Will a 32-bit key work with 64-bit media?

I wouldn't spend the money on another key, unless you really plan to install Windows 7 on two computers.

DocBrown said:

Yes, it will but you need the x64 install media :) But only one version activated at a time!

If you contact Microsoft, they may provide you with the 64 bit Media FREE, if you inform them that you picked the 32 bit media up at the event. That is what I did after picking up the 32 bit media in Washington back last year.

I haven't had a need to try with Windows 7, but back with Vista, there was a Microsoft website you could enter your key in, pay $10, and get the x64 media shipped to you.

Tinkerdog said:

DocBrown said:

Yes, it will but you need the x64 install media :) But only one version activated at a time!

If you contact Microsoft, they may provide you with the 64 bit Media FREE, if you inform them that you picked the 32 bit media up at the event. That is what I did after picking up the 32 bit media in Washington back last year.

I received Ultimate x86 at the launch event too. I contacted Microsoft and was told they only offered the x64 option several months ago. They no longer do that. I was able to buy Pro x64 for $29.95 student discount, changed the ei.cfg file and burned a x64 version of Ultimate and the key worked fine. So you just need to get a disk that is x64 to convert. My version of Professional is the upgrade version.

Bill2 said:

All win7 disks are identical, get whatever media you want as long as its 64 bit. Its the key that you enter that determines what edition gets installed.

Also, if you have a disk that installs say Pro by default, simply delete the ei.cfg file in the "Sources" folder at the root of the dvd, rebuild the iso, burn to blank disk, then install the edition you want when prompted by the dvd.

While we aren't discussing an OEM license here, I have the impression that the simple (ei.cfg) hack to genercize a Win7 installation disk isn't adequate to get it to accept an OEM key. I hope that someone will correct me if that's false.

While it would be against the rules to post links, I have had no trouble finding download links to the .iso files of several retail versions of Win7 on the Web. (These are the unmodified retail versions - useless without a valid license key.) I don't know about the legality of using a promotional Win7 key with a downloaded X64 version, but I presume that activation would be normal.

bobkn said:

Bill2 said:

All win7 disks are identical, get whatever media you want as long as its 64 bit. Its the key that you enter that determines what edition gets installed.

Also, if you have a disk that installs say Pro by default, simply delete the ei.cfg file in the "Sources" folder at the root of the dvd, rebuild the iso, burn to blank disk, then install the edition you want when prompted by the dvd.

While we aren't discussing an OEM license here, I have the impression that the simple (ei.cfg) hack to genercize a Win7 installation disk isn't adequate to get it to accept an OEM key. I hope that someone will correct me if that's false.

While it would be against the rules to post links, I have had no trouble finding download links to the .iso files of several retail versions of Win7 on the Web. (These are the unmodified retail versions - useless without a valid license key.) I don't know about the legality of using a promotional Win7 key with a downloaded X64 version, but I presume that activation would be normal.

Yes, the universal disk created by removing ei.cfg will install and activate with an OEM key. Mind you, I'm talking about system builders OEM, not royalty oems (win7 that comes preinstalled and preactivated on computers). Royalty oem activation works differently and depends on multiple components, not just the key.

bobkn said:

While we aren't discussing an OEM license here, I have the impression that the simple (ei.cfg) hack to genercize a Win7 installation disk isn't adequate to get it to accept an OEM key. I hope that someone will correct me if that's false.

Yes, your impressions are false . Just like Vista, the discs don't care what license type you have, especially when you follow the logical way of installing...which is to choose your version, but don't enter a key until you are finished the install.

As mentioned above, the PC Manufacturer OEM licenses can be a little tricky, considering some discs are BIOS locked to that brand, and can come pre-activated with a key that resembles XP's VLK type key.

However, if you have an OEM system with a COA sticker, there's no reason why you can't take one of these generic, all version discs, and do a clean install...then enter your COA key. I've done this on ten laptops of various vendors for friends and family, and all have activated online immediately.

It would be much easier, but then again, you'd still be doing installs from the slow DVD media. The steps are fairly simple to create your own USB drive that installs any version from either platform, and it fits on a 4 GB Flash Drive that are dirt cheap right now.