Handy utility for power users!

Windows 7 ISOs (and DVDs) are single-version. This means that with a Home Premium ISO, you can only install the Home Premium version of Windows 7. Same with Ultimate, Starter and all the others.

Annoying!

Note: With Vista you could pick and choose the edition you wanted during install time (but you could only activate it if you had the appropriate product key).

Enter the Windows 7 Edition Switcher. Basically, this automatically patches the appropriate file inside the ISO file. No having to unpack the ISO, no mess, no fuss!

Nice!

Question from the email mailbag:

“Can I legally download Windows 7? As in buy it but not get a disc?”

Yes, but it’ll cost you!

Take a trip over to the Microsoft Store where you’ll find both the full and upgrade versions available for purchase.

• Windows 7 Home Premium Upgrade ($119.99)
• Windows 7 Home Premium Full version ($199.99)
• Windows 7 Professional Upgrade ($199.99)
• Windows 7 Professional Full version ($299.99)
• Windows 7 Ultimate Upgrade ($219.99)
• Windows 7 Ultimate Full version ($319.99)

This method is handy if you want to install Windows 7 on a PC that doesn’t have a DVD drive (such as a netbook) but it’s still a good idea to burn it onto a disc as backup … just in case!