Step 1: Get the RTM Windows 7 release

Windows 7 RTM is build version 6.1.7600.16385. This version was released to Microsoft TechNet and MSDN subscribers in the summer of 2009 and quickly made its way onto BitTorrent.

64-bit (x64) Windows 7 Ultimate RTM English Retail DVD ISO Image

http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/5021075/7600.16385.090713-1255_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCU.5021075.TPB.torrent

File Name: 7600.16385.090713-1255_x64fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULXFRER_EN_DVD.iso
Size: 3224686592 bytes
CRC: 1F1257CA
MD5: F43D22E4FB07BF617D573ACD8785C028
SHA-1: 326327CC2FF9F05379F5058C41BE6BC5E004BAA7

32-bit (x86) Windows 7 Ultimate RTM English Retail DVD ISO Image

http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/5021073/7600.16385.090713-1255_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCU.5021073.TPB.torrent

File Name: 7600.16385.090713-1255_x86fre_client_en-us_Retail_Ultimate-GRMCULFRER_EN_DVD.iso
Size: 2501894144 bytes
CRC: C1C20F76
MD5: D0B8B407E8A3D4B75EE9C10147266B89
SHA-1: 5395DC4B38F7BDB1E005FF414DEEDFDB16DBF610

Below are the official SHA1 hashes of these releases copied and pasted from technet.microsoft.com. I’ve checked them against the actual files from the torrents and they match.

64-bit Windows 7 Ultimate
File Name: en_windows_7_ultimate_x64_dvd_x15-65922.iso
Date Published (UTC): 8/6/2009 9:59:56 AM Last Updated (UTC): 8/24/2009 8:59:33 AM
SHA1: 326327CC2FF9F05379F5058C41BE6BC5E004BAA7 ISO/CRC: 1F1257CA

32-bit Windows 7 Ultimate
File Name: en_windows_7_ultimate_x86_dvd_x15-65921.iso
Date Published (UTC): 8/6/2009 9:59:56 AM Last Updated (UTC): 8/24/2009 8:59:33 AM
SHA1: 5395DC4B38F7BDB1E005FF414DEEDFDB16DBF610 ISO/CRC: C1C20F76

More links to torrents of build version 6.1.7600.16385 can be found at My Digital Life.

As a general rule, don’t download just any torrent that you come across, and do use a hash calculator (like HashCalc) to verify that the hash of the file you’ve downloaded matches that posted by a trusted source. Download the file, calculate the hash, copy it, find a trustworthy web site that displays the hash, and then do a Find on that page for the hash you’ve copied. If the hash you calculated matches the trusted one, you can trust the file is legit.

Step 2: Prepare the USB drive

You’ll need a 4 GB flash drive to hold the installation files. Microsoft offers a neat little program that will extract the ISO to a USB drive and make it bootable. It can also burn the ISO to a DVD. Download the Windows 7 USB/DVD Download Tool.

If you’re currently using a 32-bit version of Windows and want to create a bootable USB drive containing the 64-bit (x64) version of Windows 7, you’ll need to obtain the bootsect.exe file from the 32-bit (x86) version of Windows 7.

If you want to get this file yourself, first download the 32-bit ISO. You can use any number of applications to open the ISO, but I recommend 7-Zip because it’s a great free alternative to WinZip. Open the ISO and then copy the /boot/bootsect.exe file into the same folder as the Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool.exe (e.g. %USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Apps\Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool).

If that’s too much work, you can Google 32-Bit Windows 7 Bootsect.exe and take your chances.

Run the tool (%USERNAME%\AppData\Local\Apps\Windows 7 USB DVD Download Tool\Windows7-USB-DVD-Download-Tool.exe) and follow the prompts. After Windows 7 has been loaded on the USB drive, you will be able to boot from it and install Windows 7 Ultimate. (You may have to change the boot order in the BIOS to boot from USB Storage Device.)

Step 3: Configure the installer

What if you want to install something other than Ultimate?

Both the 32-bit and 64-bit ISOs contain all the different versions of Windows. The version you actually install is determined by a tiny text file named ei.cfg in the /sources/ directory of the install media. If you want to install a different version of Windows, you just need to browse the USB drive and open the /sources/ directory. Open the ei.cfg file in Notepad and change the EditionID to whatever version you wish to install. The contents of the file will look like this:

[EditionID]
Ultimate
[Channel]
Retail
[VL]
0

The options for the EditionID are:

Starter
HomeBasic
HomePremium
Professional
Ultimate

In the alternative, if you delete ei.cfg, you’ll be asked to choose which version of Windows to install during the installation process, which is probably much more useful.

For more information and links to some software that will modify the ISO for you, see How to Select Any Edition or Version (SKU) of Windows 7 to Install From Single Edition DVD Disc Media or ISO.

I would strongly recommend installing the version that you intend to purchase, as you cannot enter a Home Premium product activation key on a system running Ultimate. You’d have to do a clean install of the version that matches the key you bought.

Step 4: Extend your pre-activation trial for 120 days

Microsoft allows anyone to install and use any version of Windows 7 for 30 days without having to enter a product activation key. This 30-day trial period can be extended three times for a total of 120 days before the installation must be activated to continue functioning. This extension is done using a Microsoft utility called the Software License Manager (slmgr) that ships with Windows.

If you haven’t entered a product activation key, you can click Start, then right-click Computer and choose Properties to see how many days are left before activation is required. When that number approaches 0, click Start | All Programs | Accessories. Right-click Command Prompt and choose Run As Administrator. Enter your administrator password, if asked.

Type the following command and press Enter:

slmgr -rearm

Be sure to include the space after slmgr and the hyphen in front of rearm.

