Need Win7 install CD

ewmayer · 2017-06-01, 01:52

I need to test whether the standard linux-style install of the soon-to-be-released Mlucas v17 works under at least one popular free Linux emulator. I have a vintage 2008 Core2Duo Lenovo Thinkpad with a 32-bit Winstall on it which I no longer use, so it seems it could serve nicely as a testbed for this, needing only a 64-bit Win install to replace the Win32 one. Retaining any of the data on the HD is not required. I prefer to stay miles away from any of the newer Win releases, with their ever-greater levels of auto-update insanity and such. Win7 seems like a decent stable legacy version. Security against hackerzzz not really an issue since I do not intend to let the machine anywhere near the Internet except perhaps for some very brief tests of the python script I use for primenet assignments management - just install needed stuff from a thumb drive and do my testing.

Anyone willing to part with a spare Win7 install CD around here? (If there's a better way to do this, let me know.)

Any suggestions re. a freeware linux emulator also welcome - here are the desiderata:

o Support for GCC configure/make and reasonably recent versions of GCC (I'd like to be able to compile AVX/AVX2/AVX-512-mode binaries even if I can't run anything beyond SSE2 on the machine in question, obviously).
o Support for multithreaded builds using pthreads (and preferably also standard core-affinity-setting protocols).
o Support for networking, for the aforementioned quicktests of primenet-via-.py-script.

I have an unused syringe of Coollaboratory LiquidPro thermal compound by way of something to trade, if that helps incentives-wise.

EdH · 2017-06-01, 03:08

If you have a Win7 product key, you should be able to download an ISO from directly Microsoft:

Download Windows 7 Disc Images (ISO Files)

ewmayer · 2017-06-01, 03:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdH

If you have a Win7 product key, you should be able to download an ISO from directly Microsoft:

Download Windows 7 Disc Images (ISO Files)

Thanks, but I've never owned a Win7 install in any form.

kladner · 2017-06-01, 03:41

Don't you get 30 days of nag screens on a new install before it locks down?

ewmayer · 2017-06-01, 05:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by kladner

Don't you get 30 days of nag screens on a new install before it locks down?

The first thing I see at the above-linked Win7 download page is a request for a 25-digit product key. My Lenovo (WinXP) has a sticker with that on bottom, but alas the sticker is torn and the last 10 chars are missing. When I look at ControlPanel -> System, I see a 20-digit product key including the string 'OEM', but none of that matches the 15 chars on the partial sticker. No idea what may have happened to the original MSFT media discs that came with the laptop - been almost 10 years, may well have tossed 'em.

henryzz · 2017-06-01, 06:52

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewmayer

The first thing I see at the above-linked Win7 download page is a request for a 25-digit product key. My Lenovo (WinXP) has a sticker with that on bottom, but alas the sticker is torn and the last 10 chars are missing. When I look at ControlPanel -> System, I see a 20-digit product key including the string 'OEM', but none of that matches the 15 chars on the partial sticker. No idea what may have happened to the original MSFT media discs that came with the laptop - been almost 10 years, may well have tossed 'em.

Are you saying that the Lenovo was originally XP but is now Win7 7 32-bit? I would expect the product key to not match the sticker then.
The 20 digit code you are seeing is the product id not the product key.
You can get the key from the registry. Unfortunately it is in hex. http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html does it for you. This even works to get a win 10 key after a free upgrade.

ewmayer · 2017-06-01, 06:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by henryzz

Are you saying that the Lenovo was originally XP but is now Win7 7 32-bit? I would expect the product key to not match the sticker then.
The 20 digit code you are seeing is the product id not the product key.
You can get the key from the registry. Unfortunately it is in hex. http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/product_cd_key_viewer.html does it for you. This even works to get a win 10 key after a free upgrade.

Lenovo was and remains original 32-bit XP install. I did some further digging using Search -> product registration, and turns out the 20-char ...-OEM-... string is the format MSFT used for XP - so that's what I'd need to download a copy of XP, not that MSFT still supports it. Not sure what the partial number on the little sticker on bottom of the unit is for.

Time to have a gander at Win7 4sale on eBay - dang, most are surprisingly pricy, and all the sellers were savvy enough to mask off the 25-digit product code in their item photos.

Well, OK, *most* of the sellers were. :P

mackerel · 2017-06-01, 11:53

From memory the Windows 7 download page from Microsoft only works on retail keys, not OEM. If OEM, they refer you to the system builder for support. If you know anyone with a retail Win7 key, it could be used to download the ISO. Of course, if already used it can't be used for the install.

As much as there is hate for it, for testing purposes Win10 is easy to obtain from MS. You can get the install media creator for free without needing any codes. You can also run it unactivated with only some minor limitations (activation watermark on screen, can't change some user customisation settings). I find this handy to have a throw-away install for testing things. The caution I'd have on an older machine is that Win10 is more disk intensive than ever, and if you don't have a SSD, it will hurt.

