Schools Agreement upgrade disk

[leakingpaint]

If this has been covered elsewhere I'd appreciate a link to that forum, here's my problem.

I work for a school they're running XP SP3 32bit. I ordered the Win 7 64 bit upgrade. Upon inserting the DVD i get the obvious error - "unsupported edition for upgrade...yada yada"

The disk doesn't boot either (tried on several different PC's, different hardware, dvd first boot device)

When I check the bootmgr file using notepad on the disk it reads in one section "BOOTMGR image is corrupt" - I think Microsoft have done that on purpose because it's a school licensed disk (volume license)?why else?

I booted into & installed my copy of Vista 64bit, left the key blank and then installed the Win7 upgrade on top of it. Registered ok over the phone - but now many files don't install or work. Office 2007, Thunderbird among others.

How do I get to install a fresh copy of Win7 64 bit - as the disk doesn't boot. The 32 bit version has the same problem.

Disk contents: - green disk with silver border says "not for OEM or retail distribution"
boot
efi
sources
support
upgrade
autorun.inf
bootmgr
bootmgr.efi
setup.exe

Not sure if this version will work if i try to make a bootable flash drive

...please help

 

[karlsnooks]

First, as you learned, there is not a direct "UPGRADE" path from XP to Win 7.

I'm having a little difficulty with what you want to do.

Do you desire to install Win 7 on one or many computers?

The new windows activation procedure will rise up and bite you if you try to install a single-license version of Win 7 on more than one computer to use on more than one computer at one time. Essentially - one computer = 1 license.

There are several tutorials here on using upgrade discs which also explain the qualifiying conditions. If you are trying to migrate and retain your data when going going from xp to win 7 then you will be using a different procedure.
Download details: Windows 7 Upgrade Paths

also of probably interest is:
Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - Download - Microsoft Windows

 

[gregrocker]

Wipe the HD first to get rid of the conflicting boot sector code: SSD - HDD Optimize for Windows Reinstallation

Boot the Win7 DVD to Custom Clean install: How to Boot your Computer from a Bootable CD or DVD

Don't try your Product Key at first, uncheck box to activate when connected to internet. Instead do one of the workarounds given here to install to cleaned HD: Clean Install with a Upgrade Windows 7 Version

 

[leakingpaint]

Thanks for the replies

Do you desire to install Win 7 on one or many computers?

I wish to install Win7 64 bit on all office computers using a volume license key (Microsoft have supplied me with the DVD and a volume license key)
I want to just do a clean format, I don't mind if i have nothing from the previous OS

Wipe the HD first to get rid of the conflicting boot sector code:

I'll try this but the bootmgr doesn't work on the physical media (DVD) as far as I can tell, MS have disabled this making the installation DVD unable to boot. Despite setting the bios to boot from DVD/CD first i still don't get an option to boot from the DVD Microsoft sent me even on a "brand new hard drive off the shelf"

How would I create a new bootable DVD using the files on the un-bootable Win7 64 bit disk?
Can I copy the files from the DVD and create my own bootable disk?

Thanks again.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

You can use a trial of PowerISO to check if in fact the DVD is bootable or not, from the link below.


Download a Free Copy of PowerISO

click to enlarge


​

 

[karlsnooks]

leakingpaint,
if the dvd is unbootable, then contact the supplier of the DVD.

If that fails,contact Microsoft. I'm very sure that they will be interested in hearing about a supplier of defective dvds.

 

[alphanumeric]

How old are the PC's in question? I have a couple of PC's here that have a BIOS that does not support the Windows 7 boot loader. I get a code 5 error and the same DVD is bootable in my newer PC. These same PC's won't boot from a windows 7 USB thumbdrive either, and again I can boot from that same thumbdrive and install windows 7 from it on my new PC. I got around it by booting up into XP and starting the install from there. I just did a custom install. My DVD wasn't an upgrade version though it was a full version.

 

[karlsnooks]

Windows 7 Upgrade Advisor - Download - Microsoft Windows

 

[gregrocker]

Try DBAN or Partition Wizard CD's which will autostart, wipe the HD with zeroes, then the Win7 DVD should autostart install on empty HD.

Do you have another bootable CD you can try to see if the problem is with your optical drive? If you have XP you can try install from it as Alpha suggests.

USB Windows 7 Installation Key Drive

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

See Option Three in this tutorial at the link below for an out-line on how to use the Partition Wizard program to do a wipe "secure erase" a specific partition on the HDD.


Partition Wizard : Use the Bootable CD

 

[leakingpaint]

Will try suggetions

Thanks for the valuable feedback.

• I will try PowerISO in the mean time to double check whether or not the DVD is bootable.
• I have tried using different PC's old and new (my PC won't boot it either & it's fairly new)
• Other bootable disks work fine eg. XP Pro works like a charm when booting.
• Hardware wise the PC's are capable of running Win7 64 bit (Windows Upgrade Advisor)

I have tried installing to a brand new SATA 500GB - but I will try

...DBAN or Partition Wizard CD's which will autostart, wipe the HD with zeroes, then the Win7 DVD should autostart install on empty HD.

that I can do next week.

if the dvd is unbootable, then contact the supplier of the DVD

The reseller I purchased it from is the official supplier chosen by Microsoft for my area.

Thank you again I will post what I've done next week so I can organize to bring one of the PC's home and work on it from here. Volume License was a pleasure using XP but sadly I feel Microsoft should include a full license for schools instead of only an "upgrade" option which is proving to be very troublesome.

 

[leakingpaint]

Power ISO

Ok, so I installed PowerISO and added all the files from the DVD and here's the result

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f355/leakingpaint/Win64bit.jpg

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello again.



Well, you've found the issue; have a look at the PowerISO help file to see how to make it bootable.

Be sure to post back with any further questions you may have and to keep us informed.

 

[gregrocker]

You can create a bootable ISO using files with ImgBurn as well.

It may be easier to download the ISO file again, and burn it to DVD this time with ImgBurn.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

You can create a bootable ISO using files with ImgBurn as well.

ImgBurn is what I always use.

 

[leakingpaint]

Will try ImgBurn as the only help I can see in PowerISO is Action-->Boot-->Add boot information...
what information? I don't have a file or boot file to tell it to boot.

So I'll try ImgBurn perhaps it flags the disc as bootable for me? When you add boot information do you physically have to have the bootable file? I thought the CD/DVD burning software would automatically create it?

Sorry if this is a dumb question

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Here is the ImgBurn guide at this link below.


How to create a Windows Vista / 7 installation disc using ImgBurn - ImgBurn Support Forum

 

[leakingpaint]

Thank you for the link - The DVD seems to boot but I can only test the install when I get back to work next week. I will let everybody know if it is successful.

As far as I can tell, for whatever reason, Microsoft were the ones that disabled the ability to boot. You may think I've lost my marbles but with this Volume License Upgrade disk they actually have disabled it? wtf

Will test and let everybody know

 

[leakingpaint]

error code 0x80070570

After using the guide provided by Bare Foot Kid the DVD booted successfully.
I then followed the guide provided by gregrocker to format the drive

After the format I installed and about half way through I get:
"error code 0x80070570
Windows cannot install files. The file may be corrupt or missing. Make sure all files required for installation are available and restart installation."

I'm phoning Microsoft tomorrow, I don't think the disk is faulty. It could be RAM, but again I doubt it. I actually think it's just that they have disabled something which is the reason it wasn't bootable in the first place.

It's a bright green disk with a thick silver border and clearly reads "previous os license required. Volume License" I just thought that at least you would be able to install it from a formatted HD - turns out you can't. Will let everybody know what Microsoft say.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Yes, do keep us informed.