Reinstalling windows 7, How do I do it?

[AdamL22197]

I am going to upgrade my motherboard and RAM. I've been reading up on everything and it looks like ill have to re install windows, there is a problem. windows that i have already came preloaded onto a hard drive and i do not have the original Windows 7 disk. Help!

 

[dmoening]

You have a few options. Unfortunately without a Windows disk, you can either contact your computer manufacturer and see if you can purchase a installation DVD for the version of Windows that you are currently running. You could also download the ISO file from the website below and use burning software like IMGburn to burn the ISO file to a disk.

You will also need to make sure that you have a product key on the side of the case to reactivate Windows. If you do not see a product key, try using a keyfinder on the PC like the one below.

Feel free to ask me for more information and help

Windows Download: http://best-windows.vlaurie.com/boot-disks.html#full
ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/
Keyfinder: http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

 

[AdamL22197]

You have a few options. Unfortunately without a Windows disk, you can either contact your computer manufacturer and see if you can purchase a installation DVD for the version of Windows that you are currently running. You could also download the ISO file from the website below and use burning software like IMGburn to burn the ISO file to a disk.

You will also need to make sure that you have a product key on the side of the case to reactivate Windows. If you do not see a product key, try using a keyfinder on the PC like the one below.

Feel free to ask me for more information and help

Windows Download: http://best-windows.vlaurie.com/boot-disks.html#full
ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/
Keyfinder: http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

I have the product key, thing is i see people have just booted off their old hard drive then reformatted and reinstalled all drivers will this work? PLEASE note that I am not changing my hard drive

 

[dmoening]

A dramatic change like a new motherboard will most likely require you to reinstall Windows. The machine will most likely blue screen because of the new hardware if you didn't.

 

[Tradesman1]

NO! put your rig together, add the hard drive and BOOT...Win7 will look at the new hardware, load appropriate drivers from it's store and then you are running...next update the mobo drivers for the new mobo (get the latest from their web site) ......then take a registry cleaner like the Wise free edition and clean the registry. Then either go to activation or wait to see if it calls for it, if so, do the on-line activation - some times it just activates, other times it will give you a code and a phone number call, enter the code when it asks, it will also ask how many computers is this installed on, answer 1 and it will provide a new activation code...I've had about a dozen members of Tom's go through this now with no problems

 

[dmoening]

From experience, you will run into more problems without reinstalling Windows. My recommendation is to just format and reinstall. You will thank yourself in the end.

 

[Tradesman1]

Well not sure of your experience or if you've even ever tried doing this, but as mentioned, there have been a dozen or more here at Tom's in the last month do this, and I know I've done it well over 100 times with basically no problems at all - even going from an AMD to Intel or Intel to AMD...and at least 2 that were thankful for saving $100 not having to buy a copy and all for not having to reload all their apps and restore data from backups

 

[AdamL22197]

Well not sure of your experience or if you've even ever tried doing this, but as mentioned, there have been a dozen or more here at Tom's in the last month do this, and I know I've done it well over 100 times with basically no problems at all - even going from an AMD to Intel or Intel to AMD...and at least 2 that were thankful for saving $100 not having to buy a copy and all for not having to reload all their apps and restore data from backups

Will windows be slow do I have to reset it to factory after this? Are there hardware locks? Just some questions.

 

[Tradesman1]

Actually once all done and the registry cleaned it may be snappier than it was before, it's all an excellent time to clean out temp files and junk

 

[AdamL22197]

You have a few options. Unfortunately without a Windows disk, you can either contact your computer manufacturer and see if you can purchase a installation DVD for the version of Windows that you are currently running. You could also download the ISO file from the website below and use burning software like IMGburn to burn the ISO file to a disk.

You will also need to make sure that you have a product key on the side of the case to reactivate Windows. If you do not see a product key, try using a keyfinder on the PC like the one below.

Feel free to ask me for more information and help

Windows Download: http://best-windows.vlaurie.com/boot-disks.html#full
ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/
Keyfinder: http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

You have a few options. Unfortunately without a Windows disk, you can either contact your computer manufacturer and see if you can purchase a installation DVD for the version of Windows that you are currently running. You could also download the ISO file from the website below and use burning software like IMGburn to burn the ISO file to a disk.

You will also need to make sure that you have a product key on the side of the case to reactivate Windows. If you do not see a product key, try using a keyfinder on the PC like the one below.

Feel free to ask me for more information and help

Windows Download: http://best-windows.vlaurie.com/boot-disks.html#full
ImgBurn: http://www.imgburn.com/
Keyfinder: http://www.magicaljellybean.com/keyfinder/

I have the product key, thing is i see people have just booted off their old hard drive then reformatted and reinstalled all drivers will this work? PLEASE note that I am not changing my hard drive

Another thing I have downloaded the ISO and burned it to a DVD+R with a converter of course. will my old product key work if I install it this way (By booting off the DVD I burned)?

 

[AdamL22197]

Thank you to all people that gave me advice. In the end my build was successful and I had to re-install windows 7, but it was no big deal.