- Aug 6, 2012
- 505
i found a nice article on ghacks for safe downloads of Windows that can be used for reinstalling or testing in a virtual machine since some have 30days without registration
Windows downloads for all operating systems (Vista,Windows 7,Windows 8.1,Windows 10 technical preview)
by Martin Brinkmann over on ghacks.net
Most Windows PCs ship without installation disc or any other form of physical product that you can use to re-install the system. While you do get options to create recovery discs, it is not the same thing.
The same is true when you purchase upgrades online from Microsoft. You don't get a disc anymore unless you purchase it directly, and even if you do, you will notice that some versions of the operating system are not available as physical media.
It is unclear why Microsoft made it difficult in the past to download installation media directly from the company.
This guide offers direct links to programs or disc images that you can download legally to your system. You still need a valid Windows product key to use them though.
They can be useful to many Windows users. Those who want to transfer the operating system to a new PC or new hard drive, and those who want a backup in place to make sure they can reinstall the system when it stops working.
Note: All downloads below are from official sources only. It is not recommended to download Windows from unofficial sources. You can use the tools described below to burn or copy the installation files to disc or USB, or use a third-party disc burning program like ImgBurn or the operating system's burning option if supported to burn it directly to DVD.
You do need a valid product key for the operating system and version that you plan to install. Most can be used a certain amount of time, 30 days usually, without registration.
(article and download links)
http://www.ghacks.net/2014/12/18/windows-downloads-for-all-operating-systems/
The best option to create installation media for Windows 8.1 is to download Microsoft's create media tool. It is a small program that you run on your system to create the necessary files to install Windows 8.1 on a PC.
All you need to do is select the desired language, edition of Windows 8.1 and architecture and you are good to go. You can select directly if you want to copy the files to a USB flash drive or create a ISO file instead.
Create installation media for Windows 8.1
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media
James
Windows downloads for all operating systems (Vista,Windows 7,Windows 8.1,Windows 10 technical preview)
by Martin Brinkmann over on ghacks.net
Most Windows PCs ship without installation disc or any other form of physical product that you can use to re-install the system. While you do get options to create recovery discs, it is not the same thing.
The same is true when you purchase upgrades online from Microsoft. You don't get a disc anymore unless you purchase it directly, and even if you do, you will notice that some versions of the operating system are not available as physical media.
It is unclear why Microsoft made it difficult in the past to download installation media directly from the company.
This guide offers direct links to programs or disc images that you can download legally to your system. You still need a valid Windows product key to use them though.
They can be useful to many Windows users. Those who want to transfer the operating system to a new PC or new hard drive, and those who want a backup in place to make sure they can reinstall the system when it stops working.
Note: All downloads below are from official sources only. It is not recommended to download Windows from unofficial sources. You can use the tools described below to burn or copy the installation files to disc or USB, or use a third-party disc burning program like ImgBurn or the operating system's burning option if supported to burn it directly to DVD.
You do need a valid product key for the operating system and version that you plan to install. Most can be used a certain amount of time, 30 days usually, without registration.
(article and download links)
http://www.ghacks.net/2014/12/18/windows-downloads-for-all-operating-systems/
The best option to create installation media for Windows 8.1 is to download Microsoft's create media tool. It is a small program that you run on your system to create the necessary files to install Windows 8.1 on a PC.
All you need to do is select the desired language, edition of Windows 8.1 and architecture and you are good to go. You can select directly if you want to copy the files to a USB flash drive or create a ISO file instead.
Create installation media for Windows 8.1
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-8/create-reset-refresh-media
James