Fresh install of Windows 7 without laptop junk

I have an Asus laptop and it came with a dvd for windows 7 and another for drivers/apps etc. I have tried to install Windows 7 without the drivers disc but get BSOD on reboot. Reason I want to do this is 1) older drivers on dvd and 2) one of the drivers causes my hard drive light to flicker on every second - very annoying.

I am aware that Microsoft uses Imagex to create an image file and there is plenty of documentation on how to create it but I want to reverse this process. Basically take 2 *.swm files, combine it into 1 WIM file, make changes to image so that it does not request the drivers dvd and burnt it.

I'll then install Windows 7 clean and activate using my key that came with my laptop.

*nothing sinister here, just trying to install WIn7 clean....

Thx in advance

 

Did you attempt to find out why your drive lights were 'blinking'.

Activity like that can be caused by lots of things, many of them essential to the proper operation of a machine. Blindly deciding that blinking lights are annoying without determining the cause is kind of silly. Especially so now that you've discovered that there is 'something essential' on that driver disk that your machine requires.

 

Asus has a couple of services and drivers loaded but nothing critical to functioning of laptop. I was able to kill the install of the services at one of the reboots and was able to install what I wanted. A crude approach but still wondering if anybody knows of what steps are needed?

 

Use the "Legal Windows 7 Download" links, create a DVD, and install from that using the same version as your original install, and use the Asus license key on your laptop to activate it. That will give you a clean install without having to mess with the Asus discs.

 

I was about to suggest what KimoT wrote.

It's by far a much simpler method of accomplishing your goal.

 

Hello.

I'm going to create a DVD as well to reinsall Windows7 on a new MSI gx640.

I just want to confirm that the license on the bottom of my laptop will indeed work with the install disk. I remember from various XP installs that I've done that there were different install disk version needed for various different licenses. Home version, OEM version.

Thanks

 

As long as the Windows 7 you make a dvd of is the same edition as the one that came in your computer (Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate, etc...) then it will be fine.
The key can usually be used only on the same edition of the OS, but is transferable between versions (x86 or x64).

 

KimoT, I had read thru that but had reverse engineering in mind, a lot of work...way too much Thx for the link, I'll try it out.

 

That did the trick for me, but I had to follow HP Laptop out of box thread because I have an OEM license with my laptop.

Not sure what the correct sequence is but I think I did this:

1. install dvd and bloatware with recovery dvd that came with laptop
2. Backed up my key and cert
3. Obtained my product key (not the same key as whats on label under laptop)
4. Downloaded the Win7 iso file andremoed the ei.cfg file, burnt to disc
5. Installed Win7, did not check auto activate and did not enter key
6. Restored the key and cert
7. Clicked on Activate link and entered my product key, then activated automatically.

I rebooted once before entering the key thinking that just restoring my cert was enough but I still had to enter my product key.

You can search online for tools to extract your product key. I still don't understand why the product key I retrieved was different to the keys on the label under my laptop - maybe its just an oem key ??

Anyway thought i would share this info.

thx for the info you guys shared.

 

Right, because you can't use the OEM key with the Win 7 ISO.

 

You cannot use an OEM key with the Win 7 ISO?
Uhm ... forgive me, but that's not what I experienced.
I originally got my laptop with Vista SP1 x86 and lots of bloatware.
I wiped that install and put in a clean Vista SP1 x64 of the same edition and used the key on the stick that came on the back of my laptop to activate it.

I had no problems whatsoever.

 

Now I'm really confused. Need some clarification. I've installed XP plenty of times and but is my first experience with Win7 and I skipped Vista altogether. I have run into issues before with XP OEM disks vs Home Edition disks and their respective licenses...as far as I know for XP they aren't interchangeable.

1) Pretty much every laptop will have an OEM key stuck to the bottom of it, right?

2) The available download versions in the 'Legal Windows7' thread are 'retail' versions? Or are they some kind of 'generic' version?

3) Is installing Windows7 pretty much like installing WinXP? Set computer to boot from optical drive, pop in disk, follow prompts, set up partitions if desired, format drive, install Win7, plug in product key on bottom of laptop, done.

4) As long as I leave the recovery partition alone I can fall back onto that should the license key not work with the disk I burned, right?

This whole business of not having a proper OS disk come with your system is really annoying.

Thank you.

 

The subject isn't about Vista. I've been informed by several people following my guide that when they used the Win 7 ISO, the OEM key on the bottom of their laptop did not directly work. They had to call Microsoft's automated activation phone number. Besides entering the OEM key, they answered a couple questions, and a new key was provided.