View Full Version : Windows 7 Re-Install
My sister has a 5-year old laptop with Windows 7 pre-installed. I think the hard drive is going bad as we can here a clicking sound. I would like to replace the hard drive.
If I download the iso file from here (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery) and provide the product-key, will I be able to install Windows 7 on the new hard drive? Or do I need to go the laptop manufacturer for assistance?
Thanks in advance.
Ted
TravelGal
04-18-15, 06:30 PM
Should work. Should. I think.
We just had two hard drives go within two weeks of each other. (See earlier thread about my breaking my computer. TravelGuy's went out about 14 days later. Conspiracy theorists unite.) Got some garbagerino about having to have the Lenovo Windows media first because they put all sort of cr@p on your computer that you don't want. THAT, it turned out was Vista but we had the Windows 7 upgrade discs. Then installed backups from Click Free back up drives.
So far, so good. My computer was fine. TravelGuy's was possessed. Programs came and went. It appeared and disappeared on the home LAN. After downloading Adobe Reader, it turned all the icons on the desktop into .pdf's. That meant you couldn't open them because say, Word, doesn't open with Adobe Reader. Best part was (please don't faint), we still use AOL from the ancient of days so the AOL techs kept bumping us up the line (quickly, I might add). The supervisor of extreme tech support took 30 minutes and a blizzard of keystrokes but it is (seemingly) fixed. All that is irrelevant but I just wanted to tell the story about the possessed computer.
Glad to be of help. :laugh:
My sister has a 5-year old laptop with Windows 7 pre-installed. I think the hard drive is going bad as we can here a clicking sound. I would like to replace the hard drive.
If I download the iso file from here (http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-recovery) and provide the product-key, will I be able to install Windows 7 on the new hard drive? Or do I need to go the laptop manufacturer for assistance?
Thanks in advance.
Ted
Looks like that should work as they are going to verify the product key and presumably have you download the correct version.
It should work. Most things will work out of the box. Some things may work better if you go to the manufacturer's site and download their specific device drivers.
Should work. Should. I think.
We just had two hard drives go within two weeks of each other. (See earlier thread about my breaking my computer. TravelGuy's went out about 14 days later. Conspiracy theorists unite.) Got some garbagerino about having to have the Lenovo Windows media first because they put all sort of cr@p on your computer that you don't want. THAT, it turned out was Vista but we had the Windows 7 upgrade discs. Then installed backups from Click Free back up drives.
So far, so good. My computer was fine. TravelGuy's was possessed. Programs came and went. It appeared and disappeared on the home LAN. After downloading Adobe Reader, it turned all the icons on the desktop into .pdf's. That meant you couldn't open them because say, Word, doesn't open with Adobe Reader. Best part was (please don't faint), we still use AOL from the ancient of days so the AOL techs kept bumping us up the line (quickly, I might add). The supervisor of extreme tech support took 30 minutes and a blizzard of keystrokes but it is (seemingly) fixed. All that is irrelevant but I just wanted to tell the story about the possessed computer.
Glad to be of help. :laugh:
Frist you dis my Dodgers and now AOL. ;) Ain't dead yet, but Lord knows they've tried. Still waiting on AOLhoo to happen. :D
Lemme know how this goes. I'm in the same boat. Unfortunately my key is for Vista. No idea if it will work. I've been at this since 6am. My brain hurts. I think I'll tackle this piece tomorrow if necessary. And I'm sure it will. It's either that or pay Laptop Guy $160+ or a new copy of Windows 7. No way I want Windows 8.x. :irked:
Lemme know how this goes. I'm in the same boat. Unfortunately my key is for Vista. No idea if it will work. I've been at this since 6am. My brain hurts. I think I'll tackle this piece tomorrow if necessary. And I'm sure it will. It's either that or pay Laptop Guy $160+ or a new copy of Windows 7. No way I want Windows 8.x. :irked:
If you Google 'Windows 7 product key finder' there are ways to decode the key stored in the registry. Haven't tried it myself....
If you Google 'Windows 7 product key finder' there are ways to decode the key stored in the registry. Haven't tried it myself....
