Working Legal Vista Download Links (Nice Try, but you still need a key!)

It is pretty well known that you used to be able to download vista from microsoft's digital river download links (see this article)
It was even featured in orev's clean install guide, but then Microsoft caught on and changed the links...

So, i did a google site search of http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/ (microsoft's online distribution servers) for install.wim, and boot.wim and whaddya know... they still have them available for download...

LINKS ARE CURRENTLY NOT WORKING...COME BACK SOON FOR A FIX (hopefully)
Thanks to yasdaz (give rep!) for helping me maintain the links
STEP 1 (Download Links):
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
x32
install.wim
boot.wim
X13-49120.exe
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
x64
boot.wim
install.wim
X13-49120.exe Rename this to X13-49121.exe after you download it
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

STEP 2 (run the executables):
Now that you have the files, you will need to run the executables:
Run the executables, it will extract the files, then prompt you to begin installing windows. When this comes up just exit and you will be left with the extracted vista files in a folder. If you are making x32 discs move onto step three. If you are making x64 discs read the following:
X64 ONLY: Once you run the executable to create the x64 disc, download etfsboot from here and put it into the boot folder in the folder you created with the .exe
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________
STEP 3 (Create an .iso):
Once you have which ever files you want (x32 or x64) use this guide to make them into a burnable iso: http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/05/10/how-to-make-vista-bootable-dvd-with-wim-downloaded-files/
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have Fun With Your Vista Discs
If you want Windows Server 2008 Download Links, click here

 

It so much easier to get the clean iso from bittorent. And bittorent is legal. You have the same rights of downloading the clean iso from a tracker than downloading it anywhere else.

 

msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent.net/01/60316070-3318705–NOA/msvista/pub/X13-49120/X13-49120.exe

 

JCMS: No, you don't, and it's against the rules here to talk about that. Consider yourself warned. There's also the risk that someone decided to put a not-so-clean iso on a tracker.

Change 49120 to 49121 and i386 to X64 as necessary in the 3 links for 64-bit.

 

Unless Microsoft is running the torrent tracker, I'm pretty sure it's not legal. It seems silly since they were giving away the Anytime Upgrade discs.

 

I am afraid to tell you but using BitTorrent to download ISO is perfectly Legal & its been mentioned on Various Sites as a more Effecient method.

People often relate Torrents with Pirated Music & hence they think its Illegal as a Medium.

 

Having Bittorent is legal. What you download can be illegal, which about 90% of bittorent users do lol

You cant download the vista iso from a bittorent, thats definately illegal as they dont have a distributing licence.

 

Microsoft stopped selling Windows Anytime Upgrade DVD's online long back. You have to buy a license to get one now.

 

Already blocked, or locked, or just gone....

 

EDIT: NEVER MIND LINKS FIXED

 

Works for me:
boot.wim
install.wim
X13-49121.exe

It is, alas, Vista RTM and not Vista SP1, but the resulting .iso image looked ok. I haven't tried booting it yet.

 

i forgot to put the .exe on the end of the url
http://msft-dnl.digitalrivercontent...#8211;NOA/msvista/pub/X13-49120/X13-49120.exe

 

I downloaded my 64bit disc from digitalriver. It worked fine *thumbs up*

 

Thanks for posting this! I have 2 of the 3 now dl'ed and will wait until this evening to do the install.wim.

I was able to order a 64-bit Vista DVD off Windows Marketplace w/o a key (lucky, as it did not happen every time I tried) but now want a 32-bit copy for my other PC's.

 

So...just checking...Can I use these files, burn it into a DVD (using these instructions here: http://filenetworks.blogspot.com/20...vista-ultimate.html?showComment=1207694700000), then install Windows Vista Business Edition onto my Macbook Pro? I've got a legal key from my school, however I can't install it without a CD first. Or...can I simply just run the files from Mac OS X straight away?

 

Since you have a macbook, that brings up many other questions. Are you going to install it to dual boot with boot camp? Or are you going to install it in a Virtual machine ala Parallels? To dual boot, you will need to make a physical disc, but for a virtual machine you only need to make the ISO file (though making a disc will also work just as well with it).

 

Ok, all of the download links are finished (i managed to also find the .exe for x32, and brianstretch (YOU RULE!!! ) found the x64 links)
they are fixed on the original post!
By the way... can a mod please change the thread title to: Working Legal Vista Download Links!!!!! (Nice Try, but you still need a key!)
thanks
-v3loc1ty2.0

 

Great work guys!

 

I think there's more to be said about the 49120 and 49121 thing. For example, only the 49120 contains the etfsboot.com file which is needed to burn the bootable disc. I also think that the 49121 file contains a 64-bit WinPE environment to do the installation. I'm not sure if that makes a difference during the install, unless the installer needs to execute anything that's in the install.wim file during the install.

I think one should be executing the 49120 and 49121 files based on the target arch of the disc they are burning, not what they are currently running. It's known that if you run 49121 on a 32-bit system there will be an error at the end, but that error can be safely ignored.

I have verified that the md5 sums of these files (all but the 64-bit install.wim so far) match the md5s from the previous links.

 

hmm... when i tried to make my x64 disc on my x32 OS, 49121.exe wouldnt startup at all

EDIT: Now i remember! You have to use the 49120.exe file to compile both x32 and x64 regardless of what you have now, so you dont have to use 49121 at all

 

Ok! I've got it totally figured out this time!
if you are making x64 discs, download X13-49120.exe, and rename it to X13-49121.exe
Then, execute the executable,
then, put the etfsboot file from here: http://www.mydigitallife.info/wp-content/uploads/2008/01/etfsboot.com into the boot folder that you created when you execute the .exe
EDIT: I updated the OP

 

They make it real pain to download in seperate files. Also looks a little suspicious.

