Swarfendor437
Sat Nov 16, 2019 10:41:57 pm
[UPDATED 26.11.2019]
If you have a notebook with Windows 7 on it, more than likely you did not receive any media. Before it disappears altogether, download a copy before M$ removes it:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/softwar ... d/windows7
You will need your product key - on notebooks this should be on the CoA (Certificate of Authenticity) usually affixed on the underside of the Notebook, if not on the outer case, on some notebooks it is underneath the case where the battery is located, i.e., remove the battery to see the CoA (this is the case for some Dell Notebooks), and on some Netbooks, removing the case will have the CoA buried inside somewhere! (e.g., HP Mini 110, but that only ever came with Windows 7 starter edition.
A simpler way is to run a script in this way:
1. Open up Notepad from Accessories.
2. Copy and paste the following:
3. Save the file as 'productkey.vbs' NOT .txt or it won't work, to your desktop. Run it, and be amazed! (Acknowledgement to: https://www.howtogeek.com/206329/how-to ... duct-keys/)
Don't forget to download SP1 for Windows 7 as you won't get any updates!
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... pack-1-sp1
and Service Pack 2:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... e1e883051e
Next, ensure that your Zorin system is up-to-date.
Next install Virtual Box (if not already installed), and preferably the latest one from the Oracle Website:
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
You need to click on the link for Ubuntu 18.04 / 18.10 / 19.04 link.
You should also download the extension pack:
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Once installed, you need to create a virtual hard disk using the .iso you downloaded - be sure to back this up for future use if needed.
Once you have created and installed Windows 7 as a Virtual Machine and installed all the apps you can't live without / won't run on GNU/Linux, copy the .vhd file to an external device so if your Windows 7 VM ever did get hacked you can simply drag and drop the .vhd file back into your Zorin!
[Comment: Another member of the City Forum that I occasionally frequent here in the UK has had enough of Microsoft messing him about and he is a business user. He uses Fedora and has never looked back using specialist software that will only run on Windows XP - using a Virtual Machine of various flavours of Windows, his dedicated software continues to perform its specialised functions (Computer Aided Design that only works with certain Windows and drivers for a machine tool that needs Windows - it can be done!]
If you have a notebook with Windows 7 on it, more than likely you did not receive any media. Before it disappears altogether, download a copy before M$ removes it:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/softwar ... d/windows7
You will need your product key - on notebooks this should be on the CoA (Certificate of Authenticity) usually affixed on the underside of the Notebook, if not on the outer case, on some notebooks it is underneath the case where the battery is located, i.e., remove the battery to see the CoA (this is the case for some Dell Notebooks), and on some Netbooks, removing the case will have the CoA buried inside somewhere! (e.g., HP Mini 110, but that only ever came with Windows 7 starter edition.
A simpler way is to run a script in this way:
1. Open up Notepad from Accessories.
2. Copy and paste the following:
- Code:
Set WshShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
MsgBox ConvertToKey(WshShell.RegRead("HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\DigitalProductId"))
Function ConvertToKey(Key)
Const KeyOffset = 52
i = 28
Chars = "BCDFGHJKMPQRTVWXY2346789"
Do
Cur = 0
x = 14
Do
Cur = Cur * 256
Cur = Key(x + KeyOffset) + Cur
Key(x + KeyOffset) = (Cur \ 24) And 255
Cur = Cur Mod 24
x = x -1
Loop While x >= 0
i = i -1
KeyOutput = Mid(Chars, Cur + 1, 1) & KeyOutput
If (((29 - i) Mod 6) = 0) And (i <> -1) Then
i = i -1
KeyOutput = "-" & KeyOutput
End If
Loop While i >= 0
ConvertToKey = KeyOutput
End Function
3. Save the file as 'productkey.vbs' NOT .txt or it won't work, to your desktop. Run it, and be amazed! (Acknowledgement to: https://www.howtogeek.com/206329/how-to ... duct-keys/)
Don't forget to download SP1 for Windows 7 as you won't get any updates!
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/hel ... pack-1-sp1
and Service Pack 2:
https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/win ... e1e883051e
Next, ensure that your Zorin system is up-to-date.
Next install Virtual Box (if not already installed), and preferably the latest one from the Oracle Website:
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Linux_Downloads
You need to click on the link for Ubuntu 18.04 / 18.10 / 19.04 link.
You should also download the extension pack:
https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads
Once installed, you need to create a virtual hard disk using the .iso you downloaded - be sure to back this up for future use if needed.
Once you have created and installed Windows 7 as a Virtual Machine and installed all the apps you can't live without / won't run on GNU/Linux, copy the .vhd file to an external device so if your Windows 7 VM ever did get hacked you can simply drag and drop the .vhd file back into your Zorin!
[Comment: Another member of the City Forum that I occasionally frequent here in the UK has had enough of Microsoft messing him about and he is a business user. He uses Fedora and has never looked back using specialist software that will only run on Windows XP - using a Virtual Machine of various flavours of Windows, his dedicated software continues to perform its specialised functions (Computer Aided Design that only works with certain Windows and drivers for a machine tool that needs Windows - it can be done!]
