Win7 Home Premium upgrade $30 for college students

[vixro]

bump for confirmation on this question

It comes as an extracted download. Using the links above you can create a bootable ISO out of it.


Also, these are NOT UPGRADES, these are FULL VERSIONS. Without any previous OS installed on your system you are able to run the customized installation. Through the customized installation you can format and install a full copy of Windows7 on the drive of your choice.

I was able to install my Win7 Professional 64bit copy through a bootable DVD, using the downloaded files, without any previous copy of windows install or it asking me for another disc. I was able to authenticate easily and have a genuine copy of windows.

 

[ghost_recon88]

Also, these are NOT UPGRADES, these are FULL VERSIONS. Without any previous OS installed on your system you are able to run the customized installation. Through the customized installation you can format and install a full copy of Windows7 on the drive of your choice.

I was able to install my Win7 Professional 64bit copy through a bootable DVD, using the downloaded files, without any previous copy of windows install or it asking me for another disc. I was able to authenticate easily and have a genuine copy of windows.

Yep, can confirm the same for their Home Premium x64.

 

[hokiealumnus]

Uh-oh. Looks like Digital River made quite the mess: Microsoft Confirms Windows 7 Upgrade Install Snafu

 

[mattspalace]

I unpacked/unzipped the folders by double-clicking the Win7 application from the download, which then unpacked everything into a new folder labeled 'expandedSetup' (it automatically creates this folder for you) - simply cancel out of the install when the window appears. From there, I followed the directions given in the isoburn link here - http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=11194

Worked like a charm. You can verify it worked as necessary by looking for the installation window to reappear after the disk has been verified.

Still pretty stupid that digital river didn't make an .iso available for download.

Chose to boot from CD and go from there.

 

[chrome-187]

the only option i had when i did boot up from the dvd was install now...i did not have a upgrade or custom option

 

[chrome-187]

i got it to work..i just had to go one more screen...had to pic install now..then it took me to the upgrade custom screen..

 

[gsrcrxsi]

i want to clear up some misinformation in this thread. this is NOT a full version. it is the upgrade, as the key they give you is for upgrade only, what is on the disc is irrelevant, the key is the deciding factor here. i just tried it out and on a blank HDD this is my experience:

i followed the steps given previously to create a bootable DVD (i also purchased a backup DVD but i wanted to try it out first and not have to wait for the DVD)

started windows installation with "custom" option
install went fine until it asked me for the key
trying the key that digital river provided returned that the key was invalid
so i proceeded by leaving the key field blank
booted to the OS with "trial" status and 30 days left for activiation
tried to enter my key in the OS and it returned that the key can only be used for upgrading

so i put the disc back in and started the upgrade from within the OS
i selected the upgrade option this time
installation proceeded fine
when it asked for my key, i put it in and it acepted it this time

so all in all, you CAN install and activate the upgrade on a blank drive, but it takes more time than a fresh install. you cant just pop in the disc and get a full install on a blank drive in one shot. you have to either do the double install trick from vista (and now 7) or do a legit upgrade from another OS. either way it seems you have to start the upgrade from within an OS to get the key to work.

 

[mattspalace]

which are you using premium or professional?

 

[gsrcrxsi]

professional 64-bit.

 

[vixro]

professional 64-bit.

Strange, had no issues here on the first install. Maybe I got a different type of key?

At least you were able to just upgrade from your upgrade.

 

[Leviathan41]

Uh-oh. Looks like Digital River made quite the mess: Microsoft Confirms Windows 7 Upgrade Install Snafu

lol! I love when professional web sites quote people on message boards and comments sections!

Friday, users complained that they were stymied by the issue. "I double click on 'Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x64.exe' and I get the message 'Unloading the Box'," said "Darkfrye50" early Thursday morning. "Once the status bar reaches the end, I get the error."

"What a freakin' mess," exclaimed another user, "Goaliegeek" on the same thread.

.
.
.

But users continued to post complaints. "Any updates at all on this? This is a horrible 'new start' for Windows," said "gozeemer" on the long thread.

