How to install any version (or SKU) of Windows 7
Posted by David in Windows 7 News on 03 28th, 2009 | 52 responses |
Did you happen to grab the Professional Edition of the latest build and want to install Ultimate? That’s no problem! Follow these simple steps and you will be able to install any version of Windows 7.
1) Extract all contents of the ISO to a folder on the deskop. I recommend using 7-Zip to open the ISO up.
2) Browse into the folder where you extracted all the files to and open up the /sources/ folder and locate ei.cfg.
3) At this point, you have two options:
- Delete: If you delete this file, it will give you options on which version you want to install during installation.
- Edit: If you edit this file, you can set which version of Windows you want it to install automatically.
If you chose to EDIT the file, just open the ei.cfg file in notepad and edit:
Change the word to Ultimate or any other version you would like to install.
- Ultimate
- Professional
- HomePremium
- HomeBasic
- Starter
[EditionID]
Ultimate
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0
Related posts:
Tags: any version of windows 7, ei.cfg, windows 7
To discuss this topic, head on over to our forums!
52 Responses to “How to install any version (or SKU) of Windows 7”
Leave a Reply
To discuss this topic, head on over to our forums!
Loading ...
I got 7068.0.090321-1322_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_AllSKU-GRC1CPRFRER_EN_DVD from mininova and its lets you select all versions without changing anything.
Ya Solor released that a bit after. Some people were unfortunate and got a version locked on professional. This works for all builds too. I think someone on the forums wanted to compare Home Premium and Ultimate
Wow will give this a try once my 7068 is done now its just 27% thanks for the tip..
Are you downloading the all SKU version? If: you don’t need this fix.
Else: Use this fix!
Sid you may want to cancel that 7068 allSKU download, that build is a pile installed it and my laptop crashed and froze whenever I tried installing new software, even drivers. There is a 7077 leak out in the wild now with over a thousand seeds. Try that one!
hey ya look sexyyy
I downloaded and installed 7068.0.090321-1322_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_AllSKU-GRC1CPRFRER_EN_DVD and got already this options
Yes, this is for the ones that are not the allsku version.
djlegion..here’s a nice, juicy buuurrrpp, just for You!..:
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR
aahahhahahahhahaha man.. take it-it’s All yours!!!
[...] by WP Greet BoxThe latest leaked build of Windows 7, Build 7068, can run in any of the six SKUs by modifying the ei.cfg file. Paul Thurott decided to dive in to all the SKUs and was surprised to discover that the default [...]
great post!!! very useful thanks!!!
Windows 7 is the best, just so better than Vista and XPs.
Great post…
[...] How to install any version (or SKU) of Windows 7 Did you happen to grab the Professional Edition of the latest build and want to… [...]
[...] or RC versions, you used a pre-release of the Ultimate edition, although it’s possible to tweak the installation process to install other editions. So, what are the major "core" features of these editions of [...]
Would this work for Windows 7 once it’s released?
Yes, it will. However, I think the Home Premium will not have the files for, say, Ultimate on the DVD. I may be wrong though.
[...] or RC versions, you used a pre-release of the Ultimate edition, although it’s possible to tweak the installation process to install other editions. So, what are the major “core” features of these editions of [...]
[...] or RC versions, you used a pre-release of the Ultimate edition, although it’s possible to tweak the installation process to install other editions. So, what are the major "core" features of these editions of [...]
I got an error. When I trying to install I got an error on instal.win.
I opened the .iso with MagicIso and deleted the ei.cfg.
When I try to install, it loads, but when I click on “Install Now” I get an error: cannot find instal.win.
I tried doing it exactly as you posted (extracting the files with 7-Zip but after I extract all the files and I delete the ei.cfg, I don’t know how to recreate the .iso so I can burn it to a DVD and it is bootable again…. Can you help me?
Once you have extracted it to a folder you loose the boot information… you have to use either CDIMAGE or OSDISCIMAGE these are the ones microsoft use to compile the .iso files You need to use these software to recreate a bootable iso
IF you guys have any questions about CDIMAGE or OSDISCIMAGE just mail me… FoxRaider@rocketmail.com.com
Thank you VladXed,
I ended up using WAIK…..it gave the change to change several other features and recreated the image. I appreciate your reply.
Does this still work on RTM? Didn’t seem to when I tried to upgrade from RC (Ultimate) to RTM (Enterprise). Maybe it’s different for upgrades?
