Will OEM install?

If someone has a computer with extensive bloatware and simply wants to install an OEM version if Win 7, will it work without needing the OPK since the computer already had Windows on it?

This would be using a freshly formatted hard drive.

Follow these steps to Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7.

You'll need the Product Key from COA sticker as shown in tutorial, or your retail OEM key.

The installers in Win7 are the same for OEM and retail, and included in tutorial along with tool to burn to DVD or write to flash stick.

I was thinking about buying a Win 7 OEM System Builders disc from Amazon, and formatting my hard drive and do a clean install using the OEM disc. It will have it's own key and I can use the actual disc without burning any CDs.

Just wanted to know if the OPK was going to be needed, or not. I'm hoping this setup will install automatically.

Rockrz said:

I was thinking about buying a Win 7 OEM System Builders disc from Amazon, and formatting my hard drive and do a clean install using the OEM disc. It will have it's own key and I can use the actual disc without burning any CDs.

Why pay for more licenses?? Unless you prefer to pay 80 or 100 bucks rather than burn a disk from a downloaded ISO?

ignatzatsonic said:

Rockrz said:

I was thinking about buying a Win 7 OEM System Builders disc from Amazon, and formatting my hard drive and do a clean install using the OEM disc. It will have it's own key and I can use the actual disc without burning any CDs.

Why pay for more licenses?? Unless you prefer to pay 80 or 100 bucks rather than burn a disk from a downloaded ISO?

I've already tried unpacking the ISO download on to a USB drive and it won't start the installing like it would if I had the MS install disc.

It's business write off, so buying an OEM disc is not that big of a deal

I answered the question about the Product Key already.

If WIn7 came preinstalled on that PC then you own it for the life of the PC and only need to download and burn to DVD or write to flash stick from the tutorial I linked you to reinstall with the Product Key on the COA sticker. If it's retail OEM use the key on the packaging.

THere is no reason to throw away a perfectly good license you own for the life of the machine/OS because you didn't know how to write the latest official ISO to flash stick. I gave you the tool in Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7 which has all the steps needed to get a perfect reinstall.

OK, so does my USB drive need to be formatted in FAT32 or NTSF?

And, what is a "Student version" of Win 7 Pro x64 ?
Is that like a stripped down version?

Student version is standard retail WIn7, normally Upgrade. Just use the ISO for your licensed version from Step 1 of Clean Reinstall - Factory OEM Windows 7, written to flash stick from the tool in Step 2 which does everything including the formatting for you.

As long as you boot the installer with Win7 still on the HD, it will see the underlying OS to allow using Upgrade version key during install.