You can reinstall Windows from scratch using the product key that came with your PC, but you’ll have to find installation media yourself. Microsoft offers free ISO files for downloading; you just have to know where to look.
There area few ways to do this, but they’re all on the straight and narrow–you won’t have to visit a shady BitTorrent site to download ISOs that may be filled with malware. Instead, you get official installation media straight from Microsoft.
NOTE: Depending on the OEM version of Windows that you are running, you might run into an issue using the OEM key with a retail version of Windows. If it won’t activate, you can always install and then call Microsoft to get them to straighten it out and allow your copy to activate. The most important thing is that you have a valid license key.
Download the Windows 10 or 8.1 ISO Using the Media Creation Tool
If you’ve got access to a Windows machine, the official method for downloading ISOs for Windows 8.1 and 10 is the Media Creation Tool. The process for using the tool is largely the same for both versions of Windows, so we’ll be using the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool for our example. We’ll just note where anything differs.
RELATED:How to Find Your Lost Windows or Office Product Keys
One caveat you should be aware of up front is that you can no longer download an ISO for Windows 8–just 8.1. And the product keys are different for Windows 8 and 8.1, so if you have a Windows 8 product key, you can’t just use it to install Windows 8.1. Instead, you’ll have to install Windows 8, then do a free upgrade to 8.1. After you do the upgrade, Windows will assign the new product key to the installation. You can find that product key in a number of different ways and save it for the future. After that, you should be able to do a clean installation of Windows 8.1 using the new product key and won’t have to worry about installing Windows 8 first and going the upgrade route.
Start by downloading either the Windows 10 Media Creation Tool or the Windows 8.1 Media Creation Tool. Once the file has downloaded, just double-click it to start the tool and then click “Yes” to give it permission to make changes to your PC. When the tool starts, click “Accept” to accept the license terms. Note that the Windows 8.1 version of the tool does not ask you to accept license terms.
(If you don’t want to use the Media Creation Tool and just want to download an ISO file directly, just change your browser’s user agent to a non-Windows browser like Apple Safari on iPad while you’re viewing the download page. Microsoft will offer you a direct download of the Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 ISO file instead of the standard Media Creation Tool, which only runs on Windows.)
When the tool asks what you want to do, select “Create installation media for another PC” and then click “Next.” The Windows 8.1 version of the tool also does not provide this option; it just defaults to creating installation media for another PC (which is what we want).
The tool will suggest a language, edition, and architecture for Windows based on information about the PC on which the tool is running. If you’re going to use the installation media on that PC, go ahead and just click “Next.” If you’re planning to install it on a different PC, clear the “Use recommended options for this PC” check box, select options that are more appropriate for the license you have, and then click “Next.” Note that if you’re using the 8.1 version of the tool, you actually start with this screen. The tool also won’t recommend options; you have to select them yourself.
Remember, your license will only work with the correct version of Windows–if your license is for 64-bit Windows 10 Pro, you can’t install 32-bit Windows 10 Home with it, so ensure your selections here match what’s listed on your product key.
Next, select whether you want the tool to create a bootable USB flash drive with the installation media, or just create an ISO file that you can use or burn to a DVD later. We’re going with the ISO file in this example, but the process is much the same either way. If you go with the USB option, you’ll need to provide a USB drive with at least 3 GB of space. Also, the USB drive will be formatted during the process, so make sure there’s nothing on it you need. Select the option you want and then click “Next.”
Choose a place to save the finished ISO file (or point the tool toward the right USB drive if that’s the option you chose).
At this point, the Media Creation Tool will begin downloading the files and assembling your ISO, which can take a fair bit of time depending on your internet connection. When it’s finished, you can click “Open DVD Burner” if you want to go ahead and create a disc or just click Finish if you don’t want to make a disc right now.
Now that you have your new ISO saved, you’re ready to make use of it however you see fit. You could go ahead and perform a clean installation of Windows (which technically you don’t even need a product key to do), use the ISO to create a virtual machine, or just save it for when you need it down the road.
