Windows 7 ISO Verifier Ensures Your Downloads Are Legit

@Δεν βρέθηκαν λέξεις: But who's going to...

psychiccheese

Uh, why not just get it from the proper source? That seems to make the most sense.

I have been running Windows 7 RC for quite a while and it's absolutely awesome. It's really worth checking out and trying it out. It's my primary system now.

For a couple of more days, Windows 7 can be pre-ordered at half the price (I think it's a Microsoft promotion). Since it won't ship until October, there is really no harm in pre-ordering it to get the price at 50% off right now and you can always change your mind later. I already ordered a couple of copies.

By the way, in case anyone is interested, I read about the promotion to get Windows 7 at 50% off initially at

[www.uberi.com]

Maybe someone will find it useful too.

John Smith

@Terry: You've paid for 4 OSes not worth paying for. You deserve 7 free.

orlo

@Terry: "Just pay for the damned thing, already."

I can't speak for everyone, but I plan on paying for it on or around Oct. 22nd...
I don't get why people would pirate an OS. I'm not denying that I have an errant mp3 here and there, but who wants to live in constant fear of failing a validation or, much worse, running malicious software? However, the issue here isn't about people who are trying to steal an OS available at retail; some people just have to have the absolute latest build. I don't think the issue is about people "stealing" at all.

nolabar10der

i will be getting a free version from my university but that may not be for a few months after the October retail sales start.

does anybody know or even think it would be possible to install the RTM and then activate it as verified down the road when i get an official version? i'm trying to avoid having to do a clean install after i would install the RTM

awperk

@Angry Numismatist:

Well said, salesman, well said. XD

@Terry: Which are the other two? I only began to understand that OSes could win or suck a couple of years ago, and by then XP was everywhere and I can't remember what using older versions was like.

@Skyman747: Is it any better from 7100?

tylerf

@MkFly: It happens. People post to the wrong thread on any number of occasions.

peanut_butter

This OS is called Windows 7. That means MS is owning up to 7 incarnations of their operating system. Of them, 3 have been worth paying for. Of those 3, Win7 tops the list.

Just pay for the damned thing, already.

*yawn*

HashTab and a Google Search will do this just as well. I don't know how many people will be downloading Win7 from MSDN that don't know how to compute a checksum.

MkFly

@cjmike: Smooth.

MkFly

@Digitallysick: I don't think anyone has suggested using just a checksum. Everyone is saying use the MD5 sum which is a cryptographic hash of the image--this can't be forged (at least not with today's technology).

cthulhu944

@Laogeodritt: From the app's site: "I wanted to make this process of verifying file hashes even simpler by making it easy and convenient to generate and compare the hashes."

And there you go.

@Digitallysick: Given that it takes a little while (cf. article), it's probably checking against known checksums of ISO images. Useful for people who can't calculate the checksum themselves or can't find original checksums to compare against.

@CameraShoe_GitEmSteveDave: Did they have cactii too?

Angry Numismatist

I think that article misses the whole big picture

Who cares how "accurate" it is in measuring the absolute person's fat content... The "it embarrasses the US" is absurd

the fact is: THE AVERAGE KEEPS GOING UP -> no matter how "accurate" it is, the fact the number grows is the big problem!

cjmike

isn't the point of SHA and/or MD5 checksums to check if the ISO has been properly downloaded and is the official iso? I don't get it... seriously??

atomicrabbit

This is stupid if its checking the file size anyone can modify add/ or remove things to make it the same size and fill it with dummy data if needed.

What I do is I go to MSDN or Technet and find their posted SHA1 checksum for the image I want, then hit the torrent sites and find the image with the same checksum in the description. Then when I download the image I run it through HashTab and compare the checksums. This way I always get the real image, not a fake trojaned one.

dark42

@GldRush98: This likely uses the hashes :)

Just a quick and easy way for those not used to checking the checksum.

@Skyman747: That and torrents can be a lot faster depending on the Seeders.

Skyman747

@neuracnu: For updated candidates. RC is 7100. I am currently running 7232.

Skyman747

@neuracnu: torrent sites are not the only source to acquire an iso from.

Microsoft is giving away the Windows 7 release candidate. For free. You can download it directly from them. Seriously.

[www.microsoft.com]

Why anyone would even put up with the slightest risk of pulling down a bogus iso from a torrent site is beyond me.

neuracnu

Yeah, I yoinked a couple of builds from questionable sources. But unlike most people, I actually mean it when I say that I was auditioning to buy. All of that's moot with the current, freely available RC, anyway. My only advice for anyone dumb enough to not be satisfied with the RC is to not install your ill-gained build on your primary rig. And for fark's sake don't do anything sensitive on it. Probably goes without saying at LH.

As an aside you gotta love that virtually everyone's beta and RC experience with 7 is 10X more positive than initial impressions of RETAIL Vista. Yes, I know that Vista is pretty good...now.

nolabar10der

@GldRush98: Unless the tool uses MD5 hashes itself...

[www.istartedsomething.com]

href="#c14068991">VenomIreland: An ISo verifier-verifier-verifier of course!

MD5 checksums make this utility pointless...

GldRush98

@y0diggity: The RTM version won't be generally available like the RC was. They plan to sell it. So they won't be giving it away. Some people (devs and so on) will have access to download the RTM. But most people will have to wait until it hits the shelves or shows up on new computers.

Of course, this refers to legitimately obtained copies.

Walter Glenn

@VenomIreland: Barack Obama, of course!

McGoogles

@ArcherOctopus: Bill Gates personally inspects and verifies everything-- retirement gets a bit boring I guess.

SJRNWT

@Jmclark: But who's going to verify the verifier verifier?

@ArcherOctopus: You download the ISO-Verifier Verifier!

Jmclark

@ArcherOctopus: Ahh the classic who going to police the police

anewark

@mattattaxx: sorry for the double post, it's technically Release to Manufacturing. No different though.

And yes, depending on how you look for it, they are generally available and functional.

Sorry for the incomplete first post.

luckybob343

@y0diggity: Release to Manufacturer. This means it is the version that would be available as the company released it to be pressed. Nothing should be different from downloading this and buying it at Best Buy.

Release to Manufacturing - likely the version to go to bulk before-consumer installers like PC and laptop manufacturers. These versions are typically fully fleshed out and functional.

The next step after that is usually GA, or general audience, when the product appears on actual store shelves.

luckybob343

And how do we know this ISO Verifier is legit?

ArcherOctopus

Probably a stupid question, but what is the "RTM"? Since I've been running the Beta and currently use the Release Candidate, is this something that I should be able to use or is it generally available? I'm not sure so I figured I'd ask all the good people of LH.
Thanks.

I had a similar problem this weekend. My cousins kids downloaded 33+ virii, and it ripped the system apart. I re-upgraded it to XP SP3 using a copied CD, as he didn't have his original CD, and even though I used the key from the case, it kept giving me unverified, and made me jump through hoops to "activate" it.