Who's sticking with Windows 7?

[Indianatone]

Then I decided to activate my Genuine Retail Copy of Ultimate and I got an error back from the activation server that stated the key can no longer be used to activate Windows.

Did you try method 2 from this link, altering a registry value:

Clean Install Windows 7 with Upgrade Media | Windows 7 content from SuperSite for Windows

??

No its a retail ISO not an upgrade. It had not actually been used to activate 7 for years actually so I phoned them on the robot machine line and got it sorted out. The only 10 Pro and Home I have now are VM and are activated with a digital entitlement dating all the way back to the start of the insider program.

 

[Layback Bear]

Tony, if I understand you correctly, you have got the use of your Windows 7 key back where it should be; on your install of Windows 7.

 

[ignatzatsonic]

No its a retail ISO not an upgrade.

Can you clarify?


I'm not sure I've ever heard of a "retail ISO".

I have heard of retail and upgrade DVD installers (as you might buy at Newegg or Amazon), but a "retail ISO" is a new one.

I think of "upgrade" as a way to distinguish from "full", not from "retail".

How does it differ from a "non-retail ISO"--if there is such an thing?

 

[Layback Bear]

As far as I know a ISO is a ISO the only difference is the COA key used.

 

[CarlSD]

My main machine was behaving a little flaky. It has had windows 10 on it for a short time as a test and was re imaged with 7. Anyhow it stopped seeing USB drives, files would disappear (no icons just the names) and other strange things. So I decided to blow it away and re install 7 64 bit Ultimate. Installation took no time at all of the basic OS, then the drivers, programs and so on and on. Then I decided to activate my Genuine Retail Copy of Ultimate and I got an error back from the activation server that stated the key can no longer be used to activate Windows. Boy that is an underhand tactic. If you get that message don't give up phone them and activate over the phone. M$ is trying every dirty trick in the book. Just a few more programs to install then I can image the partition with Macrium Reflect.

I use Advanced Tokens Manager to save my Windows 7 Activation files.

Advanced Tokens Manager - Josh Cell Softwares

As long as you reinstall Windows 7 onto the same hardware, it restores your activation status without having to go through MS's activation servers (it cannot be used for any 'illegal' activations, in case anyone's wondering).

It even works if you have to reinstall Windows 7 onto a new hard drive.

 

[Indianatone]

"Retail ISO" really a DVD set 64 and 32 bit versions including SP1. Black DVD's which I have ripped to USB to install Windows 7 with. Yes this is genuine Windows 7 Ultimate and I have it registered activated and working completely. Also before Microsoft made it impossible to find 7 ISO you could download them from Digital River with SP1 added and updated.

 

[Indianatone]

My main machine was behaving a little flaky. It has had windows 10 on it for a short time as a test and was re imaged with 7. Anyhow it stopped seeing USB drives, files would disappear (no icons just the names) and other strange things. So I decided to blow it away and re install 7 64 bit Ultimate. Installation took no time at all of the basic OS, then the drivers, programs and so on and on. Then I decided to activate my Genuine Retail Copy of Ultimate and I got an error back from the activation server that stated the key can no longer be used to activate Windows. Boy that is an underhand tactic. If you get that message don't give up phone them and activate over the phone. M$ is trying every dirty trick in the book. Just a few more programs to install then I can image the partition with Macrium Reflect.

I use Advanced Tokens Manager to save my Windows 7 Activation files.

Advanced Tokens Manager - Josh Cell Softwares

As long as you reinstall Windows 7 onto the same hardware, it restores your activation status without having to go through MS's activation servers (it cannot be used for any 'illegal' activations, in case anyone's wondering).

It even works if you have to reinstall Windows 7 onto a new hard drive.

I have used that but not this time.

 

[Layback Bear]

Tony
Have you got all your problems worked out at this time?
I have had to use the old phone call to Microsoft a couple of times. It was painless and took just a few minutes.

 

[Indianatone]

Yes its all good, the phone call did the trick. Then I could get the updates installed.

 

[Layback Bear]

Very good.
Happy computing again.

 

[Keager]

Keeping 7 at work, plus all the other places I support. Mostly it will be a who moved the cheese effect, but still have some apps not going to work on 8.1 or 10, yet. Probably in 2019 will be ready for it.

 

[bigmck]

The theory that Microsoft puts out is that each succeeding version of Windows is better than the last. We know from history, this is not true. I find it possible that Windows 7 is the best that has been made and there is not reason to switch.

 

[Layback Bear]

My thoughts. Of course their are those that really don't care what my thoughts are but anyway here goes.

W-10 can and will be a great operating system if the consumers demand it to be.
If the consumer just takes what ever Microsoft throws at them, W-10 will not be a great operating system.

How does one be a demanding consumer is simple. Don't buy W-10 until it has what you need and or want.
If in a small chance you are like me; Windows 7 is a great operating system but as in the past I will buy another operating system if the new operating system allows me to make choices and decisions on how the operating system works or doesn't work. I also want to be able to make the new system looks as I want it to look. I don't want my operating system to look like a cell phone.
Trying not to be to simplistic, all I want is a newer better operating system that I control what does or does not happen and when. No mandatory updates of any kind is one example. Most know how the wrong update can do to a system.

