Windows 7 help

Hi, does anyone know where any legal windows 7 professional sp1 64bit iso's are that could be downloaded?
Again not a pirated copy, a legit one i could enter my win 7 pro Windows key into.
I need to reinstall Windows.

Edit. Nevermind https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/wi...

Edited by deleted (Wed 03-Feb-16 12:47:54)

Ok turns out i do need help. It won't accept my windows key i expect because its from a Lenovo desktop, oem key? What are people like me who don't have Windows discs but a legal copy of windows installed on there computers do in situations like this? Only reason i need to reinstall is because of a harddrive failing. giving me smart warnings etc and windows needs to be installed on a new ssd.

Try asking Lenovo for a disc. They might ship a copy of the Windows DVD to you for a small fee (obviously without a licence key).

Thanks for your help. I phoned the computer shop i got it from cause it was a 2nd hand lenevo and there happy to give me a windows 7 pro iso as long as i take a picture of my computer and its windows license key on its case.

Thanks for your help again. Thought i would end this post with a update.
I did manage to get a safe Windows ISO from the computer shop and installed it on the new SSD.

I am amazed how fast it has made a 2nd gen i3 3.30ghz with 8gb of 1066mhz ddr3 ram. I mean it's not a fast PC and i have a 4th gen I5 with a Intel ssd and for some tasks i3 keeps up like booting windows its only 3-4 seconds slower.

So This whole harddrive failure for me has turned out good.

A little academic now but may be useful for others......

Win7 ISO's used to be legally downloadable from Digital River but M$ seem to have put a stop to that. However, the ISO's are still available from DR's German outlet but I think they're only downloadable as torrents.
Only one version each of x86 and x64 need to be downloaded and the "eiconfig" file removed. A menu will then be presented asking which version you want to install. It's also possible to merge the 32 and 64 bit versions to a single DVD so a single disk can be used to install any version.

yeah seems counter productive from MS, on windows 8 and newer they want people to use the media creation tool.

But that tool e.g. on windows 8.1 only provides the update 1 image, not the update 3 image.

That windows 7 download link protected by a cd key request is silly.

Not to you in particular but I can upload a Win7 SP1 "all in one" x86/x64 ISO for any regulars that fall foul of M$'s impracticalities.

Post deleted by BatBoy

That might save me from upping a few gig! Have you tried grabbing a Win7 ISO? I don't use FF or Chrome so can't try.
Does the SHA hash match?

If this info is good it's only necessary to download one 64 and one 32 bit copy of say Ultimate, merge them and remove the eiconfig file. That way when installing you'll get a menu up asking which version you want to install.

Edited by Deadbeat (Sun 21-Feb-16 22:51:39)

No I haven't tried it. I just saw it

I just tried it from a VM and got nowhere but that might be me doing something wrong. The MD5-SHA hashes are important in verifying that the content of the ISO hasn't been interfered with in any way so until someone can grab an ISO using this method, it would have to be flagged as unsafe. The recent Linux Mint hack should reinforce that view.

I know that my "fully incorporated" ISO also cannot be verified but I did say it was for regulars only and hopefully, I do hold some trust among long time board members. However, I should have qualified my original offer with this warning and also offered the original untouched and verifiable ISO's.
Out of interest, if anyone needs to check Win7 SP1 ISO's, the following hashes are correct:

Windows 7 Home Premium 32Bit
SHA1 Hash value: 6071B4553FCF0EA53D589A846B5AE76743DD68FC
Windows 7 Home Premium 64Bit
SHA1 Hash value: 6C9058389C1E2E5122B7C933275F963EDF1C07B9

Windows 7 Professional 32Bit
SHA1 Hash value: D89937DF3A9BC2EC1A1486195FD308CD3DADE928
Windows 7 Professional 64Bit
SHA1 Hash value: 0BCFC54019EA175B1EE51F6D2B207A3D14DD2B58

Windows 7 Ultimate 32Bit
SHA1 Hash value: 65FCE0F445D9BF7E78E43F17E441E08C63722657
Windows 7 Ultimate 64Bit
SHA1 Hash value: 36AE90DEFBAD9D9539E649B193AE573B77A71C83

How to compute the MD5 or SHA-1 cryptographic hash values for a file.

