Which Windows 7 Pro For Portability?

I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?
--
Pete Cresswell

In message ,
[]
But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

Strictly, you want the word "retail" in the description. Officially,
only "retail" can be moved from box to box as many times as you like -
still only on one machine per licence, of course.

Last time I looked, a retail copy cost the same as a whole PC, more or
less. Though that was some years ago - but I doubt it has changed much
with W10. What has changed is you'll now have to look hard to find a W7
(any trim) retail that hasn't been used; MS stopped selling them some
while ago, so it's only retailers with old stock. (Or private users: I'm
not sure if you can sell a retail licence. I _think_ you can, as long as
you've removed it from any computer you own.)
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Thay have a saying for it: /Geiz ist geil/, which roughly translates as, "It's
sexy to be stingly". - Joe Fattorini, RT insert 2016/9/10-16

"PeteCresswell" wrote:

I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

Same as always: buy retail licenses to have the freedom to move (not
copy) to other boxes.

OEM licenses, as you already know, are fixed to the first computer on
which they are installed. The license does not preclude you from
replacing defecting hardware or upgrading the hardware (but typically
not the mobo or CPU). If the hardware hash differs significantly, you
have to do the phone call to get a new license key (which you'll have to
remember for later). From recent user reports, Microsoft is still doing
phone activations on Windows XP and that OS is 15 years old and out of
support for 3 years. I once had to do the phone activation because a
PSU that went defective took out the mobo that had to be replaced. For
Windows 7, I've upgraded to larger HDDs, inserted an SSD in place of the
OS+app drive, upgraded memory (added more), and still no problem with
the existing product key. The mobo won't take a later or faster CPU so
I've not even try to upgrade it. You can upgrade or repair the hardware
without violating the OEM license. I suspect a mobo change (not just a
replace) and CPU change might trigger a re-activation requirement. When
I had to replace the mobo, the auto phone activation didn't work, I got
connected to a human rep, explained the hardware change, and they had no
qualms about issuing a new license key.

Supposedly Microsoft does not keep forever the license registrations.
Some users claim that they won't know about your install after a few
months (Windows 10 looks to use a different scheme). I've not had a
problem with phone [re]activation. Within Windows XP still using phone
activation okay, I suspect Windows 7 phone activation will last a long
time. Besides, if you restore from an activated image of Windows,
you'll be restoring that already activated image. I've lost track of how
many times I've restored from a backup image to ensure some crapware got
eradicated or to get back to a prior state for whatever reason.

Windows 10 appears to use a Microsoft accounts scheme to track licenses
instead of a generic all-users activation database.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/...ardware-change
"Windows is activated with a digital license linked to your Microsoft
account on the Activation page."

Of course, if you don't use Hotmail/Outlook.com, OneDrive, or anything
else of Microsoft services, you better record your Microsoft account
login credentials; else, years later you won't remember them to login
and may not have the recovery methods (alternate e-mail, phone number)
assuming you had provided them.

On 5/9/2017 12:14 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

MS does its best to obstruct portability, with prejudice.
This newsgroup is absolutely the wrong place for a discussion of
solutions...there are none.
Google can be a useful resource in many situations.

mike wrote:
On 5/9/2017 12:14 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

MS does its best to obstruct portability, with prejudice.
This newsgroup is absolutely the wrong place for a discussion of
solutions...there are none.
Google can be a useful resource in many situations.

A quick search shows this info:

1) Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Full Retail Box 32-bit 64-bit

That's the version you want... if you were asking the question
five years ago. You also need to check the SKU offered by the
seller, and make sure it's for the USA, English language,
or other assorted curveballs. I can spend half the day checking
even *reputable* seller info, to make sure I'm getting the
correct product.

2) OK, it's 2017. Official sales of Win8 stopped November last
year or so. Or at least, that's when Joy Systems could no longer
ship Refurbisher Win7 Pro systems to customers. I presume that
was the general cutoff date. Joy Systems themselves, from their
front door, can only ship their old Core2 machines now with
Win10 Refurbisher on the disk drive. And no driver for the
old video card of course.

