Make bootable iso from student d/l

How to Create a Bootable ISO from a Student Windows 7 Download​

If you get the student d/l and have 3 files :

• Win7-HP-Retail-en-us-x64.exe or Windows 7-HP-Retail-en-us-x86.exe file for the 32-bit (x86) or 64 (x64) bit Windows 7 that you purchased
• setup1.box
• setup2.box

Here's how:

1. Rt click each file, Properties > Unblock>Apply>OK.
NOTE: Make sure read only boxes are clear.

2. Rt click and run as admin on the .exe. You will get a folder called expandedsetup on your dektop with these inside:

   Note

If you receive this error:

We are unable to create or save new files in the folder in which this application was downloaded. Please check the folder properties to make sure that you have security permission on the folder to write files and that the folder is not read-only.

Continue.

3. D/L this zip, extract it and copy/move oscdimg.exe into C:\Windows\system32.
View attachment oscdimg.zip
4. Assuming expandedsetup is on your Desktop:

Vista/7 users open an elevated command prompt ( rt click cmd and run as admin) and type :

Oscdimg.exe –u2 –b"C:\Users\your_username\Desktop\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com" –h "C:\Users\your_username\Desktop\expandedSetup" C:\7.iso

XP users commands are:

cd /d C:\windows\system32

oscdimg -u2 -b"C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Desktop\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com" -h "C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Desktop\expandedSetup" C:\7.iso

5. You can copy and paste the above into elevated cmd.

Vista/7 users- replace your_username with your actual username.

XP users - replace USER with your actual username

6. Then press enter. Xp users press enter after each of their two commands.

7. If the expandedsetup folder is not on your desktop, replace with appropriate paths.

   Tip

You may wish to copy the expandedsetup folder directly onto the root of C:

The paths will be shorter and the command will be:

Oscdimg.exe –u2 –bC:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com –h C:\expandedSetup C:\7.iso

If your folder is elsewhere, to get the paths easily, press shift and rt click on etfsboot.com - select copy as path ( paste into notepad )

Shift and rt click on expanded setup - select copy as path - paste into notepad ) Use those instead of the above.

The spacing needs to be exact.

   Warning

When the .iso is created you will get this message:

WARNING: This image contains UDF file system structures.

That is normal as you are creating the udf filesystem.

8. A) You can burn the .iso to dvd as an image with an isoburner.
View attachment isoburner.zip
OR

B) You can use the Microsoft DVD/USB tool to burn the .iso to dvd or to use the .iso to make a bootable flash drive. Download the tool:
View attachment Windows7-USB-DVD-tool.exe

   Tip

To make a copy of your Windows 7 ISO file:

1. Click the Start button, and click Windows 7 USB/DVD Download tool in the All Programs list to open the USB/DVD Download tool.
2. Click Browse and select the file in the Open dialog box.
3. Select USB to create a copy on a USB flash drive or DVD to create a copy on a DVD disk, then click Next.
4. If you are copying the file to a USB flash drive, select your USB device in the dropdown list and click Begin copying. If you are copying the file up to a DVD, click Begin burning.

Microsoft Store: Download Manager Help

   Note

Microsoft’s ISO Image for Windows 7 Now Available

There is additional information regarding the Windows 7 64-bit download process. For those customers of the Student Offer, who wish to install the 64-bit version of Windows 7, but are currently running a 32-bit Operating System, there is now an optional downloadable ISO file of Windows 7 64-bit to allow for install.

- If you have already purchased the 64-bit version of Windows 7 from the Windows 7 Student Offer Online Store, please contact Digital River at the following link: http://windows7.digitalriver.com/servlet/PromoServlet/promoID.46354000
· In the Web form select the Download Option in the drop down menu and include "64-bit Windows 7 Solution" in the first line of your problem description.

Have fun.

Related Tutorials

---

• Bootable ISO - Create from Installation Files
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/31402-clean-install-upgrade-windows-7-version.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2432-usb-windows-7-installation-key-drive-create.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/16917-bootable-iso-create-older-iso.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1649-clean-install-windows-7-a.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/1818-upgrade-install-windows-7-a.html
• http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20146-custom-install-windows-7-a.html
• How to Extract an ISO File to the Desktop

 

[Fly Guy]

Hi. I was able to successfully create an iso image and make a DVD boot disc. I downloaded the Windows 7 installer to an XP Pro 32 bit partition. In anticipation of this day, I had made two partitions on my drive for dual booting. When unpacking the files, I also got the warning but continued anyway with creating the iso image. Booting to the new DVD disc, I selected custom install and chose the other partition. There was no windows install on that other partition. Entering my windows key went without a hitch.

