How do I get a Windows disc when I have a product key?

wippers

wippers

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Hi Guys. Just a quick question - I have a laptop which has just had a new hard drive fitted but no operating system installed. I have the original Windows Home Premuim product key printed underneath but not actual disc. How do I put the operating system on without paying for a new Window operating system?

Any help much appreciated.
 
I think you just put your product key in and it figures it out.... But I don't think it matters....
 
wippers said:
Brilliant guys. Many thanks. I'd have looked all week for this! ;)

One other question - How do I find out if this is 32 or 64 bit?
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How old is the laptop?
Chances are it was supplied with the 64bit version
 
If your copy of Windows 7 came preinstalled, the MS website won't let you download the ISO image, it looks to me like they only allow you to download it if you have either an OEM or retail copy.
If you still have original hard drive from the laptop, providing it's not faulty you should be able to boot into Wiin 7 and create a set of recovery DVD's.
You could then use them to install it onto the new hard drive but that will also include any bloatware that the laptop manufacturer preinstalled as well.

After a quick google I found this site that you can download either the 32 or 64bit of Windows home ISO image: http://getintopc.com/softwares/oper...home-premium-free-download-iso-32-bit-64-bit/
I presumed you are using the home edition but if not, they also host the images for pro and ulitmate.
 
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I still have the original hard drive but it's knackered and comes up as no operating system installed when I boot up with it, hence the new HDD. The laptop came pre installed with windows 7 home edition.
 
wippers said:
I still have the original hard drive but it's knackered and comes up as no operating system installed when I boot up with it, hence the new HDD. The laptop came pre installed with windows 7 home edition.
Click to expand...

A lot of people tend to not realise that most manufacturers supply a software tool to allow you make a set of recovery DVD's and they don't tend to mention it it with the very little amount of printed instructions either.
Most also have a hiddem recovery partition as well that can be use to do a restore.
Just grab the version you require from the above website and I would guess that your laptop was supplied with the 64bit version but that will depend on the spec of it.
If it was a mid priced to high end at the time of purchase there is a good chance it was supplied with the 64bit version.
Once installed you will need to check device manager to make sure all the software drivers are installed.
Windows 7 driver database is quite comprehensive but if you need any of them, you should be able to download them from the manufacuterers website.
 
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Cheers for all the help. I'll give it a go and see how I get on. Had to order some DVDs to put the ISO file on. Do I just boot from the CD drive with the ISO file on it?
 
It will only require one DVD and yes, you boot from the DVD drive.
 
Well I've finally tried to get this sorted but when I try to make a recovery disc from the Microsoft I get the following message:

Unsupported Product

The product key you entered appears to be for software that was pre-installed on a device. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options.
 
wippers said:
Well I've finally tried to get this sorted but when I try to make a recovery disc from the Microsoft I get the following message:

Unsupported Product

The product key you entered appears to be for software that was pre-installed on a device. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options.
Click to expand...

Some manufacturers will send you the correct DVD for the price of postage. Have a look on their website and see what they offer, if anything. If you can't find anything then it could be worth a quick email to them.
 
wippers said:
Well I've finally tried to get this sorted but when I try to make a recovery disc from the Microsoft I get the following message:

Unsupported Product

The product key you entered appears to be for software that was pre-installed on a device. Please contact the device manufacturer for software recovery options.
Click to expand...

I mentioned that problem in post #9 and gave you an alternative site to download it from :D
 
Wippers,

If you are still struggling, perhaps this will help.

Your old disk will have the installation files for Windows on a different drive/folder so that you are able to reset to factory defaults.
It could very well be your old disk is not knackered per se. What is knackered is, (most probably), the part of the disk that holds the boot sequence files, hence the message 'No operating system installed'.

If you connect the old drive to the computer as another slave drive, you should be able to read the different folders with the information on them. These should include the restoration files from which you can re-install Windows.

If, however, the disk hardware has failed then seek alternative solutions.
 
Jeff Watson said:
Wippers,

If you are still struggling, perhaps this will help.

Your old disk will have the installation files for Windows on a different drive/folder so that you are able to reset to factory defaults.
It could very well be your old disk is not knackered per se. What is knackered is, (most probably), the part of the disk that holds the boot sequence files, hence the message 'No operating system installed'.

If you connect the old drive to the computer as another slave drive, you should be able to read the different folders with the information on them. These should include the restoration files from which you can re-install Windows.

If, however, the disk hardware has failed then seek alternative solutions.
Click to expand...


Thanks Jeff. How do I connect the old drive up as a slave drive though? I'm not too bad with computers but not great.
 
wippers said:
Thanks Jeff. How do I connect the old drive up as a slave drive though? I'm not too bad with computers but not great.
Click to expand...

You previously said 'I still have the original hard drive but it's knackered and comes up as no operating system installed when I boot up with it, hence the new HDD. The laptop came pre installed with windows 7 home edition'

So wont it be pointless to attempt this?
I've explained further in my next post.
 
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Jeff Watson said:
Wippers,

If you are still struggling, perhaps this will help.

Your old disk will have the installation files for Windows on a different drive/folder so that you are able to reset to factory defaults.
It could very well be your old disk is not knackered per se. What is knackered is, (most probably), the part of the disk that holds the boot sequence files, hence the message 'No operating system installed'.
Click to expand...


It's possible that there is a hidden partition with the restore files in but this normally requires some proprietary software installed by the manufacturer and as far as I'm aware, it’s normally a recovery image so he won’t find the windows files so he won’t be able to execute setup.exe
This usually restores windows, device drivers and any bloatware that is supplied with the laptop.
 
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Ive connected the new HDD up and managed to get Windows installed from the downloaded ISO file but there are loads of drivers missing I think which came with the original Sony Vaio software which I no longer have. It looks like there are quite a few generic drivers installed so things are working but the mouse is a bit clunky. Is there anyway of doing a scan or something to detect which drivers need updating?
 
You should be able to find some on the makers website.
In device manager there is usually a part number for the device - google it if Sony don't have a package to suit.
Worth noting if W7 driver isn't specifically mention Vista ones will often work.
I eventually managed to get a very elderly desktop running 7 quite well using combination of these tricks.
 
I had a viao many moons ago. The Sony website has a section where you can download all the drivers. You select which laptop you have from a drop down list, or enter the code on the base of the system (by the serial number etc). It then lists all the files you need, just download each one. Most of them are just exe files that you run in turn and the drivers/programs are installed.
 
wippers said:
Thanks Jeff. How do I connect the old drive up as a slave drive though? I'm not too bad with computers but not great.
Click to expand...

On the old drive, where the cable plugs in there are some electrical connections that are linked by jumpers. The old drive will be set to master - alter the jumper setting so the drive is set to slave.
Then get a drive ribbon with two connections connecting the new, (master) drive to the end of the ribbon and connect the old, (slave) drive to the connection in the middle of the ribbon. The old drive should display as a drive D and be readable in DOS.

Look for the windows files and try to get the windows OS showing - once there restore the Windows OS to the new drive.
 
Well the machine is up and running. I've downloaded all the up to date drivers from Sony and updated Windows. There is one small issue which is the screen flickers a few times when the Windows start screen is loading. Any ideas? It works fine after a couple of seconds and then works normally.
 
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