Creating Ei.Cfg

Modified on Fri, 19 Feb 2021 at 05:53 PM

Below are the step by step instructions reinstalling Windows for a customer who has upgraded to Windows 8, 8.1, or 10 professional. This issue is happening in all models except Sager because all other models have an existing Home version of Windows saved within their BIOS. Please make sure to simply change how to enter the boot menu based on the model you're troubleshooting:

To Enter the boot menu:

MSI- F11
ASUS- ESC
Gigabyte- F12

Before you begin this process we'll need to create new recovery media to boot from so please get a USB with at least 4GB of space, go to Microsoft website in the link below, click on download tool now, run the setup on the file downloaded, select the option to "create backup media for another PC", and select USB and Windows will create the iso media.

Now we need to created and add the "Ei.cfg" file to the sources folder of the iso file you just created.

Open up note pad and copy and paste the following:

[EditionID]

Professional

[Channel]

Retail

[VL]

Make sure the USB we created is still in your system, now Save as "Ei.cfg" directly to the "Sources" folder of ISO media created on your USB ( Make sure you add the quotations so when you save this it creates a CFG file and not a text file)

Make sure all your files are backed up before proceeding to the next step.

Put the USB into your system and restart your computer.
Press the F11 key to enter the boot menu as soon as the computer begins to boot, select the USB and press ENTER to load the Windows setup.
Click install now and click through the various options.
You should see an option now to select "Windows 10 professional or Home".
Once you get to the option to "upgrade" or "Custom", click on Custom.
Remove all recovery files, partitions, and wipe your primary HDD.
Your drive should say "unallocated", select the unallocated drive and click next to reinstall Windows.