Doing an install of Windows 7 on a purchased, used computer

JWRaleigh

Commendable
May 27, 2016
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1,510
I bought a used Dell computer from a local university surplus store. The hard drive has been wiped. I did boot it up to bios and it appears to have everything else needed ... RAM, Graphics Card, et al. So, it should be operational. And the Windows 7 Pro COA stickers are still attached to the machine. Can't I do a clean install of Windows 7 on this machine ... free of charge? If so, what are the steps to doing that? I am a newbie at this stuff.
 
The University may have sold off the licences or re-used them elsewhere.

It's worth a try if you have the appropriate DVD but you will have to go into Control Panel>System at a very early stage and click on Change Product Key before you connect to the Net to activate.