Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc - Create

How to Create a Windows 7 Universal Installation Disc​

Introduction

For Windows users who installed or upgraded Windows Vista, there is one big difference that will be immediately noticed when installing or upgrading to Windows 7: The Windows 7 installation wizard no longer prompts, or asks, for the user to select which edition of the operating system to install. Instead, each Windows 7 DVD disc will automatically install the specific edition which it’s limited to. So a Windows 7 Home Premium disc will only install Windows 7 HP, a Pro disc will only install Pro, etc.

Although Microsoft does not provide any such universal Windows 7 installation media, the function is indeed feasible. (see Screenshot below) A disc such as this can be especially helpful to PC technicians, IT staff, and the like who need to reinstall Win7 frequently. Remember you will still need a valid license key specific to the version you are installing. In addition, Microsoft has eliminated the differences between the retail and OEM install discs with Windows 7, so this disc can be used to reinstall Win7 on PC’s where the owner has lost, or is unable to find, the OEM restore discs. In order to create such a disc; just delete and remove the ei.cfg from any Windows 7 ISO to convert that image into a universal disc for all editions of Windows 7.






STAGE 1 UNIVERSAL DVD - ALL 32 OR 64 BIT ON 1 DVD

For any user who has the Windows 7 install DVD or ISO and wishes to make a universal installer disc now there is an easier way to modify the ISO. Normally this was accomplished by manually unpacking and extracting the contents of the ISO image (or copying files from DVD to HDD), deleting the ei.cfg and then repacking the installation files back into an ISO to burn. Users can now eliminate these tedious procedures by making use of the “ei.cfg Removal Utility”.

The ei.cfg Removal Utility is a simple tool that will disable the ei.cfg from any Windows 7 ISO disc image, thereby converting the image into a “universal disc” that will prompt the user to select their preferred edition during setup. The ei.cfg Removal Utility works directly to patch the ISO image, by toggling the deletion bit in the UDF file table to instruct the operating system to ignore and remove ei.cfg, or treat it as if it does not exist. Best of all, the ei.cfg Removal Utility can reverse the patching to restore the ISO disc image to its original state when the tool is been used to apply on a disc image that previously been patched by the utility.

The ei.cfg Removal Utility is a standalone portable app, and requires no installation. In fact, the program does not have much of a user interface at all. Simply selecting the target Windows 7 ISO, and the disc image (ISO) will be patched right away. So make sure a backup copy of your ISO is created beforehand.

Download the ei.cfg Removal Utility here:eicfg_removal_utility.zip


STAGE 2 UNIVERSAL DVD - ALL 32 AND ALL 64 BIT ON 1 DVD

I was amazed at how easy it is to merge Win7 x86 and Win7 x64 editions (DVDs) in a single DVD or 4GB USB. The process is pretty simple, you need a copy of both any 32 bit and any 64 bit Windows 7 install DVD or ISO. Either copy the DVD's contents to a folder on a HDD, or extract the ISO's contents to a folder. Run 4 commands from the prompt, then create and burn your new Universal install DVD/USB.


Requirements:

1. WAIK (Windows Automation Installation Kit) Download WAIK
2. Windows Win7 x86 and Windows Win7 x64 DVDs.
3. An application that can extract the files from an ISO (if using a downloaded ISO). I use WinRAR, but many apps can do this extraction.
4. An application that allows you to build a new iso or create a bootable DVD/USB. I use UltraISO for this.
5. Single Layer DVD, compatible DVD Burner and, of course DVD burning software… or a 4GB USB flash drive.

We will merge the four Windows 7 x64 editions into the Win7 x86 DVD contents, because Win7 x64 DVD has 64-bit content that can’t run some of the Win32 installation components.


Getting Started


1. Install WAIK in your Windows (doesn’t matter you are running Win7 or Windows XP)

2. Make two folders, in my examples I use Win7_64 and Win7_32. Now copy both Windows 7 x64 and x86 DVDs contents into their respective folders. Or extract your downloaded ISO’s into their respective folder.

   Note

If copying files over from a DVD to the above folders, you actually only need the Sources\install.wim file from the Windows 7 x64 DVD.

3. Run WAIK command prompt (Run as Administrator if UAC enabled):
Start à All Programs àWindows AIK àWindows AIK and PE Command Prompt

4. Each and every Win7 edition has an index no. in the install.wim (WIM file), you can check using the following command:

Imagex/info G:\Win7_32\Sources\install.wim

   Note

Where G:\Win7_32 represents the location of your 32 bit DVD files

The results will look something like above.
This shows that INDEX=1 denotes Windows 7 Starter and so on… (you may have to scroll down to observe these entries)

5. We will use the Imagex /export command to move our x64 WIM entries into the x86 wim file.

   Note

The syntax for this command is:

   Note

imagex /export src_file src_number src_name dest_file dest_name

Now execute the following commands with appropriate INDEX no. to export a copy of the specified image to the Windows 7 32bit (x86) WIM file.

For Win7 Home Basic x64:

Imagex/export G:\Win7_64\Sources\install.wim 1 G:\Win7_32\Sources\install.wim "Windows 7 Home Basic (x64)"

For Win7 Home Premium x64:

Imagex/export G:\Win7_64\Sources\install.wim 2 G:\Win7_32\Sources\install.wim "Windows 7 Home Premium (x64)"

For Win7 Professional x64:

Imagex/export G:\Win7_64\Sources\install.wim 3 G:\Win7_32\Sources\install.wim "Windows 7 Professional (x64)"

For Win7 Ultimate x64:

Imagex /export G:\Win7_64\Sources\install.wim 4 G:\Win7_32\Sources\install.wim "Windows 7 Ultimate (x64)"

6. After execution of above commands Win7_32's WIM file will be the universal WIM file that contains all version of Win7. You can export only desired versions into the image. For example you could make a Win7 DVD, which includes Win7 Ultimate x86 and x64 version only.

