Win 7 32 bit to 64 bit install tutorial?

[NED11WILS]

There is such plethora of information now that I have been unable to simply find a good straightforward tutorial. I want to install win 7 Ultimate 64 bit to replace my 32 bit Ultimate. My PC is capable. There is so much junk and conversation out there that finding the pure info is a topic unto itself! Will someone please direct me to where I can learn how to install the 64 bit version hopefully without disturbing the Data on my drive.

Thanks much.

 

[z3r010]

You cant upgrade from 32 to 64bit, it has to be a fresh install.

 

[NED11WILS]

z3010. Thanks for the lesson in tech semantics. I never knew that it was not considered an upgrade if a fresh install was required. This is quit useful in obtaining a 64 bit ver.

 

[Megahertz07]

If you're planning to install Win 7 64 bits on your Intel Atom N470 laptop, don't do it.
- Windows 7 Starter doesn't have a 64 bits version. You're going to need another license.
- 64 bits is only mandatory if you have more than 4G of memory. If you have 4G or less, use Win 32 bits OS.

 

[NED11WILS]

Megahertz07, Thanks for your input. I must have listed my HP210 Mini as my machine in the profile. The item that I am putting a 64 bit system into is an eMachine PC:

Model ET1331G
Total amount of system memory 8.00 GB RAM
System type 32-bit operating system
Number of processor cores 2
hdd Samsung HD753LJ 750GB

 

[Megahertz07]

If the eMachine came with win 7 you have a COA sticker with a license key on it.
For witch type (H,HP, PRO or Ultimate) is the license key?

 

[NED11WILS]

Megahertz07. It is a $30 PC that I bought from a secondhand store. Originally was XP but a previous owner installed Win 7 Ultimate- I have the key. The machine has the 8GB of RAM because I added-on without doing my homework first and finding that 32 bit systems allow a maximum of 4GB. I think that I have the website that I need to move forward:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

Thanks for getting back to me.

 

[Megahertz07]

If you have a retail license you can download a copy of win 7 64 SP1 from Win 7 Iso download

But remember that ALL brands (H, HP, Pro or Ultimate) installation disks has all versions.
If you have any brand of win 7 64 SP1 you can install the ultimate version (just remove the \sources\ei.cfg file)
Download ei.cfg Removal Utility 1.2.1
Don't forget to detach ALL other disks from the MB and delete all partitions on the target disk.
Win 7 clean install

For the updates my suggestion is to use Simplix (single file with all updates but without the telemetry)
Simplix 19.5.15

 

[NED11WILS]

Megahertz07. I am a bit overwhelmed by that tutorial section. And this ei.cfg file? I don't really get it. Remove it? I still do not really understand what it is. It stops my Ultimate from being the selected Win 7 installation? But how would the download know which ver of Win 7 to install anyway until I somewhere provide the Product ID? I downloaded the 64 bit ISO on to my computer and then to a USB with the USB-DVD Download Tool. Something tells me that I should have used the ei.config thing first? Do I need to run it on the ISO and then load the USB? As to partitions my computer has none. Open the 'Computer' and all you see is C: and CD Drive D: which I discovered today will no longer Write hence using the USB.

I am entirely new to this. Thanks for the info.

 

[badcrc]

Running the ei.config on the iso turns the iso into a multiple version iso (all versions are actually present in the original iso, it just needs unlocking). When you install, you will presented with a list of versions - Home, Ultimate etc - and you select the one you have a serial for.

 

[NED11WILS]

badcrc. So I was correct in thinking that I have to run the ei.cfg removal tool before doing the USB-DVD operation? It seems obvious but am asking anyhow. Thank you for the explanation on exactly what it does.

 

[Megahertz07]

As I wrote above, an original Windows 7/8 ISO installation disk has all brands (H, HP, Pro or Ultimate).
ei.cfg has the information of what is the default to be installed.
When used on an original Windows 7/8 ISO image, ei.cfg Removal Utility will disable the
ei.cfg file, thus converting a disc image into a "universal" disc image.

