Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 Direct Techbench Downloads

Microsoft Windows and Office .iso Download Tool

It turns out that Microsoft's software engineers are smart (as we always knew) and made a proper digital deployment of Windows (with the exception of the Windows 8.1 Bing Editions) and had to change it last minute (likely because of some ignoramus higher up or in marketing). Jan Krohn (Heidoc.net) has made a Microsoft Windows and Office .iso Download Tool which automatically applies the script and allows you to download Windows 7, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Insider Preview, Office 2007, Office 2010 and Office 2016. See Jan's site for more details:

https://www.heidoc.net/joomla/technology-science/microsoft/67-microsoft-windows-and-office-iso-download-tool

Some screenshots of his excellent tool are shown below:

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Lets look at the different options for versions of Windows

Windows 7

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COEM = Commerical OEM .isos are otherwise known as generic system builder .isos. These can be used with OEM keys on Windows 7 COAs affixed to your computer but requires phone activation. For a computer manufactured by Microsoft's largest OEMs such as Alienware/Dell, Lenovo/IBM, HP/Compaq, ASUS, Acer, Samsung, Sony, Toshiba, MSI or Fujitsu its preferable to utilised OEM System Locked Preinstallation which is a BIOS based activation mechanism. For more details see my guide Applying OEM System Locked Preinstallation.

N = Rare European Commission Edition without Media Player.

K = North Korea Edition.

KN = North Korea Edition without Media Player.

Note the Windows 7 .isos are SP1 2011 Media Refresh. These are severely out of date. For Dell systems especially those with a UEFI BIOS its recommended to use updated Windows .isos for more details see Download a Windows 7 SP2 OEM and Retail .iso.

Windows 8.1

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LE = ? There has been speculation that it means License Electronic, Live Essentials (there is no additional Live Essentials products preinstalled), Limited Edition? There is nothing special about this .iso its just a Windows 8.1 Pro .iso however you are better to use the multi-edition Windows 8.1 Home/Windows 8.1 Pro .iso.

N = Rare European Commission Edition without Media Player.

K = North Korea Edition.

KN = North Korea Edition without Media Player.

Windows 10

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Windows 10 installation media is updated every few months. Its recommended to use the updated installation media, at current Windows 10 RS1 which was released in July 2016. Note however the multiple Edition .isos from the Windows 10 RS1 Media Creation Tool are preferred. For more details see Download a Windows 10 OEM and Retail .iso.

N = Rare European Commission Edition without Media Player.

K = North Korea Edition.

KN = North Korea Edition without Media Player.

Once you have selected your version of Windows and Edition select confirm:

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Once you select confirm you will then be able to select your language:

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Once you select Confirm again you will get your direct download links. Click on them to download the .iso direct from Microsoft:

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Creating a Bootable USB

You will require an 8-16 GB USB Flash Drive. A DVD is not recommended. Use Rufus for best results to create a Bootable USB:

There are two types of Bootable USB you can make with Rufus.

  • A Bootable USB for a UEFI BIOS with the GPT partition scheme (newer hardware and 64 Bit Windows)
  • A Bootable USB for a Legacy BIOS with the MBR partition scheme (older hardware)

Using Rufus to Make a Bootable USB

Once you have the .iso and Rufus downloaded, launch Rufus:

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Select yes at the user account control prompt.

The order in which you use Rufus is very important…

FAILURE TO USE RUFUS IN THE CORRECT ORDER MAY RESULT IN THE WRONG TYPE OF BOOTABLE USB BEING CREATED.

To the top select your USB Device, it must be 8-16 GB.

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Next although its at the bottom you must load the .iso:

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Select the .iso you wish to make a Bootable USB from and select open:

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Now the most difficult part, here you must select the partition scheme that you want  either the “GPT partition scheme for UEFI” or “the MBR partition scheme for BIOS or UEFI-CSM”.

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If you select the Partition Scheme and Target System Type as “GPT partition scheme for UEFI” the File System should be automatically selected as “FAT32” if not amend it as the USB won’t boot if its not FAT32.

If you select the Partition Scheme and Target System Type as “MBR Partition Scheme for BIOS of UEFI-CSM” the File System should be automatically selected as “NTFS” if not amend it.

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Once you have the settings ready select Start:

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Select Ok to acknowledge that you are going to format the USB flash drive:

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Rufus will now make the installation media.

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Once its completed the task, the progress bar will be full and it will say Ready below it. You can now close Rufus. You have your Windows Installation USB prepared:

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