7. Now to make bootable DVD image...

Related Tutorials

---

• How to Create a Windows 7 System Repair Disc
• How to Create a Windows 7 Installation USB Key
• How to Install Windows 7 from USB Pen Drive Using Grub4Dos
• How to Slipstream Windows 7 SP1 and Updates to Create a Bootable USB, Installation DVD, or ISO File

 

[nonewem]

Got it!

So I got the Windows 7 32bit iso and I have installed the OS. I have two problems now. The code from COA sticker wont work <its faded and hard to read> so now im running on a 30day trial. Also drivers dont work! I cant connect wireless to the internet or my projector! Please help!

 

[Joshatdot]

Please start your own trouble shooting post .. this is about Universal Installation Disc

The FAQ's link below can help show you how to create a new thread in the forum to post your off topic questions in.

http://www.sevenforums.com/faq.php?faq=vb3_board_faq#faq_newthread

 

[Nextsky]

Doesn't work for me. The final result contains only 32 bit versions.

 

[derekimo]

Doesn't work for me. The final result contains only 32 bit versions.

You need to start with a 32bit and a 64bit ISO, do you have both?

 

[Nextsky]

Yes. I followed exactly the tutorial.

 

[ESL]

I'm confused here. Do I have to follow both stage 1 and 2 to do this, or only stage 1? I'm trying to make a bootable DVD of Windows 7 Starter in Spanish for my wife.

 

[derekimo]

I'm confused here. Do I have to follow both stage 1 and 2 to do this, or only stage 1? I'm trying to make a bootable DVD of Windows 7 Starter in Spanish for my wife.

You just need the first stage, use the eicfg removal tool on the x86 iso before you make your install media.

 

[ESL]

I'm confused here. Do I have to follow both stage 1 and 2 to do this, or only stage 1? I'm trying to make a bootable DVD of Windows 7 Starter in Spanish for my wife.

You just need the first stage, use the eicfg removal tool on the x86 iso before you make your install media.

Thanks. I ran the tool, burned the x86 ISO (Home Premium) to a DVD, and tested it on my PC. It brought up the menu to select which x86 version of Windows 7 I want to install, and, of course, since my wife has a valid key for Windows 7 Starter, she'll choose that one. One question. Do Windows 7 Starter keys restrict the language the OS can be in? She bought her computer in Mexico as she is from Mexico, so the OS that was pre-installed on her PC was Windows 7 Starter in Spanish. Will she able to use the same key for the English version of Starter down the road?

 

[Joshatdot]

IIRC, you can choose what language Windows to be in during setup/install.

 

[ESL]

The Spanish x86 ISO of Windows 7 I downloaded would only let me choose Spanish as the language. Am I to assume that if she wants the English version of Windows 7 Starter down the road that I'll have to download the English x86 ISO of Windows 7, run the eicfg removal tool on it, and burn it to DVD? If so, that's an easy solution. Let me know. Thanks.

 

[ESL]

Just thought I'd bump this, guys. Will my wife's legitimate product key for Windows 7 Starter in Spanish also entitle her to legally use Windows 7 Starter in English? If not, I'll just stick with the ISO of the Spanish version of Windows 7 Starter that I made.

 

[SIW2]

On the same machine- should be fine.

I assume you mean the key off the notebook sticker?

 

[ESL]

Yes, the sticker on the side of her computer, which is actually a nettop. I appreciate the reply. I'll commence with making the English Windows 7 Starter DVD.

 

[Bigbillsd]

I was thinking I could make a simple disk using the ei cfg program to remove the file from the iso i made from a win7 pro disk then burn that image to a cd and then install that cd and choose what version of the os to install.
I notice on the cd I cannot find that file anymore so I guessed that the ei cfg program did its work correctly, but the machine I create from it is Windows 7 Pro. I was not looking to burn multiple images on one dvd, it was just to have a disk that I could use any License key with and it would work. That does not appear to be what I got. Was I understanding the first part of the thread incorrectly?

 

[SIW2]

All the images are in the iso.

If you removed ei.cfg, then burn the iso to dvd /flash and you will be able to choose which Edition to install.

 

[Bigbillsd]

That is what I did, there are no choices when I boot from the newly burned DVD, and when it done and asked for the computer name the title bar says Windows 7 Professional... And that is what it started as. When I look at the burned disk I can no longer see the ei.cfg. I had used the ei delete utility and it said it was successful.

So, it is supposed to work that way. I did not need to install all those other versions to see that picklist?

 

[SIW2]

All editions are normally in the install.wim file.

It is unlikely, but possible yours contains only one - if somebody made it that way.

Just have a look at the install.wim in the iso with 7-zip.

 

[Avie]

I am hoping to upgrade to Ultimate 7 64 from my current status W 7 HP 32 & 64. I have the two ugrade disks. I am not sure about the license. The code for Home Prem may not cover the Ultimate install. Unless the WAIK eicfg will work. . Do I need to remove the 32 bit for the for the non destructive reinstall. Already backed up. This would be wonderful if I could figure it out.
Thnaks all for your advise and research.
Avie

 

[SIW2]

You will be able to install any edition.

But you can only activate the edition you have a product key for.

 

[Avie]

Can you buy the product key? I knew it sounded to good. How are people putting multiple versions on the disks and using them? My disks are the upgrades.I have the dual system now. 32 & 64 for Home Premium. So can I do a repair install the the 64 disk.?
Thanks so for your quick response.
Avie