Students = Cheap windows 7

[r0cky]

I just re-installed after making a DVD from the method mentioned earlier using OSCDIMG.EXE.

It let me format my drive and install from scratch. The key was accepted and activated with no problem at the end of the installation.

What was on the drive that it let you format? Presumably Win7 installer found a valid installation for the upgrade?

 

[r0cky]

i d/loaded the student win7 pro onto c drive of pc running xp pro , and connected a new formated h /drive and loaded my retail win 7 and tried the student key , it came back as not valid , so i formated the new drive and went back to the c drive where the d/load was located but untouched and when i click on the exe file it nearly completes and the throws up an error stating that it could not create new files

and to check the folder properties and to make sure that i had security permission on the folder to write files and that it is not read only . so i don't know what to do from here ?

Are you trying the 64-bit Win7 Pro form within 32-bit XP Pro? If so, I don't think that works.

 

[Big red]

i instaled onto a new drive and the disc loaded ok but got to the key and did not like it , ie the student one

 

[jaybee]

I just re-installed after making a DVD from the method mentioned earlier using OSCDIMG.EXE.

It let me format my drive and install from scratch. The key was accepted and activated with no problem at the end of the installation.

Did you purchase from Digital River?

 

[xrs]

I wish MS had used a different word than upgrade as it's clearly causing a lot of confusion.

So I have XP 32bit OEM currently, if I buy a Windows 7 professional 64bit upgrade it will require a clean install but will work fine?

Just to let you know, that you can not install it on the 32 bit Operating system, if you have downloaded a 64 bit file. You have to create an .iso image, and install it as you boot up.

I have just done this and I can confirm that it works fine, and you can do a custom installation. I am just waiting for it to finish so that I can make a little guide for people, if it would be useful.

 

[Big red]

yes my system is 32 bit xp and im trying to load 64 bit win7

 

[Big red]

XRS that is my problem then if you can upload a guide that an idiot like me can follow then i would try it , would it be worth re/loading the student software again ?

 

[Laney88]

The Windows 7 Home Premium and Professional editions that you can purchase for £30, they are Upgrade licenses which means you need to have a Retail or an OEM license of either Windows XP or Windows Vista to qualify for this offer.

A Windows Retail license means that you can move Windows from one machine to another as long as you remove it from the first machine. An OEM license is slightly different in that once it is installed on a machine, it cannot be transferred from one system to another. Though, you can change any hardware component apart from the motherboard and you will still be correctly licensed.

Regarding what happens with a Windows 7 Upgrade license and the sorts of restrictions you're bound by. If you have a Retail license of Windows XP or Windows Vista and you then purchase a Windows 7 Upgrade license, it effectively becomes a Windows 7 Retail license. You will be able to change the motherboard of that particular system that you have Windows 7 installed on and still be correctly licensed.

Now, lets say for instance you have an OEM license of Windows XP or Windows Vista. If you purchase the Windows 7 Upgrade license, you then effectively have a Windows 7 OEM license which means you will not be able to change the motherboard of that particular system, just as if you hadn't installed Windows 7 in the first place and left Windows Vista in place.

Though, despite what I have just said above about what happens when you upgrade from an OEM license of either Windows XP or Windows Vista to Windows 7 using a Upgrade license, it only applies to that particular machine. An Upgrade license is transferable which means you're still perfectly entitled to remove the copy of Windows 7 from the existing machine and then install it on a new machine, providing the new machine has a legitimate copy of either Windows XP or Windows Vista.

Thanx a lot fire wizard, I finally have my answer

 

[smilingcrow]

My sister got a Vista upgrade with her laptop. It came as a disk, I formatted the drive, stuck the disk in, and it installed as if it was any old full retail version. I think all we need to do is use an upgrade dvd to boot from on a blank drive, and if this upgrade can be made from the exe file downloaded, all the better.

Your sister likely got an OEM version which would typically be BIOS locked so it’s not at all comparable to upgrading with a retail product.

 

[meths]

What was on the drive that it let you format? Presumably Win7 installer found a valid installation for the upgrade?

The drive contained my first Windows 7 installation which was a custom upgrade of my Vista x64 installation so that might make big difference even though I wiped it.

My point was more that it's possible to get a totally clean installation of the OS on a formatted drive but I think it's safe to assume that the method will allow an installation over a 32 bit OS as well.

 

[r0cky]

The drive contained my first Windows 7 installation which was a custom upgrade of my Vista x64 installation so that might make big difference even though I wiped it.

My point was more that it's possible to get a totally clean installation of the OS on a formatted drive but I think it's safe to assume that the method will allow an installation over a 32 bit OS as well.

That's good news. Sounds exactly what I want to do.

