Upgrade the Windows 7 RC to retail

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Comments

  • edited February 2010
    With the disc version, you remove the files from the disc and find the .exe file and change it. How do you do this with a downloaded version?
  • edited February 2010
    You get a .exe file with the download version which you run to do the install. Before installing, use a hex (binary) editor, find MinClient in the exe file then change MinClient=7233 to MinClient=7077. Re-write the exe file in place and you're good to go.
  • edited February 2010
    Kinda new to this. How do I use and where do I find a hex (binary) editor? Sorry for all the questions, but I really appreciate the help.
  • edited February 2010
    Google hex editor. Find a simple one - some are huge and full of stuff you don't need. Then read directions..very simple.
  • edited February 2010
    I have build 7100.

    This works with the Ultimate Upgrade version of windows 7? not just the full retail?

    I can buy the 219 dollar Ultimate Upgrade version of Win7 and do this instead of the full 300 dollar retail one?

    Sorry for english, I am italian, but live in USA
  • edited February 2010
    So - when I put the CDROM in my drive then I right click on the drive in Contol Panel, right? And then there is a choice of "COPY", right? And I choose to copy the W'7 CDROM onto one of my 3 present partitions....right? Then go into that and make the afore mentioned changes. I need to re-partition my HD - so I would have to choose the clean install route.
    Please tell me IF above steps are correct and IF there are some other "tricks" I should be aware of....like when to activate? I see some say WAIT till fully installed.
    TKS michael
  • edited February 2010
    I am NOT MR. HIGH Tech and am thus a tad scared of tackeling this way of upgrading my HTPC...but being a low income senior citizen....this is the most tempting route for me to "try". I thought I had till like June before my RC would run out....BUT I got a built in 14 day WARNING last night when I fired it up.
    Thus I have to buy the FULL or Upgrade Premium right away.........please advise!

    TKS michael
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    You can use an upgrade copy to perform this procedure.
  • cyberizedcyberized Beaverton, OR
    edited February 2010
    I thought the 7100 RC would be good until JUNE and prior to June it would give you Warnings that it would soon expire???? Mine told me last night that I have 14 days to Upgrade to Retail. YIKES! I guess I will opt to buy a retail Upgrade of Premium and try following the instructions here to upgrade my RC to the RTM.

    I was wondering though in the instructions on making those changes in the REGistry etc......in the example of where you enter your NEW W'7 Version,,,,,it shows like WINDOWSPREMIUM [or whatever] in ALL CAPS and NO spacing. BUT their example of W'7 Professional is NOT in ALL caps. So when I go to type in my chice of Premium what is the Proper method - please?

    TKS michael
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    The article's spacing and capitalization is correct.
  • edited February 2010
    Thanks again! You guys rock...
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    Cyberized, the RC is technically legitimate until June, but starting in March, you'll still have full functionality, but Windows will start rebooting every 2 hours. After that period, the RC will become non-genuine, and you'll start losing functionality as well.
  • edited February 2010
    Used the info here and 'upgraded' from RC Ultimate to Home Premium x64 with no trouble at all. Thanks for the info!
  • edited February 2010
    Thanks so much! This works like a sharm, it saved me a lot of time!!! :)
  • edited February 2010
    MikeD
    GLAD to hear the GOOD Report! Did you do a CLEAN install?

    I ordered a W'7 Premium Upgrade yesterday...am nervous in the service as I now await my own GO at IT! I am presently transfering drivers etc. onto a 16GB Flash drive,,,need to know ALL the essentials that I should put on it...for after I do a CLEAN install and re=partition of my 1TB HD.
  • edited February 2010
    Thanks for the instructions! I did this to "downgrade" to an upgrade version of Home Premium. It seems to have worked, but I have now twice run into a situation where the OS hangs completely and I need to force shutdown the PC. Can't do anything else. The waitcursor circle keeps spinning, but something, like Explorer itself is hung. I can't even get to Task Manager. I never had any issues before. It doesn't happen every time, but now happened twice in the last 3 days.

    Have you seen or heard of anything like that?

    Thanks again,
    John
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    That's usually an issue related to drivers or a piece of software which isn't shutting down properly.
  • edited February 2010
    How is it that someone can give such detailed in formation & however forget to mention how to access this direct file? "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version" There are a plethora of folders in this registry section. a bit moronic i'd say.
  • edited February 2010
    carl wrote:
    a bit moronic i'd say.