Is your offer legal? Do you have permission from Microsoft to distribute their copyright material?

These ISO's were all all publicly available with no disclaimers regarding redistribution so I would think so. Even if it's proved not to be, forcing customers who have already paid for the OS to buy it again is in my eyes a far bigger "crime" and a post here aimed at a few regulars is hardly a major distribution network. The ISO's are pretty useless unless the recipient has their own key anyway.
What's your interest in this anyway?

In reply to a post by BatBoy:

http://betanews.com/2016/02/21/download-windows-10/

Well done, I just used that to get backups of Windows 7 and 8.1. cheers.

Ah cool, cheers

My interest in this is to help keep this forum clear of possible software piracy. Arguing about "bigger crimes" is hardly a defence. Redistributing software with out the copyright holder's permission is a breach of copyright; you could always ask Microsoft if it is OK to redistribute in this way.

If anyone needs a Windows 7 ISO they would be well advised to download it from Microsoft rather than from an unknown third party.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/wi...

Did you read the OP?

I did - before it was edited to add a link to the official downloads.

So, no need for dodgy workarounds or potential piracy.

Try inputting an OEM code.

As the title says.

As you can see from the thread, that link which you reposted, doesn't help.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

I did - before it was edited to add a link to the official downloads.

So, no need for dodgy workarounds or potential piracy.

Are you trying to say that I am offering "dodgy" software or attempting to use this forum to distribute pirated material?

Your link is only of any use to the tiny minority who have previously purchased retail versions. It is of no use whatsoever to the vast majority of users.

Edited by Deadbeat (Mon 22-Feb-16 09:13:48)

Do the SHA hashes match? It would be good for users to avoid having to pay for software which they have already bought without the interference of holier than thou crusaders who obviously have no idea of the difficulties presented to the vast majority of OEM users where something like a drive failure occurs.

As an OEM code can't be reused, that hardly matters does it?

You have no idea do you. An OEM key can be re-used as long as it's used on the machine that carries that key. That is why M$ offered the DR direct download service in the first place.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

Are you trying to say that I am offering "dodgy" software or attempting to use this forum to distribute pirated material?

Yes. I am saying that redistributing copyright material without the copyright owner's permission is what is commonly referred to as "software piracy". There are web sites that trade in such material, but I'm not convinced that this should be one.

If you have a licence key for a version of Windows that can be reinstalled then you can download the software from Microsoft.

I have already offered you a solution to your problem. Contact Microsoft and ask them for permission to redistribute this copyright material; it won't cost you a penny (if they are happy for you to do so).

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

That is why M$ offered the DR direct download service in the first place.

So why do you suppose they don't offer it now? Do they have the right to control redistribution of their copyright material or not? It's a pretty simple question.

"M$" - that's really clever; however did you think of that?

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

Yes. I am saying that redistributing copyright material without the copyright owner's permission is what is commonly referred to as "software piracy". There are web sites that trade in such material, but I'm not convinced that this should be one.

Then I suggest that you report the offending post along with Batboy's link to the site owners.

Edited by Deadbeat (Mon 22-Feb-16 09:42:07)

No need. I'm guessing that you decided I was correct as you have withdrawn the offer.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

No need. I'm guessing that you decided I was correct as you have withdrawn the offer.

Your guess is completely wrong but this proves that your "concerns" are nothing but a trolling exercise.

Proprietary and Illegal Content

You may not post proprietary content or links to sites which distribute or promote the distribution of illegal material or otherwise encourage breaking the law.

So why pick and choose your crusading grounds?

I never pick and choose crusading grounds. I'm not aware of other links to copyright material on these forums, but I don't read all posts.

You really need to take this up with the site owners, who make the rules.

Plenty of places to get Iso's of windows and if it is a OEM then it is not illegal as long as it is the same OEM as your computer have and you have the number.