 

[xrs]

My copy of windows is installing at present, so I am writing this from memory. Once the operating system is installed I can just check it for accuracy! Hope this helps

1. Download Win 7 from Microsoft.
2. When the download is complete you will have 3 files. Mine were downloaded to the desktop; (box1, box 2, and expandedSetup)
3. Download and install imgburn. Link: http://www.imgburn.com/index.php?act=download
4. Open img burn and select ‘create image from files’
5. Select the ‘expandedSetup’ folder.
6. Select a destination point. I created a folder on my desktop called 'Win7'
7. Click on the Advanced tab, then on create boot disk. Select the boot disc file, which is the expandedSetup folder, then the boot folder. The file you need to select is named: etfsboot.com
8. Create the iso image.
9. Now using imgburn, burn the iso image to a DVD
Done.

 

[meths]

Just to let you know, that you can not install it on the 32 bit Operating system, if you have downloaded a 64 bit file. You have to create an .iso image, and install it as you boot up.

I have just done this and I can confirm that it works fine, and you can do a custom installation. I am just waiting for it to finish so that I can make a little guide for people, if it would be useful.

Here's a guide from another site that definietley works:

* * SOLUTION * *

There is a way to create an image file dispite recieving this error we seem to be all recieving.

1. You will need to use an additional Microsoft command-line tool, called Oscdimg.
Download here

Download the .zip file and extract it. Then cut and paste the Oscdimg.exe file into your C:\Windows\System32 directory


2. You now need to start up your command prompt, which can be done by Start->Run then enter 'cmd' into the prompt.


3. You should now have the command prompt open, now you need to use the Oscdimg tool to create the image, by entering the following:
Oscdimg.exe -u2 -bC:\<YOUR DIR> \expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -h C:\<YOUR DIR> \expandedSetup C:\<YOUR DIR> \Win7.iso

For example: Oscdimg.exe -u2 -bC:\Users\James\Downloads\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -h C:\ Users\James\Downloads \expandedSetup C:\ Users\James\Downloads \Win7.iso

It will now scan the source tree then begin creating the image. PLEASE note: you must replace '<YOUR DIR> ' appropriatly as to where you have downloaded the files.


4. You should now have an image file, called Win7.iso, in the same directory.


5. You can now burn this .iso file to a blank DVD using appropriate software. I personally use PowerISO (You dont need the paid version to burn the image)


6. Viola! You have your not so shiney Windows 7 disk. Restart your computer and install away!

 

[adbp1]

"(both 32-bit and 64-bit media are included in the Windows 7 package). If you want to install a version that doesn't match your current version, you can perform a custom installation of Windows 7. A custom installation doesn't keep any of your files, programs, or settings. For step-by-step instructions on how to perform a custom installation"

I just installed using custom and it gave me no choice of 32 or 64bit, i used to have vista 64bit but now i got win7 32bit. how can i change to 64bit or is it not worth it. i do have 4gb ram and can only see 3.25gb

i havent activated yet..should i or try for 64bit.

 

[r0cky]

adbp1 presuming you bought the Student version since you're in this thread?

 

[Fire Wizard]

Sorry, hopefully I'll be clearer this time.

It's probably me not understanding fully about what you're saying so I apologise. Thanks for getting back to me though.

My understanding of your post in #152 was that we are effectively buying a license. So what is actually on the disc of a retail copy, an upgrade copy or contained within a digital download (which the majority of people in this thread are trying to download) is the same.

Therefore it doesn't matter which license we own, everybody will be able to stick a Win7 disc in and install to a clean hard drive. They key that comes with our copy of Win 7 and we use to activate Windows is what effectively determines our license type.

Yes, you're really purchasing a particular license of a Windows product. Though, weather the media you receive and the digital download reflect the license type to stop people that have purchased a Windows 7 Upgrade license to then freely be able to install Windows 7 on a brand new system, I'm not entirely sure.

Like I said in my post here, Microsoft should be putting measures in place. How they are going about it though, I'm afraid I am not entirely sure. Though, this isn't to say that there wont be any workarounds which there seems to be since a few people are installing Windows 7 on a system which hasn't got either Windows XP or Windows Vista installed.

 

[NickM]

"(both 32-bit and 64-bit media are included in the Windows 7 package). If you want to install a version that doesn't match your current version, you can perform a custom installation of Windows 7. A custom installation doesn't keep any of your files, programs, or settings. For step-by-step instructions on how to perform a custom installation"

I just installed using custom and it gave me no choice of 32 or 64bit, i used to have vista 64bit but now i got win7 32bit. how can i change to 64bit or is it not worth it. i do have 4gb ram and can only see 3.25gb

i havent activated yet..should i or try for 64bit.

Assuming you downloaded the student version, you either got a 32 or x64 .exe setup file to download depending on what you ordered. Sounds like you ordered the 32bit version.

 

[StarSolitude]

Just to confirm: Win7 is about 3GB?

 

[NickM]

Just to confirm: Win7 is about 3GB?

My 3 files total 2.89 GB

 

[Skeeter]

Has ANYONE in this thread installed using the bought and paid for physical DVD for the extra £9?