"This is also ******* me off," griped "James388" on the thread. "Seems like my download is corrupted also, it won't let me download it again. WTF?!?"

 

[IAmMoen]

I can definitely confirm the whole serial number doesn't work for a clean install comment.

 

[Leviathan41]

I can definitely confirm the whole serial number doesn't work for a clean install comment.

Just to clarify, you mean a clean install on a blank hard drive. You can still do a clean install on a drive with a Windows OS installed (i.e. you can reformat and install). That's what I did.

 

[iaacp]

K so I just got it. If I want to do a clean install (I already backed everything up), how do I wipe my hard drive? In the BIOS? I've never wiped before :x

 

[MadMan007]

Just to clarify, you mean a clean install on a blank hard drive. You can still do a clean install on a drive with a Windows OS installed (i.e. you can reformat and install). That's what I did.

People mix up MS's definition of a clean install (not keeping any user settings, programs, drivers etc) and what we consider a clean install (install on to a blank or new partition.) Just note that even if you do MS's 'clean install' you're sort of just just upgrading without migrating any data, settings, drivers or hardware configs - it will still count as an upgrade so the previous OS install key should be invalidated.

 

[iaacp]

So isn't it better to do a real, clean install? Isn't it best, making the computer more quick and snappy?

 

[MadMan007]

Either way does the same thing as far as the new OS it's just a matter of whether the old OS key gets used in the 'upgrade' or not.

Personally what I'm going to do with my preordered upgrade (too bad I haven't got a .edu ) is remove the partition with Gparted or something then do the double install trick. Removing the partition within Windows 7 setup the first time through for the double install trick probably does the same thing but I wouldn't mind having my Vista key to use and with GParted there's no cahnce of the Vista key being used.

 

[Lionsault_100]

This is now a dead deal. You can no longer order over the phone.

Good day.

 

[gsrcrxsi]

This is now a dead deal. You can no longer order over the phone.

Good day.

good to know. considering this thread is for ordering over the internet and not over the phone. THIS deal is not dead. the over-the-phone win7 FULL deal seems to be dead however...

this thread is for win7 HP (or Pro) UPGRADE as clearly stated in the topic title, to be ordered from www.win741.com

 

[vgta88]

I unpacked/unzipped the folders by double-clicking the Win7 application from the download, which then unpacked everything into a new folder labeled 'expandedSetup' (it automatically creates this folder for you) - simply cancel out of the install when the window appears. From there, I followed the directions given in the isoburn link here - http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=11194

Worked like a charm. You can verify it worked as necessary by looking for the installation window to reappear after the disk has been verified.

Still pretty stupid that digital river didn't make an .iso available for download.

Chose to boot from CD and go from there.

I think the reason they didn't offer any iso file is for support reasons. They do not make their own iso burning software. Their package, if it works, will eliminate the need to say "oh, just buy another piece of software that burns ISOs", just so they can complicate the average joe more nor will they have to provide support for third party free or open source iso burning programs.



btw I don't think it matters what version 32 64 you have previously or even a blank drive.

this is what i'm seeing and may need to be confirmed:

>first the website deal is on till jan 3 2010.
>second the phone deal may or may not be dead but who cares.

>the retail exe converted to iso will install without previous os or I'm not sure how people are doing it but the key just installs.

>retail will just work if you get the full version

>uprade will still work on a blank drive whether you get upgrade discs or iso. you have to leave key empty during disc boot>custom install>do not enter key>

>once it finishes install, boots, you activate through windows and it will either just work or you will have to:

>upgrade within the unactivated os from your upgrade disc, putting the key in this time.

>you can double install with the same disc or just use a registry edit workaround that will allow you to activate the key.

As long as microsoft gets money and provides a reasonable means(this seemed like ms was copying osx's pricing) for users to get an os, I think this new sale pricing will be better for future releases of oses. As it stands now, some of the full retail prices are making a new build look totally unattractive and what if I wanted to buy a few? microsoft would be losing money since mostly people have way more than one computer.