Installing Windows on a Laptop after I replace the HDD

[mpaul07]

So my neighbour has this laptop (a Sony VAIO) which she says it's broken. She asked me to take a look at it and see if I can fix it. The HDD appears to be corrupted. Will the warranty cover the costs? I would not rely on the warranty because my neighbour has the intelligence of a monkey so I am pretty sure she threw away all the documents about the laptop.
In case the warranty won't work I have another question. The laptop had Windows 8 pre-installed when it was bought. Does she need buy a new copy of Windows I'll replace the HDD?

 

[Christiaan Lourens]

My advice would be to phone Microsoft and find out. I trust you are aware of Microsoft Windows 10 now coming out? a free upgrade to Windows, there might be a loophole there if they do not help you, but they should just use the TOLL FREE number please. I do not want to have it on my conscience that you spent hundreds of $ being on a phone with them.

Have you tested the HDD as an external device to determine whether it is indeed faulty/corrupted?

The reason I ask is you might be able to access and even backup some files before formatting/ installing a new one with none of her old data.

 

[mpaul07]

The reason I ask is you might be able to access and even backup some files before formatting/ installing a new one with none of her old data.

There is nothing to backup. She used her 800€ laptop only to check facebook and literally nothing else.
I will phone Microsoft. If I can't do anything about it, I wil just install linux on it.