Premium disk, ultimate key.

[possiblyreefer]

Hi guys
Im a little confused by the disk to key layout on the W7 packages.
Basically i will be re installing soon.

I have a 100% legit W7 Premium disk (with used premium key)
and i have a 100% legit ultimate key.

The premium disk has been used on my parents computer along with the attributed key.

Are all ultimate files on the premium disk so i could:
Install the premium disk, register the ultimate key and i have my windows ultimate.

or

install the premium files then follow through an upgrade to ultimate

 

[Collie147]

As far as I am aware you cannot use an ultimate Key on Premium. I haven't tried mind you but this is the way all Microsoft OSs work, server packages included, unless the key is for exactly what it says on the tin it wont work.

 

[Herr_Koos]

You can't get Ultimate by using an Ultimate key on Home Premium, you can however do an in-place upgrade from Home Premium to Ultimate using Anytime Upgrade.

http://store.microsoft.com/microsoft/Windows-Anytime-Upgrade-Windows-7-Home-Premium-to-Ultimate/product/73C70758

 

[possiblyreefer]

so as i have the key for ultimate i could technically
install premium
upgrade to ultimate

however how could i get around using a key to activate ultimate or do i not need to.

 

[Herr_Koos]

Not 100% sure on the details, but I'm guessing you would have to activate Ultimate after upgrading. I'm not sure whether Home Premium needs to be activated BEFORE you can do the upgrade.

Don't worry, someone from the Microsoft Windows Outreach Team (tm) will be along in a minute to explain it all.

 

[possiblyreefer]

yeah right ^^

 

[FALC0N]

I do believe all the versions are on the disk. But you have to unlock them. I have done this before. So assuming it holds true to all 7 disks, then yes it can be done.

However, it shouldn't be that hard to find an ultimate cd.

 

[possiblyreefer]

Anyone have a more definitive answer on this? Planning to make the install when i get back from work and would save me alot of time if i could just use premium disk with the ultimate key

 

[daship]

You can do a fresh install, but you need to modiify the the disc.

You can copy the installation files off the disc, to a folder on your hard drive. Then go into the sources folder and delete the file ei.cfg. You can then select which version you want to install when you run setup.

All editions are on every disc, basic, home pro, ultimate...... the ei.cfg restricts the disc to a certain version. If you delete this file it will give you the option to pick which one to install, and then simply use the correct key to activate.

If you using this disc on a unformatted PC, use the windows 7 usb tool to put the files on a bootable usb stick, then delete the ei.cfg from the usb stick, and install from usb.

Works like a champ. I made a disc with all versions of win 7 32bit and 64 bit like this


Im not sure if the in place upgrade that was mentioned will work because you probably need to be activated before you can upgrade.

 

[Herr_Koos]

You can do a fresh install, but you need to modiify the the disc.

You can copy the installation files off the disc, to a folder on your hard drive. Then go into the sources folder and delete the file ei.cfg. You can then select which version you want to install when you run setup.

All editions are on every disc, basic, home pro, ultimate...... the ei.cfg restricts the disc to a certain version. If you delete this file it will give you the option to pick which one to install, and then simply use the correct key to activate.

If you using this disc on a unformatted PC, use the windows 7 usb tool to put the files on a bootable usb stick, then delete the ei.cfg from the usb stick, and install from usb.

Works like a champ. I made a disc with all versions of win 7 32bit and 64 bit like this


Im not sure if the in place upgrade that was mentioned will work because you probably need to be activated before you can upgrade.

Works, yes. But is it legal?

 

[FALC0N]

Anyone have a more definitive answer on this? Planning to make the install when i get back from work and would save me alot of time if i could just use premium disk with the ultimate key

The answer is no unless you modify the disk. You have to delete "ei.cfg" from the sources folder. That will unlock the other editions on the disk. You can then install ultimate and use your ultimate key.

 

[FALC0N]

Works, yes. But is it legal?

Of course it is. He has an ultimate license.

