Windows 7 Activation Issues

alphanumeric said:

This is the ei.cfg file from my Windows 7 Home Premium DVD. You can see that under [Channel] it says OEM, why do that if it doesn't matter?

[EditionID]
HomePremium
[Channel]
OEM
[VL]
0

If the OP posts his ei,cfg I bet it says RETAIL. Looking though the OPs post the report posted shows it installed as RETAIL. The key also listed in the post would be the default key entered for a 30 day trial, which is what you get if you don't enter one. I agree with the other post. His key is being rejected because it an OEM key and his install is Retail. He can't activate on line if he can't enter a key in the first place. I'm just trying to help, I'm not doing this just to be augmentative. :)

Theres no such thing as different channels anymore as far as media is concerned. The ei.cfg and a few other files might say OEM or RETAIL or VOL or whatever, but it doesn't matter.

Any key can be used with any media OEM, Retail, or VOL (as long as the VOL isn't Enterprise). As I had mentioned earlier also, gone are the days when you had separate OEM media, RTL Media, and VOL Media, now everything is all the same. Installing say home premium off an OEM DVD activates the same way out of the box as a RTL dvd would would. The key you enter dictates the edition.

I'm sure you're not being argumentative, you're just factually incorrect, sorry.

Bill2 said:

I'm sure you're not being argumentative, you're just factually incorrect, sorry.

lol, I don't think so, but I don't feel like debating it any longer. I'll just leave it to the OP to decide for himself what he wants to do.

Edition Configuration File (EI.cfg)

The edition configuration file (EI.cfg) determines what edition of Windows to install and what license to use during Windows Setup.

Windows Setup Installation Process


EDIT: license meaning OEM or Retail. :)

I'll say it one last time. The various iso builds are exactly the same. Only the channel heading in ei.cfg specifies either Retail or OEM. But that is not permanent because using an OEM product key will switch it to OEM, and using a Retail product key it will switch to Retail. So it doesn't matter which one you install.

So how do i post my ei.cfg? :P Sorry for being a pain

Copy it to your PC and then open it with notepad. You'll have to use "open with" and select notepad. Then clip and past the contents in to your post.

Yeah sorry I didnt make myself clear, but I actually can't find the Ei.cfg file on the burned iso? I checked around and saw it should be in \support\ but i cant seem to find it

The ei.cfg is located in \sources\ directory.

It would normally be in the sources folder. It will just show up as ei unless you have explorer set to show all file extensions. It will likely have an office icon as cfg files are usually associated with an office app. Once you open it with notepad the icon may change to the page with the corner turned down icon.

yeah woops typo, i meant \sources\, still not there.. only things starting with an E are envmig.xml and esscli.dll