Hi, I have the MICROSOFT.WINDOWS.7.ENTERPRISE.7600.16385.RTM.X86.VOLUME.ENGLISH.DVD-WZT ISO, This Installs the Enterprise Edition, can We install All the Other Editions From this ISO as Well? Like Windows 7 Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate. Is there a Modification to the ISO to be Able to Choose from All the Editions, Including the Enterprise???
No. Enterprise it totally separate. The Ultimate includes all the other versions except the Enterprise (actually the Ultimate contains all the Enterprise enhancements and more). If you modify the ei.cfg from the Ultimate you will get the screen above allowing you to choose. If you do it from the Enterprise….nothing happens. I’ve tried it…..
[...] try-before-buying stratagem isn’t original; other users posted instructions on how to delete the “EI.cfg” file to bring up a Windows 7 installation edition choice [...]
[...] try-before-buying stratagem isn’t original; other users posted instructions on how to delete the “EI.cfg” file to bring up a Windows 7 installation edition choice [...]
To easily fix a Windows 7 disc image to prompt for version on install try the following tool found on NeoWin forums: http://www.neowin.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=809014
One of the members wrote a program to eliminate the ei.cfg file without the need to rebuild the ISO file. I tried this after MagicISO failed to rebuild the ISO properly causing the missing install.wim file error. It worked great.
-felipe
[...] have been quite a few blog posts about how to manually switch edition of the Windows 7 ISO, for example to change from [...]
May sound stupid, but I’ve just spent 2h on searching how to change my Ultimate ISO to Professional. The only problem is to delete the file and still keep the DVD bootable
[...] try-before-buying stratagem isn’t original; other users posted instructions on how to delete the “EI.cfg” file to bring up a Windows 7 installation edition choice [...]
Hey that helped thanx a lot !!!!!!!!!!!
greetings……
I think we can install home premium (as example) if we have ultimate win7, but if we have HomePremium, we can’t install ultimate.
So, we can’t install version higher than we have, but we can install version that not higher that we have.
It’s only MY opinion.
P.S.: Sorry4my english
..and how do i have to burn the disc, to have a bootable windows-installation?
thanks for help!
[...] MODS – Please delete me if you feel its inappropreate, I dont feel its illegal because you would still require legitemate serial keys. How to install any version of Windows 7 | Windows 7 Center [...]
[...] to RTM (Final Release) :: the How-To Geek and in order to upgrade it has to be Ultimate as well: How to install any version of Windows 7 | Windows 7 Center well and an ISO as was mentioned earlier: Make bootable iso from student d/l – Windows 7 Forums [...]
I dont like the lack of info on the Hardware Canucks forum!! I’m passing it by.
Can you install Ultimate from Home Premium upgrade dvd?????
[...] Simply deleting the “ei.cfg” on your USB key file will allow you to choose the version [...]
[...] How to install any version (or SKU) of Windows 7 Did you happen to grab the Professional Edition of the latest build and want to… [...]
[...] How to install any version (or SKU) of Windows 7 Did you happen to grab the Professional Edition of the latest build and want to… [...]
[...] How to install any version (or SKU) of Windows 7 Did you happen to grab the Professional Edition of the latest build and want to… [...]
I changed my windows professional till windows home premium before installing the program but when i got to the point where to fill in my product key it didnt work! has that to do with me changing the system in the beginning?
There should be a way to extract the activation key from the dvd or whereever the install files are located?
[...] How to install any version (or SKU) of Windows 7 Did you happen to grab the Professional Edition of the latest build and want to… [...]
Will the ei.cfg hack work on Windows 7 Upgrade editions because you can install full using upgrade with a hack and it is cheaper!
I downloaded Microsoft.Windows.7.ULTIMATE.x86.Integrated.December.2009.OEM.DVD-BIE and I can’t find the ei.cfg file..
hey tony, I have the same version you have and had the same problem as well, after messing around with the ISO, i found out that the Iso you have has no ei.cfg, instead go to sources>inf>delete the setup.cfg file
Thanks Mark, but did you tried it?
It’s not working with me.
Thx it Works to grab the Professional Edition and do the upgrade , every thing went fine but the problem now is with the product Key!!!!
because the the key for the Professional will not fit on Ultimate????
How would I make a bootable disk again after I extract it?
may you please post a tut
Thank you