 

[daship]

The answer is no unless you modify the disk. You have to delete "ei.cfg" from the sources folder. That will unlock the other editions on the disk. You can then install ultimate and use your ultimate key.

Do you usually repeat other people?

 

[daship]

Works, yes. But is it legal?

AS long as the key is legal its legal. But since he has a key and no disc, obviously he bends the rules a bit. The question was can it be done, not is it legal.

 

[FALC0N]

Do you usually repeat other people?

No, my brower cached the screen and didn't show the other reply's until I posted my response.

Are you usually rude and condescending? I take that back. That could have been meant in jest.

 

[FALC0N]

AS long as the key is legal its legal. But since he has a key and no disc, obviously he bends the rules a bit. The question was can it be done, not is it legal.

I'm not sure what rule is being bent. MS doesn't care as long as the license is legit.

 

[daship]

I'm not sure what rule is being bent. MS doesn't care as long as the license is legit.

Try buying a key, just 1 key with no media, from Microsoft, let me know how that goes for you.

 

[possiblyreefer]

Guys calm down
I will take your advice daship and thank you very much. All makes perfect sense. Just wondering once i take that ei.cfg off i wont get any horrible errors once i might re use said disk.
And yes the disk and licence i have are both 100% legit but as i said before the disk's key is for a different version and is used.
If all goes well +1 for daship

 

[FALC0N]

Ok. Used key could be a problem. What is the source of the key?

The only issue with removing the ei.cfg is making the disk bootable again, depending upon how you do it. Once done, it will give you a menu to choose which edition you wish to install.

 

[FALC0N]

Try buying a key, just 1 key with no media, from Microsoft, let me know how that goes for you.

Why would I wish to do this? Most of the cost is the license. You would save nothing by purchasing just the license. But it can be done.

 

[possiblyreefer]

Ok. Used key could be a problem. What is the source of the key?

The only issue with removing the ei.cfg is making the disk bootable again, depending upon how you do it. Once done, it will give you a menu to choose which edition you wish to install.

FALCON the setup is basically

1 W7 premium disk 1 used Premium CD KEY
1 unused W7 ultimate key.

what im trying to find out is.
should i install to premium, get around activiting (somehow) and upgrade to ultimate using the key
or
whack the disk in and give my ultimate key and see what happens.

i will be trying what daship said tomorrow as im running on coffee atm and dont wanna F*@k this up

also guessing its better to make a spare disk copy with the ei.cfg removed or a bootable usb rather than doing it on the official windows disk

 

[FALC0N]

Ok, the home premium key is being used but the ultimate key is not used. I misunderstood.

By upgrading from Home premium to Ultimate without the disk, Im assuming you mean to use Anytime upgrade. I do not know if that would work without the Home premium install being activated. I will see if I can provide more info on that.

You cannot remove the ei.cfg file from the windows cd itself. Remember its read only. You have to copy the cd to your hard drive. Then remove ei.cfg. Daship's proceedure will work fine for running from a flash drive.

To use a DVD, you have to extract the windows bootloader from the original disk. Then burn the files along with the bootloader. If you don't have programs that can do this, Isobuster free edition will extract the bootloader and imageburn will burn the files with the bootloader. If you prefer a DVD to a flash drive.

 

[FALC0N]

FALCON the setup is basically

1 W7 premium disk 1 used Premium CD KEY
1 unused W7 ultimate key.

what im trying to find out is.
should i install to premium, get around activiting (somehow) and upgrade to ultimate using the key

I have a partial answer to this question now. I had a windows 7 pro setup that I deactivated. The anytime upgrade asks you for a key and gives you an option to purchase on if you dont have one. I then input a windows 7 ultimate retail key and everything seemed to work fine.

I interrupted the process before the upgrade actually began but it did verify and accept the key and appeared ready to upgrade. So I would have to say yes, if you have a retail key, you should be able to install the home premium and then use the key for an anytime upgrade.

Now whether that would work for OEM or upgrade copies, I dont know.