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Author Topic: Reinstall Windows 7  (Read 6547 times)

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AlwaysTrying

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    • OS: Windows 7
    Reinstall Windows 7
    « on: April 05, 2017, 12:43:06 PM »
    I want to do a clean install of Windows 7 Home premium 64 bit service pack 1.

    Where is recommended place to buy that I can download on USB.  I have OEM product key. Have no back up disks and no hidden recovery disk on computer. Restore to previous version only lets me do to this afternoon.

    I have tried the Microsoft site but won't allow as I have OEM installed and laptop is 2nd hand and old just added extra memory. Not worried about easing my files etc.
    Thanks

    Geek-9pm


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    Re: Reinstall Windows 7
    « Reply #1 on: April 05, 2017, 02:23:35 PM »
    AlwaysTrying.
    You have the COA sticker on your PC. Right? Like the one below.
    You can ask the maker of your computer for a copy of the install disk.
    Microsoft has a support forum and an 800 number. But your first task  is to contact the maker of the computer. Who is the maker?



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    AlwaysTrying

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      Re: Reinstall Windows 7
      « Reply #2 on: April 05, 2017, 02:56:17 PM »
      Thanks for replying Geek,

      Yes has sticker underneath computer.

      It is a (old) compaq presario CQ56. (HP) I have been on website and googled everything but nothing as I don't have boot disks.

      Could I buy windowsv7 from say Amazon full version and use that to install on laptop and put in old product key. Then use it to update an old custom built desktop running on XP using new product key?

      I just wasn't sure if buying from Amazon or likes I wasn't going to end up with some doggy software.


      Geek-9pm


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      Re: Reinstall Windows 7
      « Reply #3 on: April 05, 2017, 08:25:25 PM »
      This is from speech dictation.
      First of all let me say no. Do not buy a Windows 7 version off of Amazon. The retail version of Windows 7 is no longer a retail product, except in the case of overstocks or recovered merchandise. More likely, what you might by would end up being some special form of Windows 7 that was sold to some of the OEM companies in some other area.
      Let me try to justify myself. I've been playing around with Windows XP, Windows 7 and Windows 10 for a while. At the present time Microsoft will only help you with Windows 10 installation. If you want help with Windows 7 don't expect it to be free from Microsoft.
      Now having said that, let me bounce some ideas off you. One idea is to buy one older Compaq Presario laptop that has Windows 7 already on it. In that case I believe you could copy the Windows 7 off of that computer and install it onto your compact for sorry okay and it should run. But if it has a problem about activation, you should be able to use the OEM product key that you have on the existing computer. That way you will end up with too old computers that run Windows 7 for less than what you would pay for at the price of a retail version of Windows 7. The retail version of Windows 7, if you can find it, should be about $100 and up. If you find it for less it would be a very unusual situation. But a fully functional Compaq  laptop with Windows 7 installed can be had for quite a bit less than $100. On eBay these old computers with Windows 7 installed are going for about $70 or less.
      Here's the issue. The OEM product key works with the OEM version of Windows 7. The retail version of Windows 7 must have a retail product key. Given that the operating system is still Windows 7, it does make a difference which product key you use. The retail version of Windows 7 will not allow you to use the OEM product key.
      If I am wrong on this, please somebody but in right now and stop me.

      How about Windows 10? Let me be very Frank and ask you a very personal question. Do you think you could put up with having Windows 10 on a very old computer? You might be able to get a copy of Windows 10 for use on your computer at a reasonable cost. In some cases the Windows 10 product key is being sold at a reasonable price. I do not understand the legal issues involved in this, some here have told me it has to be illegal. Nevertheless, some sources continue to advertise on the Internet that they will sell you just the product key by itself at a favorable price. I bought a Windows 10 product key off of eBay and was then told by other members of this forum that I have something illegal. So I'm not using it. But then again, I don't have to. I have to legal copies of Windows 10 anyway and don't need another one.
      I've installed Windows 7 and number of times and have installed Windows 10 the number of times. From my experience if you have any kind of Windows 7 install disk, it will install without the product key. But you'll have to get a valid product key for it to activate correctly.
      I suppose should have another computer available or you know a friend that has a computer. It is possible to download the ISO of the Windows 7 disk image. However, there is no official website that offers this service for free. And as somebody does offered for price, it might be illegal.
      If you want to pursue the idea of downloading an ISO of Windows 7, you might send a personal message to me or one of the other members of this forum in maybe they will provide you a link to someplace where you can get a Windows 7 ISO. I believe that one time you could get it off the Microsoft site, but the last time I checked it was not available. Instead, they would rather you get Windows 10. If you're interested in Windows 10, there's no problem in getting a ISO from Microsoft and installing it on your computer. But there is the issue about getting the proper drivers. The have to have some way to get into the Internet and get the proper drivers for that particular computer. If you have a friend helping you, you might be able to get the Windows 7 drivers for that version of compact for sorry okay off of the Hewlett-Packard website. You'll have to specify the exact model number to get the right set of drivers.
      Again, my best recommendation is to buy another compact personal Arial very much like the one you have that already has Windows 7 installed on it. You should be able to make a clone of the Windows 7 installation and copy it onto your compact Presario. The OEM product key you have on your laptop gives you the authority to do this.
      The last few direct question about trying to install a retail Windows 7 on a machine that has only an OEM product key. To the best of my knowledge the answer is no. The retail version of Windows 7 has to go with a retail version of the product key. What you want is a Windows 7 version that comes with the Compaq personal Arial.
      I hope that gives you some idea and please understand I'm doing my best to try to figure out a way to help you with your problem. Again, I believe that the price of a Windows 7 install disk probably will cost US much as buying an old Compaq personal Arial off of eBay that already has Windows 7 installed on it.
      This is the end of dictation.   :)

      patio

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      Re: Reinstall Windows 7
      « Reply #4 on: April 05, 2017, 08:38:38 PM »
      If he has a legible COA all he needs is the install media...borrowed or whatever...

      As long as the versions match...
      " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

      Geek-9pm


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      Re: Reinstall Windows 7
      « Reply #5 on: April 05, 2017, 08:58:43 PM »
      Thank you Patio. I was wrong.   :'(

      If the Windows 7 computer has a COA on it, then the product key will work on the DVD that is sold retail.
      The only limit is the version.
        Home Premium
        Professional
        Ultimate

      (There are both 32 and 64 versions .)
      Reference:
      https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-windows_install/can-an-oem-licence-key-be-used-to-activate-a/495b4da1-c1b7-4d93-82a9-8c8601bbaf32

      AlwaysTrying

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        Re: Reinstall Windows 7
        « Reply #6 on: April 06, 2017, 08:24:14 AM »
        Thank you Geek an Patio, I really do appreciate your time in replying.

        Laptop is currently in local computer repair shop, as I popped in to ask before see your replies.  He going to reinstall for me and upgrade it to Windows 10 and kindly offered to do it for free. I pick it up tmrw and if all goes well I will take customised desktop in to be sorted and upgraded.

        He also recommend Windows 10, I'm a bit meh at Windows 10 as I upgraded for free when they rolled it out on another Laptop which used to be my eldest. I do prefer Windows 7 (too old to keep up with technology) hopefully he will be able to reinstall my msoffice software that was also preinstalled on the compaq.

        Will make sure do USB backup/boot.

        Thanks again