This does *not* prevent companies with inventory from selling
product. The boxes didn't all get shipped back to Microsoft
for a full refund. The boxes are still at the various sellers.
However...

3) You cannot find "Professional Full Retail Box", at Walmart,
Kresges, Kmart, Towers, Steadmans, or the grocery store.
They're all sold out. Even your local computer store won't
have them.

4) Ebay is full of them.

5) What matters is the key. If you have the key in hand, you can
download the ISO from Microsoft, for both the 32-bit and 640bit
DVDs, for free. All you need is a legit key. The "box" is
some slight evidence of a "lack of tampering". Of course,
counterfeits are counterfeits. So a box doesn't mean much.
And as far as I know, my uncle has been making those official
holograms in his basement for the last 20 years. The appearance
of the media can be faked. But, retail boxes make people
feel good, so go for it.

6) There are good deals on Ebay. But, we have no means
of detecting "deals that don't have blowback". People
here have reported exceptional results, if you don't
particularly care about details (OEM, System Builder,
MSDN carve ups).

*******

So when Paul wanted Win7 Pro for the new computer in
2015, what did he buy ? Why, he bought the OEM System Builder
SKU. With absolutely no portability listed in the EULA.
Because, that's what was available. Although you can
"get lucky" on Ebay, I'm just not a gambler, and I got
it from the same source as my other computer components.

That's why the "five years ago" is important. If you feel
you're going to need some OS in the future, and see
a SKU you like, buy an extra. I did exactly that...
when Win8 was $39.95. Bought an extra. That's the only
time I "over-bought" an OS, with no clear target
for installation at the time. I'm too cheap to do
that for a $150 SKU. I'd rather have 30 hamburgers
instead.

Waiting to buy a product after the "end-ship" date,
is bound to be a less than satisfying experience.
Been there, done that, bought the T-shirt (my Win2K
T-shirt).

Paul

mike wrote:

NOTE: Missing attribution line added to identify mike was replying to
Paul. Please remember to insert these.

Paul wrote:

5) What matters is the key. If you have the key in hand, you can
download the ISO from Microsoft, for both the 32-bit and 64-bit
DVDs, for free.

Do you have a working MS link?

Someone asked a few weeks ago. I went searching the usual places and
found zero working links.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/soft...nload/windows7
You need your valid license/product key to continue.

mike wrote:

On 5/9/2017 12:14 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

MS does its best to obstruct portability, with prejudice.
This newsgroup is absolutely the wrong place for a discussion of
solutions...there are none.
Google can be a useful resource in many situations.

I never tried the following so cannot attest that it works:

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-in...ive-must-read/

At no point does the author go through the installation or startup
process of Windows to determine when it asks for the license/product
key. I suspect, yes, you can get the WAIK wim file to the USB and use
it as the image but I can't see that Microsoft would be distributing
unfettered WAIK wim images. You'll still need to validate.

The author never mentions that nothing untoward occurs when the USB
drive is used on differing hardware when Windows is loaded from it. The
hardware hash will be different unless you each host is exactly the
same. Seems a waste of a Windows 7 license to dump it on a USB drive.
Seems a free Linux distro would be a better choice, like Mint (I've
heard Windows users have an eas(y|ier) time migrating to that one
although changing to something other than the Windows 10 cloning of a
flat window theme is probably the first tweak) or Zorin OS. I think
Yumi is supposed to make a portable Linux install easier (both Mint and
Zorin are listed as supported). Not all Zorin variants are free: Core
is free, Business is ¤15, and Ultimate is ¤19 (but a lot cheaper than a
retail license for Windows). Probably the biggest chore to overcome is
Windows users finding equivalent Linux apps (and without having to use
WINE since all emulators incur a speed degradation).

