Need a Clean Install of Windows 7 Home Premium

[Mr_Western]

Hey Guys,
Ok, so I am in need of a clean install of my OS, no need for any data presently on my laptop. So here is my question, where can I get a Genuine Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit Operating System disc to use on my system that is free and can also work with my License key [which by the way is the original key that came with the laptop].
Now I know that dell [which is the manufacturer of my laptop, I think it is called an OEM key] has downloadable .ISO of the OS I am in need of but I need to know if I can use that on my system with my license key and work:

Here is the .ISO image. Main article the iso came from-->
[http://en.community.dell.com/support-forums/software-os/w/microsoft_os/3316.2-1-microsoft-windows-7-official-iso-download-links-digital-river.aspx]

The .iso image I need-->
[http://msft.digitalrivercontent.net/win/X17-58997.iso]

So guys is that the .iso file I need or is it something else, if so where to get it and how to use with my License key.

Laptop Specs----->Dell XPS 15 L502X
8 GB DDR3 RAM
750 GB HDD (85% Free)
Windows Home Premium 64-bit (stock OS)
Intel Core i7-2670QM CPU @ 2.20GHz
Graphics Card GT-540M (2 GB)

Thanks Guys for any suggestions
Yours Truly
Mr Western

 

[zdbc13]

Yes, those isos are correct. As it says on the dell.com site you will probably need to call Microsoft during activation to get it going.

 

[house70]

You can go ahead and d/l that iso, install and apply the key when requested. Any activation woes can be sorted out via phone activation (it worked for me every time).
On the page you linked the first time there are some directions/disclaimers that pertain to the OEM version and how to activate via phone. Read them and follow their instructions, you should be fine.

 

[te100]

is it still under warranty

 

[zdbc13]

Another good idea if you have a 4gb USB flash drive is install the iso to it and use it to install to your laptop. Use this tool to install the .iso file to the USB drive.

http://www.microsoftstore.com/store/msstore/html/pbPage.Help_Win7_usbdvd_dwnTool

 

[Mr_Western]

is it still under warranty

Yes it is still under warranty but warranty won't cover my issue.

 

[te100]

you can request reinstallation dvds

Dell Customers can now request a set of backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system.
Requests are limited to one (1) set of backup discs per system purchased.
The backup discs requested must match the operating system that was factory installed on the original order.

 

[Mr_Western]

You can go ahead and d/l that iso, install and apply the key when requested. Any activation woes can be sorted out via phone activation (it worked for me every time).
On the page you linked the first time there are some directions/disclaimers that pertain to the OEM version and how to activate via phone. Read them and follow their instructions, you should be fine.

Wow Thank you guys for replying so damn quickly but I read the forum on the dell site and was trying to avoid the online activation, however can you tell me, given that you have done it already, what to do with this online activation thing.

 

[Mr_Western]

you can request reinstallation dvds

Dell Customers can now request a set of backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system.
Requests are limited to one (1) set of backup discs per system purchased.
The backup discs requested must match the operating system that was factory installed on the original order.

Thanks for your reply,
I have created my own backup USB, it works normal, I have even used the system factory image located on the HDD but my specific problem keeps on coming back, so that is why I am looking for a clean install..

 

[house70]

Wow Thank you guys for replying so damn quickly but I read the forum on the dell site and was trying to avoid the online activation, however can you tell me, given that you have done it already, what to do with this online activation thing.

No biggie, the phone activation is still automated and there is a process it guides you through. It's by far the easier way to re-activate your OEM copy when doing re-installs (a little lengthy to follow, but works). Just follow the prompts and you should be fine.

 

[zdbc13]

Using the USB like I said is not a backup. It is an alternative to burning the iso to a DVD. It's much faster and easier. I think you'll like it if you try it.

 

[hedwar2011]

you can request reinstallation dvds

Dell Customers can now request a set of backup discs containing the factory-installed operating system as well as the device drivers and utilities specific to your system.
Requests are limited to one (1) set of backup discs per system purchased.
The backup discs requested must match the operating system that was factory installed on the original order.

Ultimately it depends on how long ago he got the computer, and they may also attempt to charge him for the DVDs. That's one of the reasons why they recommend downloaing the ISO file to be used.

 

[Mr_Western]

Ultimately it depends on how long ago he got the computer, and they may also attempt to charge him for the DVDs. That's one of the reasons why they recommend downloaing the ISO file to be used.

Well the laptop is still under warranty, if that makes any difference, but I will go with house 70 advice, but I will download it and re-install during the holiday's, exam is having me buried in books.

