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How to make a DVD of that student-only Windows 7 you bought for $29.99
To start with, make sure your downloaded Windows 7 files (the 'expandedSetup' directory) is unzipped into C:\ -- it'll make things easier later.
1. Download this tool -- alternatively you can obtain the official pack from Microsoft, but that's a whole darn gigabyte.
2. Unzip and move oscdimg.exe to your System32 directory (likely to be C:\Windows\System32)
3. Open an elevated command prompt. In Vista you do this by typing 'cmd' into your 'Start Menu' and hitting ctrl+shift+enter. In XP, just type 'cmd' into the Run dialogue (Windows Key+R or from your Start Menu).
4. Type (or copy and paste) the following into your command prompt (this will vary a little, depending on where you've put your expandedSetup folder):
oscdimg.exe -u2 -b"C:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com" -h "C:\expandedSetup" C:\WIN7.ISO
5. Ta'da! You've got a burnable ISO!
All you need to finish the job is a good burning application like ImgBurn, CDBurnerXP, or InfraRecorder. For this particular task I'd recommend ImgBurn - then just right click the ISO file and start the burn from your context menu. Or launch ImgBurn and choose "write image file to disc" -- your choice!
No DVD burner? If you have a 4GB USB flash drive handy, check out this app!
Big thanks to Brian Wasylkoski, who was kind enough to let me harass him while he went through this process at the University of Manitoba. --Lee.
Comments
134
Subscribe to commentsSebastian AnthonyOct 23rd 2009 1:18PM
Personally, my 32- and 64-bit versions came on two different discs.
I had the same key for both versions -- I assume I can only have one installation active though (for the Windows Activation thing?)
PatOct 23rd 2009 2:25PM
For those having issues (particularly when already running Win7), make sure that the command you are copying and pasting has only plain text. To do that, open Notepad and paste - you will see rectangles where there are weird characters (which the dashes seem to be). Replace any of those dashes with just a plain text dash (-) and try again. It worked for me on Win 7 Ultimate Eval. Below is the output:
C:\Users\me>oscdimg.exe -bC:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -u2 -h -m -lWIN7 C:\expandedSetup\ C:\Win7.iso
OSCDIMG 2.54 CD-ROM and DVD-ROM Premastering Utility
Copyright (C) Microsoft, 1993-2007. All rights reserved.
Licensed only for producing Microsoft authorized content.
Scanning source tree (500 files in 48 directories)
Scanning source tree complete (874 files in 201 directories)
Computing directory information complete
Image file is 2520809472 bytes
Writing 874 files in 201 directories to C:\Win7.iso
100% complete
Final image file is 2523011072 bytes
Done.
C:\Users\me>
UPSET STILLOct 23rd 2009 1:43PM
Would anybody be willing to just be a dove and post the iso somewhere so that those of us who havent been able to do it can enjoy some 7 action?
JackIsBackOct 23rd 2009 1:44PM
Thanks aps3001, I used "Oscdimg.exe -u2 -bC:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -h C:\expandedSetup C:\Win7.iso" and it worked, although I am running Visa Ultimate - so I don't think it was a Win 7 issue (although I am yet to try this method in the RC).
I'm pretty sure the original extraction didn't work for me because I was trying to install Win 7 Pro 64 on a 32 bit Visa OS. Digital River should distribute in .iso and save everyone from this headache. Ahh well, at least I got Win7 Pro for $49 (in Australia) rather than the $348 they want for it.
Thanks for your help guys.
EricOct 23rd 2009 1:52PM
For those getting the "123 error" try typing the command in manually.
(oscdimg.exe –u2 –b"C:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com" –h "C:\expandedSetup" C:\WIN7.ISO)
I kept getting the error when trying to copy/paste but typing it in manually solved it for some reason.
LouOct 23rd 2009 9:47PM
Great tip.
It worked for me.
Thank you.
CharlesOct 23rd 2009 2:26PM
Question: I'm currently running XP Pro and want to use the student edition to do a clean install of Windows 7. For various reasons I'd like to do this clean install on a new hard drive. Would it be possible to use this method to create a win 7 boot disc and just start everything up with the new drive in the laptop and then use the student key to activate it? I was concerned that windows wouldn't consider this an upgrade and would disallow me from activating it.
DerekOct 23rd 2009 2:53PM
I am not going to try it until tonight, but as far as I can tell from stuff on digitalriver's site, the license is for a full copy of Windows 7.
overlordvaderOct 24th 2009 1:36AM
Absolutely no problems doing this kind of thing. You can boot from the disk made with this "How to" and install to any partition that can be formatted correctly from the disc itself.
Jimmy TimmyOct 23rd 2009 2:23PM
This worked for me:
oscdimg -bC:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -h -u2 -m -lWIN_EN_DVD C:\expandedSetup\ C:\7.iso
DerekOct 23rd 2009 2:51PM
You can also use ImgBurn to burn the expandedSetup folder using these instructions:
http://forum.imgburn.com/index.php?showtopic=11194&s=6491863e84b38aa3002dec5d65da5084
KevOct 23rd 2009 3:01PM
Maybe someone here knows the answer:
I bought a laptop off of Craigslist from a guy here in a town a couple weeks ago that had build 7100 on it. The guy works for a local ISP and told me that their company had bought a activation key for Win 7 for all the network guys to upgrade once it was released. He sent me the key in an email, and it looks like legit key but I have no idea how I can use it to upgrade the laptop, any ideas?
I’m not looking to do anything illegal but according to him it is a legitimately bought Win 7 key, he just didn’t need to use it for the laptop because he had bought a Mac- which is why he was selling the laptop in the first place.
It's the Win 7 Ultimate edition BTW.
ZackOct 23rd 2009 4:19PM
I got errors when trying the command prompt directions here, but I tried the instructions found here: http://www.maximumpc.com/article/news/how_burn_your_student_copy_windows_7_dvd
And it worked perfectly. I'm sure it had to do with where the files were and whether the folders were open.
Ricky LanningOct 23rd 2009 4:29PM
Thanks to all those who helped me out. Got it running just a moment ago.
DusterOct 23rd 2009 6:12PM
I always got an error msg...
"ERROR: Could not open boot sector file "e:\expendedsetup\boot\etfsboot.com"
Error 3"
I'm under Win7 RC1 64 bits, command prompt run as administrator...
Anyone?
DusterOct 23rd 2009 6:15PM
NVM, it works with this command line without the """"
Oscdimg.exe -u2 -bC:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -h C:\expandedSetup C:\Win7.iso
MackOct 23rd 2009 6:34PM
This crap is too confusing, I'm just gonna torrent the damn thing.
alexOct 23rd 2009 6:46PM
i copied and pasted the command and now it says
C:\Documents and Settings\Administrator>oscdimg.exe -u2 -b"C:\expandedSetup\boot
\etfsboot.com" -h "C:\expandedSetup" C:\WIN7.ISO
OSCDIMG 2.54 CD-ROM and DVD-ROM Premastering Utility
Copyright (C) Microsoft, 1993-2007. All rights reserved.
Licensed only for producing Microsoft authorized content.
ERROR: Could not delete existing file "ûbC:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com"
Error 123: The filename, directory name, or volume label syntax is incorrect.
?
help
Sebastian AnthonyOct 23rd 2009 6:49PM
Permission error maybe? Did you open 'cmd' with ctrl+shift+enter, to give yourself Administrator power?
Follow the guide, it should work :)
MigwickertOct 23rd 2009 7:32PM
Looking for help: On a Mac, bought this deal, trying to run W7 on parallel desktops application. The file download type is a MS-DOS (.exe), what can I do to get up and running? Thanks!