Download the Windows 7 SP1 ISO Directly From Microsoft’s Website
Microsoft makes the Windows 7 SP1 ISO available for direct download through their site. The only catch is that you’ll need a valid product key in order to download the file–and OEM keys (like the one that came on a sticker under your laptop) won’t work. If that’s you, proceed to the next section. Free virtual serial ports by hdd software.
If you do have a valid retail key, head to the Windows 7 download page, enter your product key, and click “Verify” to start the download process.
After your product key is verified, select the product language you want to download and then click “Confirm.”
Next, choose whether you want the 32-bit or 64-bit version of Windows 7. When you click whichever version you want, the download will begin. Note that download links generated by the site are only valid for 24 hours. Of course, you could always come back and walk through the verification and selection process again to generate new links.
After downloading the ISO file, you can burn it to a DVD by right-clicking it in Windows Explorer and selecting “Burn disc image” to burn it to a disc. If you want to install Windows 7 from a USB drive, the best way is to use the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool to put that ISO file onto a USB drive.
The downloaded ISO you’ll get from Microsoft includes Windows 7 with Service Pack 1. When you install Windows 7, you can avoid the hassle of downloading and installing the hundreds of updates that came out after SP1 by installing the Windows 7 SP1 Convenience Rollup. Even better, why not take a little extra time and slipstream the Convenience Rollup right into your Windows 7 ISO? That way, whenever you install Windows 7 in the future, you’ll have one ISO with all the updates (at least up through May 2016) already included. Enroll in ged classes online free.
Download Any Windows or Office ISO Using a Free Third-Party Tool
Microsoft used to make all these ISOs available through a site called Digital River, but it doesn’t anymore. Instead, they’re stored on its TechBench site. The ISOs can be hard to find, though, and for versions of Windows other than the most current, the site tries really hard to push you into using the Media Creation Tool instead. Enter the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool. This free utility provides a simple interface that lets you select the version of Windows you want, then downloads an ISO for that version straight from Microsoft’s download servers. This includes various builds of the Windows 10 Insider Preview. You can also use the tool to download ISOs for certain versions of Microsoft Office.
First, head over to HeiDoc.net and grab the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool. It’s free and it’s a portable tool, so there’s no installation. Just launch the executable file. In the main window, choose the version of Windows or Office you’d like to download.
Click the “Select Edition” drop-down menu and then choose the edition you want. Note that in addition to the regular editions of the product (such as Home or Professional), you can also download regions specific editions such as Windows N (which is sold to the European market and does not include multimedia apps like Media Player and DVD Maker) and Windows K (which is sold to the Korean market).
After you select the edition you want to download, click “Confirm.”
Next, use the drop-down menu that appears to choose the product language you want to download and then click the “Confirm” button under the language drop-down menu.
Finally, choose whether to download the 32-bit or 64-bit version of the product. Clicking either download button will initiate the download using the ISO download tool, so you’ll need to keep it open until the download finishes. Alternatively, you can use the “Copy Link” buttons to the right to copy the direct download link to your clipboard and then download the file using your browser. Either way, note that most links generated by the tool are only valid for 24 hours, though you can always come back and generate new links.
And that’s all there is to using the Microsoft Windows and Office ISO Download Tool. Yes, you could accomplish some of this by digging around the TechBench site, but using this clever little utility is quicker and saves a lot of hassle. Plus, for some products, like Windows 8.1, finding the direct download on the site is next to impossible.
Microsoft also provides other software via the TechNet Evaluation Center. For example, you could download a trial version of Windows Server 2012 R2 and enter a legitimate product key to get the full version. Just click the “Evaluate Now” header on the site to see what trial versions of software are on offer. You will need to sign in with a Microsoft account before downloading.
