Windows 7 Bootable Installer Host Site - Plans for Shutdown

[Guest]

For those still interested in the official Microsoft tool for creating Windows bootable USB installers (strictly for Windows 7, although it works for 8.0 and 8.1) for any reason, you might want to grab a copy of the installer file if you are still interested in it for future uses. With an impressive download amount that exceeds 27.7 million, unfortunately it looks like the site hosting the tool has plans to go/close down in the future. 

 

Details/Sources: 

Link 1: http://wudt.codeplex.com/ 

Link 2: https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/bharry/2017/03/31/shutting-down-codeplex/ 

 

(Link 1 is the official download page for the tool. Source: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/windows-usb-dvd-download-tool And yes, the tool is free. )

 

Also note that Rufus is an open source alternative solution which does have favor as well for those not interested in the official tool. However for those interested in the official version from Microsoft for trust and reliability concerns, now seems like a decent time to do so. 

 

This is a helpful tool for diagnosing issues and solving problems. Not to mention a much more silent way of installing Windows as apposed to most optical disks/drives. 

[Linksys120n]

Link 1 is already down for me.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Linksys120n said:

Link 1 is already down for me.

It takes a long time to load for some strange reason. Just wait for it. 

[Dabombinable]

Luckily I've got my copy of it archived.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Dabombinable said:

Luckily I've got my copy of it archived.

Good stuff. As far as I'm aware there is only one version of it made, so all official and proper copies should function the exact same. Feel free to correct me if this information is not correct. 

[Dabombinable]

1 minute ago, IAmLamp said:

Good stuff. As far as I'm aware there is only one version of it made, so all official and proper copies should function the exact same. Feel free to correct me if this information is not correct. 

I've got no idea, all I know is that my copy works and was downloaded off codeplex a while ago.

[Guest]

@GoodBytes Not sure if you're interested or not. I know Rufus seems to work as an alternative solution. I figure I'd mention just in case. I still use it from time to time to be sure. 

[Guest Darth Revan]

Honestly Rufus works perfectly, unlike Microsoft's garbage.

So I'm not going to miss it.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Darth Revan said:

Honestly Rufus works perfectly, unlike Microsoft's garbage.

So I'm not going to miss it.

I find it strange that Windows 7 is capable of UEFI booting, yet Microsoft did not update or change their tool to make the functionality possible by default as it works for 8.0 and 8.1. I can understand your frustration. Thanks to @GoodBytes they mentioned that Rufus is/was able to make UEFI Windows 7 booting possible (unlike the official Microsoft tool). 

[Guest]

PS - Fuck optical drives/discs for installing Windows. I will not miss you. I'm glad USB replaces you. 

[Dabombinable]

Just now, IAmLamp said:

I find it strange that Windows 7 is capable of UEFI booting, yet Microsoft did not update or change their tool to make the functionality possible. I can understand your frustration. Thanks to @GoodBytes they mentioned that Rufus is/was able to make UEFI Windows 7 booting possible (unlike the official Microsoft tool). 

Even Vista supports booting in UEFI mode, so it was a stupid decision on Micro$haft's part to not include UEFI functionality in the tool:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824898.aspx

[Dabombinable]

Just now, IAmLamp said:

PS - Fuck optical drives/discs for installing Windows. I will not miss you. I'm glad USB replaces you. 

Better yet, try installing it off even a "slow" SSD. 5-10 minutes and I went from a blank SSD, to Windows 7 installed and at the desktop.

[Guest]

2 hours ago, Dabombinable said:

Even Vista supports booting in UEFI mode, so it was a stupid decision on Micro$haft's part to not include UEFI functionality in the tool:
https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824898.aspx

OMFG I have been looking for source for verification for so long! THANK YOU!!!!!! 

[Dabombinable]

Just now, IAmLamp said:

OMFG I have been looking for source for verification for so long! THANK YOU!!!!!! 

And people still try to tell me that Windows 7 doesn't support UEFI, even with that page and me running Windows 7 in UEFI mode on my Z97 Sabertooth.

[Delicieuxz]

CodePlex is still going to remain as an archive, from which files can still be downloaded, I think.

 

Quote

The shutdown plan

 

So, it’s time to say goodbye to CodePlex.  As of this post, we’ve disabled the ability to create new CodePlex projects.  In October, we’ll set CodePlex to read-only, before shutting it down completely on December 15th, 2017.