 

[Skylinefranc]

Hi. I was able to successfully create an iso image and make a DVD boot disc. I downloaded the Windows 7 installer to an XP Pro 32 bit partition. In anticipation of this day, I had made two partitions on my drive for dual booting. When unpacking the files, I also got the warning but continued anyway with creating the iso image. Booting to the new DVD disc, I selected custom install and chose the other partition. There was no windows install on that other partition. Entering my windows key went without a hitch.

Did you get your key from DigitalRiver or from MS directly? I think some people are saying that if you do a format and you purchased from DigitalRiver then your Key will not work since its not an upgrade.

 

[poin2]

Whatever you do, plan to have a prior activated OS on your system before starting the upgrade process.

I'd assume that means you change your hardware first. If it causes a fit with your current OS, that may mean you contact MS to take care of activation there, first.

When the new hardware is in and your prior OS is hunky dory, run the upgrade. You should be able to choose to format and fresh install during the process.

----------------------------

And on a side note, I'll comment that as great as MS has gotten Windows 7 itself together, getting it out into consumers' hands in a clear, understandable manner is quite a mess. The way they have upgrade and full discs that can do either upgrade or fresh installs, etc., seems to cause a lot of universal confusion. Then there's confusion about if you can upgrade from Vista Home Premium to Windows 7 Professional, etc. And now there are these relatively untested upgrade things that come as .exe files where you can't easily burn a bootable disc.... Anyway, going to be a shame if they get the OS right, but they have livid customers who bought the full version thinking that was the only way to clean install, etc.

 

[Skylinefranc]

When the new hardware is in and your prior OS is hunky dory, run the upgrade. You should be able to choose to format and fresh install during the process.

Ok, how sure are you about this part? If so I would love that to be possible, I really do want to have a fresh install but when I bought this DL i didnt know it was upgrade only! damn you MS, anyway, if not I guess I'll just upgrade and start trying to clean up my unused files myself, Thanks for the tip.

 

[patdman]

I'm wondering what happens if your system disk dies, and you need to reinstall everything from scratch (happened to me a few months back)
Do you need to install XP/Vista, then go with the 'upgrade'?
Sounds like a massive PITA, at least it was only $30, I think I may just end up buying the real thing.

 

[Skylinefranc]

I'm wondering what happens if your system disk dies, and you need to reinstall everything from scratch (happened to me a few months back)
Do you need to install XP/Vista, then go with the 'upgrade'?
Sounds like a massive PITA, at least it was only $30, I think I may just end up buying the real thing.

yeah, thats what I was wondering as well, I'm guessing I'll just suck it up and go buy an OEM version of ultimate in a few paychecks so I can stop worrying about formatting my HDD.

 

[Fly Guy]

Did you get your key from DigitalRiver or from MS directly? I think some people are saying that if you do a format and you purchased from DigitalRiver then your Key will not work since its not an upgrade.

Yes. I am also a student that downloaded from Digital River.

 

[zrtom]

I'm wondering what happens if your system disk dies, and you need to reinstall everything from scratch (happened to me a few months back)
Do you need to install XP/Vista, then go with the 'upgrade'?
Sounds like a massive PITA, at least it was only $30, I think I may just end up buying the real thing.

Yup. That's what MS told me. Posted here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...pgrade-installation-process-4.html#post307199

Says upgrade clean installs are possible, but you have to reinstall XP/Vista first.
Tom

 

[spiffman]

I can confirm that this method works with the digitalriver download when upgrading from windows xp 32 to windows 7 64.

Just to be clear on a few points:

1. I had a legitimate copy of Windows XP installed;
2. I purchased the student upgrade version of Windows 7 and downloaded it from DigitalRiver;
3. Extracting gave me the "We are unable to create ..." error. The folder that it expanded to contained 874 files in 199 folders with a size of 3,239,836,668.
4. I created the iso using the method in this thread (ignoring the fact I got the error message);
5. Burned ISO with imgburn;
6. Rebooted and installed giving it my upgrade cd.

Now I'm in Windows 7 - thanks so much to the posters in this thread!

 

[kk405]

I have downloaded the 64-bit version and am trying to install it in a new drive and it is stunning to me how difficult this process is and how much trouble all of us are having...wasn't this supposed to be a piece of cake upgrade?

I am burning the image and will post the results soon...hopefully form Windows 7 in about an hour or so

 

[beggarsu]

I did a clean install of my xp laptop with the downloaded digital river xp pro upgrade and the installation accepted the product key.

