Windows 7 Keys...

Daniel333

Hey everyone,

Lets say you have bought a workstation from Dell or whoever and it's preloaded with sooo much junk and you just want a clean install. Can use a RTM Windows 7 Professional DVD using the OEM license key?

120nm4n

As far as I know, no. You would need a specific OEM disc to use the OEM code.

You may be able to modify certain files on the disc to make it an OEM copy like you could with XP, but I haven't looked in to that.

tiersten

Maybe. Maybe not.

It may be a special key that looks into the machine BIOS to check for a certificate. These keys won't work on retail media..

MentholMoose

From some limited Google searching, I think it will work. I haven't tried it myself so I cannot guarantee it, though.

CSCOnoob

When I tried on XP, it never worked. So I am 99.999% certain that this will never work as well. If you think about it, most of the Vista and 7 activation hacks require you to overwrite/delete files using using the RTM version. IIRC, there are also certificates that needs to be in the Windows installation before you can actually use the OEM keys.

Slowhand

Often times, these manufacturers will allow you to install their OEM copy of Windows cleanly, then the drivers and apps. With Dell, I know that's the case, the drivers and applications come on a separate disc from the Windows install, often times several separate discs. Try calling up your vendor and ask them if they provide a clean copy of Windows with their machines, (you can re-install Windows with the key listed on the sticker attached to the tower/laptop).

CSCOnoob

Slowhand wrote: »

Often times, these manufacturers will allow you to install their OEM copy of Windows cleanly, then the drivers and apps.

Not anymore. I bought a Dell 2 years ago (was my first time buying a pre-assembled computer) and it didn't come separate discs. I bought one for my brother as well and it didn't come with discs. You need to create your own discs and all the junk will be on those discs.

crrussell3

You can still order the clean install disks from the OEM. It may end up costing you like $20+, but its well worth it in the end.

rwwest7

Boot up a VM, install using your Key, DON'T activate but just see if the key works.
If it works then make a full back up of your PC then give it a shot. Worst case you end up restoring your backup.

CSCOnoob

crrussell3 wrote: »

You can still order the clean install disks from the OEM. It may end up costing you like $20+, but its well worth it in the end.

Every time I call/chat to their customer service/tech support they always say that they don't provide the disc with just the OS on it. They used to but not anymore, so I was told.

Hyper-Me

Weird, we get mainly OEM stuff from dell and always get discs with every tower, even our 200 brand new Opti 960s.

kriscamaro68

If you are trying to use discs from technet then it will not work with oem keys. On technets site is says that you are getting a retail copy which differs from oem in keys. So if that is the case then no go on that. Same with the trial versions from their website also retail.

stephens316

My guess would be they have a preloaded .wim file with everything already installed and then they make their own disk or what not I don't care really since being involved with the government I get and enterprise copy before just about any one else I just don't put it all over the web and can put it on what ever I want just like xp. I use to play with the oem stuff but have given up and moved on to better things.

Slowhand

CSCOnoob wrote: »

Not anymore. I bought a Dell 2 years ago (was my first time buying a pre-assembled computer) and it didn't come separate discs. I bought one for my brother as well and it didn't come with discs. You need to create your own discs and all the junk will be on those discs.

I purchased 12 Dell towers for an office as recently as October, and they came with the clean Windows media.

Plantwiz

Hyper-Me wrote: »

Weird, we get mainly OEM stuff from dell and always get discs with every tower, even our 200 brand new Opti 960s.

We do too!

And I've never had an issue calling Dell to obtain the media on a client box. They allow up to 1 time, so if you've already called (or someone has, say you have refurb system or something, then they may charge). But to obtain the disks with the new system is a simple as adding them into your cart confirguation before purchase.

I suspect those who may not get the media are purchasing them on the self at a store and not through the Dell website. Customize it and add it on

rwwest7

kriscamaro68 wrote: »

If you are trying to use discs from technet then it will not work with oem keys. On technets site is says that you are getting a retail copy which differs from oem in keys. So if that is the case then no go on that. Same with the trial versions from their website also retail.

I used a Vista Business key off the side of a HP dc7800 with a downloaded ISO from technet. Worked fine, activated registerd and validated. Still using it today.

SysAdmin4066

I could be wrong, but with Vista a lot of things were determined by the license key itself. So you could pretty much use any media and use the correct licensing for what you own and it would work. I wouldnt think they would change that.

CSCOnoob

Slowhand wrote: »

I purchased 12 Dell towers for an office as recently as October, and they came with the clean Windows media.

Mine did not. My brother's PC did not. *shrugs*

tiersten

CSCOnoob wrote: »

Mine did not. My brother's PC did not. *shrugs*

What range you buy determines several things. The business offerings tend to have come with discs whilst the home/SOHO offerings didn't.

CSCOnoob

tiersten wrote: »

What range you buy determines several things. The business offerings tend to have come with discs whilst the home/SOHO offerings didn't.

Looks like it.

kalebksp

Daniel333 wrote: »

Lets say you have bought a workstation from Dell or whoever and it's preloaded with sooo much junk and you just want a clean install. Can use a RTM Windows 7 Professional DVD using the OEM license key?

I had a need to do this recently. I extracted the files of a Retail DVD ISO and modified the source\ei.cfg file to be correct EditionID (HomePremium in my case) and the Channel to OEM, then used ImgBurn to create a bootable ISO from the extracted files and burned that to a DVD. (You can use the Advanced tab on ImgBurn to extract the boot image from a DVD and added it to the ISO being created.) I then used the newly created DVD and the product key on the case to install Windows 7 to the computer. Once Windows was installed I tried activating it online, which failed. I had to use the (PITA) phone method to activate instead, after telling the computer on the other end of the phone that I only had the copy of Windows installed on a single computer it gave me the activation code without further interrogation.

So it's not the simplest process in the world, but in my opinion it's better than trying to remove all the crapware that came pre-installed.

EDIT: I did this on an Acer, it may or may not be different with Dells.