no system restore disks

[sillybird]

I bought a new hard drive for my laptop as the old one was corrupt. I have lost my system repair disks. Do I need them to install Windows 7 on the new hard drive?

 

[canadianvice]

I bought a new hard drive for my laptop as the old one was corrupt. I have lost my system repair disks. Do I need them to install Windows 7 on the new hard drive?

Usually, yes. It's the easiest, most recommended route. You have two potential options for salvation, however:
#1. Contact the manufacturer and see if they will send you a new set of discs for your model, for a small fee (usually in the area of $26.00CAD, shipping incl.)
#2. Get a hold of a Windows 7 ISO matching the version you had. There are legal ways to download this through digital river, but I don't remember just where. Google, and you shall be delivered. Once this has happened, you'll need to use the product key from your Laptop's authenticity sticker to do the rest of the work.

Finally, you'll need to try and find the drivers for your computer. These are usually available for download via your laptop manufacturer. If you need help with this step, I'd suggest reposting another thread once the other stuff I've mentioned goes well for you.