Restart Windows 7.

In Summary

The last days of Windows 7 RC are approaching, and I’m probably going to end up buying Home Premium. Professional would be my first choice, but it’s probably not really necessary. However, after using Ultimate for so long, I want to know that I’ll be able to get by with a reduced feature set, so I definitely want to test-drive Professional and then Home Premium before I buy.

A Madsen bicycle is sort of like a pedal-powered El Camino. It’s undeniably useful-looking.

They’re running a weekly bike give-away right now, so swing by their site and help them promote their kid-, shopping-, fill-dirt-, garage-sale-treasure-hauling bicycles.

I’m optimistic that the revenue from the virtualbanking stuff at www.onlinebankdeals.com will more than pay for both sites.

Two of the best-known online banks, ING Direct and VirtualBank, have recently raised the rates on their savings accounts. As of June 30, 2006, ING Direct’s Orange Savings has an APY of 4.35% for all amounts on deposit. VirtualBank’s eMoney Market has an APY of 4.60% on deposits up to $50,000.00; an APY of 4.86% for deposits between $50,000.00 and $99,999.99; and an APY of 5.13% on deposits of $100,000.00 or more.

These would be pretty respectable rates of return for 1-year CDs, but with these online accounts, your money is always available with no withdrawal penalties.

Both online bank accounts work much the same way. You ‘connect’ your online account to one or more checking accounts at a traditional bank, and transfer money between the online bank account and your checking account through the online bank’s web site. You can also deposit money into the online bank account via your employer using direct deposit—forms are available on each bank’s web site.

Both ING Direct and VirtualBank offer a referral program, one of the other benefits of virtualbanking. When a first-time customer opens a new account using a referral, he or she receives a bonus of $20–$25 (depending on the bank) which is deposited into the account. He or she can then send out referral emails to friends, and when one of the friends opens an account, they both receive a bonus. It’s a great way to build up your balance.

Take advantage of the relative newness of virtualbanking, while the banks are still aggressively pursuing new customers.

And of course nothing is keeping you from joining both of these banks and receiving both referral bonuses, then sending out referral invitations from both banks, and keeping your money in whichever is offering the better rate.

Here’s a brief comparison of the main points of each virtualbanking product:

Save 10% on GoDaddy domains and hosting

• david = $1
• usa6 = $1
• candy = $1
• todd = 10%
• gdbb730 = 10%
• gdbb85710 = 10%>/li>

I remember reading about a 30% off promotion code, but wasn’t able to find it.

Earn 20% commission through the affiliate program

What’s more, they have a pretty impressive referral program through CommissionJunction. If you use this link at the right to register a domain or buy a hosting plan, I get a 20% cut of whatever it is you buy. If you’re going to use that Godaddy promotion code anyway, why not use the link here so we both come out on top?

I’ve been using GoDaddy as my registrar and hosting provider for some time now, and I have had only positive experiences with their technical support. I’ve recommended them to a number of friends, and they have all had similarly positive experiences with GoDaddy.

For example, few months ago a CSR called me, offering me a discount if I renewed my domain registrations. I intended to let them continue to automatically renew anyway, but hey, I’ll take a discount for doing so.

GoDaddy is good stuff. They’re inexpensive, the customer service is outstanding, and the domain registration and hosting products are excellent.

The news does make the VirtualBank referral program look even better, though. VirtualBank still offers its $20 referral bonus on new accounts with only a $100 opening deposit. If you are trying to play the referral game, ING Direct may no longer be the first choice.

The only real disadvantage to the VirtualBank referral program is that it appears that you use one of your allotted referrals each time you send an email. If the person you’ve referred doesn’t open the account, you’re screwed. With the ING Direct referral program, unused referrals don’t cost against you.

The funny thing is, most of the sites concerning Virtual Bank are horribly written, from an SEO point of view. I’m missing the logic here, I guess.

Maybe this Technorati tag can help? virtualbank

More free money. Following up on my post about the excellent VirtualBank eMoney Market account, ING Direct is offering an APY of 4.35% (effective 7/31/06) on its Orange Savings account. This account offers a $25 bonus for opening a new account through a referral. Send an email to vbreferral@gmail.com for a referral. Subsequent referrals aren’t quite as lucrative as VirtualBank’s, with your account being credited only $10 per successful referral.

The ING Direct Orange Savings account has no minimum balance and no fees. Only residents of the United States are eligible to open an account, however.

Woot, free money. I just opened a savings account at VirtualBank, a division of Lydian Private Bank (member FDIC). The current yield on their eMoney Market account is an impressive 4.60%.

BankOne’s Money Market account, for comparison’s sake, has a yield of 0.90%, and that’s with a minimum balance of $2,000. Its highest rate, 1.34%, requires a minimum balance of $50,000. (This begs the question: who would be satisfied with only 1.34% on $50,000?)

But even more good thriftiness awaits. VirtualBank is also offering a referral program. By clicking the link below and opening an account (minimum opening balance of $100), you’ll get an extra $20 deposited in that account. You will then be able to refer up to 30 more people, for which you will get another $20 for each successful referral. Plus, each of those people will get the free $20 for opening the account.

Send your name and email address to vbreferral@gmail.com and I’ll send you an invitation email.

This account has no monthly fees and transfers to and from your local bank’s personal checking account are free.

The small print: This offer of a referral bonus is on a first-come first-served basis. There is a limited number of referrals (50). I make no guarantee that there will be any accounts available or that by using this referral you will receive $20 upon opening your account.

More information at http://www.onlinebankdeals.com/virtualbankreferral/.