Windows 7 Availability for MLS Computers

[Aczlan]

So, yesterday I went ahead and used a retail Windows 7 installation disc with the product key on the actual computer. It's working fine now (upgrading to SP1 as I write). I know a neighboring stake's STS has done the same. You'd need to find a Windows 7 Pro disc (or whatever the computers are licensed for). Alternatively, there are (non-pirating) methods to make a universal Win 7 disc if you don't have access to the exact version.

The other thing that can be done is to call the activation support phone number and tell them that you needed to do a reinstall, but didnt have the OEM disk. They can give you a code that will allow a OEM key to activate a retail installation.

Aaron Z

[ThomsonMA]

Thank you for all the help and suggestions. I was able to get Win7 to load and authenticate the license key from the sticker on the machine by doing the following steps:

1) I downloaded a Windows 7 Professional with SP1 .iso file from Microsoft TechNet. (I have a subscription. I believe any Windows 7 install CD would work just as well.)

2) I used the Windows 7 USB/DVD tool mentioned in an earlier post to put the ISO on a bootable USB flash drive.

3) I edited the ei.cfg file in the \sources directory on the USB flash drive to indicate that this was an OEM distribution rather than a Retail Distribution, and also toggled the volume license to 1. Specifically, the contents of that file now look like this:
[EditionID]
Professional
[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
1

4) I used the USB flash drive to install Windows 7 Professional on the machine after deleting the original XP partition and creating a new partition. The install never asked for a license key.

5) Once installed, and connected to the Internet, I went to the Computer Properties screen and chose the Windows Activation option at the bottom. At that point I was able to enter the license key from the sticker on the machine and the activation completed with no problems.

I hope this is helpful to anyone else needing to install/reinstall Windows 7 on a new Dell 580.

[rgme]

Thanks for putting that up...I should have given the detailed instructions like that! I used a 64-bit install CD I bought from school, which was a retail version. I simply deleted the ei.cfg file, which led to a dialog at the beginning of the installation asking what version to install. I simply chose Professional, and I was on my merry way. I believe I also activated after the install, and that went through without a problem.

I do have a question: Did anybody else see a ~30MB partition on the original installation (in addition to the main 200GB+ one)? I left it there, not knowing what it was. Any ideas?

[Aczlan]

I do have a question: Did anybody else see a ~30MB partition on the original installation (in addition to the main 200GB+ one)? I left it there, not knowing what it was. Any ideas?

IIRC it is for for enough files to boot the system and ask for the Bitlocker password if Bitlocker is enabled for your primary partition.

Aaron Z

[Mikerowaved]

FYI, we had a batch of 580's come in last week and they all had Windows 7 Pro pre-installed, albeit the 32-bit version and without Service Pack 1. I guess having 3 of the 4 GB of installed RAM being usable beats a poke in the eye.