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Please tell me how to tell which Vista ISO's are genuine Microsoft?

computerdude92

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Hello,

Buying a new Vista Ultimate 64-bit SP1 disc set is super expensive on Ebay... so I want to try burning my own discs instead.

Please, do any of you know the MD5 sum of Vista ISO's that belong to the retail packaged SP1 64-bit releases?

I need Ultimate or Business. I will also accept a Vista SP2 ISO as long as it is an unmodified real Microsoft one.

Thank you very much.
 
This kind of smells strongly like you are asking for help with copyright infringement. Please, don't do that here.
 
I am asking for a legal download, nothing pirated.

I don't understand why asking this forum would infringe on copyright. I'm just providing enough detail in my post so I can find what I need. I honestly just want to get my home PC working and I'm not the best in knowing how to tell which ISOs are real and where to find them. I'm sorry for looking offensive. I have no intention of being trouble. Please forgive me.
 
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Dont sweat it. We do have an anti-piracy rule here, but what you asked is totally fair. ;)

That link contains 0 downloads or serials so within the rules. Hope it helps you.
 
Thank you, I really appreciate it.

Dumb question: Are all of the MD5/SHA1 on the list really from Microsoft MSDN and TechNet ISOs?

Edit- Nevermind, I just answered my question by myself. Thanks again! :)
 
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Thank you, I really appreciate it.

Dumb question: Are all of the MD5/SHA1 on the list really from Microsoft MSDN and TechNet ISOs?

Edit- Nevermind, I just answered my question by myself. Thanks again! :)
There are mirrors out there of MSDN that don't include the files but just the listings and sha/md5 sums of the files (though my googling is failing me at the moment). The odds of you running into a non-legit ISO that had coodinated with sites like that and put out false checksums is quite low considering most people don't even check them. The MSDN/TechNet ISOs tend to be the same as the retail copies IIRC.
 
I don't understand why asking this forum would infringe on copyright.
Because you say BUYING is too expensive for you. So tell me what isn't piracy here? You pay for the licence key, not for the software. That's why MS did provide the ISOs for download. You still need to by a key, otherwise you are not allowed to use the OS.

The first sentence of your request is all it takes to know this thread should be closed - or better deleted.
 
Because you say BUYING is too expensive for you. So tell me what isn't piracy here? You pay for the licence key, not for the software. That's why MS did provide the ISOs for download. You still need to by a key, otherwise you are not allowed to use the OS.

The first sentence of your request is all it takes to know this thread should be closed - or better deleted.

OP never said they didn't own a license. I would suggest rereading what he said. He said a DISC SET is expensive. Nothing about not owning the license. My best guess its for an older machine that had the license key sticker on it. Sheesh!

Like I had a nice gentleman send me a few copies of win95 98 and SE. I owned the booklets and licenses already, and had burned isos since the orginal dics were worn out from years of use. So should I have to pay 30 dollars each for them otherwise? SMFH. Really? So I don't own the serial nor license, only the original media must be used? Really? Explain to me why microsoft made them freely available to download then... Geebus.

Relax. You are assuming... just saying. If that's the first thing you jump to, says tons about your character...
 
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OP never said they didn't own a license. I would suggest rereading what he said. He said a DISC SET is expensive. Nothing about not owning the license. My best guess its for an older machine that had the license key sticker on it. Sheesh!

Like I had a nice gentleman send me a few copies of win95 98 and SE. I owned the booklets and licenses already, and had burned isos since the orginal dics were worn out from years of use. So should I have to pay 30 dollars each for them otherwise? SMFH. Really? So I don't own the serial nor license, only the original media must be used? Really? Explain to me why microsoft made them freely available to download then... Geebus.

Relax. You are assuming... just saying. If that's the first thing you jump to, says tons about your character...
Wait just a sec here. Licenses aren't perpetual in most instances. When you bought that original W98SE/XP/VISTA etc., the copy came with a license for that product, and in most cases you were allowed to make a backup. MS will now let you download W10/W11, and even run it for a limited time, however you still need to buy a license for each and every copy that you installed and wish to activate.
 
Many legally purchased systems with Vista did not come with a hard media backup. It was up to the user to make a backup after they finished setting up the computer at home. If you did not have this backup you would call or email the maker/OEM and ask for a new CD-ROM that was imaged with your licensed OS. Your license was still valid. You just needed the software to re-install.

That is all the ISO is. It is a copy of the software and can be imaged to a new hard medium, a CD-ROM, and then used for re-install. The user will re-use an existing license.

All the OP wants to do is avoid purchasing hard media already imaged with his OS. They want to image the hard media themselves. This is a legal way to re-install your software and MS later started making ISO's available for download for this purpose.

Seaken
 
Many legally purchased systems with Vista did not come with a hard media backup. It was up to the user to make a backup after they finished setting up the computer at home. If you did not have this backup you would call or email the maker/OEM and ask for a new CD-ROM that was imaged with your licensed OS. Your license was still valid. You just needed the software to re-install.

That is all the ISO is. It is a copy of the software and can be imaged to a new hard medium, a CD-ROM, and then used for re-install. The user will re-use an existing license.

All the OP wants to do is avoid purchasing hard media already imaged with his OS. They want to image the hard media themselves. This is a legal way to re-install your software and MS later started making ISO's available for download for this purpose.

Seaken
To be clear, the only OS downloads available from MS are W10/W11. W7/Vista/XP/2000 are no longer available.

Here's a good reference:
 
Like I had a nice gentleman send me a few copies of win95 98 and SE. I owned the booklets and licenses already, and had burned isos since the orginal dics were worn out from years of use. So should I have to pay 30 dollars each for them otherwise? SMFH. Really? So I don't own the serial nor license, only the original media must be used? Really? Explain to me why microsoft made them freely available to download then... Geebus.
At least two or 3 of those copies also included certificates. Unopened software from Microsft including the certificate with serial number. I think you bought the licenses.
 
At least two or 3 of those copies also included certificates. Unopened software from Microsft including the certificate with serial number. I think you bought the licenses.
W98SE did not have to be activated on line. The "Key" was on a sticker and that key was tied to that particular disk set. You can't buy/find an online/borrowed version and use a different key. As far as W10/W11 goes, MS doesn't care if you download and use the OS as if you decide to use it long term, you will eventually have to buy a key. Now, W10/W11 keys can be transported if you can convince MS that it is only installed on one PC. They are very generous/forgiving about that concerning that point.
 
MS gave away copies of Windows Vista Ultimate at many of their tradeshows. I am surprised Ebay isn't flooded in unopened never used Windows Vista Ultimate replete with the key sticker. Not boxed but in a cheap cardboard sleeve.
 
To be clear, the only OS downloads available from MS are W10/W11. W7/Vista/XP/2000 are no longer available.

Here's a good reference:
Yes, that is the case now. But there was a time when you could get ISO's all the way back to Vista. After they started pushing Windows 10 that is no longer the case. But if there was a copy of the ISO out there I would not hesitate to get it as long as I had a license. I think this is what the OP is asking.

Seaken
 
Yes, that is the case now. But there was a time when you could get ISO's all the way back to Vista. After they started pushing Windows 10 that is no longer the case. But if there was a copy of the ISO out there I would not hesitate to get it as long as I had a license. I think this is what the OP is asking.

Seaken
Suppose you find an ISO of Vista somewhere, that ISO will still need the original key. With Vista, you either activated online or called it in to MS. You will need to find a shrink wrapped copy or get a copy from someone who has the original CD set with its corresponding key.

This might be something worth checking out:

 
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