Many backup programs use WAIK to create a Windows PE recovery image to
use on bootup (shows in the boot menu). Microsoft doesn't care about
that WIM image because it is extremely basic (e.g., no desktop GUI) but
may be better than the Linux boot image to finding your USB and
networked drives.

VanguardLH wrote:
mike wrote:

On 5/9/2017 12:14 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

MS does its best to obstruct portability, with prejudice.
This newsgroup is absolutely the wrong place for a discussion of
solutions...there are none.
Google can be a useful resource in many situations.

I never tried the following so cannot attest that it works:

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-in...ive-must-read/

At no point does the author go through the installation or startup
process of Windows to determine when it asks for the license/product
key. I suspect, yes, you can get the WAIK wim file to the USB and use
it as the image but I can't see that Microsoft would be distributing
unfettered WAIK wim images. You'll still need to validate.

The author never mentions that nothing untoward occurs when the USB
drive is used on differing hardware when Windows is loaded from it. The
hardware hash will be different unless you each host is exactly the
same. Seems a waste of a Windows 7 license to dump it on a USB drive.
Seems a free Linux distro would be a better choice, like Mint (I've
heard Windows users have an eas(y|ier) time migrating to that one
although changing to something other than the Windows 10 cloning of a
flat window theme is probably the first tweak) or Zorin OS. I think
Yumi is supposed to make a portable Linux install easier (both Mint and
Zorin are listed as supported). Not all Zorin variants are free: Core
is free, Business is ¤15, and Ultimate is ¤19 (but a lot cheaper than a
retail license for Windows). Probably the biggest chore to overcome is
Windows users finding equivalent Linux apps (and without having to use
WINE since all emulators incur a speed degradation).

Many backup programs use WAIK to create a Windows PE recovery image to
use on bootup (shows in the boot menu). Microsoft doesn't care about
that WIM image because it is extremely basic (e.g., no desktop GUI) but
may be better than the Linux boot image to finding your USB and
networked drives.

That's called Windows To Go, and has various levels of official
support from Microsoft. As well as hacker ways... Most users
will need to investigate the hacker ways, to make progress on it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_to_go

If you want "portability", use DazLoader :-) Windows_To_Go
will only cause hair loss. (It would be about as much fun
as that copy of Windows you find on the public library computer.)

Paul

On 2017-05-09, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

It has been common practice for years to harvest OEM license keys from
dead Windows 7 PCs and apply them to new builds or use them to upgrade
XP boxes. It is, however, a license violation to do so. As a practical
matter it does appear to work. Your mileage may vary.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Roger Blake (Posts from Google Groups killfiled due to excess spam.)

NSA sedition and treason -- http://www.DeathToNSAthugs.com
Don't talk to cops! -- http://www.DontTalkToCops.com
Badges don't grant extra rights -- http://www.CopBlock.org
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

On 5/10/2017 5:11 AM, Paul wrote:
VanguardLH wrote:
mike wrote:

On 5/9/2017 12:14 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by
which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

MS does its best to obstruct portability, with prejudice.
This newsgroup is absolutely the wrong place for a discussion of
solutions...there are none.
Google can be a useful resource in many situations.

I never tried the following so cannot attest that it works:

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-in...ive-must-read/


At no point does the author go through the installation or startup
process of Windows to determine when it asks for the license/product
key. I suspect, yes, you can get the WAIK wim file to the USB and use
it as the image but I can't see that Microsoft would be distributing
unfettered WAIK wim images. You'll still need to validate.