Dude, I wince going into Regedit in a GUI let alone a command prompt. :) Command line is my last resort, and I'd rather pay the ~$60 for a copy of 7 than go there. My brain hurts. :saywhat: ;) I gots the key, but it's for the original Vista install. I'll see if it works tomorrow. Took another tilt at the windmill again recently and still no dice. Apparently the cat over the keyboard (just stuffed) doesn't REALLY work. ;)
Insomniac
04-19-15, 06:59 PM
It's nice that MSFT makes you provide a key. I was going to mention it may require an OEM DVD because those look at the BIOS for activation. But I'd say they check the key.
Insomniac
04-19-15, 07:08 PM
Lemme know how this goes. I'm in the same boat. Unfortunately my key is for Vista. No idea if it will work. I've been at this since 6am. My brain hurts. I think I'll tackle this piece tomorrow if necessary. And I'm sure it will. It's either that or pay Laptop Guy $160+ or a new copy of Windows 7. No way I want Windows 8.x. :irked:
You'll need a Windows 7 key. The upgrade should've come with one. If you don't have that key, you won't get anywhere. Microsoft forums suggest how to clean install it through phone activation.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/clean-install-of-windows-7-from-a-windows-7/9d57b9f2-bf9b-4244-8fdf-edd777ba4489
There's also other ways:
http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Install-Windows-7-With-Upgrade-Media
I've never done either (I have called and they are very helpful, but in my case, my OEM Windows XP key would not work in a VM because it couldn't access the BIOS, so they just gave me a new retail key.) Hopefully telling them your drive crashed and you didn't have the Vista install disc (but have the key/sticker) will get them to help you out.
You'll need a Windows 7 key. The upgrade should've come with one. If you don't have that key, you won't get anywhere. Microsoft forums suggest how to clean install it through phone activation.
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/clean-install-of-windows-7-from-a-windows-7/9d57b9f2-bf9b-4244-8fdf-edd777ba4489
There's also other ways:
http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Install-Windows-7-With-Upgrade-Media
I've never done either (I have called and they are very helpful, but in my case, my OEM Windows XP key would not work in a VM because it couldn't access the BIOS, so they just gave me a new retail key.) Hopefully telling them your drive crashed and you didn't have the Vista install disc (but have the key/sticker) will get them to help you out.
There was no key with the 7 upgrade CD. Plain Jane and vanilla with Dell branding (Army green with with white lettering :) ). They sell (or sold) them on eBay all the time. Based on the listings I reviewed today, eBay changed the rules and sellers are required to send 'media' with the product. It was an OEM CD I simply inserted and performed the upgrade. I know where it was, just not where it is. Between the movers, unpackers, and parent meddling, things are just not in logical locations. </Sheldon> ;) I'll check on the linky tomorrow...when my brain doesn't hurt so much. The Mac lobe is growing. :D
Insomniac
04-20-15, 11:13 AM
There was no key with the 7 upgrade CD. Plain Jane and vanilla with Dell branding (Army green with with white lettering :) ). They sell (or sold) them on eBay all the time. Based on the listings I reviewed today, eBay changed the rules and sellers are required to send 'media' with the product. It was an OEM CD I simply inserted and performed the upgrade. I know where it was, just not where it is. Between the movers, unpackers, and parent meddling, things are just not in logical locations. </Sheldon> ;) I'll check on the linky tomorrow...when my brain doesn't hurt so much. The Mac lobe is growing. :D
Then the sad news may be that you need to put OEM Vista on first.
TravelGal
04-20-15, 12:34 PM
Then the sad news may be that you need to put OEM Vista on first.
That's what we had to do. Load what the machine came with (Vista) and install the upgrade disks. Mine works. TravelGuy is speaking to Microsoft as I type. His computer is still possessed.
racermike
04-21-15, 10:33 PM
Get spare USB drive, run Easy File Transfer, to save old data
Just a follow-up to my initial post. It turns out the Windows 7 product ID contains the letters "OEM", so I needed to go back to the notebook maker to get a copy of Win7. They charged me $30.
Ted
gerhard911
05-01-15, 07:37 PM
Most OEM installs have a procedure to create a set of recovery disks. Do this upon first boot of a new windoze PC, put them in your firesafe place and you will be covered.
I just bit the bullet and paid $50 for an OEM disc on eBay. Up and running fine now.
On a side note, I did manage to find our engagement pics from 1993, and had my girls deliver them to the ex. :gomer: ;)
TravelGal
05-02-15, 01:56 AM
Yeah, as mentioned, we had to go back to Lenovo. Geek Squad paid whatever the charges were.
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