how to create an iso image of windows 7

Technical Level : Intermediate

Summary

How to use your or a friends "Retail" version (Upgrade or Full product) of the Windows 7 installation media to create an ISO file. Please note that an OEM DVD will not work, it must be a retail installation DVD.

It can be an Ultimate, Professional or Home Premium DVD which you will use to create an ISO file and then use the ISO to create an installation DVD that gives you a choice of which version you want to install as long as you have the proper 25 character product key code for the version you choose to install.

In other words you can take a Home Premium DVD and use it to create a universal installation DVD that allows you to install Windows 7 Ultimate or any lesser version of Windows 7.

Details

As you may already know the Digital River ISO downloads are no longer available and Microsoft's web site ( http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery ) does not support OEM product keys and often malfunctions (incorrect language) when entering in a retail product key.

With one DVD or USB Flash Drive you can install or re-install any version of Windows that you have a valid product key for. This comes in handy if you have multiple computers and no longer have the recovery medial or your recovery partition is damaged.

Note: Windows 7 Starter edition is only available in 32Bit, so if you need a 'Starter edition' installation DVD or USB Flash drive, you need a 32Bit Windows 7 installation DVD.

This is a multi-step process, the first 3 steps will be covered in this article and a link provided at the end of this Wiki will show you how to perform the remaining steps.

Step by Step guide:

Step #1) Download and install ImgBurn: http://download.cnet.com/ImgBurn/3000-2646_4-10847481.html

Note: During the install skip installing the unwanted bloat ware as follows:

a) Double click on the SetupImgBurm_2.5.8…..exe file to start the installation.

b) Step #2 of 5, decline the offer to install Yahoo.

c) Step #3 of 5, decline the offer to install "Malware Protection Live".

d) Step #4 of 5 is the actual download of ImgBurn and may if you have a high speed Internal connection appear to be instantaneous.

e) Step #5 of 5, you will be prompted that the download is complete, click on the 'Install Now' button.

f) When the Welcome to the ImgBurn Setup Wizard window opens click 'Next', Read the License Agreement and 'Accept'. Click the 'Next' button to continue.

g) Choose Components: use the default settings and click 'Next'. Use the default 'Install Location and click 'Next'. Start Menu folder: use the default folder and click 'Next'. Use the 'Express settings' and click 'Next'.

h) Do not install '360 Total Security' (Choose Custom Installation and remove the check mark from 360 Total Security). When prompted it's your choice if you want to be periodically notified of newer versions of ImgBurn.

i) When the installation completes click the 'Close' button. You will see the ImgBurn shortcut on your desktop.

j) As much as I tried to stop the installation of bloatware I still ended up with "Web Companion" AV software. This may conflict with you current AV software so go to the Control Panel's 'Programs and Features' to un-install Web Companion.

Step #2) You are now ready to convert any Windows 7 "Retail" installation DVD into an .ISO file.

For this article I will use a retail version of Windows 7 Home Premium (64Bit) to create a universal Windows 7 DVD that gives you the choice of which version of Windows you want to install.

Please note that your Windows 7 product key must be for the version of Windows you choose during the Windows installation process.

a) Insert the Windows 7 installation DVD into your DVD drive. Close the AutoPlay prompt.

b) Launch ImgBurn and click on the 'Create Image file from disc' option.

c) Verify the 'Source' is set to your DVD burner and the 'Destination' (where the ISO file will be created) by default is to the 'Documents' folder.

d) Click on the 'DVD - à Folder' button. This will start the ISO file creation process.

e) The time to complete may take 4 to 5 minutes depending on the speed of your CPU, DVD burner and disk drive. The log file will show the results.

f) Remove the Windows 7 media from the DVD drive.

g) Click the 'OK' button and close ImgBurn, this may take a few seconds as the ISO file is created, just wait for the popup Window appears to close out by itself as no action is required on your part.

Step #3) Follow the instructions in the Wiki article named:

How to create a Universal Windows 7 installation DVD or USB Flash Drive

Using the ISO file you just created read the instructions in the Wiki article titled: How to create a universal Windows 7 installation DVD or USB Flash Drive to create an installation DVD that includes Windows 7 Ultimate, Professional, Home Premium and lesser versions.

Notes:

Steps 1 and 2 in the " How to create a Universal Windows 7 installation DVD or USB Flash Drive" Wiki article mentions about downloading the ISO file. Since you just finished creating your own ISO file you can skips these steps and proceed to step #3.

Also ImgBurn is already installed so there is no need to re-install it.

When you have completed the steps in this Wiki article you will have an installation DVD that will allow you to choose which version of Windows 7 you want to install.

Reference material: www.pagestart.com