The author never mentions that nothing untoward occurs when the USB
drive is used on differing hardware when Windows is loaded from it. The
hardware hash will be different unless you each host is exactly the
same. Seems a waste of a Windows 7 license to dump it on a USB drive.
Seems a free Linux distro would be a better choice, like Mint (I've
heard Windows users have an eas(y|ier) time migrating to that one
although changing to something other than the Windows 10 cloning of a
flat window theme is probably the first tweak) or Zorin OS. I think
Yumi is supposed to make a portable Linux install easier (both Mint and
Zorin are listed as supported). Not all Zorin variants are free: Core
is free, Business is ¤15, and Ultimate is ¤19 (but a lot cheaper than a
retail license for Windows). Probably the biggest chore to overcome is
Windows users finding equivalent Linux apps (and without having to use
WINE since all emulators incur a speed degradation).

Many backup programs use WAIK to create a Windows PE recovery image to
use on bootup (shows in the boot menu). Microsoft doesn't care about
that WIM image because it is extremely basic (e.g., no desktop GUI) but
may be better than the Linux boot image to finding your USB and
networked drives.

That's called Windows To Go, and has various levels of official
support from Microsoft. As well as hacker ways... Most users
will need to investigate the hacker ways, to make progress on it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_to_go

If you want "portability", use DazLoader :-) Windows_To_Go
will only cause hair loss. (It would be about as much fun
as that copy of Windows you find on the public library computer.)

Paul
What's the dimension of portability? There are several.

1) Circumvent all licensing and install on as many systems as you like.
You've disclosed a solution to that. There's a different 'P-word'
for that matey.

2) Protect against licensing enforcement overkill when reinstalling the
same OS to the same computer with the same key on only one system.
The disclosed solution fixes that too. As does an image of the system.

3) Protect against motherboard failure.
MS has been quite flexible in that area in the past.
Disclosed solution works for that too.

4) Install windows on a flash drive that you can plug in anywhere.
That's just wrong on so many levels.
If you wanted to plug your flash drive into my system, I'd tell you to
go to hell.
If you plugged your flash drive into my system, you'd risk whatever
diseases I have. Yes, there are lots of arguments why that can't happen
if done right. I'd still say, "go to hell."
If you got permission, it's likely that driver issues would make it
non-functional...even if it didn't bluescreen.
It would be slower than a slug.

If you just want to do some computing on any PC hardware, use YUMI to
put linux, specifically MacPup 5.50, on a thumb drive.
Runs in RAM, so it's FAST.
Has a LOT of capability built-in.
Has a lot of drivers. I've rarely seen it fail to just work
on any hardware I threw it at. I'm sure you could come up with
a counterexample, but my experience has been excellent.
Has persistence so you can add stuff.
No licensing issues.
Trivial to configure...they know how to build a user friendly linux.
Close enough to windows user interface that even I can use it.
If linux didn't lack compatible programs to do some of what I need
in a windows-centric world, I'd
kick MS to the curb and run it as my primary OS...obviously installed
to the hard drive, which is also trivial.

Put Hiren's on there too. It boots to a subset of XP. Can be
very useful as a repair tool. Surfs the web ok. Don't think it
has any kind of persistence, so all you can do is save files to the
thumb drive.

You still have the contagion problem. Try to plug it into one
of MY computers and I'd resist. I wouldn't plug it into a library
computer. Chances of catching a linux infection from a windows
system is lower, but. Any library computer administrator who'd allow
booting a flash drive should be retrained.

Pick a version of 7 that has the capabilities you need. Pro is the
most likely F

Paul wrote:

VanguardLH wrote:
mike wrote:

On 5/9/2017 12:14 PM, (PeteCresswell) wrote:
I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

Also, my experience has been that MS has some sort of algorithm by which
it decides if it is on the same box - and I have run up against it just
by adding/removing devices to/from the same mobo.

Finally, my guess is that I can get around OEM's limit of 3(?) multiple
sequential installs on the same box by imaging the bare-bones install
and simply re-imaging from that.

But I want the freedom to move from box-to-box and not have to worry
about playing games with multiple sequential installs on the same box.

Can anybody tell me what flavor of Windows 7 Pro I am looking for?

MS does its best to obstruct portability, with prejudice.
This newsgroup is absolutely the wrong place for a discussion of
solutions...there are none.
Google can be a useful resource in many situations.

