Convert evaluation copy of Windows 7 to retail copy?

[ultimatebob]

I'm curious if there was a method (officially supported or otherwise) to convert a Windows 7 evaluation copy to the retail version.

I needed to build a Windows system image for some new hardware we received (It's a special Embedded POS edition), but didn't have a retail copy of the software at the time. I used the evaluation copy from Microsoft's web site to build the system image and test out the hardware, and would like to use that image for deployments once I get a working license key. If I can't convert the OS from the evaluation version, though, I'll need to start over from scratch.

(Again, I'm not trying to pirate anything. I'm buying a retail license key for this)

Has anyone successfully pulled this off before?

 

[SparkyJJO]

If you've built the image without a key installed then all you should have to do is just simply enter the purchased key and activate.

 

[JackMDS]

No matter what you have to buy a Legal Key.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&IsNodeId=1&Description=Windows%207%20OEM&bop=And&Order=RATING&PageSize=30

Then you can log to the System Screen, Click and try to change the Key with the new one and Activate.

If you are lucky it will work. Otherwise, you have to install again, some versions of trials are "hard cored" no be activated.

 

[Ketchup]

I installed a later build on my desktop for testing purposes, and it was ready and willing to accept a key. After that I would suppose it would just download the current build, same as my original preview build did.