I downloaded a OEM from Torrent, which is a bit risky, but it was not cracked, just a OEM and if the number did not match on the computer it would not have worked. I tried it on another computer and it came up with not genuine windows logo yet it worked fine on the machine I got it for.

I would have preferred to get the ISO's from a safer place, but only until Batboy posted his link did I know where to get them from.
i doubt MS cares where people get a OEM or a reatil version from as long as said person have a legal licence.

You are just being a pain in the backside as normal

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

Do the SHA hashes match? It would be good for users to avoid having to pay for software which they have already bought without the interference of holier than thou crusaders who obviously have no idea of the difficulties presented to the vast majority of OEM users where something like a drive failure occurs.

i did nto notice if it had any, I have not looked at the download yet, in fact I am nto sure if they did doiwnload as I came back to the computer this morning and it said my computer had been restarted as it had a problem,

It have not done that for ages, maybe it is MS getting fed up of me keeping Windows 10 at bay and trying to teach me that Windows 8.1 is unreliable

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

You really need to take this up with the site owners, who make the rules.

I already have done.

Then I expect to see you reinstate your offer.

I'm sure the site owners will agree with you and that Deadbeat will reinstate his offer to upload copies of Windows ISOs.

Do you want me to repost the link to the betanews web site?

That's up to you.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

That's up to you.

Oh I thought you thought you were in charge?

No. The site owners are in charge.

But, just like everyone else here, I can have my say.

In reply to a post by TinyMongomery:

I can have my say whinge.

FTFY

As the title says.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

i did nto notice if it had any, I have not looked at the download yet......

If you did manage to grab them, use the tool I mentioned here and compare the result to those listed in the same post.
If the outcomes don't match, don't use those ISO's as they have been tampered with. If they do match, then it may save me a little effort.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

i did nto notice if it had any, I have not looked at the download yet......

If you did manage to grab them, use the tool I mentioned here and compare the result to those listed in the same post.
If the outcomes don't match, don't use those ISO's as they have been tampered with. If they do match, then it may save me a little effort.

I had a looked at the Windows 7 pro 64bit version and it matched with what you posted.

That's good news and thank you. As said before, it will might save me some work.

Edited by Deadbeat (Tue 23-Feb-16 09:26:09)

If you run the eiconfig removal tool, you'll have access to all 64bit versions from the same DVD. Your product key will determine which version is installed.

Edited by Deadbeat (Tue 23-Feb-16 09:34:25)

W8, 8.1 and 10 are rubbish.

I don't like them either.

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

That's good news and thank you. As said before, it will might save me some work.

No problem

In reply to a post by Deadbeat:

If you run the eiconfig removal tool, you'll have access to all 64bit versions from the same DVD. Your product key will determine which version is installed.

Oh right, cheers, i will have a look at that, not that I am going to install Windows 7 back on here, but useful if I have to for someone else as long as they got the key.

i have got a retail version of 7 myself anyway, in a box with two disks and the code, ok three disks now as a Windows 8.1 disk is in there as well.

In reply to a post by broadband66:

W8, 8.1 and 10 are rubbish.

Windows 8 was awful, Windows 8.1 was better and once you got a decent start menu on it, got rid of the metro apps, it is not a bad Os as Microsoft operating systems go. I push my computer hard sometimes with HD video rendering and windows 8.1 copes with it an do not crash, saying Windows 7 did not either, but I do find that 8.1 is snappier than 7

My problem with 10 is the forced updates, the extra spying, the problems I had with my soundcard and also it looks awful. I also do not like being pushed into things, so the more MS insist on me updating the more I will resist.

In reply to a post by zyborg47:

... i have got a retail version of 7 myself anyway...

There is no difference between the retail and OEM DVD. Your retail DVD will accept valid OEM keys. Again, removing eiconfig will make all versions available to you.
In general though, OEM disks can't be used for a retail or a different OEM installation as they contain extra software installations, specific scripts and they are often pre-activated.
Usually, deleting the contents of the \sources\$OEM$ folder allows the DVD to be used as a general installation disk but this can't be guaranteed.