Making Windows 7 installation media via Linux from WIM files

1

I want to install Windows 7 (32-bit, sold on an Asus eeePC) in a virtual machine (VirtualBox, running on Ubuntu on said eeePC). What I have is:

  • A blank disk in a virtual machine, awaiting some installation media.
  • A computer running Linux (the host of the VM).
  • A copy of the files from the original recovery partition, which has been erased. I'm not sure exactly how the copy was done or how that partition was set up originally. I don't have an image of the partition.
  • A copy of the files from the original Windows installation, which has been erased.
  • The EFI partition is still in place on the PC.

Here's the list of files from the recovery partition:

.
./BOOT
./BOOT/BCD
./BOOT/BCD.LOG
./BOOT/BOOT.SDI
./BOOT/BOOTFIX.BIN
./BOOT/ETFSBOOT.COM
./BOOT/FONTS
./BOOT/FONTS/CHS_BOOT.TTF
./BOOT/FONTS/CHT_BOOT.TTF
./BOOT/FONTS/JPN_BOOT.TTF
./BOOT/FONTS/KOR_BOOT.TTF
./BOOT/FONTS/WGL4_BOOT.TTF
./BOOTMGR
./EG_B
./EG_B/EN_EXGATECD_2.2.61.201.WIM
./EG_B/fbloader.bin
./ExpressGate
./ExpressGate/av
./ExpressGate/avbk
./ExpressGate/avdb
./ExpressGate/bin
./ExpressGate/browser
./ExpressGate/default
./ExpressGate/download
./ExpressGate/etc
./ExpressGate/menu
./ExpressGate/menu.lst
./ExpressGate/menu.lst.bak
./ExpressGate/menushell
./ExpressGate/modules
./ExpressGate/msger
./ExpressGate/PIM
./ExpressGate/preference.xml
./ExpressGate/pubdata
./ExpressGate/sbin
./ExpressGate/stage2
./ExpressGate/update
./ExpressGate/vace
./ExpressGate/vace-id
./ExpressGate/vace-pi
./ExpressGate/version.h
./ExpressGateUtil
./ExpressGateUtil/preference.xml
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF0183.JPG
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF0248.JPG
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF0272.JPG
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF1589.JPG
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF1615.JPG
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF1979.JPG
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF2794.JPG
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/DSCF7631.jpg
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/Kalimba.mp3
./ExpressGateUtil/Sample/Maid with the Flaxen Hair.mp3
./recovery
./recovery/windowsre
./recovery/windowsre/EN1015P_WW_W7HP_32H_01.03.wim
./recovery/windowsre/EN1015P_WW_W7HP_32H_01.032.wim
./recovery/windowsre/EN1015P_WW_W7HP_32H_01.033.wim
./SOURCES
./SOURCES/boot.wim
./SOURCES/btup.wim
./SOURCES/winre.wim
./version.txt

How do I go from there to making some bootable installation media, to install Windows in the VM? I've found tutorials on making Windows installation media from Linux, but they all started from a Windows ISO, which I don't have.

Gilles 'SO- stop being evil'

Posted 2017-06-24T11:31:35.297

Reputation: 58 319

Why not you download windows 7 ISO file from Microsoft site? – Biswapriyo – 2017-06-24T12:37:06.193

@Biswa I wasn't aware that it was a possibility, and it turns out that it isn't. “Error: The product key you entered appears to be for software pre-installed by the device manufacturer.” – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil' – 2017-06-24T13:37:27.110

No answers