If you don't care about security, you can disable the Windows Update service and it wont restart. I have to use this workaround myself, and only manually enable it once a month after 2nd Tuesday of each month when they release routine security updates.

Gordon · 2017-06-01, 16:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by ewmayer

Lenovo was and remains original 32-bit XP install. I did some further digging using Search -> product registration, and turns out the 20-char ...-OEM-... string is the format MSFT used for XP - so that's what I'd need to download a copy of XP, not that MSFT still supports it. Not sure what the partial number on the little sticker on bottom of the unit is for.

Time to have a gander at Win7 4sale on eBay - dang, most are surprisingly pricy, and all the sellers were savvy enough to mask off the 25-digit product code in their item photos.

Well, OK, *most* of the sellers were. :P

How about a licence key for $4 ?

ewmayer · 2017-06-01, 21:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gordon

How about a licence key for $4 ?

As it turns out, ran into my roomie - a longtime AMD+Win guy - on our ways out this a.m., he says he's pretty certain he still has a set of Win7 install media, just needs to find them in his Hoarders!-style junkpile. Failing that, I'll be happy to take you up on your kind offer, which would allow me to use a downloaded .iso, once I do all the associated create-a-bootable-USB fvckery.

Xyzzy · 2017-06-01, 22:43

With a "retail" Windows 7 ISO file you can "evaluate" the install, without a key, for 30 days.

This can be extended for up to a year with a cool little trick.

We have posted about this before.

If you desire help with this, just let us know.

2017-06-01, 01:52	#1
ewmayer ∂²ω=0 Sep 2002 República de California 5·2,351 Posts	Need Win7 install CD I need to test whether the standard linux-style install of the soon-to-be-released Mlucas v17 works under at least one popular free Linux emulator. I have a vintage 2008 Core2Duo Lenovo Thinkpad with a 32-bit Winstall on it which I no longer use, so it seems it could serve nicely as a testbed for this, needing only a 64-bit Win install to replace the Win32 one. Retaining any of the data on the HD is not required. I prefer to stay miles away from any of the newer Win releases, with their ever-greater levels of auto-update insanity and such. Win7 seems like a decent stable legacy version. Security against hackerzzz not really an issue since I do not intend to let the machine anywhere near the Internet except perhaps for some very brief tests of the python script I use for primenet assignments management - just install needed stuff from a thumb drive and do my testing. Anyone willing to part with a spare Win7 install CD around here? (If there's a better way to do this, let me know.) Any suggestions re. a freeware linux emulator also welcome - here are the desiderata: o Support for GCC configure/make and reasonably recent versions of GCC (I'd like to be able to compile AVX/AVX2/AVX-512-mode binaries even if I can't run anything beyond SSE2 on the machine in question, obviously). o Support for multithreaded builds using pthreads (and preferably also standard core-affinity-setting protocols). o Support for networking, for the aforementioned quicktests of primenet-via-.py-script. I have an unused syringe of Coollaboratory LiquidPro thermal compound by way of something to trade, if that helps incentives-wise.

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2017-06-01, 03:08	#2
EdH "Ed Hall" Dec 2009 Adirondack Mtns 3²×601 Posts	If you have a Win7 product key, you should be able to download an ISO from directly Microsoft: Download Windows 7 Disc Images (ISO Files)

2017-06-01, 03:41	#4
kladner "Kieren" Jul 2011 In My Own Galaxy! 10158₁₀ Posts	Don't you get 30 days of nag screens on a new install before it locks down?

2017-06-01, 11:53	#8
mackerel Feb 2016 UK 1BF₁₆ Posts	From memory the Windows 7 download page from Microsoft only works on retail keys, not OEM. If OEM, they refer you to the system builder for support. If you know anyone with a retail Win7 key, it could be used to download the ISO. Of course, if already used it can't be used for the install. As much as there is hate for it, for testing purposes Win10 is easy to obtain from MS. You can get the install media creator for free without needing any codes. You can also run it unactivated with only some minor limitations (activation watermark on screen, can't change some user customisation settings). I find this handy to have a throw-away install for testing things. The caution I'd have on an older machine is that Win10 is more disk intensive than ever, and if you don't have a SSD, it will hurt. If you don't care about security, you can disable the Windows Update service and it wont restart. I have to use this workaround myself, and only manually enable it once a month after 2nd Tuesday of each month when they release routine security updates.

2017-06-01, 22:43	#11
Xyzzy Aug 2002 23·373 Posts	With a "retail" Windows 7 ISO file you can "evaluate" the install, without a key, for 30 days. This can be extended for up to a year with a cool little trick. We have posted about this before. If you desire help with this, just let us know.