Legal Windows 7 Pro x64 ISO for Backup Disks

Hey I looked around and did not see any similar threads (though I'm sure there must be some around here) But is there a way to get a legal windows 7 Pro x64 bit iso? I am doing a clean install on my brothers computer and the manufactuere will just send restore USBs that include all the bloatware.

Supposedly the Dell he purchased does not come with a Windows key... its built into the BIOS. Thats the first I have ever heard of that being done and seems a bit shady to me.

 

If the computer came with a Windows 8 license, there's no key. There will simply be a small Windows 8 sticker on the computer in a hidden spot (like on laptops it's on the bottom).

Windows 8 Pro has downgrade rights to Windows 7 Pro, and such computers have the old Windows 7 SLIC-style master key in BIOS. In the old days, this was accompanied by a sticker on the computer with an actual Windows 7 key. They don't do this anymore. If you don't want to use Dell's restore media, it will be tricky to get it activated, and will require a certificate file from a Dell.

 

are there any guides I could read through you might know of? I do have a dell work computer I might be able to get the certificate file off (if thats legal).

 

I'm sure it'e grey area, but I just want to reiterate here that this method will only work if you actually own the OEM computer in question, and it has the proper Win7 license table in BIOS. For mods or whoever else, this can't be done on any arbitrary computer. To do this stuff, the PC needs to be qualified for it.

https://techdoors.wordpress.com/2012/09/26/activating-windows-7-oem-way/

 

Corrections Windows 8 has the Product Key in the UEFI not Windows 7 that came on the COA sticker on the bottom of the laptop or inside the battery compartment.

 

That means the Dell was Windows 8 install and the Product Key is in the UEFI and this wasn't Dell that did this-this is part of the Microsoft agreement to have the Product Key in the UEFI. Your first hearing of this is really late this was part of the Windows 8 the Product Key was in the UEFI. There is no longer download Windows 7 ISO online anymore Microsoft removed all links and site. You have to now buy from your local Electronics retailer if they still have the Windows 7 retail and I wouldn't buy second hand Windows 7 as that was already registered and you will not be able to use it.

 

Actually if you have a valid key you could try;

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery

I had a friends laptop that was a 7 upgrade from Vista and use the key from the system to download and reinstall Win 7 HP 32bit.

 

Windows 7 (and Vista) have a master key/certificate setup on OEM machines. The computer does in fact have a "Windows thing" burned in it. The trick is, with these Windows every computer has the exact same thing - a master key(s) and part of a certificate. With these Windows gets activated in one of two ways:

(1) - User enters the key on the COA. This is a valid key, but not the master key. This is simply a representation that the user does in fact own Windows. It's a serial number.

(2) - User enters the master key and matches up the certificate. With the matching master key, and the matching part of the cert, Windows will activate. This is required now for downgrade rights, because there is no longer the actual key given in (1).

 

You can download the ISOs from anywhere. As long as the hash (listed on MSDN downloads) matches the file is good, and as long as you activate the install with a legal key it's legally/morally fine.

 

So where are you going to get Windows 7 or Vista they are no longer online to get from legit sites so your reply won't help Users find Windows 7 or Vista - so let's be realistic here.

 

The point is you don't have to get it from "legit" sites to guarantee a unaltered genuine ISO. There's always torrent.

 

Mr.Koala is right. All you need is HashCheck and a hash value from MS to check if your ISO is the real deal.

http://code.kliu.org/hashcheck/

https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/su...ensions=.iso&PageSize=10&PageIndex=0&FileId=0

 

I think only retail keys work.

If you have TechNet/MSDN subscription Windows 7 keys, oem keys or system builder keys they might not work on the linked Microsoft site

I can't post links to ISOs because of forum rules but simple searches can locate some that match MS hashes

 

Yeah, I entered the COA key from a HP laptop and got this message:

A key from MSDNAA didn't work either.