Clean installing windows 7 on new laptop

[efagerho]

Hi there,

I got my ThinkPad in the mail yesterday. As I got a Win 7 Home Premium license with it I was thinking about keeping a copy on my laptop together with Fedora Linux. I haven't had Windows installed on any of my computers since the end of the 90's and this seems to be far more complicated than I expected due to stupid license issues.

1. It seems like I can't use my product key on a retail CD.

2. I found out online that there's a file called ei.cfg on that DVD, so I dumped a retail DVD to an ISO file and removed that file. It still doesn't accept my license key however, but it let me pick which Win 7 edition I want to install, so the file is successfully removed.

So my issues are then as follows:

1. How can I create a win 7 install disk that I can use for installation AND which will also activate?

2. I can't use the recovery media for this as it only seems to be able to nuke the disk entirely. This won't be possible as I use mainly Linux, so I would need to be able to reinstall Win 7 without touching my Linux installation.

Anyone figured this out?

[ozzymud]

you would need the oem files (cert.xrm-ms) file from the IBM CD, you can create a custom win7 dvd with it, then it will activate with the ibm supplied key... search google for create custom win 7 dvd with slic activation

1st hit i seen explains it well.

[GomJabbar]

In the past anyway, the product key on the sticker on the bottom of the ThinkPad would work with a retail install disk. I would be surprised if this changed. I used the product key from the bottom of my T42 to install XP from a retail OEM disk that I got with a desktop PC. I did this just to see if it would work.

I'm not sure, but I think this needed to be a full version disk, not an upgrade disk. Also, this likely wouldn't work with a Windows disk that was made for a specific PC or laptop, such as a Dell. You will need to activate Windows though with the key from the bottom of the ThinkPad.

[craigmontHunter]

In my experience, vista and later COA keys are not actually valid for activation - the easiest way is the SILC method, followed by caling microsoft and explaining your situation. SILC is easier, especially if you routinely need to reactivate, you will need to call microsoft every time.

[bill bolton]

In my experience, vista and later COA keys are not actually valid for activation

They are, but may require a phone call to the Microsoft activation number to be activated, rather than working via online activation.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[BootSectorVirus]

Get OEM versions of W7 on this page, direct links to Microsoft. Then your OEM key will work

http://www.mydigitallife.info/download- ... oad-links/

[bill bolton]

Get OEM versions of W7 on this page, direct links to Microsoft. Then your OEM key will work

The behaviour will not be any different as far as key activation goes.

Cheers,

Bill B.

[BootSectorVirus]

Deleted

[bill bolton]

If you have a legal OEM key and it does not activate, you can call the MS activation hotline and get it activated

That's what was said previously in the thread... please pay attention

[BootSectorVirus]

Misread, sorry, was tired.