Windows 7 Hard Drive Crash - No Install Disk

[DropOfGoldenSun]

I have a box purchased with Windows 7 on it. The hard drive crashed and now I need to buy another one. I already have a license for Windows 7 (OEM), but no way to install it.
Is there any way to create a new install disk from a internet download?
Do I have to purchase a new recovery disk? Will a recovery disk even work with a new HDD?

Thanks in advance.
Ray

 

[goombawaho]

If you purchased a computer with Windows 7 it should have an OEM COE sticker on the side of the computer if it was a LEGAL installation from a reliable source. You should be able to use that with the appropriate install media to get things going. You cannot mix and match OEM media with retail COA and vice versa.

A recovery disk from a manufacturer will work with a new HDD. That's what they do - put things back like the day you purchased your PC. Not to be confused with a M$ operating system install disc. The recovery disk includes all the junk that the manufacturer includes. An OS install DVD is just the OS.

If you get an installation disk from the internet, you will likely get viruses in it and it's not exactly legitimate in the eyes of M$.

So, you can do several things:
1. Talk to the people that sold you the PC and get the appropriate installation media or recovery media. It should have been included. If not, demand it or purchase it from them.
2. Borrow an OEM CD from someone with a Dell, HP etc. and use your OEM code to install it.
3. Buy another retail package (license and DVD combo) at the store
100. Take your chances with a torrent download.

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

http://superuser.com/questions/2805...lly-download-windows-7-installation-iso-files

http://superuser.com/questions/78761/where-do-i-download-windows-7-legally-from-microsoft

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/...o-64-bit/c88c1fc2-7307-4875-9401-76a4d5ba2a50

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[goombawaho]

If those downloads are legit, I was completely unaware that they existed.

 

[goombawaho]

I'm trying to figure out whether those downloads will create install DVDs that work with RETAIL COAs, OEM COAs or both.

 

[vacunita]

I doubt they are legit. Even though they are posted in an MS forum. I've never seen Microsoft provide ISO downloads for current OSes. It would be awesome if they did, but I've never seen that before.





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Phil AKA Vacunita
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Ignorance is not necessarily Bliss, case in point:
Unknown has caused an Unknown Error on Unknown and must be shutdown to prevent damage to Unknown.

Web & Tech

 

[goombawaho]

Neither did I (for XP) but those are legit as Digital River is not some bootleg outfit. I never understood why they didn't make the different media available because the licensing part of the software is controlled via a Key Code (COA).

 

[hairlessupportmonkey]

I don't think MS are too concerned about the source of your media, as long as you can prove the authenticity of your license key.

ACSS - SME
General Geek

 

[goombawaho]

I think that's what I just said, but still to have answered is what type of media they are. I suppose a new thread would be best. I thought I read where you can mix and match with Windows 7 installation DVDs as long as the COA matches the product you install. In other words, a retail DVD can be used and activated with an OEM COA.

 

[cdogg]

Found this:

http://download.microsoft.com/download/3/D/4/3D42BDC2-6725-4B29-B75A-A5B04179958B/Reimaging.docx

I have a 32 bit OEM Windows 7 Professional PC. Can I reimage it to 64 bit Windows 7 Professional with 64 bit Volume Licensing media?
Yes. You may reimage between 32 bit and 64 bit platform if they are the same product and version, contain the same components, and are in the same language.

So apparently you can use a Win7 Pro VLK DVD with an Win7 Pro OEM product key as long as both are in the same language. So I imagine using a retail DVD that's in the same language will work for the OP unless I'm misreading this. Obviously a lot of forum posts on technet support that as well, but this was the first official MS reference I came across that seems to agree.

Note: This does not apply to Windows XP or previous versions of Windows.

-Carl
"The glass is neither half-full nor half-empty: it's twice as big as it needs to be."

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[goombawaho]

Yeah, I read a lot of posts on Microsoft forums and the general answer seems to be "mix and match installation DVDs" with Windows 7.

I honestly didn't know that that had changed since XP. And XP was a huge pain in that department: OEM vs. Retail and Pro vs. Home vs. Media Center

 

[kjv1611]

In my experience when ran into (well, this is what I've got: cross your fingers), Win7 installations seem to be much less finicky than prior WinXP and WinVista installs.

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." 1 Corinthians 15:57