Windows 7: Transferring installation from a PC to another

igorgatis · 18 Aug 2010

I bought a PC which comes with Windows 7 pre-installed. It probably has a partition with Windows 7 installation for restoring purposes.

Since I'm going to run linux on this new box, I thought I could use its Windows 7 installation on the my windows box which currently runs vista.

Does anyone know whether this is possible?

Dwarf · 18 Aug 2010

Hello igorgatis and welcome to Windows 7 Forums

Sorry, but no. Since it has the OS preinstalled, it will be an OEM version. These versions are tied to the hardware that they are first installed on, and cannot be transferred over to different hardware.

Bill2 · 18 Aug 2010

No. Pre-installed license is tied to the comp it came with.

Suggest, you get a cheap upgrade copy of Windows 7 for the second comp. Look in Amazon or newegg.

Also, before you switch to linux on the new machine, make an image of your current Windows 7 install on an external drive. That way, you can revert to Windows 7 if you wish to without having to bother about activation or app reinstalls. You can use a program like Macrium Reflect free to create the image.

whs · 18 Aug 2010

Here is tutorial for free Macrium in case you want to use it: Imaging with free Macrium

Darician · 18 Aug 2010

Legally speaking you can't use it on another PC. However, there are always technicalities to this such as you can simply say you switched our your motherboard because it's DOA or something to that effect and no one would be the wiser. Additionally, you can always exercise your option to refuse the Windows 7 installation from your manufacturer and force a refund of it so you can use it toward a new copy of Windows 7. There is legal precedent of this actually being done because someone wants to run Linux or some other OS.

Bill2 · 18 Aug 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by Darician

Legally speaking you can't use it on another PC. However, there are always technicalities to this such as you can simply say you switched our your motherboard because it's DOA or something to that effect and no one would be the wiser. Additionally, you can always exercise your option to refuse the Windows 7 installation from your manufacturer and force a refund of it so you can use it toward a new copy of Windows 7. There is legal precedent of this actually being done because someone wants to run Linux or some other OS.

Darician,

You are confusing between retail and OEM licenses.

Pre-installed Windows 7 machines are OEM activated which means activation is achieved through a combination of elements, some of which are specific to that particular OEM, at the factory.

Assuming for a moment that this can be replicated by the end user, the OP's Vista machine would need to satisfy 2 criteria. One, it would have to be the same OEM brand as the Windows 7 machine. And two, it would have to have a Windows 7 compliant bios.

Feel free to ask.

Darician · 18 Aug 2010

Well, like I said, legally speaking you can't use an OEM license on another PC. Again though, if you do not accept the EULA for Windows 7 on your PC, you can technically request a refund from the manufacturer for this unused OEM copy of Windows 7.

gregrocker · 18 Aug 2010

Good luck with that.

Darician · 18 Aug 2010

Quote: Originally Posted by gregrocker

Good luck with that.

Indeed.

Petey7 · 19 Aug 2010

Darician is right: Windows refund - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But it looks like you may have one heck of time doing it, and certain manufacturers look especially hard to deal with.

Windows 7: Transferring installation from a PC to another

Transferring installation from a PC to another problems?