Yes I know that Microsoft doesn't intend to make a operating system just for me. I also don't expect them to.
Keep in mind that there are a billion or so Windows 7 users that just want some of the things that I want. (Control of the operating system at least to the degree we have had in the past.)

**If Microsoft gives us a fair shake we will buy W-10 just like we bought all the other Microsoft operating systems. Some of Microsofts operating were great for their time and some were not.
Our dollars were the judging method of which operating systems were prime time and which were not.**

My thoughts

Layback Bear

 

[bigmck]

My thoughts. Of course their are those that really don't care what my thoughts are but anyway here goes.

:roflmao::roflmao:

 

[Indianatone]

Just think for a moment. If Microsoft had released 10 with Media Center, Aero (if you want it) a Classic Windows 2000/XP style desktop with the under the cover improvements to the kernel, better support for multi core CPU's and SSD technologies, start menu like classic shell, a tablet mode for those that want it. All they have to do is put a Seven mode or even an XP mode so the OS can be skinned like it. I would have bought 10 copies of the Pro version. But they did not. They have alienated a large number of their user base. Everything is now in the cloud. They have stopped making Autoroute/Streets and Trips, Map Point, Encarta reference (years ago) and now we are expected to lump Windows 10. No thanks. I will be using Linux on my machines with 7 in a locked up VM after Windows 7 goes EOL so I can run the few programs I like which won't run on Linux. I suspect that once July 30th comes around the adoption rate for 10 will fall to absolutely zero. People will buy machines with 10 on it and will no doubt just get on with it.

 

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Just think for a moment. If Microsoft had released 10 with Media Center, Aero (if you want it) a Classic Windows 2000/XP style desktop with the under the cover improvements to the kernel, better support for multi core CPU's and SSD technologies, start menu like classic shell, a tablet mode for those that want it. All they have to do is put a Seven mode or even an XP mode so the OS can be skinned like it. I would have bought 10 copies of the Pro version. But they did not. They have alienated a large number of their user base. Everything is now in the cloud. They have stopped making Autoroute/Streets and Trips, Map Point, Encarta reference (years ago) and now we are expected to lump Windows 10. No thanks. I will be using Linux on my machines with 7 in a locked up VM after Windows 7 goes EOL so I can run the few programs I like which won't run on Linux. I suspect that once July 30th comes around the adoption rate for 10 will fall to absolutely zero. People will buy machines with 10 on it and will no doubt just get on with it.

MS would have to also stop the spying, forced updates, and frequent major changes to get my interest. Even if they did it tomorrow, I still wouldn't downgrade to Win 10 simply because I can no longer trust MS.

 

[lehnerus2000]

MS would have to also stop the spying, forced updates, and frequent major changes to get my interest. Even if they did it tomorrow, I still wouldn't downgrade to Win 10 simply because I can no longer trust MS.

MS would also have to eliminate the malware-style dialogue boxes.

"Pay-per-Click" is coming.

On the bright side, Linux Mint 18 will be released soon.

 

[Magnakai]

rerolling back to win7, ditching win10; hi well this is my story->

http://www.sevenforums.com/general-...seven-forums-6-a-post3252042.html#post3252042

win10 is ok for ppl who want an OS hassle-free. but it really takes too many options away from the user. and they do this quite bluntly "you can turn this service off for a while... but windows 10 will turn it on again eventually!" ... is this some kind of piss joke- what does 'a while' mean can't u be more specific? and the action center is even worse than other versions ... "windows defender needs to scan your system now!" x10 wtf ... no, it doesn't. sure, u can turn off notifications, but if u check at the settings page, the choices/options available to u aren't that great. most of the time it's either on or off, u can't specify certain behaviors. or maybe this was in developmental stage. can't opt to not install system updates, you could only defer. it's designed to take choices away from u. sync settings always balls up, and i have noticed discrepancies- this feature is not yet 100% absolute ... i am better off manually cloning my pc. and i want to murder cortana ...

the only positive thing about win10 is the right-click menu on START BUTTON .. hahaha

ps. Hey yeah, and hardware verification and the entire win10 user acc integration is just pure bs. i have a 15" & 13" laptop, roughly same gen and chipset, but they are verified differently. i can't swap out the HDD between them, they won't run that way. and so they say, if u make minor changes to ur hardware it's ok, but if u do major changes i dunno i guess like ur cpu chip, mobo etc., would u have to reinstall everything all over again. crap microsoft, do u mean we have to inform YOU now every time we want to upgrade components?? man, i've been swapping harddisks between my pcs for years! why all the complication? i got so pissed off logging in with win10 user acc, i just logged in with a local user after a short while. Microsoft really assumed too much on ur behalf. .. of course i did NOT read ur eula LOL.... sorry but i just don't waste time reading S.H1-tt.

 

[ThrashZone]

Hi,
As far as I know switching hdd's or sdd's does not affect an install even in win-10
cpu's maybe I've only done that on a retail install so I wouldn't know but on a laptop that is not often possible

Mother board changes have always affected oem installs so that is nothing new

 

[lehnerus2000]

the only positive thing about win10 is the right-click menu on START BUTTON .. hahaha

That was actually one of the few improvements in the W8 Series (IIRC it was introduced in W8.1).