W7 RTM Installation

[seekermeister]

I just finished downloading the OS using the MS Store's download manager, and all appeared normal, until I went to the downloaded file. The zip is as expected, in terms of size...3,149.148kb, but when I extracted it, it only contained 3 files...no_emul.00, no_emul.01 and the readme. viewing these files within the zip showed the file sizes at 4096, 512 & 135, but then once extracted, the sizes were only 4, 1 & 1 kbs respectively.

It seems obvious that something is awry, but I have no idea of what...unless it has to do with the fact that I used PowerArchiver to unzip it, instead of the MS downloader, which only had the option to run the file, instead of opening it. The file is supposed to be an ISO, but there doesn't appear to be any such file.

Since it took over 5 hours to download it, I'm hoping that there is a way to use what I have, rather than starting back at square one.

 

[seekermeister]

Nevermind, I think that I have got it figured out. I used the MS USB/DVD Download Tool to copy the zip to a USB drive, and the contents looks much more like I expected it to. I've never done anything like this before, but I hope that the flash drive will work as well as a DVD. It seems that every time I think that I've got things figured out, there is some new wrinkle for me to iron out.

 

[seekermeister]

I just finished installing the OS, but ran into some snags. The major one is that during the setup I chose to do a clean install, rather than an upgrade, because I had planned to use XP for the upgrade installation, for I had been advised numerous times that a clean installation would be necessary with XP. However, when I entered the license key, it rejected it as being invalid. I then left the space empty and continued the installation.

Once at desktop, I went to System Properties and tried to enter the license there, but it failed verification with the message that the key was no good for a clean install, only an upgrade installation. It never asked for the XP CD for verification as I expected, so it seems that I should have chose the upgrade installation, contrary to what I was told.

I could start over from scratch (and may be forced to), but I'm hoping that there is some way to save this installation and have it set as an upgrade, so that it will accept my key?

 

[Mojos]

Any luck finding a solution? I'm downloading the student upgrade at the moment but as I have XP i was planning to do a 'custom install' and I'm now wondering if my key will work. Or is a 'custom install' still classed as an upgrade as opposed to a clean install on a blank drive?

 

[seekermeister]

All that I can say is that there were only two option on my installation...either upgrade or clean. I would be guessing at this point, because I'm still looking for a solution as I posted, but my guess would be to choose the upgrade installation, hoping that when it didn't see Vista, that it would ask for XP.

 

[seekermeister]

I just got off the telephone with a MS tech rep, and I'm now being told a totally different story than I have before, both on the internet and on a direct call to the Microsoft Store. This time I was told that it was not possible to use the upgrade version of W7 with XP at all, regardless of how I setup the installation.

I was told that it would require either an OEM or full retail version to do my installation, and that the retail version is not yet available. I was given a telephone number to call for returning what I have, but that only reached a recording that said that I would have to leave my telephone number and wait for them to return my call, which would be impossible, since I never answer incoming calls. It also gave an url to do this, but when I tried it, it said that it couldn't find the address.

Right now, I'm not very happy with MS, and that is an understatement. Apparently, I'm not alone, because the rep that I did speak with said that they had alot of people in the same boat, including corporate customers. I feel as though they created this confusion on purpose to raise funds, and now are making it difficult to rectify.

 

[seekermeister]

Now I'm really getting irked, I found the webpage dealing with returns, and after a lot of reading, it gave me another number to call, which did reach a live MS rep, but she insisted that I call another number yet...tomorrow (1-800-936-5700), but it appears that this is for tech support, rather than for refunds/returns. It appears to me that this is just a run around to delay refunding my money.

 

[logicearth]

Instead of doing that...

Run the installer from within Windows 7 and do an upgrade installation.
Then use your serial number.

 

[seekermeister]

Instead of doing that...

Run the installer from within Windows 7 and do an upgrade installation.
Then use your serial number.

Would you care to clarify? I did run the W7 installer, but it would not accept my license key...as I said above. I really don't understand your post.

EDIT: Rereading your post, I didn't notice your word "upgrade". If you are simply saying that to reformat the "clean" installation and reinstall using the upgrade option, that would be fine if it worked, but according to one MS rep, it will not...at least not with XP.

 

[tw33k]

Would you care to clarify? I did run the W7 installer, but it would not accept my license key...as I said above. I really don't understand your post.

What he means is, now that you have an un-activated copy of windows 7, run the setup again, and install it as an upgrade

 

[logicearth]

Do not shutdown your computer. Put the USB or DVD into your computer. Launch setup.exe from the device if it does not automatically do it for you. The follow the instructions and do a "Custom (advanced)" installation. You will then select the main partition Windows 7 is already installed on. This is one of the tricks used on Windows Vista.

Actually maybe read this! http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp

 

[seekermeister]

tw33k,

If I do that, isn't that really the same thing as starting over from scratch? I may try that, when I can get my mind back to it, but it seems that would simply delete the previous installation, rather than modifying it. If that is the case, it is somewhat time consuming, because I'm installing from a flash drive, rather than a DVD, and it is excruciating slow.

However, I'm not certain that the flash drive is the problem, because even now, it takes about a minute to get past the Windows loading logo screen on boot, unlike the beta and RC which was quite quick.

 

[seekermeister]

Do not shutdown your computer. Put the USB or DVD into your computer. Launch setup.exe from the device if it does not automatically do it for you. The follow the instructions and do a "Custom (advanced)" installation. You will then select the main partition Windows 7 is already installed on. This is one of the tricks used on Windows Vista.

Actually maybe read this! http://www.winsupersite.com/win7/clean_install_upgrade_media.asp

I will read your link, but it sounds as though you are saying to start the installation while booted to XP. If that would work, I may do so, but that is not what I wanted, because even if it did work, it would creat a boot menu, which I really don't care for. I usually install each OS on individual drives, with all other drives disconnected, so that I can either use simply the F8 boot menu, or boot priority in the BIOS.

With different OSs interconnected, it invariably lead to trouble.

 

[logicearth]

Kinda lost me...are you not currently running Windows 7 (non-activated) on your computer? I was referring to launching the install while running Windows 7 and upgrading the installation from there.

 

[seekermeister]

If you lost me, that's not a surprise, because I was quite lost myself. However, it appears that the reg edit in your link worked. At least it now says that it is activated and has some kind of number where the license should go. Many thanks, now I can go on to bigger and better things...I hope.