SilverTongueDevil :
sure you do. windows only skips the key when it's an OEM install with hardware matched to the disk. (Example: you buy a dell, and it comes with a windows install disk. if you were to install from that disk onto that matching dell, you wouldn't need to enter the install key... probably; sometimes you do anyway)
I was working at a computer repair shop and the guy was using the same disk to install on computers needing it. The installation doesn't ask you for the cdkey, but it does say put the cdkey in after it never forces you to.
He's like windows doesn't ask you for the cdkey if the machine already has a copy of windows installed. Just curious about this, why I'm asking the community.
depends on the install media you use. for example, my company works with a LOT of dell pcs... most of our clients are on Dell PCs. one of the pieces of software we carry around all day is a windows 7 "universal" dell OEM install iso (all versions of windows 7 sp1) on a bootable USB drive. (BTW: before you ask we got this disk through dell)
anyway, we can install it straight onto a dell pc, and yes, it will prompt for a windows key, every time, during install. Meanwhile at another of our clients (they use all HPs) we have a similar disk, and that one doesn't prompt you during install, however you need to enter the valid key in order to validate the copy of windows 7 after the install.
So yes, depending on the copy of windows 7, and the version of the installer you may or may not be prompted during install, but it doesn't have anything (that I've seen) to do with prior installs of windows existing on the hard drive. That said it used to be that windows XP installers would act like that, so perhaps there are versions of the windows 7 installer which will only prompt you if it's a clean install. not sure. I've just seen so many different behaviors from windows 7 installers i gave up guessing.
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