LEGAL Windows 7 Download Links (Just like Vista before!!!)

It will take one 4.7GB DVD - use a software like ImgBurn (or microsoft's usb tool: https://store.microsoft.com/Help/ISO-Tool ) to burn the iso to disk.

EDIT: Oops lol didn't see deeastman's reply

 

Hey guys,

First of all, thumbs up! Good stuff. My appreciation for this thread cannot be expressed in words. So, just accept my simple and sincere "thank you".

Second, a couple of quick questions:

1. If I use method 1, how much should the setup file be? I try downloading it ,but it says its 2gb whereas I noticed someone saying it has to be 2.66 gb...
2. If I use method 2, I am looking at x64 and I can see two download links for different iso (s). Could anyone explain me the difference?

Thanks.

Greg

 

Ok, sorry, I actually made an effort to be more attentive and found the solution to question 1

Still, q2 anyone?

Greg

 

Nice! helpful i guess

 

The downloads are actually two different versions (home premium and pro, they differ only in the contents of the ei.cfg file inside of them) but in the step where you use the ei.cfg remover they become identical (they each will install any version)

 

Thanks, v3loc1ty2.0

Greg

 

I have just ordered an Asus laptop with an OEM Windows 7 install (no disk). Does this mean that, if I do not use ABR, I can still do a clean install using a key found on the bottom of the laptop and calling MS to activate?

Is there a way of manually extracting/backing up the Windows activation (or, at least, product key) from the OEM install?

 

You can use the Windows 7 download here AND use the key from the bottom of your laptop, AND activate it over the internet. I do it all the time.

 

Any thoughts on my clean install/recovery partition post?

Oh, and do you or anyone else know about manually extracting/backing up the Windows activation from the OEM install?

 

you can try this: How to Backup and Restore Windows 7 and Server 2008 R2 Activation Status (Activate Offline On Reinstall) My Digital Life

but I would have to say that ABR is probably the best method

 

All you should have to do is:

Use the Windows 7 disk you download to re-install Windows on your laptop.

Then, go to the activation Windows and type in the key from the bottom of your laptop. That should be it.

 

Thanks, v3loc1ty2.0!

 

Thanks again!

 

So I used the ISO method and downloaded, removed ei.cfg, and burned it on a dvd. However, when i run the program on my laptop, I get this error. I am running a windows 7 x32. My laptop is MSI A6200-039US if that helps.

 

Are you trying to upgrade or what? From what version to what version?

If you are trying to do a clean install, then boot the disc, don't run the program in windows.

 

The english x64 links are broken.

 

All of them still work for me (3 file method and ISOs). Try downloading again.

 

This keeps happening when I try to download them: Source file could not be read - MozillaZine Knowledge Base. I can't seem to resolve the issue with the steps they provided.

I've tried multiple times but can't finish the download because of that message.

 

Try using DownThemAll to download it:
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/201/

 

Many thanks for the guide. It worked well on a G62-105SA (UK) which is now a rather sprightly device after the nice, fresh bloat blasting. I spent an evening checking the machine out in standard format and now I can't say I miss any of the specific HP utilities; Windows seems to control it just fine. However, it's reassuring at this stage to have all the options available in the SwSetup folder.

Just for info, I used the single ISO download with third party edit method. Very straightforward (even used the browser for download), and the ABRbeta thing worked like a charm.

One thing did lead to me wasting an hour and a half of my life:

I have a Win7 Ultimate full retail disk (from desktop project) and tried using it initially. Unfortunately it would only let me load Ultimate. I tried it twice and there were definitely no options. Not surpisingly it would not activate with the laptop's Home Premium key and I was left with a funereal black desktop and Microsoft messages telling me I was probably a thief (or somesuch ) . Perhaps it's a European market thing or there are different forms of retail disks.

But now all is well and I have a whizzing, fully functional laptop (bought on behalf of friends) plus a universal Win7 disk for the toolbox.

So, yay.

 

I am encountering a couple of strange problems in trying to download the applicable files.

For what it's worth, I am using a newly purchased HP Pavilion dv6tse, my ISP is Qwest, and I am using Firefox with Downthemall.

1. Whenever I click a link for the either of the Windows 7 x64 English mirrors under the ISO Method no download prompt pops up, and my WiFi goes down to Limited Connectivity with the internet becoming unusable on all of my WiFi enabled devices for a limited time. I can reproduce this problem at any time simply by clicking either of those ISO links. I am positive that the problem is caused by those links because if I don't click them the internet functions normally, but as soon as I do click one of them the WiFi goes down. The x86 ISO links on the other hand work just as expected, but that is of little help seeing as I want the x64 version.

