Bought a new HDD, now how to install Windows 10?

[Thin]

My previous hdd failed so I bought a new HDD. Now when I connect new HDD to my Laptop and Start it, what will happen next?

How will I partition it if it is required?

How will I install clean Windows 10?

Will it automatically register my License key from Laptop's recovery memory?

Please guide me, I am a lay man, thanks.

 

[Colif]

If you attach it to PC and turn on, without installing windows on it, it won't do anything.

Can you tell me what laptop you have as may need to change some settings in BIOS for it to see the USB at startup to install windows


On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB << unless you have an installer now.

How to clean install - follow this very handy guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

licence - its not stored on laptop, its stored on Microsoft servers. When you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished. Activation is automatic now days.

 

[Paul NZ]

I think some keys are also embedded in the BIOS on some laptops

 

[Colif]

They may be but as its all stored on MS servers now, they shouldn't be needed.

partitioning - don't need to do it, windows will do that itself during install process

 

[Thin]

If you attach it to PC and turn on, without installing windows on it, it won't do anything.

Can you tell me what laptop you have as may need to change some settings in BIOS for it to see the USB at startup to install windows


On another PC, download the Windows 10 media creation tool and use it to make a win 10 installer on USB << unless you have an installer now.

How to clean install - follow this very handy guide: http://www.tenforums.com/tutorials/1950-windows-10-clean-install.html

licence - its not stored on laptop, its stored on Microsoft servers. When you reach the screen asking for licence, click "I don't have a key" and win 10 will continue to install and reactivate once finished. Activation is automatic now days.

Are you sure about automatically activation because I upgraded from a laptop which previously had Windows 7 Home Basic.

My laptop is a Sony Vaio VPCEB31EN E series.

I also have license key wriiten on backside of my laptop will that help, I mean windows 7 activation key.

 

[Colif]

Sorry, I assumed you had win 10 on the PC already. If you have had it on there before, my instructions apply. If it has ever had Win 10 on it before, this will work.

Otherwise, Do you have a win 10 licence code? as if so, enter it at the screen I said to skip

 

[Colif]

this is how to get into bios: https://www.quora.com/How-do-I-access-BIOS-menu-on-a-Sony-Vaio-E-series-laptop-so-that-I-can-boot-from-USB

How to set it up to boot from USB: http://community.sony.com/t5/VAIO-Upgrade-Backup-Recovery/VAIO-VGN-NR110E-how-to-boot-from-a-USB-stick/td-p/65819 - not exact model but might be still the same

 

[Thin]

No I do not have a windows 10 key will my Windows 7 key from before act as my new key as I jave already upgraded to Windows 10 but it is stored on the hdd which is dead (previous one) So what do I do now?

 

[Paul NZ]

If you upgraded and it activated it'll be on the ms servers. Even if your hdd is dead, it wont matter

If it's the same version of 10 it'll activate

 

[Colif]

When you upgraded win 7 to 10 you got a digital entitlement to always install win 10 on the laptop again.

You can even move the licence to a new PC if you do certain steps before hand but a hard drive doesn't make it a new PC

 

[Thin]

Colif, Paul NZ thanks a lot. I have successfully Installed a Clean Copy of Windows 10 using the Tutorial and help to boot from USB. And it has successfully Activated my Windows using Digital Key. Now on the latest version of Windows 10.

It would be impossible without your assistance because many were saying that I will lose my Iicense because my disk crashed. But your accurate knowledge made me install this successfully.

Thanks a zillion!

 

[Colif]

I always like a happy ending

 

[Paul NZ]

sweet