Where can I download 64bit version of windows 7 OS?

I was finally able to check out the link you posted, which contains the answer to my last question which was where can i get a retail iso of windows 7 64bit. Thanks.

Microsoft's official word:

answers.microsoft.com/.../70d546cd-b6e3-44d8-a6c8-fd7feb7d1915

Ok if i understand your reply correctly..

Dell will send me replacement media, but i wont be able to choose 64bit, since my laptop originally came with 32bit. (where do i even request replacements, and does my warranty need to be active?)

Any Dell 64bit re-installation package should accept my dell win7  OS key stuck on my laptop (unfortunately i dont have any other Dell laptops with 64bit win7 so this is not an option right now)

I do have plenty of windows 7 64bit OEM DVD  (not retail) disks however the dell licence key on the bottom of my laptop will probably not work?

Where at microsoft can i download a free (without key) iso or flash drive install package of windows 7 64 bit retail, that then allows me to use my Dell windows 7 key?

The win 7 64bit OEM DVD's i have lying around are not branded, (they are system builder OEM disks, like you can buy at newegg) and most likely wont  work with a Dell licence key.

I went ahead and downloaded the digital river windows 7 64bit iso from the link you provided.

So based on your comment i should be able to install using this disk, and then activate windows over the phone using my Dell windows 7 key?

This seems like my best option right now.

"So based on your comment i should be able to install using this disk, and then activate windows over the phone using my Dell windows 7 key?"

Yes.

You can use the retail .iso with your OEM product key and phone activation to Microsoft (not Dell). The retail .iso is here.

http://heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/14-windows-7-direct-download-links

This procedure won't work if the key on your COA has faded.

"So stupid of MS to make so many versions of their OS"

One could argue either way, but MS may agree with you ... Windows 8 comes in only two versions (Windows 8 and Windows 8 Pro (called Enterprise for VL customers)).

Check out the link here for getting the "Starter" ISO:

answers.microsoft.com/.../058f7f00-16ab-4f22-8f66-602db259cb5b

Thanks "theflash1932" for the help.

I was able to use the iso from the digital river download and re-install my system with a 64bit version of win7 instead of the 32bit which originally came with my laptop.

I was also able to do the phone activation with my COA with no issues.

Thanks for the links guys.

One thing that would be handy is if you guys knew where i could get a copy of windows starter .iso

One of my netbooks came with windows starter and i cant find the original media (dont think it ever came with any, it must have had an OEM backup partition which is long gone)  but i do have its COA sticker.

I cant seem to find widows 7 starter anywhere either free download or retail purchase.

So stupid of MS to make so many versions of their OS :(

My netbook could use a rebuild as well so i would appreciate if you could link me to a legit way of obtaining windows 7 starter (none of the digital river links contain the starter edition).

Otherwise i might have to just put ubuntu on it since its not worth spending money on this older netbook to buy another windows 7 or 8 licence for it.

thanks.

You are best to just download the Home Premium 32 bit .iso and create a bootable USB. On the bootable USB you can just delete the ei.cfg file and it will give you the option to install Starter aswell as the other 32 bit versions of Windows. Starter is not available in the 64 bit architecture.

This is detailed in my Windows Reinstallation Guide (page 273-276).

http://philipyip.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/windows-reinstallation-guide-02-02-2013.pdf

Hi guys, thanks for the tips.

I went ahead and followed the directions in the microsoft link, however its not working for me.

I downloaded both windows home premium iso X17-58996.iso, and the windows professional X15-65804.iso suggested in the microsoft forum.

I then ran the eicfg_remover.exe and it said that the eicfg was removed successfully.

I then used the microsoft  windows 7 usb/dvd tool and created a bootable USB drive.

Upon installing from the USB drive  i was never given the option to select my OS.

There were no drop down menus or lists or anything other than the typical windows installation interface.

It will just install either windows home premium or professional depending on which .iso i used.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Do not use the ei.cfg remover utility. As I don't know what utility you exactly used I can't be sure but I know there was pre-SP1 version which didn't work with the .iso which included SP1.

Anyway there is no need for a third party program, the file is pretty easy to delete manually from the bootable USB.

See here page 275-276:

http://philipyip.files.wordpress.com/2013/02/windows-reinstallation-guide-02-02-2013.pdf

Note the image in the page needs to be updated to delete and not open with...

I was able to get windows starter back on one of my old netbooks using one of the digital river windows home premium sp1 downloads and manually removing  the ei.cfg  file using instructions from your document.  As you expected, the third party ei.cfg remover utility that was specified in the first link did not work, but manually removing it worked fine.

Thanks again.

Great glad you got everything working.

Just to let you know I have made some revisions to the guide since the last post which might be useful for you; in particular I have added in a section to create a backup using Acronis which is a good thing to do after performing a clean installation:

http://philipyip.wordpress.com/dell-community-forums/