Install now, activate later

[hitechwreck]

Hi guys. I am putting a new PC together shortly, and i want to run Windows 7 Home Premium on it. However i cannot get the software until the 22nd October 2009. Is there anyway of getting a version installed now, and then legally activating it, when i purchase the software? It would be great to install W7 with 30 days to activate.When the software arrives i could just pop in the product key and everything's spiffing.
Is this do-able?
Many thanks
Darren

 

[zigzag3143]

Hi guys. I am putting a new PC together shortly, and i want to run Windows 7 Home Premium on it. However i cannot get the software until the 22nd October 2009. Is there anyway of getting a version installed now, and then legally activating it, when i purchase the software? It would be great to install W7 with 30 days to activate.When the software arrives i could just pop in the product key and everything's spiffing.
Is this do-able?
Many thanks
Darren

Darren

There is a trial wvailable from microsoft but it is enterprise not home premium so youu would have to re-intall. Its ony 9 days it might make sense to wait

Ken

 

[hitechwreck]

Thanks Ken, appreciate your reply. Looks like i'll be waiting.

 

[Barman58]

The answer to this is Yes and No - technically what you require is certainly possible - windows 7 allows a 30 days grace period by default.

the issue is where do you get a copy of the actual install media - this is not available to the general public.

It is however available to people registered with schemes run by Microsoft such as Technet, MSDN and certain academic programs.

If you have access to this media through someone with the necessary access then what you wish to do is possible and I do not believe would breach any licence requirements

 

[Antman]

SysPrep Reseal?

Isn't this exactly what that tool is for?

 

[DeaconFrost]

If you have access to this media through someone with the necessary access then what you wish to do is possible and I do not believe would breach any licence requirements

It would be perfectly fine, and even Microsoft has provided steps to re-arm that 30 day, just in case. Like you said, the only issue is obtaining the media.

If it was me, I'd download the 90 day RTM trial, and install it now, giving me a chance to test out drivers and apps. Then, when the licensed version arrives, I'd be ready for a clean install, and I'd have my USB flash drive loaded up with the drivers and utlities I wanted to have installed on the system. I always do a double install with a new OS version, just to give it a test run that I can mess around with, and then the second install is the one that's going to stick.