Windows 7 Enterprise

Windows 7 is a Microsoft operating system, designed to be run on Windows-compatible computers. An upgrade to this operating system from previous versions of Windows is available to eligible individuals at Columbia University under the terms of a campus-wide license agreement with Microsoft Corporation. This product can be installed on eligible systems used for your Columbia-related work.

Please note that CUIT recommends users install Windows 10, as Microsoft no longer offers mainstream support for Windows 7. Beginning in January 2020, Microsoft will also discontinue extended support for Windows 7, meaning that you will not be able to count on any security or reliability patches.

Please note:

  • Support: Although Windows 7 is available for installation through our agreement with Microsoft, CUIT does not support Windows 7. If you need help with this software after installing it on a home computer, please obtain support from a third-party service provider in your local area.​​​​
  • Applications: Currently, most Administrative Applications are certified to run on Windows 7.
  • Installation: Eligibility to download Microsoft Windows 7 Enterprise is generally limited to University officers, support staff and faculty, with exceptions for certain graduate/professional students at CUIMC and the Business School. All students should visit the Microsoft Software Portal for MS downloads to personal devices. If you are not eligible, you will not be able to download the installer and will be redirected to a page with additional information.

How to Download and Install Microsoft Windows 7

  1. Please make sure your computer meets the necessary requirements to install Windows 7 Enterprise.
  2. Download the ISO image (required UNI login):
  3. Save the ISO image to your hard drive, and make a note of where you saved it.
  4. The ISO image windows7-32.iso or windows7-64.iso must be recorded to a blank, writeable DVD. Please follow the instructions of your burning utility to record the ISO to a DVD.
    • If you do not have ISO burning software, you can obtain any of a number of unsupported applications: the commercial Nero, Roxio, etc. Please note that these applications are not supported by CUIT.
  5. After the ISO has been recorded, start your computer using the DVD you just burned.
  6. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete installation/configuration of Windows 7.
  7. After Windows 7 Enterprise has finished installing, please follow the activation instructions to fully activate it.