Welcome to Brendon Davis

Win 7 Starter

Autor brendon | 26.09.2009 | Category 7, TechStuff

I have spent the past few days playing around with the Windows 7 install options to see how each of the versions actually run. Using the current retail RTM media Microsoft has published, it is possible to delete or modify a single file and select from the several SKU’s of Windows to install.

Interesting point to note is that the “Netbook” edition of Win 7 is only available on the x86 retail media. This means that both of the Enterprise and x64 retail media kits do not give you the option to install Starter.

After several attempts and a one faulty USB drive, I was able to install Starter. I am impressed with both the disk and memory footprint and also that I can run more than the previously restricted 3 applications. I stumbled across the official Windows team blog for for Starter Edition and it goes into where it is aimed.

My original intention was to install this on my wife’s HP Netbook but as I have found myself using a number of the features not available on this, will stick with the TechEd Ultimate install..

Windows 7 Installer Options

Autor brendon | 17.09.2009 | Category 7, TechStuff

Thanks to Long for pointing out this article at My Digital Life. It outlines a simple process to set the Windows 7 installer so it prompts for which edition to deploy. My advice, give up trying to edit the original ISO files and simply copy the installation files onto a USB key or into a .VHD/ .VMDK which you can mount in your VM’s.

Step 1. Rename the \sources\ei.cfg to \sources\ei.old (or you can just delete the file)
Step 2. Install Windows 7

Anyone tried Windows Starter edition yet. (FYI, it’s only on x86 disk.)