Installing different editions using 1 dvd

steve-pressman said:

This is a free and easy program to use and is great. Download and follow instructions.

The Official ImgBurn Website

I wanted to try this method before the suggestion above yours, and I successfully made a bootable dvd. Next, I wanted to test if it works, so I inserted it into a computer that already has windows 7 running on it since I have no intention to go through with the installation. I restarted my computer and made my CD drive boot up first, but right after posting and the screen says "booting from cd", instead of going to the installation screen, my computer just boots into windows normally. Why does it do that?

ImgBurn can download an ISO from a disk, and burn one to a disk, but cannot recompile an ISO from files that have been extracted.

You need to use Vlite 1.6 installed over version 1.2 to avoidhaving to download the huge MS WAIK.

Here is the 7Forums tutorial: Bootable ISO - Create from Installation Files

You can burn the ISO from the same drop-down menu where the ISO is created.

Then choose your licensed version from booted All-Versions DVD, created by extracting ei.cfg from Sources folder, recompiling into ISO to burn DVD.

If you are using a paid isohandler ( eg MagicISO), then just pick up the .iso , find eicfg in the sources folder - delete it, then click Save As - and give it a new name eg new.iso.
Then burn new.iso to dvd. That's all. No need to hunt for boot images.

It's tricky making a bootable .iso from scratch with windows files. You need special apps. to handle etfsboot.com.

gregrocker said:

ImgBurn can download an ISO from a disk, and burn one to a disk, but cannot recompile an ISO from files that have been extracted.

You need to use Vlite 1.6 installed over version 1.2 to avoidhaving to download the huge MS WAIK.

Here is the 7Forums tutorial: Bootable ISO - Create from Installation Files

You can burn the ISO from the same drop-down menu where the ISO is created.

Then choose your licensed version from booted All-Versions DVD, created by extracting ei.cfg from Sources folder, recompiling into ISO to burn DVD.

Before I go ahead and try this one out, can you explain why imgburn doesn't do what you said?
I used their tutorial to make a bootable xp disc as a model for windows 7. How to create a Windows XP installation disc using ImgBurn - ImgBurn Support Forum.

I ignored the first set of instructions for slipstreaming the service pack, but followed everything else after that (except I deleted ei.cfg after copying over the files from my original windows disc).

When the bootup from cd drive didn't work as I described above, I tried running the cd within Windows, and the install screen appeared. I was able to go through at least the first couple steps, and then I stopped on my own accord because it seemed to work. Does this mean the disc works? Did my boot-from-cd not work because I already have windows 7 installed? Or should it have run regardless of what OS is installed?

I'm assuming you ticked the box make image bootable,selected long file names, and under the Restrictions tab- ISO9660 , ticked Don't add 1 version number? That should work if you already have a boot.img to work with.

Running setup from within windows is not the same as getting bootmgr to load setup from the boot cd.

SIW2 said:

If you are using a paid isohandler ( eg MagicISO), then just pick up the .iso , find eicfg in the sources folder - delete it, then click Save As - and give it a new name eg new.iso.
Then burn new.iso to dvd. That's all. No need to hunt for boot images.

It's tricky making a bootable .iso from scratch with windows files. You need special apps. to handle etfsboot.com.

That's what I was planning on doing in the very beginning, just resaving the iso that I extracted from the windows disc, deleting the ei.cfg file, resaving it, and then burning it onto a disc. But for some reason I thought that doing simply that wouldn't make the disc bootable, so I looked up the instructions given by MagicISO on how to create a bootable disc. One of the instructions told me to load a bootable image file, which I didn't understand. You can refer to post #8.

SIW2 said:

I'm assuming you ticked the box make image bootable,selected long file names, and under the Restrictions tab- ISO9660 , ticked Don't add 1 version number? That should work if you already have a boot.img to work with.

Running setup from within windows is not the same as getting bootmgr to load setup from the boot cd.

I simply followed the instructions in the imgburn tutorial link I provided, minus the slipstream section and deleting the ei.cfg file.

I think I found out the issue. None of the discs, including the original windows disc, boots from the computer that already has windows 7 installed on it. But when I tried booting the burned disc from a different computer that has xp installed, it booted properly and I was able to see the installation steps. What's wrong here?

Try this:

Use any version of Windows 7 free for 120 days