Install Retail Windows 7 Ultimate disk with Home Premium OEM CD Key

You will need to either edit the ei.cfg and replace Ultimate with HomePremium, or delete the file entirely.

http://windows7center.com/news/how-to-install-any-version-or-sku-of-windows-7/ gives a more detailed step-by-step process of doing so:

Open the disk image in 7-Zip
Delete or edit sources/ei.cfg:
- Delete to have the option select the SKU you want during install, or
- Change the EditionID value to be the SKU that you want:
  - Ultimate
  - Premium
  - HomePremium
  - HomeBasic
  - Starter
Save the image and burn it to disk

Darth Android

Posted 2010-06-12T22:40:38.050

Reputation: 35 133

1When I delete the ei.cfg completely, does it default the channel to Retail or OEM? – keyoh – 2010-06-13T01:08:01.427

1I missed that portion of your question - deleting the file entirely will allow you to select the SKU (Starter, Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate), though nothing is mentioned about Retail or OEM - I'm under the impression that the only difference between Retail / OEM keys are that the OEM motherboards often have them embedded so no activation is needed at all, but the key is otherwise a valid key for windows. I know for XP, the keys you got with the OEM systems worked fine with retail install disks, and I'd expect Windows 7 to be the same. – Darth Android – 2010-06-13T02:53:27.813

The key didn't work, so I had to do a phone activation. – keyoh – 2010-06-13T18:21:44.237

If a delete ei.cfg will I be able to activate Ultimate version with key from Home Premium? – Giorgi – 2010-07-22T20:01:58.170

The article you linked to has gone dead. Can you summarize the process? – Brant Bobby – 2012-11-27T01:51:52.770

@BrantBobby Included. The article itself is still available via wayback machine

– Darth Android – 2012-11-28T19:21:57.727

Install Retail Windows 7 Ultimate disk with Home Premium OEM CD Key

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