Windows 7 RTM ISO Image Edition Switcher

[code.kliu.org]

Does this also work with localized ISO?

The ei.cfg remover should work on all ISOs.

The patches for changing editions are currently available only for the English editions (the next version will look for the patch points instead of relying on a predefined list of known patch points).

[dw2003]

Is it possible to up convert? -- IE convert Professional to Ultimate for example -- or is it just down converting from Ultimate?

[bcl]

I deleted ei.cfg from the iso image and created a new one.

I burnt the iso on diffrent dvds, and diffrent dvd burners with slow speeds but i still get an error.

When the dvd boots it first asks me to chose the language and keyboard.

After then i get another screen saying "install now"

After that i get error saying "cannot find win image"

what am i doing wrong?

[code.kliu.org]

Is it possible to up convert? -- IE convert Professional to Ultimate for example -- or is it just down converting from Ultimate?

Yes. But note that the current version of the edition converter only works for the English RTM. (the ei.cfg remover works for all language editions)

I deleted ei.cfg from the iso image and created a new one.

Try mounting the image using an image mounter and browse the mounted disc. If there's a checksum error of any sort in the file table, then large numbers of files will be missing, and you will know that the image is corrupted. Otherwise, the image is good, and the problem is with the disc that you created. Since I've tested this tool on a variety of images, both RTM and pre-RTM, I'm going to suspect that the problem is with the burning itself. I always burn images at 6x, because for most burners, that's the highest speed that it can burn at using a pure CLV strategy (and a pure CAV strategy often means a reduced quality at the very end because few burners can handle 16x, much less 20x or 24x and still maintain a proper burn quality). Many higher speeds will use a PCLV strategy that can often produce glitches at the point where it changes from CAV to CLV.

[+Ryster Subscriber²]

I'm getting "Input Error" as soon as I select the ISO file using the ei.cfg remover tool. It's the same ISO I used to install the version of Windows I'm running right now, so I know the ISO is good. FYI: I'm running Ultimate x64.

Any ideas?

[cropcircles]

Just tried it. Amazing. Nice job. Remember to run binpatcher as administrator

I'm getting "Input Error" as soon as I select the ISO file using the ei.cfg remover tool. It's the same ISO I used to install the version of Windows I'm running right now, so I know the ISO is good. FYI: I'm running Ultimate x64.

Any ideas?

Did you run binpatcher as administrator

[MistaT40]

Took a look at the DVD after - it's as if the file isn't there at all - pretty darn convenient and neat!

[code.kliu.org]

There's no need to run these utilities as admin, as long as you have read/write access to the ISO file. Normally, this shouldn't be a problem, but if for some reason, you lack read/write access to the file (e.g., if the file was downloaded and saved by another user or by an elevated process), then you will need to either adjust the file permissions or perhaps run as admin. But under normal circumstances, you won't need any special privs.

The "input error" message comes up if there was a problem opening and reading the ISO. The most common cause of this is if the file is locked by another process. Is the ISO mounted in a virtual machine or virtual drive? You can also get this error if you lack the read or write permissions (see above paragraph).

[ImaITGuy]

Found this tool quickly after it was posted - worked perfectly and I appreciate it!

I now have only 2 discs x86 and x64

Again Appreciate the effort in creating this tool!

[ViZioN]

Cool tool :) I've already got my Home Premium ISO but I'm sure this will come in handy for others!

[Pugalenthi]

Nice utility..If i would have seen this before na,i wouldn't have downloaded the proff edition from my msdn aa account...THanks.....

[dw2003]

Brilliant tools works perfectly :) thanks

[J400uk]

Can't this to work on the RTM ISO. Is there some new method?

[DSS Comp]

Here is another option.

Create a bootable USB Thumb Drive. It has to be at least a 4 GB Drive.

Instructions are listed here.

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-install-...-working-guide/

Once you complete the boot actions, then copy the entire Windows 7 CD to the USB drive.

NOTE: Some Windows 7 DVD's have a folder called "Language". If you want this folder to be included, then you will need a 8 Gig USB Drive. Other install disk do not have this folder and a 4 Gig USB drive will work.

Pull up the USB Drive in explorer and go to the "sources" directory and delete the "ei.cfg" file.

Set your PC to boot from USB and then you can install Windows 7.

Version that will be available are the following:

Starter Edition

Home Basic

Home Premium

Professional

Ultimate

By the way installing Windows 7 from the USB drive is about 60% faster than the DVD drive.

I installed Ulimate on a 3 year Dell in 13 Minutes.

I can't wait till next year when USB 3.0 is available. I figure that maybe it will be a 5 minute install.

Hope this helps.

Mike ...

[KZWings]

Does that work for OEM and Retail discs?

[Angel Blue01]

This is a bit offtopic, but is this utility even necessary for OEM editions? Say, I buy a copy of 7 Ultimate OEM for my own computer, and a friend needs me to reinstall Home OEM on his machine would I need to create a new disc with this utility or can the OEM editions install the correct edition based on the serial like Vista?

[DSS Comp]

This is a bit offtopic, but is this utility even necessary for OEM editions? Say, I buy a copy of 7 Ultimate OEM for my own computer, and a friend needs me to reinstall Home OEM on his machine would I need to create a new disc with this utility or can the OEM editions install the correct edition based on the serial like Vista?

Windows 7 does not work like Vista with regard to installs based on your serial numbers. Vista would give you the option of selecting different versions based on your serial numbers. To setup Windows 7 to install like Vista did, you will need to create a boot version either USB or DVD to achieve this.

So for all I have seen are specific DVD versions of the OS. So if you have an Ultimate OEM DVD, then this will be the only version you can install even though you have the numbers for the Home version.

1 Bootable USB Drive is all you will need. You can also create a bootbale DVD, but it is a little more combersome to setup.

After you create your bootable USB or DVD, when you go through the install process, an option just like in Vista of which OS Version will come up. Now based on the OS's Serial Numbers that you have associated with that PC's motherboard that you are re-installing this on will apply.

Basically there 2 types of OEM Disks.

One is from Microsoft in the different versions of Windows 7.

The other OEM Disks are from the likes of Dell, HP, Sony and so on. These are sometimes referred to as Restore Disk.

Each manufacturer has different versions specific to their PC's. Let's use a HP Restore for example. When you use their restore CD, it will restore the PC to it's original state as to when it was purchased. Crapware and all.

Dell on the other hand will come the closest to the Original Microsoft OEM install. After install, the only thing Dell adds is a folder called Dell with a few files in it. Just like the Microsoft OEM, this install is really incomplete because you will need to install the appropriate drivers for the chipset, video, audio, ethernet and so on. This is really a clean install because you have absolutly no Crapware.

Also, some Restore Disk are not really OEM Disks in that they are a restore program utility to copy the image back to the hard drive in the original package that it was shipped.

Now for this USB setup, I used a Dell Ultimate OEM CD. I deleted the ei.cfg file from the directory "sources" and it allowed me to choose from the different versions.

I also used a Retail DVD Version and it allowed the same options.

This DOES NOT circumvent the license agreement because you will still need to activate it to continue to use it. Like all Retail and OEM installs, you will only have so many days to use it before it reverts to an unlicensed copy with reduced functions.

Naturally you will need the Microsft serial numbers associated with the OS version you selected to activate it.

Hope this helps.

Mike ...

Edited November 12, 2009 by DSS Comp