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If you’ve misplaced your Windows 7 install disc, which may be the actual discs that came with your PC or a retail Windows 7 install disc that you bought separately, then reinstalling Windows can be a bit frustrating. However, there is a very simple way to create your own Windows 7 install disc for Home Premium, Professional or Ultimate in 32 or 64-bit versions, from scratch.
1. Identify the Version of Windows 7 and Product Key
The Windows 7 Product Key is essential for reinstalling Windows and getting it activated. If you purchased your PC from a manufacturer, the product key may be printed on a label that is attached to the computer’s case. It may also be printed on some documentation that came with your PC.
If you purchased a retail of copy of Windows 7, then the product key may be printed on the box or included as documentation.
The version of Windows 7 is also important, as product keys will only work with certain versions of Windows. You will learn more about this in the next step. To identify your version of Windows 7, simply launch the Start Menu, right-click on Computer and select Properties from the context menu. Of course, you could also look on the box or documentation that came with the Windows 7 purchase.
2. Download a Copy of Windows 7
The next step is to of course download a copy of Windows 7 that will eventually be burned to disc or moved to a USB drive. The only recommended way to download Windows 7 is from Microsoft itself.
The only thing you have to provide is the Product key. Microsoft will figure out what version of Windows 7 is needed based on the product key and give you links to download that version. If you don’t have your product key, you’re kind of out of luck.
3. Create a Windows Install Disc or Bootable USB Drive
The Windows USB/DVD download tool is a free utility from Microsoft that will allow you to burn the Windows 7 download to disc or create a bootable USB drive.
At this point, you have now replaced your misplaced Windows install disc with either another disc or a bootable Windows 7 USB drive!
4. Download Drivers (optional)
If your PC requires certain drivers for full functionality, you may also want to download these drivers and install them with Windows.
Start by using Google or your search engine of choice to search the web for your particular PC and exact model, followed by keyword drivers. You should be able to find a quality link to a list of drivers that you need to download for your PC.
5. Prepare the Drivers (optional)
Once you’ve downloaded the drivers for your PC, you will need to move them to a removable disk or disc so that they can be used once you’ve installed Windows. Thus, you have a few options:
5a Burn the Drivers to Disc
This is very simple and can be done with any blank CD or DVD and a PC that utilizes an optical drive with CD or DVD writing functionality.
Simply insert the CD or DVD into the computer’s optical drive, create a new folder on the desktop containing all of the drivers and burn the folder to disc using the built-in Windows 7 burning option.
5b Copy the Drivers to a USB Drive
Simply insert any high capacity USB drive into an available USB port on your PC and drag the drivers to the drive to copy them.
6. Install Drivers
Once you’ve reinstalled Windows, simply insert the disc containing the drivers or USB drive with the drivers (step 5a, 5b) and proceed to install the drivers for your PC.
7. Create a Bootable Windows 7 USB Drive with Drivers already installed (alternative method)
Proceed to download a Windows 7 ISO (links above), but instead of using the USB to DVD utility, jump to our article on creating a custom Windows 7 image.
That’s basically all there is to it. Lost Windows 7 install DVD? Now you can simply replace it or create a bootable USB drive. Thank you for stopping by the site for today’s post.
When you download Windows from Microsoft Store, you have two options: You can download a collection of compressed files, or you can download an ISO file. An ISO file combines all the Windows installation files into a single uncompressed file.
If you choose to download an ISO file so you can create a bootable file from a DVD or USB drive, copy the Windows ISO file onto your drive and then run the Windows USB/DVD Download Tool. Then simply install Windows onto your computer directly from your USB or DVD drive.
When you download the ISO file, you must copy it onto a USB or DVD. When you're ready to install Windows, insert the USB drive or DVD with the ISO file on it and then run Setup.exe from the root folder on the drive.
This allows you to install Windows onto your machine without having to first run an existing operating system. If you change the boot order of drives in your computer's BIOS, you can run the Windows installation directly from your USB drive or DVD when you first turn on your computer. Please see the documentation for your computer for information about how to change the BIOS boot order of drives.