 

The CodePlex archive

 

We’ll take a final, complete backup of the site before shutting down and decommissioning the existing CodePlex site and servers.

At that time, CodePlex.com will start serving a read-only lightweight archive that will allow you to browse through all published projects – their source code, downloads, documentation, license, and issues – as they looked when CodePlex went read-only.  You’ll also be able to download an archive file with your project contents, all in common, transferrable formats like Markdown and JSON.  Where possible, we’ll put in place redirects so that existing URLs work, or at least redirect you to the project’s new homepage on the archive. And, the archive will respect your “I’ve moved” setting, if you used it, to direct users to the current home of your project.

 

There isn’t currently any plan to have an end date for the archive.

 

[Guest]

3 hours ago, Delicieuxz said:

CodePlex is still going to remain as an archive, from which files can still be downloaded, I think.

 

 

Would still be good to keep on eye on it then. 

[zMeul]

2 hours ago, Dabombinable said:

And people still try to tell me that Windows 7 doesn't support UEFI, even with that page and me running Windows 7 in UEFI mode on my Z97 Sabertooth.

the issue is not UEFI, it's Secure Boot: https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1016356/

[Blake]

32 minutes ago, zMeul said:

the issue is not UEFI, it's Secure Boot: https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1016356/

FYI, you posted an update that only effects systems already running in EFI mode...

 

Nah, it's that the install media everyone creates isn't UEFI compatible. Easiest way to tell is to look for bootmgr.efi in the root of your install media, then check in the sources folder for a install.esd if you see these and no install.wim/boot.wim you should be good to go (while these doesn't force an efi compatable version being installed, it is a whole lot more likely that if you fail to boot to the usb you will go change the bios to 'uefi mode' then try and remember how to use dism to extract the wim and create a new bootable media.

 

 

[roblesaturcamilo]

I am running Windows 7 on an Asus z270i with a I7 7700k....

 

The internet it's full of bullcrap and myths about w7 not being compatible on up to date hardware...

[Dabombinable]

1 hour ago, zMeul said:

the issue is not UEFI, it's Secure Boot: https://www.asus.com/support/faq/1016356/

Only after one of the post SP1 updates to Windows 7. And the problem that the Windows Bootable Installer  doesn't allow you to create UEFI bootable USB, despite Windows Vista and 7 having proper support for it.

[Dabombinable]

1 hour ago, roblesaturcamilo said:

I am running Windows 7 on an Asus z270i with a I7 7700k....

 

The internet it's full of bullcrap and myths about w7 not being compatible on up to date hardware...

I could actually run Windows 7 just fine on my old rig with 2x Pentium III 1GHz @ 1.13GHz, 2GB SDRAM at 150MHz/ 1.1GB/sec, a Seagate Barracuda 7200.9 160GB and FX5500 256MB, and transfer that installation to a Kabylake rig without any problems.

[zMeul]

1 minute ago, Dabombinable said:

Only after one of the post SP1 updates to Windows 7. And the problem that the Windows Bootable Installer  doesn't allow you to create UEFI bootable USB, despite Windows Vista and 7 having proper support for it.

no, Secure Boot wasn't supported on Vista nor W7, ever: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824987.aspx

[Dabombinable]

1 minute ago, zMeul said:

no, Secure Boot wasn't supported on Vista nor W7, ever: https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh824987.aspx

All I have to do is set it to other OS instead of Windows after installing the update that causes problems with Secure Boot.

Edit: Windows 7 is UEFI Class 2, and thus supports Secure Boot.

[zMeul]

12 minutes ago, Dabombinable said:

All I have to do is set it to other OS instead of Windows after installing the update that causes problems with Secure Boot.

that's not what I'm talking about

 

Secure Boot was introduced to UEFI since UEFI 2.3.1 errata C - June 2012: http://www.uefi.org/sites/default/files/resources/UEFI_2_3_1_C.pdf

the W7 SP1 was released February 2011 - W7 nor Vista had any chance to natively support it

[corsairian]

5 hours ago, IAmLamp said:

It takes a long time to load for some strange reason. Just wait for it. 

It worked for me, but im on mobile. I downloaded a couple copies just fine.