    Are you looking for accompany? :wtf:
  • edited February 2010
    Michael Llewellyn

    No, I did not do a clean install, I actually did a downgrade upgrade from Ultimate to Home Premium.

    So far I have not had JoMo's problem, although Windows startup seems to take a bit longer now.

    What I did first was make a complete drive image backup of my OS drive, just in case of upgrade failure.

    If you are going to do a clean install, you might want to consider using Windows Easy Transfer to move your files and settings to your new install.

    http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows7/products/features/windows-easy-transfer
  • SnarkasmSnarkasm Madison, WI Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    Carl, it's only moronic if you think you should continue to a folder rather than clicking on the CurrentVersion folder. Everything you want is contained in the CurrentVersion node, not in any of the folders underneath it.

    If you've gotten lost at a step, it's much easier and reflects better on your character to ask for clarification than to call somebody a moron - especially when they've gone to all the trouble of putting together a guide that has worked correctly for a ton of other users.
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    carl wrote:
    How is it that someone can give such detailed in formation & however forget to mention how to access this direct file? "HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\Current Version" There are a plethora of folders in this registry section. a bit moronic i'd say.

    Only as moronic as the anonymous internet thug that can't follow the pretty pictures.
  • edited February 2010
    Mr. Hallock, sir, you are a gentleman and a scholar! This work around has saved me HOURS of un-needed reinstalling. It worked like a dream. I salute you! Thank you so very much!
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    You're welcome. :) Thanks for stopping by Icrontic!
  • edited February 2010
    I'm Dutch, and it said that this wasn't possible for EURO users. Am I doomed to do a clean install then anyway or have there been improvements so I can simply upgrade from the RC to retail?
  • Max
    edited February 2010
    Hello!

    First of all, thank you Thrax for doing/coming up with this!

    For me, as I try to follow your step-by step, I keep coming up with a Windows message that says that registry can´t be updated like 30-40 minutes into the installation. Then the installation wants to roll back (happens automatically although maybe I have time to change the installation program´s boot option from "win7 roll back" to "win 7").

    There are some differences in my registry files compared to yours. All *build registries say 7100 for me whereas yours say 7600. Also, when running regedit, I have no HKLM, mine says HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE but I guess thats just an abbreviation?

    Does any of this make any sense and is there a solution for this?

    Again, big Thank You from Sweden!
  • Max
    edited February 2010
    Oh, forgot to mention that I am trying to upgrade to Professional. Could it be that I have another version of professional and instead of changing the EditionID and ProductName registries to Professional and Windows 7 Professional should change them to something like "Professional (x86)" and "Windows 7 Professional (x86)"?
  • ThraxThrax 🐌 Austin, TX Icrontian
    edited February 2010
    The images and the instructions in this guide were taken and written as I personally upgraded a 7100 build to the final build (7600). The exception is the picture of the registry, which I took on the 7600 build as the screens are identical for the purposes of identifying the relevant registry entries.

    Secondarily, I did as you did: Upgraded from Ultimate (release candidate 7100) to Professional retail (7600).

    Finally, HKLM is indeed just a common acronym for HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE.

    There are many reasons why the upgrade process isn't going as planned. You might try making sure that all the registry files in C:\Windows\system32\config are not flagged as read only files, and that you have at least 15-20GB free on your OS drive for it to move files around.

    Otherwise, it could be a driver, or another piece of software that is preventing the upgrade from occurring, but it's practically impossible to tell which one.
  • edited February 2010
    Just for reference, I also went from the RC to professional - the 64bit vrsion. The work-around, just as pictured, worked seamlessly. And after the install not one program failed to operate (and I have many). The only difference now than from the eginning is that the window evaluation notice is gone and replaced with Windows 7 Professional. Again, this work-around saved me hours of frustrating reinstalls. Thanks Again Thrax!
  • edited February 2010
    Quick question which I think was already answered. I can copy the contents of the DVD (Windows 7 Ultimate RTM) to a folder on my desktop or C drive, then edit the cversion.ini and then run the setup from this folder on my desktop? Doesn't need to be on another partition or bootable flash drive, right?

    Once complete, I can delete the folder I created with all the installation files?
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