 

[Dean C]

I can confirm that this method works with the digitalriver download when upgrading from windows xp 32 to windows 7.

Just to be clear on a few points:

1. I had a legitimate copy of Windows XP installed;
2. I purchased the student upgrade version of Windows 7 and downloaded it from DigitalRiver;
3. Extracting gave me the "We are unable to create ..." error. The folder that it expanded to contained 874 files in 199 folders with a size of 3,239,836,668.
4. I created the iso using the method in this thread (ignoring the fact I got the error message);
5. Burned ISO with imgburn;
6. Rebooted and installed giving it my upgrade cd.

Now I'm in Windows 7 - thanks so much to the posters in this thread!

Did you upgrade to 64bit or 32bit Win7?

 

[dmak02]

I'm wondering what happens if your system disk dies, and you need to reinstall everything from scratch (happened to me a few months back)
Do you need to install XP/Vista, then go with the 'upgrade'?
Sounds like a massive PITA, at least it was only $30, I think I may just end up buying the real thing.

Yup. That's what MS told me. Posted here:
http://www.sevenforums.com/installa...pgrade-installation-process-4.html#post307199

Says upgrade clean installs are possible, but you have to reinstall XP/Vista first.
Tom

Any official answers from Microsoft? We all know how long vista can take, I don't even want to touch that crappy OS anymore. Also is there an official way to get the ISO without having to run through this little bypass?

 

[spiffman]

I'll update my original post to reflect it as well but I upgraded to the 64 bit version of windows 7. I'm pretty sure if you were upgrading to the 32 bit version you wouldn't get the error message on unpacking because it would be able to run the executable.

 

[dmak02]

I had errors with the instructions in the first post of this thread, so I used this instead:
Windows 7 Upgrade Emerging Problem: "We are unable to create or save new files...

Thank you, puppetworx, for the links. Even with the above mentioned error, I was able to create an ISO, burn it, and install it. I am posting this from within Win 7 Professional, fully activated. To shorten things for you all, here are the exact steps I followed and the circumstances surrounding my install:

1. From within XP 32-bit, I downloaded the 64-bit version of Win7 Professional upgrade.
2. Used the installer to extract the files, but received above mentioned error.
3. Checked the file size of the folder "extendedSetup" and noticed that it was 3.01 GB.
4. Moved extendedSetup folder to root (C:\)
5. Downloaded this file and placed it into C:\WINDOWS\System32: http://www.sevenforums.com/attachme...124-make-bootable-iso-student-d-l-oscdimg.zip
6. Bought up command prompt and typed the following:
oscdimg -bC:\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -h -u2 -m -lWIN_EN_DVD C:\expandedSetup\ C:\win7.iso

7. Burned ISO with ImgBurn (freeware)
8. Booted, installed, and activated

There could very well be something wrong with my install, but everything looks to be in working order. I've been using the beta for a while now and it feels the same. Hopefully this little bit helps some of you out there. I'll be up for another hour or so and will gladly help in any way possible.

 

[dmak02]

Used the OP's method to make a bootable iso and burned it to a dvd. Thanks for all the info, great thread.

Booted from the dvd and did a custom install. So far the bootable disc has worked. Went from 32 bit vista home premium to 64 bit windows 7 professional almost successfully.

Got to the point where the installer is asking for my windows product key, (which I purchased from digital river) and it's saying my product key is invalid. I've re typed and double checked it at least 10 times. I also tried my vista key.

Any idea's?

THANK YOU MICROSOFT

I posted the question in MS forums: http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/506025f2-dfcc-4d00-bb66-1de0b5108338http://social.technet.microsoft.com...l/thread/506025f2-dfcc-4d00-bb66-1de0b5108338

 

[andumas]

Vista is refusing to let me remove Read-only properties. Any suggestions?

 

[dmak02]

Vista is refusing to let me remove Read-only properties. Any suggestions?

Be a little more specific? How is it refusing? Error message?

 

[ChadClancy]

Isn't it possible to achieve a clean install without booting from the DVD? i.e., just running the setup.exe from within Vista after the files are expanded?

 

[andumas]

Well I take the folder off read only, then go to create the disc image. This error message keeps showing up:

ERROR: Unable to create file "C:\7.iso" of 3242131456 bytes
Error 5: Access is denied.

And when I go back to the properties of the folder, Read-only is still checked. Every time after I uncheck it and hit apply, after the dialog box closes it automatically makes the folder read only again.