about

Threaten the seller about reporting it to MS if needed be

 

Did seller sell W7 pro license, but installed ultimate instead?
Or was the Ultimate Edition actually advertized and sold?

Because... before you hang the man you should first verify he was knowing what he was doing. For some users there is only Windows 7, they don't know that it even has multiple versions. Still today some people can't tell what version they are using.

If the seller was knowingly doing wrong, then he has no excuses and deserves everything that can be thought of.

 

You don't necessarily have to wipe the whole computer. You can perform a clean install that will place a new OS on your harddrive but keep all the old data. Your old programs will not work in this state though. At the very least, you'll have your old files that you can copy over to the new OS installation.