I never tried the following so cannot attest that it works:

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-in...ive-must-read/

At no point does the author go through the installation or startup
process of Windows to determine when it asks for the license/product
key. I suspect, yes, you can get the WAIK wim file to the USB and use
it as the image but I can't see that Microsoft would be distributing
unfettered WAIK wim images. You'll still need to validate.

The author never mentions that nothing untoward occurs when the USB
drive is used on differing hardware when Windows is loaded from it. The
hardware hash will be different unless you each host is exactly the
same. Seems a waste of a Windows 7 license to dump it on a USB drive.
Seems a free Linux distro would be a better choice, like Mint (I've
heard Windows users have an eas(y|ier) time migrating to that one
although changing to something other than the Windows 10 cloning of a
flat window theme is probably the first tweak) or Zorin OS. I think
Yumi is supposed to make a portable Linux install easier (both Mint and
Zorin are listed as supported). Not all Zorin variants are free: Core
is free, Business is ¤15, and Ultimate is ¤19 (but a lot cheaper than a
retail license for Windows). Probably the biggest chore to overcome is
Windows users finding equivalent Linux apps (and without having to use
WINE since all emulators incur a speed degradation).

Many backup programs use WAIK to create a Windows PE recovery image to
use on bootup (shows in the boot menu). Microsoft doesn't care about
that WIM image because it is extremely basic (e.g., no desktop GUI) but
may be better than the Linux boot image to finding your USB and
networked drives.

That's called Windows To Go, and has various levels of official
support from Microsoft. As well as hacker ways... Most users
will need to investigate the hacker ways, to make progress on it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_to_go

If you want "portability", use DazLoader :-) Windows_To_Go
will only cause hair loss. (It would be about as much fun
as that copy of Windows you find on the public library computer.)

Paul

My recollection was that Windows To Go was a feature available only with
the Enterprise edition of Windows. I don't think the article, and
others, were specifically only to make portable the Enterprise edition.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_To_Go

Windows To Go is not "officially" supported for the non-Enterprise
editions of Windows. I think the hack is to get the lesser editions to
also be portable.

Roger Blake wrote:

PeteCresswell wrote:

I already have a couple of OEM versions of 7, but my understanding is
that if a mobo bites the big one or something, I have a problem with
installing any of those on another box.

It has been common practice for years to harvest OEM license keys from
dead Windows 7 PCs and apply them to new builds or use them to upgrade
XP boxes. It is, however, a license violation to do so. As a practical
matter it does appear to work. Your mileage may vary.

snipped Roger's bogus sig block - it wasn't a sig at all, just opinion
spam appended to his message

Somewhat how I got my home licenses for Windows 7 and MS Office. I
salvaged what someone else thought was non-repairable. Didn't cost me
anything so I took it to see what I could do. If the box was unuable,
I'd still get some spare parts.

With that salvaged box, I got both an OEM license for Windows 7 and an
OEM license for Office 2007. The EULA does not prohibit repairing the
box to which an OEM license is locked. Replaced the HDD (later
substituted with an SSD with the HDD becoming a data drive), the video
card (it died a month later), and used software (Speedfan) to control a
fan that the BIOS could no longer control (else it runs at full speed
and very noisy). I added a second HDD for more data storage (local copy
of backups), replaced the optical drive with new BD burner, added a USB
card for more ports, and put in a better PSU.

Not quite a total new build since the mobo, CPU, 8GB RAM, heat sinks,
fans, and case were kept and all were free. Plus I got free OEM
licenses for Windows 7 (alas the Home edition) and Office 2007 (used for
later upgrades). I didn't move the OEM licenses to another box.
Instead I rescued and then enhanced the old box to which the OEM
licenses were locked.

If you want to take the risk, expend the effort, and have enough
expertise to do repairs, old boxes salvaged for their OEM licenses can
make for cheap rebuilds.