Windows 7 - acer hard drive failure, what now?

I bought a refurb acer desktop awhile back, no warranty, tonight my dog knocked over the tower and now the harddrive clicks over and over and the computer won't boot. What do I do now? I could buy another hard drive and put it in but how do I get ahold of a windows 7 disk compatible with my computer, it has to be an acer disk for me to use my product key right? What should I do?

You don't need an acer disk no. You just need a windows installation disk that's the same version as the cd key sticker on the rear of your computer. You can use that key to activate windows.

You already own a licence to windows so you don't have to pay, you can use a friends installation disk, or aquire one from the internet.

Do you have a drivers disk or another computer you can download the specific driver for you computer via the acer website?

The biggest problem your faced with is the cost of a new HDD. Prices have gone through the roof recently and are more than double that of a few months ago.

Have you taken the old drive out and reseated it? Checked the power and sata connector?

Welcome to Windows Seven Forums.

Badger is correct.

Have a look here: Clean Install : Factory COA Activation Key

If you don't want to use that method go to Acer Support where should be able to request a recovery disc for a nominal charge.

Acer Support: Welcome to Acer Support

P.S. Is the dog still alive?

I don't know anyone with a windows 7 home premium cd. Does it not need to be an oem cd? I will buy a new hardrive today but will any windows 7 home premium cd work? Where should I look for one? The hardrive is completely gone, the dog is a 6 month puppy I am fostering, I'm still mad at it, I had a ton of stuff on that drive I won't get back.

Unfortunately, if your key is an OEM key, you are going to need an OEM version of Windows ... that being said, getting recovery discs from Acer may be your best bet!

You can Order Acer recovery disks from here:
https://secure.tx.acer.com/RCDB/Main.aspx?brand=acer

Don't be mad at the poor puppy...Be mad at yourself for not backing up.



(Had to say it, sorry!)

Rule #1 is backup, backup, backup. I've always said it is not whether your hard drive is going out, but when (with or without puppies). My puppie used to think it was fun to go under the desk and pull on the wires. Try a search for Official windows 7 iso downloads.

Thank you for the help guys, I have a recovery disk coming from acer, I assume I can buy pretty much any hardndrive I want, I'm gonn go to a best buy or comp usa (yes we have one here) in a few minutes. The hard drive that went out was a seagate barracuda 7200.12 750GB. If I am buying a new one a might as well buy something a little better I suppose. You guys reccommend anything?/

The PID stored on your PC will be the manufacturers (mass) PID and not suitable for a clean install. The Clean install PID should be located on a COA sticker that ACER should affix to the PC. Download the clean install ISO here.
Official Windows 7 SP1 ISO from Digital River « My Digital Life
Note: make sure it matches your existing Windows 7 version.