Making copies
To install the software, you can make one copy of the ISO file on a disc, USB flash drive, or other media.
After you’ve installed the software and accepted the license terms that accompany the software, those license terms apply to your use of the software. The license terms for Windows permit you to make one copy of the software as a back-up copy for re-installation on the licensed computer. If you do not delete your copy of the ISO file after installing the Windows software, the copy of the ISO file counts as your one back-up copy.
If you need to download the software again, you can go to your Download Purchase History in your Microsoft Store account and access the download there.
Advetisements
Download Official Windows 7 ISO images from Microsoft: Few days back , a friend of mine Accidentally broke his original windows 7 Installation Disk and unfortunately he had not bothered to create a backup copy of his windows 7 Disk beforehand. So i had to lend him the Original copy of Windows 7 disk. However if something similar happens with you and you cannot source out a windows 7 disk from your friends or relatives, continue reading on to find out how you can download a copy of the Windows 7 ISO image officially from Microsoft for free.
If you are stuck in a situation where you have lost your windows 7 installation disk or damaged it accidentally, you can always download a copy of your windows 7 ISO file from Microsoft itself. Many people are not aware of this and most of the time they usually end of downloading pirated copies of Microsoft windows 7 from various sites online.
I would always advise against downloading windows 7 from Illegal sites online. The main reason being most of these pirated copies of windows 7 are modified and have various spywares hidden in them, which are almost undetectable by most antiviruses. Using a pirated copy of windows 7 on your computer will compromise your private data to hackers and at the same time you will not be able to receive major updates for bug fixes and security.
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Microsoft offers free downloads for most of its Operating systems. If you have a fast internet connection then you can easily download any version of windows 7 from the links below. These Windows 7 ISO files are hosted by Digital river, which is Microsoft’s official content delivery partner for Windows 7 .
All these Windows 7 ISO’s come with SP1 integrated in them and have a 30 day trial period. Once installed, you can use your Original windows 7 key to activate your windows 7 installation.
Update:
Microsoft has stopped providing Windows 7 ISO images directly to the public. You can only download them directly from Microsoft if you have a genuine Windows 7 product key that you’ve purchased from an authorized retailer. Fortunately various third party sites have also started offering the Windows 7 ISO files for free download and one of them is the popular software download site, Softpedia.
Download Windows 7 SP1 ( x86 / x64 ) ISO files form Softpedia
Apart from the above links provided by softpedia, you can also download Windows 7 ISO files from third party mirrors on the web. However make sure to verify the MD5 hashtags of these ISO files. Download Windows 7 from Microsoft Product Recovery
Fortunately a German mirror site has backed up some of the ISO files of Windows 7. The following link contains a list of all the Windows 7 ISO files available for download via torrents.
Download Windows 7 SP1 ( x86 / x64 ) ISO Torrent ( mirror.corenoc.de )
Visit the following site to download Genuine Windows 7 ISO files from torrents:
mirror.corenoc.de/digitalrivercontent.net/
The Windows 7 ISO files provided on the above site are untouched versions. You can verify the originality of these Windows 7 ISO files by comparing their MD5 hashtags with the official tags provided by Microsoft in the respective MSDN pages. I cannot post those links on this site as the site has disabled direct linking.
Note : Since most of these files are above 2GB in size, we advise you to use a Download manager like Free Download Manager to download these Windows 7 ISO images. After downloading these images, you can either burn these Windows 7 ISO images on a DVD or create a bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive to install Windows 7 on your PC.
How to Download Windows 7 ISO with a Genuine Product Key
Alternatively, for those who have a genuine Windows 7 key, here’s how you can use it to download a Windows 7 ISO for free. Alternatively, if your Windows PC came installed with genuine Windows 7, you can use a free program like Magic Jellybean Keyfinder to view your key.