 

[NED11WILS]

Okay-okay!!! I was hoping that I might be able to get away with running it on the converted iso.

 

[NED11WILS]

32 to 64 win7

As I wrote above, an original Windows 7/8 ISO installation disk has all brands (H, HP, Pro or Ultimate).
ei.cfg has the information of what is the default to be installed.
When used on an original Windows 7/8 ISO image, ei.cfg Removal Utility will disable the
ei.cfg file, thus converting a disc image into a "universal" disc image.

Well sir before you become so aggravated with my thickheaded ways be informed that my Ultimate is the default installation in any case.


As it turns out I have bigger problems because my system is UEFI and it does not wish to boot with the usb installer. I have tried the RUFUS method from the following link: How to Create UEFI Bootable USB Drive to Install Windows 7 | Windows OS Hub


The error message "This device can only boot in UEFI Mode" appears when the installation usb is selected in the boot order.

 

[Snick]

NED11WILS,
When you access your boot menu, do you have access to UEFI and Legacy Boot Options?

If you created the USB in UEFI (nonCSM) and you can't boot, you are most likely trying to legacy boot a UEFI boot USB, won't work. My P7-1234 is very quirky on booting from USB on various distros of Linux, Black Arch, Kali works fine, New version of Linux Lite, Old Linux Lite 2.002 beta won't boot period.

Change your partition scheme on Rufus to MBR, Target becomes Bios or UEFI (nonCSM) works for me sometimes. on P7 USB installers. Operative word SOMETIMES!

 

[Megahertz07]

Are you sure your BIOS is UEFI? Old computers only has Legacy-MBR option.

Windows 64 bits can be installed as Legacy-MBR or UEFI-GPT (If BIOS is UEFI)
To install as UEFI you must boot the installation disk as UEFI, not Legacy.

A USB flash disk Win 7 installation disk must have a \efi\boot folder (not found on the original iso)

- Format the USB flash disk as Fat32
- Copy all iso files and folders to the USB flash disk.
- Rename \sources\ei.cfg to \sources\ei.cfg.org
- Copy the \boot folder (attached) to \efi\boot

Boot folder
Start the computer and launch the boot menu and choose to boot the installation disk as UEFI.

 

[Snick]

That's where I was goin' @Megahertz07
You most probably will have two boot options

 

[NED11WILS]

Guys, Thank you! It has been some days since I have been able to return to this very necessary project. Megahertz07 your willingness to take the time to supply a boot folder is saintly. I do appear to have the correct tree that you show in your reply and it seems to already have that boot folder. I have followed instructions numerous times to create the UEFI USB with RUFUS and using the manual method (set of commands from elevated prompt with with Diskpart and formatting in fat32). Each time results appear to be identical on the resulting USB. I have included attachments of the parent folder and of the tree.


SNICK, back to the question of choosing UEFI. I am certain that is what the computer is set for from reading the error message. As to options for a boot you can see that the boot device simply is indicated by "SandisK" the usb brand. I have attached images of the computer screen. It seems that the machine does not see something that is on the USB.


Where to from here?

 

[SIW2]

You are trying to boot the usb in legacy (bios) mode. You must have set up the usb via rufus for efi boot only.

Suggest you recreate the usb for both bios and efi-csm boot.



The trick here is to press ALT+E if you want ntfs and it isn't already showing above.

 

[Megahertz07]

It will only boot as UEFI IF you BIOS is UEFI that seems that it's not.

You didn't pay attention on what I wrote:
The Win 7 installation disk has two folders to boot from
\boot = to boot as Legacy (on a usb disk it must have MBR set (active)
\efi\microsoft\boot\fonts = to boot the DVD as UEFI

You must add the boot folder attached to \efi\boot

I don't think you have an UEFI BIOS so it won't boot as UEFI.