Windows 7: New Hard drive, same prod. key, no system image, no install disk?!

Last April, my hard drive (running Vista) crashed. I received a new one with no OS, and my school installed windows 7 professional on it, giving me the MSDN-AA "Enterprise" product key but no install disk. I have since graduated, and my hard drive has crashed again. I've been able to make a system repair disk, but it won't let me make a system image or back up because the shadow copy is timing out (I'm only getting my files to an external HD by copying and pasting...). Windows won't mail me a disk because they say my school has to do it. Since I have graduated, my school won't mail me the install disk, even though I still have my old product key. My new hd comes on monday, with no OS.

I have the Vista installation CD's, so I suppose I'll install Vista for now, but I'd like to re-install Windows 7 onto the clean disk or at least upgrade vista to windows 7 - any ideas?

Unfortunately, since you no longer qualify for the MSDNAA option, you will need to purchase a retail/upgrade version of Windows 7..

If I understand it correctly, my school isn't allowed to send me a install disk, but I think they said my key should still work. Doesn't this mean that if I can find a Windows 7 Professional install disk, I can still use the key and be fine, right?

Your only choice if you want windows 7 is to buy the disk, & you should get the retail version. Then if you decide to sell your computer later, you can reinstall vista and still use your windows 7 disk on any new computer you replace it with. With the upgrade version, you won't be able to use the disk on any future computers. Using an MSDN key when you're not a student any more is the same as stealing.

I appreciate your advice and concerns, and I am not trying to break any laws here. If I read the msdnaa rules right, as a student I am still allowed to use the software I received when I was a student even after graduation, unless I'm mistaken (and please correct me if I'm wrong) my only issue is not with the key but with finding an install disk. Since it's the same computer, I believe the key should work if I can just get windows 7 installed - correct? I think the school tech guy gave me one in april, I'm trying to find it now.

You may be right, I don't know for sure...but still, you may have trouble getting microsoft to reactivate it. Any install disk should work but activation might be difficult

Does having the product ID help at all? What's the difference between the product id and the product key?

I'm desperately trying to get as much off the pc before I shut this off - besides music, documents, what else should I be cutting and pasting (again, I'd use system image or backup, but it says the "shadow copy is timed out")

the product ID is generated at activation and is can be used to get a product key when you call microsoft to activate, if entering a key doesn't work, so yeah, save it.. also save any folders that contain driver installers, to save yourself the time downloading them again later

What about a 3rd party imaging product to image it to the new HD ?

I sure several of our members have done this

Tutorial:

Imaging with free Macrium

Doc, my only question at this point regarding trying to do a system image again (with any program) is that even if I get it off with Macrium, is the image going to be so screwed up from the hard drive crash that it would be bad to try and put it on the new hard drive in the first place? ( I thought about that the first time around, but at least wanted to see if I could do it in case.)

If that's a risk, I'd rather try and find an install disk and use my product key/product id/whatever the hell else.