Head over to http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery and enter your genuine windows 7 product key and choose a language.
Note: You might have problem verifying OEM Windows 7 keys. If you face any problems contact Microsoft directly or your OEM key provider.
Wait for a few seconds for your key to be verified and you will be able to download a ISO image of Windows 7. Since the ISO image will be more than 2GB in size, it is recommended to use a Download manager to download it successfully. Once you’ve downloaded the ISO images, you can then use Rufus to create a bootable Windows 7 ISO and proceed with installing Windows 7 on your PC.
How to Create a Bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive to install Windows 7
Once you’ve downloaded the ISO images, you can then use Rufus to create a bootable Windows 7 ISO and proceed with installing Windows 7 on your PC. Follow the instructions provided in the link below to create a bootable windows 7 USB flash drive.
Read:How to Create a bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive.
There are two options to choose from during the Windows 7 installation process:
- Upgrade. This option replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7, and keeps your files, settings, and programs in place on your computer.
- Custom. This option replaces your current version of Windows with Windows 7, but doesn’t preserve your files, settings, and programs. It’s sometimes referred to as a clean installation for that reason.
Bootable Win 7 Iso Download Free Version
For more information visit this link.
The Content Below is outdated.
Download Windows 7 SP1 ISO ( x86 / x64 ) Image
- Windows 7 32-bit Ultimate x86 English
- Windows 7 64-bit Ultimate x64 English
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 English
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 English
- Windows 7 32-bit Home Premium x86 English
- Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium X64 English
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Chinese
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Chinese
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Danish
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Danish
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Dutch
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Dutch
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Finnish
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Finnish
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 French
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 French
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 German
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 German
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Italian
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Italian
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Norwegian
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Norwegian
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Portuguese
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Portuguese
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Spanish
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Spanish
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional x86 Swedish
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional x64 Swedish
- Windows 7 32-bit Professional K x86 Korean
- Windows 7 64-bit Professional K x64 Korean
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How to create a Bootable Windows 7 USB flash drive : For those who don’t have a windows 7 installation disk or either it is damaged, then you can create and use a Bootable USB flash drive to install Windows 7 on your PC. The process of creating a Bootable windows 7 USB flash drive is fairly easy, however you will have to download a copy of windows 7 ISO file.
Fortunately Microsoft provides Windows 7 ISO images as free downloads to the public. You can download Windows 7 iso images from here and Once you have downloaded a Windows 7 ISo file, you can then follow the instructions provided below to create a Bootable windows 7 USB flash drive.
Instructions to create a Bootable Windows 7 USB Flash Drive
Download Rufus and run it with Administrator rights.
Advetisements
- Step 1: Select the USB drive.
- Step 2: Select “ Select MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI “ ( Note: If your PC has UEFI bios, select the other two options. )
- Step 3: Select NTFS for File system. ( Note: Select FAT32 if your PC UEFI bios. )
- Step 4: Select the default Cluster size.
- Step 5: Type in a name for the Bootable USB Flash Drive.
- Step 6: Make sure you select these three options under Format options.
- Quick Format
- Create a Bootable disk using.
- Create extended labels and icon files.
- Step 7: Select the dropdown menu next to Create a Bootable disk using and select ISO Image.
- Step 8: Select the Drive icon next to ISO Image and then select the Windows 10 ISO file.
- Step 9: Verify all the settings and then click on the Start button.
That’s it, now you’ll just have to wait for a couple minutes more and the Windows 10 Bootable USB Flash Drive should be ready for installing Windows 10 on your PC.
After a few minutes your Windows 7 Bootable USB flash drive will be ready for installation. Reboot your PC and set the bootable flash drive as a first boot priority in the bios settings. Save the bios settings and reboot once again to continue with the windows 7 installation process .
Note: You have to allow booting from USB devices in your BIOS settings in order to proceed further with the windows 7 installation .
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