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Wipe HDD and re-install Windows OEM along with recovery partition.
Hello everyone!
I am using a DELL INSPIRON N5010 series notebook. Have been using it for about 3 years now and for some reason I want to completely wipe my HDD and clean install windows along with the recovery partition.
What I plan to do is take out my HDD, plugin it in to a SATA to USB converter and using another computer, completely format the HDD. I want to do this to increase the performance of the HDD and remove bad sectors. This will also erase the Recovery Partition present on the HDD. The only way to recover then would be by the recovery disks.
I have got the recovery disks as well as the recovery partition right now on the HDD. I do not have the Windows 7 product key that comes on a sticker on the back side of the laptop. It has been erased with time and use.
Now I need suggestions on how to carry out the process.
If I completely wipe my HDD, will the recovery disks install windows and create the recovery partition automatically? Will I need the Windows Key?
What are your suggestions on this and if there is an alternate or easier solution?
Thanks a lot!