Windows 7 download

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zink1701

zink1701

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Sep 14, 2012
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I am having a friendly argument with someone and i need to confirm for his sake as i wish to re install windows 7 on his PC. He has windows 7 already and has a activation key with his PC but his installed windows is so messed up after serious abuse i want to just re install to save time and a lot of hassle. I want to download and burn a iso of windows (its home and he has home installed), is it illegal to download a copy of windows 7 from a file sharing site but then install it using the existing serial. I dont see a problem as windows has already been paid for and a copy of the windows home disk was not provided with the purchase of his machine.
 
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Apanzee
Let me clear something up really quick for everyone.

Tom's does not tolerate let alone condone piracy of any kind.

However, when we're talking about Microsoft Windows; the copyright works a little differently. Windows comes with a 30 day trial. Hell, you can even keep using it after the 30 days if you don't mind having no desktop background and getting popups every few hours telling you to activate your product.

Bypassing that activation, is piracy, and copyright infringement.

The copyright on Windows applies to the end user license agreement, or activation. Not the software itself, though the source code is owned by Microsoft.

Think of it kind of like when you're shopping around for anti-virus or a media converter. There's always...
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Alexander Wright

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Apr 5, 2013
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Pretty Grey area that one.
If you are in the EU then you can legally make a backup copy of the disc you already purchased, downloading it though I would assume no.

Personally if You have a legit license and are reinstalling using that license I see no problem.

*Awaits a Toms forum banhammer*
 
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ronintexas

ronintexas

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The legitimacy of any install would be you having the actual license key - there should either be a paper key from Microsoft and/or a sticker on the computer from Microsoft with the product key on it. All legitimate manufacturers of computers use one or both of these to provide the key for installing Windows.
 
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zink1701

zink1701

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Thanks for the fast responses, he has a sticker on his machine with a Genuine Windows Home Edition serial (its the real deal). When he bought his pre built machine it came with various driver CD's (now outdated) and some other software for various other hardware in his machine but it did not come with a windows 7 home dvd. I personally dont see an issue with downloading a copy and using it to reinstall but he is very paranoid and will not do anything that may be illegal. I just want confirmation for his sake that it is ok to this as i dont justify paying full price for another copy of windows just for the DVD and I cant borrow one either.
 
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womble

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Sure there were some legal downloads around without recourse to dodgy sites. I've done this in the past with some Vista installs with the likes of HP etc sticking on so much bloatware and trial stuff. My favourite little utility was ABR (Activation Backup & Restore) - backs up the original keys and reinstalls them as they were. As long as it is the same version and the same machine you should be ok, trying anything else would probably fail validation and in no way does this site support piracy.

Most machines that aren't supplied with discs usually have recovery options, not all though. It is possible on many machines to create the disc if the correct folder is there.

Just had a quick look and arstechnica had a link for the anytime upgrade disc i.e. you need to purchase or provide a valid key (I'd be lazy and use ABR, I'm also paranoid and would image the original drive first in case anything goes wrong!!)

http://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2012/06/blowing-away-bloatware-a-guide-to-reinstalling-windows-on-a-new-pc/
 
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Apanzee

Apanzee

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Dec 17, 2012
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Let me clear something up really quick for everyone.

Tom's does not tolerate let alone condone piracy of any kind.

However, when we're talking about Microsoft Windows; the copyright works a little differently. Windows comes with a 30 day trial. Hell, you can even keep using it after the 30 days if you don't mind having no desktop background and getting popups every few hours telling you to activate your product.

Bypassing that activation, is piracy, and copyright infringement.

The copyright on Windows applies to the end user license agreement, or activation. Not the software itself, though the source code is owned by Microsoft.

Think of it kind of like when you're shopping around for anti-virus or a media converter. There's always a free trial, but you have to buy it at the end of the month or a bunch of features won't work anymore. Cracking the activation to avoid paying that fee is illegal, not downloading the software in the first place.

If you already own a copy of Windows and have the key to boot, you can download another copy no questions asked. If your key is no longer valid, though, you will need to buy a new one.

As was said above, avoid downloading them from torrent sites or other peer to peer file sharing services like Limewire or Ares.

These are direct download links from Digital River, one of Microsoft's partners. Please use the one that matches your current installation.

Windows 7 Home Premium with Service Pack 1: x86 x64

Edit: just realized you specified what version it was, so I've removed the other links.
 
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Isaiah4110

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Another option you have, which I would recommend suggesting to your friend, is contacting the manufacturer of the computer to get a set fr restore disks. Usually (in the U.S.) they will charge you $15-25 for these disks, which will allow you to completely wipe the PC (including the recovery partition) and restore it to its original out of the box state, with all original software demos and trials.

The benefit to a fresh, basic install is that everything is clean and you have no unnecessary software slowing down your computer. On the other hand, if your friend never purchased Microsoft Office and was using a starter edition that came preinstalled on his PC then this software will also be lost and he will have to either spend the money on a new copy of Office or switch to something like Open Office.

And therein lies the benefit to spending the minimal amount of money of the restore disks. You get the free trials and starter editions of software along with the unnecessary bits that may slow down the computer. I view the unnecessary bits as a minor inconvenience that can usually be uninstalled without any issues immediately upon completing the factory wipe/restore.
 
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