Reloading Windows Without a Disk

[101RRS]

We have a Asus high end laptop that recently had an issues and we had to download and reload Windows 7 (the laptop does not come with a Win 7 disk).

However despite using the Win 7 product key that is provided on the laptop we cannot activate Windows 7 as it says the product key is invalid.

How do you get windows 7 to work when you do not have a disk and have to download from the net and use the Win 7 product key printed on the laptop.

Thanks

Garry

[sheerluck]

Garry, the norm these days is to have a "recovery partition" on the hard drive, accessed by a key press at start up, that stores the drive image as it was as new.

However, this doesn't help if your HDD dies, though a number of manufacturers that I've had laptops from have an option to create a set of master recovery disks. Not had an Asus one before, so I can't comment specifically.

[Mick_Marsh]

You will probably need to get the ASUS distribution of windows for that model laptop.
Or a new key for the version of windows you downloaded.

[101RRS]

Garry, the norm these days is to have a "recovery partition" on the hard drive, accessed by a key press at start up, that stores the drive image as it was as new.

Yes - however while the disk did not die the whole thing got corrupted so the whole drive had its partitions removed and the hard drive reformatted. In the good ole days you got a windows disk with your computer but it is all now pre installed and if you have an issue you are very much on your own.


You will probably need to get the ASUS distribution of windows for that model laptop.
Or a new key for the version of windows you downloaded.

Mick - not sure I quite follow the first bit but supposedly the system you follow is download the relevant version of Win 7 from Microsoft and use the product key provided with the computer to activate it - clearly MS thinks it is still activated.

Thanks

Garry

[sheerluck]

Yes - however while the disk did not die the whole thing got corrupted so the whole drive had its partitions removed and the hard drive reformatted. In the good ole days you got a windows disk with your computer but it is all now pre installed and if you have an issue you are very much on your own.



Mick - not sure I quite follow the first bit but supposedly the system you follow is download the relevant version of Win 7 from Microsoft and use the product key provided with the computer to activate it - clearly MS thinks it is still activated.

Thanks

Garry

That would explain why you're having the problem Garry!

For the license validation issue - Normally, the laptop/PC manufacturers have a specific edition of the OS, the license key from your sticker won't work with a retail version of Windows you might buy from Harvey Norman as an example. The key falls in a sequence that can only be validated by a disk/download from that manufacturer.

What model is it you have?

[djam1]

Just ring Microsoft provided your license key is for the same version of windows they should give you another activation key.
I have done it many times

[101RRS]

For the license validation issue - Normally, the laptop/PC manufacturers have a specific edition of the OS, the license key from your sticker won't work with a retail version of Windows you might buy from Harvey Norman as an example. The key falls in a sequence that can only be validated by a disk/download from that manufacturer.

Not quite - the instructions are to download the OS from the MS website and activate using the key provided on the computer.


Just ring Microsoft provided your license key is for the same version of windows they should give you another activation key.
I have done it many times

Thanks - will give that a go.

Cheers

Garry

[incisor]

Not quite - the instructions are to download the OS from the MS website and activate using the key provided on the computer.


just to clarify

if it is a laptop you may be required to use the automated phone activation system if it wont activate over the net.

most laptops have an initial install of the manufacturers volume license. when you do a recovery using a std oem image like the ones available from microsoft they don't always activate over the net.

[omnibus]

if you wanna pm me gary i can definately sort you out. if i receive pm I will then reply with my number, I am a pc tech and have what you need will honestly be fixed very easily. no cost

[101RRS]

Just ring Microsoft provided your license key is for the same version of windows they should give you another activation key.
I have done it many times


just to clarify

if it is a laptop you may be required to use the automated phone activation system if it wont activate over the net.

most laptops have an initial install of the manufacturers volume license. when you do a recovery using a std oem image like the ones available from microsoft they don't always activate over the net.

Thanks to both of you - Microsoft confirmed the product code from their records when it was first activated and reactivated it over the phone. As they have an indian call center we had to ask for new operators until we could get one who knew what they were doing and could speak english but all was good.


if you wanna pm me gary i can definately sort you out. if i receive pm I will then reply with my number, I am a pc tech and have what you need will honestly be fixed very easily. no cost

Thanks - but as you can see above all worked out in the end.

Thanks to everyone for your input - worked out great.

Cheers

Garry

[Yorkie]

i am trying to do this on an old emachines desktop the kids use, want to clean it before passing on.
running the winnt32.exe application i enter the product key off the back of the pc then it just comes up disk error and wont go further...
might just bin it instead. :D