If you were not aware this can be done quite legally, check out this:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/software-download

Really useful and >>>>> restore factory settings partitions.

For any new computer I would seriously consider to reformat your HD to eliminate all crap that came with your computer, repartition your HD (I recommend an OS partition and a data partition, at least) and create a fresh bloatware-free system. Obviously you might have some extra work downloading your drivers again, but imo that is all worth it.

Do those files (or at least the one for 7) have the updates rolled up (like service pack releases etc) or is it vanilla 7?

I keep an updated 7 sp1 with driverless restore through acronis, rarely need to use it these days but can be cloned to any system. Even more rare is installing 8 or 8.1 but I have those both on flash drives. Windows 10 Microsoft USB installer and then updates is less than a 20 minute process

Yeah, that's why I'm asking. I have been wondering about creating a current image but this would obviously save some time if I don't have to worry about win update in that process.

They have SP1 integrated, but that still leaves about 200 patches to install.

Create an image, imo.

Okay, great. Well, that's a step up on at least one of my Win 7 images...

Well, I bought a new laptop (Toshiba) that came with WIN 8.1 and followed my own tip. First I made an image of the initial HD, just to be sure, then I wiped the HD, created the partions to my liking and reinstalled WIN8.1 with the downloaded setup disk.

This went very smooth, I didn't even need to remember the license key, because WIN setup can find it in the BIOS - appears to be standard for systems that ship with preinstalled OS.

So the system recovery partition is gone, also no mcafee, no toshiba shop and unnecessary utilities, no preinstalled games.

System recovery is WOAT. I wonder if you can install WIN10 again for free if you need to do such thing and go back to your WIN7 or WIN8 factory settings.

Now I have a fresh, clean and minimized WIN10 installation with its image saved. Next step will be dualboot w/Linux, I have still room for another partition or two.

That was going to be my concern, OEM installations, but it seems that works its self out.
That said , is it worthwhile to pull the key using Belarc or similar and having it on hand, will it still work if the key is manually entered?

I indeed used Belarc to get the license key, but during installation it never asked for it.

The only thing I wonder is if I could have installed WIN10 right away, not go through the motions of installing WIN 8.1 => Update => Upgrade to WIN 10. That would have saved oodles of time.

i notice , just perusing that the site requires a key (windows 7 version)to be verified before allowing the download, is that your experience? Did it verify the OEM in that situation?

For windows 10 it merely links you to a media creation tool, presuming it then creates the media form an already installed version of 10?

Not for me - told me to go to my equipment manufacturer (HP).

Correct.

What am i missing then, when i hit the page it shows three graphics
windows 10 windows 8.1 and windows 7
If i click the windows 7 i am brought to this page:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-au/soft...nload/windows7
where it specifically states:
Before you begin

Make sure you have:

• Your Windows product key (xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx). Learn more.

...

Anyway i can pull the key with belarc as i mentioned earlier, my question is this: Can i use this as an nstall disk with other legit keys for other people? OR will this download be linked to the key i enter at validation?

When i enter the key from an HP laptop i am told
Error

The product key you entered appears to be for software pre-installed by the device manufacturer. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options.

The Windows you download is not tied to any specific key. MS are just making sure that you have a valid key to download the software. So you can download and use the disk with any valid, non OEM, license key.

That is the same error I get. Because the version of Windows installed is an OEM, you need to use the installation disks from the equipment manufacturer and cannot download the disk from MS.

Yes, until the 29th any laptop or desktop that has the Windows 8 sticker can just be loaded with the windows 10 USB through the USB creation tool from Microsoft. No need for keys at any point, or at least I was not asked for one during the download and no need to install 8 first. it will see the board activation for 8 and it will auto activate provided an Internet connection. Similarly any machine activated for 10 will permanently be activated for 10, which is a why it's a good idea to upgrade now and revert just so your motherboard has the option to go to 10 in the future. If you don't want to risk messing up your older os, just get a blank drive and use it to activate 10 before the 29th.

If I need to reload anyone's 10 system, I use gparted to create a new partition table and leave it blank, boot to the USB 10 tool from Microsoft and it never needs a key, it just says activated by the time it gets to logging in.

If you need Win 7 and it tells you to contact the manufacture.....

There is a mirror of digitalriver out there. Probably can't post the link but google is your friend.

If any of the posters above want a clean unaltered 7 iso, 32 or 64, home or pro send me a pm. I'll be back from vacation monday

Found it, thanks !

say i have a mac only, and a PC with no OS. DL the ISO, write it to USB stick somehow and install? (after purchasing serial ldo)

I think i likely have a thumb drive of this somewhere already, but we have too many thumb drives to know which is which

Found this on a Google search, most of the time I only make OS X installers from disk utility, never for USB bootable Windows isos. If you can borrow a Windows machine to download yumi from pendrivelinux you can do it very easily with the iso.

IMHO the easiest way is in terminal:
First run diskutil list.
then insert your usb stick.
and run diskutil list again to see the disk node (e.g. /dev/disk2).
Now run diskutil unmountDisk /dev/diskN.
and do sudo dd if=/path-to.iso of=/dev/rdiskN bs=1m.
When finished diskutil eject /dev/diskN.

To make a USB startup drive from an ISO, just use UNetbootin.

I could never get that to work with Win iso's on OS X, is there a trick to it?

best one ive used was active@ boot


but i remember i had to use two thumb diff drives and had to make one using YUMI i think it was for XP or maybe a linux distro of some sort i forget now (think it was something to do with not having XP and win7 on same stick)

but active@ lets u do so many things. multiple operating sytems on the stick and lots of very useful built in features too