Yes, You Can Still Clean Install Windows 10 with a Windows 7/8.x Key (Tricks and Tips)

Thurrott.com ^ | Oct 28, 2017 | Paul Thurrott

[Bob434]

[[Bottom line is Windows 10 is selling for $4 if you make your own Win 10 bootable flash drive. Which Microsoft actually makes for you.]]

Are you talking about running windows from the flash drive? OR about making the flash drive a windows 10 .ISO from which you install windows 10 from onto hard-drive?

[Bob434]

I’m not sure if this site still works, but if you need a windows 7 .ISO- you can apparently download it here:

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows7

I’m not sure if htis works for preinstalled windows 7 versions or not (with a key of course)- I think i tried it once and it didn’t work for preinstalled (not preinstalled, but there is another term for bundled os liek with HP machines or dell or something- can’t remember the term now) aNd it wouldn’t work-

[dayglored]

[[If you only have the one hardware machine, and it’s got Win7 installed “on the metal”, you might want to consider getting some virtualization software (VMware, VirtualBox, etc.) for Win7, create a (free) Linux VM, and use only the Linux VM for accessing the internet.]] > If you do this with windows as the host- aren’t you still somehow vulnerable on your windows os? I’m not sure how htis works- I nkow that if the host and VM share folders, it can make both vulnerable- but not sure if there is no sharing- does that make the host invulnerable to viruses when VM connects? I thought the VM connects through host Internet connection, no?

To prevent malware from coming over the network connection into a guest VM and affecting the VM host, there are a few potential vectors that should be controlled for:

• As you mentioned, shared folders between host and client should be disabled

• The guest VM should not know the VM host's name or IP (via DNS or /etc/hosts)

• If possible the guest VM should be networked as "bridged" so it has an independent IP address from the VM host, and it should be in a separate subnet to minimize chances of malware attempting network traversal. For example (assuming the VM host is behind a local 192.168 NAT):
  • VM host IP = 192.168.1.xxx
  • VM host netmask = 255.255.255.0
  • guest VM IP = 192.168.2.xxx
  • guest VM netmask = 255.255.255.0

• There are probably additional precautions one can take, but the above are quick and easy and provide decent security.

[Bob434]

[[For example (assuming the VM host is behind a local 192.168 NAT):

VM host IP = 192.168.1.xxx
VM host netmask = 255.255.255.0
guest VM IP = 192.168.2.xxx
guest VM netmask = 255.255.255.0

quick and easy]]

My Brain hurts! I’ve never been good at the whole net ip stuff- numbers give me headaches lol

[Still Thinking]

If you’re number-aversenumber-averse, shold you be computing? Should your screen name be BobMoreThanFourHundred? Should you be browsing FR via voice over an analog POTS line?

[Chickensoup]

Is there some way that you can explain the issue here for someone like me, a Win 7 Outlook 2003 user who is trying her hardest not to upgrade.

I figure at max, I have only 30 years of life left...lol.

[dayglored]

> Is there some way that you can explain the issue here for someone like me, a Win 7 Outlook 2003 user who is trying her hardest not to upgrade.

Simple -- do nothing. This thread is for folks who wish to upgrade to Win10, but without having to spend a lot of money.

> I figure at max, I have only 30 years of life left...lol.

May God by His Grace grant you as many years as you wish. Sincerely meant.

In my case, 30 more would take me to about 96, which I would consider a heck-of-a good long run. My Mom is still kicking butt at 93, so ya never know...

[PrivateIdaho]

bookmark

[Bob434]

I was never good at math or figuring out numbers- doesn’t mean i can’t use the Internet or Fr- not sure where you even came up with that- Are you maybe mocking my intellect?

[Bob434]

[[In my case, 30 more would take me to about 96,]]

So that means you’re 29?

[dayglored]

> [[In my case, 30 more would take me to about 96,]]
So that means you’re 29?

Uhh, riiiiight.

> numbers give me headaches lol

Indeed. :-)

[dayglored]

The stuff I mentioned about IPs and netmasks is all stuff that gets set up in the Networking when you do a VM. You can let it default to "Automatic Assignment" (a.k.a. "DHCP"), but that won't get you settings that provide the best security. To put in your own values you have to do "Manual Assignment" (or whatever your particular OS calls it).

Actually doing it takes about 2 minutes. OTOH, reading up on it if it's your first time might be considerably longer.

[Bob434]

yeah I’m gonna have to read up on it- It’s probably not difficult- but I’ll check out ‘making VM secure’ and see how they say to accomlish it-

[dayglored]

> I’ll check out ‘making VM secure’ and see how they say to accomlish it

Yeah, that's the ticket. There's a wealth of info out there for just about any of the VM hosting software packages (VMware, VirtualBox, Parallels, etc.). Good luck!!

[Bob434]

Yeah- My brain is fried from ‘fibro fog’- hopefully it’ll be fairly easy to understand- I lose track easy now unfortunately-

[dennisw]

the latter and it is easy

[dennisw]

you will get the one I have tested with.

[dennisw]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Windows-10-Pro-32-64BIT-W-scrap-PC-Lifetime-Key-Dispatched-in-1-hour/112666311658?hash=item1a3b6f7bea:g:U0kAAOSw3WxZxgCo

bought but untested from this guy. The fellow I bought and tested from is out of them but had other MS keys foe sale lke win 8.1

[Bob434]

yeah I’ve made a couople ISO’s both linux and windows- but how are htey giving windows 10 away for so little? (Not that I’ll use it- but seems like it’d be at least $50 for an ISO download/key?)

[Bob434]

i noticed that on the windows microsoft download site that it will download windows 7 IF the product isn’t oem (that’s the word i was looking for earlier)- So when you download from ebay, they give you a Key, and you just put the key in the MS site download page and it works? Because if you have oem (preinstalled windows), it won’t download the ISO

Also how many have you gotten from ebay?