I dont understand..They could have just compiled it into an .iso for easier single file download. They already have a distributing licence and all.

 

Alright! Downloaded the files today, though it took me many many tries despite downloading at 1.5mb/s, as IE7 & FireFox kept cancelling my downloads halfway. I'd say I downloaded at least 10GB worth of data before it finally successfully downloaded.

Burned it into a DVD, installed it using Boot Camp on my Macbook Pro. Successfully booted into Windows Vista Business and I'm installing Boot Camp drivers now. Gonna install laptopvideo2go drivers right after this and run 3dmark06.

Thanks for sharing the download link.

 

suspicious???

the reason that its not an iso is that it is meant to upgrade windows from inside windows, but these files can be made into an iso for burning

 

So this is not with SP1?

 

Can you provide more info on how to do this?

 

This option does not seem to exist any longer - probably due to SP1.

You could try your key here: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/1033/ordermedia/default.mspx

 

Thanks but didn't work - "No Offer Found".

Why does Microsoft make it so difficult to get a Vista 64 bit with SP1 disk???

 

OK, I've followed the steps for 64-bit and have the files in a "Vista" folder. There was already an etfsboot.com file in the boot folder.

Does anyone know if it is possible to incorporate SP1 into these files before I try making the bootable disk? It seems like it isn't.

 

Hi.

I have just created a ISO for Vista 32, but it is over 5GB, and i will have to buy some DUAL-LAYER Disks, Is this Correct?

Thanks

John.

 

yeah but who actually uses it in their HD to upgrade vista. Everyone burns it into a dvd, its much more handy and saves HD space

You did it incorrectly, it should only be 2 - 3.5gb size

 

Hi.

install.wim , should not be intergrated into the ISO, Right?

thanks

John.

 

There are some hacks out there that let you do it, but right now Vista does not have an official way to slipstream the service pack into the disc. If you use one of the hacks, you may run into problems running Windows Update down the road.

You probably have install.wim on the disc twice. When you run the Xx-xxxx.exe file, it copies the install.wim file into the Vista folder. I have a feeling you may not have followed the instructions on how to create the ISO correctly. Take a look at them here: http://www.mydigitallife.info/2007/05/10/how-to-make-vista-bootable-dvd-with-wim-downloaded-files/
and give it another try.

 

Hi.

goodbye restore partion, goodbye bloatware.

I now have a crap free Vista 32, system

Thankyou.

John.

 

it is possible with vLite beta, but it is not always reliable

 

Hi, I downloaded the first two files without a problem and then on the third one it just came up with a page that said denied. The same thing happened to me when I tried to download the files from the original digital life webiste. Is there something I am doing wrong? Thanks, Yasmine

 

Hmm, 32bits should be about 2.8GB and 64bits about 3.6GB but it should still work using a DL DVD

 

Pardon my ignorance, but is this really legit? I don't mean legally, but is this genuine Vista that really works as if one actually purchased the retail package? I don't want something that's going to break down on me a few weeks or months from now, as I've heard with the bitorrent downloads.

Also, the links listed at the beginning are now dead, it seems. They're saying 'DENIED' now.

 

Ah, darn it! They seem to be down again!!! I did not get the install b/c it was so big, I was going to do it tonight!!!

I have an Ultimate 64-bit (original) I'll trade for a Business 32-bit!

 

yes its as good as the real thing when compiled properly

they might ahve been out of server bandwidth, the files are huge...

thank god i got a hold of WAU dvd before they stopped selling it

 

Thanks, Flip. Does anyone know if the links will be up again, or are they gone for good? Moderators, is it allowed if one of the members who actually downloaded the files load them up using some other file sharing host like ZShare or Rapidshare? I'm just asking, so please don't ban me or anything.

 

You are hilarious.

 

The mods are real adamant about illegal sharing and whatnot, so I'm just trying to watch it.

 

Only digital life has a distributing licence, meaning you can only get it from them.

I know it sucks specially when its all out there in the open already. If your resourceful enough, you can find ways around it.

 

I was refering to uploading the 2.5 Gb of files onto ZShare / RapidShare. Absolutely hilarious.

 

Hi all, and thank you helping people out posting this like this!

As usual the links stopped working at the worst imaginable time. I started the dl yesterday, and it started perfectly. I stopped the dl because I had to go home from work, and planned to get the files today from home...and now the links dont work Is there anyone who can help me out...maybe just posting the MD5 hash so I can try getting them from some other source (or perhaps one of the people in here would help me out).

Really need it for doing a OpenSolaris, Ubunto, Vista install ASAP - and getting rid of the bloated ****ware that is currently in my preinstalled Vista...

Plz, help me out!
Cheers,
M

 

MD5 checksums are here, if it helps

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=120228

 

I was able to order a 64-bit disc with SP1 from here for $10:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsvista/1033/ordermedia/default.mspx

The first try I used an OEM Ultimate key that gave me "No Offer Found". I then tried my Vista Business key and it worked! They are sending me a "Vista Business" 64-but disc... BUT, supposedly all editions are on the disc from what I've read.

What I plan on doing when I get my XPS notebook is:

1. Using the 64-bit disc ordered above for $10 to install Vista Home Premium 64-bit.
2. Using my Home Premium key that comes with the notebook to activate it (I read a call to Microsoft may be required but it works).

So if you want an install disc with SP1, you may want to try the above link and all the keys you have for Vista until it accepts one.

 

If you take a look at my clean install guide (in my sig), you can see a walkthrough of the whole install process, as well as information on how to backup and restore the activation so you don't have to call to activate.

 

Neither one of my keys worked - the one on the bottom and the laptop or the one extracted via ABR.