How To: Burn Your Student Copy of Windows 7 to DVD
Posted 10/22/09 at 02:27:41 PM by Paul Lilly
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**UPDATE - Added instructions for XP users**
Last month we reported a killer deal for Windows 7 whereby eligible students could preorder a copy of Windows 7 Home Premium or Professional for just $30.Talk about a steal! But what Digital River (the company responsible for the promotion) didn't tell you was that instead of a handy ISO image that you could burn to a DVD for safe keeping, you instead would receive a trio of files on you desktop.
Power users that we are, this just didn't sit well with us, so we went in search of a solution. Well guess what? We found one, courtesy of WindowsSevenForums.com forum member SIW2. We verified that his method works, and if you're one of the students who jumped on the promotional pricing, we're going to show you how to quickly convert your copy of Windows 7 into an ISO file.
Before getting started, be sure you've downloaded your copy and clicked the Run button in the download manager. This will extract all the Windows 7 files that we need to a folder on your desktop. When you're all finished, here's what you should have on your desktop:
- Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x64.exe
- setup1.box
- setup2.box
- expandedSetup (folder with unpacked Windows 7 files inside)
Download oscdimg.zip from here and extract the executable to C:\Windows\System32. This little utility makes it possible to convert a build directory into a bootable CD/DVD, which is just what we need.
Next, open up an elevated command prompt. To do this, click Start and type CMD, but don't hit enter. Vista will find the cmd.exe file and list it at top of the Start menu. Right-click and choose Run as administrator.
In the command prompt that pops up, copy and paste oscdimg -bC:\Users\USERNAME\Desktop\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com -h -u2 -m -lWIN_EN_DVD C:\Users\USERNAME\Desktop\expandedSetup\ C:\7.iso but again, don't press enter. Before doing so, change USERNAME to whatever yours is on your PC. If you want, you can also change the name and location of the finished ISO, otherwise the end result will be C:\7.iso.
XP
If you're running XP, the command line is a little different and you need to enclose the file locations in quotation marks, otherwise the spaces in 'Documents and Settings' throws it off. Instead of the above, copy/paste: oscdimg -u2 -b"C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Desktop\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com" -h "C:\Documents and Settings\USER\Desktop\expandedSetup" C:\7.iso
And that's it! How long it takes to create the ISO will depend on your system, but if you have a relatively recent machine, you can expect it to be finished in just a few minutes. When it does, you're all set to burn your copy of Windows 7 to DVD. If you don't have a program capable of burning ISO images, snag the free CDBurnerXP utility from here.
Extracting "oscdimg.zip" to c:\Windows\system32\
Submitted by tomgarz on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 4:17pm
For everyone having permissions problems with extracting the file to the c:\Windows\system32\ folder, simply unzip to your desktop then move the file into c:\Windows\system32\. It allows moving or copying but not the unzipping, no clue why but this worked for me.
Submitted by mochong on Thu, 10/29/2009 - 12:32pm
I too had a problem unpacking the downloaded setup file using XP Pro 32-bit. A quick google search revealed that you need to:
1. right click the downloader and go to properties.
2. click the "unblock" button
3. then start the downloader using the "right-click run as administrator" option (this means re-downloading if you have already downloaded it)
4. after download completed I was able to run the oscdimg command above with no problems.
Thanks Digital River for looking out for us XP users!
Submitted by jjdeleon10 on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 2:39pm
i downloaded my student version but i can't find my serial key. Please help
Submitted by Dannini on Tue, 10/27/2009 - 6:32am
I am having problems extracting my copy of "Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x64.exe" version. I am running Windows XP Professional. I have moved the copy to different drive, different directory but I am getting the same message at the end when "Unloading the Box", which is:
"We are unable to create or save new files in the folder in which this application was downloaded. Please check the folder properties to make sure that you have security permission on the folder to write files and that the folder is not read-only"
I do have "administrator" priviledges so I am not sure why I am getting the above. Any help will be appreciated.
Submitted by robflanker on Mon, 10/26/2009 - 11:20am
Whenever I try and extract the oscdimg.zip - it says Cannot creat. Access denied.
Can anyone help with this? Thanks
Submitted by mbrantley2 on Sun, 10/25/2009 - 6:34pm
When I go to extract the files to c:\Windows\system32\ , it tells me I do not have permission to the folder.
I am fairly ignorant to extracting files and do not exactly know how to do it. Currently I am using bitzipper, and have also tried WinRar. How do I extract the oscdimg file???
Thanks in advance
Submitted by austin on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 8:40am
Does this cd allow you to do fresh installs? Or does it require you to install on a computer with a licensed Windows install already on it?
Submitted by shakyone on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 4:43am
I have been scratching my head about this all day yesterday! Thank you so much!
Submitted by thegamepro on Fri, 10/23/2009 - 2:25am
Thank you so much, I used this trick for myself and I shared this article with my cousin.
Submitted by stinger608 on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 6:53pm
I have no reason to think this wouldn't work, but every time I attempt to run this, it gives me errors. I am trying to build this .iso on a Windows 7 RC1 system. Not sure what I need to do to the command line to make it work.
One More Step...
Submitted by the_river on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 7:21pm
I got that error too but I realized that you need to run the setup to extract the "expandedSetup" folder. Then create the ISO using the command prompt. Also, to burn the ISO, RC includes a Right Cllick>Open With>Windows Disc Image Burner function (awesome)! One more for Windows 7!
Burn it and away you go. Hope that helps.
Submitted by Hooterman on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 5:54pm
Thank you very much guys. Saw this article as I was downloading my student version, you saved me a nice amount of confusion that I would of had. The process works great.
Submitted by sazkion on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 4:53pm
Is their any way I could have this extract on my D: drive? I had vista installed on my old C: drive and it doesn't have enough space for me to extract the program. I want to make my 500 gig hard drive (D:) my new C: drive with Windows 7, is their any way to do this?
Submitted by popstop785 on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 3:54pm
That is wht I ended up doing early in th Am after I downlaoded it. Works like a charm.
Submitted by the_river on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 3:02pm
I'm downloading this for my girlfriend's laptop right now and installing it for her this weekend at her college and this actually crossed my mind when I initiated the download and saw the downloader. Wasn't sure how it was coming! I had to drop over the site anyway to see your recommended drives (I think it is time to part with the 150GB Raptor and upgrade to a SATA II drive) and I saw this! Think I'll hold my retail copy of 7 and keep the RC installed until I find a new drive. Got to make room for all my movie content! I'm running out of space!
Thanks Paul for the tip!
It Works!
Submitted by qazwix on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 2:57pm
Worked like a charm. You guys totally saved me here on this one, THANKS!!!
Thank You!!!
Submitted by Razicus on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 1:11pm
I had researched this earlier today and decided to wait for a better way of doing this. Thank you so much for posting this how to!
Submitted by kgoosie on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 12:52pm
I have tried following the instructions provided but changing to the proper locations, i.e. "users" to "Documents and Setting", but it would not work. The following is what I get returned to me.
ERROR: Could not open boot sector file "C:\Documents"
Error 2: The system cannot find the file specified.
Submitted by COMMANDER_COOK on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 3:22pm
Put the file location in quotes.
THANK YOU!!!
Submitted by zstadt on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 12:39pm
This is JUST what I needed! Maximum PC, you never fail to please.
Submitted by COMMANDER_COOK on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 12:29pm
I planned on using ultra iso. All you have to do is set etfsboot.com as the boot file.
Submitted by Techie714 on Thu, 10/22/2009 - 12:21pm
Good article!
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