Many users are reporting pesky issues with installing the downloadable $30 student upgrade copy of Windows 7. It would seem that instead of receiving a standard ISO image, they are handed an executable (Win7-P-Retail-en-us-x64.exe) and two other files (setup1.box and setup2.box). This is obviously not intended, and Microsoft is looking into the situation. Redmond is also offering a refund for those affected, according to Engadget.

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yup i spent 2 hours on the phone in total yesterday morning to MS as well as a 'nice' email to Digital River who are the actual culprits in this fiasco.

MS guy was really great actually even tho he couldnt actually do anything to help me.
I found the oscdimg guide on the windows7forums and sorted my problem.

although other issues included:
Digital River website putting a 10 download limit on the download manager software, which would have been fine had it not registered the whole 10 on the first click. I was on linux at the time as i'd wiped my XP hdd ready for the big day. So i was a bit pissed at not being able to download it again (i ended up having to copy it to my pen drive, stick said pen drive into my server box, RDP from linux into the server box and download the files)

I then had to reinstall win7 RC so i could then unbox the box files, then install the oscdimg file into system32 and create the ISO image and burn to DVD.

all in all a pretty **** morning but once the ISO was burnt, installation was about 25 minutes or so, flawless and everything is smooth as hell post install

plus Digital river are refunding all the students who pre-ordered because of the **** up so i got it for free :)

windows 95-windows 7 all got flaws and problems its part of M$.

@guyver1: You get a refund + you get to keep the copy? Where do I go to find out more about this?

I had the same issue with there being an error on extraction. Was f-ing stupid of them not to just give us an iso file. But I did the oscdimg thing and all is well, running it now.

Turns out our community had taken notice way before us, here's some discussion and instructions about the W7 student download issues:
http://www.techspot.com/vb/topic136658.html

M$ looking like total morons with all these issues at release that should be found in beta testing?

@Badfinger, this is a distribution issue not about the OS itself. That said, like SNGX pointed out they could have done way better by simply using a proven method like the ISO, which they used for the earlier betas and RC build.

yeah this is not an MS isue, this is solely a Digital River screw up.

You should get an email from digital river outlining their apology and telling you you will get a full refund.

Yes you get your copy FREE along with the backup DVD if ordered of the long term download option.

Who is "Redmond" and how are they offering a refund? I can't find anything on getting a refund besides big tech news placing reporting that Microsoft is "offering" one. Everyone is griping, and I've found so few people being contacted with legitimate refunds.

Is there ever going to be a reliable OS at release again? Even most new Linux distros get rushed and have release bugs nowadays.

Redmond, Washington - Home of Microsoft.

So Redmond is just another name for MS.

Follow this thread to see myself and Deeham get refunds - http://forums.multiplay.co.uk/genera...-problems-here

The refund email came from this address - studentwindows.uk(at)digitalriver.com
a full copy of the email is posted in the forum thread above.

I do not know the 'criteria' Digital River have set for giving out refunds, you will have to contact them yourselves to see if you can get answers from them.

@guyver1: While every other tech company under the sun is in California, Microsoft is in Washington state -- Redmond, Washington. Precisely though, Redmond is just another (common) way to refer to Microsoft.

ah my bad. I just did a quick google on Redmond and it came back with California :P

I was able to download and install the Digital River Student $30 version of Windows 7 Professional x64 properly, but I spent the better part of 6 hours trying to make a .ISO Windows 7 install disc from the files in the "expandedSetup" folder...

Here are the basic instructions:
Windows 7 Student Offer DVD

I used this, with the 3 install files located on the desktop and an elevated Command Prompt loaded under Administrator (Vista & Windows 7):

oscdimg -u2 -b"C:\Documents and Settings\user\Desktop\expandedSetup\boot\etfsboot.com" -h "C:\Documents and Settings\user\Desktop\expandedSetup" C:\Win7.iso

Where "user" is the computer log in name

I never got an email about a refund.

It was a bit of a hassle to get a usable dvd, much more so than if they would have given us a simple iso. But I don't think its a big enough deal for me to deserve a refund. I understand that for people that aren't comfortable with jumping through hoops wanting and deserving a refund though. I'm already getting it for $30, thats good enough for me.

I think I have the answer to the Digital River Microsoft Windows 7 64 bit Student download fiasco:

I downloaded the 90 day eval copy of Windows 7 Enterprise 64 bit. I then installed this and got the machine up and running, then I executed the installer file which was on an additional hardrive attached to my PC from within the installed Eval copy of windows 7 and it launched and I did a custom install. The installation is progressing now. This is it!!!!!!!!!!!

I successfully installed the Student Windows 7 Pro x64 inside a Windows 7 RC x64 installation, choosing "custom" clean installation. My Windows 7 RC files were saved on the C drive as Windows.old. After moving my important data to the new Windows 7 Pro install, I deleted the Windows.old folder. It was quite large. The C drive is a 450GB single partition drive. I am still running a dual boot Windows 7, Vista. Vista is installed on a 250GB single partition drive. I will ditch Vista altogether, when I get my wife's laptop repaired. She will have Windows 7 Pro x64 on her laptop

i've gotten the download links and will be trying this weekend to do the install. the usb tool will be very handy since i dont have a dvd burner drive.
*ponders* wonder what else i can install with that tool....