Why do we need to download Windows 7 Many of us bought our copy of Windows 7 pre-installed with a new desktop or laptop PC. More often than not, though, the box didn't contain a full Windows 7 DVD. Usually, we would get a 'recovery disk' or a recovery partition, to reinstate the operating system to its default settings.

But this would also restore all the third-party bloatware and crapware the manufacturers include. The ability to download Windows 7 ISOs is essential for anyone who wants a clean Windows installation for their PC. It is also handy if we misplaced, lost, or destroyed our original disk. How is it legal to download Windows 7 as an ISO? When we, we don't get a special installation DVD. Every DVD of a particular version - e.g. Windows 7 Home Premium x864 or Windows 7 Professional x64 - is identical to all the others.

What we buy is the unique 25-character product key. We will find it as a sticker on the retail Windows 7 DVD case.

Or, with pre-installed Windows, stuck underneath our laptop and on the side of the PC tower. With this product key, we can install Windows 7 using any disk of the corresponding version. No matter where we got the Installation DVD, we will end up with legally activated Windows 7 on our PC. We can even download Windows 7 as an ISO from the shadiest torrent site.

As long as we are using our genuine product key, the Windows installation will be 100% legal. Where can I find the Windows 7 product key? If our Windows 7 PC didn't have Windows preinstalled and doesn't have a sticker, we can use special applications to get the Windows 7 product key. Some apps will even work in cases where we can't boot into Windows, as long as the hard drive is functional. Just check out our guide: Microsoft giveth, Microsoft taketh away Even though it would work, downloading Windows 7 from questionable sources is never a good idea.

For all we know, the ISO could contain a host of malware: rootkits, trojans, keyloggers; you name it. That's why it was a big deal that Microsoft allowed us to download Windows 7 as an ISO through Digital River. We could download Windows 7 and be sure that the ISO was clean and untampered. And then, in early February 2015, Microsoft decided to take down the Digital River ISOs, for good. Sure, they have set up the, the 'official' way to download Windows 7. However, to download Windows 7 through this site, we need the product key of a store-bought, retail version of Windows. In case we have a desktop or laptop computer with pre-installed Windows 7, we own an OEM Windows 7 License.

Windows 7 Ultimate RTM OEM English ISO. Windows 7 ISO Downloads and Product Keys Live in MSDN TechNet » My Digital Life() Pingback: Windows 7 Ultimate. Recover or reinstall Windows 7 purchased through a retailer. After School Program Gymnastics Seminole County more. Simply download a Windows 7 ISO file or disc image and then create a USB. English (United States.