 

[Mr_Western]

No biggie, the phone activation is still automated and there is a process it guides you through. It's by far the easier way to re-activate your OEM copy when doing re-installs (a little lengthy to follow, but works). Just follow the prompts and you should be fine.

Hey house,
I went through with the clean install of windows, however you said that I had to do the phone activation thing, well I was about to do that but it did not gave me an option to do so, so I just entered my license key from under my laptop and it registered, no phone activation needed, what's that about.

 

[house70]

Hey house,
I went through with the clean install of windows, however you said that I had to do the phone activation thing, well I was about to do that but it did not gave me an option to do so, so I just entered my license key from under my laptop and it registered, no phone activation needed, what's that about.

Great then, if you're set, enjoy your system.

 

[hedwar2011]

Hey house,
I went through with the clean install of windows, however you said that I had to do the phone activation thing, well I was about to do that but it did not gave me an option to do so, so I just entered my license key from under my laptop and it registered, no phone activation needed, what's that about.

Did you do it from within Windows or by booting to the CD? If you booted to the CD, it simply means that when you installed in that method that the Product Key was embedded into the installation files. If you did it from within Windows, then it is just the opposite. There was no "answer" file as it's called for setup to look for during the installation so it prompted you for the COA. Typically, either method will work because the product key is still tied to that computer regardless with it being a OEM system.

 

[zdbc13]

Since it was the same laptop that you had the license activated and you installed the new windows, it didn't need the phone activation. Way to go and enjoy....

 

[Mr_Western]

Great then, if you're set, enjoy your system.

Hey house,
Just to bother you one last time, do you know how to format the recovery partition, I have no need for it now, not the oem partition, the one that dell leaves behind to allow for a system restore to be done to factory state.

Thanks to all of you guys for helping me.

 

[Mr_Western]

Did you do it from within Windows or by booting to the CD? If you booted to the CD, it simply means that when you installed in that method that the Product Key was embedded into the installation files. If you did it from within Windows, then it is just the opposite. There was no "answer" file as it's called for setup to look for during the installation so it prompted you for the COA. Typically, either method will work because the product key is still tied to that computer regardless with it being a OEM system.

Hey hedwar,
I booted to the disc, because I wanted to format my drive before installing windows. If i had done it through My Computer, windows would not have been able to format the drive and would have left a file in my C: partition
[name -> windows.old].

 

[Mr_Western]

Since it was the same laptop that you had the license activated and you installed the new windows, it didn't need the phone activation. Way to go and enjoy....

Hey zdbc13,
Yeah it was the same laptop, however the laptop was formatted and the license key I found on windows [using Magic Jellybean key recovery] was different than the one under my laptop which is confusing me.
Thanks for your reply.

 

[house70]

Hey house,
Just to bother you one last time, do you know how to format the recovery partition, I have no need for it now, not the oem partition, the one that dell leaves behind to allow for a system restore to be done to factory state.

Thanks to all of you guys for helping me.

If you really want to get rid of that, you can use disk management (in Administrative tools) to get rid of that partition.
Alternative, you can use Killdisk (can use it from Windows, as well, no need for a bootable CD) and wipe that partition clean, then you can format it using Disk Management. Make sure you select the right partition to erase, you don't want to erase something else by mistake.

 

[Mr_Western]

If you really want to get rid of that, you can use disk management (in Administrative tools) to get rid of that partition.
Alternative, you can use Killdisk (can use it from Windows, as well, no need for a bootable CD) and wipe that partition clean, then you can format it using Disk Management. Make sure you select the right partition to erase, you don't want to erase something else by mistake.

Well I have a problem, when in disk management I right click on the recovery partition but format isn't accessible.

 

[house70]

Can you set it as Primary? What are the properties that show in Disk management for that partition?

 

[Mr_Western]

Can you set it as Primary? What are the properties that show in Disk management for that partition?

The options given are:
Change drive letter and path
Shrink Volume
Properties
Help
Everything else is blanked off, meaning it isn't allowing for the option to be chosen, the reason why I am deleting this partition is because the system is saying it is corrupted the last time I try to do a system recovery from it, this is why I ended up having to do a clean install.

 

[house70]

The options given are:
Change drive letter and path
Shrink Volume
Properties
Help
Everything else is blanked off, meaning it isn't allowing for the option to be chosen, the reason why I am deleting this partition is because the system is saying it is corrupted the last time I try to do a system recovery from it, this is why I ended up having to do a clean install.

I would use Killdisk as said above. Then you can create a new partition in that space and finally merge it with existing one.