2. Since the ISO Method is not working for me, I am trying the 3 File Method and, as stated above, I am using Downthemall as suggested. When I click the applicable x64 links, the download prompt comes up and everything seems to be working as expected. However, when downloading the setup1.box file, the download speed goes down to 0 bytes/s as soon as I reach 75% completion/2.00 GB and it will not continue downloading no matter how many times I pause and resume. This has happened twice, stalling out at the exact same place in the download both times.

Any suggestions would be most appreciated!

 

do you need to download both mirrors?

 

You can try downloading through something like Tor. It'll be slow, but it'll work most likely.

 

nope, just one

 

Hi,

I have searched this thread and have not found anyone else that has reported this problem, but sorry if it has already been answered.

I am reformating a laptop with Windows 7 Home Premium.

I used the 3 step method and burned the iso to a DVD as my bios version doesn't support booting from a usb (don't have time right now to bios flash). The problem is that after booting from the DVD, it does not give me the option to choose which Windows 7 version to install, rather it proceeds straight to the Microsoft Software License Terms for Windows 7 Professional.

To troubleshoot this, I checked to see if I had somehow missed deleting the ei.cfg file in C:\expandedSetup\sources, but it was no longer there. I then opened the freshly written boot DVD with the Windows 7 ISO in My Computer ( E:\sources) and the ei.cfg file is listed as on there. I thought I had perhaps placed the wrong folder into C:\ or had somehow given the wrong ISO when burning it onto the DVD; so I redid the entire process 3 times, but received the same result all 3 times.

For reference, this is the exact process I followed:
1. Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x64.exe (874 files so it was a complete unpacking)
2. Drag expandedSetup to C:\
3. Delete ei.cfg
4. Run oscdimg.exe in the command prompt
5. Burn ISO to DVD

Note: Before each redo, I deleted the previous Win7.iso file in C:\ and also the expandedSetup in both C:\ and the folder containing Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x64.exe.

My question then is, does anyone having a problem with ei.cfg somehow reappearing on the boot DVD and consequently not giving the option of which version to install when booting off of it?

 

I've never heard of this happening before, but you could try running the ei.cfg remover from the ISO method on the iso that is produced from the 3 File method

 

what is the point of this thread? for people that lost their os cd or something?

 

the most significant use is to perform clean installs of windows to remove manufacturer bloatware - these are real windows discs, not the recovery discs that come with computers

 

Or if you build a computer or want to upgrade your old vista laptop to 7.

 

I would like to run Win 7 in VirtualBox. The Lenovo Recovery DVD doesn't work for that. So i installed it with the iso from this thread.

The Lenovo OEM code on the bottom of my machine won't work i guess. Can I now phone MS to accept the OEM code, or what?

If so, will the code remain usable if i want to install the "normal" Win 7 from the Recovery Disk at a later point?

I don't want to use it parallel or on another machine - just want to make sure the code remains usable.

 

You are not allowed to do that if you are keeping the OEM on the laptop's main OS - the virtual machine technically counts as a separate installation and thus needs its own key

 

I'm not sure what you mean with that. I'm using Linux as main OS, so is it a problem for me too or do you only mean Virtual Win in OEM Win with your answer?

 

sorry i misread your earlier post - you are not allowed to use the Lenovo OEM key in the virtual machine since it counts as a different machine, and OEM keys are tied to the original hardware (the virtual machine is considered to be different "hardware")

 

Ok, thanks.

 

CAN SOMEONE HELP ME?
Currently i am using windows xp sp3 on x86 (32 bit) based system. I have just burned an iso image of windows 7-64 bit (from the link provided at the first page of this thread) using nero 8. Now, when i am inserting the finalized dvd in my dvd-rw drive (i am not booting through it), my system hangs. Although i have burned the disc correctly, i am unable to understand why it is freezing my computer? Is it because my system doesn't have the minimum requirements for running windows 7 64 bit version (but i am only trying to read the dvd and not install the windows?). Also, please tell me how to erase the dvd-rw disc which i have burned as the system hangs immediately after inserting it?

 

if your aim is to install windows 7, then just boot from the DVD from the bios

 

I am currently waiting on a CD key for Windows 7 Pro but I have the install disc. If I install it without the CD Key, can I still do Windows updates and everything for 30 days?

 

Yes you can. Go ahead and install Win7 Professional, update it, and install everything. When you recieve your key, activate it.

 

Thank you!

 

^OP update, minor fix/reword for clarity

 

Windows 7 on Asus
I tried doinng this for my ASUS laptop. downloaded the ISO, and removed .efic file. I just didnt backup my cert and key. But I have the Windows 7 Home Premium Key on my laptop.(Sticker) When I input it, it doesnt activate it. Any ideas what I can do?

Let me know.

Thanks a bunch

 

If you use the key on the bottom of the laptop, I am pretty sure that you NEED to use the phone activation system. That is why ABR is recommended since it backs up your existing activation and restores it. The key on the bottom of your laption IS NOT the same key as the key that is preloaded.

 

Well, I just got my new laptop after having to return the one which I first received due to a keyboard with some dead keys, and I am now back in the process of trying to download a clean version of Windows 7 as indicated in this thread. Unfortunately the same problem which I was experiencing earlier remains. Every download link which I have tried, including those for the x86 and x64 versions of the 3-File method and the x86 version of the ISO download start as expected with the download prompt popping up when I click the applicable links. The x64 ISO links on the other hand still stall out whenever I click them. No download prompt ever comes up and my internet connection is reduced to Limited Connectivity for a limited time instantaneously when I attempt to use those links.

At this point I am more curious about why this would happen than I am concerned. My plan for tomorrow is to try accessing those links when on LAN rather than WiFi to see if that resolves anything. If that doesn't work I may resort to using Tor as was suggested when I first posted about this issue.

Again, however, I am curious, why is this happening? Why do the all of the other links function normally but the x64 ISO links fail to begin downloading and cripple my connection?

I have also tried avoiding the links by attempting to download the applicable ISOs with DownThemAll from the list which is given when it is started on the first page of this thread. But when I have done that it too cripples my connection, and after a period of time the downloads always Time Out. The x86 ISOs and all versions of the 3-File method begin downloading just fine, so what is it about those x64 ISO files that are giving me such problems?

Any thoughts or opinions would be much appreciated!

 

I would suggest trying to use Google Chrome. It worked for me, no problem... Download the ISOs, btw.

 

Thanks, but using Chrome didn't resolve anything unfortunately. I have tried opening those x64 ISO links through IE, FireFox with and without DownThemAll and Chrome, and in every browser there is the same result. No download indicator prompt, the download never begins, and my modem becomes incapacitated for a limited period of time.

I have also tried using the LAN rather than the WiFi and this also resulted in the same effect.

What could the issue possibly be? As noted earlier, all of the other links that I have tried seem to start and function normally. It is just the x64 ISO links that complicate things.

My ISP is Qwest, my connection speed is 1.5 MB/s Down and 0.75 MB/s Up. Slow, I know, but this doesn't seem to explain why some links work but the x64 ISO links cripple my modem.

Any other ideas?

Aditionally, upon my most recent attempt at downloading the setup1.box file for the x64 English version, as was also the case in my very first post in this thread (as quoted above) the file download has again stalled at 75% or approximately 2 GB when using DownThemAll and will only ever Time Out regardless of attempted restarts. I am quite confused as to what is happening here as well.

I guess I'll try using Tor. Any other suggestions?

 

Tor is the best thing i can think of - it looks like your ISP is the one causing problems

 

I thought so as well, so I did some further digging yesterday and found this discussion on dslreports: Does Qwest Limit File Download Size to 2GB? - dslreports.com .

It turns out that I have the same exact modem and firmware version as the person who was experiencing this problem on dslreports and who seemed to narrow the problem down to the poor functionality of the 2Wire 2701HG-D rather than Qwest specifically, as they don't have any specific bandwidth or download limitations. The individual in the thread who was dealing with the same issue as I am apparently contacted Qwest through a specific channel and was able to get a new modem. Since I called tech support and the person who I spoke with had no idea what I was talking about I am currently in the process of attempting to contact them through e-mail. Hopefully I get equally helpful treatment as was received by this other person.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions.

 

But you said that the X86 ISO links work and they're greater than 2GB also. It still could be your ISP or Modem though but I have never heard about such a thing except in the link you provided.

You could go to a local Starbucks or McDonalds where the Internet is now free, or just about another coffee shop in the area to see if you can start a download of one of the 64bit ISO's . You would at least have peace of mind that your laptop and software is working as it should and it would definitely pinpoint your ISP or Modem as the problem.

 

Previous posts indicate that hashes don't work as confirmation with the ISO files due to the manner they are "created" at the Digital River server level.

In addition to anti-virus/trojan/rootkit tests, is there any way to check that any downloaded ISO files haven't been tempered with? Or is the 3-file method preferred for security purposes?

Thanks.

 

The 3-file method would be just as susceptible to malware as the ISO files. Digital River is a quality site and I wouldn't worry about the ISO files having been tampered with. I would suspect they have been downloaded thousands of times will no issues (I have download them several times myself to test others download problems, which were all unfounded).

The hashes would be the same on a particular ISO file just as it was downloaded (from download to download) but would change if the ei.cfg patch was implemented.