kaphc Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Am at a different school and have 4 x laptops running Windows 7 Home Premium. The school has an EES and has asked me to upgrade them to Windows 7 Professional. No problem, I thought, downloaded the upgrade from the Volume Licensing Centre, copied it to disk and ran it. And discovered Windows Anytime Upgrade! So Windows 7 won't let me run the upgrade disc and EES won't give me a license key for the Windows Anytime Upgrade. How do I get round this? Do I have to do a fresh install of Windows 7?
kaphc Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Just to confirm, neither the school's EES MAK key or the KMS key is accepted by Windows Anytime. I try and run the upgrade disc and get prompted to go via Windows Anytime Upgrade. And Windows Anytime Upgrade won't let me upgrade because I don't have a valid key. Any thoughts?
sted Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 it can be done wither a reg hack to change versions then install the correct version over the top or my prefered way sysprep the pc pull an image into wds and you can upgrade home to pro via dism (but you cant ever get to enterprise or go from pro to home only upwards) i will try and find my documentation if it helps
kaphc Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Sounds quite complex .... am currently trying to get round it by selecting a fresh install but haven't changed the version in the registry beforehand so will be interesting to see what happens. If you've got anything written down that'd be grand. Considering the EES Agreements were supposed to make upgrades easier, I'm surprised it's this tricky!
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Find out what you can upgrade to: Dism /online /Get-TargetEditions Upgrade Windows: Dism /online /Set-Edition:ServerEnterprise /ProductKey:XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX-XXXXX Obviously change the Set-Edition part to your version you want to/can run. Run these from a elevated command prompt and you won't have to reinstall anythging.
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 I would personally just install your usual KMS version, no hastle then??
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Sounds quite complex .... am currently trying to get round it by selecting a fresh install but haven't changed the version in the registry beforehand so will be interesting to see what happens. If you've got anything written down that'd be grand. Considering the EES Agreements were supposed to make upgrades easier, I'm surprised it's this tricky! If you fresh install you won't be able to type in your KMS key still. It would only accept an upgrade key, the KMS ones aren't for typing into stations.
sted Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 found it but as said just do a fresh install unless you have a good reason say you have a computer running started edition and you need pro but you cant get the damn drivers (yes im looking at you fizzbooks) it is possible to alter the edition (without needing a windows anytime upgrade code). Its fairly easy but you do need a few bits Windows 7 waik installed on a pc, wds (or enough knowledge to boot into winpe from a dvd/pen drive and use imagex manually to take an image) and a dvd with the same architecture win7 (and probably same sp level ideally it may work with different sp levels IF the image you create is older than the rest of the disk but dont count on it) get the pc set up on its current os uninstall any oem crapware av etc you dont want in your image (you can install updates here but there is a fair chance they will get knocked off so i wouldnt bother). Sysprep the pc (with a sysprep file that DOSENT remove drivers which IS the default) and upload this image to wds. Altering edition copy your wim file somewhere easy to type (im using d:) and then open the deployment tools command prompt (if you have uac on use run as administrator or it wont do much). Navigate to d:. make a dir on d: called mount Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:d:\myfile.wim Dism /Mount-Wim /WimFile:d:\myfile.wim /index:1 /MountDir:d:\mount Dism /Image:C:\mount /Get-TargetEditions shows what editions are available to change to (you can only go up not down) Dism /Image:d:\mount /Set-Edition:professional (alter edition as required) Dism /Unmount-Wim /MountDir:d:\mount /Commit Merging images (or it will fail as the needed files arnt present) (on the pc with waik installed)when the image is in wds export it to somewhere easy to type im going to use d: in this example (and then remove\disable it in wds (or at least rename it ). copy the install.wim file from your dvd to d:. load the deployment tools command prompt (if you have uac on use run as administrator or it wont do much) and go to d:. Check the files dism \get-wiminfo \wimfile:myfile.wim. it should show 1 index with your image. Do the same with install.wim it should show more (depends on what architecture it is as started isnt on the x64 disk) with that done assuming no errors you can go on (just make sure you have a backup of the wim files). now to combine the files. imagex /export d:\myfile.wim 1 d:\install.wim wait it took about 30 mins for me but the pc was a slow one it should be faster on a decent quad core server. When thats finished open up wds and create a new group (because your image file now contains at least 5 version of windows) and import the wim file (id import all versions or at the very least your image what os its based on and what os its going to). Now on your test pc just deply your image 1
sted Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Hack to In-Place “Downgrade” from Windows 7 Ultimate or Professional to Less Premium Editions « My Digital Life says implace downgrade but looks like what ive done in the past tbh if you have more than say 2 pcs it just isnt worth it
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 found it but as said just do a fresh install unless you have a good reason say you have a computer running started edition and you need pro but you cant get the damn drivers (yes im looking at you fizzbooks) it is possible to alter the edition (without needing a windows anytime upgrade code). Its fairly easy but you do need a few bits Windows 7 waik installed on a pc, wds (or enough knowledge to boot into winpe from a dvd/pen drive and use imagex manually to take an image) and a dvd with the same architecture win7 (and probably same sp level ideally it may work with different sp levels IF the image you create is older than the rest of the disk but dont count on it) get the pc set up on its current os uninstall any oem crapware av etc you dont want in your image (you can install updates here but there is a fair chance they will get knocked off so i wouldnt bother). Sysprep the pc (with a sysprep file that DOSENT remove drivers which IS the default) and upload this image to wds. Altering edition copy your wim file somewhere easy to type (im using d:) and then open the deployment tools command prompt (if you have uac on use run as administrator or it wont do much). Navigate to d:. make a dir on d: called mount Dism /Get-WimInfo /WimFile:d:\myfile.wim Dism /Mount-Wim /WimFile:d:\myfile.wim /index:1 /MountDir:d:\mount Dism /Image:C:\mount /Get-TargetEditions shows what editions are available to change to (you can only go up not down) Dism /Image:d:\mount /Set-Edition:professional (alter edition as required) Dism /Unmount-Wim /MountDir:d:\mount /Commit Merging images (or it will fail as the needed files arnt present) (on the pc with waik installed)when the image is in wds export it to somewhere easy to type im going to use d: in this example (and then remove\disable it in wds (or at least rename it ). copy the install.wim file from your dvd to d:. load the deployment tools command prompt (if you have uac on use run as administrator or it wont do much) and go to d:. Check the files dism \get-wiminfo \wimfile:myfile.wim. it should show 1 index with your image. Do the same with install.wim it should show more (depends on what architecture it is as started isnt on the x64 disk) with that done assuming no errors you can go on (just make sure you have a backup of the wim files). now to combine the files. imagex /export d:\myfile.wim 1 d:\install.wim wait it took about 30 mins for me but the pc was a slow one it should be faster on a decent quad core server. When thats finished open up wds and create a new group (because your image file now contains at least 5 version of windows) and import the wim file (id import all versions or at the very least your image what os its based on and what os its going to). Now on your test pc just deply your image Do you still need all the WIM Mounting to upgrade? DISM /online should be ok to do it without reinstalling
kaphc Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Looking at the current setup, the school is only using MAK keys to verify as there are 43/63 activitations used, I don't think the KMS server has ever been setup. Would this make a difference?
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Hmmm lol Firstly I would set up KMS, it makes your life a LOT easier!!!! (After it has been set up that is!!) With KMS you don't need licence keys on your station, you just press next with no licence key installed, or just no key in sysprep/unattend.xml. The stations activate themselves against your server. Basically if you have a Windows 7 or server 2008r2 machine activate the KMS service and save a LOT of hastle!
sted Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Hmmm lol Firstly I would set up KMS, it makes your life a LOT easier!!!! (After it has been set up that is!!) With KMS you don't need licence keys on your station, you just press next with no licence key installed, or just no key in sysprep/unattend.xml. The stations activate themselves against your server. Basically if you have a Windows 7 or server 2008r2 machine activate the KMS service and save a LOT of hastle! as long as you can hit 25pcs until then they will show after a while dodgy windows messages Do you still need all the WIM Mounting to upgrade? DISM /online should be ok to do it without reinstalling havnt tried it so dont know but i suspect it wont work as the install is missing the extra "bits" that make it pro
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 as long as you can hit 25pcs until then they will show after a while dodgy windows messages havnt tried it so dont know but i suspect it wont work as the install is missing the extra "bits" that make it pro I think they are all in there, dism /online works on the 'online' image whereas /image works on the WIM itself. Certainly works with all the server versions, upgraded all standard to datacenter using that.
sted Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 I think they are all in there, dism /online works on the 'online' image whereas /image works on the WIM itself. Certainly works with all the server versions, upgraded all standard to datacenter using that. fair enough i was just going on the fact if you do it offline it wont work unless you merge your image with a pro image as said never tried it
kaphc Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 (edited) Well yes ... I agree the KMS server is a better solution but I'm trying to work with what the school's got in place for now (To give you an idea of their current state, I am also trying to get someone to explain to me why they have set up a Win2008 R2 server and expecting it to backup to tape drive storage using Windows Server backup!) When I asked if it would make a difference I kinda meant could I verify with the MAK keys .... just didn't word it the best way. Have tried the dism command (Dism /online /Set-Edition:Professional /ProductKey:XXXXXXXXXXetc - but am getting back: "Error: 50 Setting an edition is not supported with online images" Any ideas gratefully received! Edited July 17, 2012 by kaphc
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Well yes ... I agree the KMS server is a better solution but I'm trying to work with what the school's got in place for now (To give you an idea of their current state, I am also trying to get someone to explain to me why they have set up a Win2008 R2 server and expecting it to backup to tape drive storage using Windows Server backup!) When I asked if it would make a difference I kinda meant could I verify with the MAK keys .... just didn't word it the best way. Have tried the dism command (Dism /online /Set-Edition:Windows7Professional /ProductKey:XXXXXXXXXXetc - but am getting back: "Error: 50 Setting an edition is not supported with online images" Any ideas gratefully received! Doh!! I can only see ultimate on my one at home and haven't got a key so can't test here lol The mak keys just confuse me, I went KMS once and haven't looked back! You MAK keys will only work on a fresh install of Windows 7 for the version they were intended for. 1
SYNACK Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Just reinstall it, you'll end up with a better end result and it will let you use your keys. While you're at it, if you have an EES use Enterprise instead. You're entitled to it and it is better featureset wise. 2
kaphc Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Yep, it looks like a reinstall is the way to go. Unpleasantly surprised that the upgrade path isn't a straightforward option - thanks though for the advice and hints.
Jamo Posted July 17, 2012 Posted July 17, 2012 Yes I'm surprised that the DISM online upgrade didn't work, I know it does for servers but not tried before on a desktop OS. As for KMS vs MAK I would strongly suggest looking into the KMS server it is so easy once its running! Good luck!
kaphc Posted July 17, 2012 Author Posted July 17, 2012 Well I hadn't come across the DISM facility before so have learned something today - thanks! I'll put KMS servers on the list of things to sort going forwards, good advice. Have got the first laptop onto Professional now, but it's knocking out some of the drivers which is a pain to